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BOSTON - The Boston Bruins dont expect to make a major signing in free agency. A player drafted from a mediocre crop this week likely wont make an immediate impact. So general manager Peter Chiarelli plans some small changes to improve the team that exited the playoffs earlier than expected. "We had a very good team and, with a little bit of tweaking, I feel well be right back where we were in the past," he said Monday. The Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2010-11, reached the Cup finals in 2012-13, led the NHL in regular-season points in 2013-14 then eliminated the Detroit Red Wings in a five-game series. But they lost the next round to the Montreal Canadiens in seven games after going up 3-2. Chiarellis big task now is to re-sign Jarome Iginla after he tied for the team lead with 30 goals in his first season with Boston. "Im not going to comment specifically on negotiations," Chiarelli said in a conference call. "Wed like to sign Jarome and thats what I can say. I mean, he has been a valuable player for us. I think there is a good fit." Iginla is one of five Bruins who can become unrestricted free agents when the signing period begins July 1. The others are backup goalie Chad Johnson, defencemen Andrej Meszaros and Corey Potter, both late-season acquisitions, and forward Shawn Thornton, who has been told by Chiarelli he wont be re-signed. "There may be one or two more" among those free agents who he wont re-sign, Chiarelli said. Forward Reilly Smith and defenceman Torey Krug can become restricted free agents. Top free agents from other teams include forwards Marian Gaborik, Thomas Vanek and Paul Stastny. "There are good players available," Chiarelli said. "Were not going to go full force into the free agency. Were probably going to take a step back and look at what may be lesser deals, meaning not high-profile deals, might be available, partially due to (salary) cap reasons, partially due to chemistry reasons." A few hours later, Chiarelli announced that the Bruins had signed goalie Niklas Svedberg to a one-year contract. He played the only NHL game of his career in a 3-2 overtime win over the Nashville Predators on Jan. 2. With the Bruins AHL team in Providence last season, he was 25-15-4 with a 2.63 goals-against average. He had 37 wins for Providence the previous season. The Bruins have the 25th pick in the two-day draft starting Friday in Philadelphia. With four solid lines, a capable defence and young players bidding for playing time, any players drafted arent likely to help the Bruins next season. The draft "is generally considered, and I would agree, a thinner draft," Chiarelli said. "So there is not as much value, relatively speaking, placed in these picks. So teams will probably be more apt to move those picks around" through trades. Thornton spent seven seasons with the Bruins, providing toughness and leadership. He might not be the only player to leave who is part of the teams successful veteran core. "The decision on Shawn was a very hard one. Hes been here and part of this group for a long time and that would apply to all these guys who have been here and who have given us good service and that have been part of winning teams and Cup-winning teams," Chiarelli said. "So there will be hard choices, but it may be that we dont make hard choices and we keep as many people as we can and we go into the year and maybe we do make those hard choices as the year progresses." For now, Chiarelli is focusing on the draft. "I read about a bunch of (solid) centermen and were not in the market for any centerman," he said. Defencemen also "are becoming a major topic of conversation." He might even trade his first-round pick. "Everything is always available," Chiarelli said. 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Sammie Coates Texans Jersey .Y. - The New York Yankees made it official Saturday, announcing the completion of a seven-year deal with free-agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury and a one-year contract for returning starter Hiroki Kuroda. INDIANAPOLIS -- When the Indiana Pacers needed a lift. Paul George stepped up. All over the court, over and over again. George had 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and the Pacers used a big second-half run to rally for a 101-85 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series. George Hill scored each of his 15 points in the second half, helping top-seeded Indiana earn a split of the first two post-season games at home. George also had four steals and blocked a shot while helping keep Hawks point guard Jeff Teague in check. "Thats why he was in the MVP conversation early," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "He always does those types of things, guarding the best perimeter player, rebounding the ball, deflecting the ball. His hands were all over the place. It makes him one of the most complete players in the game when he plays like he did tonight."" The Pacers sure needed it. For seven weeks, Indiana heard everyone question its fortitude, team chemistry, even whether it was worthy of a No. 1 seed. The complaints grew louder after Saturdays 101-93 loss. George and his teammates spent the next 72 hours seeking solutions and defiantly insisting they would be OK. On Tuesday, they finally reverted to their early season from. Indiana limited the Hawks to 33 second-half points and dominated the third quarter. Next up is Game 3 on Thursday in Atlanta, where the Pacers have only two wins since December 2006 -- though one of those closed out last years first-round playoff series in six games. "We want to build on what weve got going," Indiana forward David West said. "We want to continue to be aggressive. We know theyre going to play better at home, but were going down there to get back in charge of this series." George was 9 for 16 from the field, including a 5-for-7 performance from 3-point range. He also went 4 for 4 at the line. Perhaps more importantly, he managed to contain Teague affter he burned Indiana for 28 points in Game 1.dddddddddddd George wanted the responsibility of guarding Teague, who had seven points in the first quarter and seven more for the rest of the game. "I sat down and it was homework for me, just locking into his tendencies and figuring out where I will get beat or where Im vulnerable against him," George said. "Its a challenge." George was the catalyst, but he had plenty of help. Hill, who had been mired in an offensive funk, made 5 of 6 shots in the second half. Luis Scola, who kept the Pacers close when West got into early foul trouble, finished with 20 points and seven rebounds. The defence that gave up 11 3-pointers in Game 1 and eight more in the first half of Game 2, allowed just two over the final 24 minutes. "Our execution on both ends of the court wasnt at the level we need it to be," Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "Give them credit, they were aggressive, they made a lot of plays and our execution, particularly in the third quarter has to be better. Thats what well work on." Indiana appeared to be in trouble when it trailed 38-27 in the second quarter and was still down 52-48 at halftime. But the Pacers stormed into the lead with a 31-13 third quarter. West sparked a 25-2 run with a bank shot ththe third. George made a buzzer-beating 3 to make it 79-65 heading into the fourth, and the Pacers scored the first eight points of the final period. "If thats what it took for everyone to understand how close this team is, thats what it was," George said. "Weve got each others back and thats what it felt like." NOTES: Atlanta was trying to open a playoff series with two straight road wins for the first time since the St. Louis Hawks swept Baltimore 3-0 in the 1966 Western Division semifinals. ... Defending Indianapolis 500 champion Tony Kanaan attended the game. ... Atlanta outscored Indiana 30-16 in the third quarter Saturday. ' ' '