Empty Netter Assists - 7-28-09
Penguins
-You explain this to us. Michel Therrien gets fired Feb. 15. Some "homeless man" begins throwing letters and other items into Mario Lemieux's yard four days later.
-Introducing a new feature we're "borrowing" from Japer's Rink. Current or former Penguins' birthdays: Happy 40th birthday to former Penguins goaltender Garth Snow (right).
Atlantic Division
-The Rangers signed free agent defenseman Sam Klassen.
Northeast Division
-The Maple Leafs acquired former Penguins center Wayne Primeau and a second-round pick in the 2011 draft from the Flames for defenseman Anton Stralman, forward Colin Stuart and a seventh-rounder in 2011.
-Former Bruins forward P.J. Axelsson (right), who had been with Boston since the 1997-98 season, signed with Frolunda of the Swedish Elite League.
-Fateful note of the day: On July 16, then Bruins defenseman Aaron Ward downplayed talk of his team being in the Winter Classic saying, "Don't jinx me yet. I could always be traded." Nine days later, he was traded to Carolina.
-The Sabres' Web site has a pretty "sharp" new look.
Southeast Division
-The Thrashers signed 2006 third-round pick Michael Forney.
-Remember how the Lightning used to have like three and a half NHL-caliber defensemen? Well... now they have nine. Last we checked, most teams only dress six.
-Without any sort of annoying Stanley Cup-related functions to attend to, Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin sure do have a lot of free time.
Central Division
-Tripp Mickle of ports Business Journal has a fantastic piece on former Predators investor and would-be Penguins owner William "Boots" Del Biaggio.
-How devastating was the Red Wings' loss in the Stanley Cup final to the Penguins? Red Wings forward Dan Cleary (right, not exactly doing a bang-up job in a positional battle with Kris Letang) has had to spend his entire summer in Detroit.
Northwest Division
-The Canucks signed free agent forward Kellan Tochkin.
Pacific Division
-After ending their affiliation with the AHL's Iowa Chops, the Ducks will farm out their prospects to several AHL teams next season.
-The Ducks hired former Oilers assistant coach and former Flyers goaltender Pete Peeters as a a goaltending coach.
(Photos: Snow-Rusty Kennedy/Associated Press; Axelsson-Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images; Cleary-Harry How/Getty Images)