(AP) For at least the rest of the week, the San Jose Sharks could have Theo Fleury and Teemu Selanne on the wings of one spectacular, if theoretical, line. The Sharks have temporarily acquired the rights to Fleury, the New York Rangers' high-scoring left wing, San Jose general manager Dean Lombardi said Wednesday.

The Sharks got the rights to Fleury as the future considerations in a minor trade last Sunday. The Sharks gave their sixth-round pick to the Rangers for a sixth-round pick in the 2003 draft.

San Jose probably won't have Fleury's services for long, though.  He will become an unrestricted free agent on Monday, and the Sharks don't intend to make a big offer to him - but if Fleury signs with another team, the Sharks would be entitled to a
compensatory draft pick.

Instead, Lombardi's focus is on Selanne, who's also an unrestricted free agent on Monday. Selanne, the Sharks' leading goal-scorer last season, gave encouraging signs this week about being willing to return to San Jose in meetings, during which Lombardi made a contract offer to the Finnish Flash.

"The reason we held up the announcement (of the Fleury deal) was to stress to Teemu that this wasn't an affront to him," Lombardi said. "Our priority is Teemu Selanne. He's a Shark, and our priority is to keep our own player."

Though reluctant to set a deadline, Lombardi said the Sharks' chances of keeping Selanne would decrease dramatically if he doesn't sign with them before Monday. Sharks forwards Vincent Damphousse and captain Owen Nolan have called Selanne to campaign for his return.

If Selanne doesn't sign by Monday, "he's either gone, or he wants to see what else is out there," Lombardi said. "I guess we'd just have to see if somebody can make him happier. I think we'd be disappointed, and then I guess you'd have to start shifting your gears to other areas, because you took your best shot."

Fleury had 63 points last season while battling personal and behavioural problems. New York said last weekend that it wouldn't attempt to re-sign him, even though Fleury had said he would accept less than market value to remain with New York.

The Rangers traded his rights because they wouldn't be eligible to receive a compensatory pick. Their payroll is expected to go over the NHL's threshold that allows teams to receive such draft choices when their players sign elsewhere.

Despite his troubles during three seasons in New York, Fleury is considered one of the game's top agitators and scorers. He scored more than 90 points four times during his first 11 NHL seasons with Calgary, and he won a gold medal with the Canadian Olympic hockey team last February.

Still, Fleury's temporary presence on the Sharks' roster makes their fans salivate. With one more big-time scorer willing to sacrifice big free-agent bucks for a chance at a championship, the Pacific Division champions might finally be on even footing with free-spending Detroit and Colorado in the Western Conference.

Agent Don Baizley, who represents both Fleury and Selanne, didn't immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

The Sharks didn't offer Selanne a contract worth the $9 million he made last season from San Jose and Anaheim, but they hope the chance to win a Stanley Cup and stay on the West Coast will help their cause. Other teams reportedly interested in him, including Chicago and the Rangers, don't offer those amenities.

"The intangibles (Selanne) talked about, I don't think New York would be anywhere close to what we can offer," Lombardi said. "I think there's a little more stability here. But you never know with the Rangers and their ability to spend. I guess everything has a price."

Theo Fleury has an option if the New York Rangers don't pick up the option on his lofty contract.

The winger said he will quit the NHL and play in Europe if he cannot work out a deal to remain with the Rangers, according to a report in The Star-Ledger on Wednesday.

The Rangers hold a $7 million option on Fleury's contract, but he said he is willing to accept a lower salary if he can stay with New York.

"It's either here or Europe. I'd just have to make a phone call," Fleury told The Star-Ledger. "You just pick a place and I'm sure they'd be more than happy to have you." Rangers general manager Glen Sather was surprised to hear of Fleury's plans.

"I don't know, I really don't. I suppose you can do that. That's always an option that everyone has," Sather told the newspaper.

Sather will hold individual meetings with his players, scouts and coaching staff before he begins the process of putting next season's team together.

Fleury, who turns 34 in June, might be welcome in Phoenix under friend Wayne Gretzky. Fleury would also be closer to his sponsor, who lives in New Mexico and who has helped Fleury remain sober for more than a year while under the care of the NHL's substance-abuse program. Fleury plans on returning to his home in New Mexico once the season is over.

But Fleury said he would not be interested in talking to Gretzky -- or any other NHL team.

"I want to play here, and if I can't play here, I just don't feel like playing anywhere else," he told the paper. "I don't play for the money. I like playing over there (in Europe). It's always been something that I'd like to do."

