Penguins Sign Mark Recchi

[Humpzilla]

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed free agent right wing Mark Recchi, it was announced today by General Manager Ray Shero.

Recchi, 38, a 17-year NHL veteran, won his second Stanley Cup as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2005-06 season after being traded from the Penguins to Carolina on March 9, 2006. Recchi recorded 16 points (7+9) in 25 playoff games with Carolina, tying for fifth on the team in playoff goals and tying for sixth in playoff scoring. Recchi tied for 10th in the league in playoff goals and tied for 12th in playoff scoring while tying for 5th in game-winning goals (2) during the playoffs.

In the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals, Recchi recorded six points (2+4) in seven games and scored the game-winning goal in game four in Edmonton.

Recchi scored 28 goals and recorded 64 points in 83 combined games with the Penguins and Hurricanes during the 2005-06 regular season. His 28 goals was his highest single-season goal total since 1999-00 when he also scored 28 goals in 82 games with the Philadelphia Flyers.

In 63 games with Pittsburgh during 2005-06, Recchi recorded 57 points (24+33) and ranked second on the team in goals, assists, points and power-play goals (11) at the time of the trade.

Recchi has scored at least 20 goals in six straight seasons and in nine of his last 10 campaigns. Additionally, Recchi has missed only five games total during his last four seasons.

A veteran of 1,256 career games, Recchi has recorded 1,265 points (484+781) and 848 penalty minutes with the Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes.

A seven-time NHL All-Star, Recchi began his career with the Penguins, playing in 225 games from 1988-1992, recording 252 points (104+148) and 170 penalty minutes. He led the Penguins in scoring during the 1990-91 regular season, recording 113 points (40+73) in 78 games. In 24 playoff games that year, Recchi recorded 34 points (10+24) helping the Penguins to their first Stanley Cup Championship.

Recchi was traded by the Penguins to Philadelphia on February 19, 1992 with Brian Benning and a first round draft choice in exchange for Rick Tocchet, Kjell Samuelsson and Ken Wregget. He played in parts of four seasons with the Flyers (1992-1995), setting career highs in goals (53) and points (123) during the 1992-93 season. After a 40-goal season in 1993-94, Recchi was traded by Philadelphia to Montreal on February 9, 1995 with a third round draft choice in exchange for John LeClair, Eric Desjardins and Gilbert Dionne.

In parts of five seasons with the Canadiens (1995-1999), Recchi eclipsed the 25-goal mark three times. He was traded back to Philadelphia on March 10, 1999 in exchange for Danius Zubrus, a second round draft choice and a sixth round draft choice.

In five-plus seasons with the Flyers (1999-2004), Recchi scored 20 or more goals in a season five times and played in 79 or more games four times in five seasons.

The 5-10 and 190 pound native of Kamloops, British Columbia was drafted by the Penguins in the fourth round (67th overall) of the 1988 Entry Draft.

[FightingIsGood]

*sighs* Not exactly the guy I wanted to see come to the Pens, especially after the problems he caused in the locker room last season. If they signed him to anything more than $1.5 million, they overpaid.

[Isles4life]

Maybe he'll be a better fit than the last time around. They are assembling some more younger offensive talent. It'll be interesting to see how this move turns out.

[BGDDYKWL]

I heard 1 year, $2.28 mil.

[FightingIsGood]

Originally Posted by BGDDYKWL

I heard 1 year, $2.28 mil.

I know his option was for that much and Carolina didn't pick it up. If the Pens signed him to that much money, I'm going to be pissed. He's nowhere near worth more than $2 million a year at this point!

[bnb611]

good and bad move, it would be nice if he could keep his mouth shut and stop screwing with sidney and play.

[GO HABS]

I thought that after what happened last year, Pittsburgh would be the last place he'd be going. Doesn't make sense to me...

[FightingIsGood]

Well, it's pretty much official. From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Recchi to return to Penguins
Monday, July 24, 2006

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Penguins are expected to announce tomorrow that winger Mark Recchi is rejoining the club, getting a one-year contract worth $2.28 million.

Recchi, 38, who was part of Penguins' 1991 Stanley Cup team, got his name on the Cup a second time last month, this time with the Carolina Hurricanes.

After 13 seasons with Philadelphia, Montreal and the Flyers again, Recchi returned to the Penguins last season and had 24 goals, 33 assists for 57 points in 63 games before he was traded to Carolina in March.

He had four goals, seven points in 20 games for the Hurricanes during the regular season, seven goals, 16 points in 25 playoff games.

Recchi was an unrestricted free agent.

In addition, the Penguins today signed checking line winger Ronald Petrovicky to a one-year, $450,000 contract. He had eight goals, 20 points last season for Atlanta and played for Slovakia at the Turin Olympics.

How in the HELL could Shero think Recchi is worth over $2 million??? You mean to tell me Carter and Sykora are THAT far out of their price range? They could have even tried to trade for Svatos now that we know he's definitely being shopped. I don't like this move one bit - Shero flat-out overpaid for Recchi.

[Steve Durbano]

I thought for sure that recchi wouldn't be coming back once Craig Patrick was fired. I don't know what shero sees in Recchi that makes him worthy of $2 million.

[Orr=God]

i dotn see y all the pittsburg fans r upset. hes is old and maybe not worth 2 mill but he can put up points and if he can keep his mouth shut and not ruin the locker room hell be a good addition

[knucklesamwitch]

Originally Posted by GO HABS

I thought that after what happened last year, Pittsburgh would be the last place he'd be going. Doesn't make sense to me...

Makes perfect sense his wife is from here,she wanted to be home. hes at the end of the road.It was pretty much a a known fact that he intended on coming back since he was traded the only question was would the pens have him.

[Mike Kole]

Originally Posted by knucklesamwitch

Makes perfect sense his wife is from here,she wanted to be home. hes at the end of the road.It was pretty much a a known fact that he intended on coming back since he was traded the only question was would the pens have him.

I guess that makes sense, but after winning a Cup, it's gotta be tough to go back to a place where you left a mess behind.

[Faz]

Hi, sorry for being out of touch, but what happened betwen Rex and the Pens last year? Following hockey from a bajillion miles away means I miss these things sometimes...

Anyone care to give me a brief summary of what the ruckus was?

[FightingIsGood]

Originally Posted by Faz

Hi, sorry for being out of touch, but what happened betwen Rex and the Pens last year? Following hockey from a bajillion miles away means I miss these things sometimes...

Anyone care to give me a brief summary of what the ruckus was?

I'm not sure of the entire saga, but Recchi would routinely bitch and moan and was generally an ass toward the rest of the players, especially the young players, and it ultimately led to a falling out between him and Crosby that ended up fracturing the locker room. That's what I've heard anyway - maybe someone else can shed some more light on it.

[Faz]

Well that sucks.

I would really have picked Recchi as a positive locker room influence. Would have thought he'd be the wise-crackin' wily veteran who helps the new kids develop. Of course, I don't know him from a bar of soap, so I was basing that on not much evidence.

But the Pens can ill-afford a bad-egg in their locker room. They need to be a connected, motivated team-first squad to go anywhere, given they're still not boasting the biggest names or best talent. A young team who are all on the same page, however, could really go places.