Penguins complete contract with Finn
By Colin Dunlap
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
July 8, 2008

The Penguins continued to add to their roster yesterday when they completed the signing of Finnish forward Janne Pesonen to a two-way contract.

Penguins assistant general manager Chuck Fletcher confirmed Pesonen, 26, signed a one-year deal worth approximately $875,000. The deal means Pesonen would get that salary if he makes the Penguins roster, but would make considerably less if he started the season on the team's minor league club in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.

Fletcher said Pesonen, a ninth-round draft choice by Anaheim in 2004, will be given every opportunity to secure a spot with the Penguins.

"He is a player we feel has a very legitimate shot at making our roster," he said. "He is a player who has the speed and the skill set to play at this level."

Pesonen's credentials in the Finnish Elite League show he has the capability of being a very good offensive player.

He led the league in scoring last season with 78 points (34 goals, 44 assists) in 56 games with Oulu Karpat. He scored seven goals and had nine assists in a playoff run that culminated with Karpat winning its fifth league championship.

Pesonen, who also played in six games for the Finnish national team last year, was named rookie of the year in the Finnish Elite League for the 2003-04 season and in 285 career games has 216 points (94 goals, 122 assists).

"He is a player who has had a lot of success in the Finnish Elite League," Fletcher said. "To be honest, he is really the top offensive player in that league and we are excited about this signing."

In addition to Pesonen, the Penguins signed Ben Lovejoy, 24, a defenseman, to a similar one-year entry-level deal yesterday.

Lovejoy, a New Hampshire native who played at Dartmouth and Boston College, appeared in 72 games for the Baby Penguins last season, scoring two goals and notching 18 assists. He also accumulated 63 penalty minutes.

"Basically last year he was auditioning for the whole season, showing us what he could do," Fletcher said of Lovejoy. "He got that chance to show us and we thought he showed tremendous improvement as the season went on because he worked hard. Toward the end of the season, we feel he was the top matchup defenseman [in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton] and was very good on the penalty kill. We saw enough good things that warranted this contract because we thought he was a good prospect who has the chance to continue to improve."

Yesterday's two signings continue a whirlwind of recent offseason moves for the Penguins since the July 1 start of free agency.

On the plus side, the team last week worked out a contract extension with forward Evgeni Malkin that will keep him under contract until 2013-14 and finalized a seven-year contract with goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. The Penguins also resigned defenseman Brooks Orpik to a six-year deal, agreed to terms on a two-year deal with defenseman Mark Eaton, a three-year contract with forward Pascal Dupuis, struck two one-year deals with free-agent wingers Miroslav Satan and Ruslan Fedotenko, brought in agitator Matt Cooke for two years and acquired enforcer Eric Godard for three years.

The Penguins have lost winger Jarkko Ruutu to Ottawa; high-profile winger Marian Hossa and backup goaltender Ty Conklin to Detroit; and forward Georges Laraque signed with Montreal.

The Penguins lost three players to Tampa Bay -- wingers Gary Roberts and Ryan Malone had their negotiating rights traded to the Lightning for a conditional draft choice and forward Adam Hall went to Tampa Bay as a free agent.

Pens sign Finn star Pesonen
By Kevin Gorman
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
July 8, 2008

The Penguins were seeking a free-agent forward who could finish, and found someone who fit that description - not just because of his homeland - in Janne Pesonen.

The Penguins signed the 5-foot-11, 180-pound winger, who led the Finnish Elite League in both goals and points this past season, to a one-year, entry-level contract Monday.

As mandated by the NHL's transfer agreement with Finland, the Penguins signed Pesonen, 26, to a two-way deal worth $875,000 if he plays in the NHL and $65,000 if he plays for their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Pesonen received an $87,500 signing bonus, the maximum allowable.

The deal gives the Penguins both depth at forward and the flexibility to bring along Pesonen at a safe pace, although it's a possibility he could be on their NHL roster for their exhibition opener against Jokerit on Oct. 2 in Helsinki, Finland.

"We're certainly not signing him as a long-term development project. We're going to give an honest, long look at him," Penguins assistant general manager Chuck Fletcher said. "He was a player we felt had NHL skills and was a legitimate NHL prospect."

Pesonen is the fifth forward the Penguins have added since free-agent right wing Marian Hossa passed on their long-term offer to sign a one-year, $7.4 million deal with the Detroit Red Wings. They signed Matt Cooke, Ruslan Fedotenko, Eric Godard and Miroslav Satan last week.

"Whether Marian had signed or not, (Pesonen) would have been on our radar once he was removed from Anaheim's list," Fletcher said, adding that the Penguins were notified July 1 of Pesonen's availability. "There's really minimal risk here, due to the nature of the contract, and he certainly has the upside to play with skilled players."

Fletcher would know, considering he worked for the Anaheim Ducks when they drafted Pesonen in the ninth round of the 2004 draft. The Ducks owned his rights until this year, and the Penguins wasted no time trying to sign him once Pesonen became available.

He also had offers from Colorado and Montreal.

Pesonen scored 34 goals and 78 points in 56 games last season, and added 16 points (seven goals) in leading Oulu Karpat to its fifth league championship. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder - who shoots left and can play either wing - has spent his entire career in the Finnish Elite League, was its Rookie of the Year in 2004 and playoff MVP in 2007.

"He's not large in stature, but he's a hard-working player with good hands and quick feet," Fletcher said. "He's established himself as arguably the top offensive player in Finland over the past few seasons. We felt, with his quickness and skills, he would be a player that would have a chance to come over and crack our lineup next season."

Although Pesonen must first prove he can play in the NHL, he is considered a versatile two-way player who also can be used on the penalty-kill unit.

