Big Jeff bids adieu

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jeff Carter announces retirement amidst final game of Penguins season

By Alex Hanczar

PITTSBURGH (April 18, 2024)—Fittingly, Jeff Carter scored the final goal of the season for the Pittsburgh Penguins before officially retiring after the game.

The announcement became official post-game but was apparent all night long.

Carter began the evening centering a line with Sidney Crosby. The two have only played together primarily on the power-play. 

The next tell-tale sign was when Jeff Carter scored the game’s tying goal in a meaningless game, and just how much it meant to the players.

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Finally, after the game the Penguins and New York Islanders remained on the ice for an extended period to congratulate Carter.

These celebrations included a handshake line from the entire Islanders team.

Number 77 got to spend his last few moments on the ice with his wife and children with hugs and kisses for Dad.

A friend and former teammate Jonathan Quick also made his way into the arena to watch the contest. This further proves Carter’s decision was premeditated.

Nonetheless, it was the perfect evening to cap off an incredible career.

While Carter won both his cups with the Los Angeles Kings, he played an instrumental role in various Penguins playoff pushes.

Carter’s ‘Linsanity’ run at the end of the 2021 season will never be forgotten by Penguins fans.

Carter’s four-goal game against the Buffalo Sabres gave Penguins fans life for the playoffs. Carter continued his excellence by scoring again in the season finale to enter the Penguins into the playoffs. 

Then, in what is a dull playoff series for Penguins fans to recall, Jeff Carter continued to put smiles on faces. Five points in the six-game series showed just how special the third/fourth line forward was for Pittsburgh. 

Admittedly, Carter’s numbers fell off as the years went on, but that is to be expected. Not everyone is Sidney Crosby.

Regardless, Jeff Carter will go down as a legend of the sport, a potential hall-of-famer, and an incredible role model.

Done and dusted

Pittsburgh Penguins see season end one day ahead of final game for second straight year

By Alex Hanczar

PITTSBURGH (April 16, 2024)—Just one day after their promising victory over the Nashville Predators, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been officially eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention.

After an incredible run that included points in 11 of the final 12 games this season, the Penguins now bow their heads.

Wins by the Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals ultimately sealed the team’s fate.

Despite the sorrow, April 16th was an entertaining evening, to say the least.

Former Penguin, David Perron, kept the season alive for Detroit as three seconds remained in the final period versus the Montreal Canadiens. Perron’s one-timer from the blue line notched the contest at four to send it into overtime.

Perron and the Wings would go on to win the game in overtime’s bleeding moments as well, but it would not matter. Capitals forward T.J. Oshie closed the doors on three teams seasons as he netted the post-season clinching goal for Washington.

Video courtesy of SportsNet.

With just under three minutes to go in the Washington-Philadelphia game, the Flyers opted to pull their goaltender in a tie contest. The decision from Head Coach John Tortorella came as the team needed a regulation win to have a shot at a playoff berth.

The only wrench in the story is… they did not have a chance.

The Philadelphia Flyers were eliminated from playoff contention the moment Detroit earned a point against Montreal.

Detroit earned their point as about five minutes remained in the Flyers contest. Whether or not anyone on the Flyers’ bench knew of this is a mystery. However, it would surprise no one if they purposely pulled their goaltender, to spoil rival Pittsburgh’s season as well.

Regardless, a woe of Penguins’ mistakes prior to the final month led to their ultimate demise. 

Beyond the point of return?

Jake Guentzel’s return to Pittsburgh shows miscommunication between player and team

By Alex Hanczar

PITTSBURGH (March 28, 2024)—Just two weeks after being traded, Jake Guentzel made his return to Pittsburgh, this time as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. 

The winger’s return was spoiled by a 4-1 Penguins victory, a rarity of late. 

After the game questions came flooding into Guentzel regarding what happened and what the future may hold. 

“My intention was to stay,” Guentzel said. “They just thought there was a better direction, a different way so it’s out of my hands and not my choice.” (Via NHL.com)

Some seemed surprised to hear what Guentzel said regarding his post-game interview. Many thought it was a mutual parting of ways but after the interview, some rethought.

