Pens Points: North of the Border

Here are your Pens Points for this Thursday morning...

The transaction isn’t even official at this point, but many still have questions surrounding the potential sale of the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Fenway Sports Group. Luckily, our overlord, Hooks Orpik, has answered a bunch of questions that pertain to this crazy story. [PensBurgh]

While theories and thoughts have run rampant on social media over the last 48 hours or so since news of the sale broke, many Penguins players and coaches have remained mum on the whole thing. [Trib Live]

One thing is certain regarding the sale of the Penguins to FSG: John Henry, the billionaire behind the group, turns his teams into titleholders. [Trib Live]

The Penguins’ power-play has been abysmal this season, and that’s putting it kindly. While the team’s power-play percentage is ranked dead last in the 32-team league (just a measly 10% conversion rate this season), signs point to the power-play getting ready to turn a corner for the better. [Post-Gazette]

Pittsburgh is kicking off a Canadian road trip tonight in Montreal. While Mike Sullivan won’t be able to coach his team due to Canada’s stricter Covid-19 protocols, he told his team to play with a sense of swagger and urgency. [Penguins]

News and notes from around the NHL...

China is having trouble fielding a competitive hockey team for the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games. The country’s team is actually filled with Canadian players. Now, the IIHF has a decision to make. [CBC]

The NHL maintains a partnership with the chemical company Chemours. This partnership involves promoting and using products that help with chillers underneath ice rinks. But this partnership and product usage has now raised concerns over the league’s Green initiative, and environmental activists are letting their voices be heard about this issue. [NY Times]

Penguins legend Jarome Iginla was always going to be a shoo-in for the Hockey Hall of Fame. The legendary power forward hoped that his illustrious career helped to inspire other kids to play the game he came to love. [SI/The Hockey News]