October 15
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"
Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar said Wednesday he is finally over a nasty cold that afflicted him from the final week of training camp through the opening weeks of the regular season. "Mostly it just kept me tired all the time," he said. Gonchar added "it only makes sense" that his agent, JP Barry, and the Penguins have agreed to put off negotiations on a contract extension until after Jan. 1, when GM Ray Shero will have a better grasp on the 2010-11 salary cap. Gonchar, 35, is in the final season of a five-year deal at a $5 million annual cap hit. He reiterated his desire to finish his NHL career with the Penguins • Hurricanes goaltending coach Tom Barrasso is slated to become the ..."
October 9
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"
The Penguins have not engaged in recent negotiations with defensemen Sergei Gonchar and Kris Letang regarding contract extensions. Gonchar can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Letang can become a restricted free agent on the same date; the Penguins will own matching rights for any offer he receives."
July 21
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"
Veteran forward Petr Sykora will not return for a third season with the Penguins, but his departure has nothing to do with a supposed rift between he and coach Dan Bylsma, according to Bylsma and Sykora's agent, Allan Walsh. A recent report in the Czech newspaper "Aha!" quoted Sykora as saying he did not like Bylsma when the two were teammates with the Anaheim Ducks from 2002-04. The quotes implied that Sykora believed Bylsma had it out for him when they were reunited in February, when Bylsma was hired as Penguins coach. Walsh said the interview never happened. He said "Aha!" is a sister publication of "Blesk," a periodical Walsh compared to the National Enquirer, and often publishes its ..."
June 30
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"
By keeping a couple of wingers Monday, the Penguins left themselves not much of a prayer to retain a trio of key contributors to their Stanley Cup championship squad. After re-signing veteran wingers Bill Guerin and Craig Adams, Penguins general manager Ray Shero has today to secure the services of other notable players eligible to become unrestricted free agents Wednesday - specifically winger Ruslan Fedotenko and shutdown defense paring Rob Scuderi and Hal Gill. That won't be easy and might prove impossible. With Guerin, who signed for one year at $2 million, and Adams, at $1.10 million total over the next two seasons, the Penguins are committed to $51,218,000 for 17 players next season. ..."
June 30
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"
The Penguins today re-signed forward Craig Adams to a two-year contract. Adams, 32, was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent July 1. Adams, acquired off waivers from the Chicago Blackhawks in February, became a capable role player for the Penguins in their run to the Stanley Cup championship. In 24 playoff games, he contributed three goals and two assists. In the regular-season, he had one point in nine games with the Penguins. Adams has accumulated 37 goals and 53 assists in 507 career NHL games. "Craig is a steady, reliable, physical player who was an important part of our mix this season," general manager Ray Shero said. "He plays with a lot of grit, but he also contributed ..."
June 15
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"
Looking years younger after shaving off his salt-and-pepper playoff beard, Penguins right wing Bill Guerin bristled at suggestions that winning the Stanley Cup might be the perfect way to retire. "Yeah, I'm going to keep playing," Guerin, 38, said Sunday. "It'd be a great way to go out, but maybe I can do it in a couple years. I feel like I've got a lot of gas left in the tank. I feel I performed well. It doesn't matter what my age is. I feel good physically and mentally and I still love to play, so I'm going to keep playing." Guerin was acquired from the N.Y. Islanders in March for a 2009 conditional draft choice, which was upgraded from fifth round to third round by the Penguins' playoff ..."
June 11
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"
A broken right foot will prevent Penguins winger Petr Sykora from playing Friday in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final at Detroit. Sykora was injured Tuesday in Game 6, his first playoff contest after missing 14 in a row. He blocked a shot in the second period of the Penguins' 2-1 victory and played sparingly after the incident. X-rays have identified a broken bone in his right foot. Sykora received treatment from team doctors today, but has been instructed to use crutches. The Penguins had no comment on Sykora's status."
