Hasek Changes His Mind, Plans to Return to Sabres

Dominik Hasek has decided to play another season with the Buffalo Sabres. Hasek, one of the best goalies in NHL history, missed three months this season because of a groin injury. He had planned to retire after this season but has reconsidered.

“What changed my mind, very simply, was the injury,” he said during a news conference Monday.

Hasek, 35, announced in July that this season would be his last. He said at the time that the longer he stayed in the United States, the harder his son Michael’s adjustment would be to life in the Czech Republic, where Hasek wants to return when he retires.

“When I made the announcement I didn’t expect to be out for more than half of the season,” he said. “I expected to have a full, good season for the Buffalo Sabres.”

Sabre owner John Rigas is delighted.

“Knowing how important the Czech culture is to Dominik and [wife] Alena, we respected his original decision to retire at the end of this season,” he said. “We now understand Dominik’s desire to end his career with a complete season.”

Coach Lindy Ruff now must find playing time for Hasek and Martin Biron, who leads the league with five shutouts. Biron is 19-15-2 with a 2.34 goals-against average and .911 save percentage. Hasek is 3-4-3 with a 2.38 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.

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Pittsburgh right wing Matthew Barnaby was suspended for five games without pay and New York Islander defenseman Eric Cairns got a four-game penalty for fighting in a hallway after being penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct just before the second period ended Saturday.

Barnaby, treated by the NHL as a repeat offender, loses about $61,000, and Cairns loses $8,750. Cairns spotted Barnaby through a gap in a curtain and threw a punch, and the two had to be pulled apart.

“The NHL never has tolerated, and never will tolerate, inappropriate off-ice conduct such as this,” NHL Executive Vice President Colin Campbell said.

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San Jose Shark defenseman Jeff Norton was suspended four games for swinging his stick at New Jersey Devil right wing Claude Lemieux’s head Sunday night. Norton was given a match penalty at the time for attempting to injure Lemieux. Based on his annual salary, the 34-year-old defenseman will forfeit $26,041.67. The suspension will keep Norton out of tonight’s game against the New York Islanders as well as key Western Conference games against the Mighty Ducks, St. Louis and the Kings.

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A sale of the New Jersey Devils to the YankeeNets is expected to be completed by the end of the month. The deal, which could lead to construction of an arena in Newark, N.J., for the Devils and New Jersey Nets, will not be formally announced until after the NHL playoffs, the New York Post reported. The New York Times reported last weekend that completion of the sale was imminent.