Empty Netter Assists - 10-06-10
Penguins
-"He's not afraid to tell the guys when he thinks we're playing bad." - Alex Goligoski on Brooks Orpik (above).
-"The Olympics, I thought, messed him up more than anything else." - Penguins goaltending coach Gilles Meloche on Marc-Andre Fleury's play late in last season and the postseason.
-Dan Bylsma thinks his team is improved.-It appears Arron Asham's health will impact who makes the Penguins' roster today (PG+).
-Is the Penguins' power play going to be any better?
-Dave Molinari offers a position-by-position look at the Penguins.
-How is play different at Consol Energy Center as compared to the Civic Arena?
-The Penguins have a new arena as you may have heard.
-Consol Energy Center might seem like a stupid name, but chances are that name is paying Zbynek Michalek's salary.
-Dan Bylsma sits, speaks:
-While Matt Cooke's hit to the head of Bruins forward Marc Savard last season prompted the NHL to make a temporary mid-season rule change, NHL discipline czar and former Penguin Colin Campbell said the hit by Flyers captain Mike Richards to the head of Panthers forward David Booth nearly a year ago spurred the league into making a permanent rule change.
-The Mario Mosiac was unveiled yesterday:
-Do yourself a favor and check out the tremendous Web site which represents the mosiac. You can type in a name or keyword and find a specific photo.
-Thinking Out Loud: Maybe we still have the maturity of a 12 year old, but how awesome is it that several folks donated money to worthwhile cause - the Mario Lemieux Foundation - and had their photo form Mario Lemieux's crotch?
-Update: Our initial "Twenty Years Later" post about the Penguins' season opening 7-4 win at Washington from the 1990-91 season has been updated with clips provided by EN contributor Jay Korber who has a superb collection of older Penguins videos on his priceless YouTube channel, pensgoals.
-Former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton captain Alain Nasreddine is making the transition from player to coach.
-Dustin Jeffrey will pretty much be an all-purpose player for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
-The Wheeling Nailers open their season next Friday and they want to catch themselves some Toledo Walleye:
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-Penguins prospect Beau Bennett, the team's first round pick this summer, discusses his first season with Denver University:
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-Former Penguins forward Petr Sykora has joined HC Plzen of the Czech Extraliga. Former Penguins forward Martin Straka is captain of the club. Former Penguins defenseman John Slaney is also a member of the team.
Atlantic Division
-The Islanders placed former Penguins forward Andy Hilbert (right) on waivers and claimed forward Michael Grabner off waivers from the Panthers.
-The Rangers placed forward Tim Kennedy and Todd White on waivers.
-Devils defenseman Rob Davison cleared waivers and was demoted to Albany of the AHL.
-Do you get a little bit nervous when the Penguins use four forwards on the power play? Well good thing you're not a Devils fan. They're kicking around the idea of using five forwards.
-Leave it to columnist in Philadelphia, where the Stanley Cup hasn't been seen since the Ford administration, to write that elite goaltending isn't necessary to win the Stanley Cup.
Northeast Division
-Two goals and three assists by Patrice Bergeron led the Bruins to a 7-1 rout of the Czech Extraliga's Liberec White Tigers in Liberec, Czech Republic.
-Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas kept his eyes on this puck:
-Bruins forward and former Penguin Mark Recchi got pinned up against the wall here by Liberec's Martin Rygl:
-"I’d prefer to take a shower and go eat." - Bruins forward David Krejci when asked if he would prefer being interviewed in English or his native Czech. The Bruins are opening the season in Prague.
-Sabres forward Tomas Vanek is dealing with a neck ailment.
-"For me, our throwback jerseys are the best in the league." - Vanek on his team dropping the "Buffaslug" logo (right).
-The Sabres placed forwards Matt Ellis and Mark Parrish on waivers.
-Canadiens defensemen Roman Hamrlik and Andrei Markov participated in their first preseason practices.
-The Canadiens placed defenseman Alex Henry and goaltender Curtis Sanford on waivers.
