Recent Posts
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 […]
Penguins Postgame: This Can’t Continue
In one of the great cheesy late 1990s movies, Bruce Willis and his band of misfits who rocketed to space on a top-secret space shuttle to save the planet from an asteroid must radio to NASA that their mission has failed. Armageddon has a happy ending as the crew saves the day but the Pittsburgh […]
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 […]
Friedman Names Teams Interested in Jake Guentzel; Penguins Goalies, Too
It might be more of a confirmation of common sense. During the Headlines segment of Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet and HNIC reporter Elliotte Friedman rattled off a handful of teams interested in Penguins winger Jake Guentzel. He also confirmed that teams believe a Penguins’ goalie will be available on the NHL trade block, too. […]
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’ 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 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 […]
Silent Penguins Room: Players Devastated, Reality Setting In (+)
CALGARY, Alberta — This one hurt badly. Not just because the Pittsburgh Penguins needed a win to keep pace with their playoff rivals but because they had it firmly within their grasp. They led 3-1 with 10 minutes remaining but were tied 3-3 with nine minutes left. And they lost 4-3 in regulation to the […]
No Time to Wallow; Penguins Game 59 vs. Oilers: Lines, Notes & How to Watch
The Pittsburgh Penguins might have had to make a quick sweep Saturday night to collect all the pieces of their souls scattered around the visiting locker room in Calgary. There is little time to recover from an absolutely crushing loss, as the Penguins (27-23-8) had to travel to Edmonton to take on Connor McDavid and […]
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 […]
Jake Guentzel to Make Road Trip; Penguins Mum on Status
CRANBERRY — The Pittsburgh Penguins will take winger Jake Guetnzel on their coming west coast road trip, which begins Tuesday in Vancouver and ends on March 4 in Edmonton, but that’s as much as coach Mike Sullivan was willing to divulge Saturday following the Penguins’ practice at the UPMC Lemieux Complex. Guentzel is currently on […]
Penguins Six-Pack: Nedeljkovic’s Mess; Power-Play Positives?
Give the Pittsburgh Penguins this: They didn’t quit. Of course, they didn’t win, either. They did, however, manage to score twice in a 56-second span with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation to take the New York Islanders to overtime at PPG Paints Arena Tuesday night. That was enough to earn them one point […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 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 […]