Ryan Whitney about to sign with Pens

[tom_servo]

The Penguins today will find out whether they will get the top pick in the 2004 Entry draft today, and also finalize a deal to bring a former first rounder and top prospect -- Ryan Whitney -- into the fold.

The Penguins and the defenseman whom the team drafted with its first pick (fifth overall) in 2002 have agreed in principal to an entry-level three-year deal, a source told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on Monday. He is expected to sign today and could join Wilkes-Barre/Scranton shortly, although those plans are not firm.

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/sports/penguinslive/s_187994.html

Thought for sure he was staying on as a senior.

Click to read more...

 

[AEKaki]

I am curious to find out how much they are giving him.
I hope he steps right in WBS and makes an impact.

 

[AJ1982]

Wow, I am one of those that thought he had a decent year this year, but even so I would think staying in school would be better for him. Then again maybe not, as he hasn't seemed to improve his defensive game too much there over the past two years. Well, he can say hello to the AHL imho, and it will probably be a couple years before we see him in the NHL.

 

[johnny cool]

i'm sure it's more that he may not be able to get the kind of money with the new CBA that he'll get as it stands right now.

 

[AEKaki]

i'm sure it's more that he may not be able to get the kind of money with the new CBA that he'll get as it stands right now.

It's mostly because he wants to play in the NHL rather than the NCAA.
He wanted to come to Pittsburgh since his draft day.

 

[jincargo]

Nice news for the Pens!

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

wasn't ray bourque supposed to be a coach at BU next year? i wouldn't have minded him staying there if that's the case.

like orpik, i'd expect a good amount of ahl for him. 1 possibly 2 years.

 

[Zoo]

I can see him spending 1 year with WBS, with a few call ups if we come into injurys.

 

[NYIschremp44]

I am curious to find out how much they are giving him.
I hope he steps right in WBS and makes an impact.

they gave him the cap

 

[Jacob]

Pens are kind of loaded in the pure-offensive-defenseman department these days, so Whitney probably won't get the call until he rounds out his defense, which is good.

He'll likely step into the baby Pens lineup. I don't know how the playoffs would work for him, though. Maybe they put his name on the playoff roster with an asterisk, the way they did with Nemec.

 

[tom_servo]

If he signs, the Pens will have added Whitney, Koltsov, Kostopoulos, and Orpik to the playoff-bound WBS Pens (Nemec isn't eligible to play in the postseason) in one fell swoop. I'd imagine they could be a contender.

 

[PensFan68]

If he signs, the Pens will have added Whitney, Koltsov, Kostopoulos, and Orpik to the playoff-bound WBS Pens (Nemec isn't eligible to play in the postseason) in one fell swoop. I'd imagine they could be a contender.

Why isn't Nemec eligible?

 

[tom_servo]

Why isn't Nemec eligible?

Well, I believe that only college players are exempt from making the Clear Day Roster, since their season extends well past it.

 

[Jacob]

What about Malone though? He didn't play last season.

Or it could be because Nemec and Malone are (were) only on tryout deals. I don't know if those can extend into the post season.

 

[tom_servo]

What about Malone though? He didn't play last season.

Or it could be because Nemec and Malone are (were) only on tryout deals. I don't know if those can extend into the post season.

I have no idea, quite honestly. Though you may have nailed it with the tryout contracts.

 

[NYR469]

If he signs, the Pens will have added Whitney, Koltsov, Kostopoulos, and Orpik to the playoff-bound WBS Pens (Nemec isn't eligible to play in the postseason) in one fell swoop. I'd imagine they could be a contender.

if whitney signs a real contract then i don't think he can be added to the AHL playoff roster. my understanding is that as a technicality a player joining the ahl club after their junior or college season is over must sign a tryout deal to be added to playoff roster.

that is atleast how it is being explained in the case of RJ Umberger saying that since he refuses to sign a tryout deal, that even if he signed he wouldn't be able to play for hartford.

 

[Skk82]

Servo--Well he was close anyways...Officially, Nemec was signed to an 'amateur tryout contract'. Why they're were interested in keeping his amateur status is beyond me, but my guess is it is the same type of deal as Malone got last year.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

What about Malone though? He didn't play last season.

Or it could be because Nemec and Malone are (were) only on tryout deals. I don't know if those can extend into the post season.

Malone was signed to a three game tryout contract, so he wasn't eligible.

Whitney would be signing a full-fledged contract...so I dunno.

 

[fan mao rong]

Rules I read somewhere said amateur tryouts are eligible for the AHL postseason.

 

[Oilers Chick]

wasn't ray bourque supposed to be a coach at BU next year? i wouldn't have minded him staying there if that's the case.

Ray Bourque joining the BU coaching staff? That's a new one on me. I haven't heard ANYTHING about that one and I keep up with alot of what goes on with BU. I knew that there was talk circulating about Whitney leaving BU, before the Pens Live site broke the story, but haven't seen/heard ANYTHING on Bourque joining the coaching staff.

FYI, his son Chris has (verbally)committed to playing for BU. If memory serves me correctly, he would start this fall. First, he needs to sign an NLOI (National Letter of Intent) to make it official.

 

[The Tang]

from the Pens site:

Malone also weighed in on Ryan Whitney, the Penguins first round choice (fifth overall) in the 2002 Entry Draft who signed with the club earlier in the day. The 6-4, 202 pound defenseman led Boston University with 25 points (9+16) during his junior season, and is forgoing his final year of college eligibility.

“He is a nice addition to our club,†said Malone. “He may need some time in Wilkes-Barre or may step in next year, I don’t know. It’s nice to get him locked into a contract.â€