Penguins' Palffy retires
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Veteran winger Ziggy Palffy announced his retirement Wednesday, a move that left the Pittsburgh Penguins without their second leading scorer and another question mark in a puzzling, disappointing season.
Palffy wasn't at a news conference held by general manager Craig Patrick during the team's practice Wednesday. Patrick wouldn't comment on a Slovak newspaper report that Palffy retired because of a lingering shoulder injury.
"No, I'm not going to talk about our discussion," Patrick said, noting that Palffy cited "personal reasons" for his decision. Palffy told Patrick of his decision Tuesday morning. They agreed not to announce it until Wednesday because Patrick hoped Palffy would reconsider.
"I was surprised," Patrick said. "He came in, he closed the door. ... It became pretty apparent once he started (talking) that he was heading down that path."
The 33-year-old Palffy was injured while playing for the Los Angeles Kings at Anaheim in January 2004. He had reconstructive surgery on his right shoulder twice, but the problems persisted. The shoulder injury led to his decision to retire, he told the Sport daily, a Slovak newspaper.
"I have talked to my doctor and he did not recommend a third operation," Palffy told the newspaper.
Palffy's agent, Paul Kraus, didn't immediately return calls from The Associated Press.
Earlier this year, Palffy retired from the Slovak national team ahead of the Turin Olympics.
Patrick said the Penguins had no concerns about Palffy's health when the team signed him to a $13.5 million US, three-year contract in August. He was earning $3.5 million this season and was slated to make $5.5 million in 2006-07 and $4.5 million in 2007-08.
"We didn't sense that there was any problems with the shoulder," Patrick said. "He passed the physical."
Palffy was second in scoring for the Penguins with 42 points (11 goals, 31 assists) in 42 games, spending most of his time on a line with rookie Sidney Crosby, who leads the team with 22 goals and 29 assists.
"It's been tough on him the last 10 to 15 games," said Crosby. "I don't know if he's ever gone that long without scoring one."
Therrien, who replaced coach Eddie Olczyk, said he tried to talk Palffy out of retiring.
"It's a tough decision for him but we have to respect his decision," Therrien said. "He was not playing the way he wished to play and he's not getting any younger."
Palffy is the second free agent the Penguins have lost to injury this season. Goaltender Jocelyn Thibault was expected to miss the rest of the season because of hip surgery.
Other free agents that stoked the Penguins playoff hopes after they acquired the right to pick Crosby in the draft have played below expectations, notably defenceman Sergei Gonchar who signed a $25 million, five-year contract in August.
Gonchar has 22 points in 43 games, after averaging 59 points over the past five seasons.
The Penguins have the second-worst record in the NHL at 11-26-9. They are mired in a seven-game losing streak, 19 points out of a playoff spot with 36 games to play. They fired coach Eddie Olczyk in December and replaced him with Michel Therrien.
"It's been an interesting year for sure, there's no doubt about that," Patrick said. "It's the new NHL and it hasn't unfolded as we expected, but there's still a half season left and we'll see how it goes the rest of the way."
Patrick wasn't immediately sure who would take Palffy's roster spot, but the team announced goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will stay with the team the rest of the season. That had been unclear mostly because Fleury stands to make about $3 million in playing-time bonuses if he stays with the Penguins.
In 684 career NHL games over 12 seasons, Palffy had 329 goals with 384 assists.
He was drafted by the New York Islanders in the second round (26th overall) of the 1991 entry draft. He played six seasons with the Islanders (1993-1999), recording 331 points (168-163) in 331 games. Palffy scored 40 or more goals in three straight seasons with the Islanders (1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98).
He was traded to Los Angeles on June 20, 1999, and played five seasons with the Kings (1999-2004), recording 340 points (150-190) in 311 games.
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