Penguins’ fans reacted all over, but none more eye catching than the popular fan account “Penguins Jesus.”

Following the interview Penguins Jesus posted their opinions and thoughts on what was said. The tweet received so much traction that even Guentzel’s father took notice.

Jake Guentzel's dad beefing with Penguins Jesus. Jake Guentzel is GONE gone. pic.twitter.com/9n4VsP4hGF

— nhlpens (@nhlpens) March 27, 2024

Whether or not you believe this is the end of the road for Guentzel, the tweets and commotion after the game certainly started the rumor mill once more. 

The account that posted such screen shot above (nhlpens) even claimed that they believe this means the end of Guentzel’s tenure with Pittsburgh.

If this really is true and the tension between Pittsburgh and Guentzel is too far from recovery, it will be a sad day for fans, management and it sounds like even Guentzel himself. 

Jake Guentzel trade destinations dwindling

How the star winger may find himself back in Pittsburgh

By Alex Hanczar

PITTSBURGH (March 7, 2024)—With the 2023-24 NHL trade deadline under 24 hours away, the clock is ticking on Jake Guentzel.

A few days ago, it was almost a done deal that the Penguins winger would be on the move. Now, it is completely unpredictable where the former 40-goal scorer will end up.

The change of mindset comes after Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas set the asking price quite high for Guentzel. 

Sources say the Penguins are hoping to have a trade in place for Jake Guentzel by tomorrow evening. Pittsburgh is open to quality over quantity in return, but would like a 1st, young NHL player, plus prospects. Flexibility comes in the calibre of prospect or roster player.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) March 5, 2024

Teams like the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights were fiercely in the sweepstakes for the last few weeks but have since appeared to back off.

The Canucks have yet to make a big splash besides their eight-year signing of star center Elias Petersson. Rumors swirled of a potential three-team trade involving recently acquired Elias Lindholm on the move to Boston, while Vancouver would acquire Guentzel from the Pens.

The Canucks are reportedly now out on the Guentzel talks as the asking price was too steep.

In terms of Edmonton, they made their big move by trading for center Adam Henrique. Henrique will sure up a weak center position depth, aside from the obvious Connor McDavid. The Henrique signing does not totally rule out a Guentzel move but certainly makes it less likely.

For the Vegas Golden Knights, winger Mark Stone was recently placed on long-term injured reserve. This means a plethora of cap space has been freed up and they have not waited to jump at the opportunity. 

The second biggest fish in trade rumors was Noah Hanifin who Vegas traded for yesterday on March 6th. Vegas gave up two picks (including their first-rounder next season) and a prospect for the star defenseman. 

That is not all the Knights did though, as earlier in the week they acquired former Washington Capitals winger, Anthony Mantha. 

Once again, these signings do not completely rule out the potential of a Guentzel move, but strongly decrease its chances.

Penguins fans far and wide would be thrilled to keep their beloved winger but it will likely be a decision made tomorrow.

The Penguins meet the Washington Capitals in a metropolitan divison matchup tonight that could all but determine the remaining course of the season for the Pens, including what they do with Guentzel.

With a win, they put themselves directly into the playoff mix and could alter Guenzel’s asking price for a more current return. Whereas with a loss, Dubas could pull the trigger on a deal that has been brewing for several weeks.

In what shapes up to be a long night for Penguins management, fans anticipate a busy 24 hours for the franchise. 

Second-period surge

 Penguins top Canadiens 4-1 with multi-goal second-period

By Alex Hanczar

PITTSBURGH (Feb. 22, 2024)—The Pittsburgh Penguins snapped a two-game losing skid Thursday with their victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

With crucial points on the line, the Penguins were able to pull out the victory despite a slow start.

Nearly midway through the first period, Penguins defenseman Kris Letang turned the puck over in the team’s own end to former d-mate Mike Matheson. Matheson collected the puck and slotted it past Tristan Jarry to put the Canadiens up 1-0.