His agent, Todd Diamond, described Pesonen as "extremely gritty." Diamond said the forward played through an injury that required surgery in late April to repair a broken bone and tendon damage in his right hand, which prevented him from playing for Finland - coached by former Penguin Doug Shedden - at the IIHF world championships in May.

"He doesn't back down from anybody," Diamond said. "I watched some games where people have taken runs at him, fans gave him a hard time and he just raises his game up a level. He's a skilled player who's fearless."

The Penguins also announced the signing of defenseman Ben Lovejoy to a one-year, entry-level deal. The 6-foot-2, 214-pounder had 20 points (two goals) and 63 penalty minutes in 72 regular-season games and 10 points (two goals) in 23 playoff games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Shero brings in big hitter to replace Ruutu
By Dave Molinari
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
July 6, 2008

Look at most of Matt Cooke's statistics, and you won't find anything special.

Certainly not much that suggests he would be in line for the kind of contract -- two years, with an annual salary of $1.2 million -- he accepted from the Penguins yesterday.

But peel away the bulk of Cooke's numbers, the 10 goals and 13 assists and 91 penalty minutes he accumulated in 78 games with Vancouver and Washington, and one figure stands out: The 198 hits that placed Cooke 14th in the NHL (and ninth among forwards) last season.

And even though that total doesn't express how, every now and then, he's capable of throwing a check that not only attracts attention from the other team, but from seismologists.

"He'll have eight or 10 hits a year where he'll just lay guys out," general manager Ray Shero said.

Cooke, a 29-year-old left winger who is 5 feet 11, 205 pounds, was brought in primarily because the Penguins lost Jarkko Ruutu to Ottawa via free agency last week.

While Cooke is not a clone of Ruutu -- Cooke is faster, Ruutu a bit less predictable on the ice -- when Ruutu departed, Cooke was a logical candidate to succeed him as agitator-in-chief.

The Penguins downplayed their interest in him publicly, but that wasn't the case during strategy sessions between Shero and his staff.

"With Ruutu leaving, there was a hole for that type of player," Shero said. "Cooke is a guy who's always been on my radar. I've always liked the way he played.

"We talked quite a bit about Cooke, internally. There weren't a lot of guys who play that style. That was a guy near the top of our list, if not at the top."

Although the Penguins have pretty much exhausted the list of players they targeted to bring in, they still have not finalized a contract with free agent Janne Pesonen, a 26-year-old left winger.

Wrapping up his one-year, two-way deal is nothing more than a formality, however, and Pesonen, the leading scoring in Finland's SM-Liga in 2007-08, could officially join the organization by today.

The Penguins scouted Pesonen, a ninth-round draft choice by Anaheim in 2004, at length this winter, and seem cautiously optimistic he'll be able to adjust to North American hockey, despite being 5 feet 11, 179 pounds.

And because he will earn a reduced salary if he plays in the American Hockey League, Pesonen represents "minimal risk, and maybe a little upside," as one member of the front office put it.

Getting Pesonen's deal done apparently will be the Penguins' last personnel move for a while. Shero and his staff obviously have to be prepared to react to any opportunity that comes their way, but aren't aggressively looking to bring in more players.

"I think at this point, we're happy where we are," Shero said. "We'll see what shakes out. We're not actually pursuing anything at this point. You never say never, but right now, we've got a pretty good NHL forward group, I believe, pretty well-balanced."

"Well-balanced" isn't a term many people, particularly opponents, apply to Ruutu when he's on the ice -- he has a rare gift for distracting and infuriating opposing players -- and he teamed up with Cooke to enrage more than a few guys when they were teammates with the Canucks.

Indeed, when Shero, who was assistant general manager in Nashville before joining the Penguins in 2006, was asked whether he found Ruutu or Cooke to be more exasperating when the Predators faced the Canucks, he responded simply, "That's a tough one."

Ruutu is highly effective at his job, and is as respected and appreciated by teammates as he is despised by opponents. Nonetheless, the Penguins might get a bit more mileage out of Cooke, who is more versatile and could step directly into the penalty-killing rotation, something Ruutu did only sporadically.

But mostly, he can be a pain to opponents.

The Penguins lost a lot of toughness and muscle during the past week or so -- in addition to Ruutu, the likes of Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts have moved on -- and Cooke will be counted on to make games against the Penguins an unpleasant experience for opponents.

NOTES -- Cooke took a pay cut when he joined the Penguins. He made $1,525,000 last season. ... The Penguins have discussed a new contract with forward Jeff Taffe, but he likely will have to accept a two-way deal to return.

Pens add Cooke to mix
By Rob Rossi
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
July 6, 2008

General manager Ray Shero said Thursday the Penguins had 10 NHL forwards, which he felt "left them in good shape."

They are in better shape today.

Forward Matt Cooke, 29, agreed to a two-year contract worth $2.4 million Saturday, giving the Penguins another winger to help replace the six they have lost over the past week.

Unlike Miroslav Satan and Ruslan Fedotenko, who are expected to help account for the offensive production lost with left wing Ryan Malone's trade to Tampa Bay and right wing Marian Hossa's signing with Detroit, Cooke should help fill the role of forward Jarkko Ruutu.

"I've liked Matt for a long time," Shero said. "He plays his 15 minutes a night, and he's done that on some good teams. He brings a lot of the qualities that Jarkko did, though he's a little different -- a little better skater, a little better speed and he can score some points."

Ruutu, one of the league's famed agitators, signed a three-year contract worth $3.9 million with Ottawa.

