mbpensfan: What do you think of the line changes for tonight? It's about time Satan is bumped down to the 4th line! I thought for sure Crosby and Malkin would be reunited tonight.

Shelly Anderson: Well, perhaps you should wait five minutes and Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will be out with Pascal Dupuis. Coach Michel Therrien has gone to that combination several times in recent games. The Penguins, for the most part, have been trying to force a Miroslav Satan-Crosby connection, but they just don't seem to click five-on-five. Whether that's because Satan is a different sort of right winger than Marian Hossa, who played a strong two-way game or what, who knows? There is some merit to putting Tyler Kennedy on Crosby's line. Kennedy, though not big, will crash the net, work all over the ice and has an offensive touch. The down side is, he might still be limited by his knee injury, and it takes him away from the third line where he, Jordan Staal and Matt Cooke worked so well before Kennedy got hurt.

SDWC: I really wish the Pens would get Malkin off the point on the PP and have him work from the right faceoff circle like he did last season when Crosby was out. Also, what do you think about potentially splitting Geno & Sid onto two separate PP units?

Shelly Anderson: The Penguins put Evgeni Malkin at a forward spot a little a couple games ago, then went to that pretty much exclusively the last game, with Ryan Whitney and Kris Letang working the points on the top unit. Personnel permitting, it's probably always better to have a defenseman rather than a forward at the point. The idea of separating Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin has been tossed around before. The problem is, both usually stay out for more than the first minute, so someone's power-play ice time would have to decrease.

remain: You mentioned in the last chat that there is no question about how Cosby handles himself. I think the past two games against the SE have shown there are serious questions...Had he been any other player after the Thrasher's brawl he would have had a suspension. Now this cheap shot fight against the panthers, it doesn't look like Crosby can lift a bad team, he can only help an already good team, or am I mistaken?

Shelly Anderson: Sidney Crosby did show frustration with some gloved punches in the Atlanta game. I did not ask him what precipitated that. As for his fight in the Florida game, Crosby said he and Brett McLean had words earlier in the game and specifically asked Brett McLean going into that faceoff if he wanted to fight. He said McLean agreed, then essentially turtled, leaving Crosby to rack up 19 minutes in penalties. I have never known Crosby to be a liar, and if you look at the replays, you can see him talking to McLean just before that faceoff and then nodding what looked like a confirmation. As long as Crosby's story is true, there really isn't any problem with him showing some fire and getting into a fight once a season or so.

Bones: If the current trend continues do you see Pesonen getting a legit shot as a 1st or 2nd line winger?

Shelly Anderson: Janne Pesonen, the Finnish Elite League star signed over the summer, has gotten a couple limited chances with the Penguins. He seems to be playing well overall this season in Wilkes-Barre. It's possible there are questions about his adjustment to the much more physical style and the smaller rinks in North America, but it's a little puzzling that he hasn't gotten a longer look with the Penguins.

praveen: Happy New Year Shelly. How many years are we to wait for Fleury to mature? His best season was last year and even that was injury riddled? The guy has a rich contract. Time for him to be an elite goalie. Also, Staal seems to be slipping defensively.

Shelly Anderson: Well, it's happy for some, maybe not the Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury as the long-term answer is probably the least of the Penguins' worries. It's true he hasn't been sharp since he came back from a groin injury -- although he did shut out the Devils in New Jersey -- but it's not as if he suddenly lost his talent. He seems to have gotten caught up in the team's slump. He will have to work his way out of it like the rest of the club. Jordan Staal's offense certainly is absent more than his defense. If you believe in plus-minus, he has been no worse than a minus-1 the past several games. That's not bad considering the results.

ajt123: Shero says no trades, and while i have agreed with everything he has done to date, with this I dont agree..... you cant fire Therrien (just signed a contract this summer), and if we wait for what we have to improve, I have a feeling we will all be disappointed ... We need a shakeup, and a trade or 2 would seem like a legit way to do it. Package Stall and a D-man for a winger and a prospect. That would be a good start..

Shelly Anderson: Actually, Ray Shero didn't say no trades. He said he would not make a trade based on the team's slump. Also, making a trade right now would probably not yield as great a return as possible because the Penguins would seem to be the team most in need. Making a trade such as you suggest -- trading Jordan Staal and a defenseman -- has been talked about since before the recent slump, but it's a real risk and something Shero no doubt would be hesitant to do. For one thing, it could mortgage the future to give up on a 20-year-old with Staal's size, potential and pedigree. For another, what if making a trade as a way to shake up the team actually shakes things the wrong way rather than motivating the players?

Pens4Life: Is there any chance the Pens are interested or could obtain Brendan Shanahan? He would add some much needed toughness around the net and could pick up those "garbage" goals the Pens have not gotten since Malone's departure. I'm sure he would be a fan favorite in no time!

Shelly Anderson: It seems unlikely. There's probably a reason Brendan Shanahan hasn't signed with anyone as the midpoint of the season approaches. But I hear John LeClair is still available.

ajt123: Play GM for a moment, what do we do?

Shelly Anderson: First, I need a raise. Anyway, it seems Ray Shero has a decent approach. He's watching, evaluating, listening in the same way he would if the team had won four or five in a row. A good general manager always has to keep the big picture in mind rather than be reactionary. Not that the fans are wrong for being a little anxious. But he has to be something other than a fan.

SDWC: Did the Pens paint themselves into a corner by spending too much cap money on too few players?

Shelly Anderson: Well, you have to look at who those players are. When their names are Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marc-Andre Fleury, and they took what might be considered less than market value, maybe not. They also have decent money tied up in Brooks Orpik, Ryan Whitney, Sergei Gonchar, etc. It seems as if the theory was to spend on a sizable nucleus of good players, then fill in with free agents who have short-term contracts and young players with small salaries. In some ways, every team is painted into a corner, which is the nature of a salary cap, or else that team lacks the talent to need to spend up to the cap. Which would you rather have?

Shelly Anderson: Until next week, thanks, folks.