May 18
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"
The status of left wing Pascal Dupuis for tonight's Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final at Mellon Arena remains a "game-time decision," according to Penguins coach Dan Bylsma. Dupuis did not play the final three games of the second-round series against Washington, though the Penguins dressed seven defensemen in those contests because of Sergei Gonchar's right-knee injury. "We'll probably be dressing 12 forwards and seven defensemen in warm-ups," Bylsma said Sunday, adding that the Penguins "miss (Dupuis)" on their penalty-kill units. "He adds in the speed department, and he's one guy you can plug in on different lines." Dupuis (without a point and a minus-3 in 10 playoff games) ..."
May 13
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"
Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar practiced this morning and worked on the first-unit power play, but his status for a deciding Game 7 tonight in a second-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Washington Capitals has not been determined. Gonchar did not speak to reporters this morning, and coach Dan Bylsma confirmed that a decision will be made prior to the game, which starts at 7 p.m. at Verizon Center. "He's been steadily improving," Bylsma said today. "He'll go out for warm-ups and it will be a game-time decision." Gonchar has not played since last Friday in Game 4, when he was injured early by a knee-on-knee hit with Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin. Gonchar returned to ..."
May 13
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"
Seemingly all an epic second-round Stanley Cup playoff series between the Penguins and Washington Capitals is missing is a gutsy comeback by a player from injury. Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar may provide that story line tonight by playing in a deciding Game 7 at Verizon Center. He practiced Tuesday at Southpointe for the first time since his right knee was injured Friday early in the first period of Game 4 at Mellon Arena during a knee-on-knee collision with Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin. "It's a game-time decision; I don't want to say anything too early," Gonchar said yesterday, speaking in an agitated tone and with short, to-the-point sentences. The controversial hit by ..."
May 6
St. Paul Pioneer Press
columnist Charley Walters
"
Word is Pittsburgh Penguins assistant general manager Chuck Fletcher is the strong front-runner for the Minnesota Wild general manager job. Fletcher, 41, is a Harvard graduate and son of much-traveled NHL executive Cliff Fletcher, who currently is a consultant for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Peers consider Chuck Fletcher an exceptional judge of talent. For instance, when he was with Anaheim, Chuck Fletcher insisted on drafting Bobby Ryan for the Ducks with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2005 NHL draft when many other talent evaluators had Ryan rated lower. The Ducks chose Ryan behind the No. 1 overall pick, Sidney Crosby, by Pittsburgh. Fletcher is an incessant worker who has worked for three ..."
May 3
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"
Penguins assistant general manager Chuck Fletcher is expected to interview soon for the vacant Minnesota Wild GM job. Fletcher is a leading candidate, though the Wild are thought to have comprised a long list of potential replacements for former GM Doug Risebrough. The Penguins' official stance isn't to comment during the playoffs on potential player or personnel movement, but they are believed to have granted the Wild permission to speak with Fletcher about the position."
April 25
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"
Penguins coach Dan Bylsma wouldn't divulge any prospective lineup changes for today, but here were his line combinations at the beginning of practice Friday: Chris Kunitz-Sidney Crosby-Bill Guerin; Max Talbot-Evgeni Malkin-Ruslan Fedotenko; Tyler Kennedy-Jordan Staal-Matt Cooke; Pascal Dupuis-Craig Adams-Eric Godard. If those combinations hold, wingers Miroslav Satan and Petr Sykora -- who combined for 42 regular-season goals -- will be out of the lineup, and Godard (two goals in 71 regular-season games) would make his first appearance of the series. On defense, Kris Letang seems like a good bet to return to the lineup, after Philippe Boucher replaced him in Game 4 and recorded a minus-2 ..."
April 23
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
"
In the frantic, final 8 minutes and 16 seconds of Game 4 against the Philadelphia Flyers it was all hands on deck, with one notable exception. Pascal Dupuis played with Evgeni Malkin and Ruslan Fedotenko. Max Talbot played with Malkin and Fedotenko. Craig Adams played with Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz. Adams played with Crosby and Talbot, and with Jordan Staal and Talbot. "We had the blender going," Penguins assistant coach Tom Fitzgerald said Wednesday. The only constant was that Petr Sykora never left the bench. He was on the ice when Daniel Carcillo sliced the Flyers' deficit to 2-1 at 11:44 of the third period, but not thereafter. Sykora emerged from the Penguins' 3-1 victory having ..."