However, this would be the only Canadiens’ tally of the evening as the Penguins took off from here.

It was Kris Letang bobblehead night in Pittsburgh and after his turnover, he knew he had to step up. 

Just over two minutes later Letang found the puck at the blue line and fired it towards Canadiens netminder Cayden Primeau. The puck fluttered past Primeau as the Penguins had bodies in front to tie the game at one apiece. 

That would conclude the scoring for the first period and send Pittsburgh to the locker room with momentum.

Slow starts to the second period headlined both sides as halfway through the score was still deadlocked at one.

This was until Penguins forward Jeff Carter drew a penalty off the puck as he and opponent Brendan Gallagher tied up at center ice. 

Gallagher went to the box on a holding call and it did not take Pittsburgh long to capitalize. 

With the faceoff won by Sidney Crosby, defenseman Erik Karlsson took Jaromir Jagr’s advice and put the puck toward the net. Here, Bryan Rust stood in front where he was not only screening the goaltender but also able to tip it past him. 

All but 21 seconds later, the Penguins struck again. Winger Drew O’Connor rushed down the wing and sniped his eighth mark and second in two games past Primeau to put the home side up 3-1.

Contributing on the O’Connor goal was 24-year-old Valtteri Puustinen and once again Erik Karlsson. 

The Puustinen-O’Connor connection appears to have clicked these past two games as the two combined for five points in the past two outings. 

Centering the two and also registering an assist this evening was center Evgeni Malkin. Malkin has had linemates bounced on and off of his line all season but it appears he finally found two that gel perfectly.

The Penguins would carry their strong play into the third as they stifled a Canadiens flurry of chances in the form of Tristan Jarry. 

Jarry stopped 30 of 31 shots on the night along with nine clutch saves in the third period.

The game was iced by Kris Letang as he continued to make up for his early mistake by slotting home a 200-footer on the vacant Canadiens net.

The game would end 4-1 giving the Penguins a necessary two-points. 

With the Metropolitan Division playoff race tight as ever, Pittsburgh is happy to see the New Jersey Devils fall to the New York Rangers. 

The Devils loss keeps the Penguins two games in hand still with just two points separating the sides now.

Yet another test is on the horizon for the Pens as they host longtime rival the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday at PPG Paints Arena. 

With the Flyers holding 11 points over the Penguins in the standings, this will be another must-win.

Puljujarvi posts precise premiere

Newly acquired Jesse Puljujarvi makes Penguins debut

By Alex Hanczar

PITTSBURGH (Feb. 6, 2024)—Just two days before resuming play from the 2024 All-Star break, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced the signing of forward Jesse Puljujarvi to a two-year deal.

The long-awaited signing came after Puljujarvi served 13 games with the Penguins’ minor league affiliate the Wilkes-Barre-Scranton Penguins. 

In Wilkes-Barre, the 25-year-old forward tallied nine points that came in the form of four goals and five assists. 

Puljujarvi underwent double hip surgery in June of 2023 that would sideline him until his recent return with the Pens.

Penguins fans were excited that the former fourth-overall pick of the Edmonton Oilers was finally getting his shot at redemption. 

The Swedish winger played his first game with the Penguins on Feb. 6, 2024, where he would finish with no points and a plus one on the evening.

The zeroes on Puljujarvi’s scorecard do not accurately represent his performance as he was a key piece in the Penguins’ opening goal which led them to a 3-0 victory over the mighty Winnipeg Jets. 

Puljujarvi received the go-ahead pass from Kris Letang which freed the Penguins from their zone. Puljujarvi then took the puck through the neutral zone and dumped it into the Jets end. There, he showed his forecheck skills along the wall and in front of the net as he opened up the ice for Letang who was able to bury it on Connor Hellebuyck. 

While Puljujarvi did not record a point on the goal, he showcased what Penguins faithful had been hoping to see for quite some time now; a big, youthful player with the desire to do the dirty work in front of the net. 

The Swede played alongside Lars Eller and Rickard Rakell, a trio that energized the Penguins all night. 

