Scouts in Attendance at Penguins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

PITTSBURGH — It’s a light night for scouts in the PPG Paints Arena press box for the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, as Penguins trade rumors begin to percolate across the internet. However, according to PHN reporter and columnist Dan Kingerski, there is one scout of note in attendance: Mark Howe, the Director of Pro Scouting for the Detroit Red Wings.

Wednesday, Penguins General Manager Jim Rutherford made his first trade of the season when he sent integral Stanley Cup piece Carl Hagelin to Los Angeles for goal-scoring winger Tanner Pearson. Rutherford ominously said of his team earlier Wednesday, “my patience has run out.”

READ ALSO: PHN Extra–Trade Analysis of Tanner Pearson Acquisition.

Also Wednesday, Sportsnet reporter Elliotte Friedman told 650 AM radio in Vancouver that he believed the Penguins may not be done. Friedman said he believed Rutherford had or was talking to Anaheim, as well.

The Penguins have just one win in their last seven games, a 4-0 shutout of Arizona at home last Saturday. The Penguins again struggled with a fast team, Tuesday in New Jersey, which beat the Penguins for the second time in four games.

Interestingly, also in attendance beside the usual scouts (Rick Kehoe, New York Rangers) was a pro scout from the Los Angeles Kings. Pro scouts from the Calgary Flames and the Philadephia Flyers.

Tampa Bay plays Philadelphia, Saturday. Otherwise, none of the teams in attendance appear on either team’s schedule in the near future.

Tampa Bay could be on the market for goaltending help as their starting goaltender Andrei Vasileskiy suffered a mysterious foot fracture, possibly from practice Wednesday. Lightning head coach John Cooper said Vasilevskiy is out “indefinitely.”

Pittsburgh Hockey Now will begin publishing the scouts in attendance for each Penguins home game. For entertainment purposes, only. Please note, scouts are in attendance at nearly every game.