Penguins/NHL category, Page 293
Mark Madden: Penguins power play set for reshaping
The acquisition of Alex Galchenyuk in exchange for Phil Kessel puts the Penguins’ No. 1 power play in line for a major realignment. More deals might be made, but all the components for the man-advantage unit are currently in place. Kessel had 36 points on the PP last season. As...
Penguins sign coach Mike Sullivan to 4-year contract extension
With a new contract in his pocket, Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan is attempting to pull off a trick extraordinarily rare in hockey circles. It might be more difficult than winning back-to-back Stanley Cups like he did in 2016-17. He’s going to try to coach the same NHL team for...
Former Penguins 2nd-rounder Zachary Lauzon not giving up dream
Zachary Lauzon’s once-promising professional hockey career remains in doubt. But the former highly touted Pittsburgh Penguins draft choice sounds as if he has achieved a level of content perspective for a 20-year-old in his position. “If I look back on who I was and how I was feeling mentally a...
Penguins’ Andy Chiodo sees star rise in goalie coaching world
Up until recently, Andy Chiodo’s greatest claim to fame in NHL circles was probably something he did on a Wednesday night in February in Glendale, Ariz., 15 years ago. As a rookie with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Chiodo was the goalie who ended a team-record 18-game losing streak with a 28-save...
Penguins re-sign agitating forward Joseph Blandisi
The Pittsburgh Penguins kept one of their restricted free agents Wednesday, signing winger Joseph Blandisi to a one-year, two-way contract. Blandisi, 24, will make $700,000 when in the NHL and $200,000 at the AHL level. Acquired from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Derek Grant in January, Blandisi went scoreless...
U mad, bro? Readers rip Neal Huntington, react to Phil Kessel trade
It’s been a week since I’ve checked my inbox for “U mad, bro.” And a lot has built up while I was on vacation. Penguins fans chime in on the Phil Kessel trade to Arizona. Pirates fans don’t seem to like the idea of dealing Felipe Vazquez. And Neal Huntington...
Which direction are Penguins headed after offseason roster changes?
Just after signing with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday afternoon, winger Brandon Tanev held a conference call with reporters. It was clear that he had a different take on the state of the Penguins than those who were lobbing questions at him. The inquisitors wanted to know what Tanev was...
Kevin Gorman: Weighing the pros, cons of Penguins extending Mike Sullivan
On the opening day of NHL free agency, Jim Rutherford’s biggest revelation was about what the Pittsburgh Penguins will do with Mike Sullivan moving forward. Sullivan won the power struggle with Phil Kessel, as the Penguins chose their two-time Stanley Cup champion coach over the two-time Stanley Cup champion sniper....
Tim Benz, Mark Madden ponder Penguins’ future post-Phil Kessel
I’m back from Europe. Mark Madden is back from Vegas. It’s a day late. But our “Madden Monday” podcast for the week is up. And there is plenty to talk about concerning the Penguins. We get Mark’s response to the Phil Kessel trade from the standpoint of how the Penguins...
Tim Benz: Like it or not, Penguins GM Jim Rutherford sticking to his plan
Let’s not put Jim Rutherford on an aircraft carrier with the “Mission Accomplished” sign behind his head just yet. But it appears the Penguins general manager has taken many of the steps he wanted to take this offseason. During his season-ending press conference in April, Rutherford said he wanted to...
Kevin Gorman: Penguins banking big on Jim Rutherford’s makeover moves
The Pittsburgh Penguins raised eyebrows around the NHL on Monday when they signed winger Brandon Tanev to a free-agent contract that was long in term and steep in price. General manager Jim Rutherford was blunt in his assessment of the price to pay to sign a bottom-six forward who had...
Mike Sullivan’s contract status remains unfinished business for Penguins
The most impactful signing Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford must ponder this offseason might have nothing to do with a forward, defenseman or goalie. Coach Mike Sullivan is heading into the final year of his contract. Now that he’s handled the bulk of his player-acquisition duties for the summer,...
Penguins will have to cut salary after dipping into free agent pool
Dipping into the free agent pool will have consequences for the Pittsburgh Penguins. After signing winger Brandon Tanev to a six-year, $21 million contract Monday afternoon, the Penguins have about $79.2 million committed to 20 players, leaving them about $2.3 million under the cap. They still need to re-sign restricted...
