NHL: Player News and Rumors (Thread finished)

Pouliot assigned by Oilers to AHL
Canadian Press
10/3/2006 5:18:12 PM

EDMONTON (CP) - The Edmonton Oilers assigned centre Marc-Antoine Pouliot to the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins so they could get down to the 23-man NHL roster limit Tuesday.
The Oilers open the new season at home against Calgary on Thursday night.

Pouliot, 21, had 15 goals and 31 assists with the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs last season. He got one goal in eight games with the Oilers. He was selected in the first round, 22nd overall, in the 2003 entry draft.
 

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Agamon said:
They've all been signed to one-year deals. We are not amused. I wonder what long-term injuries Laggenbrunner and White will have in a few seasons when their usefulness doesn't live up to their contracts. Shame on Lou.
Click to expand...

Gionta, Devils agree on three-year deal
TSN.ca Staff
10/3/2006 5:38:27 PM

It came down to the wire for the New Jersey Devils to get under the NHL's $44 million salary cap, but the league's longest-serving general manager got it done.

After getting hefty contracts for Alexander Mogilny and Vladimir Malakhov off the books, Lou Lamoriello re-signed forward Brian Gionta, defencemen David Hale and Paul Martin, goaltender Scott Clemmensen and forward Erik Rasmussen to new deals in time for the start of the season.

Sources tell TSN Gionta's contract is a three-year deal worth about $4 million per year. Sources also tell TSN Clemmensen signed a one-year, $450,000 deal while Hale inked a one-year, $550,000 contract. Martin's deal is for one-year at $2 million and Rasmussen signed a one-year, $450,000 contract.

The Devils, earlier Tuesday gave themselves a $7.1 million cushion under the current salary cap, which enabled them to sign Gionta. He was a restricted free agent, entering Devils camp in good faith without a new contract. Devils GM Lou Lamoriello worked out numerous deals over the past week in order to orchestrate a situation which would enable him to sign the 26-year-old right-winger.

"I don't know that difficult is the word, it's just making sure that anything and everything that we've done is within the framework of what we have the ability to do both financially and within the rules," Lamoriello said.

"We were very fortunate with the patience and loyalty that Brian has shown," said Lamoriello. "Brian, Paul, David, Scott and Erik - they all knew the situation we were in. We were totally up front with the positives and the negatives and that we would do everything we could. We wanted them here.

"Some of them (contracts) could have been done earlier but until you know what the pool of money you have to work with, you just can't and I was honest with the players about that."

Gionta was originally drafted in the third round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, and has spent his entire career in the Devils organization, including a Stanley Cup in 2002-2003. Last year, he tallied a career-high 48 goals and 41 assists in 82 games.

Files from Canadian Press were used in this report.
 

Phaneuf, Regehr a formidable pairing
Canadian Press
10/3/2006 6:19:10 PM

CALGARY (CP) - The best scoring lines in the NHL will have to run the gauntlet of Robyn Regehr and Dion Phaneuf to get to the Calgary Flames's net.

Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger may occasionally see ice time together on Anaheim's special teams, Philadelphia has Derian Hatcher and Mike Rathje, Toronto boasts Bryan McCabe and Tomas Kaberle, but Regehr and Phaneuf should emerge as one of the most intimidating defensive pairings in the league this season.

Regehr, a defensive stalwart who played for Canada in the most recent Olympics and World Cup, was without a partner when the Flames traded Jordan Leopold to Colorado to get winger Alex Tanguay in the off-season.

Enter the iron-shouldered Phaneuf, who was a nominee for the NHL's rookie award last season in the most deep and talented freshman class in years.

''We have some very high expectations of ourselves individually and as a pair to help this team win,'' Regehr said Tuesday at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

''We're going to be facing some high expectations from the coaching staff and fans and many other people as well. I think we're looking forward to that.''

Calgary opens the 2006-07 NHL season Thursday in Edmonton (CBC, 10 p.m. ET) before returning to the Saddledome for the home-opener Saturday against the Oilers.

Defensive centre Stephane Yelle is ready to play after injuring his ankle during the pre-season, but defenceman Rhett Warrener (knee) is said to still be a week or two away.

Phaneuf, Regehr and goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff are the cornerstones of a Flames' defence that was the stingiest in the NHL last season.

Phaneuf was paired with Roman Hamrlik in his rookie year, but Hamrlik also has a new partner in newly-acquired Andrei Zyuzin.

Regehr is 26, six foot three and 230 pounds. Phaneuf is 21, six foot two and 213 pounds. They have young legs that can chew up a lot of minutes while dominating in their own end.

''It's a challenge every night when you go up against other teams' top lines,'' Phaneuf said. ''Our job first and foremost is to keep the puck out of our own net.''

They are both left-handed shots, play a physically dominating game, but also have the passing skills and smarts that make them premiere defenders in the league.

Phaneuf has shown himself to be the complete package. His demonstrated his durability by averaging just under 22 minutes per game in all 82 last season, while contributing 20 goals and 29 assists to a struggling offence.

