Niedermayer signs with Buffalo; Ponikarovsky not considering Pittsburgh

Niedermayer signs with Buffalo; Ponikarovsky not considering Pittsburgh

12:43pm - Wednesday, July 7th, 2010 by DePaoli

The Pittsburgh Penguins search for a veteran center will have to move in another direction. The Buffalo Sabres today agreed to a one year deal with Rob Niedermayer. The deal is worth just north of $1 million per season.

The Penguins were pursuing Niedermayer heavily since the weekend as the two sides were engaged in preliminary discussions. However, Kevin Epp, the agent for Niedermayer informed the Penguins this morning that his client was going in another direction.

There were whispers on Tuesday that Niedermayer's camp had concerns about Niedermayer being a fit in Pittsburgh due to the Penguins uptempo system.

More buzz

Alexei Ponikarovsky returning to Pittsburgh was an unlikely scenario to begin with and the door has been all but closed. Pens GM Ray Shero had contact Ponikarovsky's agent on Saturday morning but there hasn't been any more contact between the two sides, Inside Pittsburgh Sports has learned.

Rick Curran the agent for Ponikarovsky told Inside Pittsburgh this afternoon that no new talks have taken place and "none are expected, " Curran said shortly after 11:30 a.m. today via text message.

The market has been slow to develop for Ponikarovsky but the possibility of returning to Pittsburgh for under $2 million is not being considered by Ponikarovsky's camp.

They will let the market play out.

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Comments

jamski3

Good and Good

07/07/2010 12:46pm

John_P

Let Talbot or Letstu fill the 3rd line void at center. we have everything we need now

07/07/2010 12:47pm

Peluso5192

If we have everything we need who's manning Gurein's spot on the top line?

07/07/2010 12:49pm

mwiles19

What about Eric Belanger or Robert Lang...I personally agree with John_P and would like to see one of those 2 be the 3rd line center, but if thats what Shero is looking for there are options out there.

07/07/2010 12:49pm

Chancebd7

tangradi

07/07/2010 12:49pm

Peluso5192

Not to say I'm not optimistic about it but is he really a lock to make the big club? And who would you say fills the void on the second line with Malkin and Staal?

07/07/2010 12:51pm

Schmidty0818

I really hope Letestu makes the roster. It'd be silly to go another season with 4 left handed centers, only one of which is decent on faceoffs.

07/07/2010 12:51pm

Chancebd7

nieermayer got 1.15 mil with playoff performance bonuses, no way shero would match that

07/07/2010 12:52pm

Jeff2266

praise the lord

07/07/2010 12:52pm

Chancebd7

if tangradi makes the team dupuis would play with them i think or maybe cooke

07/07/2010 12:53pm

Jerkhart66

Letestu is MORE than capeable of being the third line guy...I love his style of play

07/07/2010 12:53pm

Chancebd7

Actually i like a Geno-staal- cooke line

07/07/2010 12:53pm

Peluso5192

Forgot about Duper...Thanks

07/07/2010 12:53pm

Schmidty0818

maybe not silly, but less than ideal I should say. Tangradi, Johnson, and Letestu - 2 of those 3 should make the team if no other forwards are signed. I believe we currently have 11 forwards on one way contracts, one of them being Godard who isn't an every game player. 12 makes a full roster, 13 means you don't have to dress Godard every game.

07/07/2010 12:56pm

zerocool6687

Awe Poni doesnt wanna come back and suck in the burgh... good riddance!

07/07/2010 1:01pm

Juice731

looks like we are staying with the current roster people, gives the young guys a chance to make a difference

07/07/2010 1:05pm

j_s15226

We're barely a week into FA. Hard to say what roster we're taking into the season

07/07/2010 1:06pm

Peluso5192

I'd like to see Johnson make the club or get an early call up. He looked pretty good in the peak we got of him last year.

