Pens split trip North, prepare for end of 2015

The Penguins split their trip North to Minnesota and Winnipeg, winning one and losing one. The games were two opposites with the Penguins showing a more free scoring style of play against the Wild before struggling against the Jets, although that is partly down to Hellebuyck's first shut-out.

The Penguins first game against the Wild saw the return of Crosby after missing the game against Columbus on the 21st December. Crosby had a great game recording a goal and an assist. His goal was sweet one timer from near the wall after a great piece of work by Perron by Dubnyk.

The Penguins power play came to life and was rewarded with a goal by Hornqvist late in the third. A shot from the point went to the net and Crosby and Hornqvist battled away to whack it in. Minnesota's only goal came late in the second period from Jason Zucker after leaving Dumoulin for dust.

The game was somewhat marred with a late hit by Stoll on Letang late in the third. Letang returned to the game but missed out the Jets encounter. The Penguins shouldn't have let him return to the game as there was no need but it is also a shame to see the league fail to take any action.

In the past month or so three Penguins players have been on the end of rough, dirty hits or actions with barely any punishments. The only punishment that the department of player safety has deemed fit is one game for Dubinsky. The league needs to be doing more to prevent these types of hits as they have no place in the modern game.

The game against the Jets was tougher with the game being decided by a penalty shot by Bryan Little, Zatkoff didn't even move to stop the shot. Zatkoff has been out-performed by Matt Murray so far this season in his brief stint. Zatkoff has not been a confident performer and always looks nervous in net, not something you want behind your defence. The performance overall was disappointing.

Going into the end of the year the Pens have two games left against the Leafs and Red Wings, hopefully, they win both as they have really improved their play lately and deserve to be reaping the rewards.

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Pens stop rut, beat Columbus

The Penguins will go into the Christmas break with their first win under Mike Sullivan under their belt. They defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2 in a fast paced, heated game that saw Phil Kessel have a two goal night. The Penguins were looking for revenge on the Blue Jackets after a 2-1 loss in November.

The Penguins were without their star player,  Sidney Crosby, who was out of the game with a lower body injury. He is expected to be out day-to-day but the Penguins next game isn't until December 26th. Malkin was given top line duties and he didn't disappoint in his increased responsibilities.

The Penguins fell behind in the first period in Matt Murray's second period. A shot rebounded off the boards and into an open space for Wennberg to score his third of the season. The Penguins dominated the second period 10 shots to 7 and scored two quick goals 1:18 apart early in the second through Malkin and Kessel.

The Penguins dominated the game from there on out and controlled the shot clock, limiting the Blue Jackets to just 24 shots throughout the game helping Murray to his 1st NHL win.

The game was tainted somewhat by a reckless piece of play late on by Dalton Prout who crosschecked Sergei Plotnikov 5 times in the neck after a fair hit by the Russian on Prout with just 58 seconds remaining in the game. The reaction from the Department of Player Safety was...nothing. Which is ridiculous, they won't actually take action for these types of incidents until it is too late and injured.

The Penguins are off until the 26th of December where they start a double header away against the Wild and the Jets. Sullivan has gotten the team playing better hockey and they might start seeing results now.

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Pens trouble scoring highlighted in 3-0 loss to the Bruins

The Penguins have struggled to score this season and last night was no exception with them falling 3-0 to the Bruins. The Penguins have improved since firing Johnston going forward. In Sullivan's first two games they've registered 79 shots but only managed to get the puck through once. At those shot rates it won't be long until the Penguins start converting more frequently, it isn't the type of thing you should expect to stay at a low level for long.

The game didn't feel like a Bruins-Pens rivalry game of old, there was something missing. The Penguins started the first with their foot on the pedal with plenty of zone time and offensive battles. Sullivan's system is the complete opposite of Johnston's and it refreshing to see them battling and attempting to the get the puck deep rather than using the perimeter and limiting their shot choices.

The Pens were undone in the first by former Pen Max Talbot. Jimmy Hayes added a second goal in the following period before Spooner ended the game with an empty netter. The Bruins had 29 shots throughout the game to the Penguins 34. Zatkoff played in his first game since the 2-1 loss against Edmonton and looked shaky early on but steadied himself and can't be blamed for the loss.

The Penguins face the Bruins again on Friday in the return game and one thing they could learn from then is how to run a power play. One of Sullivan's main points has been to improve the power play to improve the Penguins scoring opportunities. Boston are keen to move the puck around and pass it off for the best shooting options when possible. This is something that the Penguins should look to employ.

Sullivan will be hoping to get his first win on Friday night and with the system Sullivan employs it should see the forwards contribute more soon.

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Pens trade Scuderi to Blackhawks for Daley

The Penguins have managed to trade veteran defenceman Rob Scuderi to the Blackhawks for Trevor Daley. The news broke during the game last night at around 9pm and explains the late scratch that was bestowed upon Scuderi. The deal also includes the Penguins retaining 33% annually, which will be $1.125m.

It has been well documented in the media and from Rutherford himself that the Penguins have been looking for a puck moving defenceman and they clearly feel that Daley fits the bill. Daley is a two way defenceman capable of taping passes and moving at speed. The Penguins have struggled to gain entry into the oppositions zone at times this season so this will help.

The Penguins power play has struggled this season too and Daley has in the past, whilst in Dallas, spent time quarterbacking the power play. Right now the Pens are trialling Warsofsky in Letang's place whilst he is out injured. Realistically though they need a long term option and perhaps a back-up if Letang cannot perform in that role.

Daley is a much more offensive defenceman than Scuderi was and he has 237 points in 756 career games. He was included in the trade that took Patrick Sharp to Dallas last season and has found himself struggling to adapt in Quenneville's defence first system. It remains to be seen whether Daley will join in time for the Pens trip to Boston but when he does play he will wear the number 6.

Elsewhere, Wilkes-Barre lost their head coach to the Penguins and they have put in new people behind the bench. Jay Leach has been appointed the interim head coach with Bill Guerin, Mike Buckley and Mark Recchi offering support. Wilkes-Barre have a history of training and giving new coaches a chance so expect to see them involved in some official capacity at some point.

The Penguins next game is against the Bruins in Boston as part of the NHL's Rivalry Night. The return game is on Friday in Pittsburgh as part of a back-to-back, the second game being against the Carolina Hurricanes. It is possible Matt Murray makes his NHL debut in one of those games after being called up today. Here's hoping he gets a chance with Fleury out.

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Johnston fired by Pens, replaced by Sullivan

Mike Johnston has been fired by the Pittsburgh Penguins and replaced with their AHL coach in Wilkes-Barre Scranton,  Mike Sullivan. The moves comes as a surprise even with news that Johnston was being heavily scrutinised by Jim Rutherford, the Penguins General Manager. The general consensus was that he would be given a bit more time, probably until the new year when the NHL abandons its compensation scheme for coaches.

