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Entries with the tag: Brian+Gionta
Gionta & Gomez Clicking
by Paul on 10/04/09 at 09:23 PM ET
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from John McGourty of NHL.com,
Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez were hoping they still had the chemistry that made them Stanley Cup winners in 2003 with the New Jersey Devils and produced a 48-goal season by Gionta in 2006.
It was there Saturday night in Buffalo when the Canadiens won their second-straight overtime game, 2-1, on Gionta’s tip in past goalie Ryan Miller. It was an airborne rebound off the boards of Gomez’s shot.
“That wasn’t the way we drew it up, but we’ll take it,” Gionta said. “I was going to the net trying to find it and it bounced real nice for me. Any time a wrist shot goes off the back boards, there’s a little bit of luck.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Montreal Canadiens | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Brian+Gionta, Scott+Gomez,
Gionta ‘C’ Worthy In Montreal
by Paul on 09/22/09 at 12:32 PM ET
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from Sean Gordon of French Impression at the Globe and Mail,
Jacques Martin has consistently praised Gionta’s attitude and work ethic, he’s combative (last night he got up in Geno Malkin’s grille after a bit of a sneaky elbow behind the net) and he can obviously still put the puck in the net.
I say what the hell, give him the “C”.
Until he starts sucking, at which point the experts and open-mouth shows can start chewing on his bones.
But something tells me that’s not going to happen.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Montreal Canadiens | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Brian+Gionta,
Gionta Will Probably Listen To Offers
by Paul on 06/29/09 at 06:57 PM ET
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from Tom Gulitti of Fire & Ice,
After not having any contact with the Devils since the end of the regular season, Gionta’s agent, Steve Bartlett said today that he’s had “a few casual conversations” with general manager Lou Lamoriello in the last week.
“I think everyone is on the same page in that there certainly is mutual interest and respect from both parties to get something done, but also an acknowledgement that that might not be possible to do so before July 1 for a lot of reasons,” Bartlett said.
The biggest is the salary cap. Teams were able to finally start budgeting their payroll for the 2009-10 season after it was announced on Friday that the salary cap will be $56.8 million.
Although Lamoriello has been trying to re-sign defenseman Johnny Oduya before he hits the open market and also has been working on a new deal for restricted free agent center Travis Zajac, re-signing Gionta apparently falls a little farther down the team’s list of priorities.
Filed in: NHL Teams, New Jersey Devils | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Brian+Gionta,
Do The Devils Have Enough Cap Room To Keep Gionta?
by Paul on 06/24/09 at 01:02 PM ET
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from Rich Chere of the Star-Ledger,
Brian Gionta wants to continue playing for the Devils, but he wonders whether the team will have enough cap space to keep him.
Gionta, who earned $4 million last season as part of a three-year, $12 million deal he signed in 2006, told me on Tuesday there has been no communication with general manager Lou Lamoriello. He becomes an unrestricted free agent July 1.
“We have not touched base at all yet,” Gionta said. “I don’t think it’s surprising because of the cap situation this year. The cap isn’t set and no one knows where it’s going to go. Teams don’t know what they have to work with.
“The problem is the cap will be determined late this year.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, New Jersey Devils | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Brian+Gionta,
Devils Could Use More From Gionta
by Paul on 02/15/08 at 08:31 AM ET
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from the NY Post,
Opposing scouts, who may be shopping for trade-deadline bargains, claim Gionta’s struggle this season is the result of the loss of the tip-bait Brian Rafalski used to send his way. It doesn’t explain last season, and Gionta doesn’t clutch that crutch.
Gionta offers no remedy, just the desire to help the Devils any way he can, even if goals are scarce.
“Even when I was scoring, it was doing things I could do to help the team win,” Gionta said. “When the team’s not winning you feel more pressure.”
He said he doesn’t feel he’s been helping enough.
Filed in: NHL Teams, New Jersey Devils | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Brian+Gionta,
