Preseason Stats

The preseason is an opportunity to obviously try out some of your prospects without any real repercussion. Unless of course you are concerned about teams and critics around the league basing your upcoming regular season performance off your preseason one. I wouldn't be too concerned though. Below are just some stats from the Pens top starters. You'll see that there isn't much to worry about with our top guys.

2007
Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Armstrong	4	1	3	4	0
Christensen	4	1	2	3	2
Crosby	3	3	4	7	8
Gonchar	4	1	1	2	0
Laraque	3	0	0	0	5
Malkin	4	2	3	5	6
Malone	4	2	1	3	4
Recchi	3	0	2	2	2
Ruutu	4	0	0	0	8
Staal	5	1	1	2	0
Sykora	2	1	0	1	2
Talbot	4	1	2	3	6
Whitney	4	0	4	4	0

Worth noting:

Sidney Crosby - Only played in three games yet tallied the preseason team high 7 points. He did however also tie with Ruutu for second highest penalty minutes with 8, something no scorer should be doing. The team's high went to prospect Tyler Kennedy who collected 21 minutes in the sin bin, 19 of which came in the second game against the Canadiens.

Georges Laraque - Scoreless in three games, with 5 penalty minutes for fighting. It's nice to have another enforcer on the team, but I've been skeptical of Laraque since the Pens acquired him last season as he's yet to impress me.

Jordan Staal - Led with 5 games played, steering clear of the penalty box and showing his worth on the PK line.

Petr Sykora - Only played in two games as a result of a broken nose. He has since received surgery on it and should be good for Friday's game against Carolina.

Ryan Whitney - Four games, four points, nice work. Really showing his presence on the blueine.

Preseason Ends With Another Loss

In yet another preseason loss, and the fourth consecutive out of six games, the Pens fell to the Sabres by the score of 4-3.

Buffalo jumped out to a 1-0 lead late in the first on a powerplay goal from Derek Roy. Just the night before Roy tallied four points on the night with two goals and two assists. He'd have another point before the night's end.

Early in the second Buffalo tagged on another goal this time coming from defenseman Dmitri Kalinin. Eight minutes later the Pens would come within one on a shorthand goal from Maxim Talbot on a pass from Colby Armstrong. Colby would later star the third period off with a goal, tying it at 2 goals a piece.

On powerplay almost halfway through the third, the Penguins took the lead on a Gonchar laser in to the back of the net. From there the Pens would give up two more un-answered goals, with one coming from Jason Pominville on the powerplay.

Sitting on the bench for the Pens tonight were notable starters Sidney Crosby, Mark Recchi, Gary Roberts, Petr Sykora and Kris Letang.

Worth noting; aside from the shorthanded goal in the second period, the Pens penalty kill unit was nowhere near as consistent from the night before. On six powerplay attempts, the Sabres converted twice. Similarly on six attempts, the Penguins only converted once.

Fleury was in net, stopping 18 of 24. Miller was the backstopper for the Sabres tonight, kicking out 14 of 17 shots faced.

Thus ends the preseason, and the timing couldn't have been better. In an otherwise pitiful display, the Penguins finished 1-5, with the only win coming against Montreal two games in to the preseason.

Sure, you'll have your optimists and pessimists, but I think I fall in between here. When I'm sitting in the seat watching Anaheim at Pitt next week, I better see an iron-walled penalty kill and at the least a 30% conversion on the powerplay. To be blunt, I'm neither an optimist or pessimist; I'm just demanding.

With that said, rests up boys. The regular season officially kicks off in seven days at Carolina. Let's put the preseason behind us and focus on the games that matter.

Battle of The Backups

Battle of the backups...preseason Ice Bowl; call it what you will. I'll just call it another pre-season loss for the Pens.

In a close but not close enough score of 6-5, the Pens fell to the Buffalo Sabres in front of the home crowd in Pittsburgh. Each team benched their starting netminders and gave the nod to the regular season second stringers. As irony would have it, last season's Penguins' second stringer Jocelyn Thibault was in net for the Sabres. He stopped only 16 of the 21 shots faced. The other five landed in the net, with two coming from Crosby and one each from Malone, Christensen and Staal. Crosby also tallied an assist on the night. Evgeni Malkin dished off two that found their way between the pipes.

Danny Sabourin got the start for the Pens, facing 23 shots and stopping 17. The game was even at 5 and heading towards what looked like the third preseason overtime, until Derek Roy of the Sabres netted the game winner with 28 seconds remaining.

Despite prior faults of the powerplay unit in earlier games this pre-season, the Pens were a stellar 3-6 with the man advantage. On the other side of the advantage, the Pens PK unit held the Sabres to six scoreless powerplay attempts.

Coach Therrion wasn't kidding when he said the team would be working on their powerplay work in camp this week. It's more than obvious that they have honed in even more, converting at 50% in just this game alone.

Regardless, despite a loss the Pens were a much better team this game around. Hopefully we will witness them deliver a loss to the Sabres in front of their fans tonight in Buffalo.

In other relative news around the league, the NHL has taken action on the recent controversial hit between Steve Downie of the Flyers and Dean McAmmond of the Senators. Downie, a favorable prospect in the Flyers circuit but a notoriously dirty player, was given a 20 game suspension by the powers that be for the skate fleeting hit that rendered McAmmond unconcious. McAmmond, upon recovery, mentioned Downie will get what's coming to him. In the immortal words of Shakespere, "Blood will follow blood." If McAmmond knows what's best for him, he must consider the unspoken words presented in actions by the NHL - "Suspensions will follow dirty hits."

