VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Canucks re-signed forward Zack Kassian and defenceman Yannick Weber on Friday. Josh Donaldson Braves Jersey . Kassian, who had 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) and 124 penalty minutes in 73 games last season, signed a US$3.5-million, two-year deal. The 23-year-old native of Windsor, Ont., has 50 points (25-25) and 226 PIM in 156 career NHL games. "Zack is a skilled, young player and an important member of this team," Canucks general manager Jim Benning said in a release. "He has the ability to impact a game both with his talent and size. We look forward to seeing him continue to develop as a Canuck." Kassian won a silver medal for Canada at the 2011 IIHF world junior championships and helped the Windsor Spitfires win a MasterCard Memorial Cup in 2010. He will receive $1.5 million next season and $2 million in 2015-16. Weber, who split last season between Vancouver and the Utica Comets of the AHL, had 10 points (6-4) and 16 PIM in 49 games for Vancouver. The 25-year-old Swiss blue-liner has 42 points (11-31) in 164 career NHL games with the Canucks and Montreal Canadiens. His one-year contract is worth $850,000. Also Friday, the Canucks re-signed goaltender Joe Cannata. He spent last season with the Comets, his third in the AHL. Adam Duvall Jersey . Sami Vatanen had a goal and an assist and Anaheim used a four-goal first period to extend their winning streak to six games with a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night. Jeff Burroughs Braves Jersey . The Red Wings hadnt played the night before. The Boston Bruins had. A month from now, or two months from now, it doesnt matter. But right now it does matter, when you start and you play back to back, its wear and tear on you for sure, Babcock said.IRVING, Texas -- Justin Durant was as sick as anyone to see Sean Lee go down with a torn knee ligament in the first off-season practice for the Dallas Cowboys. To suggest the injury gives Durant an opportunity to be the starting middle linebacker sort of turns the eight-year veterans stomach. "It hurt me seriously to my core," Durant said of the left ACL injury that is likely to keep Lee out in 2014. "I just look at it as my trying to step up and fill some big shoes." Durant isnt the only option under consideration by the Cowboys, who still havent specified Lees injury or said how long they expect him to be sidelined. Fourth-round pick Anthony Hitchens wasnt far behind Durant for the start of the second week of off-season practice Monday, the same day Hitchens signed his rookie contract. And second-year player DeVonte Holloman worked off to the side, nursing a sore hamstring. If one of those three isnt at the centre of the Dallas defence in the season opener against San Francisco in about three months, it will probably be someone off the streets. The Cowboys arent in a hurry to decide. "I dont have timetables," linebackers coach Matt Eberflus said. "I really dont. Like I said, just working with whos on the grass." Durant and Holloman started the last three games of 2013 after Lee was sidelined by a neck injury. Durant made the first of those three starts before a hamstring injury sidelined him. Holloman took the last two, and had the first two sacks of his career in the season finale against Philadelphia. But Holloman hasnt made it the practice field this off-season because of a hamstring injury after the sixth-round pick missed seeven games his rookie season with a neck problem. Mike Lum Jersey. And he was drafted as an outside linebacker. "The reason hes valuable is hes got position flex," Eberflus said. "Where he fits in the lineup Im not sure yet. But hell decide that with his play." A year after coming to Dallas as a free agent who figured to be a backup, Durant finds himself by far the most experienced option to replace Lee. And that could mean a more vocal role for a guy who blended into the background his first year with the Cowboys. "Sean of course is a huge leader on our defence," said Durant, who has started 74 of 89 games in his first seven years. "Im going to be me but Im also going to step up and Im going step in and do some things sometimes." Hitchens was drafted a couple of rounds earlier than most projections, with Dallas thinking about insurance after Lee missed almost half the previous two seasons with injuries. The Cowboys didnt figure on having to cash in on that policy so quickly. "I just take it as this is my job and this is what they brought me in here for," Hitchens said. "I signed up for this. I usually dont look ahead." If hes looking ahead, coach Jason Garrett isnt saying. The coach wouldnt rule out a return in 2014 by Lee, who has missed 18 games in four seasons with hamstring, wrist, toe and neck injuries. "We feel like we have more guys to start with than we had last year at this time," Garrett said. "We want to be sure those guys get an opportunity to show us what they can do. Were also trying to find the best three linebackers." The Cowboys wont be settling on those three anytime soon. ' ' '