Empty Netter Assists - 07-28-10
Penguins
-You may have heard, but the Penguins and Capitals are going to play some sort of game near a river or something when it's cold.
-Maxime Talbot. Not a fan of Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin. Or apparently that certain aisle in the drug story most guys don't feel comfortable walking in. (PG+).
-"I can't imagine any of our players saying something like that about Sidney Crosby." - Capitals forward Mike Knuble on Talbot's comments.
-Mario Lemieux speaks:
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-"You don't like McNabb as your quarterback? Wait until I tell you about our quarterback's offseason."
-The only two real owners in town:
-Washington's Mike Knuble following through on his attempt:
-Sidney Crosby seems a lot happier now that he doesn't have to pressure wash his landlord's driveway any longer:
-We think.
-Crosby, Talbot and Pascal Dupuis posing for the most awkward non-yearbook photo ever:
-Talbot, envisioning Chris Osgood sitting between the uprights:
-In keeping with the spirit of the photo opprotunity extravaganza yesterday, Crosby and Lemieux had the "first" skate at Consol Energy Center:
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-Ray Shero isn't a fan of those decade-or-more mega contracts.
-"I played my first game here, and you remember that kind of stuff. When you thought of the Mellon, I think it was his voice that you automatically connected with it." - Sidney Crosby on public address announcer John Barbero who passed away Monday (PG+).
-Funeral arrangements were announced for Barbero.
-Happy 41st birthday to former Penguins goaltender Garth Snow (right). A free agent signing just prior to the 2000-01 season, Snow's Penguins' career amounted to 35 games hat season in which he wen 14-15-4 with a 2.98 goals against average, .900 save percentage and three shutouts. Easily the highlight of his season was a 40-save effort in a 5-0 shutout of the Maple Leafs. Snow probably would've been the first star of the game had it not been for some guy making his season debut that night. In the 2001 offseason, Snow was signed by the Islanders. He is currently the Islanders' general manager.
Atlantic Division
-They're a few weeks late, but the Rangers finally got around to signing their obligatory lazy, dog of a sluggish player. The Blueshirts signed unrestricted free agent forward Alexander Frolov (right), formerly of the Kings, to a one-year deal worth $3 million.
-The Islanders avoided arbitration with restricted free agent forward and former Penguins prospect Matt Moulson by signing him to a one-year deal worth $2.45 million.
Northeast Division
-Former Penguins forward Colby Armstrong and former Blackhawks forward Kris Versteeg, both acquired this summer, made their first appearance in Maple Leafs garb.
Southeast Division
-The Capitals avoided arbitration with restricted free agent forward Tomas Fleischmann (right) and signed him to a one-year, $2.6 million deal.
Central Division
-The Blackahwks signed defenseman Nick Leddy to a three-year, entry-level contract. Leddy, acquired from Minnesota prior to the trading deadline, was a first-round pick in 2009.
Northwest Division
-The Oilers avoided arbitration with restricted free agent forward Gilbert Brule and signed him to a two-year deal worth a total of $3.7 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $1.85 million.
Pacific Division
-"It's a one-year deal. If he performs we can extend him. And he should be motivated." - Kings general manager on signing former Penguins forward Alexei Ponikarovsky (right).
-Is Ponikarovsky a safe "plan C" after the Kings' failed courtship of Ilya Kovalchuk?
-The Kings actually tried to make a move for Ponikarovsky at the trade deadline. Fortunately for them, the Penguins got him.
-Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf claims he's finally fully recovered from he ankle injury which hobbled him during the Olympics in February.
-The Ducks joined an affiliation agreement with Elmira of the ECHL.
-The Coyotes signed unrestricted free agent Bracken Kearns, formerly of Chicago's AHL affiliate in Rockford, to a one-year, two-way contract.
Smythe Division
-Former Thrashers/Senators/Capitals/Hurricanes defenseman Brian Pothier (right) joined Servette in Switzerland.
-Former Canadiens/Islanders/Devils goaltender Yann Danis has joined Amur Khabarovsk of the KHL.
(Photos: Winter Classic-Jusin K. Aller/Getty Images; Keith Srakocic/Associated Press; Snow-Rusty Kennedy/Associated Press; Frolov-Elsa/Getty Images; Fleischmann-Luis M. Alvarez/Associaed Press; Ponikarovsky-Justin K . Aller/Getty Images; Pothier-Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)