Colorado @ Pittsburgh pre-game buzz; Goligoski out; Hejduk (GTD)

Colorado @ Pittsburgh pre-game buzz; Goligoski out; Hejduk (GTD)

12:25pm - Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 by DePaoli

Colorado (15-8-6) @ Pittsburgh (19-9-0)

The Colorado Avalanche have been the surprise of the NHL, jumping out to a 15-8-6 record. Many NHL pundits predicted a rebuilding year for the Av's.

The Av's hot start has them one point out of first place in the Northwest division but Colorado has a lot to prove moving forward.

Colorado's play in the month of December could tell which direction their season will go. The Avalanche are already showing signs of slowing down in the midst of a 3-4-3 stretch.

The Avalanche face a big test tonight against the Stanley Cup champions, coming off of a 6-5 loss to the Florida Panthers Wednesday night.

The Avalanche are led by forward Paul Stastny (30 pts). Stastny is among the games top playmakers but could be without linemate Milan Hejduk (11 goals) tonight. Hejduk did not play Wednesday night and will be a game time decision against Pittsburgh.

Of late, Colorado has been vulnerable in the defensive zone and on the penalty kill, which has drawn concerns from people in the know that the Avalanche are on their way to taking a step back.

Colorado only has a GF (90) / GA (89) differential of +1 compared to Pittsburgh which has a GF/GA differential of +15.

While the Avalanche may fall back from the pack this season, they are rebuilding their team the right way.

To build a contender, you have to build down the middle and the Avalanche are doing exactly that. Matt Duchene and Paul Statsny will never be Crosby/Malkin but the Avalanche have two players that they can build around up front.

Morning Skate Notes

*Pittsburgh defenseman Alex Goligoski will not play tonight. Goligoski (groin) will miss his second consecutive game after returning to the lineup Saturday night against New York.

However, Goligoski did skate today but likely won't return to the lineup until Monday night at the earliest.

*Marc Andre Fleury will start in goal and the Penguins will go with the same lineup they had Monday night against New York.

Sidney Crosby is surging in the NHL scoring race. Crosby has 8 points in his last two games and is now 4th in the league in scoring with 33 points. Crosby is 6 points behind points leader Joe Thornton.

*Winger Michael Rupp (8 goals) is third in the NHL in shooting percentage. Rupp has been getting more attention in the locker room the past couple days than goaltender Marc Andre Fleury. Not many could have predicted that.

Rupp though is trying not to get caught up in his scoring surge this season. Rupp is staying focused on just playing his game as he's drawn comparisons to Chris Simon who found the right system in his career with the Washington Capitals to score 25+ goals.

*The Penguins will wear their third jerseys tonight. Penguins Assistant coach Tony Granato faces his old team and he visited with a number of members from the Avalanche organization this morning.

The Avalanche have given up five or more goals in 6 of 12 games but Pittsburgh expects to face a hard working team that won't quit.

Fan Mail/ Latest Rumblings

A Pittsburgh - LA trade rumor made the rounds yesterday.......There have been no trade discussions between the Penguins and Kings.

As a team source told me this morning, any trade rumor involving Jordan Staal is a pure fantasy. Staal is not available and won't be this season.

*Also, Received up to 15 emails yesterday from fans regarding the Penguins exploring the trade market for Ruslan Fedotenko.

The feedback was surprising as most fans who emailed me were against such a move and some were even shocked that Pittsburgh is considering such a move

Recent Penguins Posts

Comments

jeffed

D, I was reading Buccigross' mailbag on ESPN this week and someone asked about Gonchar and Letang signings. Bucci seems to think that because of Gonchar's recent injury issues and Letang missing some time that they won't be receiving many "big" offers from other teams and that the Pens should be able to sign them both. He thinks that we sign Gonchar for five years @ 5, 5, 4, 3, 1 million for a cap hit of $3.6. He then thinks we sign Letang to a seven year deal @ 2, 2.5, 3, 3, 5, 4, 4.5 for a cap hit of $3.25. I think that to do it deals will have to be structured with Gonch earning less and Letang earning more as time goes on but I don't think Letang's cap hit is very realistic. Do you think it's possible that similar deals will be signed at some point and will signing Letang to a long deal equal a smaller cap hit?

12/03/2009 12:36pm

mwalluk

12/03/2009 12:38pm

rkrichter

I didn't hear what the Pens/Kings rumor was, but there will always be Staal for a young winger (especially one that is regarded as needing a "change of scenery") trade rumors. They will never go away. It will be another interesting trade deadline though with so many expiring contracts, all the WBS guys being a year closer, and guys playing above expectations (mckee, skoula, dupuis, rupp) and guys playing below (feds, possibly kunitz although I still think he has a lot to offer).

