It’s the final Pens Points of the regular season as the Penguins wrap up their 2024-25 campaign against the Capitals.
It’s closing time for the Pittsburgh Penguins as the 2024-25 season comes to a end later this evening with Game No. 82 against the Washington Capitals. All that’s really left to settle for the Penguins is their final placing in the NHL standings which will determine their odds for the upcoming draft lottery set to be held in early May.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on ESPN.
Pens Points…
Defenseman Kris Letang underwent successful heart surgery to repair a patent foramen ovale (hole in the heart) the team announced. Expected recovery time for this type of procedure is listed at 4-to-6 weeks. [Pensburgh]
You may expect Letang to have taken some time away to rest up after undergoing a heart procedure, but on Wednesday he was at the Penguins facility in Cranberry offering a sigh of relief to teammates as they prepared for Washington. [Trib Live]
There were several times this season where it looked like the Penguins should have pulled the plug and just went for the tank to improve their draft odds. Instead they kept fighting for wins and focused more on being competitive than worrying about the future. [Trib Live]
NHL News and Notes…
Alex Iafallo will be remaining in Winnipeg for the next three season after agreeing to a contract extension with the Jets on Wednesday. In two seasons with the team, Iafallo has scored 24 goals while not missing a single game. [NHL]
There will be one provincial battle in the first round of the NHL playoffs, with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators facing-off for Ontario supremacy. It’s a return to the playoffs for the Senators, who are loaded with talent and confidence. [Sportsnet]
In news only Canada could produce, a French language pre-election debate was moved up two hours on Wednesday to avoid conflict with the Montreal Canadiens season finale against the Carolina Hurricanes. [BBC]