Where we stand (May 11)

You’ve provided lots of support. Now, please offer some input

(Second in an occasional series)

Hello, everyone. I hope you and yours are well.

Before we get started, I want to again express my gratitude to those of you who have subscribed to this account, especially the folks who have offered financial support. There’d be no point to writing if there wasn’t someone reading, and the people who have paid for a subscription help to keep me in the good graces of my grocery store, utility companies, credit-card issuer, etc.

Of Pucks and Penguins debuted shortly before the start of the 2025-26 regular season, so this is the first offseason I’ve experienced since striking out on my own.

It should be no surprise, then, that this account remains very much a work-in-progress. There aren’t many rules, and if I come across one I don’t like, I’m empowered to break it. (That’s one of the benefits of being the head of the Editorial, Payroll and Human Resources departments, among others.)

I’ve tried to generate content that is at least a bit different from what might be found elsewhere. That’s been a challenge at times, because I feel compelled to express an opinion on some development, and doing that isn’t always easy after about four decades of being mostly a straight-news reporter.

Anyway, this is where you folks come in. I would sincerely appreciate if you would let me know what you liked – or, more importantly, didn’t like – about how I handled the just-concluded season, as well as what you would like to see in this space during the time between now and training camp.

Some of what I provide will be obvious, like assessments of major trades and free-agent signings, but I’d also like to hear your ideas of other stories/features I could offer. I tried to drum up interest in Q&As last fall, but that drew a generally tepid response. Suffice to say, though, if folks are interested in asking questions, I will be glad to try to answer them.

Anyone willing to provide input of any sort can respond in the Comments section of this story or by emailing me at DWMolinari@Gmail.com.

I hope this account can continue to be a forum for thoughtful, respectful exchanges of observations and opinions. That doesn’t mean everyone has to have the same perspective on every issue – frankly, that would be awfully boring – but there’s no reason that interactions can’t remain civil, as they have been in this space. I’ve learned a lot from you folks, and hope that I’ve been able to provide some stories that you’ve found to be informative and/or entertaining.

Anyway, you are the people who give this account meaning, and you can play a critical role in shaping its future by sharing your thoughts on what you’d like to see presented here.

Thanks again for subscribing, for taking the time to read this and for the feedback I hope you will provide as we move ahead.

Dave Molinari