If you follow hockey at all, you are well aware of the circus known as “Jagr Watch” that has engulfed the league in its craziness. As you probably also know, the Penguins are one of the main teams in play to sign Jagr. As a matter of fact, they are considered by many to be the favorite. The Pens are his original team and he has spoken many times about how he would like to return to Pittsburgh and play for his idol Mario Lemieux. Well the deadline day for a decision has come and gone and many “reports” have surfaced saying he has or has not signed with a team. As of writing this there has been no decision made. We don’t even know if there will be a decision by tomorrow. Late this evening a Philadelphia Flyers beat writer posted a report regarding the situation. Though it seems like this report may have some credibility given the writer, for the sake of not spreading rumors I won’t post any details in this article. The article can be found on Twitter.

Now moving on to things we know for fact and that have been confirmed. Early in the week the Pens decided not to tender winger Tyler Kennedy which will make him an unrestricted free agent come noon Friday. However, Ray Shero has made it known that the Pens are still actively pursuing re-signing the young winger who posted career highs in both goals and points this season. As of this moment no deal between the Pens and Kennedy has been reached but reports say that talks between the two sides are positive and ongoing. They will try to reach and agreement before free agency opens.

While the Pens are working on locking down one free agent, this week they managed to lock down two for next season. On Tuesday, winger Pascal Dupuis signed a new deal that will keep him in Pittsburgh for the next two seasons. Dupuis will make $1.5 million the next two seasons, a modest raise from the $1.4 million he was making on his old contract. Following up Dupuis on Wednesday night was Arron Asham. Asham resigned with the Pens for the upcoming season by agreeing to a one year deal worth just over $600,000.

As for players who will test the free agent market come noon Friday and most likely moving on from Pittsburgh are wingers Max Talbot and Mike Rupp. Both Talbot and Rupp were fan favorites during their stay in Pittsburgh. Talbot specifically will forever be a Pittsburgh legend with his Game 7 performance against the Red Wings during the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals. Talbot’s two goals in that game helped propel the Pens to their first Stanley Cup since 1992. The Pens also have restricted free agents in Dustin Jeffery and Chris Conner that could be retained before or after noon Friday. It is expected that Jeffert at the least will be back next year seeing that he has proven he is NHL ready.

As free agency looms, the Penguins are left with decisions to make. How long do they wait on Jagr? Will Kennedy resign? Hopefully these questions will be answered before noon Friday rolls around, but if they are not I, as well as the rest of Pens nation, as full faith in General Manager Ray Shero to put the right pieces together to help the Pens return to the top of the NHL.

Robbie Naugle

NHLHS Pittsburgh Penguins Correspondent

Email: rjnaugle2@gmail.com

Twitter: @pensfan087

With the draft weekend days away and player movement already chugging along at a rapid pace, it’s an exciting time to be following the NHL. The Pittsburgh Penguins are a team that remain a contender in the eastern conference but are in the midst of potentially becoming of the more active teams in the east. Let’s take a look at what’s currently happening for the Pens:

Matt Cooke – Cooke is a player that few expected to be suiting up in a Penguins uniform in 2010. Neither Matt Cooke’s agent and Penguins General Manager Ray Shero seemed to be willing to budge on a contract, with Cooke’s camp wanting two million per year and Shero not wanting to spend more than 1.5 per year. The two parties agreed to a three year deal, at 1.8 million per day with a no trade clause that will keep Matt Cooke a Pittsburgh Penguin for years to come.

Sergei Gonchar – It can be argued that Gonchar’s efforts on the blueline have been just as paramount to Pittsburgh’s recent success as anyone besides Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Marc-Andre Fleury. Nontheless, it appears that Gonchar’s time in the black and gold is coming to a end. Gonchar, 36, is demanding a three year deal worth five million dollars per year from Ray Shero. While Shero has reportedly offered Gonchar a front-ended contract that will allow #55 to receive 15 million dollars over the three year, Gonchar and his agent, J.P. Barry, have quickly shot this down and the two sides remain as far apart on an agreement as ever. Reports from TSN have suggested that the Penguins could attempt to trade Gonchar’s contractual rights prior to this weekend’s entry draft, but this would require Sergei Gonchar to waive the no-trade clause in his current deal.

