Empty Netter Assists - 9-29-09
Penguins
-Marc-Andre Fleury (above) is still getting better.
-A position-by-position look at the Penguins' roster.
-"We're probably even more confident than we were before." - Sergei Gonchar.
-Random YouTube Find of the Day: The Penguins' bus leaving Joe Louis Arena after Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final:
-Happy 32nd birthday to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton enforcer Wade Brookbank.
-Happy 32nd birthday to former Penguins forward Jon Sim. During his brief 15-game career as a Penguin, Sim scored the game-winning goal in a 4-0 win against the Stars, March 9, 2004.
Atlantic Division
-The Devils and new/old head coach Jacques Lemaire claim they're now an offensive team.
Northeast Division
-"I like to think I'd be Tom Brady." - Canadiens defenseman and former Penguin Hal Gill (right) pondering his fate had he stayed with playing football, a sport he played in high school.
-Bruins forward Marc Savard is entering the last year of his contract.
-Boston demoted forwards Zach Hamill and Brad Marchand to Providence of the AHL.
-Can forward Michael Ryder replace the departed Phil Kessel on Boston's top line?
-The Senators put defenseman Christoph Schubert on waivers and demoted forward Zach Smith to Binghamton of the AHL.
-Maple Leafs overlord declared Vesa Toskala his team's top goaltender.
Southeast Division
-The Thrashers released forward Dan Fristche and goaltender Manny Legace. Both were in camp on tryout agreements.
-Only the Panthers could lose to a Finnish team. Former Penguins forward Ville Niemenen's shootout goal gave Tappara of Finland a 3-2 win against the Panthers in an exhibition match.
Central Division
-The Red Wings demoted forwards Jeremy Williams, Evan McGrath, Jan Mursak, Kris Newbury, Francis Pare and Mattias Ritola, defensemen Doug Janik, Andy Delmore, Jakub Kindl and Logan Pyett and goaltender Thomas McCollum to Grand Rapids of the AHL. Forward Brad May was released from his tryout agreement.
-The Blue Jackets acquried defenseman Anton Stralman from the Flames in exchange for a third-round pick in 2010. Defenseman Martin Skoula was released from his tryout agreement.
-Columbus returned defenseman John Moore, the club's first-round pick in this summer's draft, to his junior team. The Blue Jackets also demoted defenseman Grant Clitsome, Nick Holden, David Liffiton, forwards Tom Sestito, Stefan Legein and Maksim Mayorov to Syracuse of the AHL and placed forward Derek MacKenzie and defenseman Jonathan Sigalet on waivers.
-The Predators want more points from forward Jordin Tootoo (right).
-Nashville demoted forward Nick Spaling to Milwaukee of the AHL.
-Patrick Kane and Radek Smolenak each had two goals for the Blackhawks in a 9-2 troucing of HC Davos, the defending champion in the Swedish Elite League.
Northwest Division
-Flames forward Theoren Fleury announced his retirement.
-From the "We-Don't-Really-Know-What-It-Is-Exactly-But-It-Sounds-Incredibly-Painful" files, Oilers forward Marc Pouliot is dealing with an inflamed pubic bone.
-The Oilers demoted defenseman Taylor Chorney, forwards Rob Schremp, Kip Brennan and goaltender Devan Dubnyk, to Springfield of the AHL and returned forward Jordan Eberle to his junior team.
-The Wild demoted forward Colton Gillies to Houston of the AHL and put forwards Nathan Smith, a former Penguin and Craig Weller on waivers. Additionally, the team offered former Penguins forward Andy Hilbert a two-way contract.
-The Canucks demoted defensemen Nolan Baumgartner, a former Penguin, Nathan McIver, forwards Alexandre Bolduc, Mario Bliznak, Guillame Desbiens, Michael Grabner, Matt Pope and goaltender Cory Schneider to Manitoba of the AHL. Scneider (2004) and Grabner (2006) are former first-round picks.
-The Avalanche demoted goaltender Tyler Weiman, defenseman Derek Peltier and center Chris Durno to Lake Erie of the AHL.
-Colorado forward Paul Stastny (right) needs to step up his game big-time this season.
Pacific Division
-The Kings returned goaltender Jonathan Bernier, defenseman Thomas Hickey and forward Kevin Westgarth to Manchester of the AHL and returned forward Brayden Schenn to his junior team. Bernier (2006), Hickey (2007) and Schenn (2009) are all former first-round picks.
-The Coyotes signed forward Ryan Hollweg to a one-year contract. He was in camp on a tryout basis.
Norris Division
-Former North Stars forward Todd Elik has joined HC Thurgau in Switzerland.
-Check out this goal by Mike Farrell of the OHL Kingston Frontenacs recently scored:
(Kudos to Sean Leahy of Yahoo! for the find.)
-Happy 59th birthday to former Pittsburgh Hornets defenseman John Miszuk.
(Photos: Keith Srakocic/Associated Press; Gill-Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images; Tootoo-Gerry Broome/Associated Press; Stastny-Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)