DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings said Monday they have exercised their $8 million option for 2003-04 on goaltender Dominik Hasek.

He retired in 2002 after leading Detroit to the Stanley Cup, but the 38-year-old recently expressed interest publicly in returning to competition.

The Red Wings had until Monday to exercise the option on Hasek for next season, or come to another agreement. If they had not, he would have become an unrestricted free agent. If Hasek, who lives in the Czech Republic, returns, the Red Wings will have to talk goaltender Curtis Joseph into waiving the no-trade clause in his contract so they could deal him.

Mighty Ducks allow Kariya to become free agent

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Anaheim Mighty Ducks declined to make team captain Paul Kariya a qualifying offer Monday night, allowing the seven-time NHL All-Star to become an unrestricted free agent.

The Ducks hope to return Kariya to the team, but did not want to match the salary he received last season, $10 million on a one-year contract. Anaheim could sign him at a lower salary.

Kariya was taken by Anaheim with the fourth pick of the NHL entry draft in 1993 – the year the expansion Ducks came into the league.

Oates joins free-agent class

Adam Oates joined the free-agent market Monday as NHL clubs faced a midnight deadline to re-sign players.

The unrestricted free agents hit the market Tuesday. Included will be forwards Sergei Fedorov, Teemu Selanne, Ray Whitney, Joe Nieuwendyk and Daniel Cleary as well as defensemen Oleg Tverdovsky, Derian Hatcher, Greg De Vries and Glen Wesley. But they might not be scooped up as quickly as in the past. Several of the traditional big-spending clubs such as Dallas, Detroit, Philadelphia and Toronto have said they plan to approach free agency more judiciously.

Oates, a 40-year-old forward, became unrestricted when the Anaheim Mighty Ducks declined to pick up his $3.5 million option for next season.

Rangers trade Leetch

to Edmonton

NEW YORK – The New York Rangers traded the rights to free agent Brian Leetch to the Edmonton Oilers after being unable to sign the defenseman before the Monday midnight deadline. But it could be a temporary trade.

The Oilers sent backup goaltender Jussi Markkanen and a fourth-round draft pick to New York. Leetch has been a cornerstone of the Rangers’ defense since joining the team after the 1988 Olympics. He can still re-sign with New York starting Tuesday.

The Oilers are unlikely to sign Leetch but will receive a compensatory draft pick in 2004 – probably a second-rounder – when he goes to another team.

Flyers sign Desjardins, Lapointe

PHILADELPHIA – Defenseman Eric Desjardins and forward Claude Lapointe signed two-year contracts with the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, one day before they could have become unrestricted free agents. Desjardins had eight goals and 24 assists in 79 games last season. Lapointe had two goals and two assists in 14 games with the Flyers after coming over in a trade with the New York Islanders in March.

“We have always liked the way that both players have played for us,” Flyers general manager Bob Clarke said. “Desjardins has been here for nine years and has been our best defenseman. I think that this was critical to the strength of our defense. Desjardins has been a tremendous help to a lot of our young players as well.”

A three-time All-Star, Desjardins was honored as Philadelphia’s most outstanding defenseman last season.

He led the Flyers with a plus-minus rating of plus-30.

In nine seasons with the Flyers, Desjardins has 88 goals and 272 assists for 360 points. He ranks second in points among defensemen on the Flyers’ career list, trailing only Mark Howe (480). Desjardins has 131 goals and 408 assists over 15 seasons.

Lapointe has 122 goals and 175 assists for 297 points in 13 seasons.