Penguins add depth free agents, sign David Warsofsky, Andrew Agozzino
The Pittsburgh Penguins added to their depth chart in free agency Monday afternoon, signing defenseman David Warsofsky and forward Andrew Agozzino to two-year, two-way contracts. Both players will be paid $700,000 when in the NHL. Warsofsky, 29, spent the better part of two seasons in the Penguins organization from 2015-17,...
Penguins sign ‘fast and tenacious’ winger Brandon Tanev
Becoming harder to play against can be expensive. That was the lesson general manager Jim Rutherford and the Pittsburgh Penguins learned as the NHL’s free-agent signing period opened Monday afternoon. The Penguins signed 27-year-old winger Brandon Tanev to a six-year deal — the longest the Penguins ever have handed out...
First Call: Phil Kessel thanks Pittsburgh; how Mike Tomlin’s son got to Maryland
In “First Call” Monday, Phil Kessel says goodbye to Pittsburgh. The MLB London series was insane. And the winding story of Dino Tomlin’s recruitment to Maryland. Kessel’s goodbye There have been a lot of reports about acrimony on the way out the door between Phil Kessel and the Penguins. But,...
Tim Benz, Jonathan Bombulie examine Phil Kessel trade, new-look Penguins power play
Not only am I adjusting my body clock back to the Eastern time zone, I’m adjusting the podcast schedule, as well. With my American Airlines debacle of a flight home from vacation, and with Mark Madden traveling back from Las Vegas, we’ll do our usual Madden Monday podcast on Tuesday....
Tim Benz: With Phil Kessel gone, others with Penguins have to answer bell
Penguins fans finally have an answer to a pressing question: “Will the Pens eventually trade Phil Kessel?” On Saturday night, that answer became “yes.” The club hammered out a deal to send its 82-point winger, prospect Dane Birks and a draft pick to the Arizona Coyotes for forward Alex Galchenyuk...
John Steigerwald: Personality, not production, led to Phil Kessel, Antonio Brown trades
Two Pittsburgh teams have become a lot less entertaining since their seasons ended. Whether they both got better and closer to championships remains to be seen. The Phil Kessel trade looks like a good one for the Penguins. On paper. Kessel had to go. He wanted out, and he probably...
Mark Madden: Phil Kessel hit his sell-by date; Penguins GM Jim Rutherford acted
Five years ago, Jim Rutherford traded a point-per-game player for a guy who wasn’t. On June 27, 2014, the Penguins sent winger James Neal to Nashville for winger Patric Hornqvist. Neal had 61 points in 59 games the season prior. Hornqvist had 53 points in 76 games. Neal’s production can’t...
Alex Galchenyuk excited to tackle tough task after trade to Penguins
In explaining his rationale for trading winger Phil Kessel to the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday night, general manager Jim Rutherford said he wanted to add players to his locker room who weren’t content with their accomplishments and were excited to be Pittsburgh Penguins. He checked those boxes with Alex Galchenyuk....
After trading Phil Kessel, Penguins can dip toes into free agent pool
As of now, the trade Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford made Saturday night will be remembered as the Phil Kessel-for-Alex Galchenyuk swap. By Monday afternoon, it could have a slightly different flavor. Before saving $1.9 million in salary cap space by completing the Kessel deal, Rutherford said the Penguins...
Answering 8 burning questions about the Phil Kessel trade
The first question that springs to mind after the Pittsburgh Penguins traded winger Phil Kessel to the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday night is the easiest one to answer. Friday, Dec. 6. That’s when the Coyotes visit PPG Paints Arena this season, giving fans the chance to show their appreciation for...
4 years, 2 Cups: Remembering Phil Kessel’s time with the Penguins
April 11, 2015: Kessel records a goal and an assist in a 4-3 shootout loss to Montreal in what would be his last game in a Toronto jersey. Despite recording 394 points in 446 games over six seasons, the Leafs are, according to Toronto Sun columnist Steve Simmons, growing tired...
Penguins trade Phil Kessel to Arizona for Alex Galchenyuk
The long-rumored split between the Pittsburgh Penguins and popular winger Phil Kessel finally happened Saturday night, and it wasn’t exactly the prettiest divorce of all time. The Penguins sent Kessel, a fourth-round pick and defense prospect Dane Birks to the Arizona Coyotes for winger Alex Galchenyuk and defense prospect Pierre-Olivier...
