Penguins/NHL category, Page 57

On Friday, Fenway Sports Group’s Dave Beeston gave the impression that the new Pittsburgh Penguins ownership was reconciling with the old Penguins ownership, namely franchise legend Mario Lemieux. President of business operations Kevin Acklin said Lemieux had talked directly to FSG. CBS Sports posted this headline: “Penguins ownership expects Mario...

During his final press conference of the year, Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan was asked about the performance of his team’s power play. Listening to Sullivan’s defense of his man-up unit was as frustrating as it was to watch at times this season. “I think our power play finished 14th...

At first, the man called “Bones” thought he broke … well… a bone. A rib, to be precise. As it turned out, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Nick Bonino suffered a much more distressing injury. During a 4-3 overtime home loss to the New York Islanders on March 9, Bonino had a...

I’ve had a hard time trying to find a silver lining to the end of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2022-23 season. They missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006. They ended up losing their last two games to two of the worst teams in the NHL (the Columbus Blue...

In the annals of rock and roll, a select few individuals have been presented with the honorary title of “fifth Beatle,” recognizing their contributions to the highest-selling musical act of all-time. For the Pittsburgh Penguins, their hockey equivalent of the “Fab Four” undoubtedly is the trio of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni...

The vagueness of how injuries are released by NHL clubs, with designations rarely offering any specification beyond “upper-body” or “lower-body,” often creates more questions than answers when players get banged up. Naturally, speculation then ensues, as media and fans try to discern more precise details. No Pittsburgh Penguins player personified...

The Penguins’ offseason will be one of difficult decisions. One of the primary ones involves winger Jake Guentzel. Guentzel, 28, is heading into the last year of a contract that pays $6 million annually. He had a quietly effective season, collecting 36 goals and 37 assists in 78 games. Listed...

Sidney Crosby detests free time. He abhors it almost as much as a clingy opposing third-line center hassling him for a puck or yapping personal insults. So, given the Pittsburgh Penguins’ failure to qualify for the NHL’s postseason that begins Monday, this won’t be an enjoyable summer for the team’s...

Here is a look at the significant deals made by Ron Hextall in his two-plus years as general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins: April 11, 2021 Penguins acquire: Forward Jeff Carter Los Angeles Kings acquire: 2022 third-round pick (conditional), a 2023 fourth-round pick Carter was good at first, filling in...

The Pittsburgh Penguins were supposed to be off Friday. Typically, a day after their regular season finale, they take a respite to heal injuries and clear their heads before they gear up for the postseason. And that certainly did take place on Friday. Just without the part of preparing for...

Mike Sullivan’s job as Penguins coach is safe — for now. After the team’s ownership group Friday announced a major shakeup at the top of its front office, a Fenway Sports Group executive was complimentary of Sullivan’s work but said his fate would be left with the team’s next director...

More than six decades after its church was displaced to clear the way for construction of the former Civic Arena, Bethel AME Church will once again get land in Pittsburgh’s Lower Hill District. The church is set to develop a 1.5-acre site at the corner of Crawford and Bedford avenues,...

As the Pittsburgh Penguins begin a crucial and difficult offseason, a lot must change. It started with GM Ron Hextall and president of hockey ops Brian Burke being fired. A good replacement GM won’t be easily found. It’s not an attractive job: An elderly roster encumbered by eight players with...

At the beginning, it was almost absurd. Comical, even. One of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ greatest villains became their general manager. In the end, he became vilified for completely different reasons few could laugh at (outside Philadelphia). On Friday, Ron Hextall’s tenure as the 11th general manager in the history of...

There was a macabre fascination to the way the Pittsburgh Penguins regular season finale played out in Columbus. The Pens lost to the awful Blue Jackets 3-2. In overtime. After blowing a third period lead. To a significantly inferior foe. While outshooting the opponent and making a journeyman goalie in...

Ron Hextall was almost indignant over the question. On July 13, less than a day after he had re-signed superstar center Evgeni Malkin — to say nothing of his successful efforts in re-signing franchise defenseman Kris Letang seven days earlier — Hextall was asked what gave him faith that retaining...

Three takeaways from the Pittsburgh Penguins’ season-ending 3-2 overtime loss at Columbus: One final blown lead The Penguins’ inability to protect third-period leads is a frustrating component within their overall performance this season that hardly needs elaborated upon. Entering Thursday night, their nine total losses in such situations led the...

Sidney Crosby did something he hasn’t accomplished with much frequency throughout his nonpareil career. Play every game of a regular season. With Thursday’s 3-2 overtime loss to Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena in nearby Columbus, Ohio, Crosby suited up for this 82nd contest of the 2022-23 campaign. It marked...

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Mark Friedman was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL) after clearing waivers Thursday afternoon. Having bounced between the NHL and AHL rosters much of the season, Friedman, a right-handed shot, has appeared in 23 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins and scored three points (one...

When we first heard the “Fi-re Hex-tall” chants from Pittsburgh Penguins fans at PPG Paints Arena during a 7-2 beatdown from the Edmonton Oilers on Feb. 24, they really resonated. As general manager of the Penguins, Ron Hextall assumed a job that can’t escape criticism. His predecessors — Craig Patrick,...

Now that the Pittsburgh Penguins will officially miss the playoffs for the first time since 2006, the angst from the fan base is thick. Wow! “U mad, bro?” is going to be stocked for weeks. It doesn’t even matter that no one cares about the Pirates anymore. And I don’t...

Two goals by forward Keltie Jeri-Leon led the Wheeling Nailers to a 5-2 road win against the Iowa Heartlanders at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa on Wednesday. Forward Ross Krieger had a goal and an assist for Wheeling (28-36-5-0) while defenseman Chris Ortiz contributed two assists. Goaltender Brad Barone made...

Perhaps the only thing sharper than Sidney Crosby’s dagger of a backhander is his comprehensive memory. Ask him about any random game in November 2008 or some mundane goal a long-departed teammate scored during the late winter of 2014, he can recall seemingly any nugatory detail such as what kind...