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UPDATE 12:25 PM
Tomas Vokoun and Ray Shero met with the media today to discuss Vokoun's injury situation and what options the team are considering.
Shero announced that Vokoun will be out 3-6 months and that he has no immediate plans to acquire a goaltender. Shero said that he has heard from every UFA goalie on the market and that he will be giving Jeff Zatkoff his chance to prove he is an NHL caliber goalie. Part of that might be because Shero wants to see what he has in Zatkoff, but more of that probably has to due with the Penguins lacking any cap room to make acquisitions right now.
The most important comment from this media session came from Vokoun:
"I'm not thinking about hockey right now. I'm thinking about being healthy for a long time."
The fact remains that this condition is a potential life changing event for Tomas Vokoun. His long term health is paramount and comes before any hockey related issues.
Vokoun still has plans on playing this season and will be working towards that goal. If I had to wager a guess I think he will make his debut in March after the Olympic break.
The Penguins will need Marc Andre Fleury to have the kind of season he had in 2010-2011 when he backstopped the Penguins through an impressive regular season without Crosby and Malkin. Anything less than average and the Penguins will have to scramble and waste assets to solidify the goaltending position
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The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed right winger Chuck Kobasew to a 1 year 550k contract. Initial reports had Kobasew looking for around 900k, but Shero was able to get him to sign on the dotted line for the league minimum.
Kobasew had a very good training camp and earned his spot on the Penguins roster. Kobasew is the latest player that Ray Shero is taking a low risk chance on. Will the former 3 time 20 goal scorer be able to find his offensive touch again while playing on the Penguins 3rd line? He will at least get the opportunity to find out.
Kobasew trained with Crosby in Colorado this offseason but he also has ties with other Penguins on the team. He was teammates of both Brooks Orpik and Rob Scuderi at Boston College when they won a national championship in 2001.
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Ray Shero had previously signed Matt D'Agostini to fill the right wing spot on the third line but he has since been injured and unavailable for game action. D'Agostini was recently put on injured reserve.
Here are the other moves that the Penguins have made today courtesy of their own website:
Forward Beau Bennett was recalled from Wheeling of the ECHL. Forward Chris Conner and defenseman Harrison Ruopp have been re-assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL).
The Penguins have also placed forward Matt D’Agostini on injured reserve.
No surprises there. Beau Bennett, Chris Conner, and Harrison Ruopp were only being used as pieces in the elaborate chess game that is the new NHL CBA.
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Kris Letang was placed on injured reserve and he will not be available for game action until October 8th. This is good news as it is a sign that his injury will not be long term. It still has not been reported on what the nature of his injury is. For now it remains a mystery.
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Ilya Bryzgalov to the Penguins has no traction according to Pittsburgh Tribune writer Josh Yohe. Until Fleury is a dumpster fire this season, no moves are necessary.
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CBC's Elliotte Friedman had this to say about Fleury being able to handle the load early on in this season:
Here's the percentage of Pittsburgh's games Marc-Andre Fleury has played from 2008-09 to 2013 -- 76, 82, 79, 82 and 69. That lowest figure was last season, when the Penguins got Tomas Vokoun to ease his workload. Ray Shero says Jeff Zatkoff will be the backup while Vokoun recovers from blood clots, which will test Pittsburgh's willingness to rest Fleury. What might help? The Penguins have one game out of the Eastern Time Zone before Jan. 7 (Nov. 9 in St. Louis.) Just eight back-to-backs before then, too. If they want to ride him, it's set up for that.
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Former Penguins Hal Gill has signed a contract with the rival Philadelphia Flyers. The deal is for 1 year and 700k.
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Phil Kessel was given an 8 year 64M contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In the new CBA that is fair value for a player that does what he does. It sure makes you appreciate the 5M/year contract that James Neal has though doesnt it?
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Congrats to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pittsburgh baseball community has deserved a moment like that for quite some time.
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