Recent Posts

Better Effort, Same Result for Penguins in 5-1 Loss to Bruins

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ season was threatening to morph from a major disappointment into a flat-out dumpster fire. They had lost four of the previous five games and had usually looked pretty bad in the process. Like the 60-minute self-immolation that was their 6-0 loss to Washington at PPG Paints Arena Thursday. Well, the good news […]

Jagr Gets Real; Retirement, Regrets, & ‘If You’re Satisfied, You’re Done’

PITTSBURGH — Sunday afternoon, Jaromir Jagr will watch his No. 68 raised to the rafters at PPG Paints Arena, just the third number retired in the 56-year history of the Pittsburgh Penguins. His jersey will hang beside idol and teammate Mario Lemieux as the Penguins and Jagr bring a long relationship that has been all […]

Former NHLer Kypreos Rips Dubas’ Work as GM in Toronto

Dubas, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ president of hockey operations and general manager, earned mixed reviews for his work as GM in Toronto. It’s not hard to figure the camp in which Nick Kypreos, a former NHL player and “contributing columnist” for the Toronto Star, resides. Kypreos offered a assessment of Dubas’ performance in Thursday’s editions of […]

Top 3 Trade Spots for Jake Guentzel; Potential Returns

We have reached that unfortunate hour in which Jake Guentzel is on the NHL trade block, and bidders are waving numbered placards in hopes of landing the scoring winger who has not only supported center Sidney Crosby better than any winger in Crosby’s career but also elevated Crosby’s game. It seems everyone is coming to […]

Penguins Hoping Phillips Comes Up Big for Their Offense

Shortly before 2 p.m. Friday, Matthew Phillips was a spare part with the Washington Capitals, with only the formality of clearing waivers appearing to separate him from a trip to the American Hockey League. Minutes later, his itinerary — and his life — changed. By 11 p.m., he was in a new town, working for […]

Dan’s Daily: What the Flames Want for Big Pieces; Penguins Teetering

If you think you had a bad weekend, compare it to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who largely beat themselves in a pair of very asymmetrical games, shoving their season and future to the edge of failure and uncertainty. The NHL trade deadline is less than four weeks away, and one Penguins rival is ready to begin […]

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 […]

Penguins Game 58 vs. Flames: Lines, Notes & How to Watch

Next up for the Pittsburgh Penguins is a meeting Saturday with the Calgary Flames as they continue a road trip out west that is just a little important. As in, what happens in these four games could help determine not only whether the Penguins make the playoffs, but also what could happen with the roster […]

Will Bemstrom Be the One to Give Penguins an Offensive Boost?

CRANBERRY — Mike Sullivan’s assessment Saturday of how newly acquired winger Emil Bemstrom could be able to help the Pittsburgh Penguins’ offense might sound familiar. It certainly should. It was, after all, a lot like what Sullivan said a week earlier about Phillips, who had just been claimed off waivers from Washington then. When asked […]

Penguins Players React to Losing and the NHL Trade Deadline

Not since Sidney Crosby was a rookie, Mario Lemieux was forced to retire with a heart ailment, and a string of big-name free agents flopped spectacularly have the Pittsburgh Penguins been this far out of a playoff position this early in the season with the NHL trade deadline the increasingly spoken elephant in the room. […]

Foreshadowing Trades? Penguins Move O’Connor to Center, Suffers Concussion

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan made several changes to his lines Tuesday, in what could have been foreshadowing the Penguins’ lineup following the NHL trade deadline on Friday. After three straight bruising losses on the recent four-game road trip and deflated spirits, Sullivan made a couple of surprising moves, including moving Drew O’Connor to third-line […]

Former Penguins Winger Alex Nylander Nets Hat Trick; On Fire in Columbus

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Emil Bemstrom last week from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a conditional sixth-round pick and faded prospect Alex Nylander. Ironically, the conditional sixth-rounder becomes a third-rounder if Bemstrom scores six goals. There is no condition regarding Nylander’s performance, but Columbus should be pleased so far. Monday night, Nylander netted his first […]

Penguins Need Malkin to Change; Is He Thinking About the End?

“Please, no,” was Evgeni Malkin’s playful response when someone asked if he could play until he’s 50 years old. The Pittsburgh Penguins honored Jaromir Jagr for several days last week leading to Sunday’s jersey retirement, and if there was a player who most resembled Jagr’s ferocity and strength with the puck, it was Malkin. Malkin’s […]

Penguins Claim Matthew Phillips off Waivers from Capitals

The Pittsburgh Penguins have claimed forward Phillips off waivers from Washington. He is undersized — 5-foot-8, 160 pounds — but fast and fearless, and can play center or wing. Phillips, 25, has one goal and four assists in 27 games with the Capitals this season. His contract, which expires after this season, carries a salary-cap […]

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 Struggles, It’s Time to Take Away Jobs

A season in the balance. A hated and hateful rival ahead in the standings coming for an afternoon war in which a loss would kick loose the last bit of belief that the Pittsburgh Penguins could make the playoffs. Karlsson said it’s felt like the Penguins have been in “now or never” mode for six […]