Penguins Blog

I'm really looking forward to tonight's matchup against the Montreal Canadiens.

After winning the Stanley Cup, the Canadiens blew up their roster and are trying to find success with a host of new players. Alex Tanguay, Alex Kovalev, Saku Koivu and Mike Komisarek are the notables missing from last year's roster.

The Habs took an aggressive approach to the offseason by letting those players walk and then bringing in guys like Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta, Mike Cammalleri, Jaroslav Spacek and of course, Hal Gill.

Gill has gotten off to a rather slow start, and that's not a jab at his skating skills. Through 11 games he holds a -4 plus-minus rating and has taken 19 minutes in penalties. In 62 games with the Pens last year, he was a +10 rating with only 53 penalty minutes.

He currently has only 13 hits this season as well. For those keeping track, that's just barely over one hit per game. In terms shot blocking, the big man has blocked 18 shots this season. League-leader and new Penguin Jay McKee has 36 in as many games.

There's no question he has some insight into how the Penguins like to play, so I expect a good game tonight that could very well come down to special teams.

The Penguins have made it known that they are working on the powerplay and when it starts to click, the rest of the league better take notice.

On another note, what amazes me about sports is that when any player gets into a slump, the trade rumors begin to fly.

I was poking around on Spector's Hockey this morning and saw that he had dispelled a rumor about Canadiens' goaltender Carey Price being traded to Chicago for Cristobal Huet. I'm not entirely sure what a logical thought process would be for that kind of trade, but that's why it's a rumor.

In talking to some Pittsburghers about the Pens and Max Talbot, I was alerted to some chatter about a trade possibly involving the Pens.

I'm going to preface this by saying, I have not seen any rumors on sites that I respect that would suggest anything is imminent. However, the conversations got me thinking about the roster and if a roster move could be coming more out of necessity.

Talbot still won't be back until at least the middle of December, but what happens when he does come back?

If he resumes his playoff spot on the second like with Evgeni Malkin and Ruslan Fedotenko, where does Pascal Dupuis go? If he drops down to the fourth line, what happens to any of Michael Rupp, Eric Godard and Craig Adams?

Not to mention, the Pens already have Chris Bourque playing in a limited role, so that would put at least two guys on the sidelines.

Something will have to give, baring a major injury to a roster player, for Talbot to take his spot back on the ice.

I can only imagine that if a trade is executed, it would be for some later round picks or prospects.

Like I said, I haven’t seen anything concrete, but if you read between the lines it appears as if something could happen in December. I guess we’ll see what happens.

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