Cooke scored 10 goals and recorded 23 points last season, which he split between Vancouver and Washington. He has averaged 1.1 penalty minutes per game over parts of eight NHL seasons, including 91 total penalty minutes in 78 games last year.

Shero said Cooke, who signed a one-way contract, puts the Penguins "more or less where we want to be."

"I don't want to get a bunch of one-way contracts; I want some competition in training camp," Shero said. "I don't want to have 13 or 14 forwards with one-way contracts."

Shero said the Penguins are talking to Finnish prospect Janne Pesonen, who scored 34 goals and recorded 78 points last season with Karpat of SM-Liiga.

A deal with Pesonen, a 25-year-old left-handed forward, has not been reached, Shero said, despite various Internet reports to the contrary. Due to his age, the NHL's transfer agreement with Finland dictates Pesonen can sign only a one-year, two-way deal.

"He's a skilled kid," Shero said. "We're talking to him. But I like where we are right now."

Penguins sign Cooke to replace Ruutu
Associated Press
July 5, 2008

Free agent forward Matt Cooke signed a two-year contract with the Pens today, replacing Jarkko Ruutu as the team's primary agitator.

The Penguins also offered Ruutu a two-year contract earlier this week but he signed a three-year deal with the Ottawa Senators after free agent bidding began.

The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Cooke had 10 goals, 13 assists and 91 penalty minutes in 78 games with the Vancouver Canucks and Washington Capitals last season. Cooke, a left winger who usually plays on the penalty-killing unit, was acquired by Washington at the trade deadline for left winger Matt Pettinger.

Ruutu had six goals, 10 assists and 138 penalty minutes in 71 games with Pittsburgh and added two goals and an assist in 20 playoff games.

Cooke, who will turn 30 before next season begins, has 86 goals, 124 assists and 652 penalty minutes in 583 career games with Vancouver and Washington. He had three goals and four assis ts in 17 games with the Capitals.

Annoying? Pesky? Aggressive? That's Ruutu
By Dan Rosen - NHL.com Staff Writer
NHL.com - 2008 NHL Offseason News
July 5, 2008

Jarkko Ruutu says he won't be any different in Ottawa than he was in Pittsburgh, Vancouver, or even Finland for that matter.

Annoying. Pesky. Tough. Aggressive. Agitating.

It's a pick-your-adjective game with Ruutu, and the Senators are hoping he'll be all of those things and more during the next three seasons.

"I have to do my role, the way I always played," said Ruutu, who is spending the summer in his native Finland, during a conference call Thursday afternoon, a day after signing a three-year contract with Ottawa. "Be good defensively, play physically and get the opponents' top guys off their game. There is no secret to how I play."

Senators GM Bryan Murray also made it well known that he was in the market for a winger just like Ruutu, who he envisions fitting in well with players like Chris Neil and/or Chris Kelly in a third-line, checking role.

"He's an agitator, there's no question," Murray said. "He brings that dimension, and I think that's a good thing for a hockey team. I think he'll be quite popular in our room."

Ruutu, who is one of the most unpopular players in the League to play against, was well-liked in the Penguins' dressing room for the past two years. He had 16 points in each of the past two seasons, and was a key role player in Pittsburgh's run to the Stanley Cup Final this past spring.

But Penguins GM Ray Shero was not willing to give Ruutu a third year on his contract, so Ruutu decided to test the market. Shero made Ruutu his second free-agent signing as the Penguins GM when he inked him to a two-year deal on July 4, 2006.

"Jarkko served us very well for two years," Shero said. "I think that was a good signing for us, but the third year, and I talked to Jarkko about this, was somewhat problematic. He's 33 years old and if the grass was greener elsewhere, if someone gave him a third year, that was big for him. He got that and I'm happy for him."

Ruutu said getting that third year for stability purposes was a big deal for him, but not the only factor in choosing Ottawa. His brother is a Finnish scout for the Senators, and Mikko Ruutu apparently convinced Jarkko that Ottawa is a good destination.

"In the end he had good things to say about it," Jarkko said. "I had to do a real quick decision in the end and he made me feel real comfortable with the decision from what he told me about the organization."

While Murray may have an idea of where Ruutu fits into the Sens lineup, Ruutu said he'll have to see what new coach Craig Hartsburg has in store.

"You can say anything you want right now, but I want to prove myself night after night," Ruutu said. "The better I play, the more I get ice. Sometimes there are games you play more and sometimes less, but I'd like to play 12 to 13 a night and hopefully I can do that and prove myself."

Ruutu averaged 10:12 per game during this past season, up from the 9:19 he averaged during the 2006-07 season. Ruutu played 10:37 a night in the playoffs. He said more ice time allows him to better utilize his agitating style because he gets to know what the officials will and will not tolerate. Ruutu totaled 138 penalty minutes last season after wracking up 125 the year before. His 142 with Vancouver in 2005-06 remains a career high.

"I think at times I'll take penalties that are unnecessary, but it's part of my game and when it's a real crucial time I know where to draw the line," Ruutu said. "If you play five minutes a game it's tough to do, but if you play 10-12 minutes a game you get a feeling of how to handle things. I have to be aggressive and annoying, but at the same time I have to avoid penalties."

Ruutu will debut for the Senators against his old team when Pittsburgh and Ottawa open the season in Stockholm as part of the NHL Premiere. Ruutu said he won't give any free passes to Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

"I'm playing against them so there is no free skating," Ruutu said. "I played with them for two years, and you see night after night the things they like and don't like. Those guys are so good. It's not real easy. They know me pretty good, too, so I have to be smart about it."

Comment: All the best to Jagr. It will be hard not seeing play in the NHL.