Mark Eaton and Jordan Leopold – To date, neither Mark Eaton or Jordan Leopold have been approached by Ray Shero in regards to beginning contract talks. Eaton, who has a positive relationship with Shero dating back to their days together in Nashville, is not expected to be approached about a new contract if Shero’s talks with Sergei Gonchar progress. Leopold, who has also not been approached by Shero, is expected to be in a similar situation. Leopold’s last contract was at 1.75 million per year and he will likely have to have similar expectations if he wants to stay in Pittsburgh

Chris Conner – The Pittsburgh Penguins have made a qualifying offer to Conner, the winger acquired from the Dallas Stars during the 2009 offseason, making him a restricted free agent rather than a UFA and giving the Penguins the ability to negotiate his contractual rights. If Conner is re-signed by the team, he’s expected to have a significant shot at making the roster in Pittsburgh. He scored two goals in eight games played with the Penguins in the 2009-10′ season.

With multiple trade rumors and contract talk updates quickly funneling in, stay tuned to NHL Hot Stove for the latest on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Atlantic Division

• The Devils’ postgame dressing room was empty. Just like the net behind Senators goalie Brian Elliott. Even when they were missing some of their key players because of injuries early in the season, the Devils did not get shut out in their first 46 games. It’s been a struggle to score goals ever since. “I think you can obviously see that,” captain Jamie Langenbrunner said. “We haven’t scored a lot of goals of late. It is a problem. You have to score some goals to win in this league and we haven’t done that.”
• There is no cool, new statistic that can revolutionize the game of hockey. There’s no OPS or WHIP, like in baseball. So for Scott Gordon, the most insider-ish stat he consults is the very self-explanatory scoring chance. You get more scoring chances than the opponent, you’re probably going to win. You let them get more chances, and you get what the Islanders got last night.
• Re-assignments to the AHL of forwards Chris Conner and Nick Johnson on Tuesday were certainly not a reflection of their work while with the Penguins. And the moves might not indicate injured wingers Max Talbot and Bill Guerin will play Thursday against Ottawa at Mellon Arena.
• One day after they fell to Pittsburgh, 2-1, with all three goals scored on the power play, the Flyers worked on just special teams yesterday in a 40-minute workout at the Skate Zone in Voorhees. In a unique drill that coach Peter Laviolette introduced to the Flyers, the penalty killers strapped on special shinpads to protect against injury when getting in the way of slap shots and used sticks that had a blade half the regular length.
• There’s more to the Rangers’ paltry offensive numbers than meets the eye -- they’re even worse than they seem. The Rangers have lost three games in a row, scoring just 17 goals in their past eight games. But the numbers are inflated by an eight-goal and a six-goal game during the stretch — the Rangers were shut out in four of them. Of the 17 total goals, only three were scored on the power play, which explains why the team spent the hour-long practice yesterday practicing the man advantage.

