NEWS BY DIVISION
- Northeast GMs still filling roster holes Northeast
- 'Boogey Man' no laughing matter Atlantic
- Halak must prove he isn't all hype Central
- Iginla likes Calgary signings of Jokinen, Tanguay Northwest
- If Kovy stays in the East, then what? Pacific
- FAs not expected to fly Southeast this summer Southeast
COLUMNS
- Drafting well: not an easy task Justin Bourne
- Stock Up, Stock Down Justin Bourne
- Beards And Bruises: The De-evolution of Looks Justin Bourne
| That's the Pitts: Crosby booed by home 'fans' |
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| Atlantic |
| Written by Denis Gorman |
| Sunday, March 07, 2010 00:00 |
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Atlantic Division notebook: Sidney Crosby is used to being simultaneously loved and hated. Arguably the best hockey player on the planet, Crosby hears cat calls in 29 of 30 NHL arenas. The only city where he is beloved is Pittsburgh, for whom he plies his trade. Following his Olympic Gold Medal-winning goal in overtime Sunday, Crosby became a Canadian National hero and a villain in America. Two nights later, prior to a home game against Buffalo, Crosby donned in the Penguins’ black-and-gold sweater and was booed. In Pittsburgh highlights of Olympics-winning goal aired on the Jumbotron, while Team USA and Sabres netminder Ryan Miller received a standing ovation from the Igloo crowd. At least one writer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Dave Molinari, criticized those so-called fans who booed Crosby. Meanwhile, general manager Ray Shero made a pair of trades to bolster his team for the upcoming playoffs, bringing in defenseman Jordan Leopold from Florida and winger Alexei Ponikarovsky from Toronto. Ponikarovsky did not play in the Penguins’ Thursday night game in New York due to bureaucratic paperwork. PHILADELPHIA The Flyers did not make a personnel addition at the trade deadline, but they did experience a major loss. The organization announced on Tuesday that goaltender Ray Emery will miss the rest of the season with an injured hip. In a statement released by the team, GM Paul Holmgren said, “He is suffering from avascular necrosis and will have a bone graft done to alleviate his hip issues.” Many observers, including The Hockey News’ Adam Proteau, criticized Holmgren for not making a trade for a legitimate No. 1 goaltender. … The Flyers announced on Thursday they had come to terms with prospects Eric Wellwood, Like Pither and Shane Harper. All three play Canadian Junior Hockey – Wellwood and Pither in the Ontario Hockey League, while Harper is a Western Hockey League product.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS During Wednesday’s Trade Deadline Spectacular on TSN, its panelists were dumbfounded that New York Islanders GM Garth Snow did not deal one of the organization’s two NHL No. 1 goaltenders, Dwayne Roloson or Martin Biron. The reason that neither Roloson nor Biron found their way off of Long Island was most likely due to Rick DiPietro reporting that his surgically repaired right knee has swelled. According to ESPN.com, DiPietro is “out indefinitely." … Snow made a minor deal, trading defenseman Andy Sutton to Ottawa for a second-round draft pick. NEW YORK RANGERS Much like a majority of his counterparts, GM Glen Sather did not do much at the trade deadline, only adding Detroit’s Kris Newbury and Phoenix’s Anders Eriksson. The lack of personnel movement was in part because the Rangers added Olli Jokinen, Brandon Prust and Jody Shelley prior to the Olympics. The New York Post speculates that the cost for a playoff run addition could have been too high for Sather. … Despite Henrik Lundqvist's 50 saves, the Rangers lost in overtime, 5-4, to Pittsburgh on Thursday night at The Garden. NEW JERSEY It was believed that GM Lou Lamoriello, infused with the belief that his team can compete for The Cup this spring, was going to be a trade-deadline buyer. Lamoriello had traded for Ilya Kovalchuk before the Olympics, and the speculation was that Scott Niedermayer and a set-up center for Kovalchuk were headed to Newark. Instead, Lamoriello only added to the Devils’ periphery, trading for defenseman Martin Skoula. The GM believes the acquisition of Skoula gives head coach Jacques Lemaire an eight-man back end rotation.
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