Pens Points: Flyer Time

Here are your Pens Points for this Thursday morning...

At the time of this writing, the Pittsburgh Penguins sit four points back of the East Division-leading Washington Capitals. With 14 games to go, can these Penguins still win the division, and how much would a division title matter? [Trib Live]

In his practice yesterday, new Penguins player Jeff Carter was centering the second line. Is this a sign of things to come while Evgeni Malkin remains sidelined with his lower-body injury? [Trib Live]

Speaking of Carter, the veteran already has two Stanley Cups on his resume. He is still hungry for more. [Post-Gazette]

To wrap up the trilogy of Jeff Carter stories today, we will finish with the best one. Carter once masqueraded as Santa Claus at a Kapanen family Christmas. Yes, every word in that sentence is true. [Post-Gazette]

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers have gained some value, while the Penguins have experienced a slight decline in new team valuations, according to Forbes. [Post-Gazette]

Bryan Rust’s next contract will be a tricky one to figure out. The 28-year-old winger currently has a $3.5 million cap hit through next season. But the Pens should look to lock up the Michigan man, for Sidney Crosby’s sake. [Post-Gazette]

News and notes from around the NHL...

Buffalo Sabres superstar Jack Eichel will not return this season due to a herniated disk in his neck. [Die By The Blade]

The Sabres yesterday announced the hiring of Jason Karmanos as the team’s associate general manager. Karmanos most recently served as an assistant GM to former Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford. [Die By The Blade]

Here is a short story on the last NHL goaltender to play without a mask. [NHL]