Not that he's been good this season at all, but:

Dave Molinari ‏@MolinariPG
Miami Herald is reporting that Florida C Stephen Weiss is attending to a personal matter and will not play against the Penguins tonight.


Hope everything is ok, but maybe whatever is going on has been affecting his play this season.

Read this slowly..

Bryz is just as good as Price and Quick.
- KGBflyers10


- Orpik44

The frustrating part I'm sure for Flyers fans, is that at times, Bryz has been... but in typical Flyers' goaltending fashion, those times have become a lot more rarer for him since signing there.

I don't think Eaton will be an everyday starter. I think you will see him get thrown into the mix along with Engo and Bortuzzo similar to what we saw with Ben Lovejoy last season.
- Killian

Welcome back haha.

Welcome back haha.
- nbartley9

i hear clint is coming to town this weekend...u ready to put down some private stock???

i hear clint is coming to town this weekend...u ready to put down some private stock???
- Killian

Always. I wonder if Eaton gets a spot tonight againts the Panthers?

Always. I wonder if Eaton gets a spot tonight againts the Panthers?
- nbartley9

I sure hope so. I was always an Eaton fan. Bortuzzo has been playing well, but Mark deserves a chance to show us what he has left in the tank.

Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins
#Pens morning skate D-pairs: Orpik-Martin Niskanen-Letang Engelland-Despres Eaton-Bortuzzo.

Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins
#Pens morning skate lines: Kunitz-Crosby-Neal Cooke-Sutter-Dupuis Bennett-Jeffrey-Kennedy Glass-Vitale-Adams ...


Well, at least they're setting Bennett up for success...

Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins
#Pens morning skate D-pairs: Orpik-Martin Niskanen-Letang Engelland-Despres Eaton-Bortuzzo.

Pittsburgh Penguins ‏@penguins
#Pens morning skate lines: Kunitz-Crosby-Neal Cooke-Sutter-Dupuis Bennett-Jeffrey-Kennedy Glass-Vitale-Adams ...


Well, at least they're setting Bennett up for success...
- rival22

Breaking News: Eaton is wearing #4

This game has trap written all over it, more than 30 mins of effort would be a great way to ensure that trap doesn't happen.

Anyone else catch the quotes about Alex Semin from Troy Brower leading up to tonights game between the Caps and Canes?

Not that he's been good this season at all, but:

Dave Molinari ‏@MolinariPG
Miami Herald is reporting that Florida C Stephen Weiss is attending to a personal matter and will not play against the Penguins tonight.


Hope everything is ok, but maybe whatever is going on has been affecting his play this season.
- rival22

Condolences to Stephen Weiss -- whose grandmother passed away. #FlaPanthers center in Toronto today for the services. Out v #Pens

What do yinz think about the Realignment potentially taking place next season?

Also, there have been rumors that the NHL may be looking into giving coaches a "challenge flag" each game. Thoughts?

What do yinz think about the Realignment potentially taking place next season?

Also, there have been rumors that the NHL may be looking into giving coaches a "challenge flag" each game. Thoughts?
- Killian

Please no

What do yinz think about the Realignment potentially taking place next season?

Also, there have been rumors that the NHL may be looking into giving coaches a "challenge flag" each game. Thoughts?
- Killian

I don't mind the re-alignment, but would prefer to keep the top 8 playoff approach. With 7 or 8 team divisions, you could easily have a team in 5th in one who has a better record than the 4th in another. I've seen different wild card scenarios too, but it just seems like they are trying to fix something that isn't broken.

Not sure about coaches challenges... depends on what is challenge-able and what isn't. I mean, all goals are automatically reviewed, are we just talking about challenging penalties or stuff like offsides?

We've seen that Duchesne offsides goal, but that's easy because it resulted in an immediate goal. What happens if they get the zone and cycle for a minute and a half and then score. Does the missed offsides still wipe out the goal?

This game has trap written all over it, more than 30 mins of effort would be a great way to ensure that trap doesn't happen.

Anyone else catch the quotes about Alex Semin from Troy Brower leading up to tonights game between the Caps and Canes?
- ryman1566

Yes, I heard the comments and Brower is right with what he said. I will be interested in seeing what Semin does as a response.

Yes, I heard the comments and Brower is right with what he said. I will be interested in seeing what Semin does as a response.
- Oneonta Penguin

It just seems odd, because you could take those same quotes he said and point them in the direction of Ovechkin, IMO

Also if BB's coaching style is being called into question by Caps players.....why is Anaheim flourishing under same said coach. Makes the Caps look more than a tad dysfunctional, talking sh!t while no where near powerhouse themselves.

