Chirps from Center Ice

Man.

I go from having nothing to blog about for two weeks, to having content I have to hold off on because I have too much too soon (see today’s East Division Blogger Summit Part One)

Anyway, there’s a couple of things that happened today that need the blog’s attention. Off we go:

— Pittsburgh made another trade today. Douglas Murray comes over from the San Jose Sharks for draft picks.

— Now, there’s a plethora of bodies on the PIT blueline and an overage once bodies heal of roster spots. What will likely happen is best summarized by the Great Jonathan Bombulie here. The cliff notes version is that Beau Bennett and Simon Despres, both waiver exempt, return to Wilkes-Barre.

If I am Wilkes-Barre head coach John Hynes, I am beating down Pittsburgh’s door to return Bennett and Despres, if only until before the trade deadline. (April 3) after that, they go back up and stay up cause there are no roster limits at that point. These next four games are crucial for the Penguins playoff chances. Binghamton twice, Providence and a Norfolk team on the rise. In my opinion, they can only afford to lose one of these next four. They need all the help they can get.

— Some help is on the way in the form of  Trevor Smith, who was sent back today.

— I was at the Penguins Season Ticket Holder Meet and Greet tonight. I took pictures of the locker room and other random things I don’t ever remember taking pictures of. I will have those probably up on Facebook at some point this week.

— Syracuse Crunch head coach Jon Cooper was named the eighth head coach in Tampa Bay Lightning history. Rob Zettler, Cooper’s assistant in Syracuse, takes over for the Crunch as head coach.

Underestimate the Syracuse Crunch at your own risk. In my opinion, the departure of Cooper only makes them collectively stronger.

— Finally, any speculation that John Hynes was leaving the Pens to take the Boston University job have apparently died. Colorado Avalanche assistant coach David Quinn is taking the job and apparently this will be announced Tuesday.

—

Make sure you check out Part Two of the East Division Bloggers Summit Tuesday at noon.

Let’s Go Pens!