Erik Christensen has made peace with the label that followed him through his NHL career.
The former Pittsburgh Penguins forward told Seth Rorabaugh of the Tribune-Review that he’s comfortable being remembered as a shootout specialist, a reputation he earned by converting 52.7% of his career attempts. With Pittsburgh, he was even better, going 14 of 23.
That kind of success in the shootout helped define Christensen’s time in the league, and he reflected on that stretch and the unusual role that made him one of the NHL’s most effective performers in the format.
Meanwhile, rookie goalie Sergei Murashov is taking in help wherever he can find it as he settles into the NHL. Murashov has publicly thanked Calgary Flames goalie Devin Cooley for offering his thoughts on the mental side of the position, saying Cooley’s comments have genuinely helped him.
Around the league, Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin said he is open to keeping star defenseman Quinn Hughes past the March 1 NHL trade deadline even if the two sides have not agreed to a contract extension.
The NHL is also looking at new replay-assist technology that could give officials quicker and more accurate calls, including a system that would let the league’s situation room pass along information without the need for drawn-out video reviews.
In Washington, Alex Ovechkin’s final NHL season has gotten off to a painfully slow start. The Capitals captain has scored just one goal in 15 games, the quietest opening of his 22nd and final season. Washington has also added more scoring depth and cut back on his ice time and power-play usage, though coach Spencer Carbery said Ovechkin understands the changes and is focused on helping the team win.
And in New Jersey, Connor Hellebuyck said worries about his family’s safety and uncertainty about his future played a major role in his decision to ask for a trade from the Winnipeg Jets. The 33-year-old said incidents involving his family, which went beyond online death threats, made it clear to him that a change was needed.
In Other News...
Penguins Trade Plans Just Hit A Rickard Rakell Roadblock
The Penguins offseason direction has already been clear enough: if theyre going to retool, the front office may have to turn some of its established veterans into draft capital and younger pieces. Rickard Rakell has been among the names floating around in that conversation, alongside Bryan Rust, as Pittsburgh weighs whether to keep leaning on older core players or start cashing in value for the future.
A new wrinkle surfaced this week when a rumor on the Spittin Chiclets Podcast suggested Rakell was part of a potential deal that never got off the ground. With the limited no-trade clause in play, the situation underscores how complicated these moves can get for a team trying to reshape its roster, and it leaves the Penguins still searching for a workable path if they want to move forward with their rebuild plans. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Defensive Depth Takes Another Turn With One Young Blueliner
Wilkes-Barre/Scrantons defensive shuffle continued with another move involving a young blueliner, as David Breazeale was sent back to the Florida Everblades. Breazeale had already logged four games with Florida this season, and his time in the Penguins organization has included a brief but useful look at the AHL level, where he has appeared in 11 regular-season games and picked up four points.
The timing comes as the Penguins head into a busy stretch with games against Hershey and Hamilton, along with special Veterans Day Celebration events on the calendar. For a club trying to manage its blue line depth while keeping an eye on development, Breazeales latest assignment is another reminder that the back end remains a fluid part of the roster picture. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Suddenly Have A Goalie Question Fans Will Want To Debate
The Penguins left San Jose with a win, but it was not the kind that settled much beyond the standings. Pittsburgh needed a shootout to get past the Sharks, and the night came with the sort of uneven team effort that tends to sharpen the conversation around the crease. In the middle of it, rookie Sergei Murashov gave the Penguins a performance that stood out enough to make the goaltending picture feel a little less simple than it looked a week ago.
For a club trying to sort out its next steps, those kinds of nights matter. A young goalie can change the tone of a room quickly, especially when the rest of the roster is still searching for consistency, and Pittsburgh now has a fresh debate on its hands about how much weight to give one strong outing. The result helps in the standings, but the bigger question is whether this was just a useful snapshot or the start of something more interesting in net. [Read more 🡒]