The Penguins hired Johnston before the start of the 14-15 season and after successes at the start things soon went sour. The powerplay which had looked so bright became exposed and with it, it showed the Penguins poor Even Strength performances which were affecting the clubs performances. Some of the games most incredible players have seen their offensive outputs decrease thanks to Johnston's defence first system.

With the depth that the Penguins it should not be possible to coach a team to be as passive going forward as this team looks right now. The biggest problem was that Johnston tried to play it out of defence but with incorrect lines and poor play the forwards didn't receive the puck in areas where they could create chances. A lot of play was pushed out to the sides where it is a lot easier to prevent things from happening.

One of Johnston's biggest problems this season was his player usage. Daniel Sprong had a superb camp and was kept up with the promise of him being given adequate ice-time for him to start his career and adapt to the game at an NHL level. However, Sprong was scratched for prolonged periods under Johnston who seemed reluctant to play him or Plotnikov. This was a sticking point for Rutherford judging by the comments heard in the media.

There was also a seemingly obvious lack of accountability within the team. Scuderi had a stretch of really bad games in November yet instead of playing someone with real desire to prove a point and do well in Clendening, he continued to play him. If players are playing that poorly and they're not instrumental to the team, like Crosby, then they need to be scratched at times.

I think that to be fair it should be pointed out that the Penguins did seem to concede fewer goals but that again could be down to Fleury just being a better goalie than he was two years ago. He has bailed the team out far too much and he needs help in front of him.

Sullivan's Wilkes-Barre team are currently first in the AHL, just ahead of the Toronto Marlies. The team is evidently a strong one going forward with 83 goals in just 23 games, good for 3.6 a game. They're also the third strongest defensive team with 49 goals going against them. The Penguins have been blessed with superb goaltending and that should be one constant at least that transfers across. If Sullivan can get the Penguins scoring up to similar levels then that would be a great success. Sullivan will be given the season and his first game is the Caps on Monday night.

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Dupuis forced to call time on his career

Today is a sad day for the Penguins as a stalwart and permanent fixture in the team, Pascal Dupuis, has had to stop playing for health reasons. He will be retiring but the Penguins are going to put him on the long term injured reserve (LTIR) list to see out the rest of his contract.

Dupuis is one of the most likeable people who you could ever listen to and those who have met him will replicate that. He is a hard working individual who has given everything to his franchise and there is no shame in doing right by his family and his health. Dupuis had appeared in 18 games so far this season after returning from a blood clot in the lung.

The injury hasn't disappeared though and will require further medical evaluation. This has affected Dupuis season and as recently as the San Jose game he stated he was in discomfort. Against the LA Kings it was visible that something wasn't right after the game as Dupuis smashed his stick in frustration.

Dupuis is comically known as "the throw-in piece" in the Marian Hossa trade that brought him to the Penguins alongside the Slovakian winger. Dupuis went from a strong, confident bottom six player to one who was able to play alongside this generations greatest player, Crosby.

He formed a relationship with Crosby and Kunitz and there was a clear chemistry between the three. He finished his Penguins career with 109 goals and 138 assists in 452 regular season games for the Penguins. He finishes his time here 33rd overall in production. Pascal Dupuis will no doubt remain with the Penguins in some capacity whilst his contract winds down but whether this is in an official position or not is to be debated.

Dupuis will be missed by Penguins fans with his witty remarks and ability to make light out of any situation. Dupuis was one of the players playing when I started watching hockey and he helped me get into it. So, from me, thank you Dupuis. Thank you.

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Second period flurry downs Pens

The Penguins slow start against the Kings yesterday set the tone for the game. The Penguins struggled on the shot clock and took over 9 minutes to register their first attempt on goal. Despite the Kings clear dominance in the first period the Penguins were able to stymie their efforts and restrict them from getting any clear chances. However, in the second period it was clear that the Penguins were not able to continue that game plan throughout the 60 minutes.

The Kings took an early lead in the second on the power play through their defensive leader, Drew Doughty. It came off a Rob Scuderi penalty for a delay of game, Scuderi's second penalty of the game. The Penguins power play itself only got given two chances throughout the game. With Letang out Warsofsky was quarter backing the power play. There was a notable improvement with zone time but the same issues of poor passing was evident, the Penguins only managed two shots in total.

Harry How/Getty Images

The Penguins were then caught completely flat footed as the Kings scored three goals in a span of 2 minutes and 25 seconds. It started with Ehrhoff scoring his first as a King, naturally, against the Penguins. Lucic scored his first of two on the night, although it was a shot Fleury should have done better with. The Penguins did attempt to halt the tide with a Kunitz goal 11:20 in. Crosby dug the puck out from behind the net and dished it to Kunitz in front of the net.

It was a short respite as the Kings continued to carve the Penguins defence apart. Jake Muzzin was left wide open on the left hand side and buried it to re-establish the Kings two goal lead. Olli Maatta scored on his return, a nice backhand and although Crosby got a tally late on, Lucic scored an EN to give the Kings a deserved win.

After the game it was quoted that Scuderi, Fehr and Cullen were not happy with the Penguins play. I don't think Fehr and Cullen can blame themselves, that fourth line has been dynamite lately. What doesn't help is an experienced player like Scuderi making simple errors. Scuderi has been poor this season so if there is anyone he should be directing his anger to, it should be himself.

The Penguins continue their trip against the Ducks tonight at 8pm EST.

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Pairing Crosby with Kunitz and Dupuis is not the answer

The Penguins have had scoring problems this season and it has been well documented by many, including myself. Lately the Penguins have been carried by Evgeni Malkin and they are also currently enjoying a 5 game point streak by Crosby. His longest of the season to date. Malkin has lived up to expectations so far this season and you cannot question his performances. You can with Crosby and the biggest issue relating to the lack of goals comes from the top line.

Under Bylsma the Penguins utilised Crosby with Kunitz and Dupuis as their first line on frequent occasions. At the time it was an effective line, one that challenged both in the blue paint and on the boards. Over time both players have regressed however to the point where neither is a first line player any more.

Despite the Penguins signing and trading for a number of top wingers over the years the KCD (Kunitz, Crosby, Dupuis) line has remained constant. Failure to fix it and address the issues are now affecting the team and being felt in a severe manner. The regression in both has been alarming. Obviously, Dupuis does have a bit more leeway due to his injuries.

So far this season through 23 games Kunitz has just 3 goals whilst Dupuis has 2 goals and 2 assists through 15 contests. The KCD line hasn't been used this year as Johnston had originally tried Crosby with Kessel. When that didn't work Kunitz and Dupuis were united on the third line with Bonino. Having both on the third line worked as it is where their skill level and position on the depth chart is.

