First Call: Bill Guerin’s take on his ’09 teammates still with Penguins; ex-Steelers up for College Football Hall of Fame
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Tuesday’s “First Call” has a list of former Pittsburgh Steelers up for the College Football Hall of Fame. More big money is being handed out to NFL wide receivers. Bill Guerin has an interesting take on his former Penguins teammates who remain in Pittsburgh from the 2009 Stanley Cup club.
And we look at the pitching matchups in the Pirates-Dodgers series.
Guerin’s got faith
It’s been almost 15 years since Bill Guerin won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins.
And it’s been six years since that franchise won a playoff round.
But Guerin — now the general manager of the Minnesota Wild — insists his old Penguins teammates aren’t washed up. Appearing Monday on 105.9 The X, Mark Madden asked Guerin if he felt that those 2009 holdovers had at least one more deep postseason run left in them.
“I think they’ve got a lot more than that in them,” Guerin replied. “They’re just some of the all-time greats, and they still have got a lot left in the tank. I watch them all the time, and it’s amazing to see what they can still do. They used to laugh at me when I was that old (and still playing at 38 on the Cup team), but they’re doing OK.”
I’d love to think that Guerin is right. I just don’t think he is. Sidney Crosby is clearly still in good form. But Kris Letang is on the back nine of his career, and Evgeni Malkin bellied up at the 19th hole a long time ago.
If I’m Pens GM Kyle Dubas and I see those quotes, I’m calling Guerin ASAP and asking him how much he’s willing to give for Malkin or Letang, how much of the contracts he’d be willing to take on, and if he wants to get on the horn to sweet talk either or both of those guys into waiving their no-trade clauses.
Hey, Guerin has revealed a soft spot for his 2009 teammates in the past. In 2022, Guerin traded for goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. Then, at the age of 38, signed him to a two-year contract before the 2022-23 season. Now, with Fleury turning 40 in November, Guerin locked up The Flower for one more year in 2024-25.
“I won’t let him retire. I just keep giving him contracts,” Guerin said. “But he’s still got the fire and the desire to play and wants to do it at a high level.”
Fleury is set to make $2.5 million next year before retiring.
AdJustin’ the market
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson may have impacted the Steelers’ hopes of trading for a top-flight wide receiver.
According to ESPN.com, Jefferson signed a $140 million extension with the Vikings on Monday. It’s a four-year deal, and $110 million is guaranteed.
A former NFL Offensive Player of the Year and two-time All-Pro, Jefferson may be at the top of the market for receivers, and he was likely never a target for the Steelers on the trade front.
But anyone else the Steelers may be considering acquiring is only going to be worth the compensation if the player is coming with a new agreement in place.
Now, after Jefferson’s deal, that ticket is going to be extremely steep.
That goes for Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Cee Dee Lamb, DK Metcalf and even Courtland Sutton.
Whatever widely rumored trade target the Steelers may have been linked to, that guy is worth more today than he was when he woke up Monday morning. That goes for their current teams, the Steelers or anyone else.
Personally, I don’t think that should dissuade the Steelers from investigating better options than what they have because they don’t have much after George Pickens in the first place.
But my bet is Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin have a different opinion.
More sports
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• Former Pirates player Tucupita Marcano under investigation for betting on baseball
Steelers standouts
Five college football standouts who went on to become Steelers are now under consideration for the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame class.
They are LSU offensive lineman Alan Faneca, former Indiana quarterback turned NFL wide receiver Antwaan Randle El, Colgate running back Rich Erenberg, Michigan State tackle Flozell Adams and quarterback Michael Vick, who attended Virginia Tech.
This is the first nomination for Faneca, who is already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Vick is in his second year. Adams and Randle El are on the ballot for the fourth year. Pro Bowl inside linebacker Levon Kirkland dropped off the ballot after being on it for three straight years.
Pitt’s Aaron Donald leads the list of names from local schools to be nominated in 2025. A dozen other names from area universities can be seen here.
Comin’ from California
Tuesday’s mound duel between Tyler Glasnow and Jared Jones is just the first of three interesting matchups in this week’s Pirates-Los Angeles Dodgers series at PNC Park. Those two right-handers have combined for 165 strikeouts already this season.
Then, on Wednesday, Pirates rookie sensation Paul Skenes will be opposed by 5-0 James Paxton of the Dodgers. On Thursday, Bailey Falter and his 0.95 WHIP will face one-time Pirates draft choice Walker Buehler on Thursday. He has only pitched in five games this year and is 1-3 with a 4.32 ERA.
Of late, the Pirates have been decent against the Dodgers, taking three of seven meetings last year and stunningly grabbing five of six the year before. That makes no sense, considering that the Dodgers won 211 games in 2022-23 and the Pirates lost 186.
But that’s how it happened.