The first signing was former Philadelphia Flyer and Atlantic Division junkie Arron Asham who signed for one year and $700,000. The second signing that occurred late this morning was former Edmonton Oiler Mike Comrie.

That's right, Pens fans, Lizzie McGuire is coming to the city of Pittsburgh.

Comrie signed a one-year deal with the Pens worth $500,000 .

This is a massive pay cut from his most recent contract with Edmonton, a one-year contract worth $1.125 million.

Was Comrie desperate to get a team when he realized a signing might not happen? Or maybe does he have a feeling the Pens could have a good season?

Who knows, maybe both.

Anyone who is scratching their head about the signing, take a look at the price tag and length of the contact that should silence any concerns...for the moment, that is.

The Pens have been looking for some cheap depth to their wings, a position that many analysts accused the Pens of being far too weak. Despite Comrie being a center, his position there may not be guaranteed.

The signing does bring up the idea of whether GM Ray Shero and the Pens coaching staff want to promote players from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The way the team was hyping players like Eric Tangradi, Nick Johnson, and Mark Letestu seemed as if a permanent call-up was in order.

On top of that, the Pens were feeling the pressure from the cap so why not bring up someone who has been playing the system?

Rumors have been floating around about where Comrie will fit in the line up. So far, Puck Daddy has noted that Comrie's agent Ritch Winters will be playing on Sidney Crosby's line. There's a good chance he will play on the left side, possibly moving Chris Kunitz to the right side which would bump Pascal Dupuis to another line.

Here's where I have a problem.

Comrie's numbers aren't anything special. After about a 10-year career, Comrie has played only one full 82-game season and one season of 80 games. Both seasons included career high numbers of 60 points.

The last time he hit that number was Crosby's rookie year in 2005-2006.

I won't knock on Comrie's game. He may be on the small side, 5'10" and 185 lbs, but the guy is as tough as nails.

With that said, is he first line material?

I don't think so.

I really liked what I saw when Crosby was flanked by Dupuis and Kunitz and I don't see why either would get the boot, especially Dupuis who blossomed at the tail end of the season.

So while the signing itself can only benefit the Pens because Comrie is receiving NHL minimum and a one-shot trial, you have to wonder about the fate of other players on the team.

On August 27, Shero was quoted in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review talking about wanting a more competitive atmosphere on the ice.

"Is Tyler Kennedy good enough to play higher in the lineup? Tyler has to prove it to us in camp. Same with Max (Talbot). His game last year - is that it? Where are we with Max? I like competition with the role guys we have. I'm looking at a number of players to get off to good starts."

Perhaps this signing is more to light a fire under some players who have been struggling, like Talbot and Kennedy? Talbot more than Kennedy should be concerned about this signing as he and Comrie play similar styles.

The fact that Talbot scored the Cup clinching game-winner in 2009 is only going to carry him so far at this point. Other than Malkin, he's the one who needs to come out fighting the most this season.

Training camp just got even more interesting.

May the best hockey player win a spot on opening night.

Read more Pittsburgh Penguins news on BleacherReport.com

My take: I think the NHL will make the decision today regardless of what it is. If the NHL does not act fast, they could lose him to the KHL. No matter what way you look at it, Kovalchuk doesn't have a job right now.

Bill Guerin is in talks with several teams. It is believed the LA Kings are among them.

My take: Bill Guerin would be a great fit in LA, as he would provide grit and offense as well as a ton of leadership and experience.

Dmitry Chesnokov of Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Slava Kozlov is expected to sign in the KHL.

My take: I have always liked Kozlov, but everyone knew he wanted a good chunk of money and would not get that in the NHL.

Jack Edwards of NESN.com is reporting the Bruins are not shopping Marc Savard.

My take: In my honest opinion, I don't think there would really be any interest in Savard if he were available, as his age, salary, and history of injuries would scare teams off.

Former Oiler Patrick O'Sullivan is generating some interest, but he would likely have to take $750,000 or less to fetch himself a contract. Various media outlets are reporting that the Penguins could be a fit.

My take: I think the Penguins would be a good fit as long as he signs at a low price. He has all the talent in the world but can never seem to get it together. Playing with Malkin or Crosby would definitely help.

If you have any questions or comments about anything (news, rumors, etc...), feel free to email me at NHLToddCordell@Gmail.com anytime, thanks.

