The New York Rangers added another depth move as they agreed
to a one-year, 1.1 million-dollar contract with unrestricted free agent Brandon
Pirri on Friday.
Pirri, 25, scored 14 goals and 15 assists between the
Florida Panthers and the Anaheim Ducks during the 2015-2016 National Hockey
League season. The Ducks acquired the forward just prior to the trading
deadline, for a sixth round, pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Pirri was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second
round, 59th overall of the 2009 NHL Draft. In 166 regular season
games between the Blackhawks, Panthers and Ducks he has scored 49 goals and 31
assists.
His career high came during the 2014-2015 NHL season with the
Panthers, when he scored 22 goals and two assists in 49 games. Pirri played one
season, collegiately with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he scored 49
goals and 31 assists.
In Other News:
Pittsburgh Penguins captain, Sidney Crosby, was named the
captain for Team Canada at the World Cup of Hockey Tournament being played in
Toronto from September 17 to October 1.
Crosby, 29, just led his Penguins to a Stanley Cup
Championship this past season. Since the Penguins named him their captain, almost
10 years ago, he has put up 338 goals and 600 assists in 707 NHL games.
Crosby has led Canada to the gold three times in his reign
as captain. In 2015, he captained his country to the International Ice Hockey Federation
World Championship. He also served as captain for the Canadian squad during the
2014 Sochi Olympics and the 2010 Vancouver games.
He has also represented his homeland in the 2006 IIHF World Championship
as well as the 2004 and 2005 IIHF World Junior Championships. In 43 games
between the Olympics, World Championships and World Junior Championships, the
Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native has scored 25 goals and 26 assists.
Last month, Crosby told NHL.com, “I think it is really special about competing at the World Cup. Any
time you can compete internationally, it is pretty cool. To have Canada to host
it, to be Canadian and play in Canada, knowing how special that is, I thought
about the excitement. I am excited for the opportunity to play for Canada.”
He added, “That being
said, there is also that sense of having to get ready because it is not
typical, like in the Olympics, when you are in midseason and everything kind of
flows right in. This kind of changes things kind of a little bit being at the
start of the season. It is exciting. It
gives you something to look forward to right away. It is not the typical grind
of training camp, fitness test and all that stuff. That is not what you are
thinking about now. Now you are thinking of playing really meaningful games
right away, and that is pretty fun, that is something you look forward to.”
Crosby’s 85 points in 80 games helped make him a finalist
for the Hart Trophy, as Most Valuable Player, this past season. He added six
goals and 13 assists in 24 Stanley Cup Playoff games as he helped his team hoist
the Stanley Cup. Crosby was also voted as the Conn Smythe winner, for Most
Valuable Player during the playoffs as well.
Crosby’s assistant captains will be Chicago Blackhawks
captain, Jonathan Toews and Shea Weber of the Montreal Canadiens.
Toews, 28, led the Blackhawks to three Stanley Cup
Championships, (2010, 2013, 2015) during his reign a captain in Chicago. Weber,
31, served as the Nashville Predators captain, before being traded to the
Candiens over the summer for defenseman, P.K. Subban.
In 763 NHL games while patrolling the blue line for the
Predators, Weber has scored 166 goals and 277 assists. Toews has put up 251
goals and 313 assists in 645 games with Chicago.
In Team USA news, likely starting netminder, Cory Schneider
of the New Jersey Devils showed off his patriotism with the goalie pads that he
will be wearing for the tournament.
The Massachusetts native, who will be representing the
United States for the first time since the 2006 IIHF World Juniors, will be
sharing the crease duties with Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick and
Tampa Bay Lightning goalie, Ben Bishop.
During the 2016 NHL All-Star Game, in Nashville, Tennessee Schneider
had his equipment sponsor, Vaughn Custom Pads place guitars on his pads and
reached out to Vaughn again to have them create the patriotic pads, to look
like the American flag, for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Washington Capitals forward, T.J. Oshie, accepted the 22
Pushup Challenge, to raise awareness for the 22 US military veterans who commit
suicide every day in the United States. The 22 Pushup Challenge is similar to
the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS, which went viral two years ago.
Oshie posted his acceptance of the challenge on his Twitter
account, even enlisting the help of his young daughter, Lyla, who was then
joined by the family dog.
When he finished, he then went on to challenge his Caps teammate,
Nicklas Backstrom, St. Louis Blues forward, Danny Kristo and NBCSports Analyst
and former NHLer, Jeremy Roenick.
Oshie, will represent Team USA and Backstrom, will represent
Sweden, in the 2016 World Cup Hockey. This coming season will be Oshie’s second
season with the Capitals, after spending seven years in St. Louis.
In 80 regular season games, he scored 26 goals and 25 assists,
while adding 10 more points during the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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