Recent Posts

Trade Deadline Report: Teams Have Called About Jarry, Blomqvist

On Saturday night, Hockey Night in Canada panelist Elliotte Friedman reported that other teams believed the Pittsburgh Penguins could deal a goalie before the March 8 NHL trade deadline. The natural assumption was the potentially available goalie was pending unrestricted free agent Nedeljkovic. However, on his Monday edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman expounded […]

Penguins Trade Grade: 2nd-Tier Hurricanes, Pens’ Loss Deeper than Guentzel

The Pittsburgh Penguins did not get the top prospects, nor a top-six NHL player from the Carolina Hurricanes as Penguins president of hockey operations/GM Kyle Dubas zipped Sidney Crosby’s longtime sidecar Jake Guentzel to Carolina for three prospects, a conditional second-rounder that could become a first, and Dubas-acquainted winger Michael Bunting. Bunting will plug a […]

Bunting Never Saw Trade to Penguins Coming, But Seems Glad it Did

CRANBERRY — No one, especially Jake Guentzel, should have been surprised when the Pittsburgh Penguins moved him as the NHL trade deadline approached. When Guentzel didn’t re-sign with the Penguins and seemed to be intent on testing the free-agent market this summer, they had little reason to keep him once their playoff hopes became a […]

Silent Penguins Room: Players Devastated, Reality Setting In (+)

CALGARY, Alberta — This one hurt badly. Not just because the Pittsburgh Penguins needed a win to keep pace with their playoff rivals but because they had it firmly within their grasp. They led 3-1 with 10 minutes remaining but were tied 3-3 with nine minutes left. And they lost 4-3 in regulation to the […]

Penguins’ Offensive Numbers Adding Up to Sour Season

When the Pittsburgh Penguins raised a banner emblazoned with Jaromir Jagr’s No. 68 Sunday, it joined a number of others already in the rafters at PPG Paints Arena. There were, for example, the ones commemorating the franchise’s five Stanley Cups, as well as those celebrating the other players who have had their numbers retired, Mario […]

Penguins Six-Pack: Nedeljkovic’s Mess; Power-Play Positives?

Give the Pittsburgh Penguins this: They didn’t quit. Of course, they didn’t win, either. They did, however, manage to score twice in a 56-second span with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation to take the New York Islanders to overtime at PPG Paints Arena Tuesday night. That was enough to earn them one point […]

Guentzel Leaves Game With Upper-Body Injury

Jake Guentzel left the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 5-2 loss to Florida Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena during the third period with an unspecified upper-body injury. His last shift of the game ended at 8:02 of the third period. Coach Mike Sullivan said after the game that his injury was being evaluated, but offered no other […]

Kingerski: Penguins Sending Message, They’re Done.

Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations/GM Kyle Dubas said the All-Star Break was a soft deadline, and his team would tell him which direction they were going. The answer has been submitted. A late second-period burst of desperation and fear was not nearly enough. The Panthers dismantled the Penguins, or perhaps the Penguins allowed themselves […]

Penguins Trade Analysis: Dubas Gambles; Bemstrom Scouting Report (+)

As the Pittsburgh Penguins eeked and creaked their way to a 1-1 first period against the Montreal Canadiens, president of hockey operations/GM Kyle Dubas pulled a small Penguins trade that could be a steal, or it could be quite costly. Dubas rolled the dice on a conditional draft pick that might further deplete the draft […]

Penguins Wrap: Guentzel Moves On; Playoffs Grow More Distant

The Pittsburgh Penguins gave away copies of their 2023-24 yearbook as a promotion at their game against Philadelphia Feb. 25. Speculation in the days leading up to the NHL trade deadline suggested that they might want to consider offering an updated version of it because, in the wake of all their personnel moves they were […]

Penguins Return Gruden to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Gruden’s latest stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins didn’t last very long. In fact, his travel time to get to and from the team in Seattle might have involved more time than his stay did. Gruden’s recall from the Penguins’ farm team in Wilkes-Barre was announced Thursday morning. Shortly before the Penguins’ game against the Kraken […]

Penguins Game 52 vs. Kings: Lines, Notes & How to Watch

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a special night planned Sunday as they retire the No. 68 jersey of Jaromir Jagr. There’s a hockey game, too, as the Los Angeles Kings visit PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins have celebrated all weekend with Jagr, who played his first 11 seasons with the Penguins and is ranked second all-time […]

Penguins Six-Pack: Rust’s Pointed Observation; Another Power Failure

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2-1 loss to Los Angeles Sunday at PPG Paints Arena was their fourth defeat in five games, as well as the latest in a series of setbacks during which they were unable to protect a lead — or a tie — in the third period. Consequently, despite persistent statements that they believe […]

Penguins Room: Players in Awe, Jagr ‘Inspiration’ Changes Dynamic (+)

The Pittsburgh Penguins practiced Saturday. They’ve lost three of four games and slipped perilously behind others in the playoff chase. Still, none of that was the news that gripped a couple of thousand fans who packed into the UPMC Lemieux Complex to watch practice or the fans in absentia who were glued to social media. […]

Happy Penguins Room: Smiling Players, Proud Coach After OT Win

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Pittsburgh Penguins locker room had more than a few smiles and relieved faces. The Penguins fought back from 2-0 in the second period and 3-2 in the third to become just the fifth team to erase a third-period deficit against the Vancouver Canucks in a 4-3 overtime win. Sidney Crosby […]

Report: More Teams Interested in Acquiring Reilly Smith?

While the big name drawing interest and plenty of speculation on the NHL trade market is Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel, another Penguins winger may be drawing more interest. According to Daily FaceOff’s Frank Seravalli, formerly of TSN, Reilly Smith is drawing broader interest than Guentzel. This season, Smith has struggled with the Penguins amid […]