Penguins Add Fitzgerald, Botterill To Management

[FightingIsGood]

The Pittsburgh Penguins have named Tom Fitzgerald as Director of Player Development and Jason Botterill as Director of Hockey Administration, it was announced Tuesday by Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero.

Fitzgerald spent 17 seasons in the NHL before retiring after playing the 2005-06 season with the Boston Bruins. The right winger played 1,097 career NHL games split between the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators, Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins. He tallied 329 points (139 goals, 190 assists), including 17 game-winning goals, and collected 776 penalty minutes. Fitzgerald also had 19 points (7 goals, 12 assists) in 78 career playoff games, including the Stanley Cup Finals with the Florida Panthers in 1996.

Prior to his professional career, he played two seasons at Providence College and registered 56 points (27 goals, 29 assists) in 63 games. Fitzgerald was originally selected in the first round (17th overall) by the New York Islanders in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft.

In his new role, Fitzgerald will oversee and evaluate Penguins draft picks playing in college, junior hockey, and in Europe. He will also work with prospects playing for the Penguins’ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Fitzgerald lives in the Boston area with his wife, Kerry, and their four sons.

Botterill played eight seasons professionally, including parts of six seasons in the NHL. He played a total of 88 NHL games split between the Dallas Stars, Atlanta Thrashers, Calgary Flames, and Buffalo Sabres. The left wing also played 393 games combined in the AHL and IHL and totaled 257 points (127 goals, 130 assists).

Botterill played four seasons at the University of Michigan and had 186 points (104 goals, 82 assists) in 150 games played. He also racked up 483 career penalty minutes, leading the team in each of his four seasons and ranking second on the Michigan all-time list. He is seventh on the all-time goals list and tied for 15th on the all-time points list. Botterill was also a member of the Michigan squad that captured the 1996 NCAA Championship.

Following his playing career, Botterill has worked with the NHL Offices and the NHL Central Registry and spent the past season as a scout for the Dallas Stars. In his new role with the Penguins, he will monitor the salary cap, including cap forecasting, contract research and negotiations, and work with salary arbitration and preparation and scouting. Botterill, who recently received an MBA from the University of Michigan, will be based in Pittsburgh along with his wife, Andrea.

[blackngold]

i guess this means tom fitzgerald will no longer be working the nesn studio for bruins games

[lilburtis9363]

botterill is a great player, the pens are gonna love him

[PsuNate1977]

Originally Posted by lilburtis9363

botterill is a great player, the pens are gonna love him

They added him to the office to help with contracts and the cap, he isn't going to play, if he tried, he couldn't make the team.

[Isles4life]

Good for Fitzgerald. The Pens better home Botterill isn't as big of a flop in management as he was as a player.

[bingsensfandan]

Originally Posted by lilburtis9363

botterill is a great player, the pens are gonna love him

[lilburtis9363]

Originally Posted by PsuNate1977

They added him to the office to help with contracts and the cap, he isn't going to play, if he tried, he couldn't make the team.

oh, i didn't read the entire caption, just saw penguins and botterill