The final weekend of the NHL regular season and Pittsburgh Penguins fans can breathe much easier after the team clinched their Stanley Cup Playoffs berth Thursday. In recognition of the achievement, we looked at the five defining moments that built this Penguins team. There is some national outlet love for Penguins GM Kyle Dubas. Also, the Penguins signed a college free agent and assigned him to the NHL club.
Elsewhere, there are a few Eastern Conference battles today that could decide the playoff picture, including the Penguins hosting the Washington Capitals. We’ll list the games below. The growing NHL trade chatter is in New Jersey, where Nico Hischier might be on his way out. There’s also some chatter about Darnell Nurse that I wouldn’t yet call credible. And which path will Alex Ovechkin choose?
The Blue Jackets and Islanders have slobberknockers waiting for them today. The Flyers have no simple task either.
Ottawa Senators at New York Islanders. 1 p.m.
Washington at the Penguins. 3 p.m. The Penguins can eliminate Washington with a regulation win and if the Flyers win (unofficial).
New Jersey Devils at Detroit Red Wings. 5 p.m.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Montreal Canadiens. 7 p.m.
Philadelphia Flyers at Winnipeg Jets. 7 p.m.
Dear Lord, would it be too much to ask for a Columbus win and a lot of losses? Sincerely, my car. Also, all stores on the North Side have been sold out of jelly beans for weeks. Can you fix that? Thanks.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The surprising line in the press release was that Jake Livanavage will report to Pittsburgh. The Penguins signed a college free agent and here are the details of the newest Penguins defenseman.
I’ve typed his name over a dozen times today and each time I have to stare at it and sound it out as I type. Why can’t people have simple names … like Kingerski? (I kid, I kid).
The five moments that built these Penguins. As I tried to put together a column summarizing this team, which has a hint of “special,” I realized there were a handful of fateful moments that brought them from the bitter but resigned disappointment of last season to today. Here are those important Penguins moments.
NHL Rumors, News, & National Hockey Now
NHLtraderumors.me: Chris Johntson resumed the Nico Hischier trade chatter that our colleague James Nichols started by directly asking the player. Johnston went a little further and put a timeline on everything–it’s big trade talk in New Jersey.
The Athletic ($): The hot name for the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey GM search is Florida Panthers AGM Sunny Mehta.
TSN Video: Brian Hayes dished two scoops of praise for Kyle Dubas as TSN took its medicine for predicting the Penguins would stink. You may find this whole segment more satisfying than a Snickers.
Also the playoff format is under scrutiny. Supposedly fans want to return to the 1vs8 format.
I’ll tell you something that I know Gary Bettman knows. Fans say one thing. Fans believe one thing. Fan behavior completely contradicts these polls and the public outcry. As a business owner who lives and dies on numbers, coming out of the pandemic, we did the research. Division rivalry games do better on TV and draw much better numbers for print media. It’s quite simple. Noise vs. Reality, and that’s why the playoff format won’t change, despite all the whinging from Canada. Nay, the mistake the NHL is making is not enough division games.
Sportsnet: What is the playoff outlook for the Penguins and the rest of the playoff bound teams? Sportsnet put the Penguins in the longshot category, but the Ottawa Senators in the realistic chance category?
Philly Hockey Now: It is possible. Clinching scenarios today for the Philadelphia Flyers.
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