Want to stay up to date on the smaller moves made around the NHL? Here are a few from July 14, 2011.
- The Ottawa Senators re-signed Bobby Butler to a two-year deal. It is unclear if the contract is a one-way or two-way deal and the financial terms haven’t been revealed, but either way, it caps a busy day or so for Ottawa. The team also signed their first round pick Mika Zibanejad to an entry-level deal recently.
Butler seems like one of the Senators’ more promising young forwards. He split time between Ottawa and Binghamton last season, scoring 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points in 36 games at the NHL level. Butler scored 33 points in 47 AHL regular season games and returned to Binghamton for their playoff run, helping them win the Calder Cup by scoring 13 goals and four assists for 17 points in 23 playoff games.
- The Calgary Flames sent their 2012 fifth round pick to the New Jersey Devils for long-named fighter Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond. Let one thing be for sure: “P3L” doesn’t have much use beyond his ability to punch and be punched. As far as that’s concerned, you can remember him for two fights.
Glass half-empty: He jumped Washington Capitals forward Marcus Johansson in a very ugly scene. He received a one-game suspension by the NHL but was demoted to the AHL and never played another game for the Devils.
Glass half-full: Many will remember him for his epic fight with Cam Janssen. The two fought for three solid minutes and, well, just watch for yourself by clicking on the link above.
That’s an amazing fight, but a fifth round pick seems like a heavy price to pay for a “player” the Devils clearly hand little interest in keeping.
- The Anaheim Ducks added former Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Matt Smaby to their mix with a one-year deal. Helene Elliott reports that it is a two-way deal worth $600K in the NHL and $105K in the AHL. The Ducks defense will still be a concern next season, but Smaby gives them another body. He played 32 games for the Bolts in 2010-11.