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Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion was so pleased to get Mike Hoffman under contract that he hugged another member of the clubs management team.The Senators and Hoffman, Ottawas leading scorer last season, avoided going to arbitration by agreeing to a four-year contract worth nearly $21 million.This is a great day for the organization, Dorion said on a conference call Wednesday shortly after the announcement of the deal, which carries a $5.19 million annual cap hit. I shouldnt tell you this, but I actually hugged [director of hockey operations] Randy Lee today.Obviously, we see Mike as a huge piece of our team going forward.Hoffman, 26, led the Senators in goals for the second straight season, hitting a career high with 29 goals. He also set career highs with 30 assists, 59 points and a team-leading nine power-play goals.A Kitchener, Ontario, native, Hoffman was particularly pleased to avoid arbitration for a second straight summer. He was awarded a one-year, $2 million deal through the process last summer, his third consecutive one-year contract. His new deal doesnt expire until the end of the 2019-20 season.His arbitration hearing was scheduled for Aug. 4.Ottawa was most intrigued to see what impact new head coach Guy Boucher could have on Hoffman, who starred for Boucher in junior with the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, scoring 98 goals over two seasons while capturing the league championship in 2009.The thing thats exciting about Mike Hoffman is, hes going to play for a coach that, without divulging too many secrets, that simply adores him, Dorion said.Dorion was particularly excited by how Boucher, formerly the Tampa Bay Lightning head coach, planned to use Hoffman on the power play.Hoffman seemed to clash at times with Dave Cameron, the former Senators coach who was fired at the end of last season. Cameron benched Hoffman for the entire third period of an early March win over Toronto before dropping him to the fourth line.Hoffman had 46 even-strength points, second to captain Erik Karlsson among Senators. His 56 goals over the past two seasons rank 19th among all NHL players.Obviously, I had to prove myself again, Hoffman said. I didnt want to just be a one-hit wonder kind of guy, and last season I think I kind of showed what I can do in this league.Hoffman could have become an unrestricted free agent next summer, but the Senators opted to buy three years of unrestricted status. The new deal carries a limited no-trade clause, with a list of 10 teams, that takes effect in the 2017-18 season.Dorion said a new deal wasnt close last month at the draft, but the sides made progress on term and dollars last week. Dorion was discouraged again Monday, though, before meeting with Hoffmans agent, Rob Hooper, on Tuesday.The sides came to an agreement a day later.Cody Ceci, a 22-year-old defenseman, is the only Senator still unsigned. He is a restricted free agent, one whom Dorion said will be in the lineup when Ottawa opens the regular season.I can assure you that Cody will be playing for us on October 12, he said.Asked about the prospect of 40 goals for Hoffman, a former fifth-round pick, Dorion responded, I hope, but I definitely see more than 29.I see an improvement. I definitely see someone whos going to step forward, take a bigger role on our team, not just score goals, but help us win games. I see someone whos been a good player in the NHL, but who can grow even further.Babe Ruth Jersey .C. -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats got off to a fast start, and the Sacramento Kings were never quite able to catch up. Paul ONeill Yankees Jersey . One game after a miserable showing in Oklahoma City, Gay tied a career high with 41 points and the Sacramento Kings cruised to a 114-97 victory at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. https://www.cheapyankees.com/861g-stephen-tarpley-jersey-yankees.html Don Larsen Yankees Jersey . Jeff Green scored 13 points and Kris Humphries 12 for the Celtics, who nearly blew an 18-point, second-half lead. Sullingers 20-20 was the first by a Celtics player since Kevin Garnetts first game in Boston in 2007. Garnett was dealt -- along with Paul Pierce -- to Brooklyn during the off-season. New York Yankees Gear .ca look back at each of the Top 10 stories of 2013. Today, we look back at Boston Strong - a citys recovery from tragedy.PALM BEACH, Florida - NHL commissioner Gary Bettman expects a review of the NHLs concussion spotter program at the next board meeting, during All-Star week in late January, but he praised the effectiveness of the program so far this season.He said he received no concerns from his ownership group about how the concussion spotter program, bulked up this season with centralized spotters in the New York player safety room, has been implemented.Actually, everybody thinks the spotter program is working great, just as it was intended, Bettman said.Wayne Gretzky spoke Friday after attending his first board meeting since leaving the then-Phoenix Coyotes in 2009. He applauded the use of centralized concussion spotters as part of the NHLs effort to better protect players.When I played -- one of my kids asked me if I ever got a concussion -- I can honestly tell you I dont even know, Gretzky said.?Because in those days theyd say, Take two aspirin tonight, tomorrow youre going to skate for an hour and were going to sweat it out of you. Thats what we did.We have so much more knowledge now from the doctor side of things, from the trainers, from the players themselves, and yet theres so much more to learn about it, Gretzky said. Is everybody perfectly happy when the best player gets pulled off? No. But its protocol -- thats what the rules are and youve got to live with it.There was criticism of the program recently after Edmontons Connor McDavid was pulled from a game against the Wild on Sunday when he was tripped and his chin hit the ice.McDavid and some of his teammates werent happy he was pulled from the game for concussion testing, tests he passed. There have also been concerns raised about putting in a backup gooalie without proper warm-up if a starting goalie is removed by a concussion spotter.ddddddddddddAs more high-profile cases emerge and the games increase in importance as the playoffs move closer, the debate will likely get louder. But thats exactly why the program is in place, Bettman said.The reason you have the spotter program is exactly for the instances the people are talking about because players typically ... dont want to come out of a game, Bettman said. We think being cautious, having protocols and enforcing them is the best way to ensure it. Does that mean some players are going to get pulled who didnt have concussions? Sure. But it also means were going to make sure the players who need to be off the ice are off the ice.The second day of the NHLs board of governors meetings passed without major news emerging. According to Bettman, the session was filled with routine informational updates, on issues like the centennial celebration, relationships with television rights holders and a World Cup wrap-up.Everybody in the room believes, as do we, that we were able to re-establish this event in a very big way, major way, Bettman said of the World Cup. There are a variety of things were focused on to do it even better the next time we do it, whenever that might be. I think people were pleased with it.The NHL also filled out its executive committee, adding Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson and Winnipeg co-owner Mark Chipman to the committee in place of the late Ed Snider and Carolina owner Peter Karmanos.Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.? ' ' '