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ZHL GENERAL MANAGER: |
Peter Maroulis |
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The Penguins could use some goaltending help after Gs Ron Tugnutt, Tyler Moss and Peter Skudra became free agents on July 1. That left Jean-Sebatien Aubin as the only netminder under contract to Pittsburgh. ... The Pens used their first-round pick in the NHL draft, 18th overall, on D Brooks Orpik, who was named for former Pittsburgh coach Herb Brooks. "It was kind of funny meeting him at first," Orpik said. "He said something to me. I guess it's funny how it worked out." Orpik was the first American taken in the first round by the Penguins. The 6-2 1/2, 221-pound defenseman was the fourth-ranked North American prospect after completing his sophomore season at Boston College. In the seventh round, the Pens selected University of New Hampshire LW Jim Abbott, a native of nearby Mars, Pennsylvania who played youth hockey with GM Craig Patrick's son. ... Pittsburgh lost C Tyler Wright and D Jonas Andersson-Junkka to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the expansion draft. Andersson-Junkka was a 1993 fourth-round pick who has never played in North America. ... RW Jaromir Jagr won the Lester Pearson Award as the NHL's outstanding player, as voted by his peers. But he lost the Hart Trophy by one vote to St. Louis D Chris Pronger. ... On June 21, the Penguins promoted Czech Ivan Hlinka to head coach, making him the second European to hold that position in NHL history. |
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Pittsburgh Penguins