The Pittsburgh Penguins signed forward Craig Adams to a two-year deal on Monday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Adams only recorded one assist in nine regular-season games after being
claimed off waivers from Chicago on May 4, but added three goals and five
points in 24 playoff games for the Stanley Cup champions.
Born in Brunei, the 32-year-old has posted 37 goals and 90 points over 507
games with Carolina, Chicago and Pittsburgh.
The two-time Cup titlist was set to be an unrestricted free agent as of
Wednesday's deadline.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Blues buy out McKee's contract
The St. Louis Blues announced Monday that they have bought out the final year of defenseman Jay McKee's contract.
The 31-year-old backliner and defensive specialist posted one goal and eight
points in 69 games for the Blues last season, his third with the club.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the club will be responsible for
two-thirds of the $4 million due next year to the 12-year veteran, which is
scheduled to be paid out over a two-year period. The original terms of the
deal were four years, $16 million, when the Blues inked McKee as a free agent
from the Buffalo Sabres in 2006.
In 740 NHL games, the Ontario native has posted 20 goals, 115 points and 568
penalty minutes with Buffalo and St. Louis.
The 31-year-old backliner and defensive specialist posted one goal and eight
points in 69 games for the Blues last season, his third with the club.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the club will be responsible for
two-thirds of the $4 million due next year to the 12-year veteran, which is
scheduled to be paid out over a two-year period. The original terms of the
deal were four years, $16 million, when the Blues inked McKee as a free agent
from the Buffalo Sabres in 2006.
In 740 NHL games, the Ontario native has posted 20 goals, 115 points and 568
penalty minutes with Buffalo and St. Louis.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Weekend Draft Trade News
The Flyers dealt away Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa, their first-round pick this year and first-round pick next year, plus a conditional choice...all for Chris Pronger and some guy named Dingle.
The Flames won the Jay-Bo sweepstakes, getting him from Florida for a pittance, namely Jordan Leopold and a third-round pick.
You tell me who got the better deal of the two, and who managed to keep some dignity on the other end...it definitely raises a lot of questions in my mind.
Not that Jay Bouwmeester would be worth what the Flyers eventually gave up for Pronger, but if Florida was willing to send away a chronically-injured second-pairing defenseman and a second-tier draft choice to Calgary, why couldn't the Flyers have worked a deal?
Does this have anything to do with the Flyers' traditional trade practice of blatantly trying to steal players for nothing?
Is there any way Paul Holmgren could have parted with less, since a hard-ass like Brian Burke was no longer in control of the Anaheim front office?
Where will four of the needed bottom six forwards come from?
Does Holmgren really believe some Phantoms (JVR for instance) are ready to assume a role on the big club, or is he still intent on filling spots with bargain-ready ex-NHLers to save on the cap?
Is signing Mike Knuble to keep him away from the aggressive Penguins' offer going to put a damper on the plans to fill those needs given the club is just $5 million under the cap?
Let's be clear...I am a fan of the deal in that it provides a need. Pronger, even at 34 and with 15 years in his pocket, brings the right kind of size, attitude, violence and scoring touch the Flyers have needed in forever.
However, why couldn't Homer convince Bob Murray to take Randy Jones, Andrew Alberts or even Ryan Parent? Sbisa showed more promise and potential in his call-up than the above three players displayed in actuality. Did he feel some kind of weird moral obligation to restock the Ducks with what he offered?
Factor in the Ray Emery signing, and you get a picture that is akin to a Jackson Pollock painting: throw everything to the wall and see what sticks. There seems to be no real plan of action except this fragmented belief that if the club signs a bunch of bargain-basement players they will successfully fill out a roster ready for Cup contention.
This couldn't be further from the truth...on paper as well as in perception. I shudder to think what's going to be missed out on and explained away come Wednesday.
The Flames won the Jay-Bo sweepstakes, getting him from Florida for a pittance, namely Jordan Leopold and a third-round pick.
You tell me who got the better deal of the two, and who managed to keep some dignity on the other end...it definitely raises a lot of questions in my mind.
Not that Jay Bouwmeester would be worth what the Flyers eventually gave up for Pronger, but if Florida was willing to send away a chronically-injured second-pairing defenseman and a second-tier draft choice to Calgary, why couldn't the Flyers have worked a deal?
Does this have anything to do with the Flyers' traditional trade practice of blatantly trying to steal players for nothing?
Is there any way Paul Holmgren could have parted with less, since a hard-ass like Brian Burke was no longer in control of the Anaheim front office?
Where will four of the needed bottom six forwards come from?
Does Holmgren really believe some Phantoms (JVR for instance) are ready to assume a role on the big club, or is he still intent on filling spots with bargain-ready ex-NHLers to save on the cap?
Is signing Mike Knuble to keep him away from the aggressive Penguins' offer going to put a damper on the plans to fill those needs given the club is just $5 million under the cap?
Let's be clear...I am a fan of the deal in that it provides a need. Pronger, even at 34 and with 15 years in his pocket, brings the right kind of size, attitude, violence and scoring touch the Flyers have needed in forever.
However, why couldn't Homer convince Bob Murray to take Randy Jones, Andrew Alberts or even Ryan Parent? Sbisa showed more promise and potential in his call-up than the above three players displayed in actuality. Did he feel some kind of weird moral obligation to restock the Ducks with what he offered?
Factor in the Ray Emery signing, and you get a picture that is akin to a Jackson Pollock painting: throw everything to the wall and see what sticks. There seems to be no real plan of action except this fragmented belief that if the club signs a bunch of bargain-basement players they will successfully fill out a roster ready for Cup contention.
This couldn't be further from the truth...on paper as well as in perception. I shudder to think what's going to be missed out on and explained away come Wednesday.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Minor increase for 09-10 Salary Cap
Courtesy of NHL.com
For the first time since the NHL returned from the work stoppage in 2005-06, the League will not see a significant increase in the salary cap.
The NHL and NHLPA agreed Friday -- on the same day the Entry Draft will take place in Montreal -- to set the cap number for 2009-10 at $56.8 million, up just $100,000 from $56.7 million in 2008-09. The floor is $40.8 million and the mid-range limit is $48.8 million.
When the League first introduced the cap in 2005-06, teams were forced to keep salaries under $39 million. That figure rose to $44 million the following season and jumped to $50.3 million in '07-08 before rising again for the just-concluded season.
With the cap ceiling remaining almost where it was last season, general managers will be trying to find ways to improve their teams without the benefit of the extra room they've enjoyed in previous years. Teams expected to have more space to maneuver -- such as the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings and New York Islanders -- could have a decided advantage over teams up against the cap -- such as the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins -- when free agency gets under way July 1.
For the first time since the NHL returned from the work stoppage in 2005-06, the League will not see a significant increase in the salary cap.
The NHL and NHLPA agreed Friday -- on the same day the Entry Draft will take place in Montreal -- to set the cap number for 2009-10 at $56.8 million, up just $100,000 from $56.7 million in 2008-09. The floor is $40.8 million and the mid-range limit is $48.8 million.
When the League first introduced the cap in 2005-06, teams were forced to keep salaries under $39 million. That figure rose to $44 million the following season and jumped to $50.3 million in '07-08 before rising again for the just-concluded season.
With the cap ceiling remaining almost where it was last season, general managers will be trying to find ways to improve their teams without the benefit of the extra room they've enjoyed in previous years. Teams expected to have more space to maneuver -- such as the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings and New York Islanders -- could have a decided advantage over teams up against the cap -- such as the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins -- when free agency gets under way July 1.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Holmgen on the draft
Courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers
Q: Where are you at going into tomorrow, has there been any movement up or down, or anything close to it?
Paul Holmgren: Nothing. A lot of that stuff is just ‘would you have an interest in moving up or down’. A lot of that happens kind of as you get closer to your pick, or the teams you’re talking to as they get closer to theirs, the teams that are ahead of us. They may have a certain player or two players identified who are no longer on the board, so they might be in a position to move back, and we might be in a position to move up. Similar with us, as we get closer to our pick, we might say to whomever, do you have interest in this pick for something later on.
Q: Do you have any preference one way or the other, moving up or down?
PH: Well, to move up it usually costs additional assets or something, and when you’re moving back you’re usually gaining assets. Right now in picking at 21, the odds of us moving up probably aren’t very good. I would say there’s probably a better opportunity to move back. I’m not saying that will happen or not. There are two or three guys we like that we think will be there, but you just never know. Nobody has a crystal ball that’s that clear.
Q: The team has had a lot of success over the years with picks 21 or later – Mike Richards, Gagne, Claude Giroux, Justin Williams, and probably a few other ones. Do you see anyone in this draft that has their ability that those guys had when they were that age?
PH: We think it’s a good draft, just like last year. There’s guys we like there. Are they going to be guys who can come in and play? You don’t know. It’d be hard pressed to say yeah, but you never know what’s going to happen. The league continues to get younger. I’m confident we’re going to get a good player at 21 if we do exercise our pick there.
Q: Who would have the potential for a bigger impact in the NHL in the long run, Tavares or Hedman?
PH: You’re arguing different positions. I think they’re both going to make a tremendous impact probably right away. Hedman’s a great big defenseman who’s been playing with men here for two years, and Tavares is just one of those guys… you ask what he does, and he scores. He scores at every level he’s played at, and he’ll continue to do that. I think his progress, I would suspect it’ll be a little slower because he hasn’t been playing at the level Hedman’s been at. But I don’t know. You’d like to have either of those young players, that’s for sure.
Q: Is the trading going to be that active this year?
PH: Well, there’s a lot of talk right now. So I would suspect there’s going to continue to be more and more talk, and sooner or later there’s going to be a deal that goes down, and that usually starts a domino effect of things. I think the potential for a lot of moves is there right now. I think there’s going to be moves made.
Q: Are you optimistic that you can make a deal for a free agent’s rights over the weekend?
PH: Not really. Right now, you might be better off in any of those scenarios of players that we’ve looked into, it’s a lot for an unknown, whether you can even make any headway. We’ve done this in the past with Nashville, and we just had a clear picture going in, and probably more cap space too. Right now, [being] Thursday, and I’d just as soon wait on those guys that we do have interest in until July 1st.
Q: Do you think you’re still in the [Bouwmeester] movement?
PH: I don’t know. I can say I’ve talked to Florida a number of times, and he hasn’t done anything with them yet to my knowledge, [concerning] his rights, so I’m not sure what that means. It’s only Thursday.
Q: Have you put more hours into this than the deal with Nashville?
PH: I don’t know about more. I would say not more. It’s getting close though. (laughs) I spent a lot of time talking to David (Poile) leading up to that. We obviously didn’t make the playoffs that year and his team got beat in the first round, so we had the month of May, basically, to talk about it, and before it was done, it was June. As I recall, anyway.
Q: You said before you’d have to be creative in order to do something to improve your roster. When you say “creative”, do you think you’re talking about players on your roster now that you might have to give something up in order to get that player to come back in?
PH: Either that, or get creative with a long-term contract, I guess.
Q: Where are you at going into tomorrow, has there been any movement up or down, or anything close to it?
Paul Holmgren: Nothing. A lot of that stuff is just ‘would you have an interest in moving up or down’. A lot of that happens kind of as you get closer to your pick, or the teams you’re talking to as they get closer to theirs, the teams that are ahead of us. They may have a certain player or two players identified who are no longer on the board, so they might be in a position to move back, and we might be in a position to move up. Similar with us, as we get closer to our pick, we might say to whomever, do you have interest in this pick for something later on.
Q: Do you have any preference one way or the other, moving up or down?
PH: Well, to move up it usually costs additional assets or something, and when you’re moving back you’re usually gaining assets. Right now in picking at 21, the odds of us moving up probably aren’t very good. I would say there’s probably a better opportunity to move back. I’m not saying that will happen or not. There are two or three guys we like that we think will be there, but you just never know. Nobody has a crystal ball that’s that clear.
Q: The team has had a lot of success over the years with picks 21 or later – Mike Richards, Gagne, Claude Giroux, Justin Williams, and probably a few other ones. Do you see anyone in this draft that has their ability that those guys had when they were that age?
PH: We think it’s a good draft, just like last year. There’s guys we like there. Are they going to be guys who can come in and play? You don’t know. It’d be hard pressed to say yeah, but you never know what’s going to happen. The league continues to get younger. I’m confident we’re going to get a good player at 21 if we do exercise our pick there.
Q: Who would have the potential for a bigger impact in the NHL in the long run, Tavares or Hedman?
PH: You’re arguing different positions. I think they’re both going to make a tremendous impact probably right away. Hedman’s a great big defenseman who’s been playing with men here for two years, and Tavares is just one of those guys… you ask what he does, and he scores. He scores at every level he’s played at, and he’ll continue to do that. I think his progress, I would suspect it’ll be a little slower because he hasn’t been playing at the level Hedman’s been at. But I don’t know. You’d like to have either of those young players, that’s for sure.
Q: Is the trading going to be that active this year?
PH: Well, there’s a lot of talk right now. So I would suspect there’s going to continue to be more and more talk, and sooner or later there’s going to be a deal that goes down, and that usually starts a domino effect of things. I think the potential for a lot of moves is there right now. I think there’s going to be moves made.
