Recent Posts

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

Dan’s Daily: National Media Debates Penguins Sell-Off; What Pens Need Now

The Pittsburgh Penguins had the world in the palm of their hand. A four-game road trip became a three-game nightmare. It started well with an eye-opening win over the Vancouver Canucks, followed by three “cover your eyes” losses. Now, the Penguins are out of time, and the NHL trade deadline looms. Dave Molinari put forth […]

Penguins Activate Harkins, Send Hinostroza, Gruden to Wilkes-Barre

The Pittsburgh Penguins have assigned forwards Vinnie Hinostroza and Gruden to their farm team in Wilkes-Barre. The also activated bottom-six winger Harkins, who has been recovering from a concussion. He has no goals and four assists in 34 games, and will be available for their game against Los Angeles today at 6:08 p.m. at PPG […]

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, […]

Penguins: We’re Looking for Points, Not Scapegoats

CRANBERRY — There are numerous reasons the Pittsburgh Penguins are having such a disappointing season. Their power play has produced more punch lines than goals. Some key veterans — guys like Evgeni Malkin and Karlsson, Rickard Rakell and Ryan Graves — have not performed at the level the Penguins expected. And need. Most of their […]

Penguins Pushing Erik Karlsson, Time for ‘Difference-Maker’ to Let Loose

CRANBERRY — Erik Karlsson was the prized get on the NHL trade market last summer. One by one, teams that had visions of adding the Norris Trophy winner who can skate with the elegance of the Russians and the speed of the wind dropped out until two remained. And then one, as the Pittsburgh Penguins […]

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 […]

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 […]

ESPN Reports Penguins ‘Sky High’ Asking Price on Guentzel

The Pittsburgh Penguins control their playoff fate with games in hand and being close enough to the teams they’re chasing that if those games in hand are converted to wins, the Penguins would be in a playoff spot. Yet the NHL trade rumors continue to swirl around injured left winger Jake Guentzel. Tuesday, ESPN’s Emily […]

Penguins Grades: Young Legs & Goaltending Shine, Pens Capable of ‘Better’

The Pittsburgh Penguins scored a power-play goal as the front end of two goals in 21 seconds. The outburst erased an otherwise ordinary, bordering on lackluster Penguins performance as they beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins also got some playoff help as the New York Rangers beat the New Jersey […]

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: Toxic Power Play, Inexplicable Mistakes Crushing Season

Like peanut butter and jelly, Sidney Crosby and backhand goals, and Jaromir Jagr and a mullet, the Pittsburgh Penguins and self-inflicted losses with a sabotaging power play have become synonymous. Unlike the former examples, the latter is suffocating what was supposed to be a promising season. Nevermore was a greater microcosm of the Penguins’ season […]

Penguins Postgame: Backstory to Loss; Now the Trade Deadline (+)

EDMONTON, Alberta — The Pittsburgh Penguins were no match for themselves or the Edmonton Oilers Sunday night. Edmonton steamrolled the Penguins 6-1 at Rogers Place, marking both the beginning and end of multiple Penguins storylines. The Penguins locker room must continue to believe they are in the playoff chase. President of hockey operations/GM Dubas is […]

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 […]