LCS Hockey - Chimp Bytes: General NHL News and Notes

CONTENTS
Pre-season Results

Chimp Bytes
General NHL News and Notes
by Zippy, Wonder Chimp

Penguins File for Bankruptcy

The Pittsburgh Penguins, unable to reach agreement with Spectacor, filed for federal bankruptcy protection on Tuesday for the second time in franchise history.

Saying they want "to ensure the long-term future of Penguins hockey in Pittsburgh," co-owners Roger Marino and Howard Baldwin filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the Federal Bankruptcy Code.

"This will have absolutely no effect on Penguins' games, on our payroll, on the club's 1998-99 playing schedule or any of our hockey operations," Marino and Baldwin said in a joint statement. "The team, our season-ticket holders and our corporate sponsors will be protected during this reorganization."

According to Marino, the team has lost more than $37 million over the past two seasons. The Penguins have made significant progress in talks with two creditors - former player Mario Lemieux and Fox Sports Pittsburgh. But they were unable "to coax any assistance out of" SMG, the company that operates the Civic Arena.

Months ago, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman cautioned the Penguins against declaring bankruptcy, warning it could lead to forfeiture of the franchise. Tuesday, he issued a statement calling the move "disappointing."

"We have a commitment from Penguins' ownership that the team will be adequately funded and we are optimistic that this process will ultimately ensure that the franchise will be financially and competitively successful in the city of Pittsburgh," Bettman stated.

Oilers re-sign Ryan Smyth

The Oilers re-signed left wing Ryan Smyth, a restricted free agent, to a one-year contract on Monday. Smyth, 22, had 20 goals and 13 assists in 65 games last season, following a 39-goal season in 1996-97. Financial details weren't released.

Samuelsson agrees to terms with Tampa

The Lightning have agreed to contract terms with defenseman Kjell Samuelsson pending a release from his European club, according to a report in The Tampa Tribune. Samuelsson, 40, had three assists and 28 penalty minutes in 49 games with the Philadelphia Flyers last season.

Espositos fired in Tampa shakeup

The Lightning fired brothers Phil and Tony Esposito Tuesday in a front-office shakeup by a team with the worst record in the NHL last season. Phil Esposito, the general manager, and Tony Esposito, the director of hockey development, are both in the Hall of Fame and have been with the Lightning since their inception in 1992-93. Coach Jacques Demers will also become GM while head scout Don Murdoch takes over as director of hockey development.

TRANSACTIONS

Tuesday, Oct. 13

Edmonton Oilers: Re-signed restricted free agent LW Ryan Smyth to a one-year contract.
New Jersey Devils: Assigned D Bryan Muir to Albany (AHL).
Philadelphia Flyers: Acquired the rights to D Ryan Blast and an eighth-round pick in the 1999 draft from the Calgary Flames for a third-round pick in 1999.
San Jose Sharks: Assigned G Bruce Racine to Fort Wayne (IHL).
Tampa Bay Lightning: Fired general manager Phil Esposito and director of hockey development and scouting Tony Esposito. Named coach Jacques Demers as general manager. Named Don Murdoch director of player personnel.
Washington Capitals: Recalled LW Trevor Halverson from Portland (AHL).

Monday, Oct. 12

Calgary Flames: Assigned G Jean-Sebastien Giguere to Saint John (AHL).
Edmonton Oilers: Re-signed LW Ryan Smyth to a one-year contract.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Signed Brian Leitza and assigned him to Arkansas (WPHL).
San Jose Sharks: Assigned G Bruce Racine to Fort Wayne (IHL).

Sunday, Oct. 11

Anaheim Mighty Ducks: Recalled D Mike Crowley from Cincinnati (AHL).
Colorado Avalanche: Recalled D Dan Smith from Hershey (AHL).

Saturday, Oct. 10

Montreal Canadiens: Assigned D Stephane Robidas to Fredericton (AHL).

Friday, Oct. 9

NHL: Suspended Anaheim D Ruslan Salei for five games without pay and fined him $1,000 for his hit on Phoenix's Daniel Briere in a preseason game Oct. 6.
Buffalo Sabres: Assigned C Erik Rasmussen to Rochester (AHL).
Montreal Canadiens: Signed D Vladimir Malakhow to a two-year contract. Signed F Trent McCleary to a one-year contract.
New Jersey Devils: Assigned C John Madden to Albany (AHL).
New York Rangers: Signed LW Esa Tikkanen.
Phoenix Coyotes: Assigned LW Louis DeBrusk to Las Vegas (IHL).
Pittsburgh Penguins: Signed LW Martin Sonnenberg and assigned him to Syracuse (AHL).
Tampa Bay Lightning: Returned D Paul Mara to Plymouth (OHL). Assigned G Corey Schwab to Cleveland (IHL). Sent RW Alex Selivanov to Cleveland (IHL) for two games for conditioning.

