Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Rings and Things: The Penguins' Championship Jewelry And More

The Pittsburgh Penguins received their 2009 Stanley Cup Championshp rings last night in a private ceremony at the LeMont restaurant on Mount Washington.

Here's a look see at each player's own personal piece of championship hardware:

http://penguins.nhl.com/club/gallerylanding.htm?id=8776

Kudos to those who had input in the design of that baby, because it's pretty fantastic.

On the left side of the ring you can't see at all, it lists each player's name and number, together with the team's 4 series' triumphs from each round this past post-season. On the right side, you can see the top of 3 Stanley Cups. The 2 cups on the left and right have the years '91 and '92 in them to commemorate the Penguins' prior championships, together with the cup in the middle representing this year's title and the 2009 year across the top of that side of the ring.

In other Penguins news, there were roster happenings surrounding the team yesterday.

First, the Penguins waived five players with the intention of sending them to their main AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre: forwards Paul Bissonette, Chris Connor and Ryan Bayda, and defenseman Nate Guenin and Derryk Engelland.

There had been some talk that pretty much any of the first 4 of those guys listed had a possibility of sticking with the squad as an extra forward or defenseman, but that proved not to be the case.

The Penguins did sign Bayda to a one-year, two-way contract yesterday, which they had to do if they wanted to keep him in the organization because he appeared on a tryout. His agent was hoping to get him a one-way contract -- and explored other opportunities throughout the league for that -- but didn't find great interest, leaving the Penguins feeling pretty comfortable in signing him and sending him down without the fear of losing him.

Bayda had a strong camp -- much like Adam Hall did in making the team 2 seasons ago on a tryout -- and the it would not surprise anyone if Bayda was one of the first people called up from WBS when the need arises.

In the NHL, Bayda would earn $500,000.

The reason why the Penguins sent defenseman Nate Guenin -- who had been the frontrunner to win the #7 defenseman job over Engelland and injured teammate Ben Lovejoy -- down was because the Penguins reached contract terms with veteran defenseman Martin Skoula yesterday.

Skoula played with the Minnesota Wild the last 2 seasons, and at 29, is a veteran of over 700+ NHL games. He was not re-signed by Minnesota this off-season and just completed a tryout with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Obviously, they chose not to offer him a contract.

Skoula can play a bit of a two way game, but as the 7th defenseman who probably isn't going to see the ice unless there's an injury, the Penguins are just looking at him as a guy who can fill in capably, be steady, and not make any glaring mistakes. While the Penguins' have had their eye on him dating back to August -- and, in fact, even made a contract offer he didn't accept back then -- there's a reason he couldn't stick in Minnesota and Columbus. He's been a fairly significant minus player the last few years, and the Penguins will need that to change if they have to call upon Skoula to enter the lineup.

He signed a one-way contract worth $600,000 and will stay with the team.

The Penguins currently have 21 active roster players. Lovejoy, forward Mark Letetsu (who will go to Wilkes Barre when he recovers from his knee injury) and Max Talbot all will begin the season on injured reserve.

Speaking of Talbot, he made his first appearance on the ice yesterday as he continues his recovery from off-season shoulder surgery.

For the most part, the Penguins' Stanley Cup hero wanted to get the legs loose and feel the puck a bit. Talbot is still quite limited with his range of motion, however, which makes shooting with velocity difficult for him at this stage.

Still, Mad Max remains on schedule in his rehabilitation. If everything continues to go well, the Penguins will see him back in the lineup in about 8 weeks.

The countdown to the season and home opener Friday against the New York Rangers -- when the Penguins will broadcast the Stanley Cup Banner raising ceremony and the game outside their arena on the big screen, just like they had up the last 2 post-seasons -- is down to 2 days.

More that morning.

Let's Go Pens.

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