Empty Netter Assists - 09-22-12
Penguins
-Sidney Crosby is doing his best Reg Dunlop impression during the workout. (PG+)
-Ex-Penguins goaltender Brent Johnson (right), currently a free agent, is working out with some of the Capitals' players in Arlington, Va.
-Happy 40th birthday to former Penguins forward Pat Falloon. After being claimed off waivers late in the 1999-2000 season, Falloon appeared in 30 games and scored 13 points. In the 2000 offseason, he joined HC Davos in Switzerland.
-Happy 50th birthday to former Penguins forward Carl Mokosak. A free agent signing in the 1986 offseason, Mokosak's Penguins career amounted to three games, zero points and a minus-4 in 1986-87. In the 1987 offseason, Mokosak signed with the Bruins as a free agent.
-Happy 51st birthday to former Penguins goaltender Brian Ford. Acquired midway through the 1984-85 season in a deal which sent Tom Thornbury to the Quebec Nordiques, Ford's Penguins career amounted to eight games, a 2-6-0 record a .836 save percentage and a 6.30 goals against average. He was released in the 1985 offseason.
-Happy 55th birthday to former Penguins forward Mark Johnson (right). A member of the 1980 United States Olympic hockey team, Johnson was a fourth-round pick by the Penguins in 1977 and spent parts of three seasons with the Penguins. Following the 1980 Winter Olympics, Johnson appeared in 17 games for the Penguins in 1979-80 and scored eight points. In the postseason, he saw action in five games and netted four points. His first full season in the NHL was 1980-81. He played in 73 games and contributed 33 points. In the postseason, he appeared in five games and collected three points. After 46 games and 25 points in 1981-82, Johnson was traded to the North Stars in exchange for a draft pick. In 132 regular season games with the Penguins, Johnson scored 62 points. In 10 playoff games, Johnson scored seven points. The son of former Penguins coach "Badger" Bob Johnson, Mark Johnson is currently the head coach of Wisconsin's women's team and served as the head coach of the United States' women's team in the Olympics.
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Atlantic Division
-The family of former Wild/Rangers forward Derek Boogaard has sued the NHLPA to collect $4.8 million he was due on the remainder of his contract with the Rangers at the time of his death in 2011. The suit claims the players association failed to take proper steps to help collect the money. Boogaard died May 13, 2011 due to an overdose of drugs and alcohol.
Northeast Division
-Senators defenseman and Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson is expected to join Frolunda of Sweden's Elitserien for the duration of the lockout. Also in that link, Karlsson is apparently a Pirates fan:
-Bruins goaltender Anton Khudobin has joined Atlant Mytishchi of Russia's KHL for the duration of the lockout.
Southeast Division
-"It’s tough, especially with this summer and players signing 10-year deals and long-term contracts. Then for (the league) to go back at us and try to cut 12 percent, or whatever it is, is difficult. When (players) are given those contracts, they believe they’ll get it. At the same time, guys want to play. So it’s going to be tough to try and find a happy medium, but hopefully we can do that." - Hurricanes forward and former Penguin Jordan Staal on negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA.
-“Just me and a couple of rats. It’s a little weird.” - Panthers forward Kris Versteeg on working out alone in the team's practice facility in Coral Springs, Fla. As a result of an ankle injury, Versteeg is still permitted access to the Panthers' facilities during the lockout.
-Lightning coach Guy Boucher shot the ceremonial first pitch of last night's Blue Jays-Rays game:
Central Division
-According to the Toronto Star, the NHL could cancel the Winter Classic if a new collective bargaining agreement isn't agreed to by November.
-Red Wings forward Valtteri Filppula has joined Jokerit of Finland's SM-ligga for the duration of the lockout.
-"The owners can basically be viewed as the Ranch, and the players, and me included, are the cattle. The owners own the Ranch and allow the players to eat there. That's the way its always been and that the way it will be forever. And the owners simply aren't going to let a union push them around. It's not going to happen." - Red Wings executive Jim Devellano.
-Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko has joined SKA St. Petersburg of Russia's KHL for the duration of the lockout.
-Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has joined SKA St. Petersburg as well.
-Blackhawks forward Michael Frolik (right) has joined KLH Chomutov of the Czech Extraliga for the duration of the lockout.
Northwest Division
-"You have to take a stand and show them that there are two parties to this negotiation and I believe that’s what they’re doing now, trying to come up with creative ways of fixing this, not just putting a Band-Aid on it." - Canucks forward Jannik Hansen on CBA negotiations.
Pacific Division
-Stars forward and former Penguins captain Jaromir Jagr scored on a pretty nasty shot while playing for HC Kladno of the Czech Extraliga yesterday:
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-A complete list of the 52 names of the Kings who got their names engraved on the Stanley Cup.
-Which members of the Kings didn't get their names on the Stanley Cup?
-On account of his family, Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf will not play in Europe during the lockout.
-Ducks goaltender Viktor Fasth has joined Tingsryd of Sweden's Allsvenskan for the duration of the lockout.
-"This feels really odd to me because I've never gone through this before. It's the first time in 37 years as a player and coach I haven’t started at this time of year." - Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau on training camps being delayed due to the lockout.
Patrick Division
-Sabres forward Tyler Ennis (right) and Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon have joined Langnau of Switzerland's NLA.
-Sweden's Competition Authority ruled the Elitserien can not ban NHL players during the lockout.
(Photos: Brent Johnson-Dale MacMillan/Getty Images; Jim Johnson-Penguins Hockey Cards; Karlsson-Ottawa Citizen; Frolik-Joel Auerbach/Getty Images; Ennis-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)