Jagr’s New York Exit Becomes N.H.L. Farewell
By Lynn Zinser
NYTimes.com
July 5, 2008

Jaromir Jagr’s goodbye to the Rangers has now become his goodbye to the N.H.L. after the Russian league team Avangard Omsk announced on its Web site Friday that Jagr had signed a three-year contract with the club.

Jagr, a native of the Czech Republic, became the highest-scoring European-born player in his 17 seasons in the N.H.L. He is 12th on the career list in goals, with 646, and 9th in points, with 1,599.

Jagr played for Omsk during the N.H.L. lockout season in 2004-5 and always spoke fondly of his time there. Omsk General Manager Anatoly Bardin had been pursuing him since it became clear that Jagr would be an unrestricted free agent.

The Rangers insist that they wanted Jagr to return, but General Manager Glen Sather said Thursday that the team could no longer wait for him to decide what he wanted to do. The Rangers instead signed Markus Naslund, the former Vancouver captain.

Jagr spent three seasons with the Rangers, the final two as the team’s captain. He had a stellar first season in New York in 2005-6, setting franchise records with 54 goals and 123 points, and helping the Rangers reach the playoffs for the first time since 1997. He also finished second in the voting for the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player.

Jagr did not score at anywhere near the same rate in his last two seasons, but he played his best in the playoffs, when the Rangers lost in the second round each year.

Jagr’s agent, Pat Brisson, did not respond to requests for comment, but Jagr had said that he hoped for an offer from the Rangers that would keep him their highest-paid player. Sather said that the negotiations had not gone far because he had not been able to get an answer from Jagr about what he wanted.

Jagr, 36, had reportedly drawn interest from several other N.H.L. teams, including Edmonton and Pittsburgh. He played his first 11 seasons and won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins.

But Bardin has been a determined suitor, first coming to see Jagr in New York during the season, then visiting with him in Prague last week. According to an article on Omsk’s Web site, Bardin said that he and Jagr agreed to terms of the contract last week and it was nowhere near the $35 million that has been widely reported. He said Jagr wanted a relatively short contract with performance bonuses instead of a higher base salary.

That goes along with what Jagr said as he was leaving the Rangers after the season ended in early May; he said he wanted to play two more seasons, then return to the Czech Republic to play for his father’s team, HC Kladno.

Jagr also said then that his first option was to talk to the Rangers, but negotiations took a strange turn when both sides seemed to be waiting for the other to act. That never happened.

“With Jaromir, I never really knew,” Sather said Thursday. “He told me he wanted to play here. I told him we wanted him to play here. His agent told me he wanted to play here. I told his agent several times, but it never got back to the situation where he said, ‘If you give me X amount of dollars, I’ll come back to play in New York.’

“I kind of always got the feeling that maybe there was something in Russia that is really looking at him, and if there was enough money to stay here he would’ve stayed. But we never got down to that situation where I knew exactly what he was looking for, whether it was a one-year or a two-year or a longer-year term. There was never any discussion like that. It’s pretty tough to negotiate with yourself.”

The announcement of the signing on Omsk’s Web site is accompanied by a photo of Jagr’s smiling face - from his season playing there during the lockout. It is a smile that apparently will not be seen again in the N.H.L.

Penguins sign goalie Fleury for 7 years, $35M
By John Mandak
Associated Press
July 3, 2008

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday signed goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to a seven-year, $35 million contract, the third long-term deal inked with one of their younger players in two days.

Penguins general manager Ray Shero called Fleury "one of the elite goaltenders of the game" and said he was instrumental in helping the team reach the Stanley Cup Final.

"He is extremely gratified to be part of the Penguins core going forward," Fleury's agent, Allan Walsh, told The Associated Press. "The contract shows a lot of confidence the team is placing in him and Marc is making a statement to all that Pittsburgh is where he wants to be playing."

Fleury, 23, was eligible for arbitration and a hearing was scheduled for later in the month, but the Penguins made no secret they considered that a formality as general manager Ray Shero continued to negotiate a long-term deal with the goaltender.

Fleury's signing came a day after the Penguins signed two other players to long term deals. Center Evgeni Malkin signed for an average of $8.7 million over five years and defenseman Brooks Orpik signed a six-year, $22.5 million deal.

Fleury, the No. 1 overall draft pick for the Penguins in 2003, helped lead the team to the Eastern Conference championship before a six-game loss to Detroit in the Stanley Cup finals.

Fleury's strong play down the stretch capped a season that saw him start slowly then miss three months due to a high-ankle sprain. His regular-season record was just 19-10-2.

In the playoffs, though, he was 14-6 with a 1.97 goals-against average, a .933 save percentage and three shutouts.

After struggling early in his career, Fleury came into his own in 2006-07, when he won 40 games in 67 appearances, the first Penguins goalie to win more than 40 since Tom Barrasso did it in 1992-93.

The Penguins also announced Thursday that they signed forwards Ruslan Fedotenko and Miroslav Satan to one-year contracts. Both had most recently played with the New York Islanders.

Satan, 33, had 41 points in 80 games, and was tied for third on the club in scoring. The native of Slovakia was originally drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 1993 and has played in 12 seasons in the NHL.

Fedotenko, 29, scored 33 points (16 goals, 17 assists) in 67 games last season. In his career, he has 123 goals and 116 assists in 523 NHL games.

Therrien contract talks on hold
By Rob Rossi
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
July 3, 2008

General manager Ray Shero said Wednesday that talks with coach Michel Therrien about a contract extension have been shelved until at least later this month. Therrien has one year remaining on his current deal, which was extended by one season last summer. "We talked briefly after the season ... and we realized we played so late that the most important thing was our players," Shero said. "We'll get to (extension negotiations) at some point, see where we are and make some decisions."

