Chirps from Center Ice

According to this report, here’s who received qualifying offers from Pittsburgh today:

The only name not on the list was Keven Veilleux. The oft injured Veilleux didn’t do himself any favors using a slur in an ECHL stint and wasn’t even on the “black ace” squad this Spring. The writing has been on the wall for him for quite some time.

I’d be shocked if any of those qualified didn’t sign for next season.

There’s other stuff to touch on also.

The Maine Hockey Journal has a piece on Pittsburgh Penguins sixth round pick Blaine Byron, who will attend the University of Maine this Fall.

Draft guru Jesse Marshall broke down Pens second round pick G Tristan Jarry.

The Capitals qualified a bunch of guys today too. Among them was Penguin killer Tomas Kundratek, who wasted no time in re-signing today.

Ex-Penguins Tim Wallace and Brandon DeFazio are free agents again, as neither were qualified by their clubs.

There probably won’t be a Thursday update, unless one of those above qualified re-sign with Pittsburgh or some other move of significance is made. That said, you will want to check out the blog this Friday, the start of free agency.

I’m planning a “live blog” of sorts, with an assist to Twitter, as I will have a list of all the AHL East Division teams, their NHL parents, the beat writers that cover those AHL teams, plus any team employees that regularly offer commentary on said team as well as yours truly. If a move happens and a team tweets it, if you are following here on the blog you will see it in real time. At some point I will tweet out the link to the list so even if you are away from your computer and still want to follow along on Twitter, you can. I got you covered.

Business is about to pick up.