Jonathan Bombulie stories, Page 17
5 things to know about Penguins’ first-round draft pick Samuel Poulin
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The definition of the term “power forward” has changed drastically in NHL circles over the past two decades. It used to describe a player such as Kevin Stevens or Rick Tocchet, who was just as likely to deliver a knockout punch as a game-winning goal. These...
Penguins pick winger Samuel Poulin with 1st-round draft choice
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford did a few things at the NHL Draft on Friday night in Vancouver that he hasn’t done in a while. First, he actually used a first-round draft choice for the first time since 2014, spurning trade offers and taking power...
Penguins listening to offers for Kris Letang
VANCOUVER — From the moment the Pittsburgh Penguins were ousted by the New York Islanders in four games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, general manager Jim Rutherford has been steadfast in his desire to retool his team’s roster before next season. That retooling could include trading...
Five players the Penguins could pick at No. 21
After the departure of Olli Maatta last week, the Pittsburgh Penguins were left with only two homegrown first-round draft picks among the 39 players under contract: Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Unless general manager Jim Rutherford changes course and trades the choice, they will add to that total when they...
Size won’t be primary factor when Penguins make draft choice
Ten years ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins made seven picks in the 2009 NHL Draft. Led by 6-foot-4 defenseman Simon Despres, every player they chose at least cracked the 6-foot mark. They averaged 199 pounds. Last year, the Penguins made four picks in the draft. Led by 5-10 defenseman Calen Addison,...
Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov tops Penguins’ Sidney Crosby in NHL MVP voting
Coming into the NHL’s annual postseason awards ceremony Wednesday night, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby didn’t think he had a great shot at winning his third Hart Trophy as league MVP. His assessment was right on the money. Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov, who won the scoring title by 12 points...
5 names to remember at forward for the NHL Draft
When scouts talk about this year’s NHL Draft being deep, they primarily are talking about forwards. It’s a talented crop headlined by a handful of stars from the U.S. National Team Development Program. That depth could cause an extremely talented player to drop to the Penguins at pick No. 21....
Can Penguins reach their offseason goals without trading Phil Kessel?
If the Pittsburgh Penguins had been able to trade winger Phil Kessel to the Minnesota Wild as general manager Jim Rutherford intended last month, it would have revealed the message the team was sending about its plans to bounce back from a disappointing finish to last season. More hunger and...
Penguins trade chatter doesn’t take Sidney Crosby by surprise
As a disappointing end to the season gave way to a summer filled with trade talk surrounding even cornerstone players such as Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby wasn’t surprised. Three of his 14 NHL seasons ended with a parade, which means 11 didn’t. He knew...
North Huntingdon’s Austen Swankler awaits NHL Draft
North Huntingdon native Austen Swankler did quite a bit to catch the attention of NHL teams in the past year. Now all that’s left to do is wait to hear if one of them calls his name this weekend. Swankler, a 6-foot, 181-pound forward, is a candidate to be selected...
Penguins set dates for annual prospect development camp
The Pittsburgh Penguins will hold their annual prospect development camp next week at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry. Admission to all practices is free and open to the public. The highlight of the camp is a three-on-three tournament, which will begin at 7 p.m. June 28. On-ice sessions...
5 names to remember in goal at the NHL Draft this weekend
With undrafted 20-year-old Alex D’Orio the only developmental goalie in the system, it’s entirely possible the Pittsburgh Penguins will use a draft choice at the position this weekend. Amateur scouting has been part of goalie development coach Andy Chiodo’s duties. Here is a list of five names to remember at...
Former Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi takes coaching job
Former Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi is getting into coaching. Scuderi, who retired in 2017, will be the defense development coach for the Nashville Predators, the team announced Tuesday. Scuderi, 40, played parts of eight seasons with the Penguins from 2003-15 and was a cornerstone of the 2009 Stanley Cup championship...
Penguins to open preseason against Sabres at Penn State
The Pittsburgh Penguins will open their preseason schedule Monday, Sept. 16, against the Buffalo Sabres at Penn State’s Pegula Ice Arena. It will be the second visit to the arena for the Penguins, who faced Buffalo there in 2017. The game will count as a home game for the Sabres,...
Deep draft could be boon for prospect-depleted Penguins
Over the last decade-plus, the Pittsburgh Penguins have treated their first-round draft pick like a colonoscopy appointment. They know they should make it. They know it’s important for their long-term health. Ultimately, they decide to worry about it next year. Five times in the past six drafts, the Penguins traded...
Five names to remember on defense at this weekend’s NHL Draft
Here are five names to remember on defense at the NHL draft this weekend in Vancouver. — Bowen Byram: A dynamic all-around talent with great skating ability, Byram is the top defenseman in the draft by a large margin. A 17-year-old defenseman leading the WHL in playoff scoring is practically...
Newly acquired Dominik Kahun looking forward to teaming up with Penguins stars
When he heard he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the first thing forward Dominik Kahun did was pause the video game he was playing against his brother at his offseason home in Germany. The second thing he did was think about the teammates he was about to play with....
Penguins GM discusses why Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang haven’t been labeled untouchable
Looking to change up his roster after a disappointing playoff exit, Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford has yet to include Evgeni Malkin or Kris Letang on a list of untouchable players in any public comments he’s made this offseason. He still hasn’t, but in a radio interview on 93.7...
What Maatta trade means — and doesn’t mean — for Penguins future
After the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins bludgeoned their way to the Stanley Cup Final, there was speculation heavy hockey was back in the NHL. General managers all over the league soon would be reconstructing their rosters to copycat the way the big, bad Blues claimed the franchise’s first...
Penguins trade Olli Maatta to Chicago for forward Dominik Kahun, draft pick
Shortly after the Pittsburgh Penguins were swept out of the first round of the playoffs, general manager Jim Rutherford made headlines when he said all options were on the table when it comes to returning the team to championship-contender status. One of the items on his offseason to-do list wasn’t...
3 issues Penguins, Jim Rutherford must cope with in retooling
When he traded defenseman Olli Maatta to the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night, Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford jumped feet-first into the busiest time of the offseason. The NHL Draft is set for next weekend in Vancouver. On July 1, the league’s free-agent signing period opens. It’s prime time...
Stanley Cup Final a hit in Pittsburgh TV market, but not as big as last year
A Stanley Cup Final matchup between the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins was popular with local television viewers, but nowhere near as popular as last season’s meeting between the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights. Wednesday’s Game 7, a 4-1 victory that gave St. Louis its first Stanley...
Penguins aren’t longshots to claim 2020 Stanley Cup
Despite an uneven season and a dismal playoff showing, the Pittsburgh Penguins remain in the top third of the league as far as bookmakers are concerned. The Penguins are an 18-1 shot to win the 2020 Stanley Cup, according to odds released by BetOnline.ag hours after the St. Louis Blues...
James Conner expects Steelers to spread carries evenly
James Conner was a workhorse in his first season as a Pittsburgh Steelers starter last year, eating up more than 62% of the carries in the ground game and 64% of the targets to running backs in the passing game. At least one key player in the locker room believes...
NHL competition committee recommends expansion of instant replay
After several controversial calls sparked outrage during the Stanley Cup playoffs, the NHL/NHLPA competition committee has recommended an expansion of instant replay. The committee called for changes to the coach’s challenge system as well as the expansion of a referee’s ability to review calls on his own. The committee did...