Shero would like to extend the contract of center Jordan Staal, who has scored 41 NHL goals before his 20th birthday. Staal will play in the final season of his three-year entry level deal. His agent, Paul Krepelka, said recently that neither he nor the Penguins feel rushed to reach an extension agreement. Staal will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2009.

Shero acknowledged contacting representatives for free-agent right wing Jaromir Jagr on Tuesday, but said he has never presented an offer to the former Penguins' star. Jagr spent his first 11 NHL seasons with the Penguins, for whom he is the second all-time leading scorer. His agent is Pat Brisson, who also represented current Penguins captain Sidney Crosby.

Left wing Jarkko Ruutu agreed to a three-year contract with the Ottawa Senators worth $3.9 million. Ruutu spent the past two seasons with the Penguins, scoring 13 goals and recording 32 points in 152 games. The Penguins were not willing to give Ruttu, 32, terms beyond two seasons.

Senators ink LW Ruutu
PA SportsTicker
July 3, 2008

The Ottawa Senators got a lot peskier Wednesday, signing left wing Jarkko Ruutu to a three-year contract.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but TSN of Canada is reporting the deal is worth $3.9 million.

One of the NHL's biggest pests, the 6-1, 200-pound Ruutu recorded six goals and career highs of 10 assists and 138 penalty minutes for the Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh Penguins last season.

The 32-year-old Finn has collected 36 tallies, 83 points and 716 penalty minutes in 419 career contests with the Vancouver Canucks and Penguins.

"I don't think he scores like a Sean Avery or has quite that offensive ability, but he brings lots to the table," Senators general manager Bryan Murray said.

"He's bigger, he's competitive and he battles. He's an agitator, there's no question. He brings a dimension that those types of players do and I think that's a good thing for a hockey team."

A third-round pick of Vancouver in 1998, Ruutu has represented his country at both the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics as well as six IIHF World Championships. He is the older brother of Carolina's Tuomo Ruutu and Mikko Ruutu, a seventh-round selection of Ottawa in 1999.

Mikko currently is a scout for Ottawa, which Murray admitted played a role in the Finnish agitator's decision to become a Senator.

"He's a big body, a strong guy with strong character," Murray said of Jarkko. "He's a good guy. His brother works for us and he's a good guy. He's certainly a guy that plays a good role."

'There's a chance to win'
Ruutu insists the Senators aren't Finnish-ed as a championship contender
By Rob Brodie - Ottawa Senators - Features
July 3, 2008

The man who ended the Ottawa Senators’ last season intends to do his level best to make sure the team’s next one lasts a lot longer.

And Jarkko Ruutu, the gritty forward whose game-winning goal finished off the Pittsburgh Penguins’ sweep of the Senators in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs back in April, doesn’t expect he’ll have any trouble switching his loyalties.

“That was last year and now it’s time to turn the page,” said Ruutu, who signed a three-year contract with the Senators on Wednesday. “I play for the Senators now and I’ll be going full (steam) for them. That’s the way it works in this business.

“Sometimes, you have to make choices and sometimes they’re tough. I chose to go to another team.”

Ruutu won’t have to wait long for that attitude to be put to the test. The Senators and Penguins open the 2008-09 season against each other with a pair of games Oct. 4 and 5 in Stockholm.

“It’ll be real exciting,” Ruutu told reporters on a conference call Thursday. “It’s going to be exciting for everybody to be outside of North America for the first two games. (Facing his former team) is one of the things that makes it interesting. I like it.

“It’s nice to get the first game out of the way and then you move on from that.”

The Finnish forward believes he’s joining a team that once again will be among the top contenders in the Eastern Conference.

“I think it’s a very competitive team,” he said, listing that as one of the reasons he chose to sign in Ottawa. “They went to the (Stanley Cup) finals two years ago and there’s a chance to win. Otherwise, I like Canada, I like the way hockey is handled there, how big it is. The (three-year) contract was also one of the reasons.

“I had two choices but I felt Ottawa fit my needs best.”

Ruutu said he was further reassured by a conversation with his brother, Mikko, who is the Senators’ scout in Finland.

“I had to (make) a real quick decision and he made me feel comfortable about the decision with the information he gave me about the organization,” he said.

Comfortable isn’t a word often used to describe the way Ruutu approaches his foes on the ice. He’s known as one of the league’s top agitators for a reason.

“I’ve got to be good defensively, play physical and get the opponents’ top guys off their game,” said Ruutu. “There’s no secret to how I play.

“At times, I’ll take unnecessary penalties that I should probably avoid, but it’s part of my game and when it’s a real crucial time in the playoffs, I know where to draw the line … It’s part of my role. I have to be aggressive and I have to be annoying for opponents.”

That includes former teammates like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, with whom he’ll renew acquaintances soon enough.

“There’s going to be no free skating (for them),” said Ruutu. “You want to be tough on them. I played with them for two years and you see, night after night, the things they like and the way they play. But those guys are good players and they know me pretty well, too, so I’ve got to be smart about it.”

Features: Ruutu boosts Senators' front line
Former Penguins agitator signs three-year deal to come to the capital
By Rob Brodie - Ottawa Senators
July 2, 2008

Call it two steps forward for the Ottawa Senators on the free-agent front.

Literally and figuratively, that is.

The Senators added some extra grit to their complement of forwards Wednesday by inking former Pittsburgh Penguins agitator Jarkko Ruutu to a three-year contract. Earlier in the day, ex-Ottawa 67’s standout Shean Donovan agreed to a two-year deal to stay in a Sens uniform.