Thursday, Oct. 8

Anaheim Mighty Ducks: Assigned G Jamie Ram to Cincinnati (AHL).
Boston Bruins: Named Mike O'Connell vice president of hockey operations. Promoted Jeff Gorton to assistant to the vice president of hockey operations.
Buffalo Sabres: Agreed to terms with F Miroslav Satan on a one-year contract.
Calgary Flames: Signed RW Rico Fata, their 1998 first-round draft pick.
Chicago Blackhawks: Loaned C James Black to Chicago (IHL).
Dallas Stars: Placed D Dan Keczmer and C Brian Skrudland on the injured reserve list.
Florida Panthers: Assigned RW David Nemirovsky to Fort Wayne (IHL).
Nashville Predators: Assigned D Rob Zettler to Utah (IHL).
New Jersey Devils: Signed C Alexander Semak and sent him to Albany (AHL).
Pittsburgh Penguins: Assigned C Sean Pronger and D Sven Butenschon to Houston (IHL), C Brian Bonin and D Tuomas Gronman to Kansas City (IHL) and LW Robert Dome to Syracuse (AHL). Signed LW Patrick Lebeau.
St. Louis Blues: Assigned D Ricard Persson to Worcester (AHL).
San Jose Sharks: Assigned D Brad Stuart to Regina (WHL).

Wednesday, Oct. 7

Mighty Ducks of Anaheim: Sent RW Frank Banham, Ds Mike Crowley and Dan Trebil and LW Jeremy Stevenson to Cincinnati (AHL). Loaned G Patrick Lalime to Kansas City (IHL).
Buffalo Sabres: Signed D James Patrick.
Chicago Blackhawks: Loaned LW James Black to Chicago (IHL).
Detroit Red Wings: Placed F Brent Gilchrist on the injured reserved list. Sent F Darryl Laplante and D Maxim Kuznetsov to Adirondack (AHL).
Edmonton Oilers: Sent LW Joe Hulbig and RW Georges Laraque to Hamilton (AHL). Designated C Mark Lamb for minor league assignment.
Florida Panthers: Sent F Marcus Nilson and Ds Peter Ratchuk and Filip Kuba to New Haven (AHL). Designated F Dave Nemirovsky for minor league assignment.
Los Angeles Kings: Sent D Mark Visheau and D Jaroslav Modry to Long Beach (IHL).
Nashville Predators: Sent LW Jeff Daniels, RWs Brad Smyth and Vitali Yachmenev, Ds Marc Moro and Kimmo Timonen and G Chris Mason to Milwaukee (IHL).
New Jersey Devils: Sent G Richard Shulmistra, Ds Geordie Kinnear, Ken Sutton and LW Eric Bertrand to Albany (AHL). Returned C Scott Gomez to his junior team (Tri-City, WHL).
New York Islanders: Sent C Mike Kennedy and D Zdeno Chara to Lowell (AHL).
Philadelphia Flyers: Signed RW Jody Hull to a two-year contract. Sent D Jeff Lank to Philadelphia (AHL).
Phoenix Coyotes: Waived LW Louie DeBrusk. Recalled D Bryan Helmer from Las Vegas (IHL).
St. Louis Blues: Reclaimed D Rory Fitzpatrick off waivers and sent him to Worcester (AHL).
Tampa Bay Lightning: Signed C Vincent Lecavalier to a three-year contract.

Tuesday, Oct. 6

Chicago Blackhawks: Sent G Marc Lamothe, D Rob Mara, and RW Ryan VandenBussche to Indianapolis (IHL).
Dallas Stars: Assigned Fs David Roberts and Jon Sim to Michigan (IHL). Loaned G Manny Fernandez to Houston (IHL).
Montreal Canadiens: Sent Ds Sylvain Blouin and Francis Bouillon and F Jonathan Deslisle to Fredericton (AHL).
New York Islanders: Signed C Trevor Linden to a one-year contract.
Ottawa Senators: Re-signed D Stan Neckar.
St. Louis Blues: Assigned D Jan Horacek to Worcester (AHL).
Tampa Bay Lightning: Sent Cs Jason Bonsignore and Daymond Langkow, LW Brent Peterson, and D Mike McBain to Cleveland (IHL). Designated G Corey Schwab for minor league reassignment. Returned D Paul Mara to his junior team (Plymouth, OHL).
Toronto Maple Leafs: Signed D Glen Featherstone and LW Garry Valk. Named Richard Peddie president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

