Jonathan Cheechoo is a Very Viable Option for the Penguins

A few days ago former 56 goal scorer and Rocket Richard Trophy winner Jonathan Cheechoo was placed on waivers and the Penguins and every other team in the NHL passed on him and his 3 million dollar salary. Cheechoo cleared waivers and joined Ottawa’s AHL minor league team the Binghamton Senators.  The Pittsburgh Penguins have been searching for a sniper for either Crosby or Malkin’s line for an eternity and Cheechoo is the best candidate for the job.

I like everyone else would like the Penguins to land a top notch rental Marian Hossa type player, but it’s just not going to happen. One, that player is just not out there and two, the Penguins just don’t have the salary cap to do it this year without getting rid of a Gonchar or Kunitz.

Dave Molinary of the Post-Gazette offered that Cheechoo’s salary is too high for the Penguins to consider him.  He also offered that because of his output as of late he wouldn’t very good, and will probably spend the rest of the season in the AHL.  You can read it in his question and answer: Is there a chance the Penguins might sign Jonathan Cheechoo?

I offer this:  Molinary’s statements are just not true.

With the salary cap and the Ottawa Senators bid for the playoffs, they are not stupid enough to leave $3 million dollars in salary cap sitting in the AHL. Most likely they had hoped that Cheechoo would either get picked up off waivers or he would not report to the AHL. Unfortunately for them neither happened. Cheechoo reported to the AHL. While things didn’t start out that well for him last night landing a tripping penalty 50 seconds into the game, he recovered by ...

Gameday Poop: Pittsburgh Penguins vs Ottawa Senators – January 28

Game time is 7:00PM and can be seen in Super HD at the Igloo or on FSN 

The Pens take on the red hot Ottawa Senators who have won their last seven games in a row tonight. Maybe I should say the streaky Senators. Before they won seven in a row they lost 5 in a row.

When everyone was looking the other way the Senators double secretly amassed quite a lineup of goal scorers Alfredsson, Kovalev, Spezza & CheeChoo all of which have decided to not score goals this year. Now that the Senators are healthy, no thanks to the Penguins, they come at teams with a 4 line balanced attack. When your 3rd line has one time 56 goal scorer 29 year old Jonathan CheeChoo on it, that’s a balanced attack.

With all of the Penguins injuries, Goligoski, Talbot, Guerin, Kunitz, Kennedy and Godard. It would be hard to tell you exaclty who will be in this evening’s lineup but I can tell you that the Pens have penciled in Guerin, Talbot & Godard and the rest are not listed and I can also tell you that Godard, Goligoski and Kennedy did not practice this morning. 

Dan Bylsma announced that Godard is out 4-6 weeks with a groin injury.   I think the Olympic break is going to be huge towards getting a healthy team back on the ice.

Chris Connors was recalled again, they are bouncing him up and down to save cap money, it sounds like Shero is planning on making a move, though there is one other possibility.  I think Shero noticed that when he brings a player up from the WBS Pens they usually score their first game up, to take advantage of that he is trying to send them up and down in between every game. It could work. The odd thing is that  ...