Pens Points: Wake Me Up When September Ends

The sale of the Penguins is taking a bit of time, as to be expected for a complicated deal involving multiple parties and a huge investment. I also like to think they're waiting for the Powerball to hit $700 million so your boy can get in the mix, but that could just be wishful thinking. [Post-Gazette]

Don't forget, for as much as the Pittsburgh Penguins improved their team on the ice this summer, they made an important hire of War on Ice consultant Sam Ventura off the ice. [The Hockey Writers]

Jim Rutherford gave an extended radio interview yesterday and though it's been mentioned in comments this article has the highlights as well as a link to the full audio. [Hockey Buzz]

An interesting deep dive into advanced stats that says Phil Kessel probably won't score 40 goals next season. Considering only 3 players in the league managed it last year, no kidding. [Sportsnet]

Wysh weighs in on the above report and points out that the power play will be critical to determine whether or not Kessel can crack 40. [Puck Daddy]

Tracking Artemi Panarin (an import the Pens wanted to sign but didn't being as he chose Chicago) against Sergei Plotnikov (who of course the Pens did end up signing) in their first NHL season. [ProHockeyTalk]

Remember last fall when Daniel Carcillo was with the Pens in training camp, but got cut as the team elected to keep talents like Craig Adams and Zach Sill? Carcillo got his day with the Stanley Cup yesterday. [Second City Hockey]

Corey Crawford is the NHL's Joe Flacco. Is he elite? Just say no to piss his fans off. [SCH]

Catching up with the Columbus Blue Jackets. A lot like the Penguins they have a solid forward group with some question marks on defense and a good goalie. Also with Scott Fartsmell, Dubinsky, Rene Bourque, David Clarkson and the ever so valiant Gregory Campbell, Columbus figures to be one of the most annoying opponents too. [Jackets Cannon]

It's been a long, strange journey for Deryk Engelland, who was in Las Vegas playing hockey before the NHL was. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]

Is Craig Anderson the Senators most important piece for next season? And with some inconsistency and a spotty injury history how steady is that piece? [Silver Seven Sens]

Sharks fans have been down on Matt Nieto recently. Meanwhile, the Penguins would kill to be able to draft/develop a 2nd round pick into an NHL level forward by age 21/22. [Fear the Fin]

While on the topic of young players, here are the top young forwards for the Carolina Hurricanes. [Canes Country]

Milan Lucic gave a radio interview yesterday in which he said he could one day see himself playing for the hometown Vancouver Canucks. [NHL.com]

Is the CWHL/NWHL player transfer dispute strictly business or a case of trying to take out the competition? [Along The Boards]

The Blackhawks open camp in two-plus weeks and the Kane investigation is still underway. Scott Burnside on the NHL arriving at a tricky intersection. [ESPN]

A great piece on Tomas Vokoun and what may be the most under-appreciated NHL goalie career in recent memory. [In Goal Magazine]