07/07/2010 1:06pm

dirtmccurt

I wouldn't say we're not going to bring in anyone else. No one is going to sign until Kovy does something. I would say nothing is certain for at least a couple weeks

07/07/2010 1:11pm

jeffs

HEY NIEDERMAYER WHO NEEDS YOU SHUFFLE OFF TO BUFFALO YOU HAS BEEN PONI YOU'RE SHORT STAY WAS ENOUGH GOOD RIDDINS TO YOU TOO. RELAX SHERO WILL FIND SOME ONE

07/07/2010 1:13pm

dirtmccurt

I think you left your caps lock on bro

07/07/2010 1:14pm

Peluso5192

very emotional!

07/07/2010 1:20pm

SeaneeRo66

I like the emotionally charged statement directed at Rob Niedermeyer for signing with another team when few fans wanted him to sign here anyway.

07/07/2010 1:21pm

burghcity19

Time go after maxim " jackpot " lol

07/07/2010 1:29pm

TDBennyC3

speaking of jack pot, whatever happened to MM's articles? was he tired of not being able to hang up when someone disagrees with him? jk

07/07/2010 1:33pm

rj32s

Jeff is ANGRY!

07/07/2010 1:34pm

John_P

if everything stays the same Kunitz Crosby Dupuis Tangradi Staal Malkin Cooke Talbot Kennedy Rupp Letestu Adams looks solid to me

07/07/2010 1:39pm

John_P

u could also go Tangradi Crosby Malkin- Kunitz Staal Kennedy- Cooke Talbot Dupuis

07/07/2010 1:41pm

dirtmccurt

I'd prefer the 2nd, if it came to that

07/07/2010 1:42pm

John_P

or Kunitz Crosby Tangradi- Dupuis Staal Malkin- Cooke Letestu Kennedy Rupp Talbot Adams

07/07/2010 1:42pm

John_P

lots of options i love the team up front, if we bring back Guerin its because Tangradi isnt ready. id rather go with this, and if we need someone we can get anyone we want at the deadline, cause we will have plenty of cap room

07/07/2010 1:44pm

dsig41

There was a report that Malkin will be moved to a wing. Not sure which, but they said he's fine with it...

07/07/2010 1:46pm

John_P

when he has played wing before hes usally plays right wing, he wants to do it ive heard to get to play with Staal or Crosby more, why not, now all hes got too worry about is scoring goals, which is his thing

07/07/2010 1:47pm

John_P

i also want to see this Brett Sterling, hes gonna get a look, hes got speed and can finish, might be a great fit for Sid, who knows, but he will at least get a look

07/07/2010 1:48pm

i really hope they bring in afino because who knows if tangradi is even ready to play a season in the NHL...we still have like 2.3 mil in cap space why not bring in a guy that can score goals

07/07/2010 1:53pm

Nxt_1_Cometh

I think that ray needs to keep aquiring these AHL players that do real well down there and take a chance on them, plus go shopping for former nhl regulars that have fallen (cheechoo, Osullivan, etc). It would be much easier fro us to take low risks and potentially have an absolutely explosive offense.

07/07/2010 1:54pm

breaking up the best 3rd line in hockey is retarded

07/07/2010 1:57pm

Nxt_1_Cometh

I would rather have the best 2nd line than the best 3rd tho... and how much of that 3rd line is Staal? cooke and kennedy create space when they can, but the bulk of that lines strength lies with staal. Imagine him with malkin and dupuis/talbot on the wings. you have the complete package of speed, skill, and physicality. Letestu would do a very good job on the 3rd line.

07/07/2010 1:59pm

mattyv

haveing the best third line in hockey at the expense of having a better second line is equally petarded. (sic)

07/07/2010 2:01pm

Chancebd7

Bragging that you have the best 3rd line in hockey is stupid, unless you have the best 1st and 2nd lines too.

07/07/2010 2:03pm

froods

Seriously guys.....I understand you don't want to break up the 3rd line.....but they are going to...and frankly they are a lot smarter then any of us. I really don't feel like having this conversation for ever....we all know where you stand...no move on

07/07/2010 2:03pm

Chancebd7

haha you guys beat me too it

07/07/2010 2:03pm

dirtmccurt

Yes, but its not like they've never been wrong. Losing Malone and Scuds, trading for Poni and Hammer

07/07/2010 2:07pm

froods

ok....but going in circles about this is getting kind of annoying.....so you and neverwrong get told me so rights in December.....fair?