Expect to see the newest six-foot-four addition be a key piece in a potential Stanley Cup run for this year’s Penguins. 

Passion for Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Penguins up and down 2023-24 season

By Alex Hanczar

PITTSBURGH (Jan. 28, 2024)—After 16 straight seasons the Pittsburgh Penguins were unable to qualify for the 2022-23 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The longest streak of post-season play from a professional American sports top-five league team came to an abrupt conclusion.

It was a feat that may never be touched again. The illustrious run included three Stanley Cups and three players who stuck around for the ride in its entirety.

Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang became the longest-tenured trio to play together in the top-five professional sports leagues in America. For the three of them, 2022-23 was proclaimed as the potential last dance due to the increasing age of the three.

This proved to be incorrect as all three returned to continue their pursuit of a fourth Stanley Cup. 

Big changes would follow as many within the organization figured a final push with these three was imminent.

General Manager Ron Hextall would shortly be fired after just two seasons with the club.

Following the departure of Hextall, plenty of other firings and hirings were made up and down the organization, but none more important than the hiring of Kyle Dubas.

Dubas came in as the President of Hockey Operations but would soon be named as the new General Manager for the 2023-24 season. This gave Penguins fans far and wide something to be excited about.

Dubas was known for his flashy dealings with his formerly managed Toronto Maple Leafs. The summer of 2023 would prove no different as Dubas completely retooled the Penguins roster.

Dubas gave the Penguins a much more refined and youthful group to play around the big three.

Along with that, Dubas went on to sign the biggest fish in the pond as reigning Norris Trophy defenseman Erik Karlsson was set to join the Penguins after a monster trade.

Fast forward to the present, the 2024 all-star break. The Penguins currently sit five points outside a playoff spot with 35 games remaining in the season.

Plenty of drama and tension have been brewing within the media as it appears Dubas may be set for yet another blockbuster move prior to the trade deadline in March. 

Forward Jake Guentzel has been having yet another monster season for the club sitting second on the team in points with 49. However, the rumor mill suggests he may be on the move. 

With the halfway mark of the season past, the Penguins look for answers as the playoff push is more intense than ever.

Roster questions will be answered, players will battle, and the identity of the 2023-24 Pittsburgh Penguins will shine bright all-in due time.

Don’t miss a moment here at Pens Pit Stop. 

About Alex

PITTSBURGH TIES

Growing up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, sports had an immediate impact on my life. The culture of this city strongly revolves around the performance of its sports teams, and I quickly became accustomed to that. Whether it was the Steelers losing a playoff game, the Pirates failing to make the playoffs or the Penguins losing in the cup final, sports made me feel all the emotions. 

Family and influence

I began playing sports at just five years old with soccer and hockey being the focus. The Penguins quickly became my favorite team due to my father Greg. Greg was a season ticket holder and showed me just how impactful sports in Pittsburgh are from a young age. Feeling like a part of something was such a strong emotion and what I enjoy most. Supporting a team or player is something a group of strangers can get behind and that is what makes sports so special. 

Education and experiences

Sports have remained a consistently important part of my life even after I stopped playing them. After deciding to attend Slippery Rock University in 2020 I had to find ways to keep that attachment to sports without actively participating in them. For me, it was through writing, photography, and podcasting. After taking my first two years to land on this goal I started brainstorming ideas on what I could do to set myself apart.  Being a Multimedia Journalism major would not be enough to lead me where I wanted to be so, in 2023 I joined our student-run newspaper The Rocket as the assistant sports editor. Along with The Rocket, a fellow student and I pioneered the first-ever sports podcast show here at Slippery Rock titled AW Sports. Finally, I applied for and received an internship with the University of Pittsburgh athletics where I got to write, do photography, take stats, and have many more incredible experiences. I found that these things gave me that adrenaline rush that playing sports did as a kid and since I re-established that connection I have not looked back.

Photo by Alex Hanczar. Pitt Men's soccer celebrating go-ahead goal against Duquesne University on 10/17. Goal scored by forward Guilherme Fetiosa.