Poll Results
Question: Are you in favor of moving James Neal to the point on the power play?
Fifty-five percent of pollsters don’t want James Neal on the point in the power play, forty-five percent are okay with it. I probably should have added a third voting option, such as “sometimes situationally,” because moves like this are never in black and white.
Nevertheless, the vote was pretty well split. My personal view is that the team had more time to work on it, then perhaps it would be worth a shot. As it stands, the team will probably mix and match at the point with Evgeni Malkin and Matt Niskanen on the opposite side of Kris Letang.
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From the “It is what it is” department
Week 1 of the Pens’ schedule back in October before the strike had Pittsburgh playing three games, totaling 3.7 percent of the schedule.
Week 1 of the team’s current slate has the Penguins skating four times, amounting to eight percent of the season.
If divisional games are truly four-point games in a normal season what are they now?
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Tweet ‘O The Day
Pittsburgh Penguins @penguins
#Pens morning skate lines: 14-87-9 24-16-48 25-71-18 19-46-12 10-15-27. D pairs: 2-5 37-41 (6 44 7 58 & 47 rotated duties)
Looks like Malkin’s unit has been demoted. Now wouldn't that be the best third line in the NHL?!
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Just for fun, a posting of the Beaver County Times’ Chris Bradford’s article entitled
Malkin Still Doesn’t Get It for your review.
It appears to be an overreaction to Evgeni Malkin not speaking to the media after his first practice Monday. The author wrote a follow-up story the next day, which can be found
here.
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Isn’t amazing that Simon Despres and Beau Bennett could actually be starting alongside Kris Letang and Malkin, respectively, against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday or just as easily with Trevor Smith and Alex Grant in Wilkes-Barre?
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Jeff Zatkoff, Steve MacIntyre and Brad Thiessen were all placed on waivers and cleared them in the last week. It’s somewhat surprising Zatkoff wasn’t claimed, given how well he’s played in the Los Angeles system and for the Baby Penguins.
MacIntyre was brought in to replace Eric Godard as the team’s fighter but didn’t fight once in the 12 games he suited up for last year. With so many divisional contests on tap, there’s a chance MacIntyre’s name could be called. Familiarity breeds contempt.
Thiessen’s stock has stumbled and it’s not surprising another organization failed to claim him. It might be more surprising that Pittsburgh re-signed him after last season.
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Ken Laird does a great job hosting
TribLive Radio. He joked Wednesday morning about how the Penguins are holding a free scrimmage tonight yet charging full price at the concessions stands. That might be a little bit rough, considering parking in the CONSOL lots will be free.
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Dejan Kovacevic makes the case for bringing back Sergei Gonchar in the
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
As mentioned
here, the Sens’ injury situation on defense likely precludes such a move for now.
Even so, Mr. Kovacevic's thoughts on the power play are worth a read.
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Treasure Life!
JT
Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger • 
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