Kunitz and Dupuis own problems scoring is also highlighted by their dwindling shooting percentage. Kunitz's has dropped from 16.1% in the 2013-14 season before Johnston joined to 7.3% this season. In the same time span Dupuis's has gone from 7.2% to 8% but this is using the shortened 13-14 injury ravaged season. His average at Pittsburgh before that season was 11% which shows that it has dropped.

This isn't exactly beneficial for Crosby if his linemates can't finish his passes. Looking at the previous 70 games with both Dupuis and Kunitz playing we can see that the last time both assisted on a Crosby goal was on the 22nd November 2013. Personally, I believe Kunitz is the biggest problem out of the two.

There are options for Crosby out there. He has been working well with Hornqvist on the right wing, so keep him there. The right wing isn't the problem. There are two options to try on the left wing. David Perron and Eric Fehr. I don't see Fehr being a long term solution but what is the harm in trying it? Perron has played on the top line before and has been performing better lately than at the start of the season. I'd like to see both options given a try before we revert to the failed test of KCD. But, this being Johnston I expect KCD will be here to stay.

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Pens loss to the Blue Jackets overshadowed by Dubinsky

The Penguins overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets was overshadowed by a vicious use of the hockey stick by Brandon Dubinsky on Sidney Crosby. Late in the second period Dubinsky and Crosby were battling in front of the net when Dubinsky cross-checked Crosby in the neck and, as he was down, the back.

Today, the NHL's Department of Player Safety dished out the punishment that Dubinsky would have to face for such a cheap act. The result? 1 game. 1 solitary game. One has to ask how that is a deterrent or even a just punishment for what he did. It also opens into question the NHL's protection of players for hits to the head which, with an ongoing concussion lawsuit, isn't a good look for the league. The Penguins play Columbus in December and you can be sure that game will be an emotionally charged one.

In terms of actual play the Penguins were not at their best. The only goal they scored came off the power play with Malkin burying a shot off a lucky rebound from Crosby. Fleury was the teams best player, standing strong despite a barrage at times from the Blue Jackets. The defence had a very poor game and questions need to be asked of some players who are yet to show their talents this season.

In all honesty, the Blue Jackets deserved to win the game. They had a much better plan and executed it. By employing a heavy forecheck they gave the Penguins little time on the puck which led to more dump-ins than usual. It's a tactic that teams have used in the past on the Penguins, specifically on the power play. This has led to a lack of zone time and in turn, a reduction in conversions.

The  Penguins return home to face the Edmonton Oilers tonight and the best way to respond to the game last night is to light up the score sheet tonight. They probably won't get an easier opponent in Edmonton to do it either. Sidney Crosby is currently riding a four game point streak and it would be great to see him continue that as well and return to a more "realistic" production level.

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Pens beat Blues 4-3 - Crosby strikes

Sidney Crosby is enjoying a good spell right now with two goals against the Blues last night, meaning he has now scored against all other 29 teams in the NHL. He scored a solo blast from the point in the first period after a give-away from Gunnarsson. Sid put so much power in the shot it is a surprise it didn't come out of the other side.

I think it would be fair to say that this was Sid's best game of the season, even if you take into account his three pointer against Florida earlier in the season. He was everywhere with the puck and a real problem. It was enjoyable to see him move on the power play, where he scored his second. The Penguins power play has been far too static so to see him moving around and get an open shot in the middle was great to see.

Joe Sargent / Getty Images

The underlying stars of the game were the fourth line of Fehr, Cullen and Plotnikov who dominated the Blues top line which was weak defensively. All three had a CF% of over 65% which is ridiculous. Having a line like that which can take the pressure of the top players makes it a lot easier to control the play and force the opposition into mistakes. Cullen is also a much more refreshing player to have than Craig Adams, despite him being a year old than Adams.

Yet again Evgeni Malkin played a huge part by scoring the game winning goal in OT after a nice dish from Phil Kessel. Since criticising the team after the Devils game Malkin has had 7 points in 4 games. Phil Kessel is also riding a four game point streak which is his second of the season. I don't want to say it too much but the Penguins look to be getting to the level we expected of them offensively. If they could sort out the power play, they'd be deadly.

The Penguins have a break today for Thanksgiving before taking on the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. The Penguins should be looking to win both of those games before their Californian trip.

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Pens beat themselves, Sharks win

The Pittsburgh Penguins played a tough game against a red hot San Sharks last night and despite going toe-to-toe for most of the game, they shot themselves in the foot. Their defensive frailties were exposed with two goals from their own team on Fleury.

I have been highly critical of Rob Scuderi and I believe he is one of, if not the worst, defenceman in the league right now. For the second time in four games, the last being against the New Jersey Devils, he scored an "own-goal". Being fair, it wasn't as terribly embarrassing as the one against the Devils where he passed it into his own net. This time he got in the way of Fleury and deflected a Brent Burns shot into the net.

Not to be outdone, Ben Lovejoy joined in the act and scored his own own goal later on off a soft rebound from Fleury. Giving Lovejoy credit, the rebound was quite quick and there wasn't much he could do but he shouldn't have been in the position he was. Part of the blame should also lie on Fleury though as he should have covered or stopped the puck.

Overall though I think Fleury had a good game. Aside from the above he didn't look too troubled and was quite calm. The other goal was a quick shot from Brent Burns that he couldn't do much about. No-one covered Burns and it was too late for Fleury to get across his crease. Fleury has had a great season so far but the defence lately have let him down and it is showing when you realise that the Penguins have conceded at least three goals in a game in four straight.

One player who stood out for the  Penguins was Brian Dumoulin. He has seen an increase in his role this season alongside an increase in ice-time and he has taken it in his stride. He looked a consummate pro last night breaking up rushes and he was effective against Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski. His future is promising.

Lastly, from last night. Patrick Marleau earnt his 1000th point in the city that he was drafted. It was great to see the Consol Energy Center crowd give him a round of applause. Paul Martin was also given a warm round of applause on his return to the Penguins, he scored the Sharks third.

Looking forward, the Penguins next three games are mixed. They face the St.Louis Blues next on Wednesday, a team that is traditionally thought about as being strong defensively but they are a middle road team right now. In their last six games they've let in 21 goals, 3.5 per game. The Jackets have had an upturn in results since appointing Tortorella. Since appointing him they've gone 8-0-6 and Bobrovsky has improved his form. They'll be tough to beat. Last is the Oilers, a team completely unpredictable. The Penguins should aim to score a few on them.

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Malkin leads Pens past Wild

After the game against the New Jersey Devils Evgeni Malkin made it quite clear what he thought of the team at the point. It was very clearly pointed out that they were not playing as they should be and not playing right in the system set up by Johnston. Whether that system is right or not is another question.

