Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL 10)

[GoldenJet]

Penguins Power Prowl
Penguins become top dog now that their Cup Champions.

Pittsburgh, PE- With one last deseperate shot by Detroit Red Wings Captain Nicklas Lidstrom and the falling save of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, Maxime Talbot leapt into the air, only to meet with Fleury as they began celebrating.

Now, Sid The Kid and the Pittsburgh Penguins can get the last laugh.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Detroit Red Wings, for thier franchise 3rd Stanley Cup, their last come in the 1992 season.

The Penguins had previously played the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2008, where they met they're match in 6 games. But the difference this year was evident.

Sidney Crosby, the Penguins team Captain, was much more mature in the Stanley Cup finals, along with this years Art Ross winner, Evgeni Malkin, who, like many other of his teammates, suffered in the finals last year, but this year his play seemed to elevate, a reason who was named the Conn Smythe winner.

It is still unknown to the public what plans the Penguins have in the future off-season. It seems the first thing to worry about will be the 2009 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal. They currently hold the 30th pick in the 1st round.

[onlybygrace]

LOL...looks good, when do the updates start???

I hope Pittsburgh, PE was a typo...lol

[Bolts_26]

Nice GJ. September 15th is when the games comes out...

[GoldenJet]

I know guys, until the game comes out (which I plan to pre-order) I plan on kind of keeping this updated by off-season moves and such. And a little personal touches.

[GoldenJet]

Babcock To Coach In Olympics For Canada
According to a report in the Toronto Globe and Mail Tuesday, Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock will be named head coach of the 2010 Canadian Olympic men's hockey team in Montreal Thursday.

According to the Globe and Mail report, Hockey Canada has been secretive about who would coach Team Canada at the 2010 Games in Vancouver. Steve Yzerman, the executive director of Canada's Olympic team, who knows Babcock very well from their time with the Red Wings, is expected to make the announcement Thursday as the hockey world gathers in Montreal for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Babcock has a career coaching record of 282-139-71 in the NHL and already has 58 postseason victories, leading the Wings to the 2008 Stanley Cup and to Game 7 of the '09 Final against Pittsburgh. Since moving to Detroit from Anaheim, Babcock has enjoyed tremendous success, coaching four-straight seasons of 50 or more wins. Internationally, he also led Team Canada to a 2004 World Championship title and the 1997 World Junior title.

[GoldenJet]

Blues Re-Sign Tkachuk
ST. LOUIS – St. Louis Blues President John Davidson announced Friday the club has re-signed Keith Tkachuk to a one-year contract.

“Keith is a veteran leader who played a key role with our club’s success this past season,” said Davidson. “He and his wife Chantal are first class people and have been tremendous to the St. Louis Blues organization and the St. Louis community.”

Tkachuk, 37, played in 79 games for the Blues this past season, registering 49 points (25 goals, 24 assists) along with 61 penalty minutes. His 25 goals marked the 15th time in his 17 National Hockey League seasons that he has scored 20-plus goals. Tkachuk became the 72nd NHL player to reach the 1,000 point milestone and just the seventh US-born player after scoring a power play goal on Nov. 30, 2008 at Atlanta. He also became the fourth NHL player to record 1,000 points and over 2,000 penalty minutes in a career.

Tkachuk has played in 476 games with the Blues over eight seasons, recording 395 points (195 goals, 200 assists) and 621 penalty minutes. On the Blues’ all-time records lists, he currently ranks 8th in points (395), 6th in goals (195), 7th in game-winning goals (28) and 4th in power play goals (91).

Tkachuk has played in 1,134 NHL games, amassing 1,033 points (525 goals, 508 assists) along with 2,163 penalty minutes. He has twice been named to the NHL Second All-Star Team (1995 and 1998) and played in the NHL All-Star Game five times (1997, 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2009).

The Melrose, Massachusetts native has represented the United States in six different international competitions, including the 1992, 1998, 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympic Games, winning a silver medal in 2002. He also played in the 1996 and 2004 World Cup of Hockey, helping the United States win the championship in 1996.

Tkachuk was originally selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the first round, 19th overall, in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft.

[GoldenJet]

Avalanche Re-Sign McLeod
The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club formally announced today that the team has signed forward Cody McLeod to a three-year contract.

McLeod, who turns 25 this Friday, scored 15 goals with five assists and 162 penalty minutes in 79 games during his second NHL season in 2008-09. He was one of four NHL players with at least 15 goals and 150 PIM and became only the second player in Avalanche history to reach both marks in a single year (Chris Simon, 1995-96). McLeod led Colorado with 194 hits and shared the club lead in game-winning goals with three.

The Binscarth, Manitoba native finished third on the team with 15 goals, all at even strength. He was one of only three NHL players to score at least 15 goals without a power-play or short-handed tally. McLeod finished second on the Avs with 10 fighting majors.

“Cody has been an important member of our team over the last two seasons,” said Avalanche General Manager Greg Sherman. “He plays a physical game and can also contribute offensively. He is entering the prime years of his career and we look forward to having him remain in an Avalanche sweater.”

McLeod, who signed with Colorado as a non-drafted free agent on July 6, 2006, made his NHL debut on Dec. 19, 2007 and went on to dress in each of the final 49 regular-season games and all 10 playoff contests in 2007-08. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound left winger tallied nine points (4g/5a) with 120 penalty minutes in his first NHL campaign, making him the only rookie in Avalanche history to surpass 100 PIM.

[GoldenJet]

Brent Sutter named Flames Head Coach

CALGARY — Brent Sutter is coming home.

Two years after moving away from his family, his cattle ranch and his beloved Red Deer Rebels major junior squad for his first job as a National Hockey League head coach, Sutter is returning to the Alberta foothills. He was hired Tuesday by GM and brother Darryl as the head coach of the Calgary Flames.

The news had been anticipated ever since Sutter, 47, quit his post with the New Jersey Devils June 9, but the announcement was officially made during a Tuesday afternoon press conference at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

"Obviously, this is unique. Being an hour-and-a-half drive down the road from the farm . . . you might say it makes a lot more sense," said Sutter, who talked openly last season about his feelings of displacement and homesickness.

"The New Jersey Devils are a first-class organization, with a tremendous group of people and players. I thoroughly enjoyed the two years I was there. But by doing so, it affected other parts of my life. At some point, you've got to sit back and reflect and say: ‘What's most important?' "

The Flames announced Tuesday that Sutter will be assisted by Ryan McGill, Dave Lowry and Jamie McLennan to begin the 2009-10 season. It will be a whole new look behind the bench for the Flames, who fired former coach Mike Keenan May 22 and released former assistants Rich Preston, Rob Cookson and David Marcoux. Former associate coach Jim Playfair has since accepted a post as head coach of the Flames' AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat.