Recent Posts

Dan’s Daily: Trade Deadline Matches; Penguins Falling Fast

Freefall out into nothing. The Pittsburgh Penguins lost their third regulation game in a row with their third disappointing effort in a row and are poised to miss the playoffs for the second season in a row. Penguins love became a funeral pyre Wednesday. Sidney Crosby pushed back, but coach Mike Sullivan was admittedly at […]

Dan’s Daily: Insider Trade Chatter; Penguins Get Some Help

A Pittsburgh Penguins trade went down during the first period of their 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. It won’t send shockwaves around the league, but it might help. The team got some help in their playoff race as New Jersey and the Islanders lost. The Penguins were sort of good on Thursday night, but […]

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 […]

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, […]

Blackhawks Down: Penguins Pull Out of Nosedive, 4-1

Maybe it’s all Jake Guentzel’s fault that the Pittsburgh Penguins’ playoff hopes have been fading, after all. Perhaps the guy who was tied for the team scoring lead and was on pace to get more than 30 goals again was the culprit behind their struggles of late. OK, probably not. Nonetheless, the Penguins made it […]

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 […]

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 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 […]

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 […]

Jagr’s Proving That You Can Go Home Again

Jaromir Jagr is not the same guy who made his first trip to Pittsburgh in 1990. The mullet that became something of a trademark for him when he was a teenager is long gone, replaced by a more businesslike hairstyle. And there are more than a few strands of gray on his head these days. […]

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 […]

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 […]

How’d Jaromir Jagr End Up With Penguins? It Wasn’t Just Luck (+)

Former Penguins GM Craig Patrick tells Dave Molinari about Jaromir Jagr’s scheme to get drafted by the Penguins and taking care of him afterward This content is for PHN+ subscribers only. Join us and get access to our entire network for only $4.49 per month, or get a yearly subscription for just $39.99! us! –OR– […]

Dan’s Daily: Squashing Trade Rumors; Penguins Path Forward

SEATTLE — The Pittsburgh Penguins path forward will require a lot more of the intensity they brought to the fight against the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday. There is also one guy, who colleague Dave Molinari circled that could pile up the points for the Penguins, who have reasons for optimism. Elsewhere in the Daily, multiple players […]

Penguins Grades: ‘Resilient’ Win, 3 Players Who Rose to Challenge

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The handmade cardboard sign was taped above the Pittsburgh Penguins locker room door. It said only two words, “All In.” The Penguins earned a hard-fought win and one that shines a bright, positive light on the team, who beat the NHL-leading Vancouver Canucks 4-3 in overtime at Rogers Arena. If there’s […]

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 […]