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Atlantic Division notebook:
Mario Lemieux, owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates?
It could have happened.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette first reported last weekend that the Penguins’ owner and Hall of Fame center attempted to speak with Pirates owner Bob Nutting. The Pirates' owner passed, however, and downplayed the seriousness of the talks.
The Pens enjoyed back-to-back quality wins at home, 2-1 over the Red Wings in a shootout Sunday and 5-4 over the Sabres on Monday. Sidney Crosby scored four goals in the two games — including a hat trick Monday night — while Evgeni Malkin recorded three assists.Crosby and Malkin also scored shootout goals Sunday.
NEW JERSEY
The Devils started the week with two losses in three days. They ended it by adding Ilya Kovalchuk. Not bad. The Devils traded their first- and second-round picks this year, defenseman Johnny Oduya, forward Nic Bergfors and prospect Patrice Cormier to Atlanta for Kovalchuk, defenseman Anssi Salmela and the Thrashers’ second-round pick this year. The 26-year-old UFA-to-be met with reporters at The Prudential Center Friday following the Devils’ early skate prior to their 4-3 win over Toronto. Kovalchuk finished with two assists.
NEW YORK RANGERS
The Rangers entered the week having lost five games by a combined 20-5 score, and were 6-7-2 overall in January. Following a 3-1 win Sunday night in Colorado where Marian Gaborik was the Rangers’ lone goal-scorer, GM Glen Sather tried to revitalize his team by trading forwards Ales Kotalik and Chris Higgins to Calgary for forwards Olli Jokinen and Brandon Prust. … Sather told reporters prior to the Rangers’ 2-0 loss in Los Angeles on Tuesday that the deal had other components, but hinted that the salary cap may have limited what both organizations could do. … Head coach John Tortorella opined on Kotalik and Higgins before Tuesday’s match. … The Hockey News compiled a top ten list of players that were involved in trades for Jokinen. …The newcomers' debuts were not successful. The Rangers dropped a 2-1 decision at Staples Center, and were outgunned by the Capitals, 5-4, at MSG on Thursday night. After Thursday night’s loss, the theme du jour was the Rangers’ lack of discipline. Nine minor penalties leading to three power-play goals against will do that.
PHILADELPHIA
The organization announced Sunday that it had come to terms with D Lukas Krajicek. Krajicek had only played 23 games for the Lightning this season before being shipped to Tampa’s AHL affiliate in Norfolk, Va. The defenseman told the Camden Courier-Post, “We were trying to make some kind of deal or trade. I had an offer to go to Europe. But the Flyers called me and offered me a contract and, obviously, I jumped on it right away. It is a great place, and obviously I want to play in the NHL.” … Krajicek’s new mate on the blueline, Chris Pronger, told reporters prior to Wednesday’s game in Edmonton that he was happy to be back. Pronger played for the 2005-06 Oilers, which lost the Stanley Cup to Carolina in seven games. … His joy was short-lived as the Oilers beat their former teammate 1-0.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
It was announced on Tuesday that the Islanders will spend part of their 2010 training camp in China. The proposal appears to be a joint venture between the league, which wants to grow the game and its brand internationally, and Isles owner Charles Wang, who is Chinese. … According to The New York Post, the Thrashers spent time examining the Islanders last week in an effort to determine if they could swing a deal involving Kovalchuk. … Veteran D Brendan Witt was put on waivers Wednesday. He cleared and reported to AHL Bridgeport on Thursday.
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