Q: Are you optimistic that you can make a deal for a free agent’s rights over the weekend?
PH: Not really. Right now, you might be better off in any of those scenarios of players that we’ve looked into, it’s a lot for an unknown, whether you can even make any headway. We’ve done this in the past with Nashville, and we just had a clear picture going in, and probably more cap space too. Right now, [being] Thursday, and I’d just as soon wait on those guys that we do have interest in until July 1st.
Q: Do you think you’re still in the [Bouwmeester] movement?
PH: I don’t know. I can say I’ve talked to Florida a number of times, and he hasn’t done anything with them yet to my knowledge, [concerning] his rights, so I’m not sure what that means. It’s only Thursday.
Q: Have you put more hours into this than the deal with Nashville?
PH: I don’t know about more. I would say not more. It’s getting close though. (laughs) I spent a lot of time talking to David (Poile) leading up to that. We obviously didn’t make the playoffs that year and his team got beat in the first round, so we had the month of May, basically, to talk about it, and before it was done, it was June. As I recall, anyway.
Q: You said before you’d have to be creative in order to do something to improve your roster. When you say “creative”, do you think you’re talking about players on your roster now that you might have to give something up in order to get that player to come back in?
PH: Either that, or get creative with a long-term contract, I guess.
Fedorov goes home
Courtesy of the Sports Network
Sergei Fedorov has decided to leave the NHL after 18 seasons.
Due to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, the Washington center has signed a two-year contract with Russian club Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Kontinental Hockey League.
The 39-year-old registered 11 goals and 22 assists in 52 regular-season games for the Capitals in 2008-09, then compiled a goal and seven assists in 14 playoff contests.
A six-time All-Star, Fedorov is the NHL's all-time leader in games played (1,248), goals (483), assists (696) and points (1,179) among Russian-born players.
Originally selected by Detroit in the fourth round (74th overall) of the 1989 draft, Fedorov donned the winged wheel for 13 seasons, capturing Stanley Cup titles in 1997, '98 and 2002. He also played for Anaheim (2003-05) and Columbus (2005-2008).
Fedorov was awarded the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 1994.
Sergei Fedorov has decided to leave the NHL after 18 seasons.
Due to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, the Washington center has signed a two-year contract with Russian club Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Kontinental Hockey League.
The 39-year-old registered 11 goals and 22 assists in 52 regular-season games for the Capitals in 2008-09, then compiled a goal and seven assists in 14 playoff contests.
A six-time All-Star, Fedorov is the NHL's all-time leader in games played (1,248), goals (483), assists (696) and points (1,179) among Russian-born players.
Originally selected by Detroit in the fourth round (74th overall) of the 1989 draft, Fedorov donned the winged wheel for 13 seasons, capturing Stanley Cup titles in 1997, '98 and 2002. He also played for Anaheim (2003-05) and Columbus (2005-2008).
Fedorov was awarded the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 1994.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Flyers-Bruins at Fenway...details to come
According to Anthony San Filippo of the Delco Times, the Flyers and Bruins will be the marquee New Year's Day matchup at Fenway Park.
Official news to come possibly tomorrow.
Official news to come possibly tomorrow.
Another Sutter returns to Calgary as Flames reshape coaching staff
The Calgary Flames announced their new coaching staff on Tuesday, led by new head coach Brent Sutter.
Sutter, who had resigned earlier in the off-season from his post with the New Jersey Devils due to family reasons, will have former NHLers Ryan McGill, Dave Lowry and Jamie McLennan by his side, having been named assistant coaches.
Sutter, brother of Flames general manager Darryl Sutter, posted a 97-56-11 mark over the last two seasons as head coach of the Devils. The 47-year-old also spent eight seasons behind the bench with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League prior to his jump to the NHL.
The native of Viking, Alberta spent 18 years as a player with the Islanders and Blackhawks from 1980-98, racking up 829 points in 1,111 games, and winning a pair of Stanley Cups with New York.
McGill had been an assistant with the Flames' American Hockey League farm teams in Quad City and Omaha over the last four seasons. The 40-year-old Alberta native recorded 19 points and 391 penalty minutes in 151 NHL games from 1991-95 with three teams.
Lowry, who finished his 19-year NHL career with Calgary in 2004, comes to the club after serving as head coach of the WHL's Calgary Hitmen last season. He was an assistant and associate coach there from 2005-08.
McLennan has been promoted to assistant after serving last season as a scout for the Flames. This will be his first coaching job. The native of Edmonton and former goaltender played in 57 games for Calgary over parts of three seasons during an 11-year pro career.
Sutter, who had resigned earlier in the off-season from his post with the New Jersey Devils due to family reasons, will have former NHLers Ryan McGill, Dave Lowry and Jamie McLennan by his side, having been named assistant coaches.
Sutter, brother of Flames general manager Darryl Sutter, posted a 97-56-11 mark over the last two seasons as head coach of the Devils. The 47-year-old also spent eight seasons behind the bench with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League prior to his jump to the NHL.
The native of Viking, Alberta spent 18 years as a player with the Islanders and Blackhawks from 1980-98, racking up 829 points in 1,111 games, and winning a pair of Stanley Cups with New York.
McGill had been an assistant with the Flames' American Hockey League farm teams in Quad City and Omaha over the last four seasons. The 40-year-old Alberta native recorded 19 points and 391 penalty minutes in 151 NHL games from 1991-95 with three teams.
Lowry, who finished his 19-year NHL career with Calgary in 2004, comes to the club after serving as head coach of the WHL's Calgary Hitmen last season. He was an assistant and associate coach there from 2005-08.
McLennan has been promoted to assistant after serving last season as a scout for the Flames. This will be his first coaching job. The native of Edmonton and former goaltender played in 57 games for Calgary over parts of three seasons during an 11-year pro career.
Hall of Fame Class of 2009 announced
Courtesy of the Sports Network
The 2009 inductees to the Hockey Hall of Fame were announced on Tuesday and a star-studded cast of four players and one front office stalwart will be inducted come November 9 in Toronto.
Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Brian Leetch and Luc Robitaille were among the players honored while current New Jersey Devils CEO, president and general manager Lou Lamoriello was elected from the "builder" category.
Yzerman, Hull and Robitaille all won a Stanley Cup together in 2002 while playing for Detroit.
The Hall of Fame's 18-member selection committee permits four player inductees per year. Players eligible are those that have been retired for three seasons.
Yzerman, a 43-year-old who grew up in a suburb of Ottawa, played his entire NHL career for Detroit, leading the Red Wings to three Stanley Cup championships. He retired as the sixth all-time leading points scorer in NHL history with 1,755.