''He's got a chance to be one of the five best defencemen in our league,'' Hamrlik said.

Phaneuf will be the one to jump into the rush and be a scoring threat from the blue-line with his booming shot. Regehr is the policeman at the back and he'll make the first man into the Flames' defensive zone pay.

''I think they work together because they are top players who can handle big minutes,'' head coach Jim Playfair said. ''It's not so much that one guy is the defender and one guy is the offensive-minded player.

''I think what you want to find is players who are hard to play against and those two certainly have the identity of being physical and fast players, who make good outlet passes.''

Both players say their adjustment to each other has been smooth.

''The biggest thing is us getting comfortable with each other, talking to each other out there, especially in the defensive zone where there's a lot happening,'' Regehr said.

''I think I talk quite a bit out there,'' he added with a chuckle. ''I don't know whether he hears me or not.''

Note: - The Flames assigned forward Eric Godard and defenceman Brad Ference to the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights of the American Hockey League on Tuesday.
 

Stars place Stefan, Polak on IR
Sports Ticker
10/3/2006 10:01:54 PM

FRISCO, Texas (Ticker) - The Dallas Stars placed center Patrik Stefan and left wing Vojtech Polak on injured reserve Tuesday.

Acquired from Atlanta on June 24, Stefan is suffering from a hip injury. The 26-year-old was scoreless in four preseason games this year after recording 10 goals and 14 assists in 64 contests with the Thrashers last season.

Polak, 21, suffered a mild concussion during training camp and did not play in a preseason game. He appeared in three contests with the Stars in 2005-06 without registering a point.

Dallas also announced Tuesday that center Mike Ribeiro was granted non-roster status by the NHL as he awaits immigration clearance. He will not play in the Stars' season opener in Colorado on Wednesday night.

Ribeiro, acquired in a trade with Montreal on Saturday, had 16 goals and 35 assists in 79 games with the Canadiens last season.
 

Avalanche place four on IR
Sports Ticker
10/3/2006 11:21:59 PM

DENVER (Ticker) - Jordan Leopold's debut with the Colorado Avalanche will not take place Wednesday.

Leopold was one of four players the Avalanche placed on injured reserve Tuesday, one day before their season opener against the Dallas Stars.

Acquired in an offseason trade with Calgary, Leopold had two goals and 18 assists in 74 games with the Flames last season. The 26-year-old defenseman underwent hernia surgery over the summer and is expected to miss at least a week.

Also placed on injured reserve were center Pierre Turgeon and left wings Brad May and Cody McCormick.

Turgeon is listed as day-to-day as he recovers from offseason rotator cuff surgery. May underwent reconstructive shoulder surgery this week and is expected to miss four to six months, while McCormick is out with a chest injury.
 

Canucks claim G Sabourin off waivers
TSN.ca Staff
10/4/2006 4:52:20 PM

The Vancouver Canucks claimed goaltender Dany Sabourin off waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday.

The move may mean another trip to the AHL for backup Wade Flaherty.

''We've put a lot of faith in our goaltending coach (Ian Clark) who's got a good feel for him,'' Canucks GM Dave Nonis told The Canadian Press. ''We did play against him last year with (AHL) Manitoba and he played very well against us. Clarkie feels he's a guy who's gotten better every year. He was one of the top goalies in the American League last year and we feel he's ready to make the next step to the NHL.''

Sabourin, 26, was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the fourth round (108th overall) in 1998. He played four games with the Flames in the 2003-04 season, posting a 3.55 goals against average and .848 save percentage.

He was signed as a free agent by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2005 and played in one game that season, allowing four goals in 21 minutes played.

Last season, Sabourin went 30-14-4 with a 2.26 GAA and .922 save percentage in 49 games with the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He was named to the AHL's first all-star team and won the Aldege Bastien Award as the league's outstanding goaltender. Sabourin also collected the Harry Holmes Award for posting the lowest team GAA.

''The other reason for this move is that as you've seen over the last couple of years, it's tough to get through a season with two NHL-calibre goaltenders, you need at least three and sometimes more,'' said Nonis. ''We have two very good prospects in Manitoba who aren't ready for the NHL yet so we wanted to add to our depth in that area.''

With files from CP
 

Suglobov hopes to stick with the Leafs
Canadian Press
10/4/2006 5:06:31 PM

TORONTO (CP) - They call him ''Sugar'' inside the Maple Leafs dressing room because the things Alexander Suglobov can do on the ice are pretty sweet.

He's got more flair with the puck than any bartender with a bottle and the 24-year-old has finally been given a chance to show it on the game's biggest stage.

Suglobov has earned a spot on an NHL roster for the first time out of training camp and his teammates in Toronto aren't the least bit surprised.

''There's nobody in the minors with his skill and his shot and his speed,'' said forward John Pohl, who also cracked the Leafs lineup after three years in the American Hockey League. ''He can turn nothing into something very quickly.''

Players with that ability are as exciting as they are rare.

