The Penguins are getting a new look this year. If you didn’t like the stickers on the helmets you’re really not going to like this
The @Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield logo will be worn for all pre-season, regular-season, and postseason home games in which the team wears its black home jerseys.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 19, 2022
Full details: https://t.co/unBD0TJ2NN pic.twitter.com/PjRDD45zvq
This was always going to happen. It is the reality of the modern professional sports environment. I don’t care for them, but it is a losing battle. I do think it is frustrating to see a healthcare provider with the money to put patches on professional teams’ jerseys and also do everything in their power to not actually provide the care to their customers they are advertising to. I think it is a bad look. The number is way greater than zero of people reading this who have been screwed over by these types of companies. It sucks.
As for the on-ice developments Mike Sullivan looks like he is going back to using Brian Dumoulin on the top pairing
Here is the Penguins' workflow, keeping in mind that Malkin has one game left to serve in his suspension:
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) April 19, 2022
Guentzel-Crosby-Rakell
Zucker-Malkin-Rust
Heinen-Carter-Kapanen
Rodrigues-Blueger-McGinn/Boyle
Dumoulin-Letang
Pettersson-Marino
Matheson-Ruhwedel
Beaulieu-Friedman
While I don’t disagree with him breaking up the Dumoulin-Marino pair, which was awful. I do not like giving Dumoulin a promotion right now. He’s done nothing to show he can handle top pairing minutes. His play merits being close to a healthy scratch than being placed with Kris Letang. Both Mike Matheson and Marcus Pettersson have outplayed him. In Dumoulin’s lowest moments the past few weeks there might even be an argument Nathan Beaulieu could be an upgrade from Dumoulin. Beaulieu was donning a regular jersey at practice today.
As for the forwards it appears Rakell will be sticking with the Crosby line with Rust joining Malkin’s line. This is the right call for now. Rakell is doing a really nice job on the top line and Rust and Malkin are a known positive commodity. The wild card will be if Jason Zucker can do the things he was acquired for in the first place.
The bottom six will be compromised no matter what they do if Jeff Carter doesn’t pick it up. Personally, I still want to see Teddy Blueger in an offensive role on the third line until Carter shows some pep in his step he had when first acquired last season. The Penguins need to maximize their ability to create offense. Trying to win games 2-1 with Casey DeSmith isn’t exactly the strategy I would use moving forward.
The Penguins will have another full day to prepare before they are back in action against the Bruins. Evgeni Malkin will serve the final game of his suspension.
Thanks for reading!