A nine-time All-Star and winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy (1998) for best play in the postseason, "Stevie Y" as he was affectionately known, compiled 692 goals and 1,063 assists during his 22-year career. His best season came in 1988-89 when he recorded 65 goals and 90 assists. He's currently the vice president of the Red Wings.
Hull joins his father, Bobby, in the Hall of Fame. They are the only father- son combination in NHL history to each score 1,000 points. The younger Hull, who is currently the executive vice president of the Dallas Stars, ended his career with 741 goals and 650 assists while playing for Calgary, St. Louis, Dallas, Detroit and Phoenix. He has a pair of Stanley Cup championships.
An eight-time All-Star, the 44-year-old Brett Hull was named the MVP of the league with the Hart Trophy in 1991, the year he notched an amazing 86 goals, which today stands as the third-most ever in a single season, only behind Wayne Gretzky (92 in 1981-82, 87 in 1983-84).
Leetch was a two-time Norris Trophy winner as the league's top defenseman. He ended his career with 247 goals and 781 assists in 1,205 games playing mostly for the New York Rangers, although he finished his career in Boston (2005-06). Leetch also played for Toronto and was a fixture on the U.S. Olympic team, participating in three Winter Games. Last year, Leetch was inducted in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
The most-noted team accomplishment for the 41-year-old Leetch came in 1994 when he helped the Rangers end a 54-year title drought with a Game 7 Stanley Cup win over Vancouver. He was named the winner of the Conn Smythe Award, and is still the only American-born winner of the honor.
Leetch, the seventh-highest scoring defenseman in NHL history, is also the last blue liner to reach 100 points in a single season, which occurred in 1991-92 when he compiled 22 goals and an incredible 80 assists. An 11-time All-Star, he is the career assists leader for the Rangers. Not only that, but Leetch is the only player other than Bobby Orr to win the Calder Trophy, the Norris Trophy and the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Robitaille called it quits after the 2005-06 season, but by then he was the highest-scoring left winger in NHL history with 668 goals and 726 assists over 1,431 games with the Kings, Penguins, Rangers and Red Wings, in an incredible 19-year career.
The 43-year-old Robitaille, a native of Montreal, broke into the NHL as the top rookie, winning the Calder Trophy in 1987 with Los Angeles after notching 45 goals and 39 assists. He went on to become the franchise's all-time leading goal scorer with 557, seven more than Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne.
Lamoriello, in his 21 seasons guiding the Devils' front office, orchestrated New Jersey's three Stanley Cup championships in 1995, 2000 and 2003 after spending 20 years at the collegiate level with Providence College -- first as a player, then as head coach and athletic director. He joined the Devils organization in 1987-88, also having served as head coach for 53 games from 2005-07.
The 2009 inductees to the Hockey Hall of Fame were announced on Tuesday and a star-studded cast of four players and one front office stalwart will be inducted come November 9 in Toronto.
Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Brian Leetch and Luc Robitaille were among the players honored while current New Jersey Devils CEO, president and general manager Lou Lamoriello was elected from the "builder" category.
Yzerman, Hull and Robitaille all won a Stanley Cup together in 2002 while playing for Detroit.
The Hall of Fame's 18-member selection committee permits four player inductees per year. Players eligible are those that have been retired for three seasons.
Yzerman, a 43-year-old who grew up in a suburb of Ottawa, played his entire NHL career for Detroit, leading the Red Wings to three Stanley Cup championships. He retired as the sixth all-time leading points scorer in NHL history with 1,755.
A nine-time All-Star and winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy (1998) for best play in the postseason, "Stevie Y" as he was affectionately known, compiled 692 goals and 1,063 assists during his 22-year career. His best season came in 1988-89 when he recorded 65 goals and 90 assists. He's currently the vice president of the Red Wings.
Hull joins his father, Bobby, in the Hall of Fame. They are the only father- son combination in NHL history to each score 1,000 points. The younger Hull, who is currently the executive vice president of the Dallas Stars, ended his career with 741 goals and 650 assists while playing for Calgary, St. Louis, Dallas, Detroit and Phoenix. He has a pair of Stanley Cup championships.
An eight-time All-Star, the 44-year-old Brett Hull was named the MVP of the league with the Hart Trophy in 1991, the year he notched an amazing 86 goals, which today stands as the third-most ever in a single season, only behind Wayne Gretzky (92 in 1981-82, 87 in 1983-84).
Leetch was a two-time Norris Trophy winner as the league's top defenseman. He ended his career with 247 goals and 781 assists in 1,205 games playing mostly for the New York Rangers, although he finished his career in Boston (2005-06). Leetch also played for Toronto and was a fixture on the U.S. Olympic team, participating in three Winter Games. Last year, Leetch was inducted in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
The most-noted team accomplishment for the 41-year-old Leetch came in 1994 when he helped the Rangers end a 54-year title drought with a Game 7 Stanley Cup win over Vancouver. He was named the winner of the Conn Smythe Award, and is still the only American-born winner of the honor.
Leetch, the seventh-highest scoring defenseman in NHL history, is also the last blue liner to reach 100 points in a single season, which occurred in 1991-92 when he compiled 22 goals and an incredible 80 assists. An 11-time All-Star, he is the career assists leader for the Rangers. Not only that, but Leetch is the only player other than Bobby Orr to win the Calder Trophy, the Norris Trophy and the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Robitaille called it quits after the 2005-06 season, but by then he was the highest-scoring left winger in NHL history with 668 goals and 726 assists over 1,431 games with the Kings, Penguins, Rangers and Red Wings, in an incredible 19-year career.
The 43-year-old Robitaille, a native of Montreal, broke into the NHL as the top rookie, winning the Calder Trophy in 1987 with Los Angeles after notching 45 goals and 39 assists. He went on to become the franchise's all-time leading goal scorer with 557, seven more than Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne.
Lamoriello, in his 21 seasons guiding the Devils' front office, orchestrated New Jersey's three Stanley Cup championships in 1995, 2000 and 2003 after spending 20 years at the collegiate level with Providence College -- first as a player, then as head coach and athletic director. He joined the Devils organization in 1987-88, also having served as head coach for 53 games from 2005-07.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Thoughts on Ovechkin/Crosby
It became evident during the NHL awards ceremony last Thursday in Las Vegas...the rivalry between Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby is rapidly becoming this generation's hockey version of Russell-Chamberlain.
Ovechkin picked up his second consecutive Hart Trophy as the league's MVP (and best overall player).
Crosby did not stand as a victor of any lesser piece of metal, but had his day with the Stanley Cup on June 12.
