Empty Netter Assists - 09-13-12
Penguins
-Some progress was made between the NHL and NHLPA. But how much?
-"Nobody wants to make a deal more than I do." - NHL commissioner Gary Bettman (right, with Mario Lemieux).
-The Penguins signed first-round picks Olli Matta and Derrick Pouliot to entry level contracts.
-“He’s a motivated kid — at practice, in games, and off the ice — that obviously wants to be an NHL hockey player. He works his tail off every day." - London Knights head coach Dale Hunter on Maatta.
-Jonathan Bombulie of the Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice catches up with Penguins forward prospect Tom Kuhnhackl.
-“They’ve been saying hockey is the game of the future since 1980. It’s a great sport and once people watch it live, they’re hooked. But it’s about getting it out to the masses, like anything else. Once you get people involved, especially Americans and their attention spans ... you get them to a game, you see how quick it is, it sells itself. And if we keep shooting ourselves that way, then it’s just going to take longer and longer and longer. And it really is too bad it’s happening again.” - Former Penguins forward John Chabot on the potential for the NHL to stage a third lockout since 1994.
-The Wheeling Nailers re-signed forward Zack Torquato.
-Happy 53rd birthday to former Penguins forward Scott Gruhl. A free agent signing during the 1987-88 season, Gruhl's Penguins career amounted to, six games and one goal that campaign. The first player in franchise history to wear No. 38, Gruhl was released in the 1988 offseason.
Atlantic Division
-An arbitrator upheld the Islanders' June trade for former Ducks defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky (right). Citing a no-trade clause, Visnovsky field a grieveance to cancel the trade.
Northeast Division
-The Maple Leafs re-signed goaltender Ben Scrivens to a two-year contract worth a total of $1.25 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $612,500. In 12 NHL games last season, Scrivens, 26, had a 4-5-2 record along with a 3.13 goals against average and .903 save percentage.
-EN Says: Scrivens is a borderline NHL-caliber goaltender. He'll be either the No. 2 or No. 3 goaltender in the organization.
-The Bruins placed forwards Christian Hanson, Jamie Tardif, Trent Whitfield and defenseman Garnet Exelby on waivers with the intentions of sending them to Providence of the AHL. Hanson is a native of Peters Township.
-“I’m more mature. More patient." - Former Penguins coach Michel Therrien (right) on his second run as head coach of the Canadiens.
Southeast Division
-Former Penguins captain Ron Francis became an investor with the Hurricanes' ownership group. Francis is already the club's vice president of hockey operations.
-The Capitals signed forward Troy Brouwer to a three-year contract extension worth $11 million. Entering the final season of a contract with a salary cap hit of $2.35 million, Brouwer, 27, will have a cap hit of $3,666,667 with his new contract. In 82 games last season, Brouwer scored 33 points (18 goals, 15 assists).
-EN Says: Brouwer is a third-line energy player who will contribute some offense including the occasional clutch goal. his biggest asset is his physical play as he'll hit anyone in a different jersey. This is a fair contract for him.
-The Panthers assigned defensemen Jason DeSantis, Josh McFadden, Alex Petrovic, goaltenders Brian Foster, Michael Houser, Jacob Markstrom, forwards Jonathan Hazen, Quinton Howden, Mattias Lindstrom, Anthony Luciani, John McFarland, Jon Rheault, Colby Robak, Eric Selleck, Drew Shore, Scott Timmins and Garrett Wilson to San Antonio of the AHL and assigned forwards F Jonathan Huberdeau (Saint John - QMJHL) and Vincent Trocheck (Saginaw - OHL) to their junior teams. Houser and Trocheck are Pittsburgh-area natives.
Central Division
-"We're staying strong for what we believe in. It's for the guys who went through the lockout the last time and who sacrificed a whole year and maybe didn't quite get what they wanted. They lost a lot in that situation." - Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews (right) on the 2004-05 lockout.
Northwest Division
-“You start to wonder, ‘How much time do I have left?’ I’ve already given up one season. I am willing to sit as long as I have to, to do what’s right. But, of course, we want to be out there, we want to be playing. You want to be getting as many games as you can (in your career), because it’s too short to begin with.” - Flames defenseman Cory Sarich, 34, on a potential lockout.
-In the event of a lockout, Canucks employees will be taking a 20 percent paycut.
Pacific Division
-The Kings signed undrafted defenseman Kurtis MacDermid to a three-year entry-level contract.
Adams Division
-Senators defenseman Chris Phillips and Wild forward Dany Heatley are suing their former agent, Stacey McAlpine, over an investment gone wrong.
-Former Nordiques/Maple Leafs/Canucks forward Mats Sundin (right) was hired as an advisor for Sweden's men's national team.
(Photos: Bettman/Lemieux and Therrien-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Visnovsky-Jeff Gross/Getty Images; Toews-Christian Petersen/Getty Images; Sundin-Elsa/Getty Images)