Empty Netter Assists - 09-13-10

Penguins

-Does Dustin Jeffrey (above) have a chance to make the Penguins' NHL roster?

-Alex Grant's wrist injury could keep him sidelined for the entire 2010-11 season (PG+).

-EN favorite Tom Kuehnhackl got some time on the Penguins' top line at their rookie tournament.

-Highlights of yesterday's rookie tournament game courtesy of The PensBlog's Eric Politowski:

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-Toronto's Michael Liambas > Zach Sill:

-Eric Tangradi > Toronto's Andrew Crescenzi:

-Brad Thiessen squaring up for a shot:

-Thiessen kicking away a puck:

-Thiessen looking through a screen from behind teammate Brian Strait and Toronto's Brayden Irwin:

-Reid McNeill trying to block a shot:

-Simon Despres looking up ice:

-The Maple Leafs warming up:

-Funny Face of the Night: Toronto's Sondre Olden:

-Happy 51st birthday to former Penguins forward Scott Gruhl. A free agent signing during the 1987-88 season, Gruhl's Penguins career amounted to, six goals and one goal that campaign. The first player in franchise history to wear No. 38, Gruhl was released in the 1988 offseason.

Northeast Division

-Bruins rookie forward Tyler Seguin, the No. 2 pick in this summer's draft, is drawing comparisions to Lightning star Steven Stamkos.

-Maple Leafs rookie forward Nazem Kadri, their first-round pick in 2009, is dealing with a hip ailment.

Southeast Division

-"I’m going to do whatever it takes to get myself a spot." - Thrashers forward Angelo Esposito (right) on his club's training camp. Esposito was the Penguins' first-round pick in 2007 and was a major part of a trade which brought Pascal Dupuis and Marian Hossa to Pittsburgh in a 2008 trade.

-Former Hurricanes captain Rod Brind'Amour was officially named director of forwards development for the club.

Pacific Division

-The Stars have yet to re-sign restricted free agent forward James Neal.

Adams Division

-Today would've been the 108th birthday of Harold Darragh, a forward with the NHL's Pittsburgh Pirates, the USAHA's Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets and the IHL's Pittsburgh Shamrocks.

-Today would've been the 103rd birthday of former Pittsburgh Hornets defenseman Art Lesieur.

(Photos: Jeffrey-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins; Penguins/Maple Leafs-Claus Andersen/Getty Images and Dave Chidley/Canadian Press; Esposito-Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)