With the brain pan still devoid of fresh ideas, I’ve taken a bit of a sabbatical from blogging the past few days. However, I thought I’d put up a brief housekeeping post in the wake of a handful of recent signings.
On Saturday, the Penguins inked free-agent defenseman Jack St. Ivany to a two-year, entry-level contract with a cap hit of $950,000 at the NHL level.
Having drafted the rangy, 6’3” 200-pounder in the fourth round for Philly in 2018, GM Ron Hextall is most familiar with St. Ivany, who the Flyers declined to sign. After skating two seasons at Yale, the native Californian transferred to Boston College. He enjoyed a solid senior season with the Eagles, tallying four goals and 24 points in 35 games.
Aside from the fact that he’s a right-handed shot, I confess I don’t know a whole lot about him. According to the Tribune Review, he’s regarded as a good puck mover and a decent two-way defender, although he’s not going to win any speed-skating competitions.
Judging by his rather paltry penalty minute totals, I’ll go out on a limb and say he isn’t a banger.
With a glut of defensemen at the big-league level, St. Ivany’s most likely pegged to patrol the Baby Pens’ blue line this season.
Staffing Up
Fresh off a summer of interviewing for head coaching positions, Mike Vellucci has agreed to a two-year contract extension. The 56-year-old Michigan native oversees the black-and-gold forwards and penalty kill, a unit that finished third in the league last season with an 84.4 percent kill rate.
Vellucci guided the AHL Charlotte Checkers to a Calder Cup in 2019 and won coach of the year honors in two different leagues.
Last Thursday the Pens extended Todd Reirden for two years and promoted him to associate head coach. Like Vellucci, the 51-year-old is highly regarded among the coaching community, having led the Capitals to consecutive Metropolitan Division titles in his two seasons at the helm in DC.
In addition, Reirden, who oversees the Pens’ power play and defense, is regarded as somewhat of a d-man “whisperer.” Among his most prominent reclamation projects? Former Pens Matt Niskanen, Cody Ceci and Mike Matheson.
Twenty days till the start of training camp.
If you’re a Penguins fan, you know the inevitable looms just ahead and around the…
Well, our Penguins finally did it! They played a reasonably complete 60-minute game (62:35 actually)…
I thought I'd take a break from the relentlessly grim news surrounding our skidding Penguins…
The Penguins are off to a rough start, to say the least. Over their…
Perhaps the title of this article should be, “The More Things Change, the More They…
Before I spout my two cents worth over last night's come-from-in-front loss to the Canucks,…
View Comments
Rick
Vellucci did a great job with the PK. Finishing 3rd in the league with McGinn missing (18) games,
Boyle (16), and Blueger (17) it's a pretty amazing accomplishment.
As for St. Ivany I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Obviously the Pens management see
something in him they like. At times it's just a matter of fit. These four players were the
target of Pen's fans and media immediately after being acquired. Schultz, Gudbranson, Ceci
and Matheson. I would probably be happy with all four back in the Black and Gold.
GO PENS
Hey Rick,
Glad to see Vellucci back. I was afraid we were going to lose him to a head coaching position of his own.
Re: St. Ivany, as I wrote in my "Other" piece. he wasn't offered a contract by the Flyers, a team that is a train wreck. so the question becomes do the troubles with our cross-State rivals extend to their player analysis or did the Penguins goof? I have not really looked all that hard but in cursory looks I could not find game films of him or even highlights. I won't say anything until I see him play.