Empty Netter Assists - 09-27-12
Penguins/NHL
-"It’s huge. Camp is where you come in and show the organization you had a great summer of training and hopefully you get an opportunity to play in a preseason game. That’s pretty much your shot right there. They’re extremely valuable." - The great Joe Vitale (above) on the value of preseason games.
-Eric Tangradi, Robert Bortuzzo, Brian Strait, Brad Thiessen and Jeff Zatkoff each signed AHL contracts with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL.
-Former Penguins defenseman the great Martin Skoula has joined HC Lev Praha of Russia's KHL.
-Happy 53rd birthday to former Penguins forward Paul Mulvey. Late in the 1981 offseason, Mulvey was transferred to the Penguins as compensation for the Capitals signing Orest Kindrachuk. Mulvey's Penguins' career amounted to 27 games and eight point in 1981-82. Midway through that season, he was claimed off waivers by the Kings.
-Happy 76th birthday to former Penguins forward Wally Boyer (right). Acquired in the 1968 offseason in a deal which sent Al MacNeil to the Canadiens, Boyer spent parts of four seasons with the Penguins. In 1968-69, he appeared in 62 games and scored 29 points. He followed that up in 1969-70 by playing in 72 games and scoring 23 points. In that spring's postseason, he saw action in 10 games and scored three points. Boyer scored a career-high 41 points and played in 68 games while playing primarily on line with Andy Bathgate and Greg Polis in 1970-71. HIs final season in Pittsburgh was 1971-72. He was limited to one game and no points. In the 1972 offseason, he joined the Winnipeg Jets of the WHA. In 203 games with the Penguins, Boyer scored 94 points, 89th-most in franchise history.
-Happy 77th birthday to former Penguins defenseman Al MacNeil. Claimed from the Rangers in the 1967 expansion draft, MacNeil's Penguins' career amounted to 74 games and 12 points during the franchise's innagural season in 1967-68. In the 1968 offseason, he was traded to the Canadiens in exchange for Wally Boyer. Midway through 1970-71, MacNeil was named coach of the Canadiens and later that season, became the first mid-season replacement coach to win the Stanley Cup.
Northeast Division
-Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson (right) has joined Jokerit of Finland's SM-liigga for the duration of the lockout.
-Sabres defenseman Andrej Sekera has joined HC Slovan Bratislava of Russia's KHL for the duration of the lockout.
Southeast Division
-Former Penguins forward Ryan Malone has been playing goaltender during the Lightning players' informal workouts.
Northwest Division
-"We're ready to give up some things here and there and have already expressed that to the owners, but they're not willing to give anything, really, which is really disappointing on our side. A lockout is their way to negotiate, I guess. It's the third time now." - Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog on NHL owners.
-“I can’t see them moving. It’s one of the greatest franchises in all of professional sports. You don’t move a franchise like that.” - Former Oilers captain Wayne Gretzky on the possibility of the franchise relocating.
-The KHL suspended Oilers forward prospect Nail Yakupov after he failed to transfer a transfer card in order to join Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik. Yakupov was the first overall pick in this summer's draft.
-Flames defenseman Anton Babchuk (right) has joined Donbass Donetsk of Russia's KHL for the duration of the lockout.
Pacific Division
-Former Lightning/Coyotes/Bruins/Rangers/Canadiens/Ducks defenseman Paul Mara has joined the Ontario Reign, the Kings's ECHL affiliae.
Smythe Division
-Stars defenseman Philip Larsen, Islanders forward Frans Nielsen and Coyotes forward Mikkel Boedker have joined Lukko of Finland's SM-liiga for the duration of the lockout.
(Photos: Vitale-Justin K. Aller/Getty Images; Boyer-Penguins Hockey Cards; Karlssoon-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Babchuk-Dale MacMillan/Getty Images)