Suglobov plays the right wing and scored three pretty goals during the pre-season, earning him a spot on coach Paul Maurice's team.

If he's going to keep it, Suglobov knows he'll have to show a commitment to defence as well.

''The main thing that I have to do is just to eliminate any mistakes,'' he said Wednesday morning. ''I need to just play a simple game and after that, if I get a chance, go for a goal.''

The Maple Leafs acquired Suglobov from the New Jersey Devils at last season's trade deadline for defenceman Ken Klee.

He arrived in the city with a reputation. The Devils believed that Suglobov had the natural ability to play in the NHL, but lacked the mental discipline to become a two-way player and hold down a permanent spot.

It's the kind of label that has permanently kept many promising prospects in the minors. Suglobov saw that first-hand during his three seasons in the AHL and is eager to show that he can be more than just another tempting talent.

''I always wanted to play in the NHL,'' he said. ''It took me three years to get into the lineup but it's not guaranteed.

''I have to keep going every day and work hard every day.''

The hard work started the moment he arrived in Toronto last March to play for Maurice's Marlies in the AHL.

It continued into the off-season when he returned home to Russia and skated with players in Yaroslavl under the guidance of former national team coach Vladimir Yurzinov.

Suglobov's sole focus was on making the Leafs, knowing that his US$550,000, one-way contract likely meant that a spot on the team was his to lose.

He was so determined to earn an NHL job that he avoided doing anything that might be a distraction. Suglobov is still living in a hotel as a result because he didn't want to be worried about finding somewhere to live.

That's now priority No. 1 as his wife decided to stay in Russia until he got them a place in Toronto.

''I've got a couple options,'' he said of his search for real estate.

Suglobov will wear No. 9 for the Leafs and probably won't see much ice time early in the season. He's currently pencilled into a role on the fourth line and will need to make the most of his limited opportunity.

One thing that should work to his benefit is that Suglobov played well for Maurice in the AHL last season and a few of the players from that team are now with him with on the big club.

Defenceman Jay Harrison is one of those guys and says he thinks ''Sugar'' could shine in the NHL.

''He's pretty shifty out there,'' said Harrison. ''He's real talented and is a lot of fun to watch.''

The Devils have been watching Suglobov since selecting him in the third round of the 2000 draft. New Jersey had just won the Stanley Cup and an 18-year-old Suglobov posed for photos with the trophy after hearing his name called that day in Calgary.

He was part of the Russian team that beat Canada in the gold-medal final of the world junior championship in 2002 and looked headed for an NHL career.

But things got derailed after he moved to North America the next year as he missed half of his first AHL season because of a serious wrist injury.

Then came the lost lockout season and by the time he failed to make the Devils out of training camp last September, Suglobov's stock had dropped.

''There's a lot of different reasons it didn't work out there,'' he said.

The move to Toronto has provided him another chance.

Like the other young players starting the year in the Maple Leafs lineup, it's time to prove he belongs.

''I feel very excited,'' he said. ''Hopefully, things work here for me.''
 

Penguins sold to Waterloo businessman
TSN.ca Staff with files
10/4/2006 8:03:09 PM

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a new owner.

KDKA TV in Pittsburgh reports that the NHL team will be sold to Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie for $175 million.

Balsillie is the owner of Research In Motion, a Blackberry manufacturer based in Waterloo, Ont.

Among the groups trying to buy the Penguins were Hartford businessman Sam Fingold and a group led by New York taxicab medallion financier Andrew Murstein, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and former star quarterback Dan Marino.

Penguins owner Mario Lemieux and his partners were approached by groups interested in purchasing the franchise back in January. Lemieux had said any new owners would be bound by an agreement to remain in Pittsburgh if a coalition assembled by the Penguins is awarded the license to run a slots parlor downtown.

A U.S. Bankruptcy Court approved Lemieux's reorganization plan to save the Penguins from bankruptcy in 1999. The Hall of Famer bought the team to help recover unfulfilled contractual payments by former Penguins owners and to keep the franchise in Pittsburgh, making him the first former player to become majority owner of his former team.

While it owned the team, the Lemieux group paid back in full all the money owed by the Penguins before they declared bankruptcy.

During Lemieux's time as owner, the Penguins reached the playoffs twice and Lemieux made a comeback in 2000 after having been retired for three seasons.
 


Senators recall Malec from Binghamton
TSN.ca Staff
10/5/2006 12:00:29 PM

The Ottawa Senators recalled defenceman Tomas Malec from the Binghamton Senators on an emergency basis for tonight's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He replaces Tom Preissing, who suffered a lower body injury during the Senators season opener against the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Wednesday.

Malec, 24, cleared waivers on Tuesday and was assigned to Binghamton where he had six penalty minutes in four pre-season games.

The 6'2'' Slovak is in his fourth NHL season and second with the Senators. He had two penalty minutes in two games last season with the Senators and has a total of two assists and 47 penalty minutes in 45 career NHL games. Malec recorded a goal, 28 assists and 118 penalty minutes with Binghamton in 2005-06.
 

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