Did the schedule makers do Pittsburgh any favors in October?
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First off, I’m lucky to be part of Hockey Buzz and its community of Penguins fans & NHL fans. Reading the responses to Monday’s blog was very interesting and fun. Thanks to everyone who shared opinions.
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Guess which team plays the highest number of games in the month of October and also features a swing through Western Canada?
Yeah, it’s the Penguins who play 13 times in a 24-day span. What a physically-demanding start to the season. Perhaps it’s a good thing because the team won’t have as many injuries (theoretically) as it might in mid-January or March. Still the team will be without Sidney Crosby. It doesn’t seem like NHL schedule maker, Steve Hatze Petros, did the Penguins any favors.
Here are the other Atlantic Division breakdowns:
New Jersey Devils – nine games.
New York Islanders – nine games.
New York Rangers – 10 games.
Philadelphia Flyers – 11 games.
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There’s no doubt Brooks Orpik is a key figure on the Penguins’ blue line. He avoided the IR list after undergoing summer sports hernia surgery, which on the surface is a good thing. His game is all about checking. But would it have hurt for him to have gone on IR for a week or two, just to make sure he’s healthy? It’s not like he played at all in the preseason.
In the same vein, would it have hurt to have Joe Morrow on the Opening Night roster? Because of the team’s defensive depth, his time on ice could’ve been limited to power play opportunities and hand-picked game situations. The team wants to see him dominate in the WHL, which is commendable, but he could’ve played up to nine games with Pittsburgh and still dominated junior hockey afterwards. Talk about building confidence, that could’ve done the trick. He’ll be in the AHL next year, but this was a great chance to get his feet wet on NHL ice, so to speak. No big deal, but a perspective few have shared, especially with Orpik's injury.
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The preseason pitted NHL vet Richard Park against upstart Joe Vitale. Good to see both players crack the 23-man roster.
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Sidney Crosby said he’ll meet with doctors after the team’s Western Canada road swing. If, and that’s a huge "IF," he gets cleared for contact, how long will it be until his first game?
Two weeks of practices with contact puts him on pace for Oct. 25 at home against the Islanders. Now that would be interesting.
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The Penguins and Capitals are teaming up to help out the families of those lost in the KHL Locomotiv plane crash.
"We compete against each other hard on the ice, but off the ice we all are part of one big hockey family,” Penguins General Manager Ray Shero said. “Many of our players had friends on the Lokomotiv team. All of us in hockey were touched by this tragic loss. We just thought the Oct. 13 game was a unique opportunity for our two teams to work together to raise money for the children and families of the players, coaches and staff who lost their lives.”
Well done. Read more
here and find out how to contribute.
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Twitter Quick Takes
MolinariPG Dave Molinari
Crosby still wearing white helmet at practice, signifying no contact. Teammates are wearing black.
MolinariPG Dave Molinari
Jordan Staal is not on the ice for the start of Pittsburgh's practice. No immediate explanation.
PensInsideScoop Pens Inside Scoop
#Pens Staal is the only player on the active roster not on the ice. Crosby and Jeffrey are both skating. -MC
NYP_Brooksie Larry Brooks
by tsnscottcullen
BREAKING NEWS FROM STOCKHOLM: RANGERS WILL WAIVE SEAN AVERY, POST HAS LEARNED...
(Do we really need all CAPS announcing the release of Sean Avery? Just askin’….)
@RobRossi_Trib Rob Rossi
Also, #Letang working left side at #Pens practice. Can't say I've seen that before. #tribpens
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Here are Tuesday’s lines, according to the
Penguins’ Web site.
Sullivan-Malkin-Neal
Kunitz-Letestu-Kennedy
Cooke-Park-Dupuis
Asham-Vitale-Adams
Jeffrey-Crosby-MacIntyre
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Have a great Tuesday!
JT
Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger • 
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