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TK on Malkin’s Wing for Day 1 of Practice

On-ice practice began this morning at Mellon Arena for the Pittsburgh Penguins 2009/10 Training Camp.  The most notable news from today is that Tyler Kennedy was the first player to be paired up with Evgeni Malkin and Ruslan Fedotenko.  I am sure that this is just one of many pairings that will be evaluated on that line over the next few weeks after the departure of Petr Sykora/Miroslav Satan and the absence of Max Talbot while he is recovering from off-season surgery.  Coach Dan Bylsma noted that he is looking for a tenacious player that can add a “forechecking and puck-pursuit presence” to the Malkin line.  Based on what we saw from Tyler Kennedy last season, he would seem to be a natural fit.  He certainly brought those skills to the Staal line last season, where his development was quite noteworthy.  Pascal Dupuis back-filled Kennedy’s normal spot on the Staal line.

New acquisition Mike Rupp played on a potential fourth line with Craig Adams and Eric Godard.  Eric Tangradi played on a line with Wyatt Smith and Chris Connor, while Luca Caputi was on a line with Mark Letestu and Nick Johnson.  Free Agent Left Wing Ryan Bayda (formerly of the Carolina Hurricanes) was invited to camp/practice as a tryout.  Also at camp on a tryout is former UND goaltender Jordan Parise, Zach Parise’s older brother.   

As far as top defensive pairings, it was Mark Eaton – Kris Letang, Brooks Orpik – Sergei Gonchar, and Jay McKee – Alex Goligoski.  Ben Lovejoy was paired with Brian Strait.

Here are the full training camp team lineups as reported by Sam Kasan on the 2009 Training Camp Blog (click name for player profile):

TEAM A
Forwards:
Ruslan Fedotenko – Evgeni Malkin – Tyler Kennedy
Mike Rupp – Craig Adams – Eric Godard
Joey Haddad – Casey Pierro-Zabotel – Nick Petersen
Ryan Bayda – Zach Sill

Defensemen:
Mark Eaton – Kris Letang
Chris Lee - Deryk Engelland
Jonathan D’Aversa

Goaltenders:
Brent Johnson
Jordan Parise

TEAM B
Forwards:
Matt Cooke – Jordan Staal – Pascal Dupuis
Eric Tangradi – Wyatt Smith – Chris Connor
Wade Brookbank – Joe Vitale – Keven Veilleux
Nathan Moon

Defensemen:
Brooks Orpik – Sergei Gonchar
Brian Strait – Ben Lovejoy
Simon Despres – Robert Bortuzzo

Goaltenders:
Marc-Andre Fleury
Brad Thiessen

TEAM C
Forwards:
Chris Kunitz – Sidney Crosby – Bill Guerin
Luca Caputi – Mark Letestu – Nick Johnson
Paul Bissonnette – Dustin Jeffrey – Tim Wallace
Aaron Boogard

Defensemen:
Jay McKee – Alex Goligoski
Lane Caffaro – Nathan Guenin
Jamie Hunt – Alex Grant

Goaltenders:
John Curry

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Penguins’ Training Camp – Roster Cut by 9

With the shortened training camp, the Pittsburgh Penguins prospects are getting very little time to show their skills as they contend for the few potentially available spots on the roster, most likely 2 or 3 wing positions and possibly a defenseman.  This afternoon, following Day 3 of training camp, the coaching staff made 9 cuts, sending 6 players to the AHL and 3 more to the juniors.  The cuts whittled the training camp roster down to 42 players as the team prepares for the first pre-season game on Saturday night at Mellon Arena against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Heading to Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate, the WIlkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, are forwards Luca Caputi (LW), Joey Haddad (LW), Dustin Jeffrey (C), Nick Johnson (RW), Mark Letestu (C), and Defenseman Jonathan D’Aversa (D).  The Penguins sent 2 players to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).  Defensemen Alex Grant (D) was sent to the Saint John Sea Dogs and forward Keven Veilleux (C) was sent to Rimouski Oceanic.  Finally, forward Casey Pierro-Zabotel (C) was sent to the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League (WHL). 

