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UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- The New York Islanders signed Mike York
and Trent Hunter to one-year deals on Saturday, avoiding
arbitration with both forwards. York, acquired from Edmonton last week in the trade that sent
captain Michael Peca to the Oilers, will earn $2.05 million.
Hunter, New York's co-leader in scoring during his rookie season of
2003-04, will receive $1 million. Hunter was an NHL rookie of the year finalist after tying for
the Islanders' lead with 25 goals and 51 points. He was the
league's only rookie to be first on his team in both goals and
points. The 27-year-old York started his NHL career with the Rangers
during the 1999-00 season. He played in all 82 games and had 26
goals and 50 points. In 374 NHL games with the Rangers and Oilers,
York has 98 goals and 235 points. The Islanders still face two arbitration hearings as they have
yet to reach deals with center Justin Papineau and Brent Sopel, a
defenseman who also came to New York last week in a deal with
Vancouver. Only seven other NHL players filed for arbitration this year,
and two others were drawn into the process by their teams -- a new
right given to clubs in the new collective bargaining agreement. If players and teams don't work out contracts on their own,
arbitration hearings will be held between Aug. 22 and Sept. 1.
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