Not sure about coaches challenges... depends on what is challenge-able and what isn't. I mean, all goals are automatically reviewed, are we just talking about challenging penalties or stuff like offsides?
- rival22

I've heard different things...but my understanding is that they will be allowed to use them on calls such as offsides, icing, goaltender interference, etc. However, to ensure that the coaches are not abusing the use, there will be penalities for using the flag if your challenge is not overturned. (ex: the team will lose their timeout. or if the team timeout has already been used the team will get a 2 minute penalty for delay of game)

It just seems odd, because you could take those same quotes he said and point them in the direction of Ovechkin, IMO

Also if BB's coaching style is being called into question by Caps players.....why is Anaheim flourishing under same said coach. Makes the Caps look more than a tad dysfunctional, talking sh!t while no where near powerhouse themselves.
- ryman1566

I sorta see the Carlyle -> Boudreau transition sorta like the Therrien -> Bylsma one.

Carlyle is a tough, hardnosed coach that wore out his welcome in Anaheim. Boudreau comes in and opens things up a bit, and hockey is all of a sudden fun in Anaheim again.

Brouwer is a weasel to say those things to the press. Especially with Carolina in first and Washington in last.

Unrelated to tonight's game:

Just wanted to give a tip of the hat to the ushers at Consol Energy Center. Took Maks, my 3 year old, to his first game on Sunday. After talking to two of the ushers for a few minutes, they said it would be no problem for he and I to go down to railing by the player entrance. Once there, he got to see the guys come out for warm ups, one of the trainers gave him a puck, and he got a fist bump from Crosby and Adams. All of this plus the win, made for a great experience for the both of us.

Certainly made the drive from VA worthwile.

I've heard different things...but my understanding is that they will be allowed to use them on calls such as offsides, icing, goaltender interference, etc. However, to ensure that the coaches are not abusing the use, there will be penalities for using the flag if your challenge is not overturned. (ex: the team will lose their timeout. or if the team timeout has already been used the team will get a 2 minute penalty for delay of game)
- Killian

Logistially, goaltender interference seems like it could be easily done (even though the call itself is a bit subjective). But I just think that in reality, challenging offsides and icings might get complicated when the play continues for a while.

We've seen that Duchesne offsides goal, but that's easy because it resulted in an immediate goal. What happens if they get the zone and cycle for a minute and a half and then score. Does the missed offsides still wipe out the goal?
- rival22

They need a way too be able to correct that goal though. I agree with nothing happens than it doesn't matter and Trotz wouldn't use a challenge. All he would do is tell the linesman to wake up and grab a brain. But they have to be able to review that goal as it happened. Hell even Duchene knew he was a good two feet offside that is why he slowed up. Somehow the league needs to make that goal available to review.

What do yinz think about the Realignment potentially taking place next season?

Also, there have been rumors that the NHL may be looking into giving coaches a "challenge flag" each game. Thoughts?
- Killian

Challenge flag would be the worst thing ever. Realignment has to happen, and it is going to happen. I would love to see Detroit come back home to the east, and would love to play the Blue Jackets 8 times a year.

They need a way too be able to correct that goal though. I agree with nothing happens than it doesn't matter and Trotz wouldn't use a challenge. All he would do is tell the linesman to wake up and grab a brain. But they have to be able to review that goal as it happened. Hell even Duchene knew he was a good two feet offside that is why he slowed up. Somehow the league needs to make that goal available to review.
- Ben37

I'm just saying that if play continues, Colorado keeps possession and scores a minute later, do you still wipe the goal off?

That Duchene mess should have been cleared up with a 15 second referee conference. Obviously the linesman thought that Nashville brought the puck back in their zone, one of the other three officials should have just been able to tell him that it wasn't, and the puck brought back out for a faceoff.

Speaking of realignment, here is the current playoff proposal:

Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie
Top 3 teams in each of two 7-team West conferences make playoffs. Two wild cards from remaining 8 West teams also make the playoffs.

Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie
Top 3 teams in each of two 8-team East conferences make the playoffs. Two wild cards from remaining 10 East teams also make the playoffs.

Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie
Playoff format remains old divisional style, 1 vs. 4, 2 vs. 3 though it remains to be seen how the wild cards are slotted for first-round.