Goalie Huet Agrees to Deal With Kings

Goaltender Cristobal Huet, who played in half of the Kings’ games last season, signed a two-year, $1.2-million deal Thursday to stay with the Kings.

Huet, who would have become a restricted free agent July 1, was 10-16-10 with a 2.43 goals-against average in 41 appearances. He often spelled erratic starter Roman Cechmanek and started 20 games as Cechmanek sat out with hip and groin injuries.

“When you have a chance to play, you can show a little bit more than just in practice,” Huet said. “That was a big step for me to play that much.”

Huet, 28, who had considered playing with a pro team in Switzerland, will join the Kings if the start of the NHL season is not suspended because of a pending lockout. If there is a lockout, Huet could play in Switzerland. But he will join the Kings when a labor agreement is reached.

Huet made $425,000 last season.

-- Mike Bresnahan

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Goaltender Tommy Salo ended a 10-year NHL career, signing with MoDo of the Swedish Elite League.

The 33-year-old Salo, who started his NHL career with the New York Islanders after helping Sweden beat Canada in a penalty shootout in the final at the 1994 Olympics, moved from Edmonton to Colorado near the end of the season.

Salo picked MoDo, based in Ornskoldsvik in northern Sweden, after being contacted by Coach Kent Forsberg, the father of Colorado’s Peter Forsberg.

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Dave Lewis will return to coach the Detroit Red Wings. Lewis, whose contract expired when the Calgary Flames beat Detroit in the second round of the playoffs, met with General Manager Ken Holland. Holland extended Lewis an offer, which was accepted, but the length and the terms of the contract have not been finalized.... Toronto forward Darcy Tucker underwent abdominal surgery. He sat out 14 games because of an abdominal injury late in the season, returning for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Ottawa Senators.