Penguins Decide to Alternate the "A" Between Orpik and Staal

It was announced to the team after the final practice today before the first home game of the 2010-2011 season at the CONSOL Energy Center that both Brooks Orpik and Jordan Staal will take turns "wearing the "A" on their jersey between home and road games." And since Staal is out of the lineup for the next few weeks, Orpik will be donning the "A" on a more permanent basis until Staal returns to the lineup.

“Brooks is a guy who has been a leader in our room and has worn an ‘A’ for us at different times in the past,” Bylsma said. “With the way he plays and the voice he has in the room, he has been that type of leader for us in the past.

“Jordan is a guy who is emerging in that role. He is still very young. He has played a lot of games and playoff games. He is just starting to get to the point in his career where he demands a lot of respect with the way that he plays. Now he is starting to have a voice. He is a leader in the way that he plays and the way that he acts on and off the ice. That really went a long way towards him joining the other guys as one of the alternate captains.”