Penguins/NHL category, Page 75
U mad, bro?: Readers are fed up with the Penguins, but starting to stick up for the Steelers
When it comes to fan reaction to the Steelers and Penguins, just by the tone, you can always tell which team is in season and struggling versus which is in the offseason and preparing to reboot. Based on the feedback I’m getting, hockey fans are fed up with the Pens...
First Call: A team that may be in the lead for Jake Guentzel; Mitch Trubisky signs elsewhere; ex-Pitt Panther released
We begin Thursday’s “First Call” the same way we ended Wednesday night. That’s waiting for the Penguins to trade Jake Guentzel. At least there is an update on that front. We get into some recent struggles for Sidney Crosby. Mitch Trubisky has a new home. A former Pitt Panther is...
For the Penguins, being out of a playoff position isn’t strange, ‘it’s awful’
Jesse Puljujarvi had every reason to celebrate an individual accomplishment Tuesday. During the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 5-3 home win against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the winger opened the scoring at PPG Paints Arena with his first goal in more than a calendar year. It was an accomplishment worth noting considering Puljujarvi...
Tim Benz: Very different pre-trade deadline atmosphere hangs over PPG Paints Arena during Penguins’ win
We’ve experienced that kind of Penguins game at this point on the calendar many times before at PPG Paints Arena. And prior to that, at Mellon Arena. That type of game a few days before the trade deadline, where the outcome of one contest felt significantly less important than what...
First Call: Vancouver reportedly building plan to land Jake Guentzel; Steelers may try to keep Allen Robinson II
Wednesday’s “First Call” looks to provide some clues as to what may happen with Penguins forward Jake Guentzel before Friday’s trade deadline. We also advance some discussion about the Steelers potentially holding onto a wide receiver and perhaps missing out on a free-agent tight end. There were some NFL franchise...
Penguins defeat Blue Jackets with roster uncertainty looming as trade deadline nears
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ fate as it pertains to the upcoming trade deadline – to say nothing of the approaching postseason – was probably determined well before Tuesday’s entanglement with the Columbus Blue Jackets. And even if they claimed a 5-3 home victory – their 14th consecutive win against the Blue...
Penguins recall forward Joona Koppanen from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled rookie forward Joona Koppanen from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Tuesday afternoon. This transaction comes as incumbent fourth-line center Noel Acciari was ruled out for Tuesday’s home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets because of an undisclosed injury. Additionally, fourth-line left winger Jansen Harkins...
Penguins lose forward Matthew Phillips to Capitals through waivers
The Pittsburgh Penguins lost rookie forward Matthew Phillips through waivers Tuesday after he was reclaimed by his previous team, the Washington Capitals. Phillips was claimed by the Penguins via waivers from the Capitals on Feb. 16. Appearing in three games with the Penguins, Phillips had no points while averaging 11:20...
Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry scheduled to start against Blue Jackets
The Pittsburgh Penguins are scheduled to start goaltender Tristan Jarry against the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday. Coach Mike Sullivan announced Jarry’s status following a morning skate. In 41 games this season, Jarry has a 17-19-4 record, a 2.60 goals against average, a .910 save percentage...
Report: Destinations emerge as potential landing spots if Penguins trade Jake Guentzel
It sure sounds like Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas is starting to think as many of us have already been feeling for a while. As we discussed Monday at “Breakfast With Benz,” the Penguins’ 1-3 road trip through the Pacific Northwest ended so badly in Calgary and Edmonton, that...
Penguins place forward Matthew Phillips on waivers
The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward Matthew Phillips on waivers Monday. Should he go unclaimed by 2 p.m. Tuesday, he can be assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. Claimed off waivers from the Washington Capitals on Feb. 16, Phillips has appeared in three games with the Penguins since joining...
Mark Madden: Penguins need change at trade deadline, but options are limited
Nobody should be mad about the Pittsburgh Penguins for falling apart. It’s organic and was inevitable. The Penguins made the playoffs every year from 2007-22. They were legit Stanley Cup contenders every year from 2008-18, winning three times and reaching another final. Great teams in capped leagues ultimately go splat....
