The NHL Players Association is telling its membership that the NHL salary cap will rise to a maximum of approximately $44 million per team next season.

In a message posted on the players' only website known as ''The Source,'' the NHLPA says the salary cap will range from a minimum of $28 million per team up to $44 million. The message says the figures are approximate, but close to what the final numbers will be.

The current salary cap has a range of $21 million to a maximum of $39 million.

Canadian Press

6/20/2006 3:05:42 PM

Alain Vigneault is the new coach of the Vancouver Canucks.

The NHL team made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon, promoting Vigneault from their AHL team in Winnipeg and giving him the task of motivating a team GM Dave Nonis says needs a "kickstart."

The former Montreal Canadiens bench boss will take over for Marc Crawford, who was fired in April after the Canucks missed the playoffs for the first time since 2000.

"I know this group might not have met expectations, but there's a solid base here," Vigneault said. "Obviously, there's some things that are going to be done personnel-wise.

"I'm going to make sure (the team is) well-prepared, works hard and plays with commitment and passion. All my teams have done that."

The Manitoba Moose were third in the AHL's North Division with 100 points under Vigneault this year and advanced to the second round of the AHL playoffs.

The 45-year-old Vigneault has spent most of the past 20 years as a head coach.

In addition to leading the Canadiens from 1997 until 2000, he's spent time as an assistant with the Ottawa Senators and a head coach in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with Trois-Rivieres, Hull, Beauport and PEI.

HockeyRefs.com Wire
Published: June 20, 2006 - 1:44 PM EDT

TORONTO, Ontario, Canada — Four NHL officials recently fired by the league can expect a ruling on their appeals by the end of this week, a source said.

“There were four officials let go,” a referee speaking on condition of anonymity told HockeyRefs.com on Monday.

He was unwilling to disclose the names of sacked officials because they are “close friends” – though he expects the firings to be finalized shortly.

Under the NHL-NHLOA collective bargaining agreement, no more than four full-time officials can be fired each year.

While appeals will be heard by league deputy commissioner Bill Daly, there is also the possibility a sacked official could take legal action – which was the case with Mark Faucette.

Faucette, a former referee, claimed he was wrongly fired by then director of officiating Andy Van Hellemond. His case ended with a favorable ruling by an arbitrator, though he opted not to return and now works for the ECHL as a supervisor.

The four firings are the first under the tenure of Stephen Walkom, who retired in 2005 after 15 seasons as a referee to head the NHL’s officiating.

Walkom, the former NHLOA president, isn’t directly involved in the decision to fire an official – though evaluations by his team of supervisors determine who gets sacked for poor performance.