PITTSBURGH — Turns out more than one player is willing to take a hometown discount to stay with the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
Ruslan Fedotenko signed a $1.8 million, one-year contract Friday, becoming the third forward to take a pay cut so he wouldn’t have to leave a mostly young team that expects to be a championship contender for years.
Fedotenko made $2.25 million last season, when he bounced back from a disappointing regular season (16 goals, 39 points) to get seven goals and seven assists in the playoffs.
Craig Adams ($600,000 to $550,000) and Bill Guerin ($4.5 million to $2 million) also accepted salary cuts to stay after the free-agent signing period began Wednesday.
Enforcer-type forward Mike Rupp got a raise from $500,000 to $800,000 to leave New Jersey, but it is difficult to persuade free agents to take a pay cut and switch teams.
“I think it says a lot about Bill Guerin, Craig Adams and Ruslan Fedotenko to want to come back here and be part of this group,” General Manager Ray Shero said Friday. “A guy like Mike Rupp really adds to our depth, our grit and our character, and obviously all these guys have won in the past. I’m happy with our forward group.”
The defense is thinner following the departures of Rob Scuderi and Hal Gill, Pittsburgh’s shutdown combination during the playoffs. Both signed for far more money than the Penguins – currently only $2.96 million under the salary cap – could afford.
Scuderi, who made $725,00 last season, signed a $13.6 million, four-year deal with Los Angeles, or about
$1.4 million more per season than Pittsburgh offered. Gill signed for
$4.5 million over two years with Montreal; the Penguins were interested only in a one-season contract.
“We don’t win without those two guys, for sure,” Shero said. “In Scuds’ case, by NHL standards he has not made a lot of money. It’s harder to find a nicer guy than Rob, so to see him take advantage of the system and the great year he had is really satisfying. That’s the system and I’m thrilled for him.”
Scuderi and Gill took on bigger roles when No. 1 defenseman Sergei Gonchar missed three-quarters of the season with a shoulder injury, then tore a knee ligament during the playoffs.
With Gonchar expected to be healthy when he returns for training camp in September, along with Brooks Orpik, Mark Eaton, Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski, Shero anticipates adding only one experienced defenseman.
“We’ve been in touch with a number of guys that are unrestricted (free agents) so we’re going to wait and see,” said Shero, who won’t rule out a trade.
“I think we’re in good shape – we want to find the right guy, the right fit.”
Shero hasn’t gotten a recent medical update on Gonchar, who was badly injured during the second round against Washington but returned after missing only two games. “No news is good news, right?” Shero said.
While the Penguins are bringing back Fedotenko, they aren’t making a strong push to re-sign forward Petr Sykora, who had 25 goals in 76 regular-season games but was injured or ineffective throughout the playoffs.
The 32-year-old Sykora had only two goals in his final 24 games.
“Maybe we’ll revisit it next week and see where we’re at,” Shero said. “I haven’t closed the door.”
By signing Rupp, the Penguins added to their collection of players who have scored the game-winning goal in a Stanley Cup Game 7. They have three of the last four to do so in Rupp (2003), Fedotenko (2004) and Max Talbot (2009).
The 30-year-old Fedotenko became the first Ukrainian-born player to win the Stanley Cup when he scored both Tampa Bay goals in a 2-1 victory in Game 7 against Calgary.
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Fedotenko takes pay cut to stay with Penguins
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Pirates pick up fourth straight victory
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Sympathetic Pirates add to Cubs’ slide
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Perhaps more than anyone, they know what it feels like to be on an extended losing streak
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Richland's Lumley settles for pair of silver medals
Paige Lumley was on an emotional roller coaster and seeing silver on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Richland senior had state record jumps twice during the triple jump competition, but ended up with a silver–medal leap of 40 feet,
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Defending state champion, second-seeded junior Lanae Newsome of Brookville, won with a jump of 40-3½. -
Ridge’s Dull takes second with school-record time
Matt Dull finished his athletic career with his best on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Chestnut Ridge senior ran a career-best time of 38.12 to finish second in the 300 hurdles final, also setting another school record. -
Hit batsman lifts Pirates over Cubs
Matt Hague was hit by a pitch from Rafael Dolis with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates sent the Chicago Cubs to their 11th straight loss with a 3-2 victory Saturday night.
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Generals return to defeat Sting
It’s been a dramatic month for the Johnstown Generals.
There were two postponed games that left the immediate and long-term future of the franchise in serious doubt just two weeks ago. -
Greater Johnstown Speedway failed to win the support of fans
Back in the late 1950’s, the area stock car racing landscape was populated by a very strong and popular three-track weekend circuit, consisting of the Windber Stadium Speedway, Jennerstown Speedway and the Ebensburg Fairgrounds Speedway.
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Final PIAA track update - No gold for local athletes
Richland senior Paige Lumley broke the state triple jump record twice in the PIAA Class AA Track and Field Championships today, but it wasn't enough to earn a gold medal.
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PIAA track update - Central Cambria's Brandis earns medal
Central Cambria's Alyssa Brandis claimed the first local medal of this morning's action at the PIAA Track and Field Championshps.
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