Stars Acquire Veteran MacLean From Rangers

The Dallas Stars acquired right wing John MacLean from the New York Rangers on Monday, giving up future considerations for the 17-year veteran who had been languishing in the minors.

MacLean, 36, played in only two of New York’s first 16 games and the club offered to buy out 80% of the remainder of his contract over two years. He wanted the money up front and wound up being sent to Manitoba of the International Hockey League on Nov. 15.

MacLean vowed that his career wasn’t over and in 32 games had six goals, 12 assists and 28 penalty minutes.

The Stars, who trail the San Jose Sharks by three points in the Pacific Division, are short-handed because of injuries.

MacLean broke into the NHL in 1983 after the New Jersey Devils made him the sixth pick in the draft.

He became the Devils’ all-time leader in goals (347), assists (354) and points (701) and was part of the 1995 team that won the Stanley Cup.

He finished the 1997-98 season with the Sharks, then joined the Rangers as a free agent. In 1,146 NHL games, he has 830 points on 406 goals and 424 assists with 1,294 penalty minutes.

*

Goaltender Roman Turek of the St. Louis Blues will sit out at least one game because of tendinitis in his left elbow.

The Blues recalled goaltender Dwayne Roloson on an emergency basis from Worcester of the AHL to replace Turek, who reported soreness after his last start Feb. 1. Turek is 18-9-5 with a 2.22 goals-against average.

Roloson, 31, leads the AHL in wins (19), goals-against average (2.13) and save percentage (.933) and is 19-7-2 with two shutouts for Worcester.

*

Pittsburgh Penguin captain Jaromir Jagr might sit out Wednesday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers after getting hit in the head the last time the teams played.

“My head is OK now, so I’ve got no problem with that,” Jagr said after an hourlong workout. “But my neck’s still sore. . . . If the game was [today], I wouldn’t play. But I’m not sure right now what I’m going to do.”

He sat out Sunday’s NHL All-Star game because of concussion symptoms after sitting out the third period of last Wednesday’s 5-1 loss to the Flyers because of headaches and dizziness thanks to a bruising hit.

Jagr’s head smacked against the glass after he was drilled by Todd Fedoruk.

“I cannot comment on the hit, because I don’t know what really happened,” Jagr said. “I didn’t see the guy. I was kind of scrambling on the boards, trying to get the puck. And when I tried to turn with the puck, all of a sudden, someone hit me.”

*

A snowstorm hitting the Eastern seaboard delayed the Buffalo Sabres’ plans to fly into New York City.

The team will try to fly out of Buffalo this morning for its game against the Rangers tonight, Sabre spokesman Michael Gilbert said.

While the weather in Buffalo was clear and mild, the storm canceled some flights to the New York area’s major airports.

*

The Washington Capitals recalled right wing Matt Herr from Portland of the American Hockey League.