07/07/2010 2:09pm

dirtmccurt

And we don't tout we have the best 3rd line in hockey because they score. We say it because Staal shuts down other team's top lines like no one else and also puts up big numbers

07/07/2010 2:09pm

dirtmccurt

I don't want told you so rights because that means that the team isn't preforming up to par.

07/07/2010 2:11pm

froods

fair enough...lets all hope it works then.

07/07/2010 2:11pm

froods

I would go hardcore after Madden.....he would be the perfect fit

07/07/2010 2:12pm

Nxt_1_Cometh

dirt, I usually agree with you on most things, but I think staal at least needs to have a chance between malkin and a top 6 winger. If it doesnt work, then we change it back, but I think that with our lack of top 6 wingers, it seems to be the best solution at this time.

07/07/2010 2:12pm

dirtmccurt

I only want what's best for the team, if moving Staal up makes us better than great. I only argue because I don't believe it will, but if its the route we're going then I hope you're right and not me

07/07/2010 2:13pm

Chancebd7

id say they have been more right than wrong, were not the edmenton oilers

07/07/2010 2:14pm

froods

I think im just ready for whoever its gonna be to just sign already. How can negotions go so slowly but then on the first you can sign someone in seconds......then it goes back to turtle mode on the 2nd

07/07/2010 2:15pm

dirtmccurt

Hopefully this will be my last argument against this. If you think about, the postion RS has made his most mistakes with is the wings. He's hit homeruns with ceners, defensemen and goalies but think back to how dry the Hossa trade left us, then about who we lost trying to sign him. Satan and Feds were pretty much busts. Poni cost us our best tradable prospect, etc... After all the wings they thought were going to be good fits here, I kind of question there judgement of Malkin being better at wing

07/07/2010 2:20pm

dirtmccurt

Sorry, I know its off the wall but I wanted to go out with a bang

07/07/2010 2:20pm

Chancebd7

Nabokov signed in the khl, bet Kovy goes next

07/07/2010 2:24pm

Nxt_1_Cometh

i think that hossa trade was a very good one, but i think his mistake was waiting for him to resign, not the actual trade itself.

07/07/2010 2:27pm

dirtmccurt

I did too, Hossa gave us the best chance to win, but it did kill our depth/tradable assets. I'm just saying, aside from Kunitz and Guerin, RS hasn't had too much luck with wingers

07/07/2010 2:32pm

Nxt_1_Cometh

and I think that he has had great success at bottom 6 wingers. Rupp, Adams, Cooke, etc. The top 6 wingers remain elusive because of our cap situation. Also, if you look at it, the hossa situation kind of fed the satan/fedotenko deals, so I count that as one mistake, rather than two, because at the time hossa left us, those 2 were the best options available.

07/07/2010 2:35pm

↑ previous comments ↑

Nxt_1_Cometh

so just 4 the record, hossa and bugsy were really the only 2 wingers that shero failed to hold on to that we really wanted to retain, and the hossa deal led to satan and feds being signed. and maybe you can count gary roberts, but... thats the only mistakes I really saw shero make that impacted the team. and after bugsy and hossa left, we won the cup with feds and satan (kindof), so those mistakes don't look that bad in retrospect.

07/07/2010 2:38pm

Nxt_1_Cometh

on the forwards end of it anyway. Defense is a whole different story, but scuds i think was a mistake and time will tell if letting gonchar go is a mistake as well.

07/07/2010 2:39pm

dirtmccurt

Don't forget about Poni though

07/07/2010 2:41pm

Nxt_1_Cometh

ah true. sorry he was so invisible on the ice i 4got about him.

07/07/2010 2:45pm

dirtmccurt

Like I said, this was more just an arguement for fun. I still trust RS to do what he feels is right

07/07/2010 2:47pm