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Penguins sign Gonchar to pro tryout contract

Friday, 08.14.2015 / 12:24 PM / News

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Penguins sign Gonchar to pro tryout contract
Defenseman Sergei Gonchar signed a professional tryout contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday, the team announced.

Defenseman Sergei Gonchar signed a professional tryout contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.

Gonchar, 41, spent five of his 20 NHL seasons with the Penguins, from 2005-10, and was a member of their Stanley Cup-winning team in 2009. He has played for the Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens.

Gonchar had one goal and 14 points in 48 games with the Stars and Canadiens last season.

“The Penguins were the only team that I was looking at,” Gonchar told the Pittsburgh website. “We’ve been talking for a while now. We had to wait for them to finish making all of their moves.”

In 1,301 NHL regular-season games, Gonchar, who was selected by the Capitals in the first round (No. 14) of the 1992 NHL Draft, has 220 goals, 811 points and 981 penalty minutes. He is 17th among NHL defensemen in goals and points.

He has 22 goals and 90 points in 141 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The Penguins used 13 defenseman last season, including 10 who played at least 20 games. Three regulars (Olli Maatta, Derrick Pouliot and Kris Letang) are returning from injuries that cut their seasons short and prevented them from taking part in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"My goal is to come to camp and show the team that I can still play," Gonchar said. "Then I want to help the team in any way that I can."

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