Jesse Marshall over at the Faceoff-Factor has done a tremendous job of putting out detailed daily reports from training camp, and the Penguins website provides nice video coverage of daily scrimmages, practice, and locker room interviews.  You can use the following links to track the progress of the team through camp:

• Training Camp Day 1 – Wednesday, 17 Sep 08
  • Report:  Faceoff-Factor Report
  • On-Ice Video:  Scrimmage, Group A Practice, Group B Practice
  • Locker Room Interviews:  Miroslav Satan, Jordan Staal, Sidney Crosby, Ruslan Fedotenko, Hal Gill, Marc-Andre Fleury
• Training Camp Day 2 – Thursday, 18 Sep 08
  • Report:  Faceoff-Factor Report
  • On-Ice Video:  Scrimmage Video, Group A Practice, Group B Practice
  • Locker Room Interviews:  Dany Sabourin, Pascal Dupuis, Eric Goddard, Sidney Crosby, Sergei Gonchar, Darryl Sydor
• Training Camp Day 3 – Friday, 19 Sep 08
  • Report:  Faceoff-Factor Report
  • On-Ice Video:  Group A Practice, Group B Practice
  • Locker Room Interviews:  Max Talbot, Sidney Crosby

The first round of cuts leaves 42 players in camp, to include 24 forwards, 14 defensemen, and 4 goaltenders.  The current roster includes the following players (by natural position,  not necessarily the position they are being played)

• Left Wing
  • Ruslan Fedotenko
  • Jeff Taffe
  • Matt Cooke
  • Janne Pesonen
  • Ryan Stone
  • Paul Bissonnette (Converted from D)
  • Adam Henrich
  • Chris Minard
  • Connor James
  • David Gove
• Center
  • Sidney Crosby
  • Evgeni Malkin
  • Jordan Staal
  • Tyler Kennedy
  • Max Talbot
  • Kris Beech
• Right Wing
  • Miroslav Satan
  • Petr Sykora
  • Pascal Dupuis
  • Eric Goddard
  • Aaron Boogard
  • Jonathan Filewich
  • William Thomas
  • Tim Wallace
• Defense
  • Sergei Gonchar
  • Ryan Whitney
  • Mark Eaton
  • Hal Gill
  • Kris Letang
  • Brooks Orpik
  • Darryl Sydor
  • Rob Scuderi 
  • Deryk Engelland
  • Alex Goligoski
  • TJ Kemp
  • Ben Lovejoy
  • Joey Mormina
  • Danny Richmond
• Goal
  • Marc-Andre Fleury
  • Dany Sabourin
  • David Brown
  • John Curry

On Thursday night, the Penguins held a Town Hall for Season Ticket Holders that included a Q&A session with several players (Orpik, Malkin, Whitney, Fleury, Talbot, Crosby).  It was covered in a video over at the Penguins website on Pens TV.

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Penguins’ Rookies Beat Toronto 5-2

The 2008 rookie tournament got underway in Kitchener, Ontario, on Saturday with the Penguins’ young talent putting up a decisive win against the Toronto Maple Leafs rookies in their own back yard.  Center Mark Letestu, signed as an undrafted free agent in March 2007, racked up 4 points (1G, 3A) in the win.  Right Winger Jean-Michel Daoust, a friend of Max Talbot’s who signed a tryout contract in Wilkes Barre/Scranton in January, picked up 3-points (1G, 2A).  Huge defenseman Ben Lovejoy added a power play goal in the 5-2 win.  Defenseman Jon D’Aversa and Left Winger Joey Haddad picked up the other two goals.  Defensemen Alex Goligoski (2A), Alex Grant (1A) and Winger Aaron Boogard (1A) also got on the scoresheet.

Scoring opened at 3:31 of the first period with Daoust chipping a loose puck past Maple Leafs netminder James Reimer.  Just 2-minutes later, Ben Lovejoy came down the right wing on the power play and re-directed a Letestu pass into the net.  Jon D’Aversa and Joey Haddad added the 3rd and 4th goals mid-way through the second period.  Mark Letestu picked up his 4th point on the night in the final minutes of the second to finish the scoring.  6′3, 220lb Aaron Boogaard threw in with a fight and handily beat the Leafs’ Joe Cooper.  Rookie netminder John Curry stopped 20 shots to pick up the win.

The Penguins rookie team will face off against the Florida Panthers at 2:00pm today, and take on the Ottawa Senators on Monday at 2:00pm.  Last year, the Penguins’ rookie team went 3-1 and won the Tournament Championship in Kitchener. 

In other news, the Pittsburgh Penguins official training camp opens with physicals on Tuesday.  In their first official meeting of the new season, the players will spend Tuesday going through a spate of physicals, testing and meetings at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) facility on the South Side.  On Wednesday, 17 September, the players will assemble at Mellon Arena at 9AM for their first on-ice practice session.  They will continue to meet daily at Mellon Arena from 9AM-1PM through Friday, 19 September, before heading into 5 pre-season games.  All practice sessions will be open to the public and free of charge, with entry through Gate #1 opening at 8:45 AM.

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