Pens Pre-Season schedule released...UFA Target Goes to Anaheim

The Pens Pre-Season schedule will be the following:

The Penguins’ 2009 pre-season schedule:

Friday, Sept. 18 Toronto AT Pittsburgh 7:30 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 21 Pittsburgh at Montreal 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 22 Pittsburgh at Toronto 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 24 Pittsburgh at Columbus 7:00 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 25 Columbus AT Pittsburgh 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 27 Pittsburgh at Detroit 5:00 p.m.


Scary to think that the pre-season games will begin roughly 2 months from now. The 2 games vs. Toronto will be especially exciting to watch because of the nastiness the Leafs have added this offseason. Exelby, Komisarek, and Orr all play with an edge and it's likely that Bissonette will be in the lineup for the Pens as well as Godard/Rupp, I can't wait!!! It's also interesting to see us play the Wings in a pre-season game, unfortunately it's at Joe Louis, but it should be fun to see the young stars audition for a final time before the team's rosters are finalized.

Speaking of scary, the Anaheim Ducks signed defenseman Nick Boynton to a 1 yr deal at $1.5 million. Boynton was at the top of the Pens list in terms of UFAs after Scuderi signed with the Kings. He's a gritty veteran D-men, who plays a mean game and has offensive skills as well. Oh well, the Ducks only get better now as Boynton will try to replace the physical play of Pronger (who left for Philly last week). The Pens continue to covet Jay Mckee and word is an offer has already been made. Shero is also talking to Alexei Semenov and even Dennis Seidenberg. Seidenberg is looking for something in the $1.5-$2.5 mil range so that might be out of the question.

The New York Rangers signed winger Ales Kotalik to a 3 yr/$3 mil deal. It was surprising to see Kotalik still a UFA 9 days into free agency, but that just tells you how deep the class was. It's a nice signing by the Rangers who lost some of their scoring with Antropov to Atlanta and Zherdev who is likely headed to the KHL or some other NHL team.


TRADE TALK: The Senators have been involved in trade talks with the San Jose Sharks the last week or so. Distraught winger Dany Heatley would be going to SJ and winger Patrick Marleau will likely be headed to Ottawa. Senators GM Murray is still trying to find a suitor for Heatley after he rejected a deal that would've sent him to Edmonton last week.