Penguins Sign St. Ivany, Keep Staff Intact

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.