Dave Molinari

State College

Penguins Beat Writer at DK Pittsburgh Sports

Still hanging around hockey rinks from time to time.

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Articles

Molinari: Should Penguins Put Malkin On a ‘Shift Count?’

6 days ago | pittsburghhockeynow.com | Dave Molinari

The Pittsburgh Penguins have entered the offseason with a number of concerns, and even more questions. Atop the to-do list, of course, is replacing Mike Sullivan as coach, now that he has moved on to the New York Rangers. Then there is the matter of upgrading what, by almost any measure, is one of the NHL’s worst defense corps. Which actually might be a charitable assessment.
Penguins’ Latest Loss: Lottery Drops Them in Draft Order

1 week ago | pittsburghhockeynow.com | Dave Molinari

The Pittsburgh Penguins slipped down to the No. 11 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft in the draft lottery conducted Monday evening. It still will be their highest selection since 2012, when they claimed defenseman Derrick Pouliot with the eighth overall choice, which had been acquired from Carolina in the Jordan Staal trade a few hours earlier.
Ranking Penguins’ Top Five All-Time Coaches

1 week ago | pittsburghhockeynow.com | Dave Molinari

The Pittsburgh Penguins are conducting their first full-fledged coaching search since 2014, when they settled on Mike Johnston. While Johnston wasn’t the worst coach the Penguins have had – there are a few contenders for that distinction who make him seem like Toe Blake – GM Kyle Dubas will be hoping to find someone who can be more effective than Johnston was during his season-plus behind the bench.
Penguins Notebook: An Intriguing Addition; Showing Up

2 weeks ago | pittsburghhockeynow.com | Dave Molinari

The Pittsburgh Penguins made what figures to be their most significant move of the offseason a few days ago, when they decided to “part ways” – as the team so diplomatically expressed it – with Mike Sullivan.
Molinari: NHL Puts Itself In a Down Draft

2 weeks ago | pittsburghhockeynow.com | Dave Molinari

The NHL has a history of making decisions that are controversial, confusing and, on occasion, downright comical. Sure, the league occasionally makes an outstanding call, like replacing its all-star game with the Four Nations tournament earlier this year.
Molinari: Help a Bad Blue Line, Re-Sign Grzelcyk

3 weeks ago | pittsburghhockeynow.com | Dave Molinari

The Penguins will not be a Stanley Cup contender in 2025-26 if Matt Grzelcyk is on their roster. The Penguins will not be a Stanley Cup contender in 2025-26 if Grzelcyk is not on their roster, either. Simply put, Grzelcyk is not a difference-maker. Especially not on a team with championship aspirations.
Coaching Change Coming for Penguins? Doesn’t Seem Likely

3 weeks ago | pittsburghhockeynow.com | Dave Molinari

CRANBERRY — Kyle Dubas, the Penguins’ president of hockey operations and general manager, didn’t quite commit to keeping Mike Sullivan as coach when he met with reporters at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex Monday. But he came close. Awfully close. About as close as he could without actually doing it. “(Sullivan) is under contract, and he was very clear with his intentions (to reporters about remaining the head coach) last week, and what he’s expressed in our conversations,” Dubas said.
Molinari: Here’s What Penguins Should Do with Bryan Rust

3 weeks ago | pittsburghhockeynow.com | Dave Molinari

The no-movement clause in Bryan Rust’s contract with the Penguins expires this summer. When it does, Kyle Dubas, the team’s president of hockey operations and general manager, will be free to trade him anytime he wants. To anywhere that he wants. For any reason that he wants. And if Dubas would put Rust on the market, there would be no shortage of prospective buyers.
Penguins Beat Capitals, Close Out Season on High Note

3 weeks ago | pittsburghhockeynow.com | Dave Molinari

Winning this game really did not matter for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The two points they earned by defeating Washington, 5-2, at PPG Paints Thursday night didn’t get them into the playoffs. Didn’t allow them to finish the season with a .500 record. Didn’t even extend any meaningful streak.
Kral Hoping to Audition for Spot on Penguins’ Defense

1 month ago | pittsburghhockeynow.com | Dave Molinari

CRANBERRY — Filip Kral and Ville Koivunen were playoff opponents in Finland last spring. They were teammates with the Penguins’ farm team in Wilkes-Barre for most of this season. Tuesday, they had adjacent stalls in the locker room at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. And later this week, they might appear together in an NHL game for the first time.