Hits and Happenings Around The Penguins

With 10 days until the NHL draft and approximately 2 weeks until free agency 2010, there hasn't been an overwhelming amount of big Penguin news to break recently. But that doesn't mean there aren't things worth talking about surrounding the team.

The first and perhaps most notable thing is a likely change behind the Pittsburgh bench.

It seems as if Pens' assistant coach Mike Yeo is about to accept a position offered him by former Penguins' assistant GM, and current Minnesota Wild GM, Chuck Fletcher to coach the Wild's main farm team in the American Hockey League -- the Houston Aeros.

Interestingly, Yeo would replace former Penguins' head coach Kevin Constantine, who was let go in Houston after this past season.

Yeo has always had head coaching aspirations, and this opportunity certainly provides him that. Whether he'll ever make it to the big league in that capacity or not remains to be seen.

Some people around the league hold Yeo as an up-and-coming coaching prospect.

Personally, I'm not sure I see it.

Like current Pittsburgh head coach Dan Bylsma, Yeo is a players' guy. He's been an assistant for a long time in the Penguins organization, including in the AHL, so he has learned from several head coaches along the way, but the key trait I think Yeo primarily lacks is that he's not a leader behind the bench.

Yeo also has had his share of difficulty with one of the specialist roles he's been assigned with the team the last few seasons. You may have heard about it, because it's the most important one, and most Penguin fans consistently blame him for the team's underachievement in that area.

That's right.

The team's power play.

Now, I don't believe the below-expected ranking of the Pens' man-advantage the last few years should fall solely on Yeo, but I think he's had a hand in it. Whether it's not getting the puck on net enough, or whether it's playing Evgeni Malkin at the point, the Pittsburgh power play has had its share of misgivings the last few years. The fact that it has not been regularly able to play up to the capabilities its talent suggests it should has to fall on Yeo to some extent.

Yeo's departure will certainly appease a fair portion of the team's fan base in that regard.

More importantly, though, it will be worth watching to see who the Penguins' bring in to replace Yeo. They already have a former head coach who brings some veteran presence behind the bench in assistant Tony Granato. Will they go the same route and bring in another guy with NHL coaching experience, or will they bring in a young buck on the rise?

Beyond Yeo's likely departure behind the bench, the Pittsburgh blue line has been in the news a little the last week or so.

For one, Pens' defenseman Brooks Orpik underwent minor surgery to repair a hernia problem he played with since January.

Orpik played pretty well with the limitations he was dealing with as a result of the injury but, needless to say, it will be good to have him healthy again. The procedure was a success and after about 4-6 weeks, Orpik will be able to resume full off-ice workouts in preparation for the 2010/2011 season.

He should be ready to go for training camp without limitation.

Meanwhile, with 4 of the team's top 7 blueliners -- Sergei Gonchar, Mark Eaton, Jordan Leopold and Jay McKee -- headed for unrestricted free agency and still unsigned, the Penguins continued to bolster their organizational blueline depth, signing free agent Steve Wagner to a one-year deal.

In a swap of minor-league defensemen, Wagner was acquired late last season from the Saint Louis Blues for rearguard Nate Guenin.

Wagner's new contract is a two-way deal, which would pay him $500,000 in the NHL and significiantly less in the AHL, where he played the rest of last year after the Penguins' traded for him. He had 7 points in 20 regular-season games for the Baby Penguins, and added 1 assist in 4 post-season contests.

Meanwhile, back at the big club, talks between Pens' GM Ray Shero and the agents for several free agents are picking up this week, particularly those between Shero and Pat Morris, the agent for LW Matt Cooke.

It appears as if the Penguins are even talking a 3-year deal with Morris, which would greatly increase the chances of keeping Cooke in Pittsburgh.

While Cooke may be one of the Penguins most important free agents, there's nothing new to report with the other -- defenseman Sergei Gonchar. Talks should be picking up there soon, however, because depending on how they go, there remains a chance the Penguins might deal the rights to #55 at next weekend's draft. As far as I've been appraised, Pittsburgh intends to ask for a decision on Gonchar's camp to any contract offer before that time, so they know where they stand and aren't put in a position of holding the bag after free agency opens without the ability to go after a solid alternative if Gonchar departs.

As far as the other guys go, there's little to report right now on the Eaton and Leopold fronts. What the Penguins do with both of those guys probably won't come into light until Pittsburgh knows what's going to happen with Sarge.

And, while the Penguins still have interest in bringing back Alexei Ponikarovsky, and therefore are kicking the can with Rich Curran, his agent, I don't have a sense that anything is going to happen there soon. And may not at all before July 1 rolls around and Pittsburgh sees where Poni stands in the open market.

Aside from the Sportscenter-making "student flush" the Penguins recently sponsored to test all of their toilets in the new Consol Energy Center within the last week, that's the latest and greatest from Penguins' Nation boys and girls.

Of course, I'll post any meaningful free agent signing news as I hear it, and next week, I'll break down a few of the prospects the Penguins appear to be most interested in for their first round -- 20th overall -- selection at the draft.

More then.