http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/sports/4853918/detail.html
Penguins Sign John LeClair, Re-Sign Melichar
POSTED: 2:43 pm EDT August 15, 2005
Pittsburgh, PA – Penguins sign John LeClair, re-sign Melichar
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed free agent left wing John LeClair. Terms of the contract were not released.
LeClair, 36, played the last 9 1/2 seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers and has 382 goals and 379 assists in 873 career games. He was originally selected by Montreal in the second round of the 1987 Entry Draft and spent parts of five seasons with the Canadiens before being traded to the Flyers in February 1995.
“John is a big strong winger who is a proven and consistently productive goal- scorer,” said Pittsburgh general manager Craig Patrick in a release. “His presence further strengthens the group of forwards we’re assembling here in Pittsburgh.”
The 6-foot-3, 226-pound native of St. Albans, Vermont has reached the 50-goal mark three times in his career and won a Stanley Cup with Montreal in his first full NHL season in 1992-93.
However, his numbers have slipped in recent years. He totaled 23 goals and 32 assists in 75 games in 2003-04 and posted just 18 goals and 10 helpers in 2002-03 after missing 47 games because of shoulder surgery. LeClair also missed 66 games in 2000-01 due to back surgery.
Still, he ranks fifth on Philadelphia’s all-time goals list, tallying 333 in 649 games for the Flyers, who bought out his contract in late July.
LeClair was traded to the Flyers along with Eric Desjardins and Gilbert Dionne for Mark Recchi and a third-round draft choice in 1995.
Pittsburgh also announced they have re-signed defenseman Josef Melichar to a multi-year deal.
Melichar has appeared in 168 NHL games, all with the Penguins. He has 13 career points and 153 penalty minutes.
The 6-foot-2, 26-year-old defenseman played in 13 games with HC Sparta Praha of the Czech League in 2004-05, recording four assists.
awesome
i agree…