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Thursday, 29 September 2011 04:45

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

Penguins

-Matt Niskanen (above) needed a big effort in training camp and has responded.

-Michael Farber of Sports Illustrated has a wonderful read on Sidney Crosby's recovery.

-For a timeline of Crosby's recovery, here you go.

-U.S. Steel Chairman and CEO John P. Surma now has a piece of the Penguins.

-Highlights of Tuesday's Penguins-Kings game:

-The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins opened their preseason with a 3-1 loss to the Adirondack Phantoms. Chris Barton scored the Penguins' only goal.

-Defenseman Andrew Hotham, son of former Penguins defenseman Greg Hotham, is getting a shot with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

-Happy 34th birthday to former Penguins forward Jon Sim. Claimed off waivers from the Kings late in the 2003-04 season, Sim's Penguins career amounted to 15 games and five points that campaign. In the 2004 offseason, he joined the Coyotes as a free agent. Sim is currently a member of the Islanders.

Atlantic Division

-Flyers forward Tim Sestito was suspended five games (three preseason, two regular season) for a hit from behind on Rangers forward Andre Deveaux:

-Police in London, Ont. charged a 26-year-old man in connection with throwing a bananna at Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds during an exhibition game last week.

-The Islanders placed forwards Tomas Marcinko, Trevor Frischmon, Tim Wallace, defensemen Ty Wishart and Dylan Reese on waivers.

Northeast Division

-Ottawa forward Chris Neil will not be suspended for hitting Maple Leafs forward Mikhail Grabovski in the head Tuesday:

-Senators forward Peter Regin could miss the season opener due to a wonky shoulder.

-EN Says: We've loved what new NHL discipline czar Brednan Shanahan has done, but we disagree with this one big time.

-Ottawa demoted defenseman Tim Conboy, Eric Gryba, Craig Schira, Josh Godfrey, Bobby Raymond, forwards Louie Caporusso, Pat Cannone, Corey Cowick, David Dziurzynski, Derek Grant, Jack Downing, Maxime Gratchev Wacey Hamilton, Francis Lessard, Corey Locke, Jim O'Brien, Mark Parrish, Andre Petersson and goaltender Brian Stewart to Binghamton of the AHL and assigned forward Darren Kramer to Spokane of the WHL.

-The Senators will welcome back 14 members of their 1992-93 team as part of their 20th anniversary celebration for opening night.

-The Bruins demoted forwards Zach Hamill, Trent Whitfield, Jamie Arniel, defenseman Colby Cohen, Zach McKelvie, David Warsofsky and goaltender Michael Hutchinson to Providence of the AHL.

-The Canadiens demoted goaltender Nathan Lawson, forward Brian Willsie and defenseman Frederic St. Denis to Hamilton of the AHL.

Southeast Division

-Two goals by Evander Kane led the Jets past the Hurricanes, 3-1.

-Winnipeg's Troy Brodie was caught in no-man's land here:

-Panthers forward Mike Santorelli is expected to be sidelined a few weeks due to a shoulder injury.

Central Division

-Three assists by Duncan Keith helped the Blackhawks beat the Red Wings, 4-3.

-This game was marred by an ugly hit by Detroit's Brendan Smith on Chicago's Ben Smith:

-"Both referees said that's a classic example of what we're talking about. That's the illegal hit. It was pretty black and white. I'm not happy about it. It's what we're trying to get away from." - Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville.

-"I don't doubt his shoulder hit his head ... is there any responsibility on the puck-carrier, toe-dragging, sliding sideways, to look after himself? Is there or no? It doesn't appear like there is anymore, is there?" - Red Wings coach Mike Babcock.

-Captain Shea Weber had a goal and an assist for the Predators in a 4-1 defeat of the Capitals.

-We don't want to suggest Blues forward Jason Arnott is old, but he's going to be sidelined a week after cataract surgery.

-Red Wings Danny Cleary is dealing with an "upper-body" injury.

Northwest Division

-The Canucks recalled defenseman Yann Sauve from Chicago of the AHL.

-Flames forward Raitis Ivanans skated in a contact practice for the first time since he was knocked out by former Oilers/current Penguins enforcer Steve MacIntyre in the 2010-11 season opener:

Pacific Division

-Jonathan Quick made 27 saves for the Kings in a 6-0 shutout of the Avalanche.

-Colorado's Matt Duchene asked Los Angeles' Anze Kopitar about his cool new white jersey:

-We think.

-Happy times for the Kings. Not so much for Colorado's Shane O'Brien:

-Colorado's Semyon Varlamov had issues with this puck:

-Jonas Hiller made 31 saves for the Ducks in a 3-2 defeat of the Canucks.

-Cool/Disgusting Photo of the Day: Hiller being spitty:

-Vancouver's Marco Sturm pumping a shot on net:

-The Ducks demoted goaltender Iiro Tarkki to Syracuse of the AHL.

-The Kings demoted former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward Cam Paddock to Manchester of the AHL.

-The Stars demoted defensemen Jordie Benn, Brenden Dillon, Dan Spang, forwards Matt Fraser, Ryan Garbutt Luke Gazdic and goatlender Tyler Beskorowany to Texas of the AHL.

(Photos: Niskanen-Jamie Squire/Getty Images; Hurricanes/Jets-Marianne Helm/Getty Images; Kings/Avalanche-Doug Pensinger/Getty Images; Canucks/Ducks-Stephen Dunn/Getty Images and Jae Hong/Associated Press)

Comments (2)

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written by GenoSid, September 29, 2011 - 12:03 PM

I've been very critical of Matt Niskanen, but he certainly has all of the tools to be a good player.

If the coaching staff can get him to minimize or eliminate the mentals mistakes and, more importantly, lapses in focus that have plagued his career...great.

If not...hopefully Shero can turn him into a winger before anyone's the wiser.

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written by bastage42, September 29, 2011 - 03:06 PM

I think Niskanen's conditioning has been suspect in the past, and poor conditioning always leads to bad decisions on the ice. Hopefully this year he'll pull things together.

I don't like the non-call on Neil, but I watched that replay from a few angles and IMO it's a really tough one because Grabovski wasn't the only body Neil had to worry about. I'd love to see Neil sit a few games because he's not the cleanest player around, but he does walk that line really well, as annoying as it is.

I'm still firmly in Shanahan's corner, though, until he goes soft either due to pressure from GMs or there's a big name involved. He's been remarkably consistent so far, and as previously mentioned by folks I appreciate that he's making the video explanations -- best PR move by the NHL in years IMHO.

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