DETROIT – Marian Hossa lost the Stanley Cup to the Detroit Red Wings last month. Now, the star forward is joining the champions to help them repeat.

Hossa signed a one-year contract with Detroit on Wednesday, and a person in the NHL told The Associated Press the deal is worth $7.45 million.

The high-scoring winger was one of the key players who helped the Pittsburgh Penguins advance to the Stanley Cup finals, which they lost to Detroit in six games.

With Hossa headed for Detroit, the most highly coveted forwards left on the free agent market are Jaromir Jagr and Mats Sundin. Sundin isn’t close to signing with anyone, and said Wednesday he needs more time to decide where – or if – he wants to play next season.

Malkin re-signs with Penguins for 5 years

PITTSBURGH – Evgeni Malkin is staying in Pittsburgh for quite some time.

The Penguins signed the MVP finalist to a five-year extension worth $43.5 million on Wednesday, a deal that will keep him under contract until the 2013-14 season.

The 21-year-old forward still has one year left on his initial three-year, entry level contract. His deal is equal to one signed by teammate Sidney Crosby that begins with the upcoming season.

Rangers, Blue Jackets make four-player swap

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Blue Jackets traded enigmatic offensive star Nikolai Zherdev and center Dan Fritsche to the New York Rangers for defensemen Christian Backman and Fedor Tyutin on Wednesday.

Zherdev gives the Rangers one of the NHL’s best one-on-one players, but also a Russian right winger who has frequently fallen into disfavor with management and teammates. He had a career-high 61 points last season with 26 goals and 35 assists, second on the Columbus team to captain Rick Nash.

Rangers reel in Redden, Rozsival and 4 others

NEW YORK – As the Rangers waited for news on free agents Jaromir Jagr, Mats Sundin and Sean Avery, they stayed active elsewhere in their ongoing rebuilding process.

At the end of Day 1 of the NHL free-agent shopping season, New York returned top defenseman Michal Rozsival and added prime pickup Wade Redden to help him on the blue line.

Redden, who had a down year with the disappointing Ottawa Senators last season, weighed several offers throughout the day before agreeing to terms with the Rangers on a six-year deal that will pay him $6.5 million per season.

Senators sign forwards Donovan and Ruutu

OTTAWA – The Ottawa Senators signed veteran forwards Shean Donovan and Jarkko Ruutu on Wednesday.

Donovan, 33, had 12 points – including five goals – and 73 penalty minutes last season with the Senators.

Donovan, who signed a two-year deal, has 105 goals and 121 assists in 856 NHL regular-season games with the Senators, San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins.

Ruutu, 32, had six goals, 10 assists and 138 penalty minutes with the Penguins last season. The noted agitator recorded 36 goals and 47 assists in 419 NHL regular-season games with Pittsburgh and Vancouver.

Islanders sign veteran Weight to 1-year deal

NEW YORK – The New York Islanders agreed to terms Wednesday with veteran forward Doug Weight on a one-year deal worth $1.75 million plus incentives.

The 37-year-old center, who had 10 goals and 15 assists in 67 games with the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks last season, is the second major free agent signing by the Islanders since bidding got under way on Tuesday. New York inked defenseman Mark Streit a day earlier to a five-year, $20.5 million deal.

Stars sign agitating forward Sean Avery

DALLAS – The Dallas Stars signed noted pest Sean Avery to a four-year, $15.5 million deal Wednesday.

The 28-year-old forward is a former NHL-leader in penalty minutes, but his style is effective. In 86 games with the New York Rangers over the last two seasons, the club was 50-20-16 with him in the lineup and 9-13-3 without him.

“We are excited about the opportunity to add a player like Sean Avery to our group,” Stars co-general manager Brett Hull said.

“His ability to play the game with skill and tenacity makes us a better team and is a great complement to the players we have here.”

In the recent playoffs, the league put in a so-called “Avery Rule” after he set up in front of New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur and blocked the goalie’s view by waving his hand and stick.

Asked about it the next day, Stars goalie Marty Turco said: “Hopefully, guys understand the integrity of the sport. That’s just something you don’t do. It’s kind of bush league. Hopefully it’s the last we see of it.”