Several signings were made over the NHL All-Star weekend.
Jesse Puljujarvi inked a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.
“I’m feeling great,” Puljujarvi said. “I’ve been working really hard. It’s really nice to be part of this team right now.”
Puljujarvi had signed a professional tryout deal with the Pens in December.
“I think that was part of the process, to get him into some games in Wilkes-Barre, give him an opportunity to get his feet under him and establish his game,” Sullivan said. “He had significant surgery. That was a substantial rehab process that he went through. So, that was part of it, without a doubt.
“I think with every game that he played he got better and better. So, here we are today.”
At practice on Sunday, Puljujarvi skated with the Pens’ third line.
“I think I can help this team when I’m skating well, making good plays and being myself,” Puljujarvi said. “I try to be energized every day, be smiling. I’m happy I’m here to be a part of this team.”
In another signing on Sunday, Zach Parise signed with the Colorado Avalanche.
“Just from watching and playing against this group for a long time, it’s no secret how good they are,” he said Sunday after his first official practice with the team. “This being my last go at it, nothing’s guaranteed, but I want to put myself in a spot where you have a good chance. That’s all you ask for, so to me, that was the biggest draw.”
Parise sees a Stanley Cup in his future with the Avs.
“We’re going to throw him right into the fire as usual,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Sunday. “He’s been skating for a long time. He’s in phenomenal condition. He’s a guy that kind of just keeps himself ready to go, a little bit like say (Colorado forward Andrew) Cogliano. Veteran guy that’s been around a long time.”
The Avs are expected to skate Parise on the second line with Ryan Johansen and Artturi Lehkonen .
“I’ve been sitting at home for a long time, so I’m excited to get out on the road and play and spend some time with the group,” Parise said. “Whatever role, whatever position they ask me to play, you go out and do it, and I’m looking forward to that. I did a lot of that the last couple years in New York, played all over the lineup and in all different situations, and it was a lot of fun.”
Two injuries hit the news on Sunday as well.
In Buffalo, Mattias Samuelsson i will miss the remainder of the season with surgery for an injury.
In addition, Jack Quinn i will miss six to eight weeks following surgery for an upper-body injury.
“Those are key guys and very talented guys,” Sabres coach Don Granato said. “I feel the other guys that are going to have to step up, that you’re going to call on and are going to fill more minutes, are in a way better mind frame than they were. Their psyche is way better than it was a month ago. So, we lose these guys, but I still feel very confident in the group that’s going to have to pick up the slack for missing these guys.”
The Sabres have been looking to make their presence felt in the schedule down the stretch.
“It [stinks] to be honest,” defenseman Rasmus Dahlin said. “But it’s a part of it. I’m sure they think it [stinks] more than we do, so we’ve got to think about them, too. But, yeah, a very hot forward and a really, really good [defenseman]. We are going to miss them, but we’ve just got to look forward and make the best of it.”
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