Recent Posts
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 […]
How Penguins Survive without Guentzel; Kids ‘Drag (Malkin) Into Fight’ (+)
SEATTLE — The Pittsburgh Penguins are 4-1-1 since Jake Guentzel was placed on long-term injured reserve. Guentzel has another 10 days of his mandated 24-day LTIR absence and now has company because Bryan Rust is also out week-to-week, also with that most mysterious of hockey terms, an upper-body injury. Because of injuries somewhere between the […]
Penguins’ Dubas Will Get Lots of Calls, But How Many Matter?
There will be innumerable breathless reports across North America between now and the NHL trade deadline next Friday at 3 p.m. about general managers, including Kyle Dubas of the Pittsburgh Penguins, fielding calls inquiring about particular players, and which scouts have requested a press-box seat at which games. Many, if not all, of those reports […]
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 […]
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: 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 […]
PHN Daily: Guentzel Trade News & Reaction; Deadline Dominoes Fall
Jake Guentzel finally is off the NHL trade market. The Pittsburgh Penguins have sent him to Carolina for a handful of assets, one of them being winger Michael Bunting, in a deal was announced late Thursday evening. It’s not known if Guentzel was at PPG Paints Arena a few hours earlier, but most of his […]
Sad Penguins Room: ‘Bond Hard to Put Into Words,’ Crosby, Sullivan Talk Guentzel
The NHL trade rumors became a reality not long before the opening puck drop. The game was a forgone conclusion for most of the 60 minutes. The Washington Capitals played well, the Pittsburgh Penguins did not, and the result was a 6-0 beatdown of not only the Penguins on Thursday night but an unceremonious extinguishment […]
Devils Fire Ruff; Travis Green Interim Coach
The New Jersey Devils made a major move as the NHL trade deadline approached, but the Devils didn’t add — or trade — a player. Instead, they have fired coach Lindy Ruff and replaced him, on an interim basis, with associate coach Green. The move was announced by New Jersey’s president/GM Tom Fitzgerald, who broke […]
Penguins Grades: Time’s Up. Another Bad Pens Loss Likely Seals Fate
EDMONTON, Alberta — Time is up for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Because of a pair of embarrassing losses this weekend, you may not see winger Jake Guentzel and several others in a Penguins sweater again. With everything at stake on a four-game road trip, the Penguins followed a hard-fought overtime win over the NHL-leading Vancouver Canucks […]
Jake Shake(up): Penguins Trade Guentzel to Carolina
The Pittsburgh Penguins have traded left winger Jake Guentzel to Carolina. The Hurricanes gave them a package that includes a conditional 2024 first-round draft choice and left winger Bunting to secure Guentzel, who is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and defenseman Ty Smith. The Penguins retained 25 percent of Guentzel’s $6 […]
Capitals Reclaim Matthew Phillips from Penguins
Forward Phillips, who was put on waivers Monday by the Pittsburgh Penguins, was claimed on Tuesday by the Washington Capitals. Or, he was reclaimed. The Penguins claimed Phillips, 25, on Feb. 16 after Washington put him on waivers. He had no real impact, however, getting no points in three games before he became a regular […]
Penguins Mock Trades: Finding Good Fits For Jake Guentzel
The strong possibility, if not stark reality, that the Pittsburgh Penguins will indeed strip away assets in order to rebuild or retool at the NHL trade deadline became inescapable this week. Sure, some have clamored for it, but the team was pushing hard for a playoff spot, and future-leaning Penguins trades were not happening during […]
Noel Acciari Goes Through On-Ice Workout
CRANBERRY — Pittsburgh Penguins center Noel Acciari, who is recovering from a concussion, had an on-ice workout at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex Monday morning. He did drills for about a half-hours, then stayed on the ice for about 10 minutes while speaking with assistant coach Ty Hennes, who oversaw the session. It was not immediately […]
Penguins Postgame: Another Sad Microcosm of Pens’ Season
It was a storybook weekend. It was the return of the prodigal son Jaromir Jagr, whose jersey was retired in a moving and joyous celebration before the game. Former owner Mario Lemieux and a cast of former Penguins, including Ron Francis and Kevin Stevens, were part of the celebration. The Pittsburgh Penguins led the LA […]
Penguins Practice: Bemstrom Skates on Third Line
CRANBERRY — Forward Emil Bemstrom, acquired in a trade with Columbus Thursday, worked at right wing on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ third line during practice Saturday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. It was his first session with the Penguins, since they had a scheduled day off Friday. His linemates were Lars Eller and Smith. Bemstrom also […]