This article can also be found at MTRMedia.com and Sportshaze.com

Follow me on twitter for the latest news and rumors @ToddNHL

Read more Pittsburgh Penguins news on BleacherReport.com

There is no doubt that the big players such as Crosby, Staal, and Malkin were beating themselves up for the team’s mistakes in the weeks after the elimination but by dwelling on it at the start of this season, they are destined to repeat the same mistakes again.

The Pens have six preseason games including two against last year’s Stanley Cup Champions but there is no doubt the Flyers will be their main target during the next few months.  Not only will a win build the team confidence back up but it will also set the tone for the season. 

There’s only 37 days until the Penguins hit the ice and try to make it back to the Cup finals.  That’s only 37 more days for Penguins fans and players to cringe at the thought of last year’s playoffs.  The question now becomes: can we survive the wait?

Read more Pittsburgh Penguins news on BleacherReport.com

Is it Crosby? Ovechkin? Someone else???

And which team has more talent? Do the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks have the most elite talent? What about the Capitals? Red Wings? Penguins? Devils?

With all of these fun questions in mind, I embarked on the daunting task of ranking the top 100 (one hundred) players in the NHL heading into the coming season.

There were a number of factors that played into how I ranked players for the list. Obviously, points scored (and in how many games) is a factor, as is a player's plus-minus. From there, I looked at the larger impact on the game that a player had: performance on special teams, game-winning goals, and whether or not the player's a winner.

I also used a unique statistic developed by Tom Awad at Puck Prospectus known as the “Goals Versus Threshold” (GVT) stat. Awad developed a formula to factor every aspect of on-ice performance into one stat including offense, defense, goaltending and shootout performance.

For these rankings I only evaluated skaters. To me (and, hopefully, all rational hockey fans), comparing the relative value of a goalie to skaters is nearly impossible to do. Awad's GVT does this, but for the purposes of this slideshow I only considered forwards and defensemen.

I have no doubt that there will be fans angered that I left someone off the list, or that someone is ranked lower than they should be. But that's the point of this slideshow: let's talk about these players and argue about who's better. This list is simply my Top 100, and I have no doubt that there will be disagreements with how I value players.

I look forward to the discussion generated from this piece.

With that as a brief introduction, I give you The Top 100 Players in the NHL Today!

Begin Slideshow

I read this news on Twitter and watched my feed explode with disappointment from the other Penguins fans that I follow. Most people wondered why he couldn’t be brought back for one more year, expressing their dismay at Ray Shero. And trust me, if you’re a Penguins fan, you hardly ever disagree with Shero.

But I rest my case.

I read everyone’s reactions to the news, and I did understand where they were coming from, but I just could not feel all that disappointed about this.

It’s not that I think Guerin is a bad guy or a poor player. It’s just that, as I tried to sleep at 1:30 a.m. on Friday night, I formed an opinion about why Shero did this (yes, I dream up article topics when I’m trying to sleep).

It wasn’t because he thinks Guerin is a bad guy or a terrible player. After all, he did help the team to a Stanley Cup in 2009, and without him, the trophy win may have been impossible. I’m sure Shero thinks highly of Billy G and everything he brought to the team.

Rather, I think that Shero’s choice to not bring Guerin back signals that this is the start of a youth movement for the Pittsburgh Penguins. It is time for the younger guys to really show us what they have.

A quick look at the current roster tells us that the oldest players who will return for 2010-2011 are Brent Johnson and Craig Adams, both of whom are aged 33.

Guerin, who will turn 40 in November, is officially an unrestricted free agent who is looking for a new home before training camps open in a few weeks. Defenseman Sergei Gonchar, who turned 36 in April, will be spending the next three years (and maybe the last three years) of his career with the Ottawa Senators.

One of the reasons that Pens fans felt Guerin should have been brought back to Pittsburgh was for his leadership experience and veteran tenure in the NHL. His career has spanned 18 years, and he won a Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 1995 long before he came to the Penguins.

However, I think that argument is officially null and void.

Sidney Crosby was appointed the captain of the Penguins at age 19, still holds the position at age 23, and will probably be the captain until he retires or leaves Pittsburgh via free agency. He has done a great job at becoming the new face of the Penguins after Mario Lemeiux’s retirement.  He is as composed and patient as can be, yet he has a burning desire to lead the Penguins to victory in each and every game.

