The former mega-agent for Wayne Gretzky and other stars who was Phoenix GM from 2001-2007, today was named senior adviser to Glen Sather---a long-time friend---and director of U.S. amateur scouting.
Barnett, who is credited with beginning to rebuild and restock the Coyotes farm system, was fired by new ownership in a front-office housecleaning in April 2007. He was questioning during a New Jersey police gambling investigation in 2006, but he was not charged.
Last August, Phoenix assistant coach Rick Tocchet was sentenced to two years probation for conspiracy and promoting gambling in connection with his role in the multimillion-dollar sports betting ring. Tocchet did not take bets on NHL games.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Barnett placed a bet of a few hundred dollars on a Super Bowl with Tocchet.
"I met with investigators from the state of New Jersey last night and answered all of their questions honestly and in their entirety," Barnett said in a statement. "They informed me that my conduct has in no way violated either federal or state laws."

I'll be here to answer your questions...please swing by.

Well, if after all these years, many of us have never really gotten back to the garden, how about bringing the Garden to upstate New York?
Forget Bonnaroo.
Have you heard about MSG's plans to stage an annual three-day music festival on a sprawling dairy farm?
Oh, the mud, the tunes, the colors, the merchandising. Wait, I'm getting a flashback, man.
You can bet Jim Dolan's band is already booked on the main stage. Will John Amirante sing the national anthem?
Heck, I'm going only if Henrik Lundqvist's band is playing---and there's a hotel nearby.
Seriously, boys and girls, MSG Entertainment is looking into purchasing 910 acres near Springfield, about 60 miles west of Albany, and have spoken with officials in the town, which is, no surprise, divided on the topic.
Next up, an environmental study, according a piece in Sunday's New York Times metro section, which closes with a hilarious quote from perhaps the most famous fictional resident of any Springfield, Homer Simpson.
"Why do you need new bands? Everyone knows rock attained perfection in 1974.
It's a scientific fact."
More on this as things develop...

UPDATE: For those who asked, there's nothing scheduled on the Ranger press conference front this week

What we here in New York suspected for a month is closer to reality: The Jan. 1 outdoor game seems set for Wrigley Field, with the Hawks hosting the Wings, not Rangers hosting Bruins in the Bronx. Minneapolis Star-Trib is reporting that today....On the free-agent front, Bertuzzi to Calgary, Stajan signs with Leafs, according to TSN...

One more thing from the last entry: Or, how about Drury/Gomez co-captains?

Gotta run, back later...

Counting backward: Jagr, Messier, Leetch, Kisio, Greschner, Beck, Tkachuk, Dave Maloney, Espo, Park, Hadfield and all the way to the first, Bill Cook in 1926-27.

Who's next?

My money's on Chris Drury.

It's all but certain Brendan Shanahan won't be back, and personally, a "C" for Brendan would have been purely ceremonial at this final stage in his career. Going forward, the Rangers should have a captain in command for more than a year.

Drury was co-captain with Danny Briere from 2004-07 in Buffalo.
Next, Scott Gomez as one 'A' would be the way to go.
Should Markus Naslund have the other ''A''? He wore the C for Vancouver for eight years.

Thoughts?

Also, with thousands of page views and hundreds of questions, the first live chat we had here last week blew the roof off the servers. They're repaired, so we'll host another tomorrow, Tuesday, at 11:30 AM.

I'll post another reminder in the morning, in case you need to set some time aside to pose questions on the Rangers and the NHL as the dust settles on free agency, cap space (I believe there's some more moves to be made) arbitration, rosters, training camps, the whole enchilada.

Boston Bruins
Dennis Wideman

Carolina Hurricanes
Chad LaRose

Colorado Avalanche
Marek Svatos
Detroit Red Wings
Valtteri Filppula

Florida Panthers
Jay Bouwmeester

Minnesota Wild
Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Stephane Veilleux

Nashville Predators
Ville Koistinen

New York Islanders
Sean Bergenheim

New York Rangers
Dan Fritsche

Ottawa Senators
Antoine Vermette

St. Louis Blues
Jay McClement

San Jose Sharks
Marcel Goc

Washington Capitals
Brooks Laich
Shaone Morrisonn

Hearings will be held in Toronto from July 20 to August 4.

