Jaromir Jagr Gets Over Pens, Signs With Rival Flyers

Well, it didn't take long for Jaromir Jagr to find another team to call home in his NHL return after the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings took themselves out of the mix. Instead of going home to Pittsburgh, he will apparently being heading to their closest rival - the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers' official Twitter account announced the news about an hour and a half into free agency that general manager Paul Holmgren inked Jagr to a contract. TSN's Darren Dreger is reporting the deal is worth $3.3 million for one year.

So, clearly for somebody that was willing to take less money than he could get by staying in the KHL, he wasn't necessarily willing to take less than the highest offer. That has to be a swift kick in a no-nos to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who reached out to their former franchise winger in an effort to close out his career where it started and get No. 68 lifted to the rafters to hang forever next to No. 66. Instead, Jagr may have burned a bridge or two with the club he won two Stanley Cups with alongside mentor Mario Lemieux by going to the team hated by them the most.

Is the opening of NHL free agency ever not interesting?

Penguins Pull $2 Million Offer To Jagr Off Table

When Jaromir Jagr had yet to make up his mind about the one year, $2 million offer Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ray Shero tabled him by the opening of free agency on Friday, he completely lost the ability to do so. Despite Shero's goal to ink the former Penguins for one more campaign in hopes of finishing out his career where it started, Jagr apparently took too long to make up his mind about a desired return to the NHL and the Steel City. Shero had other issues on his plate and those needed to be addressed without the burden of signing Jagr hanging over his head.

"We made what we thought was a very fair contract offer to Jaromir on Tuesday, based on his stated interest of returning to the Penguins," Shero said in a statement released by the Penguins. "We made our best offer from the start, given our salary cap structure, in an attempt to facilitate a deal. But now, after several days, with an extended time frame for making a decision, and additional teams getting involved, we have decided to move in a different direction. It was never our intention to get involved in a free agent bidding war, and we have to focus on our team. Jaromir is one of the greatest players in Penguins history, and we wish him all the best."

Shero immediately turned around and gave that money to Tyler Kennedy, who will not see $2 million in each of the next two years on a total $4 million contract.

Limited in the cap space department, Shero didn't really have any other option but to pull out on Jagr. In order to keep components that were important to the long-term success of the franchise, he had to make this call after giving Jagr ample time to come back to Pittsburgh had that truly been his desired destination. Now the Penguins can be a player, albeit somewhat limited due to only have about $3-4 million remaining under the cap, on the open market.

It's also being reported that the Detroit Red Wings have taken themselves out of the mix for Jagr's services. They, too, have made a few moves and general manager Ken Holland has elected to go in a different directions, as well.

The Montreal Canadiens may still have an interest in the 39-year old Czech winger. There has also been a mystery team in the fray, though that could just be smoke being blown by agent Peter Svboda.

While there was a promising outlook on a Jagr return to the NHL when his intentions were first advertised, his options are not dwindling and going back to the KHL might be his lone card left to play.

Lemieux Emerges To Vent Against NHL ... Again

This past weekend was not a good one for the Pittsburgh Penguins. They were brutalized both on the ice and on the score sheet by the New York Islanders Friday night before heading to Madison Square Garden for a matinee matchup against the New York Rangers that resulted in a come-from-behind loss. And to make matters worse, their delusional co-owner, Mario Lemieux, emerged from his cave to express his disappointment with the league he has always had issue with. Surprise, surprise! 

With thoughts of Brent Johnson’s knockout punch to Rick DiPietro that left the oft-injured Isles starter on the shelf for four-to-six weeks with facial fractures still on their mind, New York entered their rematch against Pittsburgh with intentions of garnering some revenge. What ensued was a game that saw 346 total minutes in penalties and a 9-3 shellacking by the Islanders over the undermanned Penguins.

Following that fiasco was a set of suspensions and fines by league disciplinarian Colin Campbell. The Penguins’ only punishment was an automatic 10-game suspension to Eric Godard, who left the bench in defense of Johnson when Michael Haley pursued a fight with the netminder. As for the Islanders, the organization received a $100,000 fine while Trevor Gillies received a nine-game suspension for delivering several blows to the head of Eric Tangradi and Matt Martin got a four-game ban for sucker punching an unsuspecting Maxime Talbot in the head.

None of that was good enough for the Penguins owner.

News From Around The Crease: Fedotenko Attending Rangers Camp, Thrashers Moving Byfuglien To D, Avs Re-Sign Mueller

~ A career-worst performance with the Pittsburgh Penguins last year brought his two-year tenure with the club to an end. At 31 years old and still an unrestricted free agent, Ruslan Fedotenko has decided to accept an invitation from the New York Rangers to attend their training camp on a tryout basis and potentially earn a contract to reunite with head coach John Tortorella from their Tampa Bay Lightning days.