I'm happy to see the NHL gave this manner the proper attention it deserved. It's sad to see someone get severely injured, but from it came a fair warning to all players this season. If you leave your skates or head-hunt you'll be reclining your feet at home as you watch the next 3 weeks under suspension.

With that said, the season kicks off for the Pens Friday night in Carolina. Listen here. The official NHL season starts tomorrow, with the Ducks and Kings starting things off in jolly ol England. Catch the action on versus. The puck drops at 12pm eastern time.

Former Penguin Dies In Game

Former 1999 Penguins draft pick Darcy Robinson, 26, collapsed on the ice during a game with the Italian Asiago team. Robinson was un-hit at the time of collapse in the first period, and was later rushed to a hospital where he passed. The cause of death has yet to be determined.

Robinson spent time with the Penguins' minor league affiliates from his draft day on. From 2001 to 2005, Robinson rotated between playing for Wilkes-Barre Scranton and the AA affiliate Wheeling Nailers, before finally heading overseas to play for the Italian hockey league for the 2005-2006 season. In his three seasons with Nailers, the blue-liner played in 16 games, scoring 2 goals, 4 assists and tallied 47 penalty minutes. In 158 games over 4 seasons with the WBS club, Robinson tallied 3 goals, 18 assists and 237 minutes in the sin bin.

It's more than apparant that Robinson struggled in the Penguins system, but it's also obvious he never faltered in his attempts. With routine trips up and down between the Nailers and the WBS Pens, Robinson continued to give his best effort to one day advance to the NHL club.

Pens vs Sabres - LIVE

The Penguins Homepage will be broadcasting the preseason game Friday night between the Pens and Sabres. This is a great opportunity for you to check out the team if you haven't done so already. I'd imagine the bandwith will exceed and potentially even slow down or stall the video feed - but hey, you never know unless you try.

Of course, you have to sign up for the free trial to Center Ice (if you don't already have an account). Aside from that, everything is gravy.

The Pens wrapped up their West Point trip today. Maxime Talbot took part in the training last year as well. "It’s really fun for the guys and great for team chemistry, team building and leadership" he said. "It was a great experience again.”

Aside from rigorous training and exercises, the players also took part in various team activities as well - like, paintball.

Apparantly Malkin, Ruutu and Armstrong all have some big welts on their bodies. West Point paintball, unlike regulated paintball areas around the country, don't keep regulations on the distance between players.

"Yeah, I got smoked in the neck – really hard. That was the first time I got shot in that round, but it eliminated me really quickly,” said Colby Armstrong.

Speaking of Armstrong, in the midst of all this talk with headhunting and high hits, his name has made more than a few appearances. Some videos to consider are at the end of this blog.

Only five days after being sent down to WBS, forward Jeff Taffe will make an appearance on the Pens roster again. In exchange, center Tim Brent was sent down. Perhaps this move was do in part to the sheer fact the Pens already have 400 centers in their line-up. Unless you can pose as a two-way forward, you're in a tough spot. Of course, if you're like Brent and have expectations of making the team, you also have to score more than one goal in 15 games. That was the case last year with Anaheim.

Pens take on Buffalo tomorrow night at 7:30. Watch it here.

Headshots and Powerplays

There is a lot of talk around the league right now about rulings against headshots. If you ever needed any hard evidence to the fact, look no further than players like Eric Lindros, his brother Brett, Keith Primeu (sp?), Deadmarsh...the list really does go on. Nothing would satisfy players more than a call to action now before the regular season starts. I was doing some reading, and through a post on hockeybuzz saw this article. You should definitely check it out.

The Hits Just Keep On Coming

From a Penguins' fan perspective, you kinda have to shutter at this article. And I'm not talking about shuttering in neglect, but instead at the fact Colby Armstrong is mentioned twice in the first 100 words for knocking people out. I remember both of those hits, and I do remember thinking to myself "Jesus, how IS that legal?" But it is...because there is no rule in the NHL that says hits like that warrant a fine or even a penalty for that matter.

I supppose it's also all perspective. If you're a Pens fan and see your player knock someone out, you'll get a lil rowdy, but you know lodged deep in the back of your mind one day it can happen to your guys. Of course, when that day comes, you see it as an illegal hit. In other words, do what's best for the sport and not your team. I really think a decision should be made right away on this matter. The longer time goes by, the more careers are cut short by hits we all know to be dirty, - but the league fails to recognize as such.

Here is the hit under recent speculation. Steve Downie of the Flyers absolutely annihilating Dean McAmmond of the Sens.



Was his head down? Doesn't really matter, the hit is illegal.



In the mean time, the Penguins need to really focus on their powerplay. They were a disappointing...no, patheric 0-8 against the shutout loss to the Red Wings last week. On 30 chances thus far in the pre-season, the Pens have only converted three times. Two came in one game.

Coach Therrien has mentioned the PP is being worked on, but there should be no concerns for last season's 5th ranking powerplay unit.

And finally, if you're looking to get tix to a Penguins home game then don't bring a friend. The Pens have announced only single tickets available to the following games. You can bring a friend of course...but you may want to talk to one another via cell phone or walkie talkie...