Not unexpectedly, D Paul Mara inked a $1.95 million, 1-year deal that Sather put in front of him yesterday. On breakup day, Mara---an unrestricted free agent--- said he told the front office and coaches that he wanted to come back.

Did he like the moves that the Rangers made? "Absolutely," he told me earlier during a phone call. "Redden and Rozy are great. They're adding great pieces to the puzzle."

So the top 6 defenseman, as it stands now: Redden, Rozsival, Staal, Girardi, Kalinin, Mara.

Not too shabby, as the Scooter used to say.

UPDATE: Deal was confirmed by Jagr's agent Pat Brisson. "Jaromir signed a letter of intent with the Avangard Omsk Hockey team of the Russian CHL on or about 3am EST this morning. I won't comment on the terms of the agreement at this time," he told TSN. "It was a very difficult but personal decision to make in light of the many NHL teams interested in his services. He is grateful to the NHL and especially the Rangers in recent years."

Moscow, Russia (Sports Network) - The Russian hockey team Avangard Omsk announced it has signed former New York Rangers star Jaromir Jagr on Friday.

The team confirmed the deal on its Web site, but did not disclose financial terms. Local and international media are reporting that Jagr will be paid $35 million for two years. There is also reportedly an option for a third season.

Rangers general manager Glen Sather said Thursday the club could no longer wait for Jagr to decide where he wanted to play and signed former Vancouver captain Markus Naslund to replace him.

Jagr, who tallied 25 goals and 46 assists for the Blueshirts last season, also played for Avangard during the NHL's lockout season in 2004-05.

An eight-time NHL All-Star and 1999 Hart Trophy winner as the league's MVP, Jagr has registered 646 goals and 963 assists in 1,273 NHL games with Pittsburgh, Washington and the Rangers.

The Czech Republic native was also a part of two Stanley Cup winners in 1991 and 1992 with the Penguins.

Love Jagr. one of the classiest and most approachable star athletes I've met on this long journey since I started in the newspaper racket in the mid-1970s. Be grateful for the three years.

The Rangers seem to have had a plan on two players, Jagr and Avery, and held to their convictions. Maybe it won't work this season, maybe it will.

All I know is, it would have been easy to give in.

Now, save money and see if maybe, just maybe, Sundin comes around.

That's pro sports.

Sure there's some loyalty, some soul, which is good, but in the end, it's business.

Things change when you don't win..

The games change.

You adjust. Roll the dice.

Nothing's forever.

So the D would be Redden, Rozsival, Staal, Girardi, Kalinin, Mara, plus youngsters in the wings. Upgrade for sure.

FYI: Naslund deal confirmed $8 mil for two...

Rangers General manager Glen Sather said this afternoon that he spoke with the Czech superstar, who is an unrestricted free agent, and told him that the club was moving in another direction.

"It was a very cordial parting," Sather said, adding that the 36-year-old was seriously considering an offer that his agent was reviewing from Russia.

Click here for the full story.

Swedish left wing Markus Naslund, who played in Vancouver for 12 years is the newest Ranger, inking a two-year deal. They also added defenseman Dmitri Kalinin from Buffalo.

Naslund, who turns 35 on July 30, was 25-30-55 last season, and had four goals in a dozen playoff games for the Canucks. He had been the captain there for eight years. "I wanted to be signing with a Cup contender," he said.

"Right from noon on July 1, my eye was on the Rangers, it took a little longer than I thought," said Naslund, who said he spoke with former coach Tom Renney several times. "Having Henrik back there was a big selling point for me. I think that's where you have to start building a team...."

Rangers have conference call at 4:30...Stay tuned