Larry Brooks of The New York Post broke the news Tuesday that the Rangers invited Fedotenko to camp, and TSN confirmed on Friday evening that Fedotenko did accept the offer.

This is a case of the Rangers trying to catch a guy rebounding off a bad year in hopes that he can rekindle his success as a depth player capable of netting important goals in critical situations. He only posted 11 goals and 30 total points last season to go along with a horrendous minus-18 rating with the Penguins. But he typically is a 15- to 20-goal scorer with a pretty decent playoff history and two Stanley Cups to his name. He scored 12 goals in the 2004 postseason in which the Lightning won the Cup, including both goals in Game 7 of the Finals against the Calgary Flames.

Since this is strictly a tryout, it's really is a no-risk situation for the Rangers. If he plays hard and will agree to essentially a minimum salary contract, New York can definitely benefit from the the veteran playing a wing position on the third or fourth line. If he fails, they cut him loose and he'll probably end up in Russia. Either way, the Rangers get to see what he has to offer. And if anybody can push him to be his best, it's Tortorella.

Maxime Talbot – Not a Fan Of Alexander Ovechkin

 

Obviously forgetting that it’s a ridiculously hot summer in the Northeast and that the 2011 Winter Classic at Heinz Field on New Year’s Day is still over five months away, the NHL held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to hype the overdone spectacle. While those media members this pandered to were likely delighted by the festivities, I would guess that a large portion of hockey fans aren't too worried about this affair at the moment because, well … IT’S JULY!

Anyhoo, even for all of the fluff quotes plundered out there by the likes of Gary Bettman and Mario Lemieux, we did learn a very important lesson as a result of this random media relations moment: Maxime Talbot is not the president of the Alexander Ovechkin fan club.

During the promotion of the game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals yesterday, Talbot was very vocal about his dislike for Washington’s Russian sniper in an interview with 105.9-FM, The X in Pittsburgh.

When asked by the hosts rather sarcastically whether he was upset that Ovechkin would not be in attendance at the press conference, Talbot very honestly replied, “I’m kind of happy he’s not there. I really didn’t want to see him. I just hate the guy.”

Talbot’s hatred is not a new thing, either.

“The first time I met him, he did not give the best impression to me,” Talbot said.

Talbot went on to tell the hosts that during last year’s NHL Awards Ceremony when the Penguins were defending Stanley Cup Champions, teammate Evgeni Malkin introduced him to his Russian comrade. Talbot left with the impression that Ovechkin was a female hygienic practice.

“I’m not really gonna say what happened. But I’m like, ‘Okay, this guy is a real douche.’”

I guess whatever helps fuel this kinda-sorta rivalry is always a good thing. But are we really surprised that a Penguins player isn't too fond of the arch-rival of Sidney Crosby? I mean, when his own countryman doesn't like him, it's hard to expect anybody else be a fan of No. 8.

Full audio of the interview with Talbot can be heard at http://www.1059thex.com/main.html.

Also, be sure to check out this post by Greg Wyshynski over at Puck Daddy, which shows the players in attendance at the press conference (Crosby, Dupuis and Talbot from the Pens; Knuble and Steckel from the Caps) attempting to make field goals by shooting the hockey puck from about 50 yards away through the uprights. Jeff Reed's job is safe.

Penguins Add Paul Martin To The Mix

 

When Sergei Gonchar bolted from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a $16.5 million deal with the Ottawa Senators, General Manager Ray Shero turned around and inked Zbynek Michalek previously with the Phoenix Coyotes to a five-year, $20 million deal. And while Michalek is a solid, young defenseman, he is no Gonchar in the puck-moving, power play quarterbacking, offense producing department.

It turns out, he wasn't exactly the substitute Shero had in mind for Gonchar. Instead, the real replacement is 29-year old Paul Martin, who signed on for the next five seasons and will earn $5 million in each of them.

Martin is a good player and did receive plenty of interest from teams around the NHL. But this does beg the question of why Shero didn't just tack on an extra $500,000 per year and give Gonchar what he'll be earning in Ottawa for two less years. Gonchar is one of the best offensive forces from the blue line and is basically a 50- to 60-point threat with a true effectiveness in running the power play. Martin, on the other hand, was pretty much a 30-point generator in New Jersey and never topped the six-goal mark. He is basically half a Gonchar at virtually the same price.

Perhaps Martin's numbers were just a product of the Devils' stifling defensive system and he will have greater opportunity to spread his wings in a more open game with the Penguins. And being six years younger than Gonchar doesn't hurt. But it just seems like a panic move. The Michalek/Martin combination is nowhere near the Gonchar/Dan Hamhuis duo Shero was ultimately hoping for.

Penguins Replace Gonchar With Cheaper Option: Zbynek Michalek

 

The Phoenix Coyotes really wanted to keep him, but there was simply not enough money to do so. Their loss is Pittsburgh's gain, and it appears Zbynek Michalek is headed to the Penguins on a five-year, $20 million deal. He is not as offensively gifted as Gonchar. But at $1.5 million less per season and about eight years younger, Michalek is a solid addition to the Penguins roster. He will add a great deal of defensive prowess to the team, and is able to sport the blue line in power play situation for modest results.

