New Official Pens Tidbits Thread

[SCMom]

It's bad news, and pisses me off...but Martin will be returning Wednesday at the latest, Letestu is hoping to return Friday or Saturday (he says it's his call, doctors have cleared him to play, and that he did contact in practice today...just depends on how he feels), and Kunitz and Jefferey look close to returning.

[mcg24]

If we can get Crosby and some of the other guys back this team will be a force to be reckoned with. Shero made some great additions, and to be honest I would rather have James Neal than Evgeni Malkin right now. Malkin has had a very tough season. He hasn't looked like himself and he's making some uncharacteristic turnovers. If Crosby is back, we will make a deep run.

[SCMom]

Rob Rossi is such a douche. Thanks for stirring up locker room controversy before Kovalev even takes the ice...asshole.

The Penguins employees who offered public praise Thursday about right wing Alex Kovalev were, well, an exclusive group. There was general manager Ray Shero and ...

That's it. That's the list.

A group of players assembled by Shero, all of whom met Kovalev last night upon his arrival at a Raleigh, N.C.-area hotel, privately confided skepticism upon learning of their newest teammate.

Kovalev, whose 38th birthday present was a return to the organization for which he scored 149 regular-season goals from 1998 to 2003, will have to prove his worth to these Penguins. To borrow from one of his new teammates: Which "Kovy" are the Penguins getting?



Read more: Analysis: Kovalev must score to win over Pens - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt...#ixzz1Ey5bIwfU

[SCMom]

• Left wing Chris Kunitz will not play tonight at Carolina, missing his ninth straight game with an undisclosed lower-body injury. Dressed in full gear, he engaged in an hourlong on-ice workout before practice Thursday at Consol Energy Center.

• Forward Mike Comrie (hip) also skated before practice, but only briefly. Dressed in a track suit, he engaged in light drills. Right wing Arron Asham (concussion) did not take the ice. He had engaged in light activity Wednesday before a morning practice. Asham has missed 10 straight games.

• Center Mark Letestu (left knee), forward Dustin Jeffrey (undisclosed) and defenseman Paul Martin (right shoulder and neck) practiced, but all are expected to miss tonight's game. Martin, who will miss his third straight, said he hopes to play Saturday at Toronto.

• The Penguins will host Edmonton at 3 p.m. March 13. The original start time was 1 p.m., and the change moves the Penguins out of the block reserved for NBC's "Game of the Week." The game will be broadcast by FSN.

• Right wing Tim Wallace was reassigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL. The transaction made room for Alex Kovalev.

• Center Jordan Staal, who played 29 minutes Wednesday in an overtime loss to San Jose, said he is not sure how much weight he lost during the game. Were it up to him, though, he would have lost more. General manager Ray Shero said Staal kept pleading to coach Dan Bylsma for more shifts. "He missed a lot of games early," Shero said, jokingly referring to the 39 he sat out to open this season. "He can handle it."



Read more: Kunitz works out, won't play tonight against Carolina - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt...#ixzz1Ey6OEyu0

[Killer]

Kovalev working right point on PP alongside Letang. Staal, Neal and Kennedy up front #Pens twitter

[SCMom]

Dustin Jeffrey confirmed that he will be back in the lineup tonight for the Pens against Carolina.

"Yeah, I feel really good out there and the last two, three days of practice," Jeffrey said. "I'm ready to play."

Here's what the lines will look like.

Neal-Staal-Kovalev
Cooke-Talbot-Kennedy
Rupp-Jeffrey-Dupuis
Adams-Vitale-Conner
(Sterling-Letestu-Godard)

http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.ht...id=DL|PIT|home

Kovy will also be sporting #72, not #27.

[Killer]

Pens still 13 pts up on 8th place with 20 games to go....looks like a lock for the playoffs.

[SCMom]

Originally Posted by Killer

Pens still 13 pts up on 8th place with 20 games to go....looks like a lock for the playoffs.

Yeah, unless they totally collapse and lose like every game they're pretty much in. Whether Crosby is coming back or not is still a mystery, but a lot of key guys are coming back soon...so I don't see that happening.

I hope the Caps beat out TB for the lead in the division though (yes I just puked a little), but I think the Pens will hold onto the 4th spot (maybe 5th) and I'd rather them play the Lighting in the first round honestly.

[SCMom]

This game looks like shit already...maybe that means they'll win? Since they can't when they've played out of their mind?

[4xSBChamps]

Originally Posted by SCMom

... I hope the Caps beat out TB for the lead in the division...

TBL and NJD are scoreless after 20 minutes in the finale of a 12-game home-stand for the Lightning