Recent Posts
Kingerski: Penguins’ Inaction Was the Problem; What Exactly Was the Plan?
The Pittsburgh Penguins this season have been a flawed team from the beginning. Since November, they’ve been figuratively crying out for help, but none was forthcoming. The team’s flaws have been exposed. They lack enough emotional leaders. The third pairing has been a problem child all season. With respect to Chad Ruhwedel, his place in […]
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 […]
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 […]
Penguins Wrap: Lose Key Game, Top Winger & Maybe Some Hope
The Pittsburgh Penguins were surging toward serious contention for a playoff berth as the final days of February ticked off. Things changed, at least temporarily, when the calendar did. Early in the morning of March 1 — in the East, anyway — their three-game winning streak was snapped by a 2-0 defeat in Seattle, as […]
Dan’s Daily: Markstrom, Pettersson Bombshells; Penguins Get Calls
CALGARY — The phone is ringing for Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operation/GM Kyle Dubas. More reports are emerging that Reilly Smith is drawing broad interest on the NHL trade market ahead of the March 8 deadline. PHN talked to Smith about those rumors. Smith also had a definitive response to the pervasive talk that […]
(Updated) Hellberg Called Up, Nedeljkovic to Start vs. Islanders
Magnus Hellberg was called up Sunday a few hours before the Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the LA Kings, 2-1, at PPG Paints Arena, but that’s not the end of the story. Mike Sullivan said Hellberg was recalled because one of the goalies was feeling under the weather, and the Penguins wanted to make sure they […]
Trade Deadline Report: Teams Have Called About Jarry, Blomqvist
On Saturday night, Hockey Night in Canada panelist Elliotte Friedman reported that other teams believed the Pittsburgh Penguins could deal a goalie before the March 8 NHL trade deadline. The natural assumption was the potentially available goalie was pending unrestricted free agent Nedeljkovic. However, on his Monday edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman expounded […]
Penguins Game 62 vs. Bruins: Lines, Notes & How to Watch
Another day, another emotionally charged game for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are at the point of trying to make something – anything – out of the stretch run of the season. Saturday, it’s a national TV matinee for the Penguins (28-25-8) on the road against the Boston Bruins (37-13-15). And if that isn’t enough of […]
Former NHLer Kypreos Rips Dubas’ Work as GM in Toronto
Dubas, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ president of hockey operations and general manager, earned mixed reviews for his work as GM in Toronto. It’s not hard to figure the camp in which Nick Kypreos, a former NHL player and “contributing columnist” for the Toronto Star, resides. Kypreos offered a assessment of Dubas’ performance in Thursday’s editions of […]
Penguins Game 58 vs. Flames: Lines, Notes & How to Watch
Next up for the Pittsburgh Penguins is a meeting Saturday with the Calgary Flames as they continue a road trip out west that is just a little important. As in, what happens in these four games could help determine not only whether the Penguins make the playoffs, but also what could happen with the roster […]
So You’re Saying There’s a Chance for Penguins …
It’s clear that the Pittsburgh Penguins are in seller mode as the NHL trade deadline closes in. And while Jake Guentzel has gotten most of the attention — understandably so, since 40-goal guys don’t go on the market very often — Penguins president of hockey operations/GM Dubas is expected to pare a number of other […]
UPDATED Penguins Practice: Bunting Arrives, Rust Full Go, Harkins Out
Injured Pittsburgh Penguins winger Rust joined his teammates for practice Friday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. So did newly acquired forward Bunting. Rust, who switched from a white jersey to a black one just as practice was starting, was full contact, according to Penguins coach Mike Sullivan. Rust is on IR because of an […]
Second-Period Flameout Dooms Penguins Against Florida, 5-2
Mike Sullivan generally is pleased when the Pittsburgh Penguins play low-event hockey, so he probably didn’t mind the way the first period of their game against Florida at PPG Paints Arena played out Wednesday night. There’s absolutely no doubt that he liked it a lot more than the one that followed. The Penguins. who had […]
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 […]
Penguins Trade Grade: 2nd-Tier Hurricanes, Pens’ Loss Deeper than Guentzel
The Pittsburgh Penguins did not get the top prospects, nor a top-six NHL player from the Carolina Hurricanes as Penguins president of hockey operations/GM Kyle Dubas zipped Sidney Crosby’s longtime sidecar Jake Guentzel to Carolina for three prospects, a conditional second-rounder that could become a first, and Dubas-acquainted winger Michael Bunting. Bunting will plug a […]
Penguins Players Feel the Heat; Sullivan Unhappy and Blunt
CRANBERRY — The mulligans are spent. All of the leeway used up. And in a recent analogy used often around the Pittsburgh Penguins room, the runway is getting short. In fact, the Penguins are out of runway. With 30 games to go and the playoff chase slipping away at an alarming speed, it’s time for […]