Stone wants out

Penguins prospect Ryan Stone told Jonathan Bombulie of the Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice he wants to leave the Penguins organization after not making the NHL club out of training camp.

The possibility of that happening isn't all that far-fetched considering he can be claimed off waivers beginning tomorrow.

We can hardly blame Stone for feeling this way. If there was ever a time he was bound to make the Penguins' NHL roster, this was it. He played well in the AHL playoffs last season. And as an abrasive, physical player, the Penguins seemed to have a need for a player of his style after the losses of Ryan Malone, Jarkko Ruutu and others. He showed his willingness to drop the gloves with Lightning scrub Zenon Konopka in the first preseason game.

But the Penguins opted to send him down in favor of Paul Bissonnette and Connor James who we wouldn't exactly pencil in as NHL regulars.

Do the Penguins have that much depth they can do without Stone, or is he simply not that good?

We'll find out Saturday if someone claims him off waivers.

(As you might be able to tell from previous posts, this is the only decent photo of Stone we can find.)

(Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

EMPTY NETTER ASSISTS
Penguins

-Chances are, you would've been better off taking Hal Gill in your fantasy football league draft than Marc Bulger.

-The second Kris Beech era in Pittsburgh could be coming to an end soon.

-Penguins prospect Mark Letestu doesn't mind to admit he's a cheater.

-The NHL's marketing department isn't all that creative.

Atlantic Division

-Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is dealing with some knee issues.

-Islanders defenseman Bruno Gervais needs to bring some offense.

-The end is near for the Philadelphia Spectrum.

-The Flyers are copying the Penguins and will take up basic training at West Point, N.Y. No word yet if there's a policy at Army over puppy drowning.

(Note: The Flyers have actually done this three times prior and have been doing it before the Penguins. Kudos to EN friend Matt Pesyna for spotting the error.)

Northeast Division

-Canadiens forward Alex Tanguay is the latest Montreal player dealing with a groin injury.

-Montreal coach Guy Carbonneau is blaming new skates for all the injuries on his team.

-The Habs will have the biggest scoreboard in the league this season.

-The 2007-08 season wasn't exactly a lot of fun for Maple Leafs forward Jason Blake.

-Do the Maple Leafs' owners even want to win the Stanley Cup?

-Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara could beat you up and score better on the SAT's than you.

Southeast Division

-Alex Ovechkin seems ready to go. He had two goals and an assist for the Capitals in a 5-2 defeat of the Hurricanes last night.

-Lightning forward Vincent Lecavalier is ready to test his surgically-repaired shoulder.

-Tampa Bay forward Vaclav Prospal won't have to worry about asking his neighbor to let out the cat next weekend.

-The Lightning sent forwards Brandon Bochenski, Zenon Konopka and defenseman Matt Smaby to Norfolk of the AHL.

Central Division

-Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom is dealing with a broken nose.

-Red Wings goaltender and former Penguin Ty Conklin was inducted into the University of New Hampshire's hall of fame.

-Does Blackhawks coach Denis Savard deserve a contract extension?

-With defenseman Erik Johnson down with a knee injury, does that open the door for first-round pick Alex Pietrangelo to make the Blues' roster out of training camp?

-Blue Jackets forward Rick Nash sounds excited to be teamed up with new forward Kristian Huselius.

Northwest Division

-Former Penguins goon Andre Roy had a goal for the Flames in a 3-1 defeat of the Coyotes.

-It's time for Colorado's Peter Budaj to become a No. 1 goaltender.

-Canucks defenseman Mattias Ohlund has spent a quiet 11 years in Vancouver.

-The Canucks are going to stick new forward Steve Bernier on the team's first line with Daniel and Henrik Sedin.

-Flames general manager Darryl Sutter cares not for criticism of his goaltender, Miikka Kiprusoff.

-Could a Winter Classic in 2011 take place in Minnesota?

Pacific Division

-New Stars forward Fabian Brunnstrom is working out well so far in Dallas.

-Ducks goon George Parros, a native of Washington, Pa., is anxious to get into the lineup.

-The Kings returned 2008 first-round pick Colin Teubert to his junior team.

-The future is now for Kings defenseman Jack Johnson.

-Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky has no hard feelings towards former coach and former Penguins forward Rick Tocchet who took a job in Tampa Bay in the offseason.

Adams Division

-Is the preseason too long?