Penguin links: Pens punish Lovejoy for losing shootout competition

by Hooks Orpik on Nov 23, 2009 11:25 AM EST Comment 18 comments

Worse punishment for losing the shootout competition at practice: serving everyone Gatorade, growing a mustache for a month (see Goligoski, Alex), or having to climb over the glass and ascend an empty arena? I'd say the facial hair would be the worst. [Penguins.nhl.com check the bottom entry]

Great article (from yesterday) about the Penguins marketing campaign and a look at how the Penguins are developing their brand. [Tribune Review]

Jordan Staal is one of about six forwards reportedly fighting for two or three spots, he may be closer than we realize to making it. [Tribune Review]

For his part, Marc-Andre Fleury, may have clinched a spot on Team Canada, but does it matter if he's not going to see any playing time behind Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo? [The Hockey News]

Don't adjust your television: the Penguins will be the debut opponent for the Panthers' new third jersey tonight. [Panthers.nhl.com]

Interesting nugget: Wilkes-Barre's Dustin Jeffrey is tied for 13th in the AHL in points, yet he only has one goal on the season (and that came on a penalty shot). [Penguins Insider]

A look at why Atlanta's Ilya Kovalchuk got an extra minor penalty for "instigating with a visor" and why this opens up a lot more questions [Hockey Independent]

The Penguins are 6th in Yahoo's! power rankings. Take note that there's three teams in the Atlantic Division in the top 8. Yeesh. [Yahoo!]

Tyler Kennedy is back to practicing, promising to take it slow this time in his recovery. He may be the next player to return from injury, but no word yet if it'll be tonight. [Steel City Sports Fan]

Did everyone see this goal by David Perron? It probably will be a goal of the year contender. [Puck Daddy]

Despite not playing a game since the 2006-07 season, Mike Rathje is still on the payroll (but not on the salary cap) of the Philadelphia Flyers. [Kuklas Korner]

Former Penguin Georges Laraque could be staring down the barrel of at least a 5 game suspension for his knee-on-knee hit with Detroit's Nikas Kronwall. Even though the Red Wing's defenseman will miss significant time with injury, Big Georges says he is "not concerned" because he had no intent and there was only a two-minute penalty called. Methinks BGL's in for a big shock when the NHL suspends him for a while. [TSN]

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Does anyone else think its a terrible idea to have Lovejoy climbing over the glass like that, given the injury bug that has plagued the Pens defenseman.
The Mike Radthje thing is an absolute joke. He has no intention of playing again, I can’t believe the NHL is letting the Flyers get away with that.

I know how the Pens could find a true top 6 winger for Geno or Sid. Next offseason
Sign Forsberg to a 5 yr 6 mil contract and have someone tie his shoelaces too tight and hurt his foot. Leave him on LTIR for the 5 years. That will give us an additional 6 mil to make a trade and bring in a stud winger. Problem solved.

Not all that different that what the Flyers did.

by genomachine-O on Nov 23, 2009 3:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Not totally but I don’t like when any team tries to circumvent the salary cap (including the minor variation of how the Pens handled Miroslav Satan last season).

Pensburgh.com

You come at the king, you best not miss.

by Hooks Orpik on Nov 23, 2009 5:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

For what it’s worth coming from a Flyers fan, I don’t think it’s salary cap circumvention. It’s not a 35+ contract — there’s nothing stopping Rathje from officially retiring and coming off the books completely, but that’s not a decision the Flyers can make for him. The Flyers are able to spend $3.5m over the cap because Rathje’s cap hit is $3.5m and his contract counts against the cap, even if he’s on LTIR. It’s literally as if he’s not there at all. I don’t see the problem…

by Ben Feldman on Nov 23, 2009 7:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It’s not pure circumvention, more of just a weird story on why Rathje (who’s clearly done) asn’t actually retired. Is he actively rehabbing? I can’t imagine the team is happy with him draining money. I know they’re good for it, but I’ve never met a businessman who likes to spend money he doesn’t have to.

I remember that he was almost even practicing before last year’s playoffs, right? So I think he’s still sort of in the picture. Just seems like a weird situation from the outside.

Pensburgh.com

You come at the king, you best not miss.

by Hooks Orpik on Nov 23, 2009 7:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

And they way they basically forced D. Hatcher into retirement only reinforces that position. I’m sure he’s healthy enough to play; he’s on LTIR because he’s not talented enough to play anymore.

If consequences dictate the course of action, then it doesn't matter what's right, it's only wrong if you get caught. If consequences dictate the course of action, then I should play God...

by Fehr and Balanced on Nov 23, 2009 7:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hatcher retired and is actually now a player development coach with the Flyers.

by Ben Feldman on Nov 23, 2009 7:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It’s amusing that BGL finds himself in suspension talk again. He recently admitted he didn’t think that knee-to-knee was suspension worthy, but I guess the term enforcer also gets mixed with agitator/dirty player from time to time. I think Kronwall missing 4-8 weeks for it doesn’t help his case much, but it didn’t seem to have any impact whatsoever on the lack of a suspension placed on Mike Richards for his hit on Booth. Booth STILL hasn’t recovered from that.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.

by FrankD on Nov 23, 2009 4:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I was shocked at Laraque basically shrugging this off. The NHL set his hearing up as an “in person”, meaning they wanted him to have a chance to be there, an indication they’re taking this seriously. He’s laughing off and gonna be blinsided when they lay down the law, as I suspect they might.

Pensburgh.com

You come at the king, you best not miss.

by Hooks Orpik on Nov 23, 2009 5:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe if BGL changes his name to “Alex” the league won’t notice him?

by John Carter on Nov 23, 2009 5:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So what’s the freaking deal, guys? Is Goligoski still injured? Why is it that Yahoo fantasy leagues are like 2+ weeks late getting all the Penguins on IR?

If consequences dictate the course of action, then it doesn't matter what's right, it's only wrong if you get caught. If consequences dictate the course of action, then I should play God...

by Fehr and Balanced on Nov 23, 2009 7:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Goligoski has not begun to skate yet, probably still a week a way. No idea why Yahoo has been so low to get him on IR, they seem to have been slow all year for my player, Penguins or not.

Pensburgh.com

You come at the king, you best not miss.

by Hooks Orpik on Nov 23, 2009 7:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t know. It took forever for them to put Gonch on the IR. Letang too.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.

by FrankD on Nov 23, 2009 7:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I noticed that too. ESPN had Gooch on IR right away. Yahoo had Booth and Setoguchi on IR right away. I’ve only seen the delay with PIT players. Feel free to start the conspiracy theory.

If consequences dictate the course of action, then it doesn't matter what's right, it's only wrong if you get caught. If consequences dictate the course of action, then I should play God...

by Fehr and Balanced on Nov 23, 2009 7:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Goligoski was listed as the lone scratch tonight — it could be possible he’s not technically on IR….I know for a fact Letang, McKee and Kunitz are, which means they’d still be under the 23 man limit that way. And Goligoski isn’t hurt for near enough to be a LTIR, so no reason for him to go there for salary cap savings.

Might not be a conspiracy theory, just a paperwork detail that screws fantasy owners over.

Pensburgh.com

You come at the king, you best not miss.

by Hooks Orpik on Nov 23, 2009 11:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs