Recent Posts

Reilly Smith Fires Back on Rumors, ‘Totally Baseless’

CALGARY, Alberta — The rumors have grown so loud and so widely accepted as to become common knowledge, if not fact. You’ve heard the chatter that has been widespread for a couple of months: Pittsburgh Penguins winger Reilly Smith is unhappy in Pittsburgh. Perhaps the only person who hasn’t heard that talk is the player […]

How Can Penguins Get Into Playoffs? Here’s One Surefire Way

The challenge for the Pittsburgh Penguins is pretty simple: Win their final 27 games, and they’ll be in the Stanley Cup playoffs this spring. Of course, the NHL record for consecutive victories is 17, set by the 1992-93 Penguins, so it’s unlikely that they’ll finish the season with a 29-game winning streak. (They already have […]

Watch: Penguins Analysis, Examining Mike Sullivan by 3 Criteria

As the Pittsburgh Penguins sink further into the abyss of mediocrity and the playoff trail grows cold with mounting losses, many by their own doing, there is a growing segment of Penguins fans pointing fingers directly at coach Mike Sullivan. Sullivan is in his ninth season as the Penguins bench boss and the second longest-tenured […]

Now or Never, Penguins Game 54 vs. Canadiens: Lines, Notes, & How to Watch

It might be a contest of which team can muster more desperation Thursday when the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Montreal Canadiens. If the Penguins (24-21-8) are in a bad way trying to climb into a playoff spot, then the Canadiens (22-25-8) are hanging on by a fingernail at best. The Penguins are coming off a […]

Penguins’ Malkin Gets Honest: I Know I’m Not Flying Like Before

Perhaps Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin isn’t as stubborn or as blind to his level of play as some critics believe. And there are many critics – just take a stroll through social media. Malkin, affectionately known as “Geno” throughout a stellar NHL career that is in its 18th season, is well aware that he […]

Do Lots of No-Trade Clauses = Few Trades Coming for Penguins?

CRANBERRY — Kyle Dubas remained noncommittal Wednesday about whether the Pittsburgh Penguins will be buyers or sellers — or neither — between now and the March 8 NHL trade deadline. That decision, he suggested, will be determined by how the Penguins perform — and where they stand in the Eastern Conference playoff race — as […]

Molinari: Here’s What Matters Most in Penguins’ Deadline Trades

The Pittsburgh Penguins will play Edmonton this coming Sunday for the second time in eight days. The Oilers should expect to face an opponent that is quite different — though, almost certainly, not better — than they one they shredded, 6-1, at Rogers Place Sunday. That’s because losing their final three games on a four-game […]

Penguins Trade Talk: Does Vegas Need Reilly Smith? Is a Goalie Available?

The NHL trade chatter has finally picked up after a couple of months of stagnation when the focus was solely on the Calgary Flames. We can finally move past Calgary and look to the deadline. Injuries and playoff contention are creating openings and opportunities, including for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Penguins president of hockey operations/GM Kyle […]

(UPDATED) Penguins Practice: Harkins Concussed; Letang ‘Nicked Up’

CRANBERRY — Blue-collar winger Jansen Harkins has been diagnosed with a concussion, the apparent result of a hit from Winnipeg center Adam Lowry during the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2-1 loss to the Jets Saturday. Harkins did not participate in practice Monday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex and has been placed on injured reserve. Center Evgeni Malkin […]

Penguins Six-Pack: Losing Mind Games; Cool Moment for Ludvig

There are times when the Pittsburgh Penguins seem fragile, like a team that fully expects something bad to happen. Perhaps because it so often does. Witness their 5-2 loss to Florida Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena, when the Penguins appeared to take a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Rickard Rakell at 2:32 […]

Penguins Postgame: Small Details Reveal Big Things

The Pittsburgh Penguins didn’t necessarily disagree with the notion that their effort during a 5-1 loss to Boston Saturday at TD Garden was better than the ones they had put forth in some recent games, but they were adamant that that was missing the point. The real story of the game, they contended, was the […]

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 […]

Capitals Waive Kuznetsov; Dirty Bird Done in D.C.

Evgeny Kuznetsov has long been a staple of the revived Washington Capitals, including their 2018 Stanley Cup championship. The supremely talented player has also dealt with personal demons and has been on the outs with the organization for several years. Saturday, Kuznetsov’s tenure with the seemingly came to an end when the Capitals put him […]

Kingerski: Now We’ll Find Out if this Penguins Team Worth Saving

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Is the Pittsburgh Penguins’ heart worth saving? Their march toward a playoff berth has more often resembled the legs of a staggered boxer. All season, it has been less of a march forward and more like two steps forward, a couple sideways, and a couple back. losses have come at key […]

Penguins Game 60 vs. Blue Jackets: Lines, Notes & How to Watch

It’s probably fair to wonder where the Pittsburgh Penguins’ heads will be Tuesday when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Penguins (27-24-8) are coming off a soul-crushing western road trip riding a three-game losing streak and now staring hard at possible impactful changes leading into Friday’s trade deadline. The Blue Jackets (20-30-10) sit last […]

Dan’s Daily: Trade Winners, Canucks Hold, Penguins Changes Coming

After weeks, if not months of buildup, the NHL trade deadline was a bit of a fizzle. Not quite a new Stars Wars letdown, but the day had a methodical pace, and the lack of return for Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel took the air out of everyone’s sails. Penguins president of hockey operations/GM Kyle […]