NHL: Player News and Rumors (Thread finished)

Report: Flyers interested in Leetch
TSN.ca Staff
10/9/2006 3:04:01 PM

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Flyers are looking to sign free agent veteran defenceman Brian Leetch.

The Flyers are without Mike Rathje for an indefinite period due to a herniated disk, and would like Leetch to solidify their power play.

"Brian has not made any decisions about the season so far," Leetch's agent Jay Grossman told the Inquirer. "We've been contacted by a number of teams about playing this season. There are a number of things Brian has to sort through. He's made no decision in his personal situation."

Currently, the Flyers have Joni Pitkanen quarterbacking the power play with some help from newcomer Nolan Baumgartner and second-year NHLer Freddy Meyer, neither of whom boasts power play credentials to match Leetch, an 18-year NHL veteran who has scored 1028 points in 1205 career games with the Rangers, Maple Leafs and Bruins.

Leetch, 38, had 32 points, and a minus-10 rating, in 61 games with Boston last season.
 

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Coyotes' Ballard out at least four weeks
TSN.ca Staff with Arizona Republic files
10/10/2006 2:47:57 PM

Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Keith Ballard will be out of action for at least four weeks due to a fracture in his right hand sustained Monday night in the Coyote loss to Columbus.

Ballard, in his second year with the Coyotes, flew to Phoenix Tuesday to be examined by team doctors. Surgery is likely.

Ballard, in his rookie season (2005), registered 39 points for Phoneix. The Coyotes originally traded Chris Gratton, Ossi Vaananen and a 2nd round selection (Paul Stastny) in 2005 to the Colorado Avalanche for Derek Morris and Keith Ballard. Ballard was originally drafted in the 1st round (11th overall) by Buffalo in 2002.

"I should have gotten out of the way," Ballard half-joked after Monday's game. ".Injuries are part of the game. This is not the end of the world."

The Coyotes recalled defenseman Keith Yandle, who nearly won a roster spot in training camp, from their top affiliate in San Antonio to replace Ballard.
 

Kubina sidelined with strained MCL
TSN.ca Staff
10/10/2006 5:18:36 PM

The Toronto Maple Leafs could be without the services of defenceman Pavel Kubina for a prolonged period of time.

The team revealed Tuesday that the veteran blueliner suffered a strained medial collateral ligament after a knee-on-knee collision with Todd Bertuzzi in Monday's 2-1 shootout win against the Florida Panthers.

Kubina didn't return to the game and had great difficulty making it to the dressing room.

Though the injury will keep him out of the lineup for a indefinite period of time, Kubina will not have to undergo surgery.

Kubina is the the fifth injured defenceman for the Leafs since training camp. Defencemen Andrew Wozniewski (shoulder), Carlo Colaiacovo (head), Staffan Kronwall (ankle) and Brenden Bell (foot) remain out for Toronto.
 

Stars activate centre Stefan from IR
Canadian Press
10/11/2006 12:58:05 PM

FRISCO, Tex. (CP) - The Dallas Stars activated centre Patrik Stefan from the injured reserve list Wednesday.

The Czech forward could make his regular-season debut Thursday against Los Angeles although, with seven centres on their roster, the Stars may decide to make him a healthy scratch.

Stefan, 26, was placed on the list Oct. 3 with a hip injury and missed the team's first two regular-season games. He didn't record a goal in four pre-season games with the team.

The Stars acquired Stefan, the No. 1 pick in the 1999 draft, in a trade with Atlanta last June.

In 64 games with the Thrashers last season, Stefan recorded 10 goals and 14 assists.
 

Crosby's hand bruised, but not broken
TSN.ca Staff with Pittsburgh Post Gazette files
10/11/2006 1:40:06 PM

Pittsburgh Penguins centre Sidney Crosby won't miss any action after suffering a bruised hand during practice on Tuesday.

Crosby was obvious pain after he tried to grab a high pass from rookie defenceman Kris Letang with his left hand after the formal conclusion of the team's practice at Mellon Arena.

He was doubled over for several minutes and feared that he'd suffered a break in his hand.

"That's the first thing that comes to mind," Crosby told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. "It was like, you're expecting a pass and the puck's coming at you, so you just react. I just caught it, and it stung me."

An examination by a team trainer determined it was nothing more than a bruise, and it was later confirmed by an X-ray.
 

Leafs' Kubina dejected but relieved
Canadian Press
10/11/2006 3:55:44 PM

TORONTO (CP) - Pavel Kubina is disappointed that he's been sidelined with a knee injury but he also knows it could have been worse.

"The good news is there is no surgery," the Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman said Wednesday, a day after getting the diagnosis. "I'll work hard to come back as soon as possible."

He'll be out at least four weeks, but it really depends on how the 29-year-old Czech native responds to treatment on his strained medial collateral ligament. He's never had an injury on the left knee.

Signed July 1 to a US$20-million, four-year deal as one of Toronto's key off-season additions, this is the last thing Kubina wanted early in the season as he tried to prove to fans and the media he's worth the big money.

"It is frustrating, but there's nothing I can do," said the former Tampa blue-liner.

He also dismissed the theory that his injury sustained in Monday's game against Florida had to do with bad ice at the Air Canada Centre.

"Definitely not, that was not an ice issue," stressed Kubina. "It was a collision in front of the net with (Todd) Bertuzzi. He fell on my left knee and pushed my knee inside. I felt a lot of pain right away and I couldn't get up."

"It was, I'd say, bad luck, just a collision in front of the net. Not an ice issue at all."

