Penguins All-Star Break Update.

At the break, the Pens are 21-17-8, good for 50 points and a second place tie with the Rangers in the Atlantic Division. They are 13 points behind the surging Devils and 2 points ahead of the fading Islanders. The Pens next lace 'em up Friday night against the Stars in Dallas.

From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Pens welcome time off before playoff push
Most of the Penguins will remain in Pittsburgh for the four-day break that started Sunday.

For first time in 6 years, Pens contending at break

Penguins send Noah Welch to minors

Crosby enters first All-Star game as NHL's biggest star

Penguins farm report


Kansas City Star: Proposal irks the Penguins
Team stunned that it would be asked to share development rights and parking revenues.

The Pittsburgh Penguins may have 10 million reasons to leave Pittsburgh.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Penguins previously agreed to pay $10 million to the Isle of Capri if the casino failed to win a slots license but the team still got a new arena in Pittsburgh.

Isle of Capri had said it would build the Penguins a new arena if its slot-machine application was approved by the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission Board. It was rejected.

The Penguins’ lease at Mellon Arena, the oldest venue in the NHL, expires at the end of June, leaving the franchise free to move. Kansas City is offering a rent-free Sprint Center and a share of the arena’s revenues.

Pittsburgh is trying to keep the team. On Thursday, the Penguins met with Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and a group of state and local officials, but the meeting soured.

The Post-Gazette reported that the team was shocked that officials proposed that the Penguins share development rights and parking revenues with casino magnate Don Barden, a surprise visitor to the negotiations.

The Post-Gazette said the team saw the proposal as worse than it would get under an extension available next year at Mellon Arena, which would allow rent-free use of the building and give the team control over all building revenues.

But Rendell thought the plan he put forward would limit the Penguins’ contribution to the financing of an arena.

“I believe the offer we put before the Penguins is the best of any offer that’s been made to any NHL team for a new (arena) in recent times and it’s also by far the best of any offer made to any Pennsylvania professional sports team for a new stadium,” Rendell told the Post-Gazette.