In Ruutu, the Senators get a player that fits the Sean Avery-Darcy Tucker mold that Murray likes, but at a much more affordable price. Avery signed a hefty four-year deal with the Dallas Stars earlier in the day.

“I don’t think (Ruutu) scores like a Sean Avery or has quite that offensive ability, but he brings lots to the table,” Senators general manager Bryan Murray said during a media conference call. “He’s bigger, he’s competitive and he battles. He’s an agitator, there’s no question. He brings a dimension that those types of players do and I think that’s a good thing for a hockey team.

“The most important thing for me, along with that, is that he’s a good guy and I think he’ll be quite popular in our room.”

Also part of the Ruutu package: An impressive 50 per cent success rate in shootouts during his career.

“Nobody pays much attention to that,” said Murray, who’s clearly noticed it.

The 32-year-old native of Helsinki, who signed with the Penguins as a free agent two years ago after starting his career with the Vancouver Canucks, came to terms with the Senators when Murray agreed to accept agent Don Baisley’s request for a three-year deal. His brother, Mikko, is the Senators' Finnish scout.

Ruutu was also lured by the chance to play in a Canadian hockey market again. He and goaltender Alex Auld, who signed with the Senators on Canada Day, were previously teammates in Vancouver.

“I think (Ruutu) was happy, I think he was looking for another opportunity,” said Murray. “He likes the hockey environment here and he certainly indicated that (to me). That was one of the convincing things.”

The signing of Donovan, meanwhile, allows the Senators to retain the services of a speedy forward who was one of the team’s top players during its first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against Ruutu and the Penguins.

“I like the guy. I like his energy,” said Murray. “He got a chance in the latter part of the year to contribute much more than he did early on. I thought he did a real good job for us.”

Donovan, whose family spends its off-seasons in the Ottawa area, dearly wanted to stay with what is essentially his hometown team. He was obtained by the Senators last summer in a trade with the Boston Bruins that sent Peter Schaefer to Beantown.

“Shean really wanted to stay in Ottawa,” said Murray. “He’s played here before (with the 67’s), he’s from here now and he wanted to settle here for the most part.

“He was at the right price for us and in the right role for us. I felt since he wanted a two-year deal, why not make that commitment to him? He’s making a commitment to us.”

With Ruutu and goaltender Alex Auld added to the roster over the past two days, Murray has now checked off two of his three goals in free agency. Still elusive, though, is a puck-moving defencemen, though it hasn’t been for lack of trying. The Senators GM held talks with representatives for Ron Hainsey and Mark Streit over the past two days but saw them accept lucrative deals with the Atlanta Thrashers and New York Islanders, respectively.

Another blueliner the Senators targeted, Michal Rozsival, wound up re-signing with the New York Rangers.

“We were interested (in those players),” said Murray. “There’s a real feeling in our room that having that guy who can play some offence for us – in particular, on the power play – was of some interest. Unfortunately, the need for that kind of player around the league was fairly obvious and we got left out.”

He isn’t giving up on his search just yet.

“I’m not sure,” Murray said when asked what direction he’ll take next. “It may be the trade route later on. We just have to keep our lines in the water and hope that there’s one guy out there that can play in the league and, in particular, play in an offensive role for us.”

Malkin signs rich extension
The Canadian Press
July 2, 2008

PITTSBURGH - The nucleus of the Pittsburgh Penguins should remain intact for years to come.

Hart Trophy finalist Evgeni Malkin has signed a US $43.5-million, five-year extension with the Penguins that will kick in when his entry-level deal expires next summer.

Captain Sidney Crosby signed for the same terms last year and that contract has just started, which means that two of the NHL's elite players are now under contract in Pittsburgh through 2013.

Malkin made big strides this season, putting up 47 goals and 106 points in 82 games.

He was runner-up to Alex Ovechkin as the NHL's most valuable player.

That came just one year after he won the league's rookie of the year award.

Senators sign pair of veteran wingers
Canadian Press
July 2, 2008

OTTAWA - The Ottawa Senators signed veteran wingers Shean Donovan and Jarkko Ruutu on Wednesday.

Donovan, a 33-year-old native of Timmins, Ont., had 12 points (5-7) and 73 penalty minutes last season with the Senators.

Donovan, who signed a two-year deal, has 226 points (105-121) in 856 career regular-season games with the Senators, San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins.

Ruutu, a 32-year-old native of Helsinki, had 16 points (6-10) and 138 penalty minutes with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season. He has 83 points (36-47) in 419 career regular-season games with the Penguins and Vancouver Canucks.

Senators, Ruutu agree to three-year contract
TSN.CA Staff
July 2, 2008

The Ottawa Senators have added some sandpaper to their lineup.

Feisty forward Jarkko Ruutu has agreed to a 3-year, $3.9 million dollar deal with the Senators.

Ruutu scored six goals and 10 assists in 71 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins this past year.

The native of Vantaa, Finland has played eight seasons in the NHL, six with Vancouver and the last two with Pittsburgh. Ruutu has 83 points and 716 penalty minutes in 419 career NHL games.

Penguins arena construction to begin soon
Associated Press
July 2, 2008

PITTSBURGH - Construction on a new $290 million arena for the Pittsburgh Penguins is scheduled to begin within weeks.

The city-county Sports and Exhibition Authority on Wednesday authorized payments of more than $50 million to begin clearing debris and excavating land at the site.

The agency's executive director says construction-related earth moving should begin by the end of the month or early August.

Mary Conturo says the arena is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2010-11 hockey season.

The new multipurpose arena will replace Mellon Arena, which was built in 1961.