Ovechkin has a slight overall points edge (420 to 397) to Crosby, and has been named to more post-season all-star selections over their first four years - including 2009 when Crosby didn't even appear on the first or second teams.
Crosby has been surrounded by better players, and hasn't had to outshine the rest to singlehandedly dominate other clubs.
The Penguins have held a strange dominance in playoff matchups with the Capitals, winning seven of eight tries; rebounding from 3-1 series deficits twice, and winning three Game 7's in America's capital among those seven series triumphs.
The parallels are beginning to be laid out in eerie fashion, although the final analysis won't be complete until both men hang up the skates.
Still, it's clear that Crosby and the Pens fill the role of the Celtics and Ovechkin and his Caps seem doomed to play the second-fiddle 76ers. Which means, JUST ONCE, the Caps will have their day while the Pens build consistent winners around the one road block.
This kind of thing has happened before to lesser degrees throughout NHL history: first with the post-50's dynasty Red Wings falling prey continually to the surging Canadiens and Maple Leafs in the 60's as Gordie Howe got older, then with the Bruins of the 70's never able to beat the Bowman-era Canadiens, next as the gritty Flyers of the 80's couldn't eclipse the Oilers' Hall-of-Fame lineups.
On a personal level, you can also read the Gretzky-Lemieux axis of the 80's and 90's in a similar way - Gretz came first and reshaped league history, then Mario followed and the hockey gods seemed to have a huge hand in keeping 66 perpetually second to 99even though Lemieux was a better player overall and had to shoulder a burden by himself for a number of years.
Of course, that story had a semi-happy ending as though the Oilers won four Cups with The Great One, the Pens won twice before fate threw a monkey wrench into the works.
If anything can be said from a supposed neutral writer's perspective, both Crosby and Ovechkin are needed, and are needed to do what they uniquely do to re-shape the league into what it was from roughly 1975-96.
However, from a personal rivalry standpoint which fuels partisanship, Ovechkin clearly takes the cake.
Aside from his wrecking-ball-sized passion every shift (which threatens to take down opposing players and his own teammates, he possesses infinitely more charm and takes himself far less seriously than does Crosby.
He's making throat-slitting gestures at 87 during nationally-televised games and feuding with fellow Russian Malkin, but he's not out of line or crossing lines of taste when doing so...He's making nice with other Washington sports legends and other current stars in other sports like Bron-Bron...He's living the immigrant's dream of being adored for playing a kid's game and treats it all like such.
Conversely, there's ample personal and video evidence that Crosby has little respect for anything outside his own personal circle of influence.
The whining to the refs from Game One of his rookie year...The taint punch against Atlanta this year...the pummeling of Brett McLean during a blowout loss this year...The complaining to the refs in the Washington series that the game was being delayed because home fans greeted Ovie's hat trick with - gasp! - hats...The refusal to stay in line and shake every Red Wings' hand a couple weeks ago...I hope the list doesn't go further than this but it clearly will in successive years.
It's sad, because in previous generations, the worst we had to say about Lemieux is that he shouldn't whine so much because he was 6-4, 230 and could take care of himself. We were in respectful awe of his talent and his perseverance, though, and left the derisive whistles and vulgar chants for Jaromir Jagr.
Same thing for Gretzky. I think I once saw a Flyers fan with half a Gretzky doll whose bottom half was Barbie waist and legs, with a noose around it's neck. We wanted him to stop whining so much while surrounded with all the talent in the universe and goons to spare, but we feared and respected him every two-minute shift of his career.
Crosby, unfortunately, doesn't have the like or respect of many in the NHL, a significant portion of fans in the hockey-savvy cities, and perhaps not of all in his own locker room.
Evgeni Malkin won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, with perhaps the quietest 36points I can remember from one player in a winning year. Maybe it's because he doesn't know English yet and hasn't cut his teeth doing anything else but playing, but he's all business when the skates are on.
He's the Bob Cousy to Crosby's Russell, the cool head against the raging spirit.
And what does Ovechkin have? Nothing yet. Nobody who really complements his style, who is of equal skill and draws some heat so he can freely do what he does best. Imagine if that were so...he'd be a threat to put up early-90's Brett Hull numbers without the wear and tear.
Wilt had Paul Arizin as a Warrior, then for one brilliant season the cast of the 1967championship in Philly. He found himself in the middle of Elgin Baylor and Jerry West as a Laker but only won once in three tries, done in by the better balanced Knicks on two occasions.
It may just be that the Capitals franchise is simply doomed, while the Penguins are charmed.
Think about it...one team is bailed out of bankruptcy not once but thrice, is saved from moving twice, manages to snag two players tagged The Next One roughly 20 years apart, and wins titles during crucial phases in the development of the city and the team itself.
The other got Dale Hunter.
So, please, wise lawyers who control the NHL, now that you've given the Steel City their title, let's start tilting the ice towards a silver chalice with some red, blue and white smudges.
Ovechkin picked up his second consecutive Hart Trophy as the league's MVP (and best overall player).
Crosby did not stand as a victor of any lesser piece of metal, but had his day with the Stanley Cup on June 12.
Ovechkin has a slight overall points edge (420 to 397) to Crosby, and has been named to more post-season all-star selections over their first four years - including 2009 when Crosby didn't even appear on the first or second teams.
Crosby has been surrounded by better players, and hasn't had to outshine the rest to singlehandedly dominate other clubs.
The Penguins have held a strange dominance in playoff matchups with the Capitals, winning seven of eight tries; rebounding from 3-1 series deficits twice, and winning three Game 7's in America's capital among those seven series triumphs.
The parallels are beginning to be laid out in eerie fashion, although the final analysis won't be complete until both men hang up the skates.
Still, it's clear that Crosby and the Pens fill the role of the Celtics and Ovechkin and his Caps seem doomed to play the second-fiddle 76ers. Which means, JUST ONCE, the Caps will have their day while the Pens build consistent winners around the one road block.
This kind of thing has happened before to lesser degrees throughout NHL history: first with the post-50's dynasty Red Wings falling prey continually to the surging Canadiens and Maple Leafs in the 60's as Gordie Howe got older, then with the Bruins of the 70's never able to beat the Bowman-era Canadiens, next as the gritty Flyers of the 80's couldn't eclipse the Oilers' Hall-of-Fame lineups.
On a personal level, you can also read the Gretzky-Lemieux axis of the 80's and 90's in a similar way - Gretz came first and reshaped league history, then Mario followed and the hockey gods seemed to have a huge hand in keeping 66 perpetually second to 99even though Lemieux was a better player overall and had to shoulder a burden by himself for a number of years.
