oosted the team by signing tough winger Brandon Prust, among others. "Id have to be a GM to get an award, I never won one as a player," he said with a laugh. "It doesnt say much about me as a player.

LONDON -- English Premier League clubs swelled the bank accounts of continental rivals in a summer of record-breaking spending that ended Wednesday with the biggest shock of the transfer window: David Luizs return to Chelsea.The flamboyant Brazilian is back at Stamford Bridge after two years at Paris Saint-Germain to reinforce Chelseas defense under new manager Antonio Conte. While Chelsea sold the 29-year-old for around 50 million pounds ($84 million in 2014), the London club has re-signed him on a three-year contract for about 20 million pounds ($26 million) less.Thats also far lower than what was spent on the summer transfer windows biggest reunion. Italian champion Juventus banked a world-record 105 million euros ($116 million) from Manchester United for midfielder Paul Pogbas return to Old Trafford.United was one of 13 Premier League sides to break their club records for spending on a single player since the end of last season. The 20 top-flight clubs collectively spent nearly 1.2 billion pounds ($1.5 billion) on talent in the summer, breaking the billion-pound barrier for the first time in a transfer window as they benefit from new television deals.Over the next three years, the Premier League will make 8.3 billion pounds ($10.9 billion) from broadcasters eager to televise the most unpredictable of Europes top leagues -- a bonanza that has swelled thanks to a 70 percent upsurge in the value of domestic rights.There is a flipside.All the European clubs rub their hands because when they are short of money they just ring up one of the Premier League clubs (to sell a player) to keep them going for the next two years with 10 million, 20 million -- whatever it might be, Stoke chairman Peter Coates told the BBC on Wednesday. So its pretty good business for them.Stoke had a relatively modest summer of spending after breaking its transfer record in the January window when it paid Portuguese club Porto 18.3 million pounds (then $26 million) for defensive midfielder Giannelli Imbula.Negotiating with clubs on the continent for a bargain is proving tougher for Premier League chairmen like Steve Parish at Crystal Palace. The London clubs record-breaking summer deal was a domestic transaction, paying Liverpool 27 million pounds ($35 million) for striker Christian Benteke.Its been the most difficult transfer window anybody can remember -- theres kind of a wall of money, Parish said. The other leagues basically have decided theres one price within their league and a completely different price if a Premier League club calls. The prices have gone crazy ... you find people focusing more on the domestic market.Tottenham turned to Newcastle for its biggest summer deal, paying a reported 30 million pounds ($39 million) as the window was closing for France midfielder Moussa Sissoko.French clubs profited from the English wealth on Wednesday, receiving about 55 million pounds ($72 million) from the Premier League. Luizs return was preceded by Georges-Kevin Nkoudous move from Marseille to Tottenham and Sunderland signing Didier Ndong from Lorient.Here are some of the other key deadline-day moves across Europe:---ENGLANDWhile splurging on new talent, Premier League clubs having sought to shed non-vital players. Offloading top earners is tough with the wealthier parent clubs, like Manchester City, often having to subsidize the wages for a player on loan.New City coach Pep Guardiola dispatched Joe Hart, Wilfried Bony, Samir Nasri and Eliaquim Mangala on Wednesday for the rest of the season.Hart, the England goalkeeper, is now at Italian club Torino after dropping to third choice at City. Bony joined Stoke after seeing his career stall since joining from Swansea last year. Nasri headed to Sevilla for the season after Guardiola said the French midfielder returned for preseason training overweight. France center back Mangala also departed for Spain with Valencia.In addition, Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere had to accept moving to a less prestigious club on Wednesday, heading to Bournemouth on the English Riviera for the season in a bid to revive his injury-plagued career.Liverpool also got troubled striker Mario Balotelli off its books, with the Italian joining Nice in France.---ITALYThree of the biggest transfers in Serie A on deadline day saw players arrive from England. As well as Harts loan move, Juan Cuadrado returned to Juventus from Chelsea and Luis Alberto joined Lazio from Liverpool on permanent deals.In the biggest internal deal of the summer in Italy, Juventus reinvested the Pogba windfall by bringing in last seasons top goalscorer, Gonzalo Higuain, for 90 million euros ($100 million) from Napoli.---GERMANYBundesliga clubs broke the 500 million-euro ($558 million) barrier for the first time in a transfer window, with the largest late deal seeing Brazilian Olympic gold medalist defender Douglas Santos join Hamburger SV from Atletico Mineiro for up to 10 million euros ($11.2 million).---SPAINEspanyol was the most active Spanish club Wednesday as the squad overhauled its roster under new Chinese owner Chen Yansheng continued.After conceding eight goals in its first two matches of the season, Espanyol brought in three players (striker Alvaro Vazquez, defender Diego Rivas and goalkeeper Diego Lopez) and shipped out four more. 