Penguins To Propose Three Year Deal To Cooke

-According to TIOPS, the Pittsburgh Penguins intend to propose a three year deal to upcoming free agent Matt Cooke. Cooke had a very good season being on the third line for Pittsburgh. However, he could be paid like a second line player somewhere else. It will be interesting to see what Cooke does. He has expressed an interest in staying with the Penguins. Cooke made $1.2 million this past season. He will likely want at least a slight raise if not a big raise.


-The Penguins traded a 2010 sixth round pick to the Anaheim Ducks for goaltender Mattias Modig. They then signed the Swedish 23 year old to a two year entry level contract. He was Anaheim's fourth round pick in 2007. Modig compiled a 2.35 GAA and a .913 save percentage in his past two seasons with Lulea HF of the Swedish Elite League. He is listed as 6'0 and 163 pounds. This was likely a trade to get some more depth at the goaltender position.

-D Brooks Orpik apparently dealt with an abdominal injury from midseason through the playoffs. He is probably going to have surgery to repair it. Chris Kunitz battled through a torn groin muscle, but he may be able to avoid surgery.

-According to Joe Depto, the Penguins will face the Philadelphia Flyers on October 7th to open the Consol Energy Center.

Penguins To Face Capitals At Heinz Field In 2011 Winter Classic

-On Friday, it will be announced that the Pittsburgh Penguins will face the Washington Capitals at Heinz Field on January 1, 2011. This will be the Penguins second appearance in the Winter Classic. In their first appearance, Sidney Crosby scored in the shootout to send the Penguins past the Buffalo Sabres.

 -The Penguins signed RW Nick Petersen, their fourth round draft pick in 2009, to a three year entry level contract. The 20 year old scored 39 goals and recorded 40 assists for Saint John of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Player Evaluations: Right Wingers

Player Evaluations: Right Wingers

#27 Craig Adams

Season Stats: 82 Games Played, 0 Goals, 10 Assists, 10 Points, -5

Playoff Stats: 13 Games Played, 2 Goals, 1 Assist, 3 Points, +2

Adams, who played each game on the fourth line, did not score any goals in the regular season but did manage to score two in the playoffs. He played very well on the penalty kill. Grade: C

 #28 Eric Godard

Season Stats: 45 Games Played, 1 Goal, 2 Assists, 2 Points, +2

Playoff Stats: None

Godard did not play very much this season at all. In addition, he did not play any games in the playoffs. He never really has developed into the enforcer the Penguins wanted. Grade: D-

#13 Bill Guerin

Season Stats: 78 Games Played, 21 Goals, 24 Assists, 45 Points, -9

Playoff Stats: 11 Games Played, 4 Goals, 5 Assists, 9 Points, +3

The 39 year old Guerin scored 25 goals total this season including the playoffs. He scored the most goals out of all of the Penguins wingers. Not bad for a 39 year old. UFA. Grade: B

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Player Evaluations: Left Wingers/ Quick Hits

Player Evaluations: Left Wingers

#24 Matt Cooke

Season Stats: 79 Games Played, 15 Goals, 15 Assists, 30 Points, +17

Playoff Stats: 13 Games Played, 4 Goals, 2 Assists, 6 Points, -4

Cooke had a terrific season scoring 15 goals and another 4 in the playoffs. He is one free agent the Penguins should definitely re-sign. He is more than just an agitator. Grade: B+

#9 Pascal Dupuis

Season Stats: 81 Games Played, 18 Goals, 20 Assists, 38 Points, +5

Playoff Stats: 13 Games Played, 2 Goals, 6 Assists, 8 Points, +5

Dupuis played in the most games this season than any other season in his career. He also had his second highest goal total in his career this season. He fits well in the locker room too. Grade: B

#26 Ruslan Fedotenko

Season Stats: 80 Games Played, 11 Goals, 19 Assists, 30 Points, -17

Playoff Stats: 6 Games Played, 0 Goals, 0 Assists, 0 Points,  -3

Fedotenko had the lowest goal total in his career this season and his plus/minus was awful. He did not step up in the playoffs like he has done before. He is probably done with PIT. Grade: D

#14 Chris Kunitz

Season Stats: 50 Games Played, 13 Goals, 19 Assists, 32 Points, +3

Playoff Stats: 13 Games Played, 4 Goals, 7 Assists, 11 Points, +3

Kunitz missed some time due to an injury, but played well in the playoffs and remained with Sidney Crosby the  whole season. He was also very physical in the playoffs. Grade: B

#23 Alexei Ponikarovsky

Season Stats (With PIT): 16 Games Played, 2 Goals, 7 Assists, 9 Points, -6

Playoff Stats: 11 Games Played, 1 Goal, 4 Assists, 5 Points, 0

Ponikarovsky never lived up the hype when PIT got him and was scratched for two games in the playoffs. He didn't have a good attitude or work ethic. Likely gone as he is a UFA Grade: D

Quick Hits

-Kevin Allen of the USA Today reported that the Atlanta Thrashers probably will not be able to re-sign RW Colby Armstrong. Armstrong scored 15 goals and recorded 14 assists in 79 games played. You can expect that him and the Penguins will at least talk about a contract. They probably did not want to trade him to Atlanta, but they wanted Hossa. If he will take a discount, he could be back in a Pittsburgh uniform.

