The Penguins held another introductory video news conference yesterday, this time with newly signed free agent defenseman Ryan Graves, who played the last two seasons with New Jersey after spending the first three years of his NHL career in Colorado.
The 6-5, 220-pound Graves, who signed a six-year contract with a limited no-trade clause, says he is an obvious replacement for defensive-minded defenseman Brian Dumoulin, who signed with Seattle as a free agent.
Graves says he wanted to come to Pittsburgh to play with their superstar-loaded team.
Graves says Pens president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas and coach Mike Sullivan knew what they were getting when they signed him.
He says growing up in Nova Scotia, the home province of Sidney Crosby, he and all of his friends were big fans of the Penguins’ captain. He actually works out with Crosby and a group of other Nova Scotians in the summer months.
PROSPECTS TOURNAMENT
The Penguins will be one of six teams participating in the Prospect Challenge tournament in Buffalo September 15th through the 18th. They’ll play the Bruins, the Senators, and the Sabres. The other teams in the Challenge are the Canadiens and Devils.
The tournament will lead directly into training camp, where the first full roster workout is scheduled for September 21st.
ANOTHER PENGUINS GOALTENDER
The Penguins’ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton AHL team has signed veteran NHL goaltender Garrett Sparks, a ten-year pro who has spent time with the Maple Leafs, Golden Knights, and Kings.
He played last season in the AHL with Orlando and Springfield.
