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Penguins sign Mario and the kid! Woohoo.
Penguins sign Mario & the Kid
Sep, 10 2005 - 9:00 AM
(CP) - Mario Lemieux agreed to a new deal, and the signing of No. 1 draft pick Sidney Crosby also was announced by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday as NHL teams made final preparations to open training camps early next week.
"Five or six teams have a real good chance (to win the Stanley Cup) and we feel we're one of those teams," Lemieux said of the rebuilt Pens.
The value of the owner-captain's contract was not divulged, while Crosby gets the rookie max of $850,000 in salary and a possible $850,000 more in statistical and playing-time bonuses in 2005-2006 as dictated by the new collective bargaining agreement. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract. Additional bonuses worth about $2 million a year - many of them seemingly out of reach, such as winning the league MVP award - also are in the contract.
Crosby, 18, of Cole Harbour, N.S., has been touted as possibly being another Lemieux, or even another Wayne Gretzky.
"I think so," said Lemieux. "Not only (because of) his talent but the way he thinks about the game.
"He's dedicated to the game of hockey. A lot of guys have had talent in the past but to put the mind that he has with his talent is special."
One of the most anticipated camp openings will be in Arizona where the Phoenix Coyotes will have Gretzky on the ice Tuesday to start his new job as head coach.
"I just can't wait," said captain Shane Doan. "You feel like a little kid again because you haven't played in so long.
"Everyone's excited about that, but then you add the fact that every day Wayne Gretzky is going to be our coach -that's pretty special."
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