Against the Minnesota Wild Malkin delivered on his words and led the Pens to a 4-3 win with a four point night. It was his first four point game since the 23rd March 2014. The Penguins started the game superbly notching an early goal from David Perron on a nice pirouette shot. The Wild scored later on in the first to level the game. The puck was passed across the crease in front of Fleury and none of the forwards picked it up allowing Granlund to fire off a sweet shot off a Pominville dish.

The later part of the first period was beset by penalties on each side. Clendening committed a holding penalty on Brett Bulmer shortly after they scored but the Penguins were able to kill it off. The Penguins then had a power play opportunity of their own late on in the period. The power play has been poor but it was great to see some success for a change. Malkin dished a puck to Bennett just in front of the face-off zone and he rifled a shot straight through Dubnyk.

The Penguins continued to click on the power play with Malkin scoring an easy goal early in the second. Malkin earned his second goal of the game shortly after. Later in the game the usually resilient Penguins penalty kill blustered letting in two Minnesota power play goals from Jared Spurgeon and Mikko Koivu.

The game was overshadowed somewhat though by an injury sustained by Olli Maatta mid-way through the second period. Nino Neiderreiter boarded Maatta into the boards near the bench as Darcy Kuemper was opening the door by the bench. Maatta was taken to hospital and was today released with news that he would be out for between 3 to 4 weeks. It could have been a lot worse but losing a talented player like Maatta for any stretch of time in the early stages of their career is disappointing.

The Penguins will be pleased to win but disappointed at losing such a key player. They play Colorado next on Thursday night hoping to build another winning run.

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The Penguins scoring problems are a massive problem

This is something I have talked about before and mentioned a lot on my twitter stream. The Penguins offence is pitiful right now to say the least and it is the third worst through 17 games in franchise history. The fact that an offence with Crosby, Malkin and Kessel is able to be coached to such low totals is a big worry. If a team with that amount of talent struggles it is usually just a rut but the Penguins have had a continual problem which has stretched back to December last year.

Mike Johnston runs a defence first policy and looks to play it out of the back with quick passes, often two line ones. With the  Penguins personnel this isn't a wise choice. Right now Kris Letang is struggling and creating turnovers regularly. Outside of him Lovejoy, Cole and Scuderi are not puck playing defencemen. I'd barely class Scuderi as a player right now. Their CF% is illustrated below and it isn't pretty.

Lovejoy and Scuderi's CF%. Game 4 against Ottawa Scuderi didn't play.

The Penguins traded away one player who used to be a good puck player in Despres. They also have one sitting in Wilkes-Barre Scranton in Pouliot. Not to mention Clendening who is currently getting splinters sitting on the bench. The Penguins have a chance to make a few adjustments to see what the effect is and they should try them before making drastic decisions. Being honest though, I think it is the system more than anything that has led us here.

The Penguins are not entertaining to watch right now. Crosby currently has just 9 points in the first 17 games which is his worst start to a season. Something like that would have been completely unthinkable two months ago. Evgeni Malkin has bust a guy in numerous games to try and lead the team but he too is struggling. Phil Kessel has played well since being traded from Toronto but a sniper can't be expected to carry a team, look at James Neal.

The team that the Penguins built over the summer was continual lauded for the depth they had added. They brought Plotnikov over from Russia and appear to be scared of letting him play having scratched him in 6 games so far this season. There were signs of problems with Kunitz's game last year but he hasn't had his minutes reduced and it has left the Penguins relying on an ageing Dupuis, coming back from a blood clot, to lead the first line.

Just to show how bad the  Penguins scoring is, below is a table of a number of players alongside their current production. I've used their pace to get a full season total and compared that to see where it ranks in their career in terms of season.

I don't think that Johnston will be fired for a while. It was mentioned by DK that Rutherford hasn't been happy with the Penguins product recently though. So, maybe another couple of losses and a few more low scoring team efforts would get him the can?

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Pens take on Habs

The Penguins take on the Montreal Canadiens after returning to the 'burgh following a West Coast swing where they went 2-0-1. The Penguins only managed to score 7 goals in 3 games against some of the weakest defences in the league which is a bit worrying. But, it is sadly nothing out of the ordinary for the Penguins right now. They are not the same offensive prowess they were before, which is sad if anything.

On their welcome return to Pittsburgh they will be greeted by the Montreal Canadiens who have started superbly this season and their goaltending duo of Condon and Price has been one of the bigger talking points. The Canadiens have hardly been inadequate up front though with 59 goals through 16 games so far, the most in the league. It makes Pittsburgh's 31 through 14 games look rather tame.

The Penguins have played the Canadiens before this season with the Habs leaving with a 3-2 victory in a rough and tumble game back in early October.  I was there in attendance and the Penguins performance was below par and apart from Fleury playing like a brick wall and  Bennett impressing there was a lot to be disappointed about.

Bennett will be rewarded tonight after recent performances going by early reports stating that he will be appearing on Crosby's line tonight. Daniel Sprong has also been heavily pumped by Johnston in the pre-game press conferences lauding him on his effort and crediting him for improving his defensive work. Against a team like the Canadiens who hit hard, that is important for an emerging player.

The defensive pairings came in for a hit against Calgary. Their speed completely flat-flooted the Pens but they have given them another chance by not changing them today. I would personally like to see Pouliot called up now. He has improved his game whilst in Wilkes-Barre and would be a better fit right now and also give us a more rounded offense.

I'm hoping the Penguins win tonight but I think the Canadiens will be too much.

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Penguins start November with West Coast trip

The Penguins start their November schedule with a west coast trip to the great Canadian cities of Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary. The first game is tonight against the Vancouver Canucks at 10:00 EST and marks what will be a challenging and interesting three game swing.

The Penguins go into the game on Wednesday having won the last four in a row. In that span they have slowly gotten players back off the injured list to give their team a deeper look. Eric Fehr had a superb debut for the Penguins against Toronto last Saturday and the Penguins will be hoping to see more of that. Kunitz is a game-time decision to play as he is carrying a niggling injury according to Johnston. Former Penguin Brandon Sutter will play against his old club for the first time since his summer trade.

The games against Edmonton and Calgary should be more open and the perfect chance for Crosby to get back into his groove before the visit of the Canadiens on the 11th of November. The media has been harder on him this year but with him currently scoring only 5 points through 11 games you can understand the concern. This isn't the Sid we're used to and hopefully he comes back soon.

The Penguins will play the Oilers sans-McDavid who got injured against the Flyers last night. He has damaged his clavicle and will require surgery which will mean he is out for months, according to the Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli. A huge blow to those who wanted to see him go up against Crosby.

