Empty Netter Assists - 09-18-12
Penguins
-Kris Letang (above) is considering playing in Europe if the lockout lasts long enough.
-"We have a really, really good offer on the table. I don’t see why we should be as far apart as they say we are." - Craig Adams on negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA.
-"We all suffer from this. The players, fans and owners. Everyone except for Gary Bettman.'' - Tomas Vokoun on the lockout.
-Ex-Penguins forward/enforcer Jay Caufield is helping run the Penguins' players informal workouts during the lockout. (PG+)
-Paul Martin (right) and Stars defenseman/former Penguin Alex Goligoski are among several Minnesota-born players practicing with members of the Wild who are informally working out at St. Louis Park, Minn.
-“Russia is a rich country with wealthy individuals. Russia is a possibility, but we are not negotiating a contract right now.” - Pat Brisson, agent for Sidney Crosby, on his client potentially playing in the KHL.
-The Penguins released their refund policy in the event that the lockout cancels games.
-A listing of all teams offering a refund for games missed due to the lockout.
-"It's been a totally different negotiation than it was in 2004-05. I think it's safe to say that occasionally we got together during the summer of 2004, (but) there wasn't much bargaining or exploring issues. I think we've ploughed a lot of ground this summer. As I said, we haven't made much progress on the critical issues, but certainly we have a better framework to move forward if we can ever start making progress." - NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daley comparing the 2004-05 lockout to the current one.
-Happy 45th birthday to former Penguins forward Tom Chorske. A free agent signing in the 1999 offseason, Chorske finished his 11-year NHL career by appearing in 33 games and scoring six points for the Penguins in 1999-2000. A thumb injury cut his season short and forced him to retire.
-Happy 79th birthday to former Penguins executive and coach Scotty Bowman (right). Hired as the team's director of player personnel in the 1990 offseason, Bowman was a member of the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship in 1991. Following the death of head coach Bob Johnson, Bowman assumed the head coaching position and led the team to a 39-32-9 record, 87 points and a playoff berth. Going 16-5 in the playoffs, he led the Penguins to their second Stanley Cup championship. Bowman returned the next season and directed the team to its second Patrick Division title with a 56-21-7 record and 119 points, good enough to earn the franchise its only Presidents' Trophy as the league's best team in the regular season. In the playoffs, the Penguins beat the Devils in five games but were upset by the Islanders in seven games during the Patrick Division final. Bowman was replaced in the offseason by Eddie Johnston. In 164 games with the Penguins, Bowman had a regular season record of 95-53-16 and 206 points. His win total is fourth-most in franchise history. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991, Bowman is the NHL's all-time leader in coaching wins with 1,244. He currently a senior advisor of hockey operations for the Blackhawks.
Atlantic Division
-Islanders captain Mark Streit has joined Bern of Switzerland's NLA for the duration of the lockout.
-Islanders defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky has joined HC Slovan Bratislava of Russia's KHL for the duration of the lockout.
-Flyers forward Jakub Voracek (right) has joined HC Lev Praha of Russia's KHL for the duration of the lockout.
-Members of the Flyers' front office were not permitted by the NHL to participate in a charity golf outing staged by forward Scott Hartnell.
Northeast Division
-Senators forward Milan Michalek will be sidelined four to six weeks following abdominal surgery.
-Ottawa forward Kaspars Daugavins has joined Dinamo Riga of Russia's KHL for the duration of the lockout.
-The Senators' 170 office workers have either been temporarily laid off or asked to accept a reduced work week during the lockout.
-Ottawa players are not permitted to wear team-issued gear while they hold their informal workouts.
-“(The NHL) is talking about a problem and then you have record contracts going out the door. It’s hard to believe there are problems.” - Canadiens captain Brian Gionta.
-“I have a lot of respect for (Canadiens owner) Geoff Molson and I don’t think he wants a lockout.” - Canadiens forward Mathieu Darche.
-The Canadiens assigned forwards Alexander Avtsin, Alain Berger, Michael Blunden, Michaël Bournival, Gabriel Dumont, Brendan Gallagher, Blake Geoffrion, Patrick Holland, Louis Leblanc, Philippe Lefebvre, Joonas Nattinen, Steven Quailer, Ian Schultz, defensemen Nathan Beaulieu, Morgan Ellis, Brendon Nash, Greg Pateryn, Joe Stejskal, Jarred Tinordi, goaltenders Peter Delmas and Robert Mayer to Hamilton of the AHL.
