Penguins/NHL
Eric Tangradi maybe in a Penguins uniform at some point in the upcoming season but it won’t be in October or November.
Tangradi will begin the 2009-2010 season in Wilkes Barre and any talk that Tangradi will be given an opportunity to earn a roster spot out of training camp is not true.
In fact, Tangradi will likely be among the first cuts like Luca Caputi was last season. Tangradi is still recovering from hand surgery and Pittsburgh has absolutely no plans to rush his development.
The original plan is for Tangradi to spend a full season in Wilkes Barre, but things could change at a later time and he will likely get a call-up to get his feet wet, sometime in 2010.
*Max Talbot’s rehabilitation is going very well and it is expected that in 6 weeks he will be able to endure contact.
Look for Talbot to return by mid-November.
*As we mentioned last week, training camp will begin on September 12 and don’t expect Dan Bylsma to put the Penguins through an easy camp.
Camp has been pushed up four days due to the Penguins switching their September 25th preseason game to September 15th.
The team will go through three days of workouts/practices/scrimmages (Sept. 12, 13, 14) and then the team will make their first cuts before their first preseason game.
*Mike Zigomanis is considering training camp invites. He has failed to land a one-way contract.
*Penguins still looking to add? Penguins General Manager Ray Shero has reached out to free agent center
Dominic Moore. Shero is very interested in inviting Moore to camp. Moore had 13 goals – 32 assists – 45 points last season and played for the Penguins during the 2006-2007 season.
Michel Therrien was not a big fan of Moore and he was traded to Minnesota that year for a 3rd round pick.
*The Penguins are confident that Philippe Boucher will accept their one year offer. The team wants an answer before Labor day.
If he decides to retire, the Penguins have other options. They will bring in another veteran defenseman one way or another.
Boucher recently joined Marc Andre Fleury, Ruslan Fedotenko, and a number of NHLer’s in Montreal to train for the upcoming season.
