Chirps from Center Ice

A fan blog about the AHL's Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins

The “Baby” Pens

2 Comments Posted by on August 1, 2010

If you follow me over on Twitter you know that I cannot stand the nickname “Baby Pens” in any way shape or form. I think it is demeaning. It is not the name. I completely discredit any blog, or writer who uses “Baby Penguins” to describe the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins. This includes the Pittsburgh Penguins own website, which sometimes uses “Baby”.

People tell me that the name “Baby Pens” have been around since the inception of the team in 1999. They think I am nuts and that I should lighten up.

So, I decided to put up another poll for the heck of it. This time there are six options. They are all pretty self-explanatory. If you live in Pittsburgh, and don’t mind the term “Baby Penguins” to describe WBS, then vote “I live in Pittsburgh and could care less”. If you are a Sound Tigers fan and live in Bridgeport, Conn., and hate the term then you’d vote, “I cheer for a different team and hate it.” That simple.

If you want to carry a debate in the comments section, leave one. I will respond.

So what do you think?

(EDIT: The results are in, and the overwhelming majority of you don’t mind the “Baby” tag. Fine. I still hate it, but you won’t hear me complain about it anymore. Promise.)
WBS

Put me in Coach…

1 Comment Posted by on July 31, 2010

I said in my opening salvo that if you were looking for me to blog about the everyday news about the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins that you were looking in the wrong place. There are paid professionals who do that or many intelligent bloggers which offer insight. With the news of today though, I had to get on here blog about it.

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced today* that Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins Head Coach Todd Reirden was named assistant coach to Dan Bylsma. Assistant Coach John Hynes was named Head Coach in WBS.

I suppose with the departure of Mike Yeo to the Houston Aeros to coach their team that Pittsburgh needed a new Assistant. Reirden was their man.

NHL jobs, just like playing spots in the NHL are earned, never given. It’s obvious that brass in Pittsburgh sees something in Reirden to name him Assistant. You can debate amongst yourselves whether this is a good move or not. There are two sides. The ones who think that Reirden should have been fired as Head Coach of WBS and the ones who say that NHL is top priority and coaches, just like players, are developed in the AHL.

As for myself, I don’t get paid to make these decisions. But I will say that I would rather this move happen 8 weeks before the season starts versus 8 weeks into the season.

Also, Wilkes-Barre re-signed enforcer Jesse Boulerice yesterday.

*= I refuse to link the Pittsburgh Penguins’ news release. Not that I am anti-Pittsburgh, but because I am totally against the “Baby Penguins” brand classification.

Pittsburgh, WBS

East Notes 7/29

Comments Off on East Notes 7/29 Posted by on July 29, 2010

Some news today from some of the other AHL East Division teams:

If you haven’t already, please check out the Photo Tour of the Coal Street Complex I posted yesterday.

The AHL

Coal Street Complex Photo Tour

2 Comments Posted by on July 28, 2010

I was actually able to get inside the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins Team Store / Practice Facility today and take some nice pictures.

I took them on my iPhone 4. Disclaimer: I am not a professional photographer.

More after the jump…

Read more of this post

WBS

This and that… 7/27

Comments Off on This and that… 7/27 Posted by on July 27, 2010

Busy day news-wise in the AHL for late July. In no particular order:

*- The Pens stated that it was a player signing AND a big announcement. Speculate amongst yourselves on who you think the player could be. The player signing came ahead of the “big announcement” so this tells me that it could be an available player from this list (towards the bottom). The “big announcement” could be the Pens home opener date, which has not yet been announced. I personally don’t think it will be a “Winter Classic” type of announcement. That type of an announcement is leaked well before the press conference. Not only that, but in order to have a game you need two teams, right? I have seen nothing from any other AHL team reagrding a “big” announcement.
**- Pens PBP Scott Stuccio needs to be at this event in order for me to take half day at work and drive to Hershey to live tweet this for y’all. Walton assures me that he has reached out to Stoosh, and they are still hammering things out.

 

Don’t forget to vote in the Brett Sterling poll. Also, I am planning my visit to the Coal Street Complex either tomorrow or Thursday.

The AHL, WBS

Preview of coming attractions…

Comments Off on Preview of coming attractions… Posted by on July 26, 2010

If you follow me on my Twitter feed, you’ll know that I visited the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Team Headquarters today. I took lunch early. I inhaled my Circles sandwich. Got to my truck and drove to the Coal Street Complex only to find out….

…they were closed on Monday!

I do plan on visiting again (and going inside) this week and posting pictures.

But to whet your appetite, and because I am itching to play with pictures here, I present the following of what I was able to get today.

…and…

My office is down there somewhere. Would love to get this same picture at dusk. (Don’t judge, I know I should have taken a few steps forward and not had that large lightpole in the way)

I should hope to have many more pictures for you guys later this week. I really don’t care if you re-post my pictures. I’m not making a dime off of any of this (and want to keep it that way) but all I ask is that you keep the homemade watermark I have in the upper left hand corner.

Please don’t forget to vote on whether you like “The Ticket” for Brett Sterling. Polls close sometime Wednesday.

WBS

The Ticket

Comments Off on The Ticket Posted by on July 23, 2010

Earlier in the week I put the nickname “Craigslist” to a vote. It got smoked. 17-5 against. I will not use it again.

Next up is a nickname I came up with for Brett Sterling who has the potential to be the biggest free agent signing in Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins history. I came up with “The Ticket” because, you will undoubtedly want a “ticket” to see him play a game at Mohegan Sun Arena sometime this year.

I’ll let this poll run until about Wednesday. You guys give me a pretty good gauge on things within 24-48 hours.

WBS

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