Chirps from Center Ice

Just a few loose ends to tie off before the Penguins first preseason game Thursday night at home against Lehigh Valley at 7:05.

— Ryan Haggerty bagged himself a two year NHL contract. The Penguins had an extra contract laying around for him once they cut ties with Freddie Tiffels. Haggerty did impress at camp in Pittsburgh, and earned himself an NHL contract. It’s odd how sometimes those things play out. Haggerty re-signed with Wilkes-Barre over the summer, an AHL deal attended Pittsburgh’s camp as sort of a head start to get himself ready for AHL camp then Tiffels breaks for Germany, Pittsburgh has a free contract laying about and Haggerty has a dynamite camp for the NHL team. I have a feeling it won’t be his last time in Pittsburgh, he easily could earn himself a recall at some point during the season.

— Haggerty was placed on waivers Tuesday and cleared, and was on the ice at Coal Street on Wednesday afternoon.

— Ethan Prow cleared his waivers on Tuesday.

— A familiar face for Penguins in D Tim Erixon skated with the team Tuesday and was added to the camp roster Wednesday on a tryout. Erixon played for Binghamton and Springfield last year.

— John Muse is expected to start tomorrow against his old team in exhibition action. Both he and Anthony Peters will get a full game, so you figure Muse tomorrow, Peters Saturday at home against Hershey and a combination of both Sunday in Hershey unless there is plans to work in the other netminder in camp, Danny Tirone.

— Expect a lineup full of non-regulars, which is common for the first game as these guys are battling to make camp.

— Injuries: They expect Czuczman back sooner than December, probably in November….Joe Cramarossa is out a month with an upper body ailment.

— AHL Rulebook was updated for 2018-19. Lots of changes on the goalie equipment and twelve pages on what constitutes goalie interference. So it’s gonna be fun getting hot that the 62 nimrods that come through Wilkes-Barre or are assigned to work Penguins games in other cities as they try to figure out, on the fly, skating in motion, whether the goalie was impeded with when a goal was scored. Oh! The joy!

Don’t expect anything too in depth from the blog Thursday night. It’s a work night preseason game. Probably just a blurb on who stood out, who won, what the lines were, etc. I say that now but knowing me it’ll be as in depth as anything. Talk to you then.