Oct. 19 Carolina
Oct. 25 Toronto
Oct. 27 Montreal
Nov. 17 NY Rangers
Nov. 24 Atlanta
Nov. 30 Dallas
Dec. 03 Phoenix
Dec. 13 Ottawa
Dec. 27 Washington
Jan. 03 Toronto
Jan. 05 Florida
Feb. 02 Carolina
Feb. 07 NY Islanders
Feb. 09 Los Angeles
Feb. 19 Florida
Feb. 23 Ottawa
April 02 Philadelphia

The Penguins continue with their training today and tomorrow, till flying back to Pitt for a home game against Buffalo on Friday night. Puck drops at 7:30.

Dinged Up Starters

Between Sykora's broken nose and now Crosby's sore groin, it may be best for pre-season to just come to its much anticipated end so everyone could have time off to recoup. Although Crosby has said the pain isn't as severe as the one that cost him (and the Pens) a seat on the bench last season, Captain Crosby did the right thing and skated off to avoid any further injury. As stubborn as some players may be, at least Crosby did what was best for the team in this situation by taking off practice early.

Afterall, the Penguins were 0-3 last season when Crosby wasn't in the line-up. To say his presence is necessary goes without saying.

Regardless of pain, both players plan to take part in the West Point activities slated for the remainder of this week before returning to Pitt on Thursday. In typical hockey fashion, both players chose to "tape it up" - and get back out there for the team.

The Pens Army

Hard work and dedication; no doubt essential elements of any hockey player. Above all, however, is commitment to the team’s success, camaraderie with teammates and perhaps even open-mindedness to alternative methods of training.

That’s the approach the Penguins are collectively taking this week, as they go from the rivers of Western Pennsylvania, to the swamps and fields of West Point, New York.

Under the watchful eye of First Sergeant J.B. Spisso, the Pens will spend three days running through swamps, pushing cars up hills and endure countless hours of military training all in the name of teamwork. The former Army Ranger and current New York National Guardsman would have it no other way.

Last year the Penguins took the same approach to training, as Spisso grilled the team for three days under the same rigorous conditions. His impression lasted throughout the season, as his work was inspiration for the team, and the team was inspiration for his work.

“He showed a lot of care in what we did and followed us through the year” said Penguins’ Captain Sidney Crosby. “He’s the ultimate leader.”

Don’t think the players will be taking a break from ice time either. If anything their normal workout schedule just got more grueling with the addition of military field exercises. As cliché as it may seem, it certainly separates the men from the boys but brings them all together under the unity of teamwork. Of course, that term loses most, if not all meaning, for a team of relatively young guys, but the teamwork aspect still remains.

“There will be a couple things to make sure we’re keeping together and different exercises to make sure we don’t quit on each other. It’s all good for us as a team and for us as people to see what it takes to be successful in a big group” said defenseman Ryan Whitney.

This training is perhaps the end of the line for some prospects not expected to make the cut. Just this past weekend the Pens sent Esposito back down to the Remparts and assigned Nathan Smith to the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. The assignments bring the Pens roster to 27 total players.

The team only has two remaining pre-season games; both against Buffalo this Friday and Saturday. The military training and two games may be the last straw for defensive hopefuls Mike Weaver and Kris Letang to prove themselves. The fact they’ve made it this far is already evidence of their abilities, but nothing is certain till you have your name matted in the locker room.


For the love of Christ, please don't break a leg...

Pens Fall To Wings - Espo Sent Down

vs

5-2


Last night the Penguins fell to the Detroit Red Wings by the score of 5-2 in front of the home crowd at Mellon Arena. Sometimes in situations in the pre-season, you can shrug off otherwise defamating losses. However last night was not one of those instances for me, and I'll tell you why.

First off, our number one starting goal tender was in net. That means the 5-2 loss was against the same goalie who will be in net for a majority of the 82 game regular season. Now you can attribute a few of those goals to the fact that many of the season's starting defensemen were not there, but I feel that would just be a cop out. Besides, most of the defensemen will be starting the upcoming season. IE Orpik, Gonchar, Eaton, Sydor, Whitney.

Luckily the Wings were only 1-5 on the powerplay, while the Pens stepped it up from the previous night's 0-8 performance on the man advantage to 33% turn around on Saturday night's 2-6.

Pittsburgh was first to strike halfway through the first with a man advantage from Orpik to Crosby to Eaton. From their the Wings took over with three straight goals, till Malkin put one in the back on the net on the powerplay with under 2 minutes remaining in the game. The one goal gap almost seemed feasible, until 46 seconds later on the ensuing shift, the Pens gave up an open-netter to Zetterberg. The goal was his second on the night.

It seemed like an impressive three point night for Zetterberg, who also assisted an earlier goal, til he decided on making it a four point one less than a minute later with a dish to Samuelsson.

Goaltending duties for the Wings were the sole responsibility of Hasek, til the third period when Howard came off the bench. Each netminder gave up a red light.

On 33 shots Fleury stopped 28, but it was his poor play towards the end that truly cost the Pens the game. The loss makes the Penguins 1-3 in the pre-season, as they look to take on the Sabres Friday night in Pittsburgh. Game time is 7:30.

Also worth noting, following the game the Penguins announced they have sent first round draft pick Angelo Esposito back to the QMJHL Remparts. Should his play improve, and perhaps even have a repeater of the 05/06 season, he'll be in the black and gold full time soon enough. Till then, he has a lot to prove and in the process, even more people to disprove.

