Around The NHL: Coach Ramsay To Panthers, Jackets Sign Russell, Lightning Sign Shannon
Added on Jul 07, 2011 by J Merrill in
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Coach Ramsay Heading Back To Florida
The Florida Panthers have picked up ex-Thrashers coach Craig Ramsay who will now be them as an assistant coach. In a short statement released earlier today, Ramsay said he is looking forward to getting back in the mix with the Panthers Organization. He said “It is great to be able to rejoin the Florida Panthers organization and come back home again. Having previously served as associate coach during the team’s first two seasons, I have seen firsthand the passion that the South Florida community has for hockey and I look forward to being part of it once again.”
Panthers General Manager Dale Tallon spoke highly of Ramsay, and was excited to bring him back to the organization. Tallon said “Ramsay is a brilliant hockey mind, Craig’s vast knowledge of the game will be an asset for head coach Kevin Dineen, our entire coaching staff and all our players.”
Besides his time with the Atlanta Thrashers, who have now been bought and moved to Winnipeg, He spent three years as an assistant coach with the Boston bruins. As a player in the NHL, he played 14 seasons with Buffalo from 1971-85.
Blue Jackets Acquire Center Ryan Russell
The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired Ryan Russell from the Montreal Canadiens for Right Wing Mike Blunden. Ryan is the twin brother of Blue Jackets defenseman Kris Russell making them the second team to have identical twins. Daniel and Henrik Sedin play for the Vancouver Canucks. Ryan Russell had 10 goals, 21 points and was a plus-17 in 65 games with the American Hockey League’s Hamilton Bulldogs in 2010-11. A Caroline, Alberta native, Ryan Russell was the 211th overall pick in the 2005 draft by the Rangers.
Mike Blunden, 24, heads to Montreal. He has two goals, four points and 69 penalty minutes in 51 NHL games with Columbus and Chicago combined. A native of Toronto, he was Chicago’s second pick, No. 43 overall, in 2005.
Lightning Sign Right Wing Ryan Shannon
The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed right wing Ryan Shannon to a one year deal. Shannon was a free agent and the team made the announcement today. Shannon played 79 games with the Senators last season, and had 11 goals and 16 assists(a career high.) Undrafted out of Boston College, Shannon has 31 goals and 87 points in 260 career NHL games with the Senators, Vancouver, and Anaheim.
Also, Tampa Bay signed minor league left wing Alexandre Picard to a one-year, two-way contract. Picard had 24 goals and 46 points with San Antonio of the AHL last season. He was taken by Columbus in the first round of the 2004 NHL Draft.
