Chirps from Center Ice

Well, things are picking up so may as well bust off a blog post summarizing what’s probably already been summarized elsewhere.

First, there were some questions regarding the arena mandates as far as COVID is involved. Will you need to show proof of vaccination in order to take in a game and all that like some other places in the League are requiring? No, or at least not yet.

Know before you go. Masks recommended, cashless concessions. I don’t really like under $5 transactions on my credit card, so $3 or whatever for a soda or a box of popcorn may be a few and far between idea for me every now and again. What they should do is offer gift cards or reloadable food cards you can use in the arena for those who go to more than just one game like me. Heaven help us if the transaction system ever goes down.

Pittsburgh training camp continues and there have been the usual cuts and what not. A notable name was Matt Bartkowski, a defensemen they invited to camp on a PTO. The Penguins released him Saturday and not long after Coal Street announced an AHL contract for him. Enough of an impression left between both sides that the veteran Bartowski signs an AHL deal with the affiliate. Wilkes-Barre looks stacked on defense.

Training camp opened Sunday morning on Coal Street. Full list of participants here. It’s a group of familiar names plus those released by Pittsburgh’s camp so far. A local name on there is Charlie Spetz, who played for Wilkes University. Coal Street featured him in a story Sunday afternoon. Spetz signed a contract with Roanoke of the Southern Professional Hockey League, which is a notch below the ECHL.

Do I expect Spetz to make the team? No. Wilkes-Barre is stacked at defense, a position Spetz plays. But, like Bartowski, it’s all about making a positive impression with the option that one day he gets a chance to play for the Penguins.

Later, it was announced that Head Coach J.D. Forrest and his assistant Kevin Porter agreed to a two year contract extension. Forrest took a team to .500 in a joke of an exhibition season against three tough opponents (sorry, Binghamton) and the team looks (at least on paper) to be better than last year, so reward the staff with a two year extension and see what 2021-22 brings.

I have the Penguins as a six seed. Hershey, Lehigh Valley and Providence are the class of the field. Hartford I have finishing last and some combination of either Springfield or Charlotte finishes seventh. But that’s today, on the first day of training camp as opposed to 40 or 50 games in, with call ups, trades and injuries and all that.

Anyway, you will get more thoughts on how the rest of the division sets up next week when I roll out my previews. Next up, a Wednesday and Friday preseason home game against the Phantoms Bears, respectively.

Have a good week and we’ll talk to you Wednesday.

Pittsburgh didn’t have a pick in the first round on Tuesday but they were pretty active on Day Two on Wednesday. First, they made a trade.

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Gruden’s pedigree is as follows…

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Gruden is considering heading back to juniors for what would be considered an overage year.

With the freshly minted pick they obtained from the Senators, Pittsburgh selected…

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Backing up a sec, look for Casey DeSmith to back up Tristan Jarry in a shortened NHL season, whenever that starts. That leaves Emil Larmi and Alex D’Orio here on the farm, but look for Pittsburgh to sign a veteran goalie for full time work in the AHL (whenever that season starts) and either D’Orio or Larmi to be the backup in a (likely) even shorter AHL season.

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Pittsburgh went with another goalie with their 77th pick in selecting Calle Clang.

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That makes two of us.

Deeper, Pittsburgh went with Lukas Svejkovsky at 108.

Raivis Ansons was next at 149th overall.

Teddy Blueger has a friend in the locker room now.

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And then finally…

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If you are a subscriber to The Athletic, Corey Pronman had a summary of Pittsburgh’s picks you can check out here.

I debated doing this again this season, but in a pinch I always go back to the older posts when Pittsburgh had drafts before in the past, so it’s good to carry on that tradition in some regard, even though it is October and we should be gearing up for a season.

On that front, there was a bit of news this week.

That affects the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, where the Penguins play. It’s a 15% max capacity of a venue up to 10,000. The Penguins play in an arena that can seat 8,000, so that is about…checks math….1200 people. Can you make money off of 1200 people? How many other people get turned away? I don’t think it can work, honestly.

Also, Hartford will need to find a new home next season.

It’s the University of Connecticut, but they share the building with the Wolf Pack. Could Hartford play all of it’s games on the road? Will there be an AHL bubble?

Who knows. Wear a mask, please.