He's the most significant in a long line of injured Toronto defencemen, joining Andrew Wozniewski (shoulder), Carlo Colaiacovo (head), Staffan Kronwall (ankle) and Brenden Bell (foot).

"Like four guys are out right now," said Kubina. "Sometimes you go through half a season without injuries and sometimes (you have) a lot of guys going down."

Bell is nearing a return. He skated alone with assistant coach Keith Acton before practice Wednesday and later joined the rest of the team for their skate.

"I think my conditioning needs a little bit but I'd be willing to get into a game," said Bell. "There's a little ways to go but I'm pretty close. I'm ready to go whenever they want me."

Saturday's game against Calgary is a more likely return date for Bell. Tough guy Wade Belak, who started the season at forward, was back on defence in practice with Jay Harrison as his partner and would likely be there for Thursday's game at New Jersey.

"I'm comfortable with Belak on the blue-line,'' said head coach Paul Maurice, who doesn't want to rush Bell back unless team doctors say it's OK.

"First, Brendan is still injured until someone tells me different," added Maurice. "No player is coming back earlier than he is ready because we have players with the (AHL) Marlies."

Meanwhile, Maurice announced that backup J.S. Aubin would get his first start of the season at New Jersey.

"I think he a good goaltender and I don't think these guys can sit out that long and stay sharp," said Maurice. "He had a very good camp and I think the timing is right."

Maurice will also stick with a late-game line change he made Monday night. The coach replaced Alexei Ponikarovsky with winger Darcy Tucker on the top line with Mats Sundin and Kyle Wellwood.

"It has absolutely nothing to do with Darcy Tucker," said Maurice. "It got to do with Alexei Ponikarovsky. When he and Stajan and O'Neill get the second half of that power play they also get some time together five on five. I really like the way they played together.

"So I didn't think I was losing anything by putting Darcy with Mats. It makes the bench easier to run."

Tucker was unfazed by the change.

"It doesn't really matter," said the 31-year-old veteran, who is off to fast start with four points (3-1) in four games. "There's a lot of good players on this team. I'm happy to play anywhere. Maybe when I was younger it would have been a big deal."
 

From Sportsnet.ca!

Hockey Hearsay
October 11, 2006

Jordan Staal headed back to juniors
The Pittsburgh Penguins are expected to send rookies Jordan Staal and Kristopher Letang back to their junior teams soon in order to preserve a year of free agency.

According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Penguins general manager Ray Shero acknowledges that both players are telented enough to be in the NHL, but says an extra year in the junior ranks could help both players down the road.

Back when he worked for the Senators, Shero delivered the same bad news to Marian Hossa, who later became one of the top scorers in the league.

Ducks deny talk of Bryzgalov deal
Anaheim Ducks general manager Brian Burke is dismissing rumours that goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov could be traded to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Burke tells the Orange County Register that there's "not a shred of truth" to any trade talks.

The Ducks (3-0-0) are happy to hold on to both Bryzgalov and Jean-Sebastien Giguere to give them depth between the pipes, espcially after Giguere suffered a leg cramp in the opening game of the season.

Wang won't budge on Russian exile
Either New York Islanders owner Charles Wang really, really likes you (Rick DiPietro) or he really, really doesn't. Just ask former first-round draft pick Sean Bergenheim.

Bergenheim, the 22nd overall draft pick in 2002, opted to play in Russia over signing a contract he believed was a lowball offer from the organization, reports Newsday.

What was originally a $730,000, two-way offer from the team was changed into a $500,000 one-way deal after Bergenheim balked at the idea of being sent to the minors. The one-way deal virtually guaranteed the young forward a spot on the Islanders roster.

Bergenheim balked at the second offer and signed a deal with a Russian team despite GM Garth Snow's warning that should he miss training camp, the team policy is to write him off for the year. Well, now Bergenheim wants back and the team is sticking to their guns.

"We offered him a one-way contract." said Snow. "He turned it down, and we spent that money on other players. I relayed that message to his agent and to Sean himself in mid-August. I said there's only so much of the pie to go around when you're working with a salary cap like we are."

But Bergenheim's agent Mark Gandler believes they are being overly hard on his client.

"I asked Garth to knock on Charles' door and explain the situation, but that's not happening. Charles tells him what to do. That would not be happening if Neil Smith still were the general manager . . . The world according to Garth is that Sean's spot is taken. You're talking about a young player whose development is important. I guess they're stubborn because Sean and I were stubborn."

"I understand the rule, but I don't think it's fair to Sean or the fans," Gandler said. "If they want a public apology, that's fine. Somebody has to compromise. At this point, it doesn't look like Charles is willing to do that.

Now Leetch on Leafs radar?
With Pavel Kubina out for an extended stay, could Brian Leetch be once again be in the Maple Leafs plans?

For the short term, Wade Belak will likely make the move to the blueline but at best, Belak playing defence is a stop gap measure.

With Staffan Kronwall, Carlo Colaiacovo and Andy Wozniewski all still at least two weeks away from active duty, the Toronto Star's Damian Cox believes the Leafs will once again contact Leetch to see if he would be willing to don the Blue and White once again.

Other options include Jason Wooley, who couldn't make the Hurricanes lineup out of training camp, and Florida's Steve Montador or New Jersey's Dan McGillis may be had for the right price.
 


Just letting all the hockey fans know I won't be posting anything else in this thread, for this year. Come back next year for more free agency frenzy and player news!

Game On! :D

KF72
 

Thanks, Knightfall. This was a great thread. I Look forward to next off-season. Actually, I don't...my Habs are about to have most of their d-men and their best scorer become UFAs...

And for my last word: What deal DiPietro is turning out to be! :p
 

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