On Sports: Penguins lacking on list of best NHL players; Steelers' practice squad still a mystery

Today’s “On Sports” highlights a list of the NHL’s top players, which has a lack of Pittsburgh Penguins, as well as practice squad news from around the NFL, but not with the Steelers.

Lacking Penguins

After consecutive non-playoff seasons, maybe the problem with the Pittsburgh Penguins isn’t special teams or (solely) goaltending or bad luck or Todd Reirden.

Perhaps it’s just, you know, a lack of really good players.

If the Penguins or their fans needed a reality check in regards to how their roster is viewed from a national (continental) perspective, the NHL Network provided one this week. It compiled lists of the “Top 20 Right Now” — listing its view of the best 20 at each skating position (center, wing, defenseman).

Of those 60 players is only one Penguin. And even he might feel slighted. Sidney Crosby was ranked sixth among centers.

No wings or defensemen who wear the Flightless Bird logo made this respective list. That includes a pair of future Hall of Fame defensemen in Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson. Karlsson was awarded the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman a mere 14 months ago.

Here they are!

What do you think of our Top 20 Defensemen Right Now list? @NHL | #NHLTopPlayers pic.twitter.com/UL0i1xtwWf

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 29, 2024

That said, it’s not an unreasonable position that neither Letang (37 years old) nor Karlsson (34 years old) remains a top-20 league d-man. And with Jake Guentzel (No. 16 on the wings list) traded in March, there is not even a clear-cut No. 1 winger on the Penguins roster. Few can argue Bryan Rust or Michael Bunting deserve “top 20” consideration.

Crosby is an all-time great at center. But at age 37, slotted as the sixth-best center in the league seems about right. His recent point production lags well behind Connor McDavid. Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon and Leon Draisait, and Aleksander Barkov just captained the Florida Panthers to the Stanley Cup.

And Evgeni Malkin? At 38 and coming off his least productive season, while remaining a liability defensively? Forget about it.

Malkin’s career should be, will be and is celebrated. But despite greatness over about a decade-long span, he’s no longer elite.

Kind of like the Penguins roster on whole — as the NHL Network list proves.

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No squad yet

Sometimes, the Steelers operate via the beat of their own drummer. For whatever reason, the lack of an announcement for the practice squad on Wednesday is an example.

Thirty of the NFL’s 32 teams formally announced practice-squad signings — both to the public and the league office (the latter, per its official transactions report) — on the first day such things were possible Wednesday. The Steelers joined the Tampa Bay Bucs as holdouts on the day after roughly 1,000 players were cut loose as teams cut down to their initial 53-man roster by a Tuesday deadline.

Of course, that doesn’t mean there were not Steelers contracts agreed to (or even signed) with players. Indeed, word of many leaked — with some, such as West Virginia offensive lineman Dou Nester, announced via social media by an agent.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing my client Doug Nester (T/G, West Virginia) to the practice squad. Was with the Minnesota Vikings this preseason and had multiple psquad offers. Will likely be on somebody's active roster soon.

— Brett Tessler (@TesslerSports) August 28, 2024

And one strong hint as to who will be part of the 16-man practice squad can be gleaned by media while in the locker room. The following players who were part of the cutdown to the initial 53-man roster Tuesday still had lockers in the facility Wednesday: defensive backs Thomas Graham Jr. and Zyon Gilbert; tight end Rodney Williams and Matt Sokol; wide receivers Dez Fitzpatrick, Quez Watkins and Jaray Jenkins; running backs Jonathan Ward and Aaron Shampklin; linebackers Luquay Washington and Marcus Haynes; offensive tackle Tykeem Doss; quarterback/utility John Rhys Plumlee … and (old-school fans rejoice!) fullback Jack Colletto.

That, of course, doesn’t necessarily 100% mean they will be on the practice squad. But it at least implies an intention for the sides to — as Mike Tomlin would say — continue doing business.

The Steelers are expected to announce their practice squad Thursday.

Hey, I know him

Nowhere among of the p-squad signings by 30 teams logged by the NFL on Wednesday were any players who spent this training camp with the Steelers. But there were a few recognizable names on league practice squads, including ex-Steelers safety Terrell Edmunds (Jaguars), running back Anthony McFarland (Dolphins) and receivers Allen Robinson (Lions), Miles Boykin (Giants) and Deon Cain (Bills).

Also, long snapper Rex Sunahara (Browns, formerly of WVU), receiver Dan Chisena (Cardinals, formerly of Penn State) and safety Tanner Muse (Jaguars) spent last year’s training camp with the Steelers and joined an NFL practice squad Wednesday.

Former Pitt players who joined practice squads include defensive end Deslin Alexandre (Packers) and center Jimmy Morrissey (Giants). Wide receivers Michael Tinsley (Commanders) and K.J. Hamler (Bills), quarterback Sean Clifford (Packers), linebacker Brandon Smith (Eagles) and defensive backs Daequan Hardy (Bills) and Kalen King (Packers) join Robinson and Chisena as Penn State alums signed Wednesday.

Joining Sunahara among those who played for West Virginia and signed to an NFL practice squad was quarterback Will Grier. He stays part of an Eagles position room that includes Kenny Pickett.