Empty Netter Assists -08-05-10

Penguins

-Bob Smizik takes a tour of Consol Energy Center and likes what he sees.

-Consol Energy Center, which is sponsored by a COAL MINING COMPANY, was granted LEED Gold Certification which means it's green n'at.

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Northeast Division

-The logos and the rink layout for the Heritage Classic, the NHL's Canadian outdoor game, were unveiled at McMahon Stadium in Calgary yesterday. The Canadiens will pretty much wear their road jersey with a special patch. The Flames decided to make up a fake throwback jersey which looks like some sort of psuedo USC Trojan football jersey. Montreal's Josh Gorges modeled his jersey along with Calgary's Steve Staios and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman:

-We're not a fan of the Flames' jersey. While we dig the fact that they are inspired by the uniforms of the Calagary Tigers, the old Western Canada Hockey League team, they should just dust off the old Jim Peplinski era jersey and go with that:

-And we're really disappointed with the Canadiens' lack of throught or effort. They spent the last two years celebrating their 100th anniversary with all sorts of throwback jerseys, including a funky barbershop look, and all they offer is their regular road duds?

-We personally wouldn't mind seeing a version of the home jersey they wore in the late 1940s. It's essentially their current road jerseys sans the red shoulders and with a blue stripe across the torso and arms:

-Fortunately for the Flames, a fast-food chain is already marketing the jerseys for them:

(Note: We admit we stole this joke from HF Boards.)

-Check out the shorts the Flames are expected to wear:

-Their alumni wore this jersey during the 2003 Heritage Classic's "oldtimers" game.

-Remember how everyone was kind of bent out of shape over Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin not showing up for the Winter Classic press conference last week? Well they really had some true luminaries there in Calgary with JOSH GORGES and STEVE STAIOS!!!!!

-The rink's layout:

-Non-Hockey Rant: Two 50-yard lines? Bless the CFL. That league's game's are entertaining. The NFL's games are essentially three-hour commercials for Sprint.

-The game's logo:

-Solid.

-Also, Bettman appeared in slight discomfort having to acknowledge hockey actually existed north of the 49th parallel:

-The Bruins hired former North Stars/Stars/Canadiens coach Doug Jarvis as an assistant coach. A former player for the Canadiens, Capitals and Whalers, Jarvis won the Frank J. Selke Trophy in the 1984 with Montreal and holds the NHL record for most consecutive games played with 964.

-The Senators signed unrestricted free agent defenseman David Hale, formerly of the Lightning and forward Francis Lessard, formerly of the Coyotes, to one-year, two-way contracts.

-RDS, the French Canadian broadcaster which erroneously reported Jordan Staal's foot injury against the Canadiens in the playoffs would end his season, is up to its old tricks. The network pretty much stole a story from the Montreal Gazette and claimed it as their own.

Southeast Division

-The Panthers entered an affiliation agreement with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.

Central Division

-The Red Wings re-signed restricted free agent forward Darren Helm (right) to a two-year contract worth a total of $1.825 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $912,500.

-The Blackhawks re-signed forwards Evan Brophey, Nathan Davis, defenseman Jassen Cullimore and signed forward Hugh Jessiman, formerly of the Predators and goaltender Hannu Toivonen, formerly of the Blues, to one-year contracts. All five players are expected to play in the AHL next season.

Northwest Division

-The Canucks re-signed forward forward Mario Blizak and signed defenseman Sean Zimmerman. Both are expected to play in the AHL next season.

Smythe Division

-If you can imagine such a thing, a former MVP with ankle problems is waffling once again on whether or not he'll retire. Former Nordiques/Avalanche/Flyers/Predators forward Peter Forsberg (right) is on the fence. Again.

-Former Maple Leafs/Coyotes/Sabres goaltender Mikael Tellqvist has joined Dynamo Riga of the KHL.

-Former Flames/Lightning/Avalanche/Stars/Blackhaws defenseman Sami Helenius has joined HCK in Finland.

-Today would've been the 98th birthday of former Pittsburgh Hornets forward Bobby Walton.

(Photos: Consol Energy Center-Bob Donaldson/Post-Gazette; Heritage Classic-Dylan Lynch/Getty Images and Larry MacDougal/Canadian Press; Peplinski, Sevigny and Ronald McDonald-Photobucket; Helm-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Forsberg-Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)