Of course, that story had a semi-happy ending as though the Oilers won four Cups with The Great One, the Pens won twice before fate threw a monkey wrench into the works.
If anything can be said from a supposed neutral writer's perspective, both Crosby and Ovechkin are needed, and are needed to do what they uniquely do to re-shape the league into what it was from roughly 1975-96.
However, from a personal rivalry standpoint which fuels partisanship, Ovechkin clearly takes the cake.
Aside from his wrecking-ball-sized passion every shift (which threatens to take down opposing players and his own teammates, he possesses infinitely more charm and takes himself far less seriously than does Crosby.
He's making throat-slitting gestures at 87 during nationally-televised games and feuding with fellow Russian Malkin, but he's not out of line or crossing lines of taste when doing so...He's making nice with other Washington sports legends and other current stars in other sports like Bron-Bron...He's living the immigrant's dream of being adored for playing a kid's game and treats it all like such.
Conversely, there's ample personal and video evidence that Crosby has little respect for anything outside his own personal circle of influence.
The whining to the refs from Game One of his rookie year...The taint punch against Atlanta this year...the pummeling of Brett McLean during a blowout loss this year...The complaining to the refs in the Washington series that the game was being delayed because home fans greeted Ovie's hat trick with - gasp! - hats...The refusal to stay in line and shake every Red Wings' hand a couple weeks ago...I hope the list doesn't go further than this but it clearly will in successive years.
It's sad, because in previous generations, the worst we had to say about Lemieux is that he shouldn't whine so much because he was 6-4, 230 and could take care of himself. We were in respectful awe of his talent and his perseverance, though, and left the derisive whistles and vulgar chants for Jaromir Jagr.
Same thing for Gretzky. I think I once saw a Flyers fan with half a Gretzky doll whose bottom half was Barbie waist and legs, with a noose around it's neck. We wanted him to stop whining so much while surrounded with all the talent in the universe and goons to spare, but we feared and respected him every two-minute shift of his career.
Crosby, unfortunately, doesn't have the like or respect of many in the NHL, a significant portion of fans in the hockey-savvy cities, and perhaps not of all in his own locker room.
Evgeni Malkin won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, with perhaps the quietest 36points I can remember from one player in a winning year. Maybe it's because he doesn't know English yet and hasn't cut his teeth doing anything else but playing, but he's all business when the skates are on.
He's the Bob Cousy to Crosby's Russell, the cool head against the raging spirit.
And what does Ovechkin have? Nothing yet. Nobody who really complements his style, who is of equal skill and draws some heat so he can freely do what he does best. Imagine if that were so...he'd be a threat to put up early-90's Brett Hull numbers without the wear and tear.
Wilt had Paul Arizin as a Warrior, then for one brilliant season the cast of the 1967championship in Philly. He found himself in the middle of Elgin Baylor and Jerry West as a Laker but only won once in three tries, done in by the better balanced Knicks on two occasions.
It may just be that the Capitals franchise is simply doomed, while the Penguins are charmed.
Think about it...one team is bailed out of bankruptcy not once but thrice, is saved from moving twice, manages to snag two players tagged The Next One roughly 20 years apart, and wins titles during crucial phases in the development of the city and the team itself.
The other got Dale Hunter.
So, please, wise lawyers who control the NHL, now that you've given the Steel City their title, let's start tilting the ice towards a silver chalice with some red, blue and white smudges.
Back on the Block
Yes, I know it's been a while since I shared my thoughts on the NHL, but the vacation I had 2 weeks ago was too good and the Summer started creeping in and I just care a little bit less about daily content until free agency.
Nevertheless...
I'm dead split on my opinion about the Stanley Cup Finals, particularly Game 7 in Detroit two Fridays ago.
One part of me says it's a great tribute to the balance the club has on its forward lines as well as to the new coaching style of Dan Bylsma that the Pens did not freeze in a deciding game on the road.
It wasn't Sid or Geno or even Guerin who lifted the club to victory, but a pair of goals from, of all people, Max Talbot. That, and the oft-promised but never-shown brilliance of Marc-Andre Fleury - demonstrated at no greater time than when he smothered Nik Lidstrom's open chance from the left circle with four seconds remaining.
The team itself played disciplined, tough, patient and opportunistic hockey, all without resorting to a blatant trap. And yes, they had a suspicious amount of luck on their side, as in, not having a shorthanded situation until the third period or...that deflection with 2 1/2 minutes left that clanked off the crossbar behind a frozen and unaware Fleury.
But...the other part says the defending Stanley Cup champions unleashed a choke job unlike any I've seen since I started watching hockey in 1984. A Game 7, on home ice, to defend a title that was well within reach, and Detroit came up very small. It was the first time since 1971 that a team with home-ice lost in a Cup Final Game 7, but that club, the Chicago Blackhawks, was far inferior to the Canadiens of the period. These Wings had a similar high-powered, stocked roster, the comfort of Hockeytown, the confidence of a title from the previous year, and the knowledge of the same team they beat and couldn't pull it off.
Chris Osgood might really never live down his rep as a choker, since both goals he let up were ugly. The first, he could have closed any part of his body to stop Talbot's wraparound. On the second, he hugged the near post, but left exactly ALL of the far side open for Max to roof it.
I think the edge really goes to the regime change behind the Pens' bench. Michel Therrien probably would have called everyone some mangled Franglish names to the media after losing that horrid Game 5. Instead, Bylsma instituted the same kind of calm one-for-all approach (the kind John Stevens probably is too un-self-aware to wish he possessed) which produced the last two narrow wins.
Oh, yeah, and...forget about Marian Hossa. His "spurning" of the Pens for a one-year deal with the Wings was not the real storyline. Rather, it was his continued, yearly shrinkage into the rink ads which defines his true measure as a player. You can't tell me he wouldn't have been equally useless to Pittsburgh if he had remained on the other side.
Nevertheless...
I'm dead split on my opinion about the Stanley Cup Finals, particularly Game 7 in Detroit two Fridays ago.
One part of me says it's a great tribute to the balance the club has on its forward lines as well as to the new coaching style of Dan Bylsma that the Pens did not freeze in a deciding game on the road.
It wasn't Sid or Geno or even Guerin who lifted the club to victory, but a pair of goals from, of all people, Max Talbot. That, and the oft-promised but never-shown brilliance of Marc-Andre Fleury - demonstrated at no greater time than when he smothered Nik Lidstrom's open chance from the left circle with four seconds remaining.
The team itself played disciplined, tough, patient and opportunistic hockey, all without resorting to a blatant trap. And yes, they had a suspicious amount of luck on their side, as in, not having a shorthanded situation until the third period or...that deflection with 2 1/2 minutes left that clanked off the crossbar behind a frozen and unaware Fleury.