Let’s look at some of the players who were alternate captains at some point or another this year. Evgeni Malkin is 24 years old and has a Stanley Cup in addition to a Conn Smythe, a Calder Memorial Trophy, and a Hart Memorial Trophy. His three individual awards show how important he is to the Penguins.

Brooks Orpik is 29 years old. He has an Olympic silver medal and is not afraid to speak his mind to the media when the team is struggling. He may not be as decorated as Crosby or Malkin, but he also brings it every game with his physical play.

Jordan Staal is 21 years old and will turn 22 just before training camp opens. He has already served two stints as an alternate captain and has played in every regular season game for the last three years. He even came back into the playoffs against Montreal this year after he was cut in the foot by P.K. Subban’s skate. That just shows how dedicated he is to the hockey player’s mentality of playing through the pain.

As you can see, the Penguins have several younger players stepping up as team leaders. I am not trying to argue that Guerin was a good or a bad leader. It just shows that these players are now experienced enough as professionals to be good examples for their teammates and guide the team through adversity.

There is also the issue of younger players in the minors who may be ready to contribute to the Penguins this season.

Chris Conner is 26 years old and has previously played with the Dallas Stars. However, he shined brightly in a call-up to Pittsburgh this year and scored two goals to help the Penguins to a victory over the New York Rangers. He also had 56 points in 59 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL.

Mark Letestu is 25 years old and made his NHL debut this past season. He has been improving his AHL point totals every year, going from 18 points in 2007-2008 to 65 points in 2009-2010. He scored his first NHL goal this year, and although that was his only point in 10 games with Pittsburgh, he is one of the most underrated prospects in the system and deserves another look.

Eric Tangradi is the Penguins’ top prospect headed in to the new season. He is 21 years old and had 39 points in 65 games with Wilkes-Barre last year. He did not have any points in a one-game call-up to Pittsburgh, but many talk about his size and speedy skating to point out why he needed to be in the NHL yesterday.

Many Pens fans want to give the younger guys a chance rather than see Guerin return, and I couldn't agree more. I watch the Baby Penguins every year and many of these guys have earned a chance to crack the Pittsburgh lineup permanently. Why would you keep them languishing when they should be in the NHL? It's not worth it to let Guerin take a roster spot from one of those guys.

Shero brought in seven new free agents this offseason. Their average age is 28 years old, with Arron Asham being the oldest at 32 years old and Brett Sterling and Corey Potter being the youngest at 26. To me, this says Shero is going in the direction of experienced, but not almost over the hill.

Shero is one of the best general managers in the league when it comes to working with the salary cap. He does not want to overpay for a player who is already starting to slow down. While no one knows what kind of salary demands Guerin had, it is probably a safer bet to lock up Zbynek Michalek (27 years old) for five years at $4 million rather than sign Guerin for another $2 million and see his production decline.

To close out, I know some of you will comment and say that Guerin still puts up points and that he will always be remembered as a valuable member of the Penguins. And if you want to say that, I am fine with it.

However, when it comes to hockey, age is more than just a number. It affects a player’s production level, can make them more injury prone, and can be a detriment to the salary cap. That is likely what led Shero to telling Guerin it was time for him and the Penguins to go their separate ways.

It is time for the youth to take over in Pittsburgh.

Read more Pittsburgh Penguins news on BleacherReport.com

Is Paul Kariya a Duck again? Well Ryan has to re-sign first...

Ilya Kovalchuk

Various sources are reporting that Ilya Kovalchuk has given the NHL a deadline of 24-48 hours to approve the Devils' current offer that he's agreed to. If they do not approve of the contract, Kovalchuk might just head to the KHL. That's no bluff either. His agent has already contacted SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL. 

Paul Kariya

He could be a Duck (again) soon.

Anaheim equipment people have contacted Blues regarding Kariya. Appears he's headed there but he still won't even admit he's going to play!

via @AndyStrickland

However, Andy Strickland is reporting that the Ducks would like to sign Bobby Ryan first before getting involved with Kariya. 

Bobby Ryan

Sportsnet.ca reports that veteran forward, Doug Weight, has signed a one year contract worth $850K with the New York Islanders.

Marek Svatos

Sources are saying that winger Marek Svatos might sign in Pittsburgh. Svatos' agent has come out saying that he wants to play in Pittsburgh. He has the will to play there, but will Shero sign him? 

