Jonathan Bombulie stories, Page 28

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Every time the Pittsburgh Penguins have suffered an injury on defense this season, general manager Jim Rutherford has said he’s pleased with his organization’s depth at the position. And every time he’s talked about that depth, he’s mentioned Zach Trotman. On Tuesday night, Trotman will get a...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Since they were teammates with the Florida Panthers for four seasons, Pittsburgh Penguins center Nick Bjugstad is well qualified to give a scouting report on newly acquired defenseman Erik Gudbranson. He did that after morning skate as the Penguins prepared to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Around this time of year, it’s not uncommon for players swapped at the NHL trade deadline to talk about wanting to prove their old teams wrong for letting them go. There’s none of that in Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jack Johnson. On Tuesday night, Johnson will face his...

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford has a win-now mandate with his star players creeping into their 30s, but even that has its limits. In the build-up to Monday’s NHL trade deadline, Rutherford said he was trying as hard as he could to hold onto his first-round pick in June’s...

While the acquisition of 6-foot-5 Erik Gudbranson at Monday’s NHL trade deadline was about adding size and strength to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ blue line, a trade for Chris Wideman was meant to provide depth. The Penguins acquired Wideman from the Florida Panthers in exchange for center Jean-Sebastien Dea. Wideman, 29,...

Promising rookie Teddy Blueger was sent down to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Monday, but his reassignment had more to do with roster wrangling than any dissatisfaction with his play. Because the Penguins are hopeful that defensemen Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulin won’t be out long, they haven’t yet been placed on the...

The most important development in Pittsburgh Penguins camp Monday afternoon probably wasn’t anything that happened at the NHL trade deadline. It was when the injury report was released. The Penguins lost both of their top-pair defensemen, Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulin, to injuries during Saturday’s outdoor game in Philadelphia. Dumoulin...

At the NHL trade deadline, less is usually more. In 2017, the Washington Capitals made a splashy move at the deadline, picking up Kevin Shattenkirk from the St. Louis Blues. In 2018, they added only depth defensemen Michal Kempny and Jakub Jerabek. Which year did they win the Stanley Cup?...

Moments after the Pittsburgh Penguins lost 4-3 in overtime to the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL Stadium Series on Saturday night, coach Mike Sullivan said he would be able to better assess his team’s performance after watching the game on video. Here’s some unsolicited advice for Sullivan: Don’t bother. An...

A little more than a week ago, Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford was in a somewhat enviable position as it relates to Monday’s NHL trade deadline. Oh, his team hadn’t yet lived up to its potential, playing maddeningly inconsistent hockey and hovering around the fringes of the Eastern Conference...

PHILADELPHIA — Having failed to record a point in his previous 14 games, Patric Hornqvist received a serious boost before Saturday’s Stadium Series game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers. He was bumped up to the right-wing spot on the team’s top line with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel....

PHILADELPHIA – When the NHL announced Saturday afternoon that the Stadium Series game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers would be played as scheduled, the press release contained a long list of contingencies. The one with the greatest potential impact on the outcome of the game was straight out...

PHILADELPHIA — As he manned his Lincoln Financial Field net at practice for the NHL Stadium Series matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers scheduled for Saturday night, goalie Matt Murray was first struck by the similarities to, not the differences from, a regular indoor rink. “I’ve only played...

Opening faceoff for the Stadium Series game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers at Lincoln Financial Field remains scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday night. “While we are expecting a chance of a relatively light amount of precipitation in and around the game window, current forecasts are indicating that we...

PHILADELPHIA – In the old days of the rivalry between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers, there’s little doubt Evgeni Malkin would have been starting off Saturday’s Stadium Series game with a fight. These days, it’s no sure thing. The last time the teams met Feb. 11 at Wells Fargo...

PHILADELPHIA – Putting aside the extracurricular activities associated with a Stadium Series game, the Pittsburgh Penguins had some work to do at Friday’s practice at Lincoln Financial Field. They had to make some changes after a particularly uninspired 4-0 loss to San Jose on Thursday. Most notably, coach Mike Sullivan...

PHILADELPHIA – Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan didn’t major in meteorology at Boston University. That much was clear after his team practiced at Lincoln Financial Field on Friday afternoon. “From our standpoint, we can’t get distracted by the things we can’t control,” Sullivan said. “We’re not going to worry about...

The NHL Stadium Series game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers is still set for 8 p.m. Saturday night at Lincoln Financial Field, the league announced Friday afternoon. In a press release, the league said “despite there being some level of precipitation in the forecast,” preparations are ongoing to...

PHILADELPHIA – After coming close twice before, Pittsburgh Penguins winger Tanner Pearson is anxious to play in his first outdoor NHL game, an NHL Stadium Series matchup with the Philadelphia Flyers at Lincoln Financial Field scheduled for Saturday night. Give the weather forecast, though, his wait might extend another day....

PHILADELPHIA — As the Pittsburgh Penguins practiced Friday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field in preparation for their Stadium Series game against the Philadelphia Flyers, a wave of pleasant nostalgia came over goalie Matt Murray. In his mind, he was a kid again, breathing in the cold air of Thunder Bay,...

Given the abundance of high-end talent reportedly available on the rental market, Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford could absolutely make a sexy addition to his roster before Monday’s NHL trade deadline. He is not, however, trying to aggressively reshape a defense corps that he is largely pleased with. And...