But...the other part says the defending Stanley Cup champions unleashed a choke job unlike any I've seen since I started watching hockey in 1984. A Game 7, on home ice, to defend a title that was well within reach, and Detroit came up very small. It was the first time since 1971 that a team with home-ice lost in a Cup Final Game 7, but that club, the Chicago Blackhawks, was far inferior to the Canadiens of the period. These Wings had a similar high-powered, stocked roster, the comfort of Hockeytown, the confidence of a title from the previous year, and the knowledge of the same team they beat and couldn't pull it off.
Chris Osgood might really never live down his rep as a choker, since both goals he let up were ugly. The first, he could have closed any part of his body to stop Talbot's wraparound. On the second, he hugged the near post, but left exactly ALL of the far side open for Max to roof it.
I think the edge really goes to the regime change behind the Pens' bench. Michel Therrien probably would have called everyone some mangled Franglish names to the media after losing that horrid Game 5. Instead, Bylsma instituted the same kind of calm one-for-all approach (the kind John Stevens probably is too un-self-aware to wish he possessed) which produced the last two narrow wins.
Oh, yeah, and...forget about Marian Hossa. His "spurning" of the Pens for a one-year deal with the Wings was not the real storyline. Rather, it was his continued, yearly shrinkage into the rink ads which defines his true measure as a player. You can't tell me he wouldn't have been equally useless to Pittsburgh if he had remained on the other side.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Canadiens close to being sold back to brewing giants Molson
Current Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett, Jr. has reached an agreement in principle with the Molson family to sell the club back to the renowned brewing giants.
The announcement was made on Saturday that Gillett will sell his majority stake in the Canadiens and their home arena, the Bell Centre. A news conference will be held as soon as the details of the agreement are finalized.
"Our family has been very proud to be associated with the Montreal Canadiens over the past eight years and particularly to be a part of their Centennial season," Gillett said in a statement. "I am fully confident that the Molson brothers, who have been a great part of the heritage of the club, will ensure the preservation and development of this great sports institution."
The Montreal Gazette quoted a report from French-language channel RDS that the sale will be completed for over $500 million.
Gillett had purchased an 80.1 percent stake in the storied franchise as well as a 100 percent share on what was then called the Molson Centre on January 31, 2001, but with a promise that the American-born businessman would not move the team.
Molson Breweries of Canada, Ltd. had been the owners of the NHL's longest- tenured team since August, 1978 until Gillett's successful bid. The Molson family also owned the team from 1957 until 1971.
"This is an exciting time for our family and we are grateful to the many people and organizations who came forward to offer their collaboration in the development of our proposal," said Geoff Molson, family spokesperson.
Finalizing the terms of the sale are contingent upon approval by the league's Board of Governors, which is not expected to happen until late August.
Despite a restocked roster with some bona-fide talent from the province of Quebec, the Canadiens stumbled in their 100th season to a 41-30-11 record and a first-round playoff exit in a four-game sweep to bitter rival Boston.
The announcement was made on Saturday that Gillett will sell his majority stake in the Canadiens and their home arena, the Bell Centre. A news conference will be held as soon as the details of the agreement are finalized.
"Our family has been very proud to be associated with the Montreal Canadiens over the past eight years and particularly to be a part of their Centennial season," Gillett said in a statement. "I am fully confident that the Molson brothers, who have been a great part of the heritage of the club, will ensure the preservation and development of this great sports institution."
The Montreal Gazette quoted a report from French-language channel RDS that the sale will be completed for over $500 million.
Gillett had purchased an 80.1 percent stake in the storied franchise as well as a 100 percent share on what was then called the Molson Centre on January 31, 2001, but with a promise that the American-born businessman would not move the team.
Molson Breweries of Canada, Ltd. had been the owners of the NHL's longest- tenured team since August, 1978 until Gillett's successful bid. The Molson family also owned the team from 1957 until 1971.
"This is an exciting time for our family and we are grateful to the many people and organizations who came forward to offer their collaboration in the development of our proposal," said Geoff Molson, family spokesperson.
Finalizing the terms of the sale are contingent upon approval by the league's Board of Governors, which is not expected to happen until late August.
Despite a restocked roster with some bona-fide talent from the province of Quebec, the Canadiens stumbled in their 100th season to a 41-30-11 record and a first-round playoff exit in a four-game sweep to bitter rival Boston.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Whalercanes welcome back Maurice with new contract
The Carolina Hurricanes announced Monday that they have signed head coach Paul Maurice to a three-year contract.
Terms of the deal were not released.
In addition, the club announced that Ron Francis will return as associate head coach and become the director of player personnel, while Tom Barrasso will become an assistant coach after previously serving as goaltending coach.
The 41-year-old Maurice returned this past season for his second tour of duty as the Hurricanes' head coach. In the final 57 games of the 2008-09 season, Carolina went 33-19-5 and earned a trip to the Eastern Conference finals.
He was the first head coach for the Hurricanes after the team moved from Hartford, becoming the head coach of the Whalers during the 1995-96 season at the age of 29.
Maurice remained in charge until 2003-04, when he was fired after 30 games as the team was in a rebulding phase. He then coached for two seasons with the Maple Leafs (2006-08) before returning to the Hurricanes this season.
The one-time draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers is the all-time winningest coach in franchise history, with 301 wins in 731 games coached with the Whalers/Hurricanes.
Terms of the deal were not released.
In addition, the club announced that Ron Francis will return as associate head coach and become the director of player personnel, while Tom Barrasso will become an assistant coach after previously serving as goaltending coach.
The 41-year-old Maurice returned this past season for his second tour of duty as the Hurricanes' head coach. In the final 57 games of the 2008-09 season, Carolina went 33-19-5 and earned a trip to the Eastern Conference finals.
He was the first head coach for the Hurricanes after the team moved from Hartford, becoming the head coach of the Whalers during the 1995-96 season at the age of 29.
Maurice remained in charge until 2003-04, when he was fired after 30 games as the team was in a rebulding phase. He then coached for two seasons with the Maple Leafs (2006-08) before returning to the Hurricanes this season.
The one-time draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers is the all-time winningest coach in franchise history, with 301 wins in 731 games coached with the Whalers/Hurricanes.
Hatcher finally calls it quits
Flyers defenseman Derian Hatcher announced his retirement from the NHL on Monday and was subsequently named Philadelphia's new player development coach.
Hatcher, who missed all of this past season due to a right knee injury that eventually required knee replacement surgery, takes over a role previously held by Eric Desjardins. Another former Flyers defenseman, Desjardins vacated the role to pursue other business interests.