12/03/2009 12:38pm

mwalluk

Hypothetically speaking that is, will STaal be traded? HAHAHA. Over/under when can we see Feds shown the door?

12/03/2009 12:39pm

zerocool6687

jeffed... dream signings, It wuld be nice if we could do this however right now Letangs camp could be buying into their own press. Don get me wrong I am also high on the kid and again think he could potentially be something sweet however he really has some things to iron out 1st. That being said I think that idea of a contract would be fair and keeps us from feeling the cap heat. Whats your take on this D?

12/03/2009 12:40pm

jeffed

The Staal rumor from the Kings blogger which was fueled by Eklund was that it was going to be Staal and Goligoski for Brown and Johnson and Kopitars name was also put out there. There will always be a rumor because it's easy to link Sid and Johnson to being friends but I can't believe we are looking to get rid of anyone that has done something to help this team this year so I would just ignore most rumors involving the Pens. Fedotenko makes sense because he's hurting more than helping and note how rumors posted on here explain why it makes sense including timing whereas hockeybuzz just puts names out there.

12/03/2009 12:43pm

jeffed

Yeah, zero I agree to me they seem like numbers that are too good to be true. From the start of the year I didn't think that Letang was going to be willing to take less than Gonch would but the length of the contract could mean something to him. Think about what it would mean to be signed to deals equal to the length of deals signed by Sid/Geno/Fleury and more than Staal.

12/03/2009 12:45pm

rkrichter

I'd like to see a GM so convinced that 2012 is real that he offers contracts that has players earning like $2 mill/yr until 2012 and then after that they all earn up to the ceiling. And when the world doesn't come to an end he's like, "Shit!"

12/03/2009 12:45pm

rkrichter

12/03/2009 12:49pm

rkrichter

12/03/2009 12:49pm

mwiles19

Allan Walsh is totally denying the Fedotenko rumblings, but would we expect any less from his agent?

12/03/2009 12:51pm

mwalluk

lmao

12/03/2009 12:58pm

clwatt3

I hate the blue jersey. That is all.

12/03/2009 1:04pm

bob_sacamanto

let it be knownn that i am totally for a fedotenko trade. i'd have done it yesterday.

12/03/2009 1:07pm

sirmarianhossa

any idea as to what the pens third jerseys will look like next year?

12/03/2009 1:14pm

j_s15226

The same as they look like this year.

12/03/2009 1:22pm

Cory7321

I heard they're ditching the blues and getting new ones next year actually, j_s15226

12/03/2009 1:23pm

jaluco

...because we have so much depth at wing, that moving Fedotenko is necessary.

12/03/2009 1:41pm

jaluco

That was an option cory, but the paper made it sound like no decision has been made - personally, a little consistency would be nice for a change - new uniforms every year is dumb.

12/03/2009 1:42pm

Cory7321

agreed

12/03/2009 1:46pm

depaoli

Mwiles.......I like Allan but what's going to say? confirm his client is on the block. Penguins are exploring it and why wouldn't they. But nothing's going to happen until after the Christmas Trade freeze

12/03/2009 3:01pm

SV84

Is it time to fire up the Jack Johnson/Alex Frolov and Staal rumors?

12/03/2009 3:17pm

wolfman

if so, let's get creative this time, please...

12/03/2009 3:22pm

mwalluk

Last I heard it was Staal for Scuderi, Frolov and an Xavier Nady Bobblehead doll back when he was on the buccos

12/03/2009 3:44pm

mwalluk

D - any chance there can a be chat section added? Or atleast forum? Or maybe a spot so we can submit columns and critique/discuss each other's thoughts? That's kind of what we do for these comments.

12/03/2009 3:45pm

wmalonijr

I heard the doll will be from the bucs but it won't bobble.

12/03/2009 4:23pm

↑ previous comments ↑

rj32s

How could anyone be suprised to want to move Fedetenko. He is inconsitency at its finest!

12/03/2009 4:34pm

mwalluk

The doll claims it will go into "operation shutdown"

12/03/2009 4:45pm

How can we move Fedatenko with no proven player to take his place, he plays great in the playoffs and only a 1 year deal. Keep him.

12/03/2009 5:05pm

Nxt_1_Cometh

I say send bourque down and give caputi a cup of coffee. If he plays well, then move fedotenko.

12/03/2009 5:37pm

wolfman

if the pens were only maintaining at 500, you might see moves like the ones mentioned. caputi and tangradi will only be better for when they are realy needed.

12/03/2009 11:06pm