2008–09 Pittsburgh Penguins season

NHLTeamSeason
Season=2008–09
Team=Pittsburgh Penguins
Conference=Eastern
ConferenceRank=TBD
Division=Atlantic
DivisionRank=TBD
Record=TBD
HomeRecord=TBD
RoadRecord= TBD
GoalsFor= TBD
GoalsAgainst= TBD
GeneralManager= Ray Shero
Coach= Michel Therrien
Captain= Sidney Crosby
AltCaptain= Evgeni Malkin
Brooks Orpik
Arena=Mellon Arena
Attendance= TBD
GoalsLeader= TBD
AssistsLeader= TBD
PointsLeader= TBD
PlusMinusLeader= TBD
PIMLeader= TBD
WinsLeader= TBD
GAALeader= TBD

The 2008–09 Pittsburgh Penguins season will be the 41^st season of the franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL). The regular season will start in Europe. The Ottawa Senators and the Pittsburgh Penguins will play each other twice in Stockholm, Sweden on October 4 and October 5.cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=351323&page=NewsPage&service=page |title=Four NHL teams to open the 2008-09 regular season in Europe Oct. 4-5 |publisher=NHL.com |date=January 26, 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-24] The Penguins will attempt to make the playoffs for the third straight season, while defending their Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference titles.

Pre-season

Because of the extended playoff run of the 2007-08 season, the Penguins were left with less than three weeks before the began on July 1, with the Penguins facing numerous contract decisions. The Penguins added nine free agents and lost ten to other teams.

Head coach Michel Therrien also signed a new 3-year contract that superseded the last year of his existing contract with an increase in salary and will keep him with the Penguins through the 2010-11 season.cite news | last=Anderson | first=Shelley | title=Penguins re-sign Therrien | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08201/898117-61.stm | publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | date=2008-07-19 | accessdate=2008-07-22]

The Penguins announced on July 17 that they had renewed 99% of their season ticket sales from the 2007–08 season; they have sold out 67 consecutive games at Mellon Arena dating back to the 2006-07 season. [cite news | title=Pens Renew 99% Of Season Tickets | url= http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=368644 | publisher=PittsburghPenguins.com | date=2008-07-17 | accessdate=2008-07-17] In July, ESPN named Pittsburgh the top team in the Eastern Conference, [cite web |url= http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=burnside_scott&id=3504426|title= Why wait until September? Here are our Summer Power Rankings|accessdate=2008-07-29|author= Scott Burnside|work= NHL|publisher= ESPN.com|date= 2008-07-25] and the Sporting News placed the team in the fifth position in the league. [cite news |first= Craig|last= Custance|title= Power Poll: Gotta go Red Wings for preseason No. 1|url= http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=powerpollgottagoredwings&prov=tsn&type=lgns|publisher= Yahoo! Sports|date= 2008-10-02|accessdate=2008-10-02] Therrien began preparing for training camp in August. He stated that the team's goal will be to use experience gained throughout the past two seasons, in which Pittsburgh made the playoffs, to win the Stanley Cup. [cite news |first= Joe|last= Sager|title= Therrien Excited For Training Camp|url= http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=379879|publisher= PittsburghPenguins.com|date= 2008-08-20|accessdate=2008-08-23] The team commenced training camp on September 16, 2008 in Pittsburgh. [cite news |first= Bob|last= Smizik|title= Penguins' bar rises|url= http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08261/912707-61.stm|publisher= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date= 2008-09-17|accessdate=2008-09-17] [cite news |first= Dave|last= Molinari|title= Penguins' camp will end as quickly as it begins|url= http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08260/912465-61.stm|publisher= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date= 2008-09-16|accessdate=2008-09-17] Pittsburgh played five pre-season games in preperation for the season, finishing with a 4–0–1 record. [cite news |title= Crosby, Pens Top Jokerit, 4-1 |url= http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=384497|publisher= PittsburghPenguins.com|date= 2008-10-02|accessdate=2008-10-02] The team concluded its preparation for the season with practices in Stockholm. [cite news |first= Shelly|last= Anderson|title= Training camp takes on Swedish flavor|url= http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08273/915944-61.stm|publisher= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date= 2008-09-29|accessdate=2008-09-29] Defensemen Sergei Gonchar, who was injured in the pre-season opener, will miss "four to six months" due to a shoulder injury. [cite news |title= Penguins confirm Gonchar will miss 4 to 6 months|url= http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08274/916220-61.stm|publisher= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date= 2008-09-30|accessdate=2008-09-30] [cite news |title= Sergei Gonchar to Undergo Surgery; Sidelined Four to Six Months|url= http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08274/916220-61.stm|publisher= PittsburghPenguins.com|date= 2008-09-30|accessdate=2008-09-30] With Gonchar out of the lineup and last season's rotating alternate captains Malone and Roberts departed, the season began with no returning alternate captains in the lineup. One of the two alternate captaincies will be awarded on a monthly player vote; Evgeni Malkin will serve the role throughout the opening month, [cite news |last=Rossi |first=Rob |title=Pens' Malkin earns early 'A' |url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_591130.html |date=2008-10-02 |work=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review |accessdate=2008-10-02] along with Brooks Orpik. [cite news |first= Shelly|last= Anderson|title= Penguins Orpik, Malkin are named alternate captains|url= http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08276/916883-100.stm?cmpid=sports.xml|publisher= "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"|date= 2008-10-02|accessdate=2008-10-02]