Fleury played in Tappara, Finland, during the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season, and in 10 games with that club, he had eight goals and nine assists.

Fleury's frustration with issues in his public and personal life mounted this season. Fans in other cities, and sometimes players, taunted him about his history of substance abuse, and he had trouble walking away from that. His temper got the best of him on several occasions, at times costing his team.

"I want to be happy. That's the most important thing," Fleury told The Star-Ledger. "I'm not saying my kids aren't important to me, but if I'm not happy and I'm not sane, it doesn't really matter."

The New York Rangers haven't humbled many opposing goalies lately.

That changed Wednesday night.

Theo Fleury capped an eventful 24 hours with a goal and three assists, and Jeff Toms scored a career-high three goals and added an assist in the New York Rangers' 8-4 victory Wednesday night over the Boston Bruins.

Mike York had two goals and three assists for a career-best five points, and Eric Lindros had four assists as the Rangers routed the Northeast Division leaders.

Radek Dvorak and Matthew Barnaby also scored for New York.

"In my 10 years of hockey, I've never been humiliated like that before," Boston goalie Byron Dafoe said after making just 18 saves. "It's tough to take as a goaltender. Things aren't going well and you're the only one there.

"They seemed to buzz in our end. They've got a lot of talent and tonight it clicked all around for them."

Toms doesn't come immediately to mind in discussions of the Rangers' talent, but since he's been put on a line with Lindros and York, he's had his opportunities.

Even a broken nose -- sustained after he was hit on the bench by a flying puck in the third period -- couldn't stop him. Despite leaving for treatment, Toms returned to score his third goal.

"It's a compliment to be put on a line with Mike York and Eric Lindros," Toms said. "Who would have thought? And who would have thought I'd have a hat trick with my nose bashed in?"

His final goal, on a power play with 1:04 left, was assisted by York.

"It was all him," Toms said. "I went to the net and Mike put it right on the tape. All I had to do was tap it in."

The Rangers, who scored 13 goals in two nights, broke a nine-game winless streak Tuesday with a come-from-behind victory over the New York Islanders behind Fleury, who had two goals and an assist.

But he made an obscene gesture to fans after the game and was fined $1,000 and reprimanded by the league Wednesday morning, hours before his 1,000th NHL game.

Fleury proved he doesn't have to be combative to be dangerous as he played his seventh straight game without an on-ice penalty.

"I decided to concentrate more on my skating," Fleury said, "and less on the extracurricular things like arguing after the whistle."

Mike Richter, who made 35 saves during scoreless relief Tuesday, was shaky early, but allowed just one Boston goal after the first period. He stopped 29 shots overall.

Martin Lapointe, Brian Rolston, Glen Murray and Sergei Samsonov scored for Boston. Dafoe, who entered with a 2.15 goals-against average, fell to 21-19-1.

Coach Ron Low's decision to break up the "F-L-Y" line Tuesday night after several poor games looked brilliant, as the two new lines he created produced six of the eight Rangers goals.

The trio of Fleury, Lindros and York -- still together on the power play -- combined for one of the other goals as York tallied just 31 seconds into the second period with the man advantage for a 4-3 lead.

York's second goal of the game, assisted by Toms and Lindros -- the Rangers' new top line -- put the Rangers up 5-3 at 6:05 of the second.

Toms made it 6-3 with a power-play goal at 12:28, assisted by Lindros and York.

Toms was set up by Lindros and York just 37 seconds in to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead.

"If he continues to play well, he'll stay on that line," Low said.

That's fine by Lindros.

"He's more and more confident and tonight he showed great hands and great patience," Lindros said.

Dvorak scored with assists from Fleury and Petr Nedved -- New York's new second line -- for a 2-1 lead at 1:54. Fleury made it 3-1 with help from Nedved and Dvorak at 9:28 of the first.

"Those two goals we got off the rush," Fleury said. "That's the way I'm used to playing, it's the way I've played on other teams, it was an easy adjustment for me to make."

As for his 1,000th game, Fleury said it was "very emotional" taking the ice.

"If you would have told me 14 years ago I'd be standing here talking, I would not have believed it," he said. "Along the way I've gotten a lot of breaks and played with a lot of great players."

Lindros also hit a milestone, earning career points Nos. 700, 701, 702 and 703.

The Bruins tied it at 3 on Murray's goal at 18:51 of the first, but after that Richter allowed only Samsonov's goal which made it 6-4 early in the third.

Barnaby, who had two fights, made it 7-4 at 4:41 of the third.