The Oilers are 28th for Goals against whilst the Flames are 30th. So the Penguins should look to fill their boots against such weak defensive opposition. The Penguins have a lot to thank Fleury for this season and hopefully he can continue his good start. I suspect that Fleury will play against the Canucks and Flames with Zatkoff against the Oilers. Lets go Pens!

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The Pens should thank Fleury for their good form

Right now Marc-Andre Fleury is playing some the best hockey he has played in his career to start this season. Fleury has had one shut-out already this season, a 2-0 win against the Ottawa Senators on the 15th October. He has also only let in three or more goals twice this season, against the Dallas Stars in the opener and the Montreal Canadiens.

The Penguins are facing 30 shots per game on average and so far this season after 9 games Fleury has stopped 254 of 271 shots. That's good for just 17 goals conceded The reason why Fleury's performance is so impressive is partly due to the schedule (SOS) that the Penguins have had. His performances are also a complete change that Penguins fans have seen from Fleury in the past. Mike Bales has to take some credit for that.

The Penguins appointed Mike Bales to their goalkeeping coach position in August 2013 and they are currently entering their third season together. Bales joined on the back of Fleury having one of his worst post seasons with a .883 SV% and 3.52 GAA through 5 games. Fleury has become a much more confident player and is not as prone to collapses now as he was in the past.

With Fleury improving his game it would help if the defence stood up and prevented the opposition from taking so many shots. The game against Buffalo was reminiscent of that with the Sabres getting over 50 shots on net against Zatkoff. After a slight wobble in the 1st period. where the Penguins conceded two goals in quick succession, Zatkoff settled down. He was able to control the onslaught enough to eke out a 4-3 victory.

The Penguins have a good stretch of games coming up and they need to improve at both ends of the ice. Whilst they did, finally, manage to score more than three goals in a game, they won't in every game. They have been struggling for a while and one game doesn't change that. They need to take their chances up front and tighten up at the back. The Penguins play the Leafs on Saturday night. The Leafs have the worst goaltending in the league right now so it is a prime chance to put that to the test.

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Gonchar returns as development coach and Sprong stays

Today has seen two pieces of news that will please Penguins fans. Sergei Gonchar has returns to the organisation after being unsuccessful during his Professional Tryout in the summer. He has been appointed as a defenseman development coach. His role will involve with him working with the Penguins and Wilkes-Barre defeseman to tutor and help them. He will also scout European tournaments, so that could involve events such as the Spengler Cup.

Gonchar had a fine career in the the NHL and it saw him play 1301 games over 20 years. His final season was with the Montreal Canadiens last season. Over his career he put up 220 goals and 591 assists to become the highest scoring Russian defenceman. His experience will be invaluable to the Penguins younger defencemen.

The second piece of news is that, whilst it hasn't been officially confirmed, it is all but expected that Daniel Sprong will stay for the rest of the season. Just like Olli Maatta the ELC will see a year burnt. It will be a lot better for his development I feel as he is too good for the CHL and ineligible for the AHL.

I would like to see Sprong given more time in the top 6 as that is where his career path will likely see him end up. He has his first goal and he will be hungry for more as he is a determined and driven person who has been through a lot to get where he is. Hopefully the Penguins don't mishandle him and damage his performance.

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Why is Crosby struggling?

If you have been watching the Penguins this year then it is clear that Crosby is not playing as he should be. He is off and there is something different this year which has seen him only have 3 points through the first 8 games so far. By now you would expect that Crosby to have at least 10 points. A lot of people have speculated as to why he is struggled and there are a number of reasons, some more simple than others.

One of the most obvious things is that he seems to be passing it a lot more than usual and this is evidenced in his lower shot totals. A long with this he is also struggling to finish his chances that he does get. His career average is at a nice 14.3% but this season he is languishing at a much lower 4.3%. There have been mentions of him using a new stick recently which would explain why he is finding it harder to elevate the puck into the net. Twice against Montreal he was stopped by two great saves down low.

Over the summer the Penguins acquired Phil Kessel and he is the winger that this team has been wanting for a long time. Originally he was on the top line with Crosby and it was expected that they would light it up. Whilst they would have to learn each others game and get some chemistry it should by now have worked. However, it hasn't and Kessel has been moved to Malkin's line. Crosby's anchor, Chris Kunitz has also been dropped but to the third line.

Crosby now has Pascal Dupuis and Patric Hornqvist, two players whose game he knows really well and has worked well with in the past. Both are hard working players who are able to go to the dirty areas which takes away the responsibility for Crosby to do so and enables him to focus on the playmaking side of things.

Some have pointed out that the Penguins have played some of the top teams in the league this season with some of the best goaltenders. But that isn't really an excuse to score only 3 points in 8 games and for the Penguins offense to struggle like it has. This season the Penguins have the second fewest amount of goals with 13, only Anaheim are worst. As if that wasn't bad enough it is the Penguins lowest number of goals in franchise history through the first 8 games.

To be fair to Crosby, I don't think this is just a problem that he is having. A lot of players on the team are struggling offensively, it isn't exclusive to Crosby. The teams defensive system isn't conducive to the way this team should be playing. Instead of a pass and move game the team is more focused on a dump and chase game which just isn't working. It has severely affected the power play as well, a key proponent of Crosby's game. I've mentioned that before here.

I think that Crosby is in a slump right now and his body language shows that he is struggling. He isn't going to the net as much as he used to an he is a perimeter player right now. He needs to work hard with his team mates to get back in the grove and the next two games against Washington and Buffalo would be a good start. What more to get him riled up and firing than going against Ovechkin and his old coach? I hope he does get it going because seeing Crosby struggle is painful and not have Crosby as his best is sad.

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The Penguins have serious scoring problems - play the Preds next

The Penguins looked bad last night. Really bad. The scoreline showed it and that was reflected on the ice in a 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars. After a good showing against the Florida Panthers it was back to normal with a turgid, lacklustre and error strewn performance against, admittedly, a strong and impressive Stars team. The Stars completed the sweep over the Penguins in the series and the Penguins top lines were again shut down.

The Penguins scoring problems aren't new. They struggled last season as well after a bright start that was augmented by an originally good power play. That went south and it was perhaps evidenced best in the play off series against the New York Rangers. In that series the Penguins scored a grand total of 8 goals in the 5 games. But that wasn't the starting point.

Photo by Gregory Shamus, Getty Images

Looking at last years result you can see a clear change around the beginning of March shortly after the Penguins had beaten the Blue Jackets 5-3. After that point the Penguins only scored more than 2 goals in a game 5 times in the remaining 20. For a team with as much offensive talent as they do, that should have set alarm bells. I am aware that there were depth problems but that still doesn't excuse a low scoring rate.

