Just 50 seconds into the Jarome Iginla Era in Blitzburgh, Sidney Crosby was rushed to the hospital for treatment after being smashed in the face by a Brooks Orpik point shot. Crosby was bleeding when he left the ice for the Pens room (and presumably a 15 minute stay on the team's "quiet room').
Crosby's concussion issues are well documented. Its the first thing taht I thought off after I saw a chunk of frozen vulcanized rubber careen off his jaw/cheek.
A 90 mph clapper can be classified as blunt force trauma.
More on this as id develops....
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Bad news for the Pittsburgh Penguins as Paul Martin will be out six weeks or more. The skilled D has suffered a broken bone in his "upper body" (wrist? forearm?), according to Pens head coach Dan Bylsma.
Martin has 6 goal sn 15 asists this season and is a difference maker.
He's a left handed D.
So is Robyn Regehr.
Look for the Pens to reach out to Darcy Regier, if they haven't already to ask about Regehr.
The Pens sent two second round picks to the San Jose Sharks earlier this week in exchange for bar bouncer Douglas Murray. Regier may want to try to jam the Pens for a first round pick for the rugged, reliable Regehr.
Paul Gaustad returned a Nashville first rounder (Zemgus Girgensens) to the Sabres at the deadline last spring. Hey, you never know.
Jarome Iginla and Regehr are long time friends and would love the opportunity to play together again. especially if they can win a Stanley Cup together this season in The Burgh.
Regier said on Friday that he's mindful of the trade deadline chatter.
He would have to waive his no trade clause in order to expedite a trade.
“You’re always thinking and preparing yourself for different situations,” Regehr said. “Right now, what I’m really trying to think about is my game. That’s the main focus right now. To say I didn’t think about it a little bit, I’d be lying to you. That’s just the reality of the situation. It’s not something I’m focused on.”
Jordan Leopold, a fellow UFA to be, is also a leftie. Leo played in Pittsburgh before coming to Buffalo.
Leopold knows that vibe in the Penguins room, having played and succeeded there. He'd fit right in as PP QB while Martin recovers from his injury.
Kris Letang suffered a broken toe earlier this week and will be a concern for the Pens as the postseason draws closer.
The Pens have approximately $4.4 million in cap space to play with. hell, they can afford Regehr AND Leopold right now.
Pens D:Orpik,Murray,Niskanen,Despres,Eaton,Engelland,Bortuzzo. Letang has broken toe. Martin out 6 weeks. PIT need to upgrade D corps now
Ron Rolston has announced that Thomas Vanek will not be in the Buffalo lineup tonight.
Rolston said that Vanek hasn't been ruled out for Sunday night's battle against Boston.
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Updated 10:35am:
My friend @danhickling reports from the Sabres skate that Jhonas Enroth is the first goalie off the ice today. He'll be the starter tonight vs. Ovechkin and the Capitals.
Enroth has won his last two starts, against NY Rangers and Montreal Canadiens. He made 32 saves in each of the wins.
Its nice to see Ron Rolston showing faith in his back-up. Besides, if Regier if in fact preparing his team for a sell-off of assets at the trade deadline, it makes sense to play Jhonas and to sit Miller for tonight's game.
Miller lost both games in Florida. The Sabres left three valuable points on the table.
The scratches will be Mark Pysyk and John Scott.
Reggie Sekera will start his second game in a row.
If Vanek sits, Flynn will play in his place.
**
Good news to pass along.
Injured winger Thomas Vanek took a skate before the Sabres game day skate. His test drive is a good sign, as he he been forced to stay off the ice since he suffered a flare-up of his upper body muscle strain in the third period of Buffalo's 2-1 loss in Tampa on Tuesday night. Vanek missed the rest of the TB game, and was forced to sit out the shootout loss in Sunrise, as well as team Friday's practice.
Will he play tonight vs. Washington?
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The Sabres enter tonight's tilt with Washington in 12th place in the Eastern conference standings. Their preseason projections called for the Sabres to be living in the top eight echelon. Not near the cellar.
Hasn't worked out that way.
The NHL trade deadline is five days away.
On Friday night, Sabres GM, Darcy Regier, told John Vogl of teh Buffalo News that the sights of the organization are set on next year and the years after.
Expect the Sabres to be sellers.
“The things that we will look to add will focus on things beyond this year,” General Manager Darcy Regier said by phone Friday evening. “It may include this year, but the focus is going to be on next year and maybe even beyond that. So things that we do are going to be with that light in mind.”
To play the role of buyer now might not be wise as it may not help the team to jump 4-5 teams in the next 14 games. The Sabres have 31 points right now and will need 52-53 to qualify for the postseason tourney. That means that they will have to win 11 of their next 13 to qualify.
Not likely to happen.
Regier might want to load up on draft choice for this year's abundant NHL entry draft.
“With the cap going down and the new contracts on the other side that have been signed, I think it’s added value to draft picks,” he said. “In some ways, it’s going to be harder to acquire draft picks for players in the event you’re trying to trade a player to get draft picks.”
It will be an interesting next few days as NHL GMs jockey for position. The price of poker will ceratinly go up as the contending teams will fight fast and furious to get the player(s) that they wish to acquire. The market will determine the prices. If trading Douglas Murray to Pittsburgh fetched San Jose two second round picks, then it will be interestting to see what Regehr and Leopold will command.
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