Good morning. Bundle up.
USA Hockey’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony in early December brought together many of the Penguins’ most important figures to honor two former players, Kevin Stevens and Matt Cullen, among others.
What I’ll remember most is seeing the franchise’s three Stanley Cup-winning general managers — Craig Patrick, Ray Shero and Jim Rutherford — together in the same place for the first time. Thankfully, the Penguins team photographer captured the significant moment. I hope to see that photo somewhere soon.
Too many people knock nostalgia. When you’re a franchise like the Penguins and have a rich history, I say celebrate it.
Tonight at PPG Paints Arena, the two head coaches who won the Cup in the Sidney Crosby era will face off: Mike Sullivan of the Penguins and Dan Bylsma of the Seattle Kraken.
GO DEEPER
Before making NHL comeback, Dan Bylsma looked inward while going backward
I’m not sure a game day is the best time for somebody to photograph the coaches together, but knowing Sullivan and Bylsma a bit better than most, I’m confident they’d be up for it.
Seeing as those men are first and second in franchise history in wins and games coached — and the third person on that list, Eddie Johnston, is a regular at home games — here’s hoping the Penguins get that picture, too.
Hey, it’s brutally cold today; forgive me for staying warm with a bit of sappiness.
Nostalgia: Part II
Perhaps you missed it last week, but the Penguins’ quarter-century first and second teams were announced last week.
I was one of the media voters, so I’m sharing my ballot for transparency.
Penguins QC ballot
| Forwards | Defensemen | Goalies |
|---|---|---|
|
Sidney Crosby |
Kris Letang |
Marc-André Fleury |
|
Evgeni Malkin |
Sergei Gonchar |
Matt Murray |
|
Jake Guentzel |
Brooks Orpik |
|
|
Jordan Staal |
Brian Dumoulin |
|
|
Mario Lemieux |
How’d I do? What would yours look like? Drop thoughts in the comments section, please and thank you. We’ll publish the best responses somewhere down the line.
How to watch, listen, follow
The Penguins (18-19-8, 44 points, WC6) face the Kraken (18-23-3, 39 points, WC7) at PPG Paints Arena. The opening faceoff is set for just after 7 p.m. E.T.
- Regional TV/streaming: SportsNet Pittsburgh/SNP 360
- Local/regional radio: WXDX-FM, Penguins Radio Network
- U.S. streaming (outside Pittsburgh market): ESPN+
Odds (as of 11 a.m. ET)
- Spread: Penguins -1.5 (+165); Kraken +1.5 (-200)
- Total: Over 6 (-115), Under 6 (-105)
- Moneyline: Penguins (-145), Kraken (+120)
Live posts
Don’t miss
• The Flyers are getting a new arena — a wild development that seemingly came out of nowhere.
I know it seems far off, but PPG Paints Arena is about halfway through the useful life for a modern venue. So, anytime a new arena or major renovation is announced, I make a note to follow what’s coming next — that’s going to happen in Pittsburgh sooner than we realize.
• The Penguins’ prospect system was barren before Kyle Dubas took over, and it’s still very weak. This story ranking the NHL’s top prospects aged 23 or younger shows the work to be done: The Penguins have just three prospects listed, all projected as middle-of-the-lineup players.
• I’m not into fantasy sports. But I’m clearly an outlier. If you’re not like me and do the fantasy thing, this second-half projection for NHL players is a handy guide. Good luck.
(Photo of Dan Bylsma: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
