Penguins Sign Free Agent Left Wing John Leclair

[Thrillhouse]

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed free agent left wing John LeClair, it was announced today by General Manager Craig Patrick.

LeClair, 36, is one of the leading goal-scorers in the NHL over the past nine seasons, scoring at least 50 goals in three consecutive seasons (1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98). Since 1995-96, he has scored 308 goals for an average of 34.2 goals a season – tying for sixth in the NHL with Penguins’ right wing Zigmund Palffy.

LeClair has been named a First-Team NHL All-Star twice (1995 and 1998) and a Second-Team NHL All-Star three times (1996, 1997 and 1999). He also has played in five NHL All-Star Games – 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

In 873 career NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers, LeClair has recorded 382 goals and 379 assists for 761 points. In his first full NHL season in 1992-93, LeClair won a Stanley Cup championship in Montreal.

The 6-3, 226-pound native of St. Albans, Vermont has appeared in at least 75 games in seven of the last nine seasons and has appeared in all 82 games five times. LeClair appeared in 75 games in his last season, 2003-04, scoring 23 goals and 55 points.

“John is a big strong winger who is a proven and consistently productive goal-scorer,” Patrick said. “His presence further strengthens the group of forwards we’re assembling here in Pittsburgh.”

LeClair was originally drafted by the Canadiens in the second round (33rd overall) of the 1987 Entry Draft. He played in 224 games with Montreal over parts of five seasons (1990-94) and scored 49 goals. LeClair was traded to Philadelphia with Eric Desjardins and Gilbert Dionne for Mark Recchi and a third round draft choice on February 9, 1995. Over the next nine-plus seasons with the Flyers, LeClair scored 333 goals in 649 games and currently ranks fifth on Philadelphia’s all-time goals list.

[Gumec]

ok ho´s is next ? Peter Bondra ???

[Ciccarelli]

It will be fun when Lemeiux and LeClair will sit on the tribunes with a bad back both.

[Humpzilla]

Wow, talk about a washed up All-star team! Seriously though, I'm just too not sure about how much he'll be able to contribute to that already star studded Pittsburgh offense. Not to mention his recent struggles with injuries. Most likely though his job will be racking up easy goals and assists on the powerplay with his former teammate Mark Recchi. But Imo, this is ultimately a waste of a few million dollars, which could have been better spent on a couple of good defensemen, or at least on a younger and proven goal scorer.(Younger as in younger than John Leclair!) (I.E. Teemu Selanne or Jozef Stumpel)

Well now at least you NY Ranger fans can take a collective sigh of relief. But then again Mark Messier hasn't signed with a club yet...

[cowboy]

Anything over 2 mil. is overpayment. IF and it is a big if this team can stay healthy I don't have much doubt they can lead the league in scoring.

[dp]

I wonder what the terms were?

He only played 35 games in 2003-2002 and 16 in 2000-2001.

Does the Cap loophole that the Leafs used for Allison work here?

[BroadwayBlueshirts94]

Thank God Senile Sather didn't sign him. The Pens will be lucky to get 50 games out of him.

[penguinsfan1]

Hopefully the year off did him some good ... if he's healthy, he should be fine. Granted that's a BIG "if."

Now if we could just get another center and a defensive defenseman ...

[iratebob]

Originally Posted by dp

I wonder what the terms were?

He only played 35 games in 2003-2002 and 16 in 2000-2001.

Does the Cap loophole that the Leafs used for Allison work here?

He didn't miss a game in 2004.

[Dave_42]

Originally Posted by penguinsfan1

Now if we could just get another center and a defensive defenseman ...

Then maybe, just maybe you might have an all-star team. Pittsburgh will be awesomet this year!

[Faz]

Interesting signing. The Pens definitely needed a 220+ lb forward to play in front of the net while Lemieux, Palffy, Recchi, Crosby (gee, it's getting to be quite a list) lah-dee-dah around the outside.

Leclair definitely *was* that guy, once upon a time. Not sure if he still is...

Pens still lack the quality in defence to be a serious threat to the top teams, but have an interesting mix of the oldest and youngest scoring talent going around. They will put up some HUGE scoring totals when they're on, once the chemistry between all-new lines gets sorted out.

Hope the Pens don't blow all their money on oldies, though.

[Blouin]

Originally Posted by Humpzilla

Wow, talk about a washed up All-star team! Seriously though, I'm just too not sure about how much he'll be able to contribute to that already star studded Pittsburgh offense. Not to mention his recent struggles with injuries. Most likely though his job will be racking up easy goals and assists on the powerplay with his former teammate Mark Recchi. But Imo, this is ultimately a waste of a few million dollars, which could have been better spent on a couple of good defensemen, or at least on a younger and proven goal scorer.(Younger as in younger than John Leclair!) (I.E. Teemu Selanne or Jozef Stumpel)

Well now at least you NY Ranger fans can take a collective sigh of relief. But then again Mark Messier hasn't signed with a club yet...

Don't jinx us!

[devils29]

I think we've got more chance of LeClair seeing out the season than Mario and possibly Palffy.
Maybe a vBookie event? Which vet pen gets season-ending injury first? Or who plays the least games in 05-06? Mario? John? Ziggy?

It's a decent signing IMO, depending on the amt they pd.

[Brash_Fan]

Anyone know what his salary will be?

[Shoryuken]

Originally Posted by Brash_Fan

Anyone know what his salary will be?

IIRC its Pens team policy to never disclose contract details..