July 2, 2009 — PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed checking-line forward Mike Rupp to a $1.6 million, two-year contract, adding a physical presence to a team that didn’t have an enforcer on the ice during the playoffs.
Rupp, 29, who makes his offseason home in Cambridge Springs, essentially plays the same role as forward Eric Godard, who was deactivated for all of the Stanley Cup champions’ playoff games. The Penguins made no major signings Wednesday on the first day of NHL free agency.
Rupp said his agent had been fielding a couple calls from other teams. Rupp said he was “impressed with how (the Penguins) came at me right away.”
“I liked what they had to say. I really didn’t have any thoughts other than the Penguins when free agency opened (yesterday).”
Rupp played at Cleveland St. Edward while in high school and also had a three-year stint with the Erie Otters (1997-98 to 1999-2000). The Penguins’ closeness to the area did not factor in the decision, it was “just icing on the cake. I was more so looking at the direction of the organization.”
“(Pittsburgh is) an organization that has been built very well,” Rupp said. “Ultimately, I want to win another Cup. They are obviously a talented team with a lot of character guys. All the pieces are in place.”
Rupp began his NHL career with the New Jersey Devils in 2002-03. Rupp scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal that year as the Devils beat Anaheim in seven games. He played one more year in New Jersey before being traded to Phoenix, where he spent two seasons. After a stop in Columbus, Rupp returned to New Jersey for 2006-07, where he had spent the past three seasons.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Rupp will make $825,000 each season. He had three goals, six assists and 136 penalty minutes in 72 games for the New Jersey Devils last season.
Rupp was excited to be joining the Stanley Cup champion Penguins and their core of young stars that include Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
“It’s pretty awesome. Playing against (Crosby and Malkin), I have seen how special they are,” Rupp said. “But you probably don’t have any idea how really special they are until you get to see them every day.”
The Penguins also signed former Boston University defenseman Brian Strait to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Local Sports
Local resident Rupp signs with Penguins
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DISTRICT 10 BASEBALL: Big Reds shut down Lions
SLIPPERY ROCK — The Linesville baseball team, with its mix of experienced and lesser-experienced players, has been capable of two different kinds of games this season.
The first is the sharp, skillful kind of effort the Lions put together Monday in their 10-7 win over Cochranton in the District 10 Class A quarterfinals. -
DISTRICT 10 BASEBALL: Mercyhurst outslugs Lake in D-10 semis
ERIE — After a District 10 Class A championship game appearance last year, the Conneaut Lake baseball team lost four seniors who were important to the team’s success.
Even though the talented quartet graduated and Lake featured just three seniors this year, the team came together and reached the district semifinals. The team’s end result, and the school’s last game as a baseball team due to Conneaut Lake, Conneaut Valley, and Linesville consolidating into Conneaut Area Senior High, was a 15-4 loss in six innings to Mercyhurst Prep on Friday at Ainsworth Field in Erie. -
DISTRICT 10 BASEBALL: Panthers edge Tigers, reach D-10 title game
ERIE — The Saegertown baseball team made an art form of compiling mercy rule wins this season. Nearly all of the Panthers’ 20 regular season victories were by 10 runs or more, as double-digit hits and runs scored were the norm.
The playoffs have been a different beast for the defending District 10 Class AA champion Cats, but they continue to find ways to win. -
BOYS VOLLEYBALL: Cardinals come back from losers’ bracket to win D-10 title
The very first word spoken by Cochranton boys volleyball coach Brad Custead in his post-match interview will sum up Friday night’s District 10 championship finale better than all the words that follow it.
“Incredible,” he said. -
Bulldogs' trio ready for state track and field meet
Meadville’s best now look to be among Pennsylvania’s best as Paige Kassab, Chaykala Lindsey and Heather Sternby compete in the PIAA Class AAA Track and Field Championships, which run Friday and Saturday at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium.
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D-10 SOFTBALL: Tigers no-hit in loss to Braves
HARBORCREEK TOWNSHIP — The Maplewood softball team had no answer for Iroquois starting pitcher Megan Martin on Tuesday during the District 10 Class AA quarterfinals on the campus of Penn State Behrend in Erie.
Martin worked around two errors during a no-hitter that included zero walks. And the Braves’ offense was sure to back her up during Iroquois’ 10-0 victory in five innings. -
D-10 BASEBALL: Prep rolls past ’Dogs in four innings
ERIE — Hitting, they say, is contagious. And the Cathedral Prep baseball team had a full-blown outbreak against Meadville on Tuesday at Ainsworth Field, notching 13 base hits in a 16-1, four-inning rout of the Bulldogs during opening round action of the District 10 Class AAA playoffs.
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DISTRICT 10 BASEBALL: Lake storms past Eisenhower
ERIE — The Conneaut Lake baseball team started off its postseason with a bang. Numerous bangs, actually.
The Indians (12-7) slugged 19 base hits while bumping off Eisenhower 15-5 in six innings during opening round action in the District 10 Class A playoff tournament Monday at Ainsworth Field. -
DISTRICT 10 BASEBALL: Lions top Cards
ERIE — If this story had to describe every clutch hit, gutsy pitch, run-saving defensive play, or momentum-shifting moment during Monday’s playoff classic between Region 3 foes Cochranton and Linesville; there wouldn’t be room for much else in today’s newspaper.
The bottom line is: You should have been there. -
BOYS VOLLEYBALL: Bulldogs stop Trojans to cap perfect region slate
Meadville junior Matt Izbinski laced a hard spike down the line, and so ended the regular season for the Bulldogs boys volleyball team — with a 3-1 win over McDowell, and a 9-0 run through Region 1. It all summed up on Friday night at the House of Thrills.
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