Penguins Preseason - Defensive Standoff

vs

0-1


Otherwise known for their offensive assault, the Penguins shifted gears tonight and showed they can also be just as good on defense. For a solid 60 minutes Ty Conklin displayed his skills between the pipes, before finally giving up the only goal of the game to the Red Wings' vet Chris Chelios 1:18 seconds in to overtime.

For all preseason is worth, this game showed a defensive minded Penguins core. Even the leading shooters on the night for the Penguins live on the blueline. Defenseman Mark Eaton tallied the team high three shots on the night, with both Scuderi and Letang behind him with two each. Jordan Staal and Ryan Malone led forwards in shots, contributing two each to the teams total of 19.

The real highlights of this game? Not much. If anything it is on all the Red Wings' side, as they blocked a total of 16 shots on the night. Kind of hard to score when you can't get a shot in on the goalie. And who was in goal for the Wings? None other than the reliable Chris Osgood, adding another win to his preseason record and gaining the Detroit Free Press' first star on the night.

On eight attempts with a man advantage the Penguins failed to convert. Compared to the Red Wings' four powerplays on the night, the Penguins should have taken advantage of this gift. Unfortunately for them, that was not the case.

The Penguins return home tomorrow night to take on the Red Wings in the preseason opener at Mellon Arena. Game time is 7:30.

NHL.com Feature

Just a quick update before the game tonight: NHL.com has been featuring some great articles and input for teams around the league. It's an in depth look at the roster, specifying positions, weaknesses and exceptional areas. Take a look here.

Pens are off to Detroit tonight. A game recap will follow.

Penguins Prospect Profile - Angelo Esposito

Penguins Player Profile – Angelo Esposito

If the list of prospects for the Pittsburgh Penguins read like a racing form, then Angelo Esposito would be the fan favorite.

It’s no surprise, as the Penguins have taken their number one draft picks from the past two seasons and turned them in to efficient pistons in the system’s well oiled machine.

If you needed evidence, look no further then Sidney Crosby and Jordan Staal, both of whom made the cut without question for the club.

Perhaps that is why many fans don’t expect anything less from the former QMJHL Quebec Rempart. In April of 2006, on the eve of leading his team to the Memorial Cup, Espo was projected to go number one in the ’07 draft. Yet by the time he took his seat in Columbus earlier this year, Esposito was expected to go no sooner than 11th. He saw that number almost double before the Penguins finally chose him 20th overall.

In 57 games with the Remparts in 2005/06, Esposito tallied 98 points, including 39 goals. Just one year later, in 60 games, only tapped in 27 goals with a season total of 79 points.

Many scouts have mandated Esposito’s play began to flaunter once his Memorial Cup winning team dissipated around him. Even Angelo himself has been quoted as saying he tried doing too much on his own in 06/07. In a sense, this can almost warrant a “If Sidney can do it, why can’t you” statement.

The facts on Crosby are enough alone to show that not every player can play to his caliber. Even Crosby could have used that same excuse in his first season when, despite a 102 point performance, the Penguins found themselves last in the conference with a disappointing 58 points.

Case and point – you can’t compare Esposito to Crosby.

In Esposito’s first preseason game with the Penguins, in front of many un-blinking eyes waiting to see his performance, he failed to even tally a shot in over twelve minutes of ice time. Under normal circumstances one could write the game off as being an initiation of sorts, but when you want to make the team every shift counts more than the last.

The Penguins are skating for the cup this season; there is no doubt about it. Two years ago they may have taken Esposito and helped him grow with the team, but this year it would almost appear the odds are stacked against him. The last thing the Penguins want to do is try to fit a square peg in to a round hole.

Regardless, whether with the Penguins this year or not, Esposito will one day play in the NHL. Yet it’s going to take endless determination and above all ability to do it sooner than later.


QMJHL TOTALS

Angelo Esposito - 2005-2007
Season	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2005-2006	57	39	59	98	45
2006-2007	60	27	52	79	63

Penguins Prospect Profile - Kristopher Letang

He didn’t stay for long, but the impression remained.

In seven NHL games last season, Kristopher Letang put up 8 shots, two of which hit the mark. Shooting at 25%, and offering a much needed right handed shot to the Pens defensive core, he seemed like a perfect fit. However, it was his lack of patience on defense and his urge to over commit on plays that opened up odd man rushes and ultimately sent him back down to work on fundamentals.

This season however, is a different story. He's learned to be a more stay at home defenseman who uses his lean frame as an obstacle rather than a weapon. At six foot, barely 200 pounds, it would almost seem Letang is a bit undersized. But if there was ever evidence needed to prove fast and sleek overpowers slow and bulky in the new NHL, then Letang is it.

Scouts around the league warned of Letang’s prowess before the season’s start. Even last year Letang was spoken highly of, but often overshadowed by the taller and more powerful former QMJHL teammate Luc Bourdon. Even still, Letang possesses a brain for the game that goes beyond his years.

In a little less than a year he has gained a fine mix of experience and education to improve his play. Now, things are looking better than ever for Letang as he guns for the Penguins squad.

