Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of summer. College football is back, the NFL is about to start up. Most of the Penguins are in town, skating at the practice rink and getting ready for training camp of their own that should be ready to begin officially in about 10 days or so.
What’s gone down since the team last left the ice? Let’s get into it.
And for now, that’s it. In a sense it wasn’t the summer of sweeping changes that many hoped for or expected when it came to adding front line players or making massive moves to overhaul the future or strength of the club.
On the other hand, it was a very active offseason once you go back and take it all in. The Evgeni Malkin question was favorably resolved with a contract extension. Ownership of the team changed hands, with a minor league affiliation switch at the ECHL taking place. Several new players (Kuzmenko, Robertson, van Riemsdyk, Carlile, Lapierre, Korczak) were acquired. Several more departed (Wotherspoon, Acciari, K. Hayes, Clifton, Mantha, Skinner). On the whole, the team got younger as a result of these changes – especially when considering they did not add any goalies and will be looking to promote a youngster from the AHL.
There were front office changes with Mpfou leaving and Pridham and Francis joining up. Several other players (Chinakhov, Silovs, Dewar, Solovyov, Koivunen, Novak) were re-signed.
Put it all together and you have the results of the last few summer months. With most of that action and activity out of the way it will soon be time to drop the puck.