Penguins update: Hossa goes to Detroit for $7.4 million
By Dave Molinari
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
July 2, 2008

The Penguins have lost free-agent right winger Marian Hossa to Detroit.

The big surprise: His contract is for one season and $7.4 million.

The Penguins were offering a bit more than $7 million on a deal that, at various times, was proposed to cover five, six or seven years.

Several other clubs reportedly made proposals for even more money and years, which suggests that financial security was not Hossa's main motivation in choosing Detroit.

Had the Penguins been given the option of signing Hossa to a one-year deal, they almost certainly would have been willing to raise their offer significantly. Hossa could not be reached for comment, but is scheduled to speak with reporters in Detroit this afternoon.

His departure might not be the only setback facing the Penguins.

Left winger Jarkko Ruutu is believed to have turned down a two-year offer from the Penguins and apparently will sign elsewhere, although nothing has been finalized. Ruutu, who suggested earlier this week that he was seeking a three-year deal, is in Finland and could not be reached for comment.

There still is no word on whether defenseman Brooks Orpik, the most prominent of the Penguins' remaining free agents, will return.

Hossa's departure leaves a void on the right side of the Penguins' No. 1 line, and management has begun looking into ways to fill it.

Ex-Penguin Markus Naslund, who has spent most of his career in Vancouver, is believed to be getting serious consideration, although it's likely the front office will use the money that would have gone to Hossa to sign two wingers, not just one.

Team officials made cursory contact with free-agent right winger Jaromir Jagr yesterday, as they did with the representatives for a number of other players. They are believed to be having further discussions with Jagr's camp, but there is no evidence they have -- or will -- make a contract offer.

The Penguins acquired Hossa and winger Pascal Dupuis from Atlanta at the Feb. 26 trade deadline and put him alongside Sidney Crosby on the top line.

He had three goals and seven assists in 12 regular-season games here, then added 12 goals and 14 assists in 20 playoff games, as he shed his reputation for struggling in the post-season.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Pens lose Hossa
By Rob Rossi
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
July 2, 2008

Canada's TSN is reporting that right wing Marian Hossa has signed a one-year deal worth $7.4 million with the Detroit Red Wings.

The Penguins would not confirm that report. However, they have been told by Hossa he will not re-sign.

Last month, Hossa declined a five-year deal worth slightly more than $7 million annually.

Hossa, acquired Feb. 26 in a blockbuster trade with Atlanta, scored 26 points in 20 playoff games. The Penguins lost in the Stanley Cup final to the Detroit Red Wings.

The Penguins will now turn their attention toward to other free-agent forwards -- including past stars Jaromir Jagr and Markus Naslund.

Free Agency/Day 1: Hossa, Orpik Still Available
By Dave Molinari
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
July 2, 2008

Malkin's 5-year extension almost done with an annual cap hit of $8.7 million; Dupuis, Eaton opt to stay with Penguins

The Penguins still haven't found an elite right winger to replace Marian Hossa on their No. 1 line.

Then again, they still don't know for certain that they'll have to.

It's entirely possible Hossa will be working elsewhere this fall -- teams from across North America have presented him with contract proposals hefty enough that he could buy a franchise, not just work for it -- but he still hasn't told the Penguins that he won't return.

Nor, for that matter, has defenseman Brooks Orpik. He attracted plenty of interest around the NHL during his first day of free agency, too, but he hasn't ruled out re-signing with the Penguins.

Indications are that staying remains Orpik's preference, although his decision ultimately might hinge on how close the Penguins are willing to come to offers he receives from elsewhere.

General manager Ray Shero and his staff worked well into the night, with much of their efforts believed to be directed at trying to find common ground with Orpik.

Although neither Hossa nor Orpik signed yesterday, that didn't reflect a widespread reluctance among general managers to spend liberally. Defenseman Brian Campbell, for example, got a $56.8 million, eight-year deal with Chicago, while Vancouver offered Mats Sundin a two-year package worth $20 million.

While retaining Hossa and Orpik remains management's most pressing concern, working out a new contract for center Evgeni Malkin might have the greatest long-term impact of anything the Penguins do during the free-agency period that began yesterday.

Formal announcement of the deal is pending, but it is patterned after one Sidney Crosby signed last summer: Malkin's contract covers five seasons and will have an annual salary-cap hit of $8.7 million.

Malkin's contract won't take effect for another year. He, like fellow center Jordan Staal, has a season left on his entry-level contract.

The Penguins didn't add -- or lose -- any big-name talent yesterday but signed three players and had two others accept offers elsewhere.

They retained forward Pascal Dupuis and defenseman Mark Eaton, both of whom were eligible for unrestricted free agency, and picked up 6-foot-4, 214-pound right winger Eric Godard from Calgary.

Tampa Bay, meanwhile, signed Adam Hall to a three-year contract worth $600,000 per season, while Detroit gave goalie Ty Conklin a one-year deal worth $750,000.

Godard is one of the NHL's better enforcers, and his acquisition means that right winger Georges Laraque -- widely regarded as the league's premier heavyweight -- will not return.

The decision to bring in Godard, whose on-ice demeanor is more volatile and unpredictable than Laraque's, was transparently financial.

Goodard will make $725,000 in 2008-09, followed by $750,000 and $775,000. Laraque earned $1.3 million last season and is believed to be seeking $1.5 million in his next deal.

Godard, who broke into the NHL with the New York Islanders, had one goal, one assist and 171 penalty minutes in 74 games with the Flames last season. His NHL career totals: three goals, five assists and 481 penalty minutes in 200 games.

Godard picked up 17 fighting majors in 2007-08, tying Krys Barch of Dallas for ninth in the NHL. Laraque had 13.

