OTTAWA – — The Pittsburgh Penguins had only four picks in the NHL’s two-day draft, which concluded Saturday, but there was still plenty of buzz surrounding the team.
Fresh off a run to the Stanley Cup finals, General Manager Ray Shero and Penguins face decisions on which players to resign. They’re attempting to retain Marian Hossa, who’s eligible to become a free agent, and are also likely to lose center Ryan Malone, while hoping to sign forward Evgeni Malkin and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury to contract extensions this summer.
There was also news surrounding league MVP finalist Malkin. The International Ice Hockey Federation took the unusual step of issuing a statement addressing a story in the Toronto Star on Friday that said Malkin would be offered at least $12.5 million per season, tax-free, to return to Russia to play.
“Although there will be no imminent player transfer agreement between the IIHF and the NHL, all involved parties are in principal agreement to honor each other’s contracts,” IIHF President René Fasel said.
Fasel said that any signing of a player under contract without an out-clause could bring severe repercussions.
“It would potentially be punishable with suspended national team eligibility and suspension from all competition or activity organized by the IIHF or any IIHF member national association,” Fasel said. “This would include events like the Olympic Winter Games, the IIHF World Championship or international club competitions like the Champions Hockey League.
“Given this, we are confident that the report is not substantiated,” he said.
Malkin’s agent, J.P. Barry, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that his client was not planning to return to Russia.
“He wants to stay in Pittsburgh,” Barry said in Saturday’s Post-Gazette. “He wants them to keep as many players as they can, so we’re working on a term and a structure that will hopefully do that.”
When the Penguins did finally get around to drafting, they chose two goaltenders, a center and a defenseman on Saturday.
Nathan Moon was taken in the fourth round. The 5-foot-11, 179-pound center is a native of Belleville, Ontario. He had 35 goals and 77 points in 68 games with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs last season.
Goaltender Alexander Pechurski was selected in the fifth round with the 150th overall pick. The 6-foot, 187-pounder is a native of Magnitogorsk, Russia. He went 4-1 with a 3.06 goals-against average while playing for his home country in the under-18 world championships.
The Penguins took goalie Patrick Killeen from Brampton (OHL) in the sixth round with the 180th overall pick. The 6-4, 194-pound goaltender is a native of Almonte, Ontario. Killeen went 20-9-2 with a 2.76 GAA in 34 games with Brampton last season.
With their final pick, the Penguins chose defenseman Nicholas D’Agostino from St. Michael’s Buzzers (OPJHL) in the seventh round. The 6-1, 177-pound defenseman is a native of Bolton, Ontario, and has verbally committed to Cornell beginning with the 2009-10 season. D’Agostino scored five goals and had 18 points in 46 games.
The Penguins dealt their first-round pick, plus last year’s first rounder, forward Angelo Esposito, and forwards Colby Armstrong and Erik Christensen to Atlanta on Feb. 26 for Hossa and forward Pascal Dupuis.
Pittsburgh lost its second-round pick in the trade for defenseman Hal Gill, also on Feb. 26. The Penguins dealt their third-round pick at the trading deadline a year ago to get forward Georges Laraque.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Pro
Despite lack of picks, Penguins making noise
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