Penguin Transactions

[X-Terminator]

Hmmm...I thought they already had a goaltending coach who came with Therrien from WBS? Oh well, I like this move - maybe Gilles will work with Fleury on how to better control rebounds and play the puck behind the net. Those two areas need to improve if he's going to become an elite goaltender.

[83-Steelers-43]

Shero continues to make changes
Kehoe among five Penguins GM fires
Friday, July 28, 2006

By Shelly Anderson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



Former Penguins coach Rick Kehoe, who had been serving as a scout, was among five staff members fired yesterday as the Penguins continued to make changes under first-year general manager Ray Shero.

The Penguins reinstated scout Gilles Meloche as goaltending coach, replacing Gilles Lefebvre. In addition to Lefebvre and Kehoe, the team fired equipment manager Steve Latin, assistant equipment manager Paul Flati and assistant trainer Scott Johnson.

The five fired employees represented 69 years with the Penguins, led by Kehoe (31 years) and Latin (18 years).

Kehoe, who could not be reached for comment, had been part of the hockey staff longer than anyone and is a charter member of the Penguins Hall of Fame.

He came to the Penguins in a trade Sept. 13, 1974, and still ranks third on the team's all-time scoring list with 636 points in 11 seasons. He retired because of a neck problem early in the 1984-85 season -- after becoming the answer to the trivia question of who was Mario Lemieux's first right winger in the NHL -- and served as an assistant coach, head coach (2001-03, 55-81-14-10 record) and, most recently, the team's pro scout.

Latin became a popular figure during the Penguins Stanley Cup years in the early 1990s. He also worked for the 2002 U.S. Olympic Team.

"We appreciate everything Rick and Steve have done for the organization," Penguins spokesman Tom McMillan said. "Rick was with the Penguins for more than 30 years, and Steve was here 18 years. Obviously, they made a positive contribution in many areas.

"But this is a new era with a new regime, and the Penguins have decided to make changes and go in a new direction."

Flati had been with the Penguins 12 seasons, Johnson seven.

The Penguins made some changes to their staff in December when coach Michel Therrien was promoted from their Wilkes-Barre/Scranton minor-league club to replace Eddie Olczyk. Assistant coach Mike Yeo, strength coach Stephane Dube and Lefebvre came up with Therrien.

Other than Meloche, there was no word on replacements for those who were fired or for the scouting position vacated by Meloche.

Meloche, who played the final three of his 18 NHL seasons as a goaltender with the Penguins, has been an amateur scout for the team the past 17 years. He had the dual role of goaltending coach and scout from 1989-2004. He will coach and evaluate goalies with the Penguins and their minor-league team in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

"Gilles brings a tremendous amount of experience and passion to this position," Shero said in a statement. "We think he'll do a great job working with our goaltenders here and in Wilkes-Barre, and in assisting our scouting staff in the evaluation of goaltending prospects."

Shero, who was hired in May, also needs to replace longtime head scout Greg Malone, who left earlier this month to join the Phoenix Coyotes, and is mulling whether to add another management position such as personnel director.

Shero previously hired a second assistant coach, Andre Savard, and named Chuck Fletcher assistant general manager while retaining longtime employee Eddie Johnston as senior advisor for hockey operations.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06209/709238-61.stm

[cbalke]

dude...that is the wrong thing to do IMO. kehoe and latin are stand up guys who bring a LOT to the table. i cannot believe i just read that. holy crap. i guess he saw something he disagreed with...we'll see, i guess.

[83-Steelers-43]

I'm not sure how much of a impact Kehoe had on the team these days. Also, this is Shero's team now and he's cleaning house. This is no longer team Lemieux/Patrick. The decision not to resign Kehoe comes as no surprise to me and in the long run, I feel it's the smart move. Shero probably already has a friend lined up for the job and understandably so. It's his team and he needs to surround himself around people he knows.

At the same time, dropping Latin I really couldn't understand. I mean all the guy did was tape sticks and sharpen skates and after 18 years he must have been doing something right. While neither of these firings are a big deal in the greater sheme of things, I still can't figure out why Latin was fired. My only explanation is that it was a cost-cutting strategy.

[X-Terminator]

I agree with the Kehoe firing as well, but I don't understand why Latin was fired. I guess Shero has his own guy in mind and that's fine, but the players all liked and respected him for the job he did. It isn't important in the grand scheme of things, but it still doesn't make any sense.

[83-Steelers-43]

Originally Posted by X-Terminator

It isn't important in the grand scheme of things, but it still doesn't make any sense.

I agree brother. While being an equipment manager is not exactly rocket science, the guy was here for 18 years and he did a good job. Like I said, maybe he made more money than his duties deligated.

[cbalke]

Originally Posted by 83-Steelers-43

I agree brother. While being an equipment manager is not exactly rocket science, the guy was here for 18 years and he did a good job. Like I said, maybe he made more money than his duties deligated.

i guess i could see that. i just love the guy, though. he's like the unofficial mascot of the pens. guy like that is going to be completely loyal, you know. i'm betting he would've taken a pay cut to stay with the pens....

[83-Steelers-43]

Penguins sign Moore
By The Tribune-Review
Wednesday, August 2, 2006


The Penguins avoided arbitration with center Dominic Moore by signing him to a two-year contract Tuesday.

Moore, 25, was acquired in July by the Penguins from the Nashville Predators along with Libor Pivko in exchange for a third-round draft pick in 2007. He was scheduled to go to arbitration today.

The 6-0, 195-pound native of Thornhill, Ontario, totaled nine goals and nine assists in 82 games with the New York Rangers in 2005-06 and ranked second on the team in short-handed time on ice (293:28) and third in short-handed time on ice per game (3:34). According to the NHL Players' Association Web site, he will earn $700,000 in 2006-07.

In other Penguins news, New England scout Neil Shea was let go after seven seasons with the organization. Shea was responsible for scouting several current Penguins players including defensemen Ryan Whitney, Noah Welch, Rob Scuderi and Brooks Orpik. He joins a list of other staffers recently relieved of their duties including scout Rick Kehoe, equipment manager Steve Latin, assistant equipment manager Paul Flati and assistant athletic trainer Scott Johnson.

[X-Terminator]

700K is about right for a guy like Moore - he probably wasn't going to get any more than that through arbitration. As for Neil Shea...the purge continues for Ray Shero. It'll be interesting to see who he hires to replace all of these guys.

[HometownGal]

Originally Posted by cbalke

i guess i could see that. i just love the guy, though. he's like the unofficial mascot of the pens. guy like that is going to be completely loyal, you know. i'm betting he would've taken a pay cut to stay with the pens....

Who knows - maybe he'll be the new....



Iceburgh has 4 tickets immediately to the right of where my seats are in
D-7. He has some adorable kids and his friends are totally cool.

I don't understand Steve Latin's firing myself. I'm sure these guys have a comfort level with him and have complete confidence in his expertise as an equipment manager. Why fix what's really not broken?