Latest Pens Buzz
The biggest injury situation for the Penguins to watch heading into Game 1 isn’t Evgeni Malkin.
It’s Ma[hide]tt Murray.
While the Penguins believe Murray will be good to go for Wednesday night, Murray is not 100% two sources close to the situation say and is dealing with a minor injury suffered from the Devils game where he is described as having some discomfort in his leg area.
A source called it nothing more than a “minor leg strain” and there’s not long-term concern, but if Murray’s not able to practice tomorrow, alarm bells will be going off.
The Penguins are off today.
While the Penguins internally are optimistic Murray will be fine after getting a couple days off the ice this past weekend to rest, the Penguins are not fully certain which is why Tristan Jarry will stick around for now as an extra body.
LINEUP DECISIONS LOOM AT FORWARD & ON THE BLUELINE
A good problem to have, the recent play of Carter Rowney and Josh Archibald has given Penguin coaches a good problem to have for Evgeni Malkin’s eventual return in Game 1.
The thinking is Carter Rowney will stay in the lineup as the coaching staff see’s Rowney as the better defensive player than Archibald who has some troubles in his own end without the puck in picking up the right man in the slot area when the Penguins are defending the cycle.
Although, there is an argument that Archibald should stay.
If Malkin returns Wednesday night and things are tracking that way, Rowney will be forced to play the wing and he’s a better center than winger.
With Carl Hagelin still out of the lineup, Archibald gives the Penguins that chaos dimension in hunting the puck they lack with Hagelin out.
On defense, what you see in Game 1 is what you might not see a few games down the road.
The Penguins can’t replace Kris Letang but they are eight deep on the blueline.
Brian Dumoulin, Trevor Daley, Ian Cole, Justin Schultz, Ron Hainsey, Chad Ruhwedel, Olli Maatta and Mark Streit.
Indications are Trevor Daley is believed to have moved into the top-5 with Dumoulin, Cole, Schultz and Hainsey among those who are regarded by the staff as locks. Where the coaching staff goes with the No. 6 guy for Game 1 is not known yet but Tuesday’s practice will likely give a good idea on which direction the coaches are going.
“We have some good ideas but the reality is we’ll need all of them,” Sullivan said after Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Rangers. [/hide]
Malkin practicing – anyone see Letang?
So Malkin is going to centre Rust and Kessel while Wilson and Hornqvist flank Bimini for game one… interesting. Hagelin skated too but won’t play.
Malkin shooting the puck with authoritai so thats a good sign. PP is back to normal with Hornqvist and Malkin added to the trio that seemed to be together with different variations down the stretch.
Pens in 7
Agreed.But only if our Russian decides to come back from his vacation and help Sid upfront a little bit
Unlike our frog, who yet again abandoned his team to sip wine in the press box.
how do you guys feel about st.bleury ranking in at 37th in save % at .909 and ranking in 45th in GAA with a 3.02 (one of only 4 goalies to finish above 3)?
You really are misguided….fleury is a fantastic backup….no one says he should eb starting hes a great insurance policy….YOU are the only one who thinks people want him to be a first ballot hall of famer…no..we just want the team to win and will root for them regardless of whose in net and hope they win…….your a horrible fan in the sense that just because you dont like fleury’s smile? you have to hate and root against him….your no worse then a racist who hates blacks because they are black..its the same thing..you hate him because you perceive him as… Read more »
Careful Cole, this was how I started out and then slid into a dark place lol. This guy and sammich are two of the worst fans of any team I have ever encountered. On that Note Murray was noted as looking fine in practice so it seems to be another case of yoda’s MAF panties wrapped around his balls or simply more rantings from the jilted ex-lover lol. That noted I agree, not one team in the post season can boast a quality player like MAF if something did go wrong with the starter. It’s hard to believe it even… Read more »
yes yes…well sam isnt a pens fan hes a fan of canadian players and the montreal canadians….he doesnt care if PGH wins…as long as crosby or (insert french name here) scores instead of malkin…Yoda…he cant be a fan either because no fan would want his team to lose based ona payer he dissliked….it cant be fun to watch hockey if thats how you view things (lots of spelling errors…im no editor thats for sure)
DB was asked by the media what he thinks of his future with the team and he said he thinks he will be back next year with sabres. Little that he knows this moron that his days with sabres are numbered and will be fired real soon. This clown has no business to coach in the NHL
Nobody cares, sam
He thinks because he’s a Habs fan with an infatuation with DB that people here will share the same sentiment. I honestly wonder why he’s even on here.
What’s also funny is, regardless of what DB does the rest of his life, he’s a STANLEY CUP CHAMPION. Unlike Michel Therrien.
Coming from the guy that didnt see Therrien about to be let go as the rest of the board discussed it at length lol. On that note, and not like I really give a fuck but, like 3 or 4 coaches have already been axed. If Bylsma was done this year it”s hard to imagine he would be facing the media like he did yesterday. They may let him coach out that final year lol
Hey yogurt I guess same will be right fleury will play in playoffs with Murray injury it’s now even more possible
Did I give you permission to call him yogurt?
Alottttttttt
FLOWER TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hahahaha! yeah, lets get excited for the guy who is 37th in save % and 4th from last in GAA over matt murray. #cultofstbleury
Matt murrays save percentage in march makes me yearn for Wendel Young
D… what page did you use to update your points? Patrick Kane had 89 points not 82. In fact there were 3 others with more than 82 points!!!
I guess he should have taken pens job he turned down
if murray plays, pens in 6. if st.bleury plays, jackets in 5
#TearItDown
Wasnt it amazing what happened with St bleury on the bench? ….and I looooooooooove it!
What happened? Was his junk sore from railing you?
The better question is – what happened to murray? What’s with his sub .900 sv pct over the past 45 days? And why are you so quiet about it?
Yoda thinks the team would have won with Murray while Johnson or Bylsma were coaching… cute. Has no idea that his style and willingness to use those kids was a massive factor
Canucks fire their head coach. I really don’t understand the guy didint even had a good roster to compete vs oilers or any other top teams. Must say he did a good job with what he had. You have other coaches with better rosters and team is worst. Sabres for example
Guy couldnt’ even make the playoffs with McDavid winning the Hart – maybe start there.
Maybe if pens traded Crosby to Vancouver they would’ve made it since it is on your wish list
To play #2 center behind McDavid? Hmmmm, there’s a concept.
He had the 2nd worst record in the whole league. How the hell is that doing a good job with what he had?
Maatta had a solid playoffs last year id go with him
He played solid last year, but I wonder how all this time off will effect him. His speed is average at best to begin with and not seeing game action for as long as he’s been out could effect that area.
I’d probably play 7 defensemen and double shift geno, sid and bonino with the fourth line.
Isn’t Ruhwedel hurt? Yohe said he was in an air cast.
Yep – i read that last night as well.