-Former Penguins forwards Tim Brent and the great Mike Zigomanis made the Maple Leafs' final roster heading into the regular season. Zigomanis was placed on waivers Monday and cleared.
-The Senators placed defenseman David Hale on waivers.
Southeast Division
-The Thrashers signed forward Alexander Burmistrov (right), their first-round pick in this summer's draft, to a three-year, entry level contract. The eighth overall pick, he will begin the season with the Thrashers.
-The Panthers could not reach an agreement on an entry-level contract with defenseman Erik Gudbranson, their first-round pick in this summer's draft. As a result, the third-overall selection will spent the season with his junior club, the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL.
-The Lightning claimed forward Mattias Ritola off waivers from the Red Wings, demoted forwards Chris Durno, Johan Harju and goaltender Cedrick Desjardins to Norfolk of the AHL and released forward Eric Perrin who was in camp on a tryout basis.
-Perrin said he will seek work in Finland.
-The Capitals demoted forwards Mathieu Perreault and Jay Beagle to Hershey of the AHL and placed forward Andrew Gordon (right), Steve Pinnizotto, defensemen Patrick McNeill and Brian Fahey on waivers.
Central Division
-Antoine Vermette scored two goals and led the Blue Jackets to a 4-1 win against the Elitserien's Malmo Redhawks in Malmo, Sweden.
-Blue Jackets defenseman Kris Russell aggravated a right knee injury.
-Columbus placed former Penguins defenseman Nate Guenin and forward Michael Blunden on waivers.
-The Red Wings placed forward Kirk
-As part of a quest to get a new dual-purpose arena, Red Wings and Tigers owner Mike Ilitch is attempting to buy the NBA's Pistons.
-Chicago placed forward Ryan Potulny and defenseman Jassen Cullimore on waivers.
-The Blackhawks will raise their new Stanley Cup banner prior to Saturday's home opener against the rival Red Wings.
-The Predators placed defenseman Alexander Sulzer (right) on waivers.
-The Blues demoted defenseman Ian Cole to Peoria of the AHL.
Northwest Division
-Think your dad treats you rough by making you take out the garbage or cut the grass? Well at least he didn't put you on waivers. That's exactly what Flames general manager Darryl Sutter did to his son, forward Brett Sutter.
-The Oilers are still trying to trade defenseman Sheldon Souray (right) and his $5.4 million salary cap hit.
-The Canucks traded defenseman Shane O'Brien and forward Dan Gendur to the Predators in exchange for defenseman Ryan Parent and forward Jonas Andersson.
-O'Brien ripped Canucks coach Alain Vigneaut on his way out the door.-The Canucks placed forward Jeff Tambellini on waivers.
-The Wild placed defenseman Drew Bagnall and forward Matt Kassian on waivers.
Pacific Division
-The Sharks cut defenseman Andreas Lilja who was in training camp on a tryout basis.
-San Jose is expecting forward Logan Couture, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2007 draft, to finally become an every day player this season.
-Stars captain Brenden Morrow (right) is dealing with a wonky back.
-Kings goaltender goaltender Erik Ersberg and forward Rich Clune cleared waivers and were demoted to Manchester of the AHL.
-The Coyotes placed forward Andrew Ebbett on waivers.
-Today's obligatory "The Coyotes are losing money!!!!!!" article in the Globe and Mail in Toronto is brought to you by Stephen Brunt.
Norris Division
-Happy 83rd birthday to former Pittsburgh Hornets forward Phil Maloney.
-Today would've been the 110th birthday of Joe Miller, a goaltender with the NHL's Pittsburgh Pirates.
(Photos: Orpik-Peter Diana/Post-Gazette; Hilbert-Chris McGrath/Getty Images; Bruins-Michae Cizek/AFP/Getty Images and Petr David Josek/Associated Press; Burmistrov-Scott Cunningham/Getty Images; Gordon-Elsa/Getty Images; Frederick Breedon/Getty Images; Souray-Photobucket; Morrow-Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)