Around the NHL - 21 Oct

Posted by admin on 21st, 2008

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Top News Stories:

Avangard Omsk returns to ice after Cherepanov death
The Avangard Omsk hockey team on Monday played its first Kontinental Hockey League game since the death of promising winger Alexei Cherepanov.

With Cherepanov’s parents in attendance, captain Alexander Svitov and alternates Anton Kuryanov and Alexander Popov skated with Cherepanov’s jersey No. 7 before it was raised to the rafters. An announcement was made that his No. 7 will never be worn again.

“It was tough on those three guys,” Omsk coach Wayne Fleming told TSN of Canada on Monday. “They didn’t have a lot of time to wipe their tears before the puck drop and away they went. And there was no warmup music at all. There was no talking among the players as both teams went about their warmup rituals and practice drills.”

(View the full story on Yahoo! Sports)

Avery returns to the Garden
Sean Avery hurried out of Madison Square Garden nearly as quickly as he left the New York Rangers as a free agent.

“I love you guys,” Avery said to a large throng of reporters in the
tight visitors dressing room, “but I have to go take my teammates out
to dinner.”

Avery made his presence felt upon his return to Manhattan after 1
1/2 seasons of being the resident Rangers pest. He didn’t show up on
the scoresheet Monday, but he walked out into the New York nightlife he
relishes after he and the Dallas Stars skated off with a 2-1 victory.

(View the full story on Yahoo! Sports)

3 Stars of the day (NHL.com):

Injury Updates:

Devils C Holik out 3-4 weeks
The New Jersey Devils on Monday announced that veteran center Bobby Holik will be sidelined three to four weeks with a broken right pinkie. Holik, who left in the second period of the team’s 4-3 shootout win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday, is scheduled for surgery on Tuesday. In a corresponding move, the Devils recalled left wing Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond from Lowell of the American Hockey League. (Yahoo!)
DiPietro feeling good
DiPietro (knee) said he was “feeling good” after Monday’s practice, the New York Newsday reports. (Yahoo!)

Transactions:

Rangers add LW DiDiomete
The New York Rangers on Monday agreed to terms with left wing Devin DiDiomete. Known as an enforcer, DiDiomete notched 23 goals and 56 points with 216 penalty minutes over 56 games last season with Sarnia of the Ontario Hockey League. The 20-year-old DiDiomete also had six goals and six assists with 62 penalty minutes in 21 playoff contests. (Yahoo!)
Flyers assign RW Downie, C Ross to minors
The Philadelphia Flyers assigned right wing Steve Downie and center Jared Ross to the Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League on Monday. Both have played sparingly as the Flyers have gotten off to a miserable 0-3-2 start. Neither has recorded a point. (Yahoo!)
Carolina send Zach Boychuk to WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes
Zach Boychuk is on his way back to the Western Hockey League. The Carolina Hurricanes announced Monday that the 19-year-old forward would rejoin his junior team in Lethbridge for the rest of the season. (Yahoo!)
Red Wings place RW McCarty on waivers
The Detroit Red Wings on Monday placed veteran right wing Darren McCarty on waivers, according to a published report. The Detroit News reported that if the 36-year-old clears waivers, he could be sent to Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League. All other NHL clubs have until noon on Tuesday to claim McCarty, who has been part of four Stanley Cup championships with the Red Wings. (Yahoo!)

Trade Rumors: (bought to you by spectorshockey.net)

EAGLE TRIBUNE.COM: Mike McMahon reports Phil Kessel’s improvement this season has turned him into the “sniper the Bruins need him to be”, silencing his critics and putting the rest the trade rumors that dogged him since last season. McMahon suggests the Bruins need to re-sign Kessel before he become a restricted free agent next summer.
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Dan Wood reports on the media circus that’ll dog Anaheim Ducks GM Brian Burke during his club’s swing into Toronto this week, where he’s rumored to be in the running for the job of Maple Leafs general manager when his current contract expires with the Ducks at season’s end. Burke isn’t keen on discussing his future but added he’d make a decision on re-signing with the Ducks by no later than Christmas.
DETROIT NEWS: reports the Red Wings have placed popular forward Darren McCarty on waivers.
VANCOUVER PROVINCE: reports the Canucks have recalled forwards Kyle Wellwood and Matt Pettinger and are confident both will clear re-entry waivers.
SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS: reports the Sharks have placed their 2004 first round pick Lukas Kaspar on waivers.
View the full article on Spectorshockey

Game Results: