Penguins/NHL category, Page 312
Penguins get draft pick Jan Drozg under contract
The Pittsburgh Penguins got a 2017 draft pick under contract Monday, signing winger Jan Drozg to a three-year entry-level deal that goes into effect next season. Drozg, a 6-foot-2, 172-pound fifth-round pick, leads Shawinigan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in scoring with 19 goals and 53 points in...
Penguins’ Brian Dumoulin says unforgiving glass, not hard hit, caused concussion
As a steady rain fell at Lincoln Financial Field on the evening of Feb. 23, it was clear these weren’t the safest conditions the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers had ever played in. As it turned out, though, it wasn’t a rain-splattered visor impeding his vision that caused an injury...
Penguins’ Phil Kessel grows exasperated as goal drought hits 15 games
When Phil Kessel pulled a puck out of his skates and flicked it past goalie Matt Murray during a routine drill at Monday’s practice at PPG Paints Arena, a few of his teammates slammed their sticks on the boards in appreciation. They have noticed what anyone who has watched Pittsburgh...
First call: Larry Fitzgerald critical of Antonio Brown; Metropolitan Division madness
In “First Call” for Monday, Antonio Brown and the Steelers are haggling again. Larry Fitzgerald has some advice for Brown. The Capitals win a hockey game in a really strange way. It`s on The Steelers are digging their heels in. And so is Antonio Brown. Expect it to be like...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden discuss Antonio Brown interviews, Penguins weekend
In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden and I talk about the journalistic atrocity that was the Antonio Brown interview on ESPN. We roast his farce of an appearance on HBO as well. Also, we dive into Kevin Colbert’s quizzical comments about Le’Veon Bell. Would the Steelers really have...
Sidney Crosby bumps Jaromir Jagr from second spot on Penguins’ all-time goals list
On the list of players who have made the greatest impact on the fortunes of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the history of the franchise, Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby undoubtedly hold down the top two spots. Now, that’s where they sit on the team’s all-time goal-scoring list, too. When he...
5 things we learned from wild weekend for Penguins
A weekend road trip brought wild swings of emotion for the Pittsburgh Penguins. On Friday night in Buffalo, frustration. They gave up a tying goal with less than three minutes left in regulation and lost 4-3 in overtime on a knife-twisting goal by old pal Conor Sheary. On Saturday night...
Penguins right ship with road rout of Canadiens
MONTREAL — Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins started quickly and then just kept going against the Montreal Canadiens. Crosby had a goal and three assists, Jake Guentzel scored two goals and had two assists and the Penguins cruised to a 5-1 victory Saturday night. Evgeni Malkin and Jared McCann...
Newly acquired defenseman Erik Gudbranson fills stat sheet in Penguins debut
BUFFALO, N.Y. – By every metric publicly available to analyze the performance of a hockey player, newly acquired defenseman Erik Gudbranson was outstanding in his Pittsburgh Penguins debut Friday night. Except for the most important one, of course: the final score. Gudbranson filled the stat sheet in about 20 minutes...
Conor Sheary scores twice, including winner, as Penguins lose in OTVideo
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Pittsburgh Penguins’ inability to win games in overtime just might cost them a spot in the playoffs. Former Penguins winger Conor Sheary scored his second goal of the game with 48.2 seconds left in overtime, leading the Buffalo Sabres to a 4-3 victory Friday night. The...
Penguins’ Teddy Blueger back in the lineup after short minor league stay
BUFFALO, N.Y. — When the Pittsburgh Penguins assigned Teddy Blueger to Wilkes-Barre on Monday, it wasn’t a reflection of his play. The team needed a roster spot due to injuries on defense and Blueger didn’t require waivers to be sent down. Moments after the transaction was announced, coach Mike Sullivan...
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan backs slumping winger Dominik Simon
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Pittsburgh Penguins winger Dominik Simon has slipped into a slump since the all-star break, recording no goals, three assists and a minus-3 rating in his past 12 games. He has not lost the faith of his coach. Before the Penguins faced the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night,...
Injured Penguins defensemen Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin not on weekend trip
BUFFALO, N.Y. – As of Monday afternoon’s NHL trade deadline, Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford was holding out hope that his team could see at least one injured defenseman back in the lineup by this weekend. That won’t happen. Neither Kris Letang nor Brian Dumoulin made the trip as...
Podcast: Previewing critical matchup for Penguins vs. sliding Sabres
The Penguins are in Buffalo on Friday night to play the Sabres. It’s an important game in the Eastern Conference. The Sabres made a push in the wild-card chase, but they’ve bottomed out lately, losing seven of nine. Meanwhile, the Penguins are trying to secure the final playoff spot in...
5 things we’ve learned about the Penguins since the NHL trade deadline
If trade-deadline acquisition Erik Gudbranson is going to make a positive contribution to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ injury-depleted blue line, he’ll have to improve on his performance in Vancouver, where he had a league-worst minus-27 rating. While it might be a risky strategy that is bound to backfire at some point,...
U mad, bro? Steelers angst, Penguins concern, Oscars disagreement
It’s the Feb. 28 edition of “U Mad, Bro?” It features Steelers angst, Penguins concern and disagreement over the Oscars from readers. ••• Somebody calling themselves “Steeler Nation” says the Steelers are not rebuilding, despite my recent column to the contrary. No, I dont think you're rebuilding when you have...
Tim Benz: Replacing Bryan Rust a challenge for Penguins
Before we start talking about how to best replace Penguins forward Bryan Rust while he is injured, it’s best to establish what has been lost. “Rusty brings a lot,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’s a good penalty killer. He brings so much speed and puck pursuit to the lines...
Kevin Gorman: Erik Gudbranson the guy Penguins want in their cornerVideo
Erik Gudbranson was stranded Tuesday in Toronto’s airport for nearly five hours, plenty of time to contemplate the 11th-hour trade that sent him from the Vancouver Canucks to the Pittsburgh Penguins. While following the box score of their game at the Columbus Blue Jackets on his phone, Gudbranson saw that...
Penguins recall forward Teddy Blueger from Wilkes-Barre
Teddy Blueger’s most recent stint in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton lasted just two days. After being sent down Monday, the Pittsburgh Penguins and general manager Jim Rutherford recalled the rookie forward on an emergency basis Wednesday. Blueger, 24, has three goals and an assist in nine games with the Penguins. The 6-foot, 195-pound...
Skating with Little Penguins after practice brings out the little kid in Sidney CrosbyVideo
The Little Penguins brought out the little kid in Sidney Crosby. The Pittsburgh Penguins superstar skated with 100 youth players from the “Little Penguins Learn to Play Hockey” program Wednesday afternoon after practice at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry. “You remember being that age and getting out on the...
Shock turns to excitement for Erik Gudbranson after trade to Penguins
Erik Gudbranson had just walked in the door to congratulations from his girlfriend for surviving another NHL trade deadline without being dealt. Then his phone buzzed. Gudbranson was surprised to learn the Pittsburgh Penguins made an 11th-hour move Monday, sending Tanner Pearson to Vancouver in exchange for the 6-foot-5, 217-pound...
Penguins’ Bryan Rust, Chad Ruhwedel out with ‘longer-term’ injuriesVideo
Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said Wednesday that winger Bryan Rust (lower body) and defenseman Chad Ruhwedel (upper body), who were hurt Tuesday at Columbus, are both out with “longer-term” injuries. “He’s a good player for us,” Sullivan said. “Rusty brings a lot. He’s a good penalty-killer. He brings so...
Tim Benz: Penguins start make-or-break stretch on right foot
The NHL trade deadline is always an identifiable line in any hockey team’s season. The way the last few weeks have gone, Penguins fans should see the first nine games out of the gate following the deadline as a make-or-break stretch in the season. Between Tuesday night and March 14,...
Penguins defensemen Jack Johnson, Justin Schultz come through in Columbus
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Pittsburgh Penguins scored a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night thanks, in part, to a strong effort from the de facto top defense pair of Jack Johnson and Justin Schultz. If you closed one eye and squinted with the other, they looked...
Tim Benz, Jonathan Bombulie discuss Penguins injuries, critical schedule
Even though the NHL trade deadline has come and gone, questions abound for the Pittsburgh Penguins. • Can they wiggle into the playoffs? • How many points can they get during this critical nine-game stretch against fellow Eastern Conference playoff contenders? • How will Mike Sullivan and Jim Rutherford try...
