In Ray Shero’s tenure as the general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, no fewer than four men came out the Penguins organization to become NHL head coaches, and it looks like that trend may continue. Three of them – Michel Therrien in Montreal, Mike Yeo in Minnesota and Todd Richardsa in Columbus – are currently employed in the NHL, while Dan Bylsma is widely expected to be offered a job this offseason. Some have even speculated that Bylsma would be a good fit to re-join Shero in New ... Read More
Kris Letang: veteran defenseman?
The 2014-15 season will be a forgettable one for most Pittsburgh Penguins players and fans. For defenseman Kris Letang, it’s a wonder that he can even remember it. Letang suffered at least two head injuries last season, the first coming as a result of a dangerous hit by Philadelphia Flyers forward Zac Rinaldo in January, the second after he fell awkwardly into the boards following an innocent-looking hit by Arizona Coyotes forward Shane Doan in late March. He also missed five games in late ... Read More
Some Penguins fans in Ohio could be shut out
A turbulent offseason is upcoming in the American Hockey League. Seven franchises are planning to be playing in a different city in the 2015-16 season and at least four other teams are swapping NHL affiliations. The Penguins have had their top minor league club in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. since 1999 and that doesn’t seem likely to change any time soon. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be affected by the changes. The Columbus Blue Jackets will be moving their prospects from the Springfield (Mass) ... Read More
Ray Shero to take over in New Jersey
Ray Shero has a new gig. After taking a season off, the former Penguins general manager will return to the NHL in the same capacity with the New Jersey Devils. Shero was announced as the fourth GM in franchise history in a press conference Monday afternoon. The man making the announcement, Lou Lamoriello, will step down as general manager after 28 years in that position with New Jersey. Lamoriello will remain the team’s president and oversee Shero in a supervisory role, but Shero will ... Read More
Letang a finalist for Masterton Trophy
The Professional Hockey Writer’s Association has named Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman a finalist for the 2015 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The Masterton Trophy is awarded annually to the player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.” The award is typically given to players that have fought through injury or adversity in their career. Masterton was a Minnesota North Stars defensemen who died after sustaining injuries in a game in ... Read More
Craig Adams will not be re-signed by Penguins
The upcoming offseason will be one filled with questions for the Pittsburgh Penguins and general manager Jim Rutherford, but we do have the answer to one question regarding one of their upcoming free agents. According to the Post Gazette’s Dave Molinari, the Penguins have informed winger Craig Adams that he will not be re-signed during the offseason. The 38-year old Adams is an unrestricted free agent and was pretty much a longshot to return for the 2015-16 campaign anyway. While in ... Read More
For Penguins, failure starts at the top
The natives are restless. In the last three years, Penguins fans have seen their team go from the Eastern Conference Final in 2013, to a second-round loss to the Rangers 2014 and then a first-round loss after barely qualifying for the postseason this year. The blame game has run amok. From Mike Johnston’s facial expressions to the team’s recently hired medical staff to the allegedly cursed Consol Energy Center, no one has escaped the wrath of a fan base that expected nothing short of ... Read More
Crosby to join Canada for World Championships
While the Pittsburgh Penguins season is over, captain Sidney Crosby isn’t quite ready to hang up his skates for the summer. Crosby will be joining Team Canada for the 2015 IIHF World Championships, which begin May 1 in Prague and Ostrava, Czech Republic. Because the World Championships coincide with the NHL playoffs, Crosby hasn’t represented his national team since 2006. He scored eight goals and added eight assists in Canada’s nine games in his only previous appearance at the World ... Read More
Mike Johnston deserving of another season behind Pens bench
Pittsburgh Penguins CEO and president David Morehouse told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Friday that head coach Mike Johnston, along with general manager Jim Rutherford and star centers Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, would be returning to the club for the 2015-16 season. Not only will they returning, Morehouse said that the Penguins’ upper management “never considered” replacing the team’s GM or head coach. In Johnston’s case, it will be a much-deserved second chance to establish himself ... Read More
Penguins’ effort unquestionable despite loss
The Pittsburgh Penguins certainly had a disappointing finish to their 2014-15 season. A year that started with such hope and promise finished with a dizzying tail slide down the home stretch of the regular season and a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the New York Rangers. The late-season slide showed that this Penguins club has many weaknesses, chiefly among them scoring goals. That demon reared its head in the playoffs as the Pens scored just one goal in each of their four ... Read More