Latest Pens Buzz: League Whispers of Guentzel Possible Summer Return on 4-5 year deal pure Fantasy or Reality?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ PENGUINS – HURRICANES WHAT WE LEARNED The Penguins were out attempted 87 to 43 in Tuesday’s 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, including a minus-43 mark (76/33) at 5 vs 5. Pittsburgh was minus-19 (33/14) at 5 vs 5 in scoring chances, yet, it ended up being a night of quite a few positives playing out on the Penguins end in the 4-1 victory: Among Them: –Surprise, Surprise, the Penguins defended really well in the third period…………………… —Alex Nedeljkovic was a brick wall. He’s had moments this season where he’s really zoned in early on and can’t sustain it over course of the game. That wasn’t the case Tuesday night where from start to finish he was reading shooters

From System/philosophical changes, Penguins will need a coaching bump more than ever to make up sizeable ground in 24-25

The Penguins earlier in the season had moments to hang their hat on where they competed well with some of the NHL’s elite. Talent wise this month, though, has showed the obvious the Penguins don’t have the horses to compete with ‘Edmonton’s star power, New York Rangers run and gun style, Dallas Stars heavy game or the Colorado’s of the NHL who beat you with a combination of speed/skill/strength. Each of those four games over the last 14 days has given the Penguins another reality check that they probably aren’t a few personnel moves and luck from putting together a 180’ and being 15-18 points better next season. However, three wins in their last 14 games and netting just eight

Tomlin initially zeroed in on acquiring one of Wilson or Fields this off-season

Mike Tomlin [hide] speaking for the first time since the Kenny Pickett trade, told reporters today he initially zeroed in on acquiring one of Russell Wilson or Justin Fields and the dominoes just somehow played out where the Steelers acquired both. [/hide] [hide] The Russell Wilson signing has created a buzz in the organization, especially among big named players like a T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Even prior to teammates having any inkling Kenny Pickett might want out, all three recruited Wilson heavily in the day before Wilson agreed to sign and the support Wilson has among key veterans gives Wilson significant headway as being entrenched as the starter to open the season. [/hide] [hide] But, there’s no

Latest Pens Buzz: Sullivan Coaching Chatter; Penguins gauged market for Marcus Pettersson to get ‘Value’ feeling before summer extension decision & More Buzz

PENGUINS DWINDLING PLAYOFF HOPES It was fun for a couple days while it lasted that just maybe the Penguins could put a string of games together and remain relevant in the playoff race for another week or so. Pittsburgh’s slim playoff hopes, though, took a sizeable nosedive with the upcoming schedule they have in a 5-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night. The game did not break open until a Luke Hughes power play goal off a lazy neutral zone Evgeni Malkin second period penalty. Pittsburgh, though, lost this pivotal game really in the first period. New Jersey got Pittsburgh running around in their own end, and not staying in lanes from the early moments after puck

Rumors: Steelers in pole position to trade 2nd rounder for Aiyuk & still sign Mike Williams?

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been heavily linked to San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, so much so there’s talk of the Steelers possibly being in pole [hide] position to trade for Aiyuk who is believed to have strong interest in signing an extension with the Steelers and playing the next stage of his career for Mike Tomlin. If the two sides can agree to an extension Pittsburgh, the 49ers have coveted a second-rounder for Aiyuk. [/hide] Aiuyk, 26, had 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2023, averaging 17.9 yards per catch. Meanwhile, another name to watch [hide] this week is wide receiver Mike Williams who is scheduled to meet with the Steelers Thursday and is being

Latest Pens Buzz: Surging Capitals, WBS Watch & More Buzz

The Washington Capitals are becoming quite the story in moving into the top wild card spot despite a minus-27 goal differential and their big free agent goaltending signing two summers ago having an .894 save percentage. Not only does Washington hold the second wildcard spot, they’re also just a point behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third in the division. On top of everything, they went away from the established veteran coach in Peter Laviolette to a younger coach with fresh ideas and a reset for the group as management had an eye on developing than being all-in on competing. What’s playing out is just bonus hockey for Washington as the Capitals are suddenly playing at a 92-point pace. There have

Penguins – Red Wings Fall Out

‘Everybody’s Losing’ In a four-point game where a regulation loss would have sunk the Penguins nine-points behind the floundering Detroit Red Wings who entered the night 1-7 in their previous eight games, Pittsburgh controlled the game from start to finish with an impressive 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday night at PPG Paints Arena. Pittsburgh will now enter the week in the same position they were in entering the weekend — five points out of a wildcard spot as the once surging New York Islanders had quite the rough week going 0-3-1 following a six-game winning streak. — Penguins – Red Wings Fallout What the Penguins did in their win over Detroit was put their foot on

Breaking: Steelers trading for Justin Fields

Kenny Pickett Out: Russell Wilson, Justin Fields In……… The Pittsburgh Steelers have completed a major overhaul of their quarterback room acquiring quarterback Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears in-exchange for a conditional sixth round pick. The sixth round pick turns into a 4th rounder based on Fields playing in 51 percent of plays this season, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Do the Steelers have their quarterback for now in Russell Wilson and the future in Fields? The Steelers have made it clear to Fields, a favorite of Mike Tomlin coming out of the 2021 draft, he will be coming in as the backup and there will not be a competition. The move though solidifies the Steelers significantly upgrading their QB

Breaking: Kenny Pickett traded to Eagles

The Pittsburgh Steelers have traded 2022 first round pick QB Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles as it is now officially the Russell Wilson era in Pittsburgh. The Steelers receive a 2024 [hide] third round pick (No. 98) and two 2025 7th-round picks in the deal. The Eagles receive Pickett and a 2024 fourth round pick (No. 120). [/hide] The Steelers are quickly leaking word Pickett did not [hide] handle the Russell Wilson signing well and months later confirming behind the scenes Pickett refused to dress in week 17. For Pickett he goes to the team he grew up rooting for as a kid but even more so now as the clear No. 2 behind Jalen Hurts. For Pittsburgh the

Notebook Buzz: Penguins Coaching Winds; QB1 & the Tomlin Recruiting Machine

NOTEBOOK BUZZ — Rumblings, Musings, Opinions — ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Coaching Winds: Whether it’s the Doug Wilson or Vukie Mpofu connection, there’s been a little bit of whispers in league circles that if Mike Sullivan decides to seek a mutual parting and all indications are that is going to be the only way he’s not the head coach in Pittsburgh next season per multiple sources this week, [hide] Todd McLellan would be very, very high on the Penguins [/hide] short-list of candidates………… Defenseman Jack St Ivany has been recalled for a look at the NHL level and the right handed defenseman has been among the big surprises during the current regimes’ evaluation process of the Penguins holdovers in the system. Ivany was