Penguins lose Morozov

[POJO_Risin]

He said he waited to long for a deal from Pittsburgh...and signed a 1 year deal in Russia...with no escape clause...

again...a miscue on the Pens part...I know he struggled a bit last year...but with the pieces the Pens have acquired....this guy coulda had a good year...

bonehead move if you ask me...

[Va Beach VH Fan]

There may be more than meets the eye on this one Poj....

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04213/354820.stm

Penguins interested in Hull
Saturday, July 31, 2004

By Chuck Finder, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Penguins have an interest in Brett Hull, and the NHL's No. 3 all-time goal scorer likewise has an interest in Mario Lemieux's club.

Funny that such a mutual free-agent attraction would become official right around the time when Penguins' first-liner Aleksey Morozov opted to play in Russia.

"Brett plays right wing," brother and agent Bobby Hull Jr. said yesterday. "What a coincidence."

Actually, Hull Jr. said, Penguins general manager Craig Patrick telephoned the California-based agent "a couple days ago and expressed interest," a period that would jibe with Morozov signing Wednesday with Ak Bars Kazan. The agent told Patrick where the Hulls stood, and that is reportedly close to an agreement with the Dallas Stars which Brett Hull left not long after steering them to the 1999 Stanley Cup Final.

Patrick could not be reach for comment yesterday.

The Dallas Morning News reported yesterday that the Stars and Hull are close to a one-year, $2.2 million agreement, and Hull owns a house in and an affinity for Dallas. Phoenix and part-owner Wayne Gretzky also made an offer for Hull, reportedly a two-year deal. So now comes a possible Gretzky-Lemieux tussle into the mix.

"I told him where we were ... and everything is possible," Hull Jr. said of his conversation with Patrick, which, he added, neither involved numbers or an offer. "He said he would talk to Mario and get back to us. But we haven't heard back from him."

Hull Jr. said he and his brother -- who were "studying an offer from Dallas" -- would gladly wait until Tuesday to hear from Patrick and then making a move on a contract with some team.

"There's no rush," the agent said. "Brett's one of the last gunners, the last trigger men, out on the market who's tried and true. It's probably more prudent to be patient."

About this time three years ago, while playing together in a July 2001 celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, Calif., Lemieux and Hull chatted informally about the possibility of becoming Penguins linemates. It became moot a month later when the free-spending Detroit Red Wings signed Hull to a two-year, $9 million contract. He promptly helped lead them to the 2002 Stanley Cup final. He scored 25 goals and 68 points last season, when he earned $5 million.

Money is no longer a concern for Hull, 39, as the $2.2 million offer from the Stars would attest. After all, the Penguins recently signed Mark Recchi to a three-year contract at an average up to $3 million per, and he's far behind Hull's 741 career goals -- which rank in NHL history behind only Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801).

Hull Jr. said, the factors that would play into his brother's decision would be the team, his friendships and his ability to score 60 goals somewhere over the next two seasons.

"Financially, he doesn't [care] about that anymore," the agent said. "It's team chemistry and where he can help the most. He definitely wants to take a run at Gordie Howe's goal record. Hopefully, we'll give it two full seasons, and he'll have a good shot.

"He likes Mario as a person and as a great hockey player. Brett says if Mario is healthy, he'd love to play with him. It's definitely an enticement for Brett.

"I think those guys would work great with each other."

[lucky wilbury]

i keep wondering how the supposedly broke pens are going to pay these people. maybe there is truth to the rumour of the pens loading up on people to make the team easier to sell

[Snoo]

They have enough money to operate, and when there's a salary cap, there's going to be a figure that you have to spend at LEAST as much as in addition to not being able to go over something. They have to spend it on somebody.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

No, no.... It's obvious as hell to me fellas....

The politicans have told the Penguins, covertly of course, that they'll be granted the one and only slots license in the city of Pittsburgh....

And all of a sudden, with that in your back pocket, you can actually start spending money like nearly all of the other teams do....

But in this case, I think the Morozov situation made it a lot easier for Craig Patrick to even attempt to sign Hull....

I'd rather have Brett Hull, who had an "off year" with 60 points, than Morozov anyday.... He can go to Russia and drink vodka all year long for all I care....

Guys like Recchi, Lemieux, and Hull just find ways to get the puck in the back of the net....

Morozov has been extremely inconsistent, so it's not a huge loss IMO, even if they don't sign Hull...

[Snoo]

If they get Hull and Zhamnov, then we can officially start a new chant at the Arena next season: "KA-CHING! KA-CHING! KA-CHING!"

[Va Beach VH Fan]

I have a feeling they won't sign Zhamnov bro, I think he's gonna ask a little too high of a price....

I think Kovy will sign with the Pens for less money, he knows where he bread was buttered the best..... ;)

[POJO_Risin]

Funny...they'll sign all these guys...it will all look good...and then they probably won't even play...

would be the luck of the Penguins...

[POJO_Risin]

That being said...I can't imagine Hull signing with the Pens...although I'm curious as to what the offer will be now that Morozov is gone...

as for his incosistencies...well...that's a matter of opinion...no doubt...

He's certainly more than a serviceable player...and there aren't many better out there to get past Hull...

so we'll see...

[POJO_Risin]

Hull signs with the Coyotes...Pittsburgh not even in the running...