Pittsburgh Penguins’ rookie forward Kasperi Kapanen will miss this weekend’s rookie tournament. The 18-year-old Finnish winger was the Penguins first-round pick in this year’s NHL entry draft. Kapanen injured his hand this August in a game while playing for Team Finland’s U20 World Junior squad. The Penguins anticipate that he will be ready to play at the start of the team’s training camp, which begins next week. It is unknown what effect, if any, this injury will have on his chance of making ... Read More
Penguins sign Daniel Carcillo
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed free agent left-winger Daniel Carcillo to a professional tryout contract. Originally drafted by the Penguins but traded while he was still in the minors, Carcillo played 57 games with the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers last season, scoring only four goals and one assist. His career high in points is just 24, achieved seven years ago with Phoenix. His possession stats don’t suggest that he is due for a huge gain in scoring, either, with a ... Read More
Crosby arrest report refuted
The Ottawa Sun reported this morning that Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was arrested in a driving-related incident in Ottawa. The article, attributed to QMI News Agency, claimed that Crosby was arrested by Ottawa Police late Tuesday night and cited unknown sources. The news item was released on social media and featured prominently on the paper’s website. The problem is that none of it is true. Several media outlets reported the story to be false. Ottawa Chief of Police Charles Bordeleau ... Read More
Face Off Friday: Bench Pedro?
Andrew Barlow -- Here is what we know about the man they call El Toro. The Pirates drafted Pedro Alvarez with the second pick in 2008 and he was in the majors by 2010, in the midst of a 105 loss season. In 95 games that rookie season, he hit a respectable .256 and smashed 16 home runs, providing a small glimmer of hope on a roster that included he, Andrew McCutchen and little else. The next year, Pedro spent much of the summer injured or at AAA Indianapolis, hitting a miserable .191 and ... Read More
Penguins re-sign Brandon Sutter
The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed center Brandon Sutter. The 25-year-old from Red Deer, Alberta agreed to a two-year, $6.6 million contract. Sutter had an up-and-down 2013-14 season. He had a mediocre regular season, posting only 13 goals and 13 assists in 81 games. His .32 points per game was his lowest since his rookie season with Carolina in 2008-09. He rebounded to score 5 goals and 2 assists in the Penguins’ 13 playoff games. He is projected to again center the Penguins’ third ... Read More
Hildebrand could be next Pa. goalie to take league by storm
Whitehall, Pa. native goaltender John Gibson took the NHL by storm last season. His pro debut was sensational and was capped off with an incredible .955 save percentage and 1.45 goals-against average in six playoff games with the Anaheim Ducks. Jake Hildebrand is looking to be the next Western Pa. goaltender to take that step. Hildebrand, a Butler native, played for the Pittsburgh Hornets midget team and now minds the net for Michigan State. He was the Team MVP for the Spartans in both his ... Read More
Face Off Friday: Do the Pirates need A.J. Burnett?
Andrew Barlow — In just over two months, a Pittsburgh Pirate will be taking the mound at PNC Park to deliver a new season's first pitch to the Chicago Cubs. It will, almost surely, not be A.J. Burnett. The veteran leader, rebel, and right-handed strikeout machine is 37, has 15 years of Major League time on his résumé and rejuvenated his post-Yankee career as a Pirate beginning in 2012. After a freak spring training bunt-to-the-face injury, Burnett's debut was delayed before he went 16-10 ... Read More
A well-balanced goaltending duo
The Pittsburgh Penguins have a firm foundation to build upon with their two fierce and fearless goalies, Marc-Andre Fleury and Tomas Vokoun. Having a compressed season now in tow, the undeniably quick pace leaves little room for error in the net. Luckily, the Pens acquired Vokoun, a 36-year-old goaltender, last year from the Washington Capitals. The intention was to have a solid backup goalie behind embedded No. 29 to perform at the highest level with a steady hand and mental determination ... Read More
Kennedy deserves a spot on second line
The long awaited arrival of NHL hockey has been torturous for Pittsburgh Penguins fans. Luckily, the wait is over and our ailing hockey hearts are quickly being healed by seeing our beloved Pittsburgh Penguins take CONSOL Energy Center ice, once again. Informal practices have been held at Southpointe and continue at CONSOL Energy. On January 8th, the first time back to CONSOL since April, the Pens skated on their home ice. Players who were eager to gear up were: Kennedy, Jeffrey, Vitale, ... Read More
Mario Lemieux’s legendary achievements on and off ice
Mario Lemieux, a prized hockey legend and courageous man, continues to “put on the Ritz” in our beloved hockey town of Pittsburgh. Most of you may know that Mario Lemieux fought hard on the ice, made ridiculous goals, won Stanley Cups, and saved our beloved Penguins from being taken away from their loyal, die-hard fans. But what you what you might not know is, Mario Lemieux, out of the kindness of his golden heart, called a Pittsburgh woman during her Hodgkins Lymphoma cancer treatments for ... Read More