Recent Posts

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 […]

Penguins Game 51 vs. Blackhawks: Lines, Notes & How to Watch

Whew boy. The Pittsburgh Penguins have dug a deep hole as they head into a road game Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Penguins (23-20-7) have a quick turnaround following a 5-2 loss Wednesday at home against the Florida Panthers that had fans booing at times. It was their third straight loss. The Blackhawks (14-36-3) […]

Deadline Fallout: Penguins Internal Anger; Trades Not Made

BOSTON — The NHL trade deadline provided one of the more surprising twists after Pittsburgh Penguins president Kyle Dubas traded away Jake Guentzel later Thursday evening to the Carolina Hurricanes for three lower-ranked prospects and Michael Bunting. While Dubas made a strong case for the trio of prospects at his press conference Friday after the […]

Dan’s Daily: Fleury Squashes Trade Talk; Penguins Down 2 Wingers

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Pittsburgh Penguins will be down two wingers on this four-game road trip that will likely determine their position for the NHL trade deadline and, by indirect extension, their fate this season. Bryan Rust left Sunday’s win over the Philadelphia Flyers in the third period, did not make the trip, and […]

UPDATED: Bryan Rust Not on Road Trip With Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins, who are in Vancouver to begin a four-game western trip, practiced Monday without top-line right winger Bryan Rust, and coach Mike Sullivan told reporters afterward that the team is still awaiting word on the extent of Rust’s injury. “(Rust) is at home right now; he did not make the trip with us,” […]

Jake Guentzel Still Around, Participates in Penguins Skate

The NHL trade deadline hasn’t changed, and the reports about possible trades involving Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel haven’t died down, but that didn’t stop Guentzel from participating in the team’s  morning skate Thursday at PPG Paints Arena. Guentzel, who is on LTIR because of an upper-body injury and not eligible to be activated until […]

Molinari: Penguins’ Return for Guentzel is Awful … Unless it Isn’t (+)

The trade that sent Jake Guentzel to Carolina Thursday night just might be the worst in Pittsburgh Penguins history. OK, there’s actually no chance that it will outdo, say, sending Markus Naslund to Vancouver for Stojanov, but you get the idea. The Penguins parted with a proven 40-goal scorer in exchange for a package that […]

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 […]

Second-Period Flameout Dooms Penguins Against Florida, 5-2

Mike Sullivan generally is pleased when the Pittsburgh Penguins play low-event hockey, so he probably didn’t mind the way the first period of their game against Florida at PPG Paints Arena played out Wednesday night. There’s absolutely no doubt that he liked it a lot more than the one that followed. The Penguins. who had […]

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 […]

LeBrun Says Teams Interested in Reilly Smith; Penguins Listening on Many

The March 8th NHL trade deadline is just over two weeks away, and the Pittsburgh Penguins have not improved their position in the standings. Several new players have not integrated well into the Penguins lineup, wins have become scarce, and things are not looking rosy for the Penguins to make a playoff push. Tuesday evening, […]

Dan’s Daily: Crosby Hero, Kessel Struggles, Updated Trade Board

CHICAGO — The Pittsburgh Penguins needed a tub of ice cream to feel better a day after a season-shaking loss and Jake Guentzel injury. The rebuilding and hapless Chicago Blackhawks were Rocky Road with an extra big spoon, and Sidney Crosby willed his team to a win. Phil Kessel struggled in his first practice with […]

Go West; Penguins Game 56 vs. Canucks: Lines, Notes & How to Watch

It’s go big or go home for the Pittsburgh Penguins – except they won’t be going home – as they kick off their trip out west with a game Tuesday against the Canucks in Vancouver. The Penguins (26-21-8) need to win at a furious pace the rest of the season to get into the playoffs, […]

Penguins Room: Eller’s Long Silence, Nedeljkovic ‘I (Soiled) the Bed’

It was a stinging loss that will hasten decisions and the finality of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins earned a point in a 5-4 overtime loss to their rival New York Islanders but lost even more ground in the playoff race. They have less than 30 games to go, only a couple of weeks before […]

Penguins Grades: Team Battles Heartbreak and Distraction

The Pittsburgh Penguins were energetic and aggressive in the first period. They were utterly terrible in the second period. They got by later in the third period when they finally buckled down for a 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena. With the NHL trade rumors swirling around Penguins winger Guentzel […]

Penguins Practice: Sullivan Overhauls Lines, Defense Pairings

CRANBERRY — Mike Sullivan made some significant personnel changes during the Pittsburgh Penguins’ practice at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex Monday. The top line, with Sidney Crosby between Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust, remained intact, but most of the other lines and defense pairings were scrambled. Here are the the lines and pairings from the workout: […]