Some players who have been available just haven't been playing well at all. The Penguins traded a 1st round pick, which ended up being Matthew Barzal, and Klinkhammer for Perron. After a good start he slowed down and has 8 points in his last 28 games, going back to the 25th February. He isn't alone though, Chris Kunitz has been similarly awful. He has played 22 games since the 25th February and has just 5 points since then.

Photo by Gregory Shamus, Getty Images

How are the Penguins best players expected to score and take their chances when their line-mates are struggling and not playing to their abilities? This Penguins team is also the second lowest in franchise history for number of goals through seven games. They have 11 and only the 1970-71 season was worse.

You're probably wondering what Johnston is doing to fix this. Well, today he changed lines in practice and ended the Crosby - Kessel experiment. He also removed Chris Kunitz off the top line to the third alongside Bonino and Sprong. Kunitz should have been removed from that line earlier but his replacement is Dupuis who has been out for almost a year with serious injuries. I rate Dupuis more than Kunitz but can he help improve Crosby's game? MJ also swapped Kessel and Hornqvist around.

The Penguins offensive problems aren't exactly what you want to hear when you see that Pittsburgh play on the 24th October against the Nashville Predators. A team that I see as a good defensive team. They've conceded 2 goals per game this season so far. The Penguins need to play the same game they did last time in Nashville when they won 4-1. If MJ doesn't do well in these next three and the scoring doesn't improve or change. He could be out.

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Pens beat Cats, prepare for Dallas

The Penguins beat Florida 3-2 in overtime the other night after Florida came back from 2-0 to tie it late on. Evgeni Malkin scored the winning game on a power play in overtime meaning the fans were deprived of some 3-on-3 hockey. Sidney Crosby managed to break his streak of pointless games which was brilliant to see. Crosby played one of his best games in years and ended up with 9 shots on goals. The joint most in his career in one game.

Crosby's first goal of the season came on the power play and was also incidentally the Penguins first power play goal of the season. The power play came about from a Nick Bjugstad trip on Olli Maataa at 10:07 in the first period. The power play was different with Crosby and others being noticeable in their movement around the zone rather than having a solitary position. Crosby worked the puck around the net and moved to the blue line before rifling a shot in straight past Luongo.

The Penguins dominated in the first period finishing with 16 shots to Florida's 5. Florida came into the game more in the second period and it was a more even period with only one penalty kill by the Penguins being the only real incident of note. The Penguins returned to their old problems however in the third period and allowed Florida to take control of the game. The Penguins failed to yet again make their early chances count and were forced to overtime thanks to two quick fire, well worked goals by the Panthers. The Penguins ended overtime early after 1:21 with Malkin's goal, as mentioned.

The Penguins are looking to carry on their winning streak and use Fleury's good start to their benefit when they rematch the Stars tonight. The Stars won the first game 3-0 with Niemi getting on the assists sheet. He still has more points than Chris Kunitz. The Stars are a team in form and are so far 5-1-0 with Benn and Seguin at the top of the NHL points board. This will be a bigger test than the last few games and if the Penguins can come out with 2 points it will be a great win.

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What is wrong with Pittsburgh's power play?

Unless you have been living in a cave for the past few weeks, then two things will have been incredibly clear and obvious. One is that Sidney Crosby is struggling right now, with 0 points through the first five games. He isn't the player he was a few years ago and there are some concerns over how long it could continue. The second is that the Penguins power play has been awful since Tocchet took over and little has been done to fix it.

Starting with the Penguins power play issues, there are three things that need to be in place for a good power play. The first is that you have good personnel, i.e. players in place. With the Penguins that is fairly straight forward. The Penguins have an abundance of offensive talent right now which should indicate a lethal power play. Throughout their history that has been true as well with guys like Jaromir Jagr, Mario Lemieux and Ron Francis to name a few.

The Penguins cannot complain about a lack of talent to run on the power play with the likes of Crosby, Malkin and Kessel on the team. Such talent in the team means that the Penguins can have the luxury of playing two units, both of which could be considered top units elsewhere. In the most recent game against Toronto saw the Penguins utilize Crosby, Malkin, Kessel, Hornqvist and Letang all on one unit.

The power play is currently 0-for-17 on the season, which is nothing short of an abomination. Mike Johnston was quoted in the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette as saying;

“For me, the power play, you’re talking about your top scorers. If your top scorers are on a roll and your power play is not working, obviously you have some concerns,”  Johnston said. “But I think right now, once those guys start to get going, feeling comfortable with each other, we’re going to be fine.”  

Personally I don't believe that is something that should be expected from them. Of the five players three of them, Letang, Crosby and Malkin, have played together since the 2006-2007 season. If they haven't gotten comfortable in that time with each other's playing style then something is wrong. I could understand them taking time to get used to Kessel's game, but it shouldn't be that build chemistry when Crosby and Letang are on the ice at the same time during regular play.

The second thing you need for a good power play is a good system and setup. In the past the Penguins used a shoot first, pass later policy and this is generally one used by teams as it is more effective. Especially with someone in front of the net tipping shots in. Lately the Penguins appear to be more content with passing the puck around the zone, cycling it, which gives the opposition a greater chance to clear it through poke checks.

The Penguins need to go back to this original system as it worked greater. I think they also need to explore perhaps splitting the power play at times to keep the opposition on their toes. Right now the second line is showing signs of chemistry and is clicking. Would it not make sense to have them heading up one power play unit and the top line another?

Splitting the power play units is something used against Dallas this season and whilst the Penguins went scoreless they had 7 shots across three power plays and as yet they have yet to match that in a game since. One of the biggest problems with the Penguins is the entry zone plays which has resulted in a lot of offsides. A structured entry allows for a better setup and a sustained zone presence improving the chances of scoring.

So far I have mentioned two things required for a good power play, the last is a good back room team. The Penguins currently have Rick Tocchet as their power play coach and he has had underwhelming results. Last season the Penguins finished with a 19.29% which was 10th in the league and only just above the league average. The league average was 18.66% and of the top 16 teams the Penguins had the fourth lowest number of goals with 49 on 254 attempts.

So far this season the Penguins are 0-17 through five games and they are currently the joint bottom team alongside the Anaheim Ducks. These are the only two teams remaining that are still yet to score on the power play. It might seem early to attack the setup behind the bench after just 5 games but when you have a line-up as star studded as the Penguins then it is a worry.

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Penguins host Leafs looking to double win streak

The Penguins are hoping to double their win collumn with a win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on home ice in the 3rd game of a 5 game homestand which concludes with Dallas and Florida. The Penguins have struggled offensively but going up against a team in rebuild mode such as Toronto should help them break the shackles and open the floodgates.

There has been a lot of interest in Crosby so far this season as he has been held pointless through the first four games of the season. For someone as talented as Crosby this is unprecedented and not welcome. The years before his concussion are a distant memory and it would be great to see him break out of his slump tonight. He needs to build chemistry with his team and whilst he has started to look better with Kessel, his body language is still off.

