Empty Netter Assists - 07-11-12
Penguins
-New defenseman Brian Dumoulin (above) is already familiar with the Penguins' system.
-The Penguins still have a "help wanted" sign out for a top-six winger.
-Carl Sneep announced via Twitter that he had re-signed with the Penguins. (PG+) Terms of the contract were not revealed. In 40 AHL games last season, Sneep recorded 10 assists.
-Dan Bylsma speaks:
-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins coach John Hynes speaks:
-Penguins executive Tom Fitzgerald speaks:
-Dumoulin speaks:
-Beau Bennett speaks:
-“Obviously, turning down that extension with the Penguins, knowing that if I did sign that there probably wouldn’t be a chance that I would play with Eric so I wanted to hold off on that and (Penguins general manager) Ray (Shero) decided to move me on and there’s obviously no better place that I’d rather be, besides if not playing for the Penguins, then in Carolina and I’m very happy about that.” - Former Penguins forward Jordan Staal.
Atlantic Division
-The Rangers signed former Capitals forward Jeff Halpern to a one-year contract worth $700,000. In 69 games last season, Halpern, 36, scored 16 points (six goals, 10 assists).
-EN Says: Halpern (right) can still be an effective No. 4 center in the NHL and still wins faceoffs. He won 58.3 percent of his draws last season. He'll fit in well with defense-first approach of head coach John Tortorella.
-Rangers forward Brad Richards will appear nude in ESPN The Magazine's "Body" issue.
-The Devils officially signed former Panthers forward/enforcer Krys Barch to a two-year contract worth a total of $1.5 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $750,000. In 51 games last season, Barch, 32, scored five points (two goals, three assists) and recorded 114 penalty minutes.
Northeast Division
-The Senators are expected to sign forward Chris Neil to a three-year contract extension worth a total of $5.75 million. He will have a salary cap hit of approximatley $1.91 million. Entering the final season of a contract with a salary cap hit of $2 million, Neil, 33, appeared in 72 games last season, scored 28 points and recorded 178 penalty minutes.
-EN Says: Neil is the blood and guts of this team and has been for nearly nearly a decade. He's one of the most dangerous hitters in the NHL and will drop the gloves with anyone. Additionally, he's a more than compentent hockey player. Getting him locked up for under $2 million is a slight bargain.
Southeast Division
-The Lightning re-signed forward Teddy Purcell (right) to a three-year contract extension worth a total of $13.5 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $4.5 million. Entering the final season of a contract with a salary cap hit of $2,362,500, Purcell, 26, had a career year last season by appearing in 81 games and scoring a career-best 65 points (24 goals, 41 assists).
-EN Says: This is quite a heavy cap hit for a player who had only one season of quality production on his resume. That said, Purcell has found a groove with the Lightning while running shotgun with Steven Stamkos. He just fits in well in his role and finding chemistry like he has with Stamkos is a hard thing to establish and keep.
-Tampa Bay acquired forward B.J. Crombeen and a fifth-round pick in 2014 from the Blues in exchange for fourth-round picks in 2013 and 2014. Crombeen has one year left on a contract with a salary cap hit of $1 million. In 40 games last season, Crombeen, 27, scored three points (one goal, two assists) and recorded 71 assists.
-EN Says: Crombeen is a fourth-line banger and crasher who will hit and fight anyone. He adds an element of toughness which was absent from the Lightning last season.
Central Division
-The Blues re-signed forward Jamie Langenbrunner (right) to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million. Langenbrunner, 36, appeared in 70 games last season and scored 24 points (six goals, 18 assists).
-EN Says: Langenbrunner isn't quite the same player he was 10 years ago when he could net 20 goals, but he know the system head coach Ken Hitchcock runs and he's a veteran presence on a younger team. His value is shown in ways other than just stats.
-The Blackhawks hired former Canadiens general manager Pierre Gauthier as director of player personnel.
Northwest Division
-Former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward Geoff Walker signed a one-year two-way contract with the Avalanche.
Pacific Division
-The Sharks fired assistant coach Matt Shaw and replaced him with former Penguins defenseman Jim Johnson (right). Johnson spent the past two seasons with the Capitals.
-The Coyotes signed goaltending coach Sean Burke to a contract extension and gave him the additional title of assistant to the general manager.
-EN Says: Burke has been a major part of the Coyotes' success the past three seasons. He has managed to take former back-up goaltenders such as Ilya Bryzgalov and Mike Smith and turn them into all-star caliber players. Retaining him is huge for Phoenix.
Patrick Division
-Former Maple Leafs/Thrashers/Jets forward Tim Stapleton has joined Dinamo Minsk of Russia's KHL.
(Photos: Dumoulin-Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images; Halpern-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Purcell-Jamie Sabau/Getty Images; Langenbrunner-Harry How/Getty Images; Johnson-Penguins Hockey Cards)