-Sabres defenseman Christian Ehrhoff (right) will play for Krefeld Pinguine of Germany's DEL for the duration of the lockout.
-The Sabres assigned forwards Marcus Foligno, Corey Tropp, Cody Hodgson, Luke Adam, Riley Boychuk, Brian Flynn, Jacob Lagace, Jonathan Parker, Kevin Sundher, Shawn Szydlowski and Phil Varone, defenseman Brayden McNabb, Alex Biega, Nick Crawford, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, Matt MacKenzie, Mark Pysyk, goaltenders Connor Knapp and Nathan Lieuwen to Rochester of the AHL, forwards Mikhail Grigorenko (Quebec - QMJHL), Daniel Catenacci (Owen Sound-OHL) to their junior teams and Joel Armia to Assat of Finland's SM-ligga.
-Maple Leafs goaltending coach François Allaire has left the team.
-Toronto forward Nikolai Kulemin has joined Metallurg Magnitogorsk of Russia's KHL for the duration of the lockout.
Southeast Division
-Capitals goaltender Michal Neuvirth is expected to join HC Sparta Praha of the Czech Republic's Extraliga for the duration of the lockout.
-“If the league continues to insist on their, then it will take a full year. That’s because we are not going to cave in. Then I will spend the entire season in the KHL. It’s an absolute reality.” - Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (right).
-Hurricanes forward Jiri Tlusty has joined HC Kladno of the Czech Extraliga for the duration of the lockout.
-Carolina forard Jussi Jokinen has joined Kärpät of Finland's SM-liiga.
-"My wife tells my kids if you don't have anything nice to say don't say it." - Lightning forward Martin St. Louis on NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
Central Division
-“We don’t have any hard feelings against our team. It’s just the league in general. I think our team would probably take (the NHLPA’s) deal right now.” - Predators forward Mike Fisher.
-"There's no reason it can't be worked out. The plan we've come up with makes a lot of sense for that. There's no reason why they can't accept that. It's more stubbornness than anything else." - Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews on the NHL.
Northwest Division
-"The problem isn’t with us making too much, it’s with them overpaying guys and creating their own problems. They can fix themselves without asking for rollbacks and concessions from us.” - Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa (right).
-During their informal workouts, Canucks players turned their pactice jerseys inside out.
-Oilers forward Ales Hemsky has joined HC Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga for the duration of the lockout.
Pacific Division
-"He makes himself more than ($8 million) a year. Would Mr. Bettman willing to give up their salary and give part of it to these “poor” teams? Hmm … interesting question." - Ducks forward Teemu Selanne on Gary Bettman.
-Sharks defenseman Jason Demers has joined Kärpät of Finland's SM-liiga for the duration of the lockout.
-The Sharks assigned forwards Curt Gogol, Freddie Hamilton, Bracken Kearns, James Livingston, Jon Matsumoto, Travis Oleksuk, Brodie Reid, Sebastian Stalberg, defensemen Sena Acolatse, Taylor Doherty, Danny Groulx, Matt Irwin, Matt Tennyson, goaltenders Thomas Heemskerk, Harri Sateri and Alex Stalock to Worcester of the AHL.
Patrick Division
-Sharks captain Joe Thornton (right) and Rangers forward Rick Nash are expected to join HC Davos of Switzerland's NLA for the duration of the lockout.
-Red Wings forward Damien Brunner and Raphael Diaz will join Zug of Switzerland's NLA for the duration of the lockout.
-Blues forward Vladimir Sobotka and Flames forward Roman Cervenka have joined HC Slavia Praha of the Czech Extraliga.
(Photos: Letang-Justin K. Aller/Getty Images; Martin-Claus Andersen/Getty Images; Bowman-Rick Stewart/Allsport/Getty Images; Voracek-Al Bello/Getty Images; Ehrhoff-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Ovechkin-Patrick McDermott/Getty Images; Bieksa-Harry How/Getty Images; Thornton-Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)