Having been in attendance for the first two home games his (Crosby) body language was off and a worry. He seemed reluctant to take the puck at times and was skating around the edge of the rink instead of going to the net and getting in the goalies kitchen. He needs to go back to what worked. To be fair to Crosby, against Montreal he was robbed twice by Carey Price.

Elsewhere, Scuderi is back in tonight in place of Clendening who played excellently in the Penguins 2-0 win over Ottawa on Thursday night. I would say I am baffled as to how Scuderi worked his way back in but Johnston seems to have a fixation on Scuderi. He even went as far as to describe him as an excellent penalty killer which is simply not true.

Hopefully, the Penguins get another win tonight and Crosby gets on the board. God knows he needs to. Big questions about him are mounting.

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5 Predictions for the season

With the season starting tomorrow I have had a look at the league and come up with 5 predictions as to what I think will potentially happen. Not everyone will agree with what I have come up with but without the benefit of hindsight, any prediction is, to a degree, as good as another.

1 - The Stanley Cup final will be between the Anaheim Ducks and the Tampa Bay Lightning

Last year the final was between Chicago and  Tampa Bay and whilst many expected Chicago to do well I don't think many expected Tampa to get that far and even push Chicago to six games. With the Blackhawks losing Saad and others along with some new players coming in I think they will take a down year this year. They'll still qualify for the playoffs, but will be eliminated in the Western Conference Final by the Ducks. In the East I think the Lightning will be a stronger and more mature team this year and after beating the Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final they will beat the Ducks in 7 games.

2 - Jaromir Jagr will score 50 points or more with the Florida Panthers.

Jaromir Jagr is fourth in the all time points list just 48 points behind the great Gordie Howe in 3rd. Jagr has made it clear that he wants to carry on playing for as long as possible in the past and hopefully he avoids injuries and is able to continue to cement his legacy. Playing with the Panthers last season his production increased from 0.50 PPG to 0.90 PPG. Whilst that isn't sustainable it is an indication of how well the younger Panthers players work with Jagr and how his play-making abilities complement them well. I can see him hitting 50 points again.

3 - Crosby will score 100+ points again and regain the Art Ross trophy

Last season wasn't Crosby's best season, that much is clear. With the addition of Phil Kessel to his wing he finally has a top winger to play alongside who is being utilised correctly. Kessel will likely break his own seasons best but I can see him and Crosby working incredibly well. There have been glimpses of it in the pre-season and in the new 3-on-3 overtime format they have been a joy to behold. I reckon that Crosby will return to his dominant ways and score 40 goals and 70 assists.

4 - The Arizona Coyotes will come last by at least 15 points.

The Coyotes are at the bottom of the ladder right now and with Edmonton and Buffalo getting better they're only going to struggle. Coyotes have had youth but they do not have depth and some of their better players are ageing in Smith and Doan. This year will be all about coming last and draft Auston Matthews. He will be able to market the team well and be a great addition for them to start pulling in the other direction.

5 - The Vancouver Canucks will miss the playoffs.

Jim Benning isn't coming across as a good GM with the way he is handling the Canucks. The trade for Sutter was lopsided and they haven't added any better players this season to help them challenge. The Sedin's are 35 now and whilst they might still be incredibly gifted they're going to start to decline in the coming years. They can't continue to rely on them to score. Brandon Sutter will struggle in Vancouver as well.

Roll on tomorrow!

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Penguins make camp moves

The Pittsburgh  Penguins have made some tough decisions and cut their roster to 25 players. Two of those players are injured, those being Eric Fehr and Tom Kuhnhackl. Fehr will be put on LTIR and Kuhnhackl will be sent down when healthy. The surprise story is that Daniel  Sprong has made the team and will see at least a 9 game stint before the Penguins decide whether to keep him up or send him down to the QMJHL for the rest of the season.

The Penguins released both players that were on PTO's, Gonchar and Sestito. Sestito has since signed a tryout with the Penguins affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins whilst Gonchar has been offered a behind the bench role if not offered a playing role elsewhere. Gonchar is seen as a good tutoring force for the Russian and/or European players and also a good coach for the young defencemen.

Speaking of young defencemen, Derrick Pouliot was sent down to the Wilkes-Barre Scranton to work on his game.  As mentioned before I don't believe this would be a terrible move as I think he does need to work on his game. As soon as he does that, he'll be back up. Adam Clendening, part of the Sutter trade, has gotten through to the opening night roster however. He has just 21 NHL games to his name but will look to take advantage of this opportunity, no doubt.

In terms of results the Penguins didn't have a great pre-season but some players did show some good glimpses, others not so. Chris Kunitz continued to struggle and watching Scuderi play was like an assault on the eyes. If there is a taker out there then someone needs to take him. He just isn't worth having on the team.

I don't have as much an issue with Chris Kunitz as he is still a fairly decent player but he isn't a first liner any more. He should be on the 3rd line with Pascal Dupuis being centered by Bonino. However, it appears that Perron has fallen out of favour and will occupy that third line due to what Johnston has perceived to be poor play. I don't think the Penguins are going to run an actual "fourth line" in the sense. He wants four scoring lines and with the likes of Perron on the third line, he will get that.

I'm looking forward to the season starting, this season proves to be a promising one for the Penguins lets hope they can back that up with on ice performances.

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Pouliot shouldn't rush - He should take time to develop

Recently Mike Johnston made comments about how Pouliot had appeared in pre-season and how, and what, he needed to do to work on his game. Johnston was quoted as saying that he "Doesn't see him as an NHL regular, He's a guy who has played games". In some respects, he isn't wrong. He has only 34 games to his name but he excelled at the AHL last season.

Pouliot needs to work on his defensive side according to Johnston and I agree. It is a part of his game that he needs to improve and it is similar to Letang's progress at a young age. He has a great offensive game and has good awareness of other people on the ice, but like Letang when he was developing he has a propensity to be out of position on defence and slow to react.

Pouliot will possibly be sent down reading into Johnston's comments if he believe he needs to and it could work out well as he flourished last time. Learning in a more relaxing environment with less pressure may make him develop quicker. With the veterans that Wilkes-Barre have it wouldn't be terrible to learn from them either. If he stays on the big team then he would be best to learn from Letang what with their similar playing styles. I'd avoid the mistake ridden game of Scuderi if I were him. I also don't see Gonchar staying.

Pouliot has time on his side and with the recruitments the Penguins have made over the summer he doesn't need to rush or be rushed. He's only 21 and this will be his first full professional season outside the Canadian Hockey League. I suspect that he'll be sent down and then be called up come early November. Whatever happens though he will know that Johnston will have his best interests at heart and he can trust him, based on their working relationship at Portland.

