Empty Netter Assists - 09-16-10
Penguins
-"I don't see why, if I work hard and play my type of game, I shouldn't have an opportunity." - Robert Bortuzzo (above) on his chances of seeing action with the NHL Penguins this season.
-"I'm going to play wing now, but it's not going to change my game. Except maybe it will give me more scoring chances because I'm not thinking about staying back as much. Who knows? Maybe I will win scoring title. We will see." - Evgeni Malkin on moving to wing.
-The PensBlog is having some fun with the Penguins' new "Here" marketing campaign.
Atlantic Division
-The Rangers finally re-signed restricted free agent defenseman Marc Staal (right) to a five-year deal worth a total of $19.875. He will have a salary cap hit of $3.975. That's like $5.32 for every one of his brothers. We think.
Northeast Division
-The NHL officially announced it will hold the 2012 All-Star Lame Game in Ottawa.
-Thinking Out Loud: We're going to guess this makes it a little bit more difficult for the Penguins to host an all-star game in the near future. The previous two games (2008 and 2009) were held in Atlanta and Montreal. The next two (2011 and 2012) will be held in Carolina and Ottawa. That's four consecutive games in Eastern Conference markets. We have to imagine the NHL will want to play the 2013 game in an Western Conference market just to balance things. Perhaps somewhere like Phoenix to help that struggling franchise. And with the possibility of the NHL taking part in the 2014 Olympics, you won't have an all-star game that season. Consol Energy Center might not get an All-Star lame Game until 2015.
-Did the Bruins finally replace Phil Kessel's goal scoring when they acquired Nathan Horton from the Panthers this offseason?
Southeast Division
-Lightning defenseman Mattias Ohlund (right) put the blame on himself for his subpar 2009-10.
-The Lightning signed undrafted free agent defenseman Charles Landry to a three-year entry-level contract. Landry earned his contract after playing three games on a tryout basis for the Lightning in a rookie tournament this past week.
-Something went seriously wrong between the Capitals and former forward Eric Belanger who signed with the Coyotes yesterday. Back in July, the two parties reached an agreement on a one-year deal worth $1.85 million pending a trade by general manager George McPhee. Even after the Capitals helped Belanger move to the Washington area and enroll his children in a local school, the team backed away from the agreement according to Belanger's agent Joe Tacopina. With the season approaching, Belanger joined Phoenix by signing a one-year deal worth $850,000. As a result, Tacopina said he is considering legal action.
-"-From the sounds of things, the Thrashers, under new coach Craig Ramsay (right), will be entertaining to watch.
-If you can imagine such a thing, there's someone named "Sutter" trying to make an NHL roster. Brody Sutter, son of former Islanders/Blackhawks forward Duane Sutter, is giving it a go with the Panthers.
Central Division
-The Red Wings have extended an invitiation to unrestricted free agent defenseman Andreas Lilja to attend training camp on a tryout basis. Lilja has spent the past five seasons with Detroit.
-If nothing else, Marty Turco offers an upgrade in puckhandling in net for the Blackhawks.
Northwest Division
-Forward Ales Kotalik, a former regular 20-goal threat, is trying to re-build his career in Calgary.
Pacific Division
-Stars general manager Joe Niewendyk feels he's "close" to new contracts with restricted free agent forward James Neal and defenseman Matt Niskanen (right).
-One way or another, who ever the Sharks use in net this season, he's going to have a Finnish passport. Antti Niemi and Antero Niittymaki are vying to be San Jose's new goaltender.
Smythe Division
-Happy 30th birthday to the patron anti-saint of Empty Netters, Patrik Stefan. Why does the first overall pick in the 1999 draft have such a special place in our hearts you ask?
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(Photos: Bortuzzo-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins; Staal-Mike Stobe/Getty Images; Ohlund and Ramsay-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Niskanen-Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)