Special delivery

The Penguins had a few players and one of their coaches deliver season tickets personally to 35 fans again yesterday. Sidney Crosby, Pascal Dupuis, Marc-Andre Fleury, Sergei Gonchar, Tyler Kennedy, Brooks Orpik, Jordan Staal, Jeff Taffe, Maxime Talbot and Michel Therrien all had a hand in delivering the tickets.

This is essentially a publicity stunt but who cares? The Penguins are arguably the hottest team in Pittsburgh and they still see value in touching base with their fans. They still remember the dark days when the team was coming out of bankruptcy and 10,000 folks were showing up to see Dick Tarnstrom get secondary assists on goals by Rico Fata and Milan Kraft. That's why they set up that big screen outside Mellon Arena during last season's playoffs at no charge for fans. That's why they still have Student Rush available albeit in a scaled back form for younger cash-strapped fans.

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mp4CH22wrI]

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdDFg_0kR3c] 

This is how you build and maintain a fan base. Those two kids in the second video will be giving out loans for a mortgage company when they're in their 30s and will still be telling the story of when Sidney Crosby came to their house.

The Steelers don't need to do this nor do they seem really willing to do this. They have a waiting list for season ticket holders which is ten miles long and full of folks ready to drink themselves into oblivion in the parking lot. Even if they go 0-16, selling every seat at Heinz Field is like turning on the water for them

The Pirates will let give you as many nachos as you can eat while you watch Jack Wilson hit .276 as the Pirates lose 90 games a season and continue their rebuilding process which is nearing its second decade.

The Penguins have a highly successful team full of exciting stars and they still try to sell themselves to their fans. They are arguably as hot as they've ever been and they still make the effort.

The Penguins get it. It would be nice if the other two teams in Pittsburgh did as well.

Note: The Sharks get it.

(Photo: Keith Srakocic/Associated Press)

EMPTY NETTER ASSISTS

Penguins

-Do the Penguins need to keep Alex Goligoski on their NHL roster?

-Faceoff Factor says the Penguins need to keep Maxime Talbot.

Atlantic Division

-Should Mike Richards be the next captain of the Flyers?

-The Islanders will begin selling single game tickets Sept. 13. The Penguins play on Long Island Nov. 8 and 26 and Feb. 16.

Northeast Division

-The Bruins unveiled their new third jersey.



For any other team, that would be pretty sweet, but the Bruins need to have the Hub on their chest at all times.

Southeast Division

-The Hurricanes unveiled their third jersey.



(Photo: Carolina Hurricanes)

Not bad. But the team should've never dumped their greens. Or left Hartford.

-Panthers forward Richard Zednik returned to the ice.

Central Division

-The Red Wings want to sign forward Henrik Zetterberg to a long-term deal.

Northwest Division

-Is Oilers forward Shawn Horcoff underrated?

Pacific Division

-The Kings hung out with Drew Carey at The Price is Right.

-The friends of Ducks owner Henry Samueli seem to be more interesting than our friends.

-Seven years ago today, the Los Angeles Kings lost scouts Garnet "Ace" Bailey and Mark Bavis.