NHL Breeze: Aug.31, Quenville Speaks on Goaltending, Kovalchuk, Niemi Signing

 

 

NHL Breeze: Aug.31, Quenville Speaks on Goaltending, Kovalchuk, Niemi Signing

 

Happy birthdays to:

NHL player born today:

-          Matt Ellis, 29, Buffalo Sabres

-          Ryan Kesler, 26, Vancouver Canucks

-          Radek Martinek, 34, New York Islanders

-          Scott Niedermayer, 37, multi-Norris winner, future Hall of Famer

-          Ondrej Pavelec, 23, Atlanta Thrashers

-          Blake Wheeler, 24, Boston Bruins

     

Today’s NHL news and notes:

-       Boston about to move Marc Savard! Latest breaking news. Where is he moving to?

-       

Nikolai Khabibulin sentenced to 30-days of jail. Still expected to be in Oilers training camp.

 

-       Birthday boy and UFA Matt Ellis signs a contract with the Buffalo Sabres to remain a Sabre.

-       Blackhawks new goalie Marty Turco had this to say: “These kids look like they had some fun this summer, and I want to be a part of it.”

-       Quenville statement on Turco’s workload, “Fifty-five to sixty is probably a good number to start with and everything open for competition past that.”

-       Antti Niemi reportedly close to a signing in the NHL.

-       Christian Hanson signs a 1-year contract with the Maple Leafs.

-       No word yet on Ilya Kovalchuk’s contract being approved by the NHL

-       Predators ink D Aaron Johnson to a one-year, two-way deal worth 550k/105k. Spent last season on CAL/EDM.

-       Report out of Arizona News that 2 anonymous groups are interested in buying the Coyotes besides Ice Edge. However, they only remain as viable options and the table is still set between Ice Edge, city of Glendale and the NHL.

-       “There was a different side of the story. So I just try to make note of that. And if there’s some out there that think I’m full of crap, then whatever, that’s fine. I hope Burke and that organization have success, but I signed here in Vancouver and gear up for main camp and hopefully have a chance to make the team. If not, I’ll start in Manitoba and build my way up.” ~Bill Sweatt quote Aug.26, in Vancouver.

-       I will have more in-depth coverage on Bill Sweatt coming up…

-       Kyle Turris was disappointed to be sent down to play in San Antonio (AHL), but he admits he learned a lot. Ready to make a jump back in the NHL at 185lbs.

-       Tim Kennedy found a team that wants him: New York Rangers. He signed a 1-way deal to stay with the big club.

-       Lee Stempniak signed a 2-year deal worth 1.9mil a year. First year is 1.5mil, second year is 2.3mil. Big discount from his previous 3.5mil. Maybe he should have signed a 1-year deal.

-       September is just around the corner and Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro is optimistic he has strengthened his knee to a point that he can return to old form this season. Still unsure when he will be back at full speed.

 

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