Empty Netter Assists - 07-31-10

Penguins

-The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins re-signed forward Jesse Boulerice (above) (PG+).

-Happy 24th birthday to current Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (right). A first-round pick in 2004, Malkin has spent the past four seasons with the Penguins. As a rookie in 2006-07, Malkin appeared in 78 games and led all rookies with 85 points en route to the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie. Malkin appeared in all 82 games in 2007-08 and reached the century mark in points for the first time with 106, second in the league's scoring race to rival Alex Ovechkin of Washington (112). He was also selected to his first all-star game. In the postseason, Malkin helped the team advance to the Stanley Cup final for the first time in 16 years by scoring 22 points in 20 games. He once again appeared in all 82 games in 2008-09, was selected to another all-star game and claimed the Art Ross Trophy as the league's top scorer with 113 points. Malkin also led all postseason scorers with 36 points in 24 games and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP while leading the franchise towards its third Stanley Cup title. This past season, Malkin missed several games for the first time since the start of his rookie season and his numbers took a tumble. In 67 games, he scored 77 points. In the postseason, Malkin could only produce 11 points in 13 games. In 309 games with the Penguins, Malkin has scored 381 points, 13th-most in franchise history. In 62 postseason games, Malkin has 73 points, sixth-most in franchise history.

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-Happy 69th birthday to former Penguins defenseman Paul Andrea. Acquired in the 1967 offseason along with George Konik, Dunc McCallum and Frank Francis in a trade which sent Larry Jeffrey to the Rangers, Andrea spent parts of two seasons with the Penguins. During the franchise's innagural season of 1967-68, Andrea appeared in 65 games and produced 32 points. In 1968-68 he only saw action in 25 games and scored 13 points. The following offseason, Andrea and John Arbour were traded to Vancouver of the Western Hockey League in exchange for Bryan Hextall, Jr. In 90 games with the Penguins, Andrea scored 45 points.

 

-Happy 48th birthday to former Penguins forward Troy Murray. Acquired at the 1995 trade deadline along with Norm MacIver in a deal which sent Martin Straka to the Senators, Murray appeared in 13 regular season games and scored two points for the Penguins in 1994-95. In the playoffs, he saw action in 12 games and netted three points. In the 1995 offseason, he joined the Avalanche as a free agent. He currently works as a broadcaster for the Blackhawks.

Atlantic Division

-The Islanders acquired defenseman James Wisniewski (right) from the Ducks in exchange for a third-round pick in 2011. Prior to the deal, Wisniewski signed a one-year deal worth $3.25 million as awarded in arbitration.

-The Islanders put defenseman Brendan Witt on unconditional waivers.

Northeast Division

-The Bruins re-signed restricted free agent forward Blake Wheeler to a one-year deal worth $2.2 million as awarded through arbitration.

-The Senators avoided arbitration with restricted free agent defenseman Chris Campoli (right) and re-signed him to a one-year deal worth $1.4 million.

-The Canadiens signed forward Louis Leblanc, a first-round pick in 2009, to a three-year entry-level contract.

-Montreal also re-signed defenseman Alex Henry to a two-year contract. Financial terms were not revealed.

Southeast Division

-The Lighting signed unrestricted free agent forward Dominic Moore to a two-year deal worth $2.2 million. The former Penguin will have a a salary cap hit of $1.1 million.

-A billboard in downtown Raleigh has been posted on the side of a building promoting next season's All-Star Lame Game. Sidney Crosby, Chicago's Patrick Kane, Carolina's Eric Staal and Washington's Alex Ovechkin are featured:

-Speaking of Ovechkin, he sort of, kind of addressed his buddy Maxime Talbot.

-The Washington Post's Tarik El-Bashir, one of the best beat writers in the NHL, is leaving his Capitals beat to take on new adventures. A solid guy and a heck of a reporter, hockey fans are worse off without his coverage.

Central Division

-Despite capacity attendance, record sales in merchandise and the Stanley Cup, the Blackhawks actually lost money last season.

-Blue Jackets defenseman Rostislav Klesla is still recovering from groin and adbominal muscle tears suffered in November.

Northwest Division

-The Flames avoided arbitration with restricted free agent forward Ian White (right) and signed him to a one-year deal worth $3 million.

-The Oilers hired former Hurricanes scout Ralph Krueger as an assistant coach.

Adams Division

-Former Flyers/Lightning/Senators/Rangers/Capitals forward Colin Forbes has joined ERC Ingolstadt in Germany.

(Photos: Boulerice-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins; Malkin-Jim McIsaac/Getty Images; Campoli-Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images; Billboard-John Rottet/Raleigh News and Observer; White-Canadian Press)