Empty Netter Assists - 06-11-10

Penguins

-Ray Shero has yet to officially negotiate with the agents of unrestricted free agents Mark Eaton (above), Alexei Ponikarovsky or Sergei Gonchar (PG+).

-Does Bill Guerin have a future with the Penguins?

-The toilets are already operating at a better success rate at Consol Energy Center than the home team's power play.

-Check out the Penguins' video which we can't embed on this new blogging platform.

-Pittsburgh had the fourth-highest ratings for any American market for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final.

-Happy 41st birthday to former Penguins forward Kip Miller (right). Claimed off waivers from the Islanders prior to the 1998-99 season, Miller spent parts of three seasons with the Penguins. Playing much of 1998-99 alongside Jaromir Jagr, Miller recorded a career-high 42 points in 77 games. After appearing in 44 games and recording 19 points in 1999-2000, Miller was traded to the Mighty Ducks in exchange for a draft pick in January. He returned to the Penguins in the 2000 offseason as a free signing and saw action in 33 games in 2000-01 while scoring 11 points. In the 2001 offseason, Miller joined the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL. A member of the renown Michigan state Miller family (brother Kevin also played with the Penguin), Kip Miller is one four former Hobey Baker Award (college hockey's Heisman Trophy) to have played for the Penguins (Brian Bonin, Bryan Holzinger and Jordan Leopold are the others.) In 154 games with the Penguins, Miller recorded 72 points, the 100th best total in franchise history.

-Today would've been the 41sth birthday of former Penguins defenseman Bryan Fogarty. Acquired at the 1992 trade deadline in a deal which sent Scott Young to the Quebec Nordiques, Fogarty's Penguins' career amounted to 12 games and four assists in 1992-93. In the 1993 offseason, he signed with the expansion Tampa Bay Lighting. Fogarty who battled alcohol and drug addiction throughout his career, passed away March 6, 2002.

-Today would've been the 71st birthday of former Penguins defenseman Ted Lanyon. Acquired from Cleveland of the AHL in exchange for cash in the 1966 offseason, Lanyon's NHL career amounted to five games and zero points in the Penguins inagural season of 1967-68. He was released from the organization in the 1970 offseason. He passed away, May 21, 2008.

Playoff Stuff

Blackhawks

-Already facing a daunting salary cap situation, the Blackhawks found out they'll need to add $1.3 million to their cap after captain Jonathan Toews earn a bonus for winning the Conn Smythe Trophy.

-Blackhawks forward Adam Burish was ever so humble in victory Wednesday when discussing Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger:

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-That's the same Burish who played just as many minutes as the rest of us in Game 6: Zero.

-And someone in the Blackhawks' locker room thinks Pronger is really happy.

-"I just want a break right now. It's been a long season." - Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith who has essentially been playing hockey since August.

-The Cup got a good tour of Rush Street yesterday.

-It took 15 seasons and four teams, but Blackhawks defenseman Brent Sopel (right) finally got his hands on the Stanley Cup.

-The Blackhawks will give former general manager Dale Tallon a Stanley Cup ring. Tallon is currently the Panthers' general manager.

-Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville officially got an invitation to the White House from President Obama.

-Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman was in Philadelphia for Game 6.

Flyers

-Despite their improbable playoff run, the Flyers still face a common reality; Their goaltending is still pretty poor.

Non-Playoff Stuff

Atlantic Division

-The Devils are officially moving their AHL affiliate from Lowell, Mass. to Albany, N.Y.

Northeast Division

-Canadiens forward and former Penguin Georges Laraque said the Habs will buy out the final year of his contract June 15.

-The city of Montreal plans on billing the Canadiens for any future mayhem in the aftermath of Habs games.

-The Senators are expected to buy out the contract of forward Jonathan Cheechoo (right).

-Restricted free agent forward Nikolai Kulemin wants to stay in Toronto.

Southeast Division

-The Lightning officially named former Hamilton Bulldogs coach Guy Boucher as their new head coach.

-"I feel he's going to be a prominent coach in this league for a long time." - Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman on Boucher.

-Boucher side-stepped questions about why he declined to accept the Blue Jackets' offer.

-Ray Bear left his position with the Thrashers as a strength and conditioning coach to join the army in a civilian position.

-"Congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks. They win the Stanley Cup. I am happy for them." - Capitals owner Ted Leonis on the Blackhawks winning the Stanley Cup, June 10, 2010.

-"It means absolutely nothing to us." - Leonis' reaction to the Penguins winning the Stanley Cup, June 14, 2009.

Central Division

-The Blues signed defenseman David Rundblad, a first-round pick in 2009, to an entry-level contract.

-Former Red Wings coach Bobby Kromm passed away. He was 82.

-Predators defenseman Dan Hamhuis (right) is good people.

Northwest Division

-Wild forward Pierre-Marc Bouchard (concussion) was given medical clearance to begin light workouts.

Pacific Division

-The Coyotes re-signed defensemen David Schlemko and forwards Ryan Hollweg.

Adams Division

-Former Red Wings/Thrashers forward Yuri Butsayev has joined Sibir Novosibirsk in the KHL.

-Today would've been the 115th birthday of Hockey Hall of Famer Frank Fredrickson a forward and coach with the NHL's Pittsburgh Pirates. Inducted into the Hall in 1958, Fredrickson was the captain of the gold medal-winning Winnipeg Falcons who won the first Olympic hockey tournament at the 1920 Summer Games in Antwerp.

(Photos: Eaton-Justin K. Aller/Getty Images; Miller-Penguins Hockey Cards; Sopel-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Cheechoo-Abelimages/Getty Images; Hamhuis-Tony Gutierrez)