Pens Points: Final Four
A midweek Pens Points to help get you through as the puck drops on the conference finals.
Two rounds down, two left to play as the Stanley Cup playoffs resume with the Eastern Conference Finals this evening in New York. In the East, it’s the New York Rangers taking on the Florida Panthers while the West pits the Dallas Stars against the Edmonton Oilers.
As for the Pittsburgh Penguins, the offseason continues to march along as time slowly but surely marches along and we get ever closer to the offseason kicking into high gear.
Pens Points...
Hard to believes it’s been 15 years since the Penguins 2009 Stanley Cup, but a milestone anniversary gives us the chance to look back and relive some magical moments from that run. [Pensburgh]
A brief but impressive dress rehearsal in the NHL has earned defenseman Jack St. Ivany a new three-year contract with the Penguins. [Penguins]
It’s been a while since the Penguins had a major breakthrough performance from an AHL callup, but this season Valtteri Puustinen delivered and seemingly staked himself to a full time role heading into next season. [Pensburgh]
There isn’t a ton to be done or even can be done when it comes to offseason work until after the Stanley Cup playoffs wrap up, but the Penguins have taken care a some business while waiting for silly season to get going. [Pensburgh]
Former Penguins Scott Wilson, member of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final team, will be joining KHL side Metallurg Magnitogorsk next season. [Trib Live]
While the odds of Jake Guentzel resigning with the Penguins this offseason were already low, those odds seem to be about near zero if you are to believe what Guentzel said during his last media session in Carolina. [The Hockey News]
Should Guentzel not return to the Penguins, the onus will once again be on the shoulders of Bryan Rust to fill those skates, a role he he played well in the final stretch of the season after the trade deadline. [The Hockey News]
Marc Johnstone lived out his hockey dream this season when he made his NHL debut with the Penguins. With still a year left on his original two-year deal, Johnstone is hoping to live that dream again next season. [Trib Live]
NHL News and Notes...
Welcome to salary dumping season. Ryan McDonagh, and his $6.75 million cap hit, is heading from Nashville to Tampa Bay in exchange for a pair of late round draft picks. [NHL]
Craig Berube has one job as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, find a way to get this franchise, and specifically this group of players, over the hump and competing for a Stanley Cup. [CBC]