Penguins/NHL category, Page 178

Former Penguins assistant coach Jacques Martin did not take long to find a new job. Less than three weeks after the Penguins opted not to renew his contract, Martin was hired by the New York Rangers on Monday in the same capacity. Martin, 67, spent the previous seven seasons with...

In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden and I talk about the Steelers outlook in 2020, the Penguins looming offseason, and the Pirates at the Major League trade deadline. Mark isn’t lacking for opinions on any front. “I see the Steelers as a 9-7 team. 10-6 at best,” Madden...

The Penguins named forward Evgeni Malkin their MVP for the 2019-20 season. In 55 games during the regular season, Malkin led the team with with 74 points (25 points, 49 assists). Although he missed 14 games because of various ailments, Malkin finished 14th in the NHL in scoring. Some of...

Youth in Pittsburgh’s Hill District use the Ammon Community Recreation Center as a place to play flag football, basketball, lift weights and play video games. They’ll soon be able to use a computer lab and maker space that are planned to be added to the center. The Ammon Rec2Tech Education...

When it comes to forecasting the Penguins’ goaltending situation for the 2020-21 season, one thing is certain. Casey DeSmith will probably be the backup. As to who he’ll be a reinforcement to, that’s still being sorted out. The Penguins have already had trade discussions with other teams with regards to...

Thursday marks the debut post at TribLive for “TV Talk” columnist Rob Owen. During his 22 years covering the television and media scene in Pittsburgh, Owen was a frequent guest of mine on radio. And he makes our “Breakfast With Benz” podcast debut here today to talk about his new...

A Steelers assistant coach is on the ascent. Le’Veon Bell’s practice time in New York was on the decline Wednesday. JuJu Smith-Schuster wants to stay in Pittsburgh. Hockey and politics don’t mix. And Plaxico Burress has us all very confused. All that is in “First Call” Thursday. All ‘A’s’ for...

Why should everybody be mad about the same thing all at once? Let’s spread around the agitation for this edition of “U mad, bro?” This week, Pittsburgh sports fans are frustrated about Penguins trades, Minkah Fitzpatrick and my dismissal of Ben Roethlisberger’s skills. Except I didn’t dismiss Roethlisberger’s skills. I...

Jim Rutherford filled one hole in his lineup Tuesday when he reacquired forward Kasperi Kapanen from the Maple Leafs. If things go as planned — a dicey idiom in 2020 — Kapanen will line up next to either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin in a top-six role whenever the 2020-21...

On Monday, the Pittsburgh Penguins decided to reacquire Kasperi Kapanen from the Toronto Maple Leafs. The cost was this year’s first-round draft pick (No. 15 overall). Also included in the deal were forward Evan Rodrigues, prospect Filip Hallander and emergency defenseman David Warsofsky. Coming to Pittsburgh along with Kapanen are...

The Penguins’ reacquisition of winger Kasperi Kapanen is easy to evaluate. Just not right now. If GM Jim Rutherford is correct about the Penguins’ window to win still being open, and the Penguins make next season’s playoffs and win a round or two, it’s a good trade. Even if Kapanen...

The Pittsburgh Penguins are barely two weeks into an offseason that began way too early for their liking. They have plenty of issues to sort out with their roster and relatively little salary cap space with which to work. Yet, general manager Jim Rutherford didn’t waste much time in taking...

Gritty is the Philadelphia Flyers mascot. He’s a real-life version of what happens when you look at your lint trap while on bath salts. This week, Gritty was trying to make it up to the NHL playoff hub in Toronto. He got confused and went to Toronto, Ohio. instead of...

As this unique version of the Stanley Cup playoffs enters the second round, it’s sobering to realize when it is concluded, we might not see the NHL for a long time. That means we won’t see the Penguins play again for an extended period. Will Sidney Crosby lose a year...

Penguins forward prospect Kasper Bjorkqvist has been loaned for the 2020-21 season to KooKoo of Finland’s Liiga. According to a release from KooKoo (translated from Finnish), the agreement will be a “year-long loan.” #KooKoo #Liiga #yksijoukkue #montatarinaa #Kouvola pic.twitter.com/VJ25Y5TI9B— Kouvolan KooKoo (@KouvolanKooKoo) August 24, 2020 A second-round pick (No. 61...

It’s a busy “First Call” for Monday morning. Former Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury finds himself at the center of a controversy — thanks to his agent’s Twitter account. A West Virginia four-year-old gets a hole-in-one. Lamar Jackson is nicked up. The Cleveland Browns avoid a coronavirus scare. And Luka Doncic...

I know what some Steelers fans are thinking. Stop thinking it. The Steelers shouldn’t sign Earl Thomas. I know. I know. They could use another safety to complement Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Baltimore Ravens just cut Thomas. It’d be a great way to goose the Ravens. But Thomas just squawked his...

The Washington Capitals fired coach Todd Reirden after a second consecutive first-round exit in the playoffs. General manager Brian MacLellan announced the move Sunday, three days after the Capitals lost to former coach Barry Trotz’s New York Islanders in a five-game series. Washington opted to promote Reirden from the top...

Situated roughly halfway between Philadelphia and Allentown, Perkiomenville is easy to overlook on the map. Just ask one of its residents. “A whole lot of trees and wildlife,” said Josh Maniscalco, a defensive prospect who signed with the Penguins on Friday. “It’s a pretty small town. I don’t even know...

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have signed forwards Luke Stevens and Felix Robert to one-year American Hockey League (AHL) contracts for the 2020-21 season. Stevens is the son of Kevin Stevens, a former All-Star forward for the NHL Penguins who now serves as a scout for the organization. Selected in the fifth...

This week’s “U mad, bro?” gets into some pretty choppy waters. Mike Sullivan versus Mike Tomlin. Bryan Rust versus trade talk. Governor Tom Wolf versus high school sports. And me versus copyright infringement. Read carefully. This could get dicey. Let’s start with James. He really enjoyed my recent column about...