For Penguins players, trades are an accepted but inconvenient way of life
Lars Eller was already a little off-kilter. Having made a flight across the continent with the Washington Capitals to sunny Anaheim, Calif., on Feb. 28, 2023, he was dealing with jet lag and a three-hour time difference. And the phone call he received the morning of March 1 didn’t help...
Tim Benz: Penguins’ poor western trip allows Kyle Dubas to operate guilt-free at trade deadline
If there is one member of the Pittsburgh Penguins who is happy about the team’s rotten 1-3 western road trip, it’s general manager Kyle Dubas. OK, maybe not happy, exactly. Anyone associated with the team had to be near embarrassment with the way the last game-and-a-half of that swing went...
Madden Monday: Don’t rule out Penguins signing Jake Guentzel, trading Marcus Pettersson
As the NHL trade deadline looms on Friday, Mark Madden of 105.9 The X and TribLive has picked up a few interesting rumors about the Pittsburgh Penguins. He shared them during this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. The first one is that, despite a wide sense of resignation that the Penguins...
Penguins blasted by Oilers in 3rd consecutive loss
The Pittsburgh Penguins concluded their four-game road trip through Western Canada and Seattle on Sunday with a lopsided 6-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place in Edmonton. Finishing the trip with a 1-3-0 record — with all three losses coming in consecutive games — the Penguins’ record dropped...
Minor league report: Nailers snap losing streakVideo
Goaltender Taylor Gauthier made 30 saves on 31 shots for the Wheeling Nailers in a 4-1 home win against the Cincinnati Cyclones at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, W.Va. on Sunday. The result boosted Gauthier’s record to 21-15-1. Forward Evan Vierling scored two goals for Wheeling (31-23-1-1), which snapped a four-game...
Penguins blow 3rd period lead, lose to Flames in last minute
Despite having a pair of two-goal leads, including one in the third period, the Penguins suffered a 4-3 loss to the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday. Flames forward Yegor Sharangovich scored the winning goal at 19:10 of the third period. “We beat ourselves,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan...
Minor league report: Penguins fall to CheckersVideo
Forward Vinnie Hinostroza had a goal and an assist for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 4-2 home loss to the Charlotte Checkers at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. Linemate Sam Poulin recorded two assists for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (28-19-7-1) while forward Austin Rueschhoff contributed a goal. Goaltender Magnus Hellberg made...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Penguins have few options with aging Evgeni Malkin
Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, both 36, have prepared to play when they’re 40 since they were 10. Crosby is thusly still one of the NHL’s five best players, and Letang is very good. Their conditioning is insane. Evgeni Malkin didn’t do that. Malkin is 37. He’s aged like a...
A look at the Penguins’ roster as the trade deadline approaches
The NHL’s trade deadline is Friday. Here is a minimally educated guess at which members of the Penguins’ current NHL roster could be traded. All contract information is from Cap Friendly. Probably won’t be traded Noel Acciari, center: Acciari has two years remaining on a contract with a salary cap...
Minor league report: Sam Poulin, Radim Zohorna return as Penguins beat CheckersVideo
Two goals by forward Vinnie Hinostroza led the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to a 4-1 home win against the Charlotte Checkers at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Friday. Forward Sam Poulin recorded three assists for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (28-18-7-1) while linemate Radim Zohorna contributed a goal and an assist. Poulin (seven games) and...
Penguins recall forward Jonathan Gruden
The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled Jonathan Gruden from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Friday. This marked the third transaction in less than 48 hours with Gruden. On Thursday afternoon, he was recalled to the NHL roster only to be returned to the AHL roster approximately 10 hours later. This...
Sizable gap between analytics, results continues to confound Penguins
A lie detector test would be in order for anyone claiming to have predicted that at this increasingly late juncture of the season, an inability to score enough goals would be the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Achilles’ heel. From afar, as the Penguins got underway in October, inconsistent goaltending, struggles on the...
Penguins shut out by Kraken, winning streak snapped
The Pittsburgh Penguins had a modest three-game winning streak halted as they were shut out for the third time this season, losing to the Seattle Kraken, 2-0, at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Thursday. Kraken goaltender Philip Grubauer unofficially made 33 saves to record his first shutout of the...