Northeast Division

• All Ron Wilson needs now is a blindfold and a cigarette. More and more, the Maple Leafs coach has the look of a condemned man. His team is in another free fall. Tuesday night’s 5-3 loss to the big, young and fast Los Angeles Kings was Toronto’s fourth in a row, and the dream of making the playoffs has become one of those lottery deals, with the huge odds against. Toronto remains in 14th place in the Eastern Conference, with the last-place Carolina Hurricanes nipping at their heels.
• When the Bruins are playing their game, there’s a healthy dose of aggression and intimidation that complements their skill and proves fruitful. You belt an opponent’s defensemen enough, and it’s amazing how many more scoring opportunities materialize. Usually leading the way in that department is Milan Lucic.
• Game after game, the Ottawa Senators chip away at their nemeses. They couldn’t win on the road, then won four straight between Jan. 14-23. They couldn’t beat Tim Thomas and the Boston Bruins, then beat them twice last week. They couldn’t find consistency in their goaltending, then Brian Elliott emerged to become last week’s No. 1 star in the NHL. What is left to conquer besides continuing to secure a solid playoff position?
• Jaroslav Halak did everything he could to steal a point, but he didn’t get much help from his teammates as the Florida Panthers posted a well-deserved 2-1 victory over the Canadiens on Tuesday night. Shawn Matthias scored twice in the third period to spark the come-from-behind win by the Panthers who dominated the game from start to finish. Matthias scored the game-winner on a goalmouth scramble at 12:29. Wonder if the Habs have figured out who the #1 is the rest of the season?
• The Buffalo Sabres had an unwelcome addition to their charter flight home Tuesday. It was as annoying as rubber-gloved patdowns at the airport, as deflating as the nonstop rain they encountered on their Western swing. Losing is not easy nor fun for teams but the way Buffalo has lost its last four is purely frustrating.

Southeast Division

• Alexander Semin tallied twice in the first period, and the Capitals got goals from five others, including John Erskine’s first in 109 games, as they humbled the Islanders, 7-2, and extended their winning streak to a season-best seven games.
• Think of this for a moment: If the Lightning beats the Canadiens tonight at the St. Pete Times Forum, the team will have its first three-game winning streak of the season. Now think of this: Tampa Bay has not won more than two straight in exactly a year. Whom did it beat Jan. 27, 2009 at the Times Forum to win its third in a row?
• Here we are again. The night starts with the team ranked 25^th of 30 in the standings, the stands are half-empty and the talk leading to another trade deadline is not about the potential inbox but the likely outbox. This is not what the NHL banked on (pun absolutely intended) when it brought Atlanta back into the league. It is not what former owner Ted Turner intended when he spent $80 million for an expansion franchise that in 2009 was ranked 29^th in total value ($143 million), ahead of only the Phoenix Coyotes, who were in bankruptcy. It’s certainly not what the shrinking base of hockey fans in Atlanta deserves.
• Shawn Matthias scored two goals in his second NHL game ever. They pale in comparison to the pair he put up Tuesday night. The 21-year-old center beat Montreal goalie Jaroslav Halak on a penalty shot three minutes into the third period and then stuck in a rebound in traffic in front of the net.
• Jussi Jokinen is the kind of player who seems to be overlooked and at times underappreciated. The Carolina Hurricanes forward was overlooked when Finland’s Olympic team was chosen for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games. The past few games, he has been generally overlooked as Eric Staal took over the team captaincy – and scored a hat trick against Atlanta in his first game wearing the “C” – and goaltender Cam Ward became the franchise leader in career wins.

Hat tip to the now defunct Illegal Curve for their permission in taking over this daily series.

Anthony Curatolo
NHLHS Senior Writer
acuratolo@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @HockeyGuy_AC

Atlantic Division

• A phone call at 11 a.m., followed by a drive of two-plus hours through wind and rain, provided a rough start to Chris Conner‘s Monday. Two goals to help the Penguins beat the New York Rangers, 4-2, at Madison Square Garden proved to be a perfect nightcap. Conner, promoted from AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton yesterday morning because of injuries to wingers Bill Guerin and Max Talbot, scored the winning goal last night for the Penguins, who won a second straight game for only the second time since a five-game win streak was snapped by the New Jersey Devils at home on Dec. 21.
• Dainius Zubrus will be in the lineup when the Devils visit the Ottawa Senators Tuesday night, coach Jacques Lemaire said after Zubrus made it through the full, 1-hour practice Monday at their practice rink at the Prudential Center. As if the Devils truly need anymore help, but it is good for Zubrus to finally be healthy again.
• Peter Laviolette is the first Flyers coach in memory to talk to reporters after they’ve finished interviewing players in the locker room. This may seem insignificant to the average fan, but it means the coach has a chance to review some key plays on videotape – and to cool off a bit – before taking questions on a game.
• The roster is pockmarked with deficiencies, the players are not buying whatever it is the head coach is attempting to sell, and the season is unfolding with all the joy associated with a toothache. Yet, among the most serious issues GM Glen Sather and coach John Tortorella must confront is one that has pretty much snuck up on the club the last few weeks, and that’s the dramatic deterioration of 21-year-old rookie center Artem Anisimov‘s game.
• After a day off yesterday the Islanders are back at it practicing at the Coliseum this morning. Steve Marcus will be filling in for me today, so she’ll have a practice update later, but here are just a few things until then:When the Capitals come through the Coliseum tomorrow they’ll be riding a six-game winning streak.