Outside of his seven games with the Pens last season, Letang remained relatively quiet. However in the 2005-06 season with the Val-d’Or Foreurs of the QMJHL, Letang was anything but. In 60 games, the crack of his stick sent 25 shots home, setting up another 43 for a season total of 68 points and a spot on the QMJHL All-Star team. Not to mention, despite the label of offensive-defenseman, Letang gained more attention as he was voted best defenseman and best defensive defenseman in the ‘Q’.

Yet there is one thing that singles Letang out from the average blueliner; he is deadly on the power play. In fact, his only two NHL goals came on the power play. In his first season with Val-d’Or, Letang tallied 13 power play points. In comparison, Sergei Gonchar’s best PP season was also at the superstitious 13 (with the Capitals in 1998).

At twenty years old, it would almost seem like the Penguins would just take Kristopher Letang for his age. After all, it seems to be a team trend. But regardless of his age and how well he may fit in a theoretical sense, Letang still has to prove he is capable. He’ll have the rest of the preseason to do it, and if all goes well he’ll find himself in the black and gold soon enough.

Kristopher Letang - 2006-2007
GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PIM
7	2	0	2	-3	4

Pens Defeats The Habs in Round 2

VS

5-2

Round two of the preseason series between the Penguins and the Canadians evened out in a 1-1 series as the Pens rallied to beat the Habs 5-2 tonight in Montreal. The scoring this evening was a fine mix for the Pens, as last year's rookie Evgeni Malkin sent one in the to the back of the net in the third period and assisted another midway through the second. The rest of the scoring though came from the core of newcomers, including Sykora and rookie prospects Kennedy, Taffe and Stone. In fact Stone made his presence known early in the contest, scoring 32 seconds in to the game on a pass from Filewich.

Backup Dany Sabourin got the start in net, stopping 21 of the 23 shots he faced, further proving games can and will be won when Fleury has the night off.

Also worth noting, prospect Tyler Kennedy spent a majority of the game in the sin bin with 19 penalty minutes, including a 10 minute misconduct, 5 minute major for fighting and two minors for elbowing and instigating.

Sidney Crosby, George Laraque, Mark Recchi and Gary Roberts did not suit up tonight. The Penguins' preseason continues Friday night in Detroit.

Preseason Opener

VS

3 - 2 OT

Game Recap
In the first preseason effort of both the Pens and the Habs, the latter walks away the victor in overtime with a 3-2 victory. Former Penguin Alexei Kovalev led the way for the Canadians with involvement on all three goals including the overtime winner.

Sidney Crosby was active for the Pens, with a goal and dish for two points on the night. Despite the loss, Fleury looked relaxed in goal, remaining between the pipes for the entire length of the game. I wouldn't be the least surprise if Ty Conklin gets the nod tomorrow night as starter or at least some ice time come the second period or so.

Consider it a warm up. I mean, preseason doesn't count anyways right? Maybe I'm just in denial, but at least the boys weren't embarassed with a shutout of sorts.

The real focus of a preseason game is to highlight the rookies. Obviously eyes will be on Malkin and Gonchar, Crosby and Staal, but they were here last year. And hey, as great as they are to watch, it doesn't hurt to take a look at some of the guys who may get ice time with them this season.

If I had to pick two guys as the center of attention, then hands down I'm picking Angelo Esposito and Kris Letang.

In seven games last season, Letang put up 8 shots, two of which hit the mark. At a 25% shot percentage and a much needed right handed shot on the Pens defensive core, he seemed like a perfect fit. However, it was his lack of patience on defense and his urge to over commit on plays that opened up odd man rushes and ultimately sent him back to Wilkes-Barre.

This season however, is a different story. He's learned to be a more stay at home defenseman who uses his lean frame as an obstacle rather than a weapon. At six foot, 190 pounds, it would almost seem Letang is a bit undersized. But if there was ever evidence needed to prove fast and sleak overpowers slow and bulky in the new NHL, then Letang is it.

Tonight he looked poised and mature beyond his age, and I would be thoroughly suprised if he didn't make the cut.

On to Esposito, who in his 12+ minutes on ice tonight didn't even manage to put a shot on. Needless to say, it's a bit disappointing when your number one draft pick doesn't seem like he can play to his potential. Yet, you have to take a sensible approach to the matter. It's his first time on NHL ice. If anything, he now knows he better step it up tomorrow night, with just as many, if not more judgmental eyes falling on his every move.

Til then he better get a good night's sleep before the puck drops again tomorrow in Montreal at 7:30pm.

Ice Bowl Tix

Ice Bowl tix officially go on sale tomorrow morning at 10am. According to the tribune-review, NBC will broadcast the game on New Years Day.

This is a great opportunity for two of the best teams in the league to demonstrate their offensive production to the extreme. Now, on a personal note, I've always hated soccer. So when someone told me the other day that hockey is like soccer on ice, you can only imagine I was pretty offended. I just hope those sentiments aren't the same for more Americans than I thought.

I commend the NHL for organizing an event such as this, but at the same time I can't believe they scheduled the game on a day otherwise dominated by college football bowl games. Of course, baseball is America's past time (or Nascar if you base things off of TV ratings), but New Years and college bowl games are practically synonomous. It's going to be tough to pull in decent ratings when in competition with the norm for most people.

Although, I can't necessarily guarantee the NHL did it for the ratings. Something tells me this is more of a marketing shot just to get the word out. Even if less people tune in to the game then expected, at least word spread of this 'outdoor game' in Buffalo with REAL hockey teams.

