Penguins Wrap: Crosby Speaks; Prospects Get Chippy

A sigh of relief over the Sidney Crosby situation was a highlight over the past week for Pittsburgh Penguins faithful. That likely allowed fans to turn their attention to the 2024-25 season with a clear head.

Hockey returned on one level with the Penguins prospects gathering, practicing, then traveling to Buffalo, where they opened play in a prospects tournament. Who looked good?

A couple of those prospects might push for a spot on the opening night roster. How that plays out will depend on how things go in training camp and preseason games. As per usual, fans can watch several of the camp practices and scrimmages beginning Wednesday.

With things ramping up heading into camp, here’s a look back at a pretty newsy week. Click the links to catch up.

Saturday: Before we heard from Crosby, tidbits were leaking about his situation. That included a report that he had been presented with, and was mulling,  several contract options.

Sunday: With the silence still deafening, PHN took a look at a lot of dominoes that could fall related to the Crosby situation. Check out some of the potential fallout that was in play.

The gut-wrenching sadness of the tragic deaths of brothers Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau has not subsided, but at least there was a chance for some closure along with details of the services.

Monday: Penguins fans learned that they could take a breath. While they might have been fretting over the Crosby situation, it turns out that things apparently were fine. When he finally spoke with reporters, Crosby said things have been cordial, and he expressed optimism about his contract.

The offseason has been pocked with a fair bit of gloom and doom over the Penguins’ upcoming season. There are reasons for optimism, however. For a change of pace, PHN took a look a three reasons to look forward to the season.

New Penguins forward Kevin Hayes was close with Johnny Gaudreau. During the emotional service for the Gaudreau brothers, that friendship was honored in a tribute by Johnny’s wife.

Tuesday: So what did Crosby’s comments mean for the Penguins and their fans? PHN took a look at that, plus what might come next (hint: Marcus Pettersson’s name comes up) in a Penguins blog.

Wednesday: The Penguins players have their idea of what the team might accomplish this season. That could be different from what president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas believes. Are they on the same page?

We have told you that you will love prospect Tanner Howe. You just aren’t able to gauge him in the prospects tournament. The Penguins announced that, while apparently not serious, Howe is dealing with a facial injury.

Thursday: The countdown is on, and it’s real. Practices start Wednesday, and fans can view them live. The details surfaced when the Penguins announced their training camp schedule.

Goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov was among those who practiced before a trip to Buffalo for the weekend prospects tournament. The outgoing Murashov said he’s ready to begin the North American portion of his career and he was walking on air after meeting a Penguins star, all in a lively interview.

The Penguins’ prospect pool has been a hot topic in recent years, as in it hasn’t been so hot. Sure, the team leveraged that for a win-now approach. But a new ranking shows that the team also hasn’t drafted well. That and more in a Penguins notebook.

Friday: The Penguins prospects won the first of three scheduled games in a tournament in Buffalo. Check out the detailed look at what happened and who looked good, including player grades.

After his path to the NHL took a dogleg, top prospect Rutger McGroarty talked about his situation before heading to Buffalo. He also divulged his first purchase after signing his entry-level contract. Catch up with McGroarty.