Post by Jazz on Jun 17, 2004 1:43:06 GMT -5
I thought this would be of interest to our Latvian members...
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Jackets acquire Irbe from Hurricanes[/u][/color]
RALEIGH, N.C. (CP-AP) -- Arturs Irbe was traded by the Carolina Hurricanes to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday, ending the goaltenders' up and down six-year stint with the team.
The Hurricanes swapped one of the heroes of their unexpected run to the 2002 Stanley Cup finals for future considerations.
Irbe leaves as the franchise's career leader with 130 wins and 20 shutouts.
"He's looking forward to a new opportunity," said Paul Theofanus, Irbe's agent. "Clearly he was very happy and enjoyed his time with the Hurricanes, and his only lament is that they didn't win the Cup that year."
Irbe, 37, split the season between Johnstown of the ECHL and the Hurricanes. In 10 for Carolina last season, the Latvian was 5-2-1 with a 2.45 goals-against average and an .899 save percentage.
Irbe, a native of Latvia and a former Olympian, was 10-8 in the 2002 playoffs when the Hurricanes lost to Detroit in the Stanley Cup finals.
But Kevin Weekes became the starter the next season, and Irbe split time between the minors and Carolina.
Irbe went 7-24-2 with a 3.18 goals-against-average for Carolina in 2002-2003.
During his 13-year career, Irbe appeared in 568 career NHL games, collecting 218 wins, 33 shutouts and a 2.83 GAA.
The 218 wins leave him second to Dominik Hasek's 296 among European-born goaltenders in the NHL.
In February, the Hurricanes brought Irbe back from the minors to be a back up.
He had been in the minors after refusing a $1.8 million US buyout of his two-year, $5.2 million contract.
"We thank Archie for his good years with the Hurricanes," Carolina president and general manager Jim Rutherford said in a news release. "I'm happy that we could accommodate giving him an opportunity to play in the NHL in the future."
Doug MacLean, president and general manager of the Blue Jackets, said Irbe's experience would be a good fit for Columbus.
"Arturs Irbe is a proven National Hockey League goaltender who has played in two all-star games and led Carolina to the Stanley Cup finals in 2002," MacLean said in a statement. "He is coming off an outstanding performance at this year's world championships and we felt this was a good opportunity for us to add a proven veteran to our mix at that position."
Fred Brathwaite backed up starter Marc Denis in Columbus last season.
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Jackets acquire Irbe from Hurricanes[/u][/color]
RALEIGH, N.C. (CP-AP) -- Arturs Irbe was traded by the Carolina Hurricanes to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday, ending the goaltenders' up and down six-year stint with the team.
The Hurricanes swapped one of the heroes of their unexpected run to the 2002 Stanley Cup finals for future considerations.
Irbe leaves as the franchise's career leader with 130 wins and 20 shutouts.
"He's looking forward to a new opportunity," said Paul Theofanus, Irbe's agent. "Clearly he was very happy and enjoyed his time with the Hurricanes, and his only lament is that they didn't win the Cup that year."
Irbe, 37, split the season between Johnstown of the ECHL and the Hurricanes. In 10 for Carolina last season, the Latvian was 5-2-1 with a 2.45 goals-against average and an .899 save percentage.
Irbe, a native of Latvia and a former Olympian, was 10-8 in the 2002 playoffs when the Hurricanes lost to Detroit in the Stanley Cup finals.
But Kevin Weekes became the starter the next season, and Irbe split time between the minors and Carolina.
Irbe went 7-24-2 with a 3.18 goals-against-average for Carolina in 2002-2003.
During his 13-year career, Irbe appeared in 568 career NHL games, collecting 218 wins, 33 shutouts and a 2.83 GAA.
The 218 wins leave him second to Dominik Hasek's 296 among European-born goaltenders in the NHL.
In February, the Hurricanes brought Irbe back from the minors to be a back up.
He had been in the minors after refusing a $1.8 million US buyout of his two-year, $5.2 million contract.
"We thank Archie for his good years with the Hurricanes," Carolina president and general manager Jim Rutherford said in a news release. "I'm happy that we could accommodate giving him an opportunity to play in the NHL in the future."
Doug MacLean, president and general manager of the Blue Jackets, said Irbe's experience would be a good fit for Columbus.
"Arturs Irbe is a proven National Hockey League goaltender who has played in two all-star games and led Carolina to the Stanley Cup finals in 2002," MacLean said in a statement. "He is coming off an outstanding performance at this year's world championships and we felt this was a good opportunity for us to add a proven veteran to our mix at that position."
Fred Brathwaite backed up starter Marc Denis in Columbus last season.
