Recent Posts

Penguins Six-Pack: Graves Gains Ground; Scenario for Guentzel Return

The Pittsburgh Penguins are a lot of things. In denial is not one of them. They are all too aware of where they sit in the Eastern Conference and Metropolitan Division standings. Of how remote their chances of getting into the Stanley Cup playoffs are. Of how very different their roster might look after the […]

Penguins’ Last Chance Saloon; 3 Quick Thoughts From Edmonton

EDMONTON, Alberta — This is it for the Pittsburgh Penguins. No matter how proclaimed the end, waving the white flag before the results were in, we’re just a few days ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline. There are no more lifelines, audience polls, or phone-a-friend. It’s time for president of hockey operations/GM Dubas’s final answer. […]

Penguins’ Guentzel Trade Chatter: What Hurricanes Can Offer

In the latest and perhaps last chapter of the Jake Guentzel trade saga, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ division rivals are now mentioned as potential suitors. Lost in the shuffle of NHL trade chatter focusing on Western Conference teams such as the Vegas Golden Knights and Vancouver Canucks, Metro Division foes New York Rangers, and the Carolina […]

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 […]

Flames’ Late-Game Comeback Torches Penguins, 4-3

The Pittsburgh Penguins just might have made Kyle Dubas’ mind up for him Saturday night in Calgary. They had a 3-1 lead over the Flames midway through the third period, but gave up three unanswered goals to absorb a 4-3 defeat that might be their most devastating loss in a season that’s been full of […]

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 […]

Penguins Room: Crosby Pushes Back, but the Coach at a Loss

The captain and the head coach spoke Wednesday after yet another soulless loss. The Pittsburgh Penguins have lost three in a row and have varied from dispirited to lethargic with periods of manic comeback attempts that were not enough. The Florida Panthers were the latest to turn the knife, handily beating the 5-2 at PPG […]

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 […]

Jake Guentzel Still Around, Participates in Penguins Skate

The NHL trade deadline hasn’t changed, and the reports about possible trades involving Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel haven’t died down, but that didn’t stop Guentzel from participating in the team’s  morning skate Thursday at PPG Paints Arena. Guentzel, who is on LTIR because of an upper-body injury and not eligible to be activated until […]

Jaromir Jagr Joins Penguins Practice … in Full Gear!

CRANBERRY — The security line to enter the Pittsburgh Penguins practice was to the front door and growing. On Jaromir Jagr weekend, the great 68 himself made an unscheduled visit to the Penguins practice facility and word spread. And spread. But that was only a prelude to what will probably be the most fun story […]

Penguins Report Card: Malkin Rises, but Pens’ Ship is Sinking Fast

A power play terrified to shoot and gives up a breakaway goal at its conclusion. A team that can’t muster the fear or urgency to win games on home ice with their season on the line. Last season, it took until Game 81 for the Pittsburgh Penguins to be eliminated from playoff contention. The impatient […]

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 […]

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 Wrap: Malkin’s Big Admission; Honoring Jagr’s Greatness

The Pittsburgh Penguins are celebrating their past this weekend, honoring Jaromir Jagr for his many achievements during 11 seasons with the franchise. Good idea, because there’s not much to celebrate about their present. They snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory in Chicago Thursday, but remain well behind the Eastern Conference playoff field […]

Last Chance? Penguins Game 53 vs. Islanders: Lines, Notes & How to Watch

Blowing up their personnel combinations could be the next step in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ seemingly endless quest to right the ship and make a desperate push to get into a playoff spot. The changes could be in play Tuesday when the New York Islanders visit for a Metropolitan Division clash. The Penguins (24-21-7) sit three […]

Oilers’ Offense Much Too Slick for Penguins, 6-1

The Pittsburgh Penguins have been utterly unpredictable for most of this season. Although they are the oldest team in the NHL, they won the second game when playing on consecutive days the first six times they were in one. But the ample experience that comes from being the league’s oldest club has been of little […]