Gonchar Saying Goodbye To Pittsburgh, Hello To Ottawa

 

The Pittsburgh Penguins worked toward the end to bring their top offensive blue liner back into the fold. But it just wasn't meant to be. Sergei Gonchar was the first big name off the board Thursday afternoon, electing to leave the Penguins for richer (in money only) pastures with the Ottawa Senators at what TSN's Darren Dreger reports to be a three-year, $16.5 million deal with a no-trade clause. That will break down to an average cap hit of $5.5 million per season for Ottawa.

There was always the possibility this would play out for Pittsburgh, considering the 35-year old Gonchar has just one more big-time contract in his career and he wants another payday. That wasn't going to fit well into Pittsburgh's budget, so General Manager Ray Shero pulled the trigger on a deal to acquire the rights to Dan Hamhuis for a third round pick. He wanted to get both guys inked, but that was improbably and both chose to go the UFA route. Hamhuis, however, is still an option for the Pens.

Gonchar now goes to a team that didn't previously have tremendous potency in the scoring department from defenseman. He immediately emerges as the team's top gunner from the point and first unit power play quarterback, which is exactly what General Manager Bryan Murray was looking to snag this summer.

Hamhuis' Rights Get Dealt Again

TSN's Bob McKenzie reported Friday night prior to the 2010 NHL Entry Draft that contract negotiations between the Philadelphia Flyers and recently acquired pending unrestricted free agent Dan Hamhuis were "not at all close." It appears they were far enough apart for the Flyers to give up just one week after gaining his rights from the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Ryan Parent. Shortly after the completion of the first round of the draft on Friday, the Flyers moved Hamhuis' rights to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a third round selection in next year's draft.

Although the Flyers would have loved to get Hamhuis inked, they essentially gained a conditional seventh rounder (acquired with Hamhuis from Nashville) and a third rounder next year for Parent, who was largely underwhelming in his four seasons with Philly.

The Penguins may have just acquired their replacement for Sergei Gonchar, who is still in talks with General Manager Ray Shero but is probably pricing himself out of the Penguins' budget by seeking somewhere between $5 to 6 million per year on a three-year deal. Hamhuis is not quite as offensively gifted as Gonchar, but is a solid all-around defender with physical ability and the occasional scoring touch.

And The Winner Of The Bridgestone Messier Leadership Award Is ...

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Bridgestone Messier Leadership Award (Greatest Leadership Qualities)

Finalists:

Sidney Crosby – Center, Pittsburgh Penguins

Shane Doan – Right Wing, Phoenix Coyotes

Ryan Miller – Goaltender, Buffalo Sabres

Prediction - Ryan Miller

Winner - Sidney Crosby

News From Around The Crease

~ He has flirted with the idea of retirement many times over the past few years. But the temptation to play always seemed to win out. Now, it seems the time is finally right for Scott Niedermayer to hang up the skates for good. After 18 years in the NHL and numerous appearances on the international level, the 36-year old future Hall of Famer announced his retirement on Tuesday.

Niedermayer’s career has been on a year-by-year basis ever since he led the Anaheim Ducks to a Stanley Cup Championship in 2007. He was not able to lead Anaheim to the promised land again, but still put up three more productive seasons that included a 59-point campaign (the third-highest total of his career) in 2008-09 and an another Gold Medal winning appearance for Team Canada during this past winter’s Olympics.

His legacy will be as one of the game’s best offensive defenseman. Even on a defensive-minded New Jersey Devils squad, Niedermayer was able to exhibit his incredible offensive instincts from the blue line. He was a great skater, ran power plays extremely well, led by example and was a character guy – as shown during his free agency period in 2005 when he chose to leave the team he was drafted by and played for over 13 years to help his brother win a Cup in Anaheim.

At the NHL level, Niedermayer has attained a plethora of accomplishments. On top of four Stanley Cups between his time with the New Jersey Devils and Ducks, he has also taken claim to the Conn Smythe Trophy, a Norris Memorial Award and five All-Star Game appearances. For Team Canada, Niedermayer sports two Olympic Gold Medals, an IIHF World Championships Gold Medal and a first place finish in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. Even in juniors, Niedermayer was a stud – winning the Memorial Cup as a member of the Kamloops Blazers and making two Western Hockey League First All-Star Teams.

At 36 years old and coming off season where he notched 48 points, it’s safe to say Niedermayer still had something left in the tank and could have easily stepped right back into the Ducks’, or any other team’s, lineup. But after missing the playoffs this past spring – only the second time in his career not playing in the postseason, Niedermayer felt it was finally time to move on.

Niedermayer will remain with the Ducks as a consultant to general manager Bob Murray.