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Dallas Green Jersey .com) - The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks both take aim at their first wins of the season on Saturday, as the Canucks open their home slate at Rogers Arena.BROSSARD, Que. - Marc Bergevin feels that Carey Price will get over a "so-so" playoff performance and any anxiety he feels about tending goal in a hot hockey market like Montreal. Bergevin defended his goaltender at a news conference Monday following the Canadiens first-round elimination from the NHL post-season by the Ottawa Senators. "Im not worried at all," Bergevin said. "For sure, even Carey would say there are things he can improve, that he can be better, and Im 100 per cent behind him. "I believe in him. We will support him and well help him." Bergevin was asked repeatedly about Price after the 25-year-old spoke openly on the weekend about the pressure of playing in Montreal. He said he would no longer even go to a grocery store to avoid grilling from fans over his performances and that he sometimes felt like a "hobbit in a hole." But he also expressed confidence that he had the talent and the mentality to win a Stanley Cup. Some wondered if Price was suggesting he would rather to be traded to another team, but Bergevin wouldnt hear of it. "Its normal in a market like Montreal or Toronto or Vancouver, or even Chicago or Philadelphia," Bergevin said. "Goaltendings a difficult position, very demanding. So its normal that a young player feels pressure. "Well do everything we can to make sure he gets through this stage." Then, unable to resist a joke, the first-year GM added: "Maybe I can do his groceries for him." Price, drafted fifth overall in 2005, was having a solid season until he and the team slumped late in the 2013 campaign. While he went 21-13-4, he ended up out of the top 40 in the league with a 2.59 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage. His woes continued in the playoffs, where he was outduelled by Ottawas Craig Anderson until he injured a knee late in Game 4 and was replaced by Peter Budaj, who was bombed for six goals on 29 shots in the final game. Questions about the Canadiens size also came up during the playoffs, as the smaller Montreal forwards did little against the big, rugged Ottawa blue-line. The Canadiens scored only nine goals in five games, while conceding 20. Bergevin acknowledged that it would be better to be bigger, but hes not ready to tear his team apart to add size and muscle. And there are not a lot of free agents available this summer who fit the mould, except perhaps New Jerseys David Clarkson who is likely to be courted by several teams. He said the ideal way for a team to build is through drafting and developing its own players, but that takes time. "I believe in balance," he said. "We do have a small team, but were a fast and young team. "You dont change the makeup of a team overnight. There are 29 other teams that want to be big, fast and strong, but thats easier said than done. Balance is very important. Character comes into play." He mentioned Calder Trophy candidate Brendan Gallagher, one of the teams smallest forwards, who has "character thats off the charts." When asked what the team needed most, Bergevin did not mention size, but depth. The Canadiens were caught short when top-four rearguard Alexei Emelin was injured late in the regular season and their depth was tested when four forwards went down against Ottawa. "Thats what gets you through thhe playoffs.dddddddddddd and you dont bring in depth at the (trade) deadline, youve got to bring it through the draft, through your young prospects coming through," he said. "So the mindset stays the same. Im standing pat. I made it clear from Day One I want to make this team good for years to come, not just for one year. You always look at all the options, but depth and character and speed is what you need to reach your ultimate goal." The Emelin injury gave a chance for six-foot-six defenceman Jarred Tinordi to show what he can do, and they have some promising blue-liners in the minors, starting with Nathan Beaulieu and Greg Pateryn. Gallagher and third overall draft pick Alex Galchenyuk both impressed as rookie forwards. And they have six picks in the first three rounds of this years draft. Bergevin did not tip his hat on what off-season moves he will make. It is widely expected he will buy out unused defenceman Tomas Kaberle, who has one season left on his contract at US$4.2 million. But the GM said he may first try to trade Kaberle. Decisions are still to be made on impending unrestricted free agents Michael Ryder, Colby Armstrong, Jeff Halpern, Petteri Nokelainen and Davis Drewiske. Restricted free agents are Ryan White, Yannick Weber, Michael Blunden and Gabriel Dumont. He said no decision has been made on whether to negotiate a new deal right away with P.K. Subban, who had a standout campaign that made him a candidate for the Norris Trophy as the leagues top defenceman, or wait until next season. Subban missed the first six games of the season while working a two-year contract worth $2.85 million per season, which was considered a "bridge" deal before he signs long-term for top dollars. "P.K. had a really good season and he earned the nomination for the Norris," said Bergevin. "But hes still a young defenceman. "He still has a lot to learn. Hes really good, but he can be even better. So its a work in progress with him. This year, were happy with the direction he went." Bergevin is up for an award of his own. The former NHL defenceman was named as one of the three finalists as general manager of the year after taking the Canadiens from last place to second in the Eastern Conference. He brought Michel Therrien back to Montreal as head coach with success and boosted the team by signing tough winger Brandon Prust, among others. "Id have to be a GM to get an award, I never won one as a player," he said with a laugh. "It doesnt say much about me as a player. "But I wouldnt have this honour if it wasnt for the job Michel and the players did this year. Im flattered because Bob Murray (Anaheim) and Ray Shero (Pittsburgh) are bright hockey people." He declared himself "very satisfied" with Therrien and the coaching staff. He said that even when losing in the playoffs, the team always started strong, which showed the coach had them ready to compete. The Canadiens took a step forward by making the playoffs this season, but doing it again will be another test for a team that is still in rebuilding mode. "It will be difficult and expectations will be higher," he said. "We made progress, but next year teams will be ready for us and well have to be ready for them." ' ' '