Team Press Release: The Pittsburgh Penguins will help the Make-A-Wish Foundation grant its 10,000th wish on Tuesday when 8-year-old Jacob Anderson of Connellsville becomes a “Penguin for a Day.” Jacob will report at 10 a.m. to General Manager Ray Shero’s office at Mellon Arena, where he will sign his contract. He then will be escorted to his own locker stall in the Penguins’ dressing room, where he will have an official nameplate and jersey.
After assisting the Penguins players prepare for their morning skate at 10:30, Jacob will get a demonstration of skate-sharpening and other behind-the-scenes game-day activities from Penguins equipment manager Dana Heinze and staff.The Penguins take on the Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Jacob will sit in the penalty box during the pre-game warm-up Tuesday evening, and he and his family will watch the game from rinkside seats. Jacob also will get a special visit from the team’s mascot, Iceburgh. “The Penguins organization is honored to assist the Make-A-Wish Foundation in granting this very special 10,000th wish,” Shero said, “and we’re looking forward to Jacob becoming a Pittsburgh Penguin on his big day.”
Onto Monday’s Practice Report:The Penguins held an optional practice today.

The good news from today’s optional practice is Max Talbot and Pascal Dupuis were on the ice. Dupuis is very close to returning. His skating is much better than it was on Thursday when he struggled with his stops and starts. It appears he will be available to play against the Hurricanes.
Talbot has a shoulder injury but it is not dislocated. The Penguins are expected to hold him out until after the All-Star break but it was good to see him on the ice today as it was first believed he could miss up to four weeks.
Sergei Gonchar is picking up his regiment. He was shooting a lot more pucks today than he has during any practice sessions he has participated in thus far.
Gonchar is on target to return in mid-late February and is shooting slap shots. He can begin taking hits at the begining of February.
Brooks Orpik did not practice. It appears he will likely miss Tuesday’s game.
Mathieu Garon did practice for the first time in a Penguins uniform.
Update later in the day on the latest rumors going around.
More to come