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Kessel and Zatkoff enjoy opening pre-season games

The Penguins opened their pre-season with a back-to-back schedule against Columbus on Monday and Carolina on Tuesday. The squads were split with the game against Columbus involving more fringe or development players. The game against Carolina at home featured the big hitters and amongst those was Phil Kessel making his home debut.

The game against Columbus was a low scoring one with Beau Bennett winning it in a shoot-out giving Jeff Zatkoff pitching a shut-out. The Penguins back-up position isn't one that has had much success recently with perhaps Tomas Vokoun being the only reliable player in recent years. Brent Johnson, Brad Thiessen, Thomas Greiss and even Zatkoff himself have come and gone without making much of an impact. After spending the year in the AHL he'll be hoping to make the most of this opportunity because it will be his last with Pittsburgh based on our prospect pool.

In the game against Carolina the main man was Phil Kessel due to it being his home debut, as mentioned above. Kessel clicked with Crosby with ease and also seemed to help bring Kunitz up to a more competitive and better level. If Kessel can contribute that in the season then he will be invaluable.

Elsewhere, Dupuis showed no signs of ageing and was as good as he has ever been despite missing most of last season due to blood clots. Olli Maatta was a joy to watch as ever and it is a massive shame he missed out last season. Sergei Gonchar was on a PTO but whilst he his hand-eye co-ordination was still there his speed was lacking and if we have Scuderi, I'm not sure I see a spot for him.

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NHL16 Review

First things first, I think that EA made the right choice in ditching Patrick Kane from the front cover in lieu of his legal difficulties right now. It just wouldn't be right or good to have someone going through that on the front cover as it could become spectacularly bad for them. Innocent until proven guilty.

Last year I didn't buy NHL15 as I was disappointed at the lack of features in the game which  I felt made it wrong to call a game or be sold at full price. I refused to buy it and spent another year with NHL14. I did miss not having a next-gen game but I coped and hope that this year would be better. That it is.

This year the game has returned all those features and with a bang. Be A GM was a mitigated disaster last year but is a great piece this year. The biggest addition was the morale system. It can have the potential to get repetitive but if they can work on it then it would be a good addition. The simulation speed is much improved and prospect development seems to be better with more accurate rates of progression achieved.

EASHL returns but with pre-set player classes. This works but I feel like there should be more ability to edit a players ability. EASHL is great fun to play with people and so far I have 6 points in 7 games. My biggest gripe with EASHL is that there appears to be some slight lag and a clunkiness to the players. Some of them skate as if they've got cinder blocks on their legs.

HUT has finally introduced a single player season to allow to earn pucks that way if you're not ready for the online game. Or if your team, like mine, sucks. The HUT menus are where the new, fast layouts are best displayed. Their quickness and ability to filter from one to the other is a great relief and change from the previous years. HUT gameplay is different to the rest of the game as it is more arcade like but it is still enjoyable.

Lastly on the game mode front. Be a Pro. Last year for some stupid reason they took out the option to sim shifts which made Be a Pro unplayable. That is back and there is more influence and ability to guide your player through the leagues which makes it feel a lot more personal and with the way the game progresses, it makes you want to play more.

The commentary can get repetitive and without a soundtrack is does feel a bit empty but the actual gameplay is a huge improvement with physics that feel more realistic and actually work. Some slight tweaks are needed with players going in the crease and with the puck chopping but the basis of a great game is there. The only major gripe I have with EA is their ratings with don't allow you to really feel that much of a difference between Tanner Glass and Phil Kessel. Changing those would revolutionise the game. All in all, I would give NHL16:

80/100 - A good game with room for improvement to make it epic.

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Penguins taking part in Rookie tournament in London

The Pittsburgh Penguins prospects will start their season this Friday in a rookie tournament in London, Ontario against the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. This will be a chance for the hierarchy to get a look at how the prospects are developing and where they could play this year.

It will also be the first time that an old-Penguin will play against them. Most notably Kasperi  Kapanen. Kapanen was part of the trade that brought Phil Kessel to Pittsburgh and will be looking to impress and potentially seal a spot on the Maple Leafs roster this season after a solid showing in the AHL last season with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. If he does make the NHL then he'll play for the  Marlies down the road.

The Penguins have invited a few players on amateur try-outs but they're mostly there to fill the numbers as the Penguins cupboard is bare at the moment. The highlight for the Penguins is no doubt Daniel Sprong who was drafted this year in the 2nd round. Penguins fans will be eager to see what he can do as he is a highly rated prospect.

The tournament starts this Friday, the 11th with the Penguins playing Montreal first. They follow that with games against Ottawa and then Toronto.

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Champions Hockey League returns

The 2015-16 edition of the Champions Hockey League (CHL) has begun with some big scores on the first date of games. There are 16 groups with 3 teams each and each team plays 4 games in the first round. Some traditional teams are in there such as Linkopings, Skelleftea, Adler Mannheim and KalPa to name a few. There are also teams from smaller, less hockey mad countries such as the Sheffield Steelers and Braehead Clan from the EIHL and Rapaces de Gap from France.

The three teams mentioned last fared differently in the first round with the two British teams being smashed 9-1 and 10-2 against Frolunda and Vaxjo. It is not a surprise when you consider the gap in funding between the teams. Rapaces de Gap fared better, they still lost but 5-4 against ZSC Lions.

Neman Grodno got their first win under their belt after a surprise win against Adler Mannheim. Grodno are from Belarus and qualified after winning the Continental Cup last year. Overall from the first round the away teams fared better, winning 9 of the 16 games on offer. Only one, between Fribourg and Lukko went to penalty shots. There is another round of games tonight and I'll be keeping an eye on the  British teams. No-one expects them to win but if they can narrow the gap in their defeats then it is a start.

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Cullen signs, Matthews to the Lions

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced the signing of veteran center of Matt Cullen in free agency. His contract is a one year deal worth $800k. He is will most certainly be the player filling in the last spot on the fourth line meaning that the Penguins are complete with their roster.

Matt Cullen played for the  Nashville Predators last season and scored 7 goals and 18 assists in 62 games last season, which, for a 38 year isn't bad. Cullen has played under Rutherford before with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005-06 and from 2007 to 2010. He won the Cup in 2006.

In other news, Auston Matthews has finally solved his new team dilemma by signing with ZSC Lions and Marc Crawford in the Swiss National League. I mentioned this in the past but I think this is a great move which opens up a different set of opportunities for him.

He'll be playing against men and have to learn to adapt and improve his game in a harsher environment that the NCAA or WHL would give to him. It will also be good to see him compete on a larger rink to give him more space to utilise his skills. It won't affect his draft stock but he will become a better player for it. I'll have something in the coming days on some European prospects.

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