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Hossa to Detroit...Malkin Extension Done...Orpik Signs 6 Year Deal... |
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Brooks Orpik locked in for 6 years...more to come! Per Ray Shero presser right now...
Here is the official release... I will be on XM with Mike Ross and Ron Rimmer at 5:43... thoughts on the day soon...
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS RE-SIGN BROOKS ORPIK
The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed defenseman Brooks Orpik to a six-year contract, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero.
Orpik, 27, played 78 games for the Penguins during the 2007-08 season, recording career-highs in assists (10), points (11), along with a career-best plus-11 rating. Orpik ranked fifth in the NHL during the regular season with 239 hits and his hit total was second among league defensemen (Michael Komisarek, Montreal - 266). Orpik ranked third on the Penguins with 125 blocked shots in the regular season and is three game shy of 300 in his career.
"Brooks has become a mainstay of our blue line and played an important role in our run to the Stanley Cup Final," Shero said. "He provides the kind of physical presence you need on a Cup contender, and his work ethic, preparation, and determination are second to none."
During the playoffs, Orpik led the entire NHL in hits (102) and blocked shots (61) helping the Penguins advance to the Stanley Cup Final. He averaged 20:47 of ice-time in the 2008 playoffs after averaging 16:57 during the regular season.
The 6-2, 210-pound defenseman was originally selected by the Penguins in the first round, 18th overall, in the 2000 NHL Draft. He has played 297 career NHL games, posting 36 points (four goals, 32 assists). Prior to his professional career, Orpik played three seasons at Boston College helping lead the team to the 2001 NCAA Championship.
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The Post Gazette is reporting that Marian Hossa has signed with the Detroit Red Wings...
Many rumors speak to the fact the it is for a much shorter term than he had been looking for and less money. Though this isn't a huge surprise, it is still sort of shock. The Red Wings seemed to be high on Hossa's list, but were not thought to have the means to make it happen...
More on this in a bit...
http://www.postgazette.com/pg/08184/894245-100.stm
TSN reports that the deal is for 1 year @ $7.4...
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The Penguins have finalized the extension with Evgeni Malkin...here is the official release. More on this in a bit...
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS SIGN EVGENI MALKIN
TO A FIVE-YEAR EXTENSION
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed Evgeni Malkin to a five-year contract extension commencing with the 2009-10 season, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero.
Malkin, 21, scored 106 points (47 goals, 59 assists) playing all 82 games for the Penguins during the 2007-08 season. He was just one of two players to surpass 100 points this season as his point total ranked second in the NHL. Malkin was named a finalist for both the Hart Trophy as Most Valuable Player and the Lester B. Pearson Award as “most outstanding player”. He was also named to the NHL First All-Star Team which was announced following the 2007-08 season.
“We are very excited to have Evgeni signed to a long-term contract,” Shero said. “This is an important signing for our franchise and the city of Pittsburgh and we commend Evgeni on his commitment to the future of the franchise and the city. This signing continues to ensure the young core of this team can stay intact for years to come”.
Malkin registered a 15-game point streak (six goals, 15 assists) from October 23rd to November 22nd which is the longest point streak by a Russian-born player in the history of the NHL. He tallied a 10-game point streak (eight goals, 16 assists) from February 2nd to February 21st, recording multiple points in eight of those games. Malkin scored a point in 62 of 82 games during the regular season and registered multiple points in 28 of those contests. He recorded his first NHL hat trick on January 3rd vs. Toronto and his second 11 days later vs. the New York Rangers. Since January 1st, Malkin scored more points (32 goals, 33 assists) than any other player in the NHL. In the playoffs, he scored 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) which ranked fifth in the league as he helped lead the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Final.
Malkin was originally selected by the Penguins second overall in the 2004 NHL Draft. He scored 85 points (33 goals, 52 assists) during his first season on his way to winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year following the 2006-07 campaign. He was just the second Penguins player to win the award (Mario Lemieux – 1985). Malkin has scored 191 points (80 goals, 111 assists) in 160 games through his first two NHL seasons.
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