Pens Points: Parting Ways
19/04/2024 12:00
Pens Points rings in Friday with everything you may have missed from locker clean out day.
Less than 24 hours after completing their 2023-24 season on Long Island, the Pittsburgh Penguins gathered one final time at UPMC Lemieux in Cranberry to clean out their lockers and meet with the local media. It marked the beginning of what is sure to be another tumultuous offseason for the franchise who is coming off their second straight missed postseason.
Pens Points...
Wednesday night brought to an end the first season of the Kyle Dubas era in Pittsburgh and it's safe to say it did not go how so many fans had hoped when he was hired. [Pensburgh]
With 82 games in the books and the knowledge that the Penguins will not be in the playoffs this season, it's time to turn our collective focus to another very important offseason that lies ahead. [KDKA]
A combined four points has kept the Penguins from the playoffs the last two years and both of those seasons have been marred by the team throwing away valuable points that could have made a difference. [Trib Live]
Where the Penguins go from here remains to be seen, but it's clear the front office has plans to make a playoff return and take another run at a Stanley Cup with the core intact. [Trib Live]
Emil Bemstrom did not play against the New York Islanders on Wednesday night and for good reason. On the off chance he scored a hat trick, it would have cost the Penguins a higher draft pick to complete the deal. [The Hockey News]
Erik Karlsson didn't pull any punches when it came to evaluating his first season in Pittsburgh and its disappointing end with no playoff appearance. [TSN]
Jeff Carter called it a career after 19 NHL seasons and two Stanley Cups, but it doesn't sound like he has plans to step away from the game entirely and plans to remain in Pittsburgh long term. [The Hockey News]
For the first time in their careers, all three of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang played all 82 games in the same season. Lars Eller, Erik Karlsson, and Marcus Pettersson also played a full slate. [The Hockey News]
NHL News and Notes...
It has not been officially announced by the league, but the worst kept secret in hockey is the Arizona Coyotes relocating to Salt Lake City in what the franchise hopes is greener pastures. [TSN]
The Stanley Cup Playoffs are an experience not for the faint of heart and a great celebration of hockey heritage and tradition that each team represents in its own way. [ESPN]