Northeast Division

• Lindy Ruff wasn’t pleased with the officiating Monday. The result of the game was no plus for the Buffalo Sabres’ coach, either. The Sabres concluded their longest road trip of the season with a 3-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. The setback in GM Place dropped the Sabres to 2-3-2 on their two-week, seven-game journey.
• The Maple Leafs are on the verge of a fifth consecutive non-playoff season, and they have yet to draft a player over that span with the instant, high-level success that Drew Doughty will bring on Tuesday night when the Los Angeles Kings make a rare visit to Toronto.
• Marc Savard, looking to make his return to the Bruins lineup on Friday after being out since Jan. 7 with a knee injury, participated fully in practice yesterday.He was encouraged. With the way the Bruins are free-falling, the return of Savard is crucial.
• Pascal Leclaire, out with a concussion for almost two weeks, has started skating on his own, giving the Ottawa Senators some hope he could be back in the next few weeks. Leclaire was injured during the team’s morning skate in New York City on Jan. 14 when he was hit in the head by a shot from Mike Fisher.
• Canadiens coach Jacques Martin values intensity and hard work, and the latest shakeup in the roster was designed to send that message. Matt D’Agostini and Max Pacioretty were sent down to Hamilton on the weekend, while Sergei Kostitsyn learned he’s going to have to work for his ice time.

Southeast Division

• The Thrashers went back to the drawing board in practice Monday in an effort to fix a struggling power play unit. The Thrashers have scored just six goals the past 73 opportunities with a man advantage (eight percent), including an 0-for-12 streak in the past two games.
• One constant throughout Coach Bruce Boudreau’s tenure with the Washington Capitals has been his penchant for changing up his forward lines. But he hasn’t tinkered with them recently. In fact, Boudreau has kept the combinations consistent for 10 games, dating from Jan. 5 — a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens that catapulted the Capitals on their current run.
• Panthers winger David Booth went through his first full-scale practice Monday since a concussion three months ago and could return before the Olympic break. He skated with Gregory Campbell and Kamil Kreps on the third line. “It was pretty cool being able to practice again and do some drills. It’s been a while since I did it, so it was pretty special,” Booth said.
• It was difficult to tell if Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steve Downie could have slowed down and or stopped before he ran over goalie Mike Smith during Monday’s practice. Either way, Smith, who perhaps is a little sensitive to getting plowed given his concussion history and that he has not played in six games because of a neck strain caused by being run over by Capitals defenseman Brooks Laich, took a couple swipes at Downie’s head as they lay on the ice. Will Downie’s name ever not come up in controversy?
• Of everything Rod Brind’Amour has ever done for the Carolina Hurricanes, his willingness to turn the captaincy over to Eric Staal may be the most honorable. That changing of the guard may have been inevitable, but no one would have held it against Brind’Amour if he wanted to finish out the season and make the transition, quietly, over the summer. Instead, Brind’Amour acknowledged that his generation – the old guard of 2006 – is on its way out in Carolina, and better now than later.

Hat tip to the now defunct Illegal Curve for their permission in taking over this daily series.

Anthony Curatolo
NHLHS Senior Writer
acuratolo@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @HockeyGuy_AC