One of my first conversations with Kevin Hayes at training camp this season was about his support for first responders.
Hayes meets with Pittsburgh-area first responders after each Penguins home game. Win or lose, good game or bad, Hayes honors that commitment — and I’ve witnessed how he leaves behind whatever baggage he carries from the game to be positive and present for those meetings. He often meets with them after being a healthy scratch. As a veteran of 11 NHL seasons, that can’t be easy.
Hayes understands he can do more important things than merely play.
That said, he’s paid to play. In the lineup against the Kings, Hayes scored the opening goal Monday in the first NHL game in Los Angeles since the Southern California fires as the Penguins, who wore Los Angeles Fire Department helmet stickers, won 5-1.
Hayes leading the way felt fitting, given how deeply he cares about the first responders doing heroic work in the Golden State.
History n’at
On this date in 1993, Penguins goalie Ken Wregget denied a penalty shot from the Flames’ Joe Niuwendyk.
It wasn’t the first or most important penalty-shot save by a Penguins goalie. Still, it’s an opportunity to talk about Wregget, an interesting figure in team history.
Wregget may be the greatest No. 2 goalie the Penguins have had — a stylistic and personality contrast with Tom Barrasso for a tandem that brought stability to that position for the bulk of the Penguins’ first great era in the 1990s.
A backup goalie isn’t quite like a backup quarterback in Pittsburgh — meaning the backup goalie isn’t automatically fans’ most popular player, as often happens with the Steelers.
Wregget, though, was very popular. He still lives in the area and owns 31 Sports Bar & Grille in Bridgeville.
Wregget played 17 NHL seasons, including seven with the Penguins. He once led the NHL in victories. His name is on the Stanley Cup.
He also has the distinction of breaking Penguins fans’ hearts by winning a Game 7 at Civic Arena as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers (which makes his popularity during his time here all the more impressive, no?).
Also, remember this mask? Magnificent!
I don’t want to draw too many comparisons to today’s Penguins goaltending. Alex Nedeljkovic has a ways to go to reach Wregget’s standing — he’d need to help lead the Penguins to the playoffs, then go on a deep run, as Wregget did in 1996.
(Hat tip to PittsburghHockey.net)
Important stretch
The Penguins were off yesterday. They needed the break, too. This massive road trip began with three games in four days, with a cross-country flight sandwiching Games 2 and 3.
They will practice today in Anaheim before playing the Ducks there tomorrow night.
None of the remaining teams on this trip is within reasonable striking distance of a playoff spot. It’s a pivotal stretch for the Penguins. If they want to make up the ground they’ve lost since the holiday break, they probably need to get at least six of the next eight points on this road trip.
If not, Penguins boss Kyle Dubas will likely have some decisions to consider when they return to Pittsburgh.
Don’t miss
• Speaking of Dubas, Josh Yohe checks in from California with what he’s hearing about the fast-approaching trade deadline. You’ll want to read for all the intel.
• Speaking of Dubas again, Pierre LeBrun has some good Penguins info in his NHL rumblings. Like LeBrun, I’ve heard nothing of a rumored fire sale — which makes little sense, anyway. The Penguins have a lot of players whose contracts contain full or modified no-trade clauses and a good number of players who aren’t attractive to other GMs for various reasons including the term on those contracts.
• The buzz surrounding Nedeljkovic’s goalie goal hasn’t quite worn off. There’s some debate about what constitutes a goalie goal. Is it simply a goal credited to a goalie or a goal the goalie actually shot into a net? I don’t have a take on that, but Sean McInode is in the camp for the latter — and he ranked the 12 such instances in league history.
(Photo of Kevin Hayes: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
