Chirps from Center Ice

The Pittsburgh Penguins lost both Mike Rupp and Eric Godard to free agency this summer. Rupp signed a few weeks ago with the New York Rangers and Eric Godard signed yesterday with the Dallas Stars. That is a lot of tough muscle lost in two guys.

Ray Shero responds last night by signing Steve MacIntyre. Who is Steve MacIntyre? For the past couple of years arguably the baddest man in the American Hockey League.

Jonathan Bombulie from the Penguins Insider had a YouTube compilation of some of MacIntyre’s battles. If you look at MacIntrye closely in some of the videos, it doesn’t even look like he breaks a sweat against the meatheads he is clubbing.

A couple of thoughts on this signing: 1) I don’t see MacIntyre ever being sent to Wilkes-Barre, 2) If he does, he will have no problem clearing. The game is evolving beyond goonery and fights every game. MacIntyre is part of a dying breed of guys who all they know how to do is fight and skate. 3) If he ever gets sent to Wilkes-Barre, he’ll provide no offense and may generally be a liability on the ice even strength. That doesn’t mean that I won’t stand and cheer if he were to pummel Hershey’s Joel Rechlicz in a fight.

Late Edit: Perhaps if MacIntyre were ever to be sent to Wilkes-Barre he could take Ryan Schnell under his wing. The teanm announced this morning that Schnell will be returning. Good news.

You can also follow MacIntyre on Twitter, @Smacker33

Keep chirpin’. Go Penguins.