Wednesday was opening night for Da Beauty League, an offseason league based in Minnesota for professional and college hockey players.
The league, which was formed in 2015, runs from July 10 to Aug. 21. Each of the six teams plays an eight-game regular season schedule with games consisting of two 23-minute halves. The postseason consists of a semifinal round Aug. 19 and the John Scott Cup championship game two days later.
Jake Guentzel, Nick Bjugstad, Teddy Blueger and prospect Clayton Phillips are the Penguins' representatives in the league this summer.
Guentzel, the league’s all-time leading scorer with 65 points, is captain of Team Jack Links. Jack Links is coached by former NHL players Chris McAlpine and Stu Bickel. Phillips also plays for Jack Links, as well as notable players Nick Leddy, Brock Nelson and Nate Prosser.
Bjugstad is the captain of Team Walser, coached by former NHL player Mark Parrish and Wild in-arena host Paul Fletcher. Ryan McDonagh also plays for Team Walser.
Blueger plays for Team RBC, coached by former NHL player and current NHL Network host Brian Lawton and former Penguin Ryan Malone. Team RBC also features Alex Goligoski, Jake Gardiner, Anders Lee and Erik Condra.
Bjugstad's Team Walser faced off against Guentzel and Phillips' Team Jack Links faced off on opening night on Wednesday, with Team Walser prevailing 10-7. Guentzel scored Team Jack Links' second goal of the game:
Jake Guentzel ties it up 2-2 @penguins pic.twitter.com/VRST0IC9rU
— Da Beauty League (@DaBeautyLeague) July 10, 2019
Blueger and Team RBC fell 6-5 to the reigning champion Team BIC in their opening game. Team BIC is led by last season's leading scorer and league MVP Brock Boeser, as well as Derek Stepan and Nate Schmidt.
The next games will be July 17. Bjugstad's Team Walser will play Blueger's Team RBC. Guenztel, Phillips, and Team Jack Links will play Team TRIA.
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