On a side note, why does the MLB TV cost $129.95 for a 162 game season, when NHL center ice costs $149.95 for an 82 game season? Nearly half the games for $20 more. Cable providers must know hockey fans are loyal and will pay practically anything for the games. I just wonder if the prices varies based on carrier...

Home Opener Sells Out - Pens Send Some Rooks Back Down

I'm sure it doesn't come as any major surprise, but the Penguins' home opener on October 6th against the Ducks sold out. I was lucky enough to get my tix, but it didn't come without some hard work. In fact, I found myself a bit nervous when Ticketmaster kept crashing and all of the phone lines were tied up. Regardless, I'm sitting in Section B1 for anyone who may be going.

The boys had a bunch of open ice practices this week, the last taking place this morning. Earlier this afternoon they shot off to Montreal for preseason action tomorrow night.

Out of the 14 prospects asked to join vet camp, 10 were sent down to Wilkes-Barre Scranton today. I wasn't exactly surprised to see Joe Jenson go despite the hype around his presence with the vets, but I don't doubt he'll make his presence known after one more year of WBS work and some rigorous offseason training.

The Pens sent down Aaron Boogaard, Kurtis McLean, Kyle Rank, Joe Jensen and Mark Letestu. As for defensemen Paul Bissonnette, Mark Ardelan, Deryk Engellenad and Jonathan D’Aversa and finally goalie David Brown.

Remaining as prospects are:

FORWARDS
Jonathan Filewich *
Tyler Kennedy
Ryan Stone *
Tim Wallace
Dustin Jeffreys *

DEFENSE
Kris Letang *
Ben Lovejoy

GOALTENDERS
John Curry

* - Denotes player I feel will make the cut

I'll be the first to admit, I don't have much on Filewich or Ryan Stone. I know they played for WBS and there has been a lot of buzz about them in camp, (especially Filewich) but it's certainly something I'll have an eye on tomorrow night against the Habs.

Dustin Jeffreys came up big in the rookie tourney against Ottawa and apparantly he's doing the same in camp. I've had my money on this guy for a while now and would love to see him break in on the line. I think one of the biggest things the Pens have going for them right now is obviously an already existing breed of young players. However, in that pre-existing breed is the ability for new guys to relate and jump on board with more ease than would probably be the case on a team with an average age of 29/30.

He played a few games for us last year, and I expect for him to play more this season. Kris Letang, the right-handed defenseman, has shown more maturity on D. Last year he was over committing a bit too much, ultimately putting him out of position and having himself out of position and causing a lot of odd man rushes. This year however, word has it Letang has learned to stay at home and work the outset, keeping the player out instead of just the puck.

Curry will probably see some playing time tomorrow night, but I don't think he'll be making the cut. Sabourin stepped up big last year behind Luongo in the playoffs. If you recall, Sabourin was asked to start in overtime against the Stars while Luongo dealt with some stomach problems before the puck dropped. He stuck to his guns and held his own between the pipes, a position I feel warrants him the #2 spot behind Fleury. The fact that Dan Brown was cut before Fleury however (and appointed to WBS) makes me feel as if Curry will be sent down to the Nailers and Brown will have the #2 spot behind Conklin on WBS. Only another week or so will tell for sure.

Preseason is only a day away and I couldn't be more stoked. I'll touch base again tomorrow after the game.

Brooks and Malone to Espo - "Welcome To The Pens"

Penguins' veterans Brooks Orpik and Ryan Malone were the first to welcome Angelo Esposito to veteran camp with a firm handshake in the form of a check behind the net during scrimmage. Despite being injured for the junior's, Esposito was back on his feet after the hit left a cartoon-cliche cloud of dust behind.

Consisting of two 25 minute halves, the Pens' scrimmage warranted a 6-5 win for the White team over the Black Team, with the game winning goal coming from pro-tryout Adam Hall on a tap in from Gonchar with 10 seconds left. Sidney Crosby, playing for the black team, tallied two goals, one of which came on a penalty shot. Esposito also scored on a penalty shot, proving now more than ever that he wants to make it in the NHL. Some even predict Espo will have a home on the fourth line with Talbot.

A few updates on players: Defenseman Mark Eaton feels he is back to top calibur play after coming back from a wrist injury that rendered him benchworthy for a majority of last season. Despite playing the second half of the season and the five games in the playoffs, Eaton said the summer of rest was just what his wrist needed.

Erik Chistensen is going to find his new place at right wing, most likely on the line with Malkin and Roberts. Last season Christensen scored 18 goals, but most importantly played a crucial role in shootouts with a league high of 8 goals. His transition to winger may take some time, but he's already made it known he'll do whatever he needs to do to remain a part of the team and win some games.

Additionally, individual game tickets go on sale at 10am today.

Seal The Deal

With preseason only days away, and the regular season kicking off in roughly three weeks, the Pens can now focus on the coaching staff. As of Wednesday, the Penguins resigned three assistant coaches in efforts to keep a stable backbone to an ever growing team.

Andre Savard and Mike Yeo, both assistant coaches, received one-year extensions bringing them through the 2008-09 season. As a former player for the Nordiques himself, Savard has held different positions; ranging from scout to the head coach position in 1987. From there, Savard assumed a role as assistant coach for the Senators, Assistant General Manager for the Canadians before ultimately making his way on to the Pens in 2006.

Despite only enterting his second season as an assistant coach for the Penguins, Mike Yeo has been part of the Penguins' circuit since 2000. Formerly a player for Wilkes-Barre Scranton, Yeo was given the title of assistant coach in 2000, the first ever for the WBS club. In his tenure there, Yeo led the baby Pens to the Calder Cup finals in 2001 and 2004.

The third and final coach offered an extension is no stranger to the Penguins' coaching staff. As scout and goaltending coach since the days of the cup in '91 and '92, Gilles Meloche has signed on for what will officially be his 19th season with the franchise. A former Pens goalie who received the lot of his recognition as netminder for the Minnesota North Stars (including two All-Star appearances in 1980 and 1982), it goes without saying that Meloche is certainly an expert in his field. He will continue his role with the Pens, also offering his goaltending feedback and alysis' to the Wilkes-Barre club.

And finally as a last reminder, Penguins regular season tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10am. With the team selling 95-98% capacity for the past two seasons, you better get them as soon as possible.

Camp Roster

The entire camp roster is listed below. Despite rumors of Robert Esche training with the Pens, he did not appear on the roster. He will no doubt find a home somewhere, most likely as a backup, but Pittsburgh will not be that home for him. Despite his groin injury keeping him out of the Junior's competition, Esposito will make an appearance at camp. Where he will play three weeks from now is still unknown, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say it will also not be with the starting line-up on the Pens. Perhaps Wilkes-Barre or even back to work for Patrick Roy's Remparts.

I'd like to see who you think will be the big contributors during camp, and who will find themselves in the black and gold come game. If I had to pick three players, I'd go with Letang (even though he did play last season), Joe Jensen and Dustin Jeffrey. At least one of them has to make it in my mind. I've also gotten some word on Filewich posing as a big contender, but I don't think the salary cap has room for him this season.

As for guys I'm a bit concerned about...I'd really like to see Laraque put on some ice time this season. I know he had issues with injuries here and there in 06/07, but it was a relatively known fact he would pose as an injury prone player when we picked him up. He's a monster, we have to use him.

Let's take a look at what we have here. As I get word of cuts and such, I will do my best to come up with a final roster.

Defensemen:
Mark Ardelan
Paul Bissonnette
Jonathan D'Aversa
Mark Eaton
Deryk Engelland
Alex Goligoski
Sergei Gonchar
Ryan Lannon
Kris Letang
Ben Lovejoy
Brooks Orpik
Alain Nasreddine
Rob Scuderi
Darryl Sydor
Mike Weaver
Ryan Whitney

Forwards:
Colby Armstrong
Aaron Boogaard
Tim Brent
Erik Christensen
Sidney Crosby
Angelo Esposito
Jonathan Filewich
Adam Hall
Connor James
Dustin Jeffrey
Joe Jensen
Tyler Kennedy
Georges Laraque
Mark Letestu
Evgeni Malkin
Ryan Malone
Kurtis McLean
Chris Minard
Kyle Rank
Mark Recchi
Gary Roberts
Jarkko Ruutu
Nathan Smith
Jordan Staal
Ryan Stone
Petr Sykora
Jeff Taffe
Maxime Talbot
Tim Wallace

Goaltenders:
David Brown
Ty Conklin
John Curry
Marc-Andre Fleury
Dany Sabourin

Prospect Camp Over - Vet Camp Begins

14 of the 23 Penguins prospects have been invited to join the veteran camp this Thursday.


FORWARDS
Aaron Boogaard
Jonathan Filewich
Joe Jensen
Tyler Kennedy
Mark Letestu
Kyle Rank
Ryan Stone
Tim Wallace
Dustin Jeffreys

DEFENSE
Jonathan D'Aversa
Kris Letang
Ben Lovejoy

GOALTENDERS
David Brown
John Curry

Offensively, Joe Jensen and Dustin Jeffrey were definitely the two big contributors for the team, as Jeffrey walked away with 3 goals and 2 assists in the tourney. Jensen, in the championship game, scored two goals and one assist.

Happy to see both goalies were invited to camp, although I still stand by my prediction Curry will make the #2 slot behind Ty Conklin on Wilkes-Barre.

Victory For The Pens!

Perhaps this is a sign of things to come. Coming off a 3-0 shutout against the Senators on Sunday night, the Penguins' rookie camp rallied back to win 5-1 to take home the Kitchener Cup. Tally up two goals and an assist for Minnesota native Joe Jensen, scoring both within three minutes of one another.

John Curry had a shutout working for him, but with under 10 minutes left in the game Ilya Zubov put one in.

The most impressive thing in my eye throughout this series has been the number of shots the rooks have been able to put on. The other night, despite being shutout, they were able to unleash an assault of 35+ shots. Tonight was no different, as they attacked with a force of 45 total shots compared to Ottawa's 20.

If John Curry ever had a chance to prove himself, this was it. Nearly walking away with a shutout, Curry has my pick as Ty Conklin's backup on Wilkes-Barre, edging out Brown in the process. However, Curry is a whopping one year older, so perhaps next year will favor better for Brown. (Please note sarcasm)

All in all, a great series. The Pens come home with their first cup of the season, but certainly not the last.

John Curry

Could he look any younger? I think he took my sister to her prom.

Prospect Championship

The rooks take the ice again tonight in what will be the championship game against the Senators. In net for the Pens will be John Curry, who sealed himself a victory against the Panthers on Saturday night. Curry stopped 27 of the 30 shots faced.