"We are pleased to add Derian to our coaching staff in this very important capacity," said Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren. "Derian will spend valuable time with the young players throughout our organization, working on their on-ice game as well as helping these young players deal with the issues playing and/or preparing to play professional hockey."
The 37-year-old had spent parts of the last four seasons with the Flyers and was named their 14th captain in team history on January 29, 2006, a role he held until September of that year. Hatcher also won a Stanley Cup title with the Dallas Stars in 1999, becoming the only American-born player to captain a club to a Stanley Cup championship.
In 1,045 career regular-season games, Hatcher posted 80 goals, 251 assists, 331 points and 1,581 penalty minutes with Minnesota/Dallas, Detroit and Philadelphia. He also had 33 points in 133 career playoff games.
The Michigan-born defender was drafted eighth overall by the Minnesota North Stars in 1990 and is a two-time Olympic skater with the United States.
Hatcher, who missed all of this past season due to a right knee injury that eventually required knee replacement surgery, takes over a role previously held by Eric Desjardins. Another former Flyers defenseman, Desjardins vacated the role to pursue other business interests.
"We are pleased to add Derian to our coaching staff in this very important capacity," said Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren. "Derian will spend valuable time with the young players throughout our organization, working on their on-ice game as well as helping these young players deal with the issues playing and/or preparing to play professional hockey."
The 37-year-old had spent parts of the last four seasons with the Flyers and was named their 14th captain in team history on January 29, 2006, a role he held until September of that year. Hatcher also won a Stanley Cup title with the Dallas Stars in 1999, becoming the only American-born player to captain a club to a Stanley Cup championship.
In 1,045 career regular-season games, Hatcher posted 80 goals, 251 assists, 331 points and 1,581 penalty minutes with Minnesota/Dallas, Detroit and Philadelphia. He also had 33 points in 133 career playoff games.
The Michigan-born defender was drafted eighth overall by the Minnesota North Stars in 1990 and is a two-time Olympic skater with the United States.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
On Hiatus...
On vacation at least through the 14th...need to get away from writing for a bit.
Back next week with my thoughts on the Flyers and the Stanley Cup Finals.
Back next week with my thoughts on the Flyers and the Stanley Cup Finals.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
It's all over but the signing as Flyers set to bring in Emery
According to Panaccio's latest story, the Flyers are easing their goaltending situation and saving money on the salary cap by bringing in the exiled Ray Emery.
All that remains is the waiting game during negotiations between Emery's agent and the ever-so-secretive Flyers top brass.
No wonder any potential deal would wait until July 1 -- clearly a move to boost PR amongst a fan base which is understandably edgy after last season's salary cap debacle and first-round exit -- while making it look like the club pulled off a steal behind the backs of the other 29 clubs.
All that remains is the waiting game during negotiations between Emery's agent and the ever-so-secretive Flyers top brass.
No wonder any potential deal would wait until July 1 -- clearly a move to boost PR amongst a fan base which is understandably edgy after last season's salary cap debacle and first-round exit -- while making it look like the club pulled off a steal behind the backs of the other 29 clubs.
Avs continue to reshape franchise, introduce Sacco as head coach
The Colorado Avalanche needed just one day to find a new bench boss as the team hired Joe Sacco as the new head coach.
The team announced the hiring of Sacco and also named Sylvain Lefebvre as the assistant coach.
The move comes just one day after Greg Sherman was named the new general manager of the team and that previous head coach Tony Granato had been fired.
The 40-year-old Sacco has spent the past two seasons with Colorado's American Hockey League affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters. Last season his team went 34-38-3-5 and finished with 76 points, but failed to make the playoffs.
Sacco will become the fifth man to hold the post and sixth head coach since the franchise relocated from Quebec City to Denver prior to the 1995-96 season.
"The American Hockey League has proven to be a valuable training ground for NHL head coaches and we're confident that Joe's experience at that level will be vital to his success with our organization at the NHL level," said Sherman. "Our franchise has gone that route very successfully in the past."
Colorado finished with the worst record in the Western Conference last season, going 32-45-5. General manager Francois Giguere was the first to go in the shakeup on April 13.
"I'm very honored and grateful to the Avalanche organization for giving me this opportunity," said Sacco, who is the franchise's 13th head coach. "This organization has provided me with all the necessary tools and support to be successful and grow as a coach. I'm confident in my abilities and believe the experience I've gained will help me succeed in this new challenge."
A native of the Boston suburbs, Sacco was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1987. Over a 13-year NHL career, he also played for Anaheim, Washington, Philadelphia and the New York Islanders. In 738 games he scored 94 goals and added 119 assists.
Lefebvre, 41, will begin his third season with the organization in a coaching capacity. He's served under Sacco as an assistant coach in Lake Erie the last two seasons.
A veteran of 945 NHL games spanning 14 seasons with Montreal, Toronto, Quebec, Colorado and the New York Rangers, Lefebvre was part of the Avalanche's first Stanley Cup championship in 1996.
The team announced the hiring of Sacco and also named Sylvain Lefebvre as the assistant coach.
The move comes just one day after Greg Sherman was named the new general manager of the team and that previous head coach Tony Granato had been fired.
The 40-year-old Sacco has spent the past two seasons with Colorado's American Hockey League affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters. Last season his team went 34-38-3-5 and finished with 76 points, but failed to make the playoffs.
Sacco will become the fifth man to hold the post and sixth head coach since the franchise relocated from Quebec City to Denver prior to the 1995-96 season.
"The American Hockey League has proven to be a valuable training ground for NHL head coaches and we're confident that Joe's experience at that level will be vital to his success with our organization at the NHL level," said Sherman. "Our franchise has gone that route very successfully in the past."
Colorado finished with the worst record in the Western Conference last season, going 32-45-5. General manager Francois Giguere was the first to go in the shakeup on April 13.
"I'm very honored and grateful to the Avalanche organization for giving me this opportunity," said Sacco, who is the franchise's 13th head coach. "This organization has provided me with all the necessary tools and support to be successful and grow as a coach. I'm confident in my abilities and believe the experience I've gained will help me succeed in this new challenge."
A native of the Boston suburbs, Sacco was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1987. Over a 13-year NHL career, he also played for Anaheim, Washington, Philadelphia and the New York Islanders. In 738 games he scored 94 goals and added 119 assists.
Lefebvre, 41, will begin his third season with the organization in a coaching capacity. He's served under Sacco as an assistant coach in Lake Erie the last two seasons.
A veteran of 945 NHL games spanning 14 seasons with Montreal, Toronto, Quebec, Colorado and the New York Rangers, Lefebvre was part of the Avalanche's first Stanley Cup championship in 1996.
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