While Godard's game is one-dimensional, Dupuis is versatile enough to play either wing and to be used in a variety of situations. That's a big part of the reason he'll get $1.4 million in each of the next three seasons.

Eaton, meanwhile, will be paid $2 million annually. When healthy, he is a strong defensive defenseman, as well as an excellent shot-blocker and penalty-killer.

He missed 93 of 164 possible games because of injuries during the past two seasons, though, and is recovering from reconstructive knee surgery. After the Penguins' playoff run, Eaton said he expected to be back to 100 percent for the start of training camp.

NOTES -- In addition to Hossa and Orpik, the Penguins have three free agents still on the market. They are forwards Jarkko Ruutu, Jeff Taffe and Kris Beech. The Penguins definitely are interested in keeping Ruutu. ... Contrary to several recent reports out of Europe, the Penguins have neither signed defenseman Josef Melichar nor discussed a contract with him, although they have that option. Melichar spent most of last season with Linkoping HC in Sweden's Elitserien.

Pens to announce Malkin extension
By Rob Rossi
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
July 2, 2008

The Penguins went 10 hours past the start of the free-agent signing period - noon Tuesday - without learning if right wing Marian Hossa or defenseman Brooks Orpik would continue their NHL careers in Pittsburgh.

Chances are not one team official was even slightly frustrated with that development.

Nothing could deflate the Penguins yesterday, not after they finalized terms on a desired multi-year contract extension with representatives for superstar center Evgeni Malkin.

Neither the Penguins nor Malkin's agent, JP Barry, confirmed a deal was in place, but an announcement is expected this week.

Malkin's extension will pay him $8.7 million annually over five years starting with the 2009-10 season. The deal is a near-carbon copy of the extension signed last summer by teammate Sidney Crosby.

The significance of Malkin's extension is paramount to the Penguins' hope for keeping together a young core that consists of him, Crosby, center Jordan Staal, defenseman Ryan Whitney and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

The oldest player of that group, Whitney, is 25.

Fleury, 23, is slated for an arbitration hearing no sooner than July 20. However, talks between his camp and Penguins general manager Ray Shero continue to progress concerning a long-term contract.

Crosby, already an individual scoring champion and league MVP at 20, and Malkin, an MVP finalist at 21 this past season, would play together four seasons at a combined salary-cap hit of $17.4 million from 2009-10 to 2012-13 - the final season of Crosby's deal.

The current team payroll upper limit stands at $56.7 million. It has increased each year since the NHL returned from a lockout in 2005.

The most a player can earn according to the collective bargaining agreement is 20 percent of the upper limit during the year he signs a contract. The individual max is at $11.34 million.

Malkin is on vacation in his native Russia and could not be reached for comment.

He told the Tribune-Review last month that he was "an easy guy to deal with."

Now he is set to follow Crosby's lead and provide the Penguins with a hometown discount on a long-term deal.

The Penguins entered yesterday optimistic Hossa might join Malkin on that line.

Hossa, a star two-way player acquired Feb. 26 in a splashy deadline-day deal with Atlanta, had plenty of suitors yesterday.

By night's end, Boston appeared to move in another direction by signing forward Michael Ryder, leaving Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver and the Penguins still in the hunt.

The Bruins had been considered the leading contender to pluck him from the Penguins, whose standing offer is believed to have been worth slightly more than $7 million annually over five years.

Shero said last month he thought they were atop Hossa's list of preferred employers.

The Penguins did not increase their offer to Hossa yesterday.

Shero, who has never detailed the offer, did not wait on Hossa's decision. He was engaged in talks with several free-agent forwards yesterday - including a surprise phone call to representatives for New York Rangers right wing Jaromir Jagr, who spent his first 11 seasons with the Penguins.

Jagr is a former Penguins captain and their second all-time leading scorer. He is represented by Pat Brisson, who is also Crosby's agent.

Brisson had no comment.

Shero never offered a contract to Jagr, whose stated desire is to stay with the Rangers.

Orpik, a respected leader in the Penguins' dressing room and their most physical defenseman, fielded several favorable offers from other teams. The Penguins' last offer - believed to be a five-year deal worth more than $3 million annually - did not result in an agreement.

Orpik's agent, Lewis Gross, did not return calls.

Comment: Big mistake by the Pens for not signing Ty Conklin.

Pens sign Dupuis, Eaton; lose Conklin, Hall
By Rob Rossi
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
July 1, 2008

The Penguins entered today with 10 unrestricted free agents.

Four hours into the free-agent signing period, that number stands at six.

Forward Pascal Dupuis and defenseman Mark Eaton have signed multi-year contracts with the Penguins. Dupuis inked a three-year deal totaling $4.2 million and Eaton signed at two years for a total of $2 million.

The Penguins also reportedly have signed forward Eric Godard, who spent the past two seasons with Calgary. Canada's TSN reports the deal is worth three years, with financial details unknown.

Godard could provide the Penguins insurance as an enforcer if they cannot sign right wing Georges Laraque, who has not received an offer from general manager Ray Shero.

Ty Conklin, a veteran goaltender credited by many Penguins' players for saving the team's season, has signed a one-year deal worth $750,000 with the Detroit Red Wings. Conklin went 18-8-5 with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage -- second best in the NHL -- after a recall from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL in early-December.

Adam Hall, who spent the entire season with the Penguins after earning a roster spot out of training camp, has signed a three-year deal worth $1.8 million with Tampa Bay.

The Penguins are also believed to have reached an agreement with star center Evgeni Malkin on a five-year contract extension worth $8.7 million annually. That extension will kick in after this season. An announcement is expected this week.