Trade Buzz: Examining the Penguins widely regarded underwhelming return for Jake Guentzel

PIT Receives: forwards Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Vasily Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius and 2024 2nd round Pick (Conditional) and 2024 Fifth Round Pick (Conditional) CAR Receives: Forward Jake Guentzel, Defenseman Ty Smith ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trade Grades: Hurricanes – A | Penguins C- Hurricanes Acquire Jake Guentzel with little risk: The Carolina Hurricanes have been criticized in past seasons of not being willing to take a risk in moving significant assets for a top rental player. They went out Thursday night in acquiring the top forward on the market in Jake Guentzel. But in doing so, they still acquired Guentzel by sticking with their beliefs of not dealing significant assets for a rental. “Jake is an elite goal scorer and playmaker who has produced

Latest Penguins Free Agency Buzz

Pittsburgh’s acquisition of Reilly Smith this week has been universally praised from a value standpoint and a playing style fit. Signed through 2024-2025 with a $5 million cap hit, it was just the perfect fit for how Kyle Dubas wants to operate with term on players in their 30’s. It was too good of a deal to pass up. One feel in the industry though is the acquisition loses some luster if Jason Zucker isn’t resigned or the Penguins don’t replace Zucker with a similar styled impact player. Still, as for Smith who can play both wings, kill penalties and create off the rush, he fits how Mike Sullivan still believes in playing. Any hope of a new General Manager

Examining the Penguins cap situation for next season with the new Hornqvist deal, Brassard acquisition

Penguins Salary Cap Situation Not Dire for Next Season The new contract for Patric Hornqvist and the addition of Derick Brassard has added $8.3 million against the cap for next season. Among the 16 players listed below, players currently on 1-way contracts or identified as full-time NHLers, Pittsburgh has approximately $69.3 million committed against the cap. Forwards (8) | 1-way Contracts or Full-Time NHL Players Evgeni Malkin – $9.5 million Sidney Crosby – $8.7 million Phil Kessel – $6.8 million Patric Hornqvist – $5.3 million Carl Hagelin – $4 million Derick Brassard – $3 million Conor Sheary – $3 million Jake Guentzel – $734,167 Notable RFA’s: Bryan Rust, Riley Sheahan Defensemen (6) | 1 Way Contracts Kris Letang – $7.25

Trade Deadline Buzz: Sheahan’s Improved Play & What it means for the Penguins

If Jim Rutherford believed Riley Sheahan was the Penguins clear answer as their third line center, he wouldn’t have been so active over the last two months in looking for an upgrade at the position nor being so public in that the Penguins needed a third line center. Sheahan’s surge in play over the last couple weeks has now brought a narrative that the Penguins shouldn’t be trying to acquire a third line center. If you have believed as Penguin management has that Pittsburgh has needed to upgrade the third line center position for 2-3 months, should they let a 2-3 week strong stretch from Sheahan change that stance? Jim Rutherford has been around long enough where I don’t believe

Penguins have internal candidates to counter failed roster decisions with group of bottom forwards

Entering tonight’s game vs the Vancouver Canucks Pittsburgh carries an 11-8-3 record as a reliance on the power play and some 3-on-3 overtime wins have inflated that win total a bit. The Penguins are in a bit of a two-fold situation. They have won back-to-back Stanley Cups so there shouldn’t any panic in late November, but the mentality of how this roster has been built has trickled back to the 2014-2015 season mentality from the General Manager and it could have long-term implications on the Penguins chances of three-peating. Pittsburgh’s bottom-6 center situation is what it is but where the Penguins have hindered themselves has been going away from more skilled players in the bottom-6. The coaching staff is handcuffed

Game 3 Analysis: Senators have Penguins searching for offensive mastery

Game 3: Senators take 2-1 series lead The Ottawa Senators have put the Penguins in a position of chasing the series after a 5-1 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference on Wednesday night. What the Penguins found out tonight is the ‘boring’ Senators are a different team at home. However, they shouldn’t have been caught off-guard. On the road in the playoffs the Senators have evolved into this play it safe, prevent defense type mindset, while at home they play a tad more aggressive in the offensive zone by taking more chances and pushing the tempo. The Penguins knew it was coming and had no answer for the Senators aggressive start. Mike Hoffman scores 48 seconds in and then

Toughest remaining schedule among Big 3 in Metro; Sundqvist not NHL ready?

Penguins destined to be top-3 in points in the East for 9th time in 11 years The Penguins 3-1 win over the Sabres was a closely played game with good goaltending at both ends and the final result went about expected, the Penguins finding a way to win and the Sabres finding a way to lose. There’s a reason one team has 101 points and the other has 72 points. The Penguins clinched their 11 straight playoff berth and what might be most impressive with this streak is over the last 11 years there’s only be one instance where the Penguins either went into the final couple days of the regular season or even the ‘final day’ needing to win

Penguins – Blackhawks Fallout & Post-Trade Deadline Chatter

Penguins – Blackhawks Fallout In a back-to-back situation, the Penguins played a good road hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks. “I thought we competed hard. I really liked our compete on the puck, liked our zone time,” head coach Mike Sullivan said…..”We’re not going to play a perfect game [every night]. Thought we had some heightened intensity. Our compete level was really good.” Pittsburgh outshot Chicago 37-29, were +10 in 5 v 5 shots, +13 in 5 v 5 shot attempts (64-51) and the Penguins were +7 (17/10) in high danger scoring chances. Pittsburgh’s top lines created chances and zone time, Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel each with four 5 v 5 shots, Crosby team-high seven attempts, Evgeni Malkin while

Ramon Foster graded out as one of the NFL’s top left guards

Ramon Foster graded out as one the best left guards in football, according to Pro Football Focus. Foster was named to Pro Football Focus top 101 players list. Foster was ranked No. 36. He did not allow a sack nor was held for a holding call this season. Foster was rated well ahead of David DeCastro who was No. 81. .

Martin Jones Goes off script, crashes the Penguins celebration

Sharks Play Role of Party Crashers Still one win away. San Jose is now two wins away. Aside from the 18,000+ in the building, tens of thousands flocked to the streets surrounding Consol Energy Center Thursday night to be part of the first championship won on city limits since 1960. Problem is Sharks goaltender Martin Jones went off script. This was supposed to be the Penguins’ night where the superior team puts an inferior team away on home ice for their fourth Stanley Cup in team history. Instead Martin Jones gave the San Jose Sharks the type of performance you have to get on this stage and in an elimination game. Jones turned aside 44 shots in a spectacular performance.