In my opinion, he would be an upgrade for the Pens' wingers. I'd rather have him play on Crosby or Malkin's wing than Dupuis or Talbot. Yes he has declined over the past few years, but he still has that scoring touch.

Stay tuned for more updates coming soon!

• News on Svatos
• Some RFA news (Ryan, Staal, etc.)
• Update on Stempniak
• Kariya a Duck?

Follow me on Twitter (@BR_JohnTabone)!

For questions concerning my articles, please inbox me or write on my B/R profile's bulletin board.

Read more Pittsburgh Penguins news on BleacherReport.com

Staal was diagnosed with a lacerated tendon after Montreal Canadiens call-up P.K. Subban landed the blade of his skate into Staal's foot.

Staal did not return for the rest of the game after registering eight minutes of ice time, but returned to action in Game Five and for the remainder of the series.

Staal's heroic return, as it was considered at the time, drew concern that playing on such a distressed foot would not do him any good in the long run.

As always, the good of the team came first and Staal, the ironman of the Pens, seemed more than happy to put up with the pain in order to help carry the Pens into the Eastern Conference Finals.

Unfortunately, the glorious comeback was all for naught, especially now that Staal is experiencing setbacks that may push his return until later in the season.

So what does this mean for the Pens?

It goes without saying that losing Staal will hurt the team, but fortunately for all, no Staal for the first half of the season will not hurt the team in the long run.

A hasty return from Staal sure would, however.

It's no secret that Staal was rumored to have been upgraded from third line center to second line center; an attempt to reward Staal for his spectacular recent play, help Evgeni Malkin return to his MVP stride, and fill in the holes that remained in the wing position.

With Staal out of the lineup, things are obviously going to change.

For one, Malkin will most likely start the season at second line center where he ended the season.

I now see Max Talbot taking the spot of the third line center. Not only does he have a good defensive side to his game, but he is also seeking redemption after a poor season plagued by injury.

With the recent acquisition of ex-Philadelphia Flyer Arron Asham and the loss of Bill Guerin, the remaining line arrangements outside of the first line become a little tricky.

Asham is typically a third or fourth line winger.

Does he get placed in the third line sending either Matt Cooke or Tyler Kennedy to the second line? Or does he get placed on the fourth line, which would probably send enforcer Eric Godard to the press box until he is needed?

With Staal most likely not starting the season and Guerin gone, this is a good opportunity for a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguin to impress the fans and the coaches.

Without a doubt someone from the AHL affiliate will make the roster on opening night. Top choices will include Chris Conner, Eric Tangradi, and Mark Letestu, Tangradi with the obvious edge over the rest.

With my current knowledge of the team, here's my best guess of the offensive starting lineup against the Flyers:

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis

Tangradi-Malkin-Kennedy

Cooke-Talbot-Asham

Rupp-Adams-Godard

Looking at these names, this is easily one of the grittiest teams in the NHL. Seven of the 12 players are tough hitters.

It's even questionable if Godard will be needed because of the amount of fist power that is already on the lineup. A skill player may be of better use.

So even without Staal in the lineup for the beginning of the season, it seems that the Pens will be in pretty decent shape. This means it would be in Staal's best interest to take his time rehabbing his foot.

We can only imagine what will happen when he is healthy and returns.

Read more Pittsburgh Penguins news on BleacherReport.com

After making $2 million last year, Guerin posted nine points in 11 playoff games, following a 45 point regular season which included 21 goals.

With the veteran hitting the market, there could be a couple of teams with interest despite a relatively slow August in free agency (until the last three days).

Los Angeles Kings

Guerin plays right wing, which isn't much of a need for the Kings right now. However, his price tag and experience might make him a solid checking line option on a young team.

Atlanta Thrashers

The Thrashers have added a number of players this summer, mostly from Chicago, but could use another 20-goal scorer and veteran.

Colorado Avalanche

They're one of the youngest teams in the league and have plenty of cap space. Adding a productive veteran with a lot of postseason experience follows the model Chicago used to win the Cup, and he could be a nice fit in Denver.

New York Islanders

Basically, they need to get to the salary floor, and Guerin would add salary, experience, and quality to their roster.

Read more Pittsburgh Penguins news on BleacherReport.com

Read more Pittsburgh Penguins news on BleacherReport.com

Read more Pittsburgh Penguins news on BleacherReport.com