Empty Netter Assists - 12-25-12
Penguins
-The Post-Gazette's annual list of the Penguins' top ten prospects.
-"He's had a big role down there. He's played against top players, he's playing against National Hockey League players down there. He's gotten the confidence of being a go-to player for Wilkes-Barre." - Penguins assistant general manager Jason Botterill on Simon Despres' (right) development benefitting from the lockout.
-Happy 42nd birthday to former Penguins forward Stu Barnes. Acquired early in the 1996-97 season along with Jason Woolley in a trade which sent Chris Wells to the Panthers, Barnes spent parts of three seasons with the Penguins. He finished 1996-97 by appearing in 62 games and scoring 39 points for the Penguins. During that spring's playoffs, he saw action in five games and recorded one assist. His only full season in Pittsburgh was 1997-98. In 78 games, Barnes set career highs in goals (30), assists (35) and points (65). During the 1998 postseason, Barnes played in six games and scored six goals. After 64 games and 32 points in 1998-99, Barnes was traded to the Sabres in exchange for Matthew Barnaby. In 204 regular season games with the Penguins, Barnes scored 136 points, 60th-most in franchise history. In 11 postseason games, he scored seven points. Barnes is currently a hockey operations consultant with the Stars.
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-Happy 47th birthday to former Penguins defenseman Dmitri Mironov. The first Soviet born and trained player in franchise history, Mironov was acquired in the 1995 offseason along with a draft pick in a deal which sent Larry Murphy to the Maple Leafs. He spent parts of two seasons with the Penguins. In 1995-96, Mironov appeared in 72 games and scored 34 points. In 15 postseason games that spring, he recorded one assist. After 15 games and six points in 1996-97, Mironov was traded along with Shawn Antoski to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in exchange for Alex Hicks and Fredrik Olausson. In 87 regular seasons games with the Penguins, Mironov scored 40 points.
Pacific Division
-Kings forward Trevor Lewis (right), a native of Salt Lake City, has joined the Utah Grizzlies, the Flames' ECHL affiliate.
Patrick Division
-“Spending the holidays with my family ... it’s been over 15 years since I’ve gotten to do that.” - Capitals forward Joey Crabb on a benefit from the lockout. Crabb is one of four locked-out NHLers from Alaska playing for the ECHL's Alaska Aces.
World Junior Championships
-The World Junior Championships begin tomorrow in Ufa, Russia.
-The Globe and Mail's James Mirtle takes a team-by-team look at the tournament.
-Canada forward Boone Jenner, a Blue Jackets prospect, was suspended three games for a charge against Sweden defenseman Jesper Pettersson during an exhibition game Saturday. Pettersson suffered a broken wrist and a dislocated shoulder on the play.
-The hit in question:
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(Photos: Despres-Paul Bereswill/Getty Images; Lewis-Christian Petersen/Getty Images)