Penguins sign Sullivan - 07-01-11
According to TSN, the Penguins have signed former Predators forward Steve Sullivan to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million. In 44 games this season, Sullivan scored 22 points (10 goals, 22 assists). In nine playoff games, he scored three points (two goals, one assist).
Sullivan, 36, is a 14 year veteran who has also played the Devils, Maple Leafs and Blackhawks. A ninth-round pick in 1994, Sullivan, 5-foot-8, 161 points, has appeared in 890 career regular season games and scored 685 points (266 goals, 416 points).
A back injury forced Sullivan to miss parts of the 2006-07 season, all of 2007-08 and the first half of 2008-09. Following extensive surgery and rehabilitation, he was able to return midway through 2008-09 and won the Masterton Trophy for dedication to the game.
Sullivan has reached the 20-goal mark nine times in his career but hasn't done it since 2006-07 when he scored 22.
He missed 38 regular season and three postseason games in 2010-11 due to groin and "lower-body" injuries.
Sullivan was a member of the Predators while Ray Shero served as assistant general manager prior to joining the Penguins in 2006.
He averaged 16:01 of ice time per game during the regular season in 2010-11. He was fourth on Nashville with an average of 2:43 of power-play time during the regular season.
EN Says: This is a shrewd signing by the Penguins. Sullivan has the skill set to be a top six scoring winger. But injuries and a mostly defensive style employed by the Predators have limited his production the last few seasons. If he can stay healthy and stick on a line with Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, he can easily reach 20 goals. But those are big ifs.
And if he doesn't work out, its a one-year deal worth a relatively small amount. There's nothing to worry about past next summer.
Sullivan has some good speed and is solid with the puck, but given his size, he can be knocked off it easily. Additionally, he's a good citizen in the locker room by all accounts having served as an assistant captain in Nashville.
He's also competent in the shootout having gone 9 for 28 (32 percent) in his career.
He can be found on Twitter at @sullivan26.
Some highlights:
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-Sullivan is kind of famous for an incident during his time in Chicago when he was heckled by a fan in Colorado after suffering a facial injury. Later in the game, that same exact fan was struck by a puck. Sullivan took advantage of the opportunity and returned the favor:
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(Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)