Monday, Oct. 5

Mighty Ducks of Anaheim: Acquired G Dominic Roussel from the Nashville Predators for G Chris Mason and D Marc Moro.
Buffalo Sabres: Assigned F Randy Cunneyworth, F Scott Nichol and D Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre to Rochester (AHL).
Carolina Hurricanes: Assigned Fs Scott Levins, Shane Willis, Craig MacDonald and Byron Ritchie and D Marek Malik to New Haven (AHL).
Dallas Stars: Signed F Jamie Langenbrunner to a two-year contract.
Detroit Red Wings: Re-acquired F Brent Gilchrist, who had been selected in the waiver draft, from the Tampa Bay Lightning for a sixth-round pick in the 1999 entry draft.
Florida Panthers: Assigned D John Jakopin, F Ryan Johnson and G Todd MacDonald to New Haven (AHL).
New Jersey Devils: Assigned Ds Vlastimil Kroupa, Sergei Vyshedkevich and Colin White to Albany (AHL). Returned G Jean-Francois Damphousse to his junior team (Moncton, QMJHL).
Philadelphia Flyers: Acquired LW Valeri Zelepukin from the Edmonton Oilers for C Daniel Lacroix.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Released F Alexander Semak. Assigned D Chris Joseph to Cincinnati (IHL).
St. Louis Blues: Assigned RW Chris Kenady, C Terry Yake and D Libor Zabransky to Worcester of the AHL.
San Jose Sharks: Re-signed restricted free agent D Mike Rathje and unrestricted free agent RW Dave Lowry. Signed D Scott Hannan. Assigned RW Mike Craig, G Sean Gauthier and D Jon Rohloff to Kentucky (AHL). Loaned D Shawn Heins to the Canadian National team.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Assigned Fs Kevyn Adams, Mark Deyell and Ladislav Kohn to St. John's (AHL). Loaned F Niklas Andersson to Chicago (IHL).
Vancouver Canucks: Re-signed G Corey Hirsch to a one-year contract.

Sunday, Oct. 4

Calgary Flames: Assigned Fs Chris Dingman, Hnat Domenichelli, and Travis Brigley to Saint John (AHL).
Dallas Stars: Assigned Fs Mel Angelstad and Greg Leeb and Ds Petr Buzek, Richard Jackman and Brad Lukowich to Michigan (IHL).
New York Islanders: Assigned Ds Vladimir Chebaturkin, Jeff Libby and Ray Schultz; and Fs Steve Webb, Sean Haggerty, Dmitri Nabokov, Vladimir Orszagh, Craig Charron and Warren Luhning to Lowell (AHL).
Ottawa Senators: Loaned G Jani Hurme, LWs Brian Felsner and Yves Sarault and C Steve Martins to Detroit (IHL).
San Jose Sharks: Re-signed C Mike Ricci and D Mike Rathje.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Assigned D Nathan Dempsey to St. John's (AHL). Released Fs Steven Rice and Nikolai Borschevsky.

Saturday, Oct. 3

Boston Bruins: Sent RWs Landon Wilson and Cameron Mann and Cs Shawn Bates and Andre Savage to Providence (AHL). Recalled LW Jay Henderson and Cs Marquis Mathieu and Eric Nickulas from Providence.
Los Angeles Kings: Assigned G Manny Legace to Long Beach (IHL).
Montreal Canadiens: Agreed to terms with LW Shayne Corson on a one-year contract.
Phoenix Coyotes: Assigned C Tavis Hansen, Ds Brad Tiley and Radoslav Suchy, LW Barry Nieckar and F Joe Dziedzic to Springfield (AHL). Loaned F J.F. Jomphe to Las Vegas (IHL).
Vancouver Canucks: Assigned C Josh Holden, LW Peter Schaefer, D Brent Sopel and G Mike Valley to Syracuse (AHL). Returned D Brad Ference to his junior team (Spokane, WHL).

Friday, Oct. 2

Thursday, Oct. 1

NHL: Suspended Nashville Predators RW Sergei Krivokrasov three preseason games and fined him $1,000 for an incident in Saturday's game against St. Louis. Suspended Montreal Canadiens D Sylvain Blouin for two preseason games and fined him $1,000 for an incident in Sunday's game against Chicago. Suspended Calgary Flames LW Dave Roche, pending a hearing scheduled for Friday.
Boston Bruins: Agreed to terms with restricted free agent C Jason Allison on a two-year contract. Re-signed free agent C/LW Ted Donato to a one-year contract.
Chicago Blackhawks: Signed D Dimitri Tolkunov to a multiyear contract.
Detroit Red Wings: Traded F Mike Knuble to the New York Rangers for a third-round draft pick in 2000.
Edmonton Oilers: Traded G Eric Fichaud and D Drake Berehowsky and D Greg de Vries to the Nashville Predators for F Jim Dowd and G Mikhail Shtalenkov. Signed D Marty McSorley to a one-year contract.
Florida Panthers: Assigned C Viacheslav Butsayev to Fort Wayne (IHL).
New Jersey Devils: Assigned RW Steve Brule to Albany (AHL).
St. Louis Blues: Assigned F Lubos Bartecko, F Jochen Hecht and F Reed Low to Worcester (AHL).
Toronto Maple Leafs: Assigned Ds Jeff Ware and Marek Posmyk and RW Jason Podollan to St. John's (AHL). Assigned LW Scott Pearson to Chicago (IHL).
Vancouver Canucks: Assigned LW Larry Courville to Syracuse (AHL).