It'll be interesting to see which of these two prospects, John Curry or David Brown, really try and step it up for the Penguins rookie circuit. I'd imagine both will want to find a spot on the Wilks-Barre team, but will again be in competition with one another for a backup role behind Ty Conklin.

Ironically enough, both goalies gave up 3 goals in their two appearances, and all three of those goals came in the first period. Brown however, is the only one of the two to give up a goal on the first shot he faced.

From where I stand, I guess I would be a bit leniant on these guys. Heck, you pluck two kids out of college and put them in a net you'd have to expect their nerves to be a bit on edge. No doubt improvements will have to be made on the ice, but the experience they get by routinely stepping on the ice will also attribute to their emotional control.

More to come tomorrow; hopefully good news of a victory.

Score None For The Rooks

The Ottawa Sens shutout the Pens Rookie camp 3-0 earlier today in Kitchener, Ontario. Perhaps the biggest opposition for the Penguins was Senators' Goalie Ryan Daniels. Coming off 37 victories last season, Daniels went on to stop all 37 of the Penguins' shots.

On a more positive standpoint, I suppose the one good thing to see is that sheer fact our rooks could put up 37 shots. In fact, they out-shot the Senators by 12, but clearly couldn't outscore them.

In net for the Penguins was David Brown, giving up the first goal of the game on the first shot of the game. The Penguins face off against the Senators again tomorrow, barring a 4 goal or more victory from the Florida Panthers over the Maple Leafs.

Barrasso Behind The Bench

He played for 18 seasons and won two cups, both with the Pens. Now Tom Barrasso is back in the realm of hockey, assuming the role of goalie coach for the Carolina Hurricanes circuit. The job not only puts him at the helm for the Hurricanes' goalies, but also for the AHL and ECHL affiliates.

Barrasso retired in in 2003, after a stint with Toronto and St. Louis. He will of course be best remembered for his role in the Penguins' victory in both 1991 and 1992 Stanley Cups. He's ranked 13th amongst goalies on the all time great list, with a goals-against average of 3.24 with 38 shutouts in 777 games. His career wins reach the 369 mark.

Outside of the NHL and beyond his two Stanley Cups, Barrasso also helped lead the US National team to a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Tom Barrasso - Career
GP	W	G	A	Pts	PIM	SO	GAA
777	369	0	48*	48	437	38	3.24

*Record amongst goalies

Door To Door

If you hear a knock at your front door and see Sidney Crosby standing outside, don't be alarmed. He's not trying to sell you cookies or award you with a publishers clearing house check. Instead, it's just another day on the job. Today he's delivering your season tickets.

As a team notorious for their contributions to the city of Pittsburgh and love and devotion for their fans, it shouldn't come as any surprise that the members of the team themselves are going door to door to 24 season ticket holders to deliver the goods.

In a recent campaign to win back fans, the St. Louis Blues have done promotional commercials along the same lines, toting the slogan - "Whatever it takes." We get to see players standing on front lawns holding bouquets of flowers, practically begging for the fans to come back. The Blues, quite possibly one of the most mis-managed teams in hockey right now, are another story all together. So for the sake of this blog devoted to the Penguins, I will end it there.

The distinct difference however between the Blues and The Penguins is the sheer fact the players on the Pens aren't acting for a commercial. They are literally walking up to your front door and handing you your tickets. Mind you, the Penguins finished second in the division last year and fifth in the conference. I think on that premise alone it goes without saying - they don't have to do anything.

But they do, and that is what makes the Penguins more than just a team people pay to watch. It makes them part of the city, not above it. You can watch them on the ice from your seat or on the tv from your couch and still think "They're human."

It's just another example of NHL marketing that sets the sport aside from all of the others, driven by passion and perserverance over personal incentive and media hype.

Camp Out

Camp kicks off next Thursday and I just got my hands on the practice schedule.

Thursday, Sept. 13 9:00-11:00am UPMC South Side

PUBLIC Friday, Sept. 14 9:00-9:50 practice group A
10:00-11:15 scrimmage - A vs. B
11:30am off-ice training - group A
11:30-12:20 practice group B
12:45pm off-ice training • group B

PUBLIC Saturday, Sept. 15 9:00-9:50 practice group B
10:00-11:15 scrimmage - B vs. A
11:30am off-ice training - group B
11:30-12:20 practice group A
12:45pm off-ice training - group A

PUBLIC Sunday, Sept. 16 9:00-9:50 practice group A
10:00-11:15 scrimmage - A vs. B
11:30am off-ice training - group A
11:30-12:20 practice group B
12:45pm off-ice training - group B

Monday, Sept. 17 @ Montreal

11:30-12:15pm practice game group
12:30-2:00pm practice group B
TBA off-ice - group B
7:30pm Game @ Montreal

Tuesday, Sept. 18 @ Montreal

11:30-12:15pm practice game group
12:30-2:00pm practice group B
TBA off-ice - group B
7:30pm Game @ Montreal

PUBLIC Wednesday, Sept. 19 @ MELLON ARENA

11:30-1:00pm practice group A
1:15pm group A off-ice workout
1:15-2:45pm practice group B
3:00pm group B off-ice workout


PUBLIC Thursday, Sept. 20 @ MELLON ARENA

10:00-11:30pm practice group A
11:