-The Penguins have been rumored to be talking to D Ben Lovejoy on a new deal since he can become a free agent on the first of July. Expect them to get it done fairly soon. The one thing that is holding it up is that Lovejoy wants a 1 way contract instead of a 2 way contract.

-According to TIOPS, the Penguins have discussed with Jordan Leopold's agent, but no numbers were involved. They will likely talk again in a few weeks.

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Pens Sign Deryk Engelland To One Year Deal

-The Pittsburgh Penguins signed D Deryk Engelland to a one year deal today. It is a two-way contract that will pay him $500,000 at the NHL level. Engelland is a very physical defensman who could see some playing time next season depending on how the offseason goes. He was scheduled to become a free agent, but he elected to stay with Pittsburgh.

Player Evaluations: Defensemen

Player Evaluations: Defensemen

#55 Sergei Gonchar

Season Stats: 62 Games Played, 11 Goals, 39 Assists, 50 Points, -4

Playoff Stats: 13 Games Played, 2 Goals, 10 Assists, 12 Points, +4

Gonchar was the best offensive defenseman for Pittsburgh again this season. He will be hard to replace on the power play if he departs, but his defensive abilities seem to be declining.Grade: B

#58 Kris Letang

Season Stats: 73 Games Played, 3 Goals, 24 Assists, 27 Points, +1

Playoff Stats: 13 Games Played, 5 Goals, 2 Assists, 7 Points, -5

Letang had a season full of ups and downs. During the season, he was expected to provide more offense than he did, but his defense improved. During the playoffs, that switched.   

                    He could not defend many players well, but he scored five goals. Grade: B-

#3 Alex Goligoski

Season Stats: 69 Games Played, 8 Goals, 29 Assists, 37 Points, +7

Playoff Stats: 13 Games Played, 2 Goals, 7 Assists, 9 Points, +4

Goligoski exploded in the first 15 games of the season scoring six goals and thirteen points. He went on to score only two more the rest of the season.
                    He also did not defend other players as well as the Penguins needed. It was his first

                    full season in the NHL. Grade: C-
#4 Jordan Leopold

 Season Stats (With PIT): 20 Games Played, 4 Goals, 4 Assists, 8 Points, +5

Playoff Stats: 8 Games Played, 0 Goals, 0 Assists, 0 Points, -2

Leopold, who came over in a trade from Florida, turned into a decent defenseman during the season scoring four goals in 20 games. After he got injured from an Andy Sutton hit 

                    during the playoffs, he did not seem to be the same player. He is a UFA. Grade: C

#44 Brooks Orpik

Season Stats: 73 Games Played, 255 Hits, 117 Blocked Shots, 25 Points (2G23A), +6

Playoff Stats: 13 Games Played:, 50 Hits, 30 Blocked Shots, 2 Points (2A), +3

Orpik was sixth in the NHL this season in hits and was arguably the best defensive defenseman this season for PIT. He will not score much, but he is a huge part of this team. Grade: B+

#7 Mark Eaton

Season Stats: 79 Games Played, 27 Hits, 135 Blocked Shots, 16 Points (3G13A), +5

Playoff Stats: 13 Games Played, 11 Hits, 20 Blocked Shots, 3 Points (3A), -4

Eaton, who is not a very physical defensman, plays his position very well as he ranked second on the Penguins in blocked shots. He is a UFA this summer. Grade: B-

#74 Jay McKee

Season Stats: 62 Games Played, 59 Hits, 137 Blocked Shots, 10 Points (1G9A), +6

Playoff Stats: 5 Games Played, 4 Hits, 11 Blocked Shots, 0 Points, +2

McKee filled the role he was signed to do: block shots. He led the Penguins in that category in the season but fell out of favor when Leopold arrived. Some think he should have played more 

                    more in the playoffs with the struggling defense. He will be a UFA this summer. Grade: B

          These ratings are based off of different areas as well just like the goaltender evaluations. The offensive defensemen and defensive defensemen are seperated for a reason. They are evaluated in the role they were put into. Offensive numbers do not go into much consideration for defensive players.