Final Cut Deadline - Friday @ 3:00 PM (est)

[UPDATE] As mentioned in another post, Max Talbot will not play in tonight's gamed against Jokerit because of a bruised leg; other scratches for tonight's game are Bill Thomas, Paul Bissonnette, and John Curry (foreshadowing of what's to come Friday and after the two-game season openers?)

I really don't believe that the Penguins will likely use the very last minutes of the deadline on Friday at 3 o'clock to decide the final player to cut from the roster before they submit them for this weekend's pre-season opener in Stockholm.

However, the Wednesday practice and Thursday game against Jokerit remain important for those players whose futures are still uncertain. Due to the "lack" of defensemen because of Whitney and Gonchar being out for extended periods, I believe Goligoski's place on the roster has already been secured. And since they don't normally keep 3 goalies on the roster (last year was a special situation), I'm thinking Curry will be the one sent down to WB / S on Friday and Pesonen and Bissonnette will still be on the NHL roster. It will be another story after they return from their 10-day trip as they will need to make a final adjustment in order to bring the team total to the official 23 players (and that's probably when Bissonnette will be re-assigned to WB / S)!!

So I'll make a "bold" prediction right now and say that Pesonen has made the NHL roster for the Penguins (Kena's "bold" prediction remains that Pesonen will end up playing on Sid's line -- although I can't honestly say it's an impossibility!)!!