The Pittsburgh Penguins 2015 prospect development camp drew to a close with an open scrimmage attended by 5000 fans on Saturday. Nearly half of those players, including most of the invitees, will be heading back to school. The remaining prospects and invitees will be back again for the rookie tournament in September. The camp veterans with NHL experience stood out and it was clear they had done this before. In particular, defenseman Derrick Pouliot was on a whole different level as he skated ... Read More
Penguins skilled forwards shine in 3-on-3 tournament
The Pittsburgh Penguins prospects spent their second day of development camp working on skill. The players were organized into a 3-on-3 tournament, with the prospects grouped into four teams and the games played across the width of the rink. The team with Tristan Jarry as their goaltender won the tournament, but the real winners were the Penguins’ cadre of talented but undersized prospects. “3-on-3 is always fun,” center Jean-Sebastien Dea said after the day’s practice session. “I’m a skilled ... Read More
PSU goalie Matt Skoff enjoying time with hometown Pens
This week at Pittsburgh Penguins prospect development camp is not the first time goaltender Matt Skoff has been on the ice at Consol Energy Center. Skoff, a native of McKees Rocks, Pa., has played for Penn State three times in the Three Rivers Classic college hockey tournaments held at the home of the Pens. He also played for Montour High School in their run to the 2009 PIHL Penguins cup final at Mellon Arena. During his career with Penn State, he’s also played in Philadelphia’s Wells ... Read More
Dominik Simon could be the Pens next great Czech forward
Jaromir Jagr. Martin Straka. Petr Nedved. Robert Lang. Petr Sykora. For the last 25 years, Pittsburgh has been a mecca for Czech forwards in the NHL. Starting with the drafting of Jagr in the first round of 1990, 11 forwards from what would become the Czech Republic have skated in black and gold, accounting for 2,857 games and 990 goals. Six of the top ten Czech scorers in NHL have played for the Penguins and the Penguins had the first – and so far only – Czech head coach in Ivan ... Read More
Four Penguins prospects out with injuries
At Consol Energy Center on Tuesday, 34 players took to the ice for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ annual prospect development camp. For the Penguins, who suffered an injury plagued 2014-15 season, it’s the four that did not play that may be troublesome. Left-winger Scott Wilson, center Oskar Sundqvist, and right-wingers Tyler Biggs and Josh Archibald all missed the first day of prospect camp and are not expected to skate this week. Wilson, 23, could be in line for a fourth-line job in Pittsburgh ... Read More
Penguins prospects Maguire, Birks back in action
The Pittsburgh Penguins prospect development camp got underway on Tuesday, and for most of the players, it was their first venture onto the ice in preparation for the 2015-16 season. Two players, however, were shaking the rust off a little more than the rest. Defenseman Dane Birks and goaltender Sean Maguire both made their returns to the ice after having to sit out the entirety of the 2014-15 season. Birks, who will turn 20 in August, missed his freshman season at Michigan Tech due to an ... Read More