Recent Posts

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 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: […]

Capitals Punishment: Washington Embarrasses Penguins, 6-0

The Pittsburgh Penguins didn’t hold any players out of their game against Washington Thursday night at PPG Paints Arena for “trade-related reasons,” as a number of clubs have done lately. That doesn’t mean that everyone in their lineup actually was involved in the game, though. Truth be told, there have been cruise ships with fewer […]

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 […]

Dan’s Daily: TSN Sticks Up for Crosby; NHL Trade Deadline Chatter

PITTSBURGH (I think) — We’ve got a lot of Pittsburgh Penguins ground to cover, but first, a post-mortem on what went wrong and why it went wrong. Geno Reda of TSN came loaded for bear, vigorously sticking up for Sidney Crosby, accusing the Penguins management of abandoning him by not adding help. It was a […]

Penguins Grades: Letang Meltdown, Late Collapse Rocks Team

CALGARY, Alberta — The Pittsburgh Penguins got a pair of bottom-six goals. They scored a power-play goal in the second period and led 3-1 with 10 minutes remaining. Yet the Penguins remain the most self-destructive team in the NHL. Calgary scored two goals 32 seconds apart in the middle of the third period and another […]

Dan’s Daily: Penguins Situation Gets Worse; Goalie Trade Market

Is Erik Karlsson ready to be the puck-dominating, lightning-fast player who won the 2023 Norris Trophy? There are signs that Karlsson is ready to go, and coach Mike Sullivan shed some light on the internal discussions with Karlsson. However, the Penguins’ playoff chase took a hit Monday when all three Metro Division teams in action […]

Penguins’ Free Fall Continues With 4-0 Loss to Edmonton

The Pittsburgh Penguins have grown accustomed to playing high-stakes hockey at this time of year. Whether they were competing for a division championship, a good seed in the playoffs or something as modest as a berth in the postseason, every result during the stretch drive has mattered. Not this season. The Penguins are wading through… […]

Penguins Flip the Script, But Lose to Islanders, 5-4, in Overtime

The Pittsburgh Penguins know all about late-game comebacks, because they’ve seen lots of them this season. Usually by the other team. But Tuesday night, it was the Penguins, not their opponents, who rallied late in the third period to force overtime. The extra period lasted just 57 seconds, though, before New York defenseman Adam Pelech […]

Karlsson’s OT Goal Gives Penguins 4-3 Win Over Canucks

The Pittsburgh Penguins did not play a perfect game in Vancouver Tuesday night. They made some mental mistakes. Some physical ones, too. Heck, they gave up a shorthanded goal for the third time in the past five games. But they also played with resolve and commitment and focus, and an obvious appreciation of what was […]

Minor Penguins Trade; Hellberg Dealt to Contender

Magnus Hellberg’s time with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the organization came to a close Friday afternoon just before the 3 p.m. NHL trade deadline. The Penguins traded Hellburg to the Panthers. The Penguins received little compensation: a conditional seventh-round pick and 27-year-old Swiss goalie Ludovic Waeber, who is playing in his first North American pro […]

Penguins’ Bryan Rust Update, Week-to-Week

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust will be out of the Penguins lineup for a bit more than a couple of games. Following the morning skate, coach Mike Sullivan updated Rust’s status. “So, Rusty is going to be week to week with an upper-body injury,” Sullivan said. Rust was injured in the […]

(Updated) Hellberg Called Up, Nedeljkovic to Start vs. Islanders

Magnus Hellberg was called up Sunday a few hours before the Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the LA Kings, 2-1, at PPG Paints Arena, but that’s not the end of the story. Mike Sullivan said Hellberg was recalled because one of the goalies was feeling under the weather, and the Penguins wanted to make sure they […]

Penguins Thoughts: Prepare for Karlsson; Pens’ Trade Chips

ln an increasingly rare dateline, this comes from the home rink, and the Pittsburgh Penguins battle not only against the quality teams they are battling for a playoff spot but, like an old Polaroid of happier times, to finally recapture the best version of themselves. With each passing day and each gut-punch loss, the Penguins […]

Eastern Conference Power Rankings; Playoff Race & Penguins X-Factor

The top of the Eastern Conference is a battle in the Atlantic Divison. The bottom of the playoff race is a battle in the Metro Division. Both races are jumbled and could greatly affect the eventual Wales Trophy winner, and the X-factor in the conference is none other than the Pittsburgh Penguins. Are they a […]

My Mourning Jackets: Penguins Hold Off Columbus, 5-3

The Pittsburgh Penguins have whittled their magic number to 29. Not to clinch, say, a division championship or home-ice advantage for the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, but to avoid finishing last in the Metropolitan Division. OK, so that’s not much of a feat for a franchise with five Stanley Cup banners hanging […]