Pittsburg, PA
Penguins Already Shifting Focus Past Season
It might be a tough pill to swallow for many, but it might be the right time for the Pittsburgh Penguins to tear things down as look to the future. The Penguins are 6-9-3 with no real signs of improving and have a number of key faces that could fetch large returns on the trade market.
The Penguins already opened the floodgate of trades by sending Lars Eller back to the Washington Capitals for a couple of draft picks. If more trades are on the horizon, what kind of solutions are president and general manager Kyle Dubas looking for?
When Dubas arrived in Pittsburgh, his focus was to find success right away in the final years of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin while restocking the shelves for the future. According to Daren Dregger on TSN’s Insider Trading, the focus may have completely turned to looking ahead.
“He knows what he’s dealing with,” Dreger said. “He’s got the Hall of Famers there. But he also recognizes that given his contract status, the length of his contract, this is going to be a complex project of work. He wants young NHL players are draft picks to build for a better future.”
The first sign of Dubas turning to the future was put on display when he didn’t get another player in return for Eller. Rather he scooped a couple of draft picks for 2025 and 2027 while promoting a young forward to fill the roster space.
Sam Poulin was that young player, who is arguably on his last chance with the Penguins. Poulin is 23 years old with just seven games of NHL experience under his belt over the last three seasons.
Behind Poulin is a slew of youngsters that have budding NHL talent or are among the organization’s top prospects. The Penguins aren’t completely throwing in the towel on the season, but they’re going to give their youth a chance.
If they help out and the Penguins turn things around, that’s great. If things keep going south, there won’t be too many disappointed by the results. Dubas and the Penguins are looking to the future, and they’ll likely be a team to watch as the trade deadline approaches.
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Pittsburgh-area natives Joe Manganiello and Caitlin O’Connor are returning to their roots.
Manganiello, from Mt. Lebanon, and O’Connor, from Uniontown, have bought a home in the South Hills after getting engaged this summer.
On Pittsburgh Today Live on Thursday, O’Connor talked about the couple’s move from Hollywood to Mt. Lebanon.
“It’s so nice to be home,” she said.
While Manganiello and O’Connor are happy to be back in southwestern Pennsylvania, O’Connor said it’ll be a bigger adjustment for the beloved chihuahua Bubbles. From the Pittsburgh Steelers fashion show to the gala celebrating the new airport terminal, the tiny dog is seemingly always in Manganiello’s arms.
“Bubbles is a California girl. She really doesn’t like the cold. We wrap her in a blanket and she has many, many puffy coats. I bought her a Steelers puffy to put in her stocking, so we’re going to see how she does over the next few months. But it’s not that long. It’s not forever. Winter will come and go,” O’Connor said.
And they all got quite the Pittsburgh welcome. O’Connor said it snowed when they were moving in, and Manganiello was outside shoveling for over two hours. She said she’s getting him a snowblower for Christmas.
The couple won’t be braving the Pittsburgh winter for too long. O’Connor said they’ll soon be off to South Africa, where Manganiello will film “One Piece” for Netflix. He’ll star as the villain Crocodile in the popular Japanese manga series.
“Bubbles will be in a better state,” O’Connor joked, saying it’s currently summer in South Africa. “I just bring Bubbles to set and hang out. It’s really the best job.”
Police in Westmoreland County are investigating a late-night shooting that happened at an apartment complex in Irwin Borough.
Irwin Police Chief Daniel Wensel confirmed to KDKA-TV that the department, along with Westmoreland County detectives are investigating a shooting that happened at the Bevington Building along Sweetbriar Drive within the Villages of Easton Apartment Complex.
Dispatchers said the first call related to the incident came in around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Details are limited but Chief Wensel said there is no danger to the public.
It’s unclear if any injuries have been reported or if any arrests have been made.
Chief Wensel said that more information is expected to be released once detectives and the department get further along in the investigation.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are re-signing veteran running back Trey Sermon, the team announced today. Sermon has had multiple on-and-off stints with the Steelers since signing with the team rookie mini-camp. He’s appeared in three games for the Steelers in 2025.
Sermon was drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. In 46 career games, Sermon has 505 yards on 134 carries and three touchdowns with the 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts, and Steelers.
The Steelers have the chance to put the Baltimore Ravens on the ropes this Sunday. If they defeat the Detroit Lions, the Ravens would have to defeat one of the New England Patriots or Green Bay Packers for the Week 18 matchup between the Steelers and Ravens to have any stakes. The Steelers can also clinch the division before Week 18 if they win their next two games and the Ravens go 1-1 or 0-2.
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