Brooks Orpik 's future remains up in the air. [Post-Gazette]
The Penguins have to be better at home [Tribune Review]
Sidney Crosby has 102 points while the Penguins have 500+ man games lost [Pens Initiative]
Pittsburgh native John Gibson got in his first NHL game for the Anaheim Ducks last night, and wouldn't you know it, he also recorded his first NHL win and shutout last night. [The Pensblog]
For all the debate here at Pensburgh yesterday about Marc-Andre Fleury, his shot quality isn't any worse than any other goalie around the league according to this measure. [Hockey Prospectus]
Elliote Friedman's 30 Thoughts are always a must read, his Penguin notes:
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5. One of the toughest things coaches/executives who think they are in trouble go through is "the second round" of change. The first comes right at the end of the regular season. If you survive that, you worry about guys who lose earlier than expected in the playoffs. Coaches will be watching Pittsburgh. You can't swing a dead cat on the internet without seeing speculation about Dan Bylsma's future. If he is available at some point, there are going to be chasers.
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6. The Penguins are an interesting study. They've lost 500 man-games to injury and still ran away with the Metropolitan Division. That's very impressive. But, other teams don't speak about them the way they speak about Boston. Ask about the Bruins, and you get statements like, "No weaknesses." Ask about Pittsburgh, and you get comments like, "They are not committed to team defence." Very soon, they can try to prove everyone wrong.
A great infographic of Patrick Marleau vs. Jeremy Roenick, two players that will probably be forever linked. [Fear the Fin]
Zac Rinaldo's flying elbow will have him sit for four games. The NHL has been pretty consistent with discipline, 2 games for the first one, 4-5 for the second and then a big hammer on the third. We'll see when we get to that point with Rinaldo, but unless he undergoes a Cooke-ian transformation, he'll be back sooner than later. [Broad Street Hockey]
Evaluating Brendan Smith, a player that we might get to know up close and personal if the Penguins meet the Red Wings in the first round of the playoffs. [Winging it in Motown]
Everything you need to know for the Frozen Four that's coming up this weekend. [SBN College Hockey]
A bunch of teams are about to be formally eliminated from playoff contention. [Puck Daddy]