Palffy Re-Signs with Islanders

Ziggy Palffy never really wanted to move, he said. He just wanted to be able to afford one of the best houses in the neighborhood.

Palffy, an all-star right winger who is one of only five NHL players to score 40 goals in each of the last three seasons, signed a $25-million, five-year contract with the New York Islanders after protracted negotiations that, at various times, had him going to most of the league’s well-heeled teams.

The Kings had inquired about Palffy, and the New York Rangers were said to be a destination at one point.

“In my heart I always wanted to be a New York Islander,” Palffy said in a statement from his native Slovakia. “I want to make it clear that I didn’t say I wanted to be a New York Ranger. I said I wanted to beat the New York Rangers.”

Palffy had 45 goals and 42 assists last season for the Islanders, who have been searching for offense all season. They had scored only 13 goals in their previous eight games, coming into Thursday’s game against the Kings. New York had lost seven of those eight games.

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A bone scan revealed that Eric Lacroix had suffered a broken breastbone, rather than collarbone as was believed, in a collision Saturday in a game against Vancouver.

He is expected to be out indefinitely.