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Player stats

Through Game 2 [http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app?service=page&page=Stats]

katers

"Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes"

Transactions

Concerns over future player contracts were raised just days after the 2008 Stanley Cup Final. [cite news | first=Ed | last=Bouchette |title=Ed Bouchette on the Steelers: Penguins will learn success has a price| url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08160/888352-66.stm?cmpid=sports.xml | publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | date=2008-06-08 | accessdate=2008-06-08 ] Approximately a dozen players, including Marian Hossa, Jarkko Ruutu, Ryan Malone, and Brooks Orpik, had fulfilled the final year on their contracts.cite news | first=Ray | last=Fittipaldo |title= Penguins Offseason: Malone's agent meets with Shero | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08163/888941-13.stm?cmpid=sports.xml | publisher= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | date= 2008-06-11 | accessdate=2008-06-11] [cite news | author=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review | authorlink= Pittsburgh Tribune-Review | title=Pens' contracts and a look ahead | url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_571284.html?source=rss&feed=8 | publisher=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review | date=2008-06-08 | accessdate=2008-06-08] On June 28, the Penguins traded the contract negotiation rights to Gary Roberts and Ryan Malone to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a conditional draft pick; it became a 3rd round pick when both Malone and Roberts signed with the Lightning on June 30. Evgeni Malkin was offered a contract from a Russian team in the newly-formed Kontinental Hockey League worth approximately $12.5 million, tax exempt, per year, which would make him the highest-paid hockey player in the world. [cite news |first=Dave | last=Molinari | title=Malkin nears new deal with Penguins | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08173/891683-13.stm?cmpid=sports.xml | publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | date=2008-06-21 | accessdate=2008-06-21] However, Malkin turned down the offer to remain with the Penguins, and the IIHF released a statement saying that it would not honor the offer, as Malkin was already under an existing contract with the Penguins at the time. [cite news | first=Dave | last=Molinari | title=Malkin has no interest in Russian offer | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08172/891435-61.stm | publisher= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | date=2008-06-20 | accessdate=2008-06-21] [cite news | title=IIHF statement on media report on Evgeni Malkin | url=http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=366415&page=NewsPage&service=page | publisher=IIHF | date=2008-06-20] Malkin agreed to a five year contract extension worth $8.7 million per year—the same value as Sidney Crosby's contract—with the Penguins on July 2. [cite news | first=Dan | last=Rosen | title=Pens sign Malkin to five-year extension | url=http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=367607 | publisher=NHL.com | date=2008-07-02 | accessdate=2008-07-02] On July 3, the Penguins agreed to a seven year deal with restricted free agent goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury in addition to one-year contracts with free agents Miroslav Satan and Ruslan Fedotenko. [cite news | first=Dave | last=Molinari | title=Penguins complete Fleury deal, get 2 free-agent wingers | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08185/894617-61.stm | publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | date=2008-07-03 | accessdate=2008-07-03] On October 8 the Penguins made several roster adjustments, placing Kris Beech, who is already in Europe looking for a new team, on unconditional waivers and sending Janne Pesonen, John Curry, and Jeff Taffe, who first had to clear waiverscite news | last=Molinari | first=Dave | title=Penguins acquire forward Zigomanis from Phoenix | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08283/918755-100.stm | date=2008-10-09 | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | accessdate=2008-10-10] , to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. [cite news | last=Molinari | first=Dave | title=Penguins waive Taffe; 2 others sent to farm team | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08282/918306-61.stm | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | date=2008-10-08 | accessdate=2008-10-08] The next day, on October 9, the Penguins acquired Mike Zigomanis from Phoenix for future considerations.

;Trades

;Claimed from waivers

Draft picks

The 2008 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 20–21, 2008, in Ottawa, Ontario. The Penguins did not make their first selection until the fourth round, at 120th overall. Their first-round selection was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers, on February 26 2008. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= PENS ACQUIRE HOSSA, DUPUIS FROM ATLANTA |url= http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=355013&page=NewsPage&service=page|work= |publisher= PittsburghPenguins.com|date= 2008-02-26|accessdate=2008-05-04 ] Pittsburgh's second-round selection was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, also on February 26. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Pens Acquire Hal Gill From Toronto|url= http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=354990&page=NewsPage&service=page|work= |publisher= PittsburghPenguins.com|date= 2008-02-26|accessdate=2008-05-04 ] The third-round pick went to the Phoenix Coyotes with Daniel Carcillo, for Georges Laraque on February 27, 2007. [cite news |first= Dave|last= Molinari|title= NHL Draft: Penguins scouts wait their turn|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08172/891360-61.stm |work= |publisher= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date= 2008-06-20|accessdate=2008-06-21]

ee also

*2008–09 NHL season

Minor League Affiliates

*AHL - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
*ECHL - Wheeling Nailers

References