Colby Armstrong is available

The Penguins traded Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defenseman Nate Guenin, a native of Hopewell, to the Blues for Peoria Rivermen defenseman Steve Wagner.

Guenin, a free agent signing in the offseason, appeared in two games with the NHL club this season. In 41 AHL games this season, he had five points (two goals, three assists).

Wagner has spent the entire season at the AHL level. In 46 games, he has 15 points (three goals, 12 assists). Wagner has 46 games of NHL experience in his career and has 12 points (four goals, eight assists).



We get a depth offensive defenseman while giving up a decent defensive defenseman. Perhaps a precursor to a trade involving Letang for a scoring winger?

FYI...

Teemu Selanne has a no movement clause for the remainder of his contract and he absolutely loves Anaheim. He has stated many times how he's not moving again.

Scouts from Ottawa, Edmonton, Tampa Bay, Nashville, Vancouver, and Dallas were at the game last night.

Now the new rumor is the Pens arent going to make any trades due to overpriced rentals and too close to the cap.

Shero has already said he's not giving up a #1 pick and a starter for a rental player.

thank god!

Pens get Leopold for a 2010 2nd rd pick.

Me likey!

And it begins! A 2nd round pick, while low in the 2nd round, for a UFA non-physical defenseman seems a little high. While he's a quality d-man, this is probably a precursor for another move, unfortunately probably involving Letang or Goligoski for a scoring winger.

he's been playing 22 minutes a night. he certainly improves the quality of the D as a group. Just not sure who's minutes he will be taking. You are likely right about another move.

Hate to see Caputi go, but Skoula, Caputi and a 2nd for Leopold and Poni is nice. Real nice.

Of course, now the 2nd line gets pretty murky. Safe to assume Cooke-Staal-Kennedy stay together as the 3rd.

Have to believe Ponikarovsky will be on Malkin's wing. Which means two from the group of Fedotenko/Dupuis/Talbot will be on the 4th line.

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin

Poni-Malkin-Dupuis/Talbot/Fedontenko

Cooke-Staal-Kennedy

Some combo of Rupp/Adams/Dupuis/Talbot/Fedontenko as the 4th.

Suddenly it's going to be tough to crack the starting lineup. Not sure if there will be a steady roatation or if Rupp or Adams will just be the odd man out.

What a great problem to have for a change. Godard is done for the year, so it seems unlikely to me that any of those 4th line candidates is going to get moved.

Forgive me for feeling giddy about the Pens' playoff chances now. Not sure anyone (in the east) can beat this group in a best-of-7. Unless the Caps can get comfortable playing defensive, playoff hockey.

Quote: Originally posted by pttsbrghkid on 3/02/2010...Unless the Caps can get comfortable playing defensive, playoff hockey.

I have a hard time going against the defending champs, but the last time someone said this about a team was in 1983 when everyone questioned whether a team could win the Cup with offense. Then again in 1991. I agree defense becomes more important come playoff time, but you can't expect a team to get away from what got them to where they are. That's usually when a team starts to fall apart.

Comparing anyone to those Islander/Oiler teams is foolish. It's not even the same game it was in 83. I wasn't implying that anyone should change their game. My point was that in the playoffs, defense and goaltending tend to get depended on more, and those were the Caps downfalls in last years playoffs.

It also should be noted that the 91 Pens played a whole lot of the 1-2-2 delay during the playoffs, making sure they would be taking care of their own end. Defense became more of a priority during that Cup run.

Quote: Originally Posted By pttsbrghkid on 3/02/2010
Hate to see Caputi go, but Skoula, Caputi and a 2nd for Leopold and Poni is nice. Real nice.

Of course, now the 2nd line gets pretty murky. Safe to assume Cooke-Staal-Kennedy stay together as the 3rd.

Have to believe Ponikarovsky will be on Malkin's wing. Which means two from the group of Fedotenko/Dupuis/Talbot will be on the 4th line.

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin

Poni-Malkin-Dupuis/Talbot/Fedontenko

Cooke-Staal-Kennedy

Some combo of Rupp/Adams/Dupuis/Talbot/Fedontenko as the 4th.

Suddenly it's going to be tough to crack the starting lineup. Not sure if there will be a steady roatation or if Rupp or Adams will just be the odd man out.

What a great problem to have for a change. Godard is done for the year, so it seems unlikely to me that any of those 4th line candidates is going to get moved.

Forgive me for feeling giddy about the Pens' playoff chances now. Not sure anyone (in the east) can beat this group in a best-of-7. Unless the Caps can get comfortable playing defensive, playoff hockey.

I liked Caputi too, but with the youth we have actually playing in the NHL, prospects are becoming easier to part with.