ajt123: Happy Holidays! What is your opinion of the winter classic, and would you be in favor in a year or two of having one at PNC, or Beaver Stadium?

Shelly Anderson: The NHL hit on a good idea with the annual outdoor game. Of course, they might not all be as classic or riveting as last year's, with the snow and the crowd and Sidney Crosby winning it in a shootout. The fact that it counts as a regular-season game is something that might have seemed like a bit of a risk, but it paid off. Having one at PNC Park or Beaver Stadium, the latter presumably against the Flyers, would be great, although even with Crosby and other marketable players, the Penguins can't hog the event too often.

beerman0303: How much are the Pens missing Tyler Kennedy? It seems that their play has dropped off since his injury. Was he really contributing that much and when could he possibly return?

Shelly Anderson: Tyler Kennedy's energy and tenacity really helped make the Penguins' third line -- with Jordan Staal and Matt Cooke -- their best one up until Kennedy sprained his knee. He has been skating on his own. Look for him to get back to practice with the team soon. As much as they miss Kennedy, don't overlook the constant lineup fluctuations caused by a series of injuries. The Penguins are expected to get one player back tomorrow for the Boston game, defenseman Hal Gill.

Garrett_Zajdel: Are the Penguins actively shopping Jordan Staal? His work ethic has been dismal for a few months now and it seems as if he's not getting to loose pucks and not skating with much enthusiasm.

Shelly Anderson: I respectfully disagree with your assessment of Jordan Staal. As just mentioned, he centered a third line with good chemistry. He went through a tough patch earlier this season and let loose with a strong litany about his play and the team's play during a West Coast road trip. That seemed to snap him out of it, and he has been more productive this season than last. There doesn't seem to be a lack of effort or enthusiasm, from what I've seen. I will say that his skating style sometimes makes him look a bit lackadaisical -- just as Mario Lemieux's did back in the day. Something to do with those long legs, no doubt, but not with the effort.

beerman0303: Talbot is a minus 14, by far the worst on the team. Any word from the coaching staff on how they rate his play this year? How do you think he has played so far?

Shelly Anderson: Max Talbot has been frustrated, no doubt. I did notice him throwing the body around a bit more the past couple games. The team pretty obviously sees value there since it recently rewarded him with a contract extension that will lift him past the million-dollar threshold. Talbot's role, beyond penalty killing, is still being defined -- is he a third- or fourth-line center, a top-six winger? One other thing -- for many games he played on a very painful foot after being hit with a shot. There might have even been a hairline fracture there, and it's likely it still bothers him.

beerman0303: Are the Pens in need of a classic Therrien move such as calling out a player or two? It seems to have always worked in the past.

Shelly Anderson: Coach Michel Therrien has had an uncanny ability to find ways to motivate certain players, including, as you point out, public criticism. He did have some harsh things to say about the team as a whole after a bad loss at home to Tampa Bay last week. Perhaps he is looking for the right spot, or perhaps his gut feeling is that such ploys as singling out players have lost its effectiveness.

ajt123: Any chance Mario becomes "un retired" just to be a power play specialist? These guys seem like they cant even set up a power play, let alone get some quality chances on it. With the firepower they have, this seems unexcusable!

Shelly Anderson: Well, there is a Lemieux comeback going on. However, it's Claude, not Mario. While it seems like Mario Lemieux at any age could still bust a move on the power play, we're not likely to ever see that again. And not being a meddler, the owner and Hall of Fame center also isn't likely to start offering tips. If he did, it might be as simple as the old refrain: Shoot the puck.

ajt123: Now that Ryan Whitney is back, is there any chance he could "qualify" to play in the All-Star game? What are the parameters to qualify?

Shelly Anderson: No. To be eligible for the All-Star Game -- Jan. 25 in Montreal -- a player needs to appear in at least 20 games before Jan. 2. Whitney didn't come back from foot surgery in time. So even if he and Sergei Gonchar, who has yet to play after shoulder surgery, are voted in as starters, they won't be on the team.

ajt123: We need a trade or some kind of a major shakeup. Not the time to fire Therrien, especially after the new contract, but would you advocate a major trade in effort to jump start this team?

Shelly Anderson: If it was for a proven two-way winger who is healthy and would seem to complement Sidney Crosby, maybe. But the questions would be, who do you give up, and -- even more to the point -- how would that work with the salary cap? Go back to the big Ron Francis deal that put the Penguins over the top in 1991, and today that probably wouldn't work financially. I have no inside information that general manager Ray Shero is seeking a blockbuster trade, but he has proven he can pull off big moves.

beerman0303: With Whitney getting back on the ice and Goligoski playing well (in my opinion) will Geno move from the point on the power play. He gives up too many short handed chances and I think he was better last year on the boards. Your thoughts?

Shelly Anderson: The Penguins have done that some since defenseman Ryan Whitney came back and with defenseman Kris Letang out -- putting Whitney on the right point, leaving Alex Goligoski on the left side and moving Evgeni Malkin to a forward spot. Mostly, though Malkin has remained on the right point. Sure, there's a liability with a forward on the point, but it seems the coaches feel there is a bigger upside to having his big shot out there.

penschat.com: Shelly - Have you seen the latest column by Larry Brooks of the NY Post? He claims Crosby is over exposed and marketed too much by the league and that Ovechkin isn't promoted enough. Do you agree with that?

Shelly Anderson: There is little question Sidney Crosby's face, voice and quotes are everywhere, including NHL promotions. There's no reason Washington's Alex Ovechkin can't also be heavily promoted. For that matter, what about Evgeni Malkin? He's only the leading scorer. But the NHL has always seemed to have a soft spot for Canadians over others, and you can't argue with how well Crosby conducts himself. In the end, the players don't really care about that; it's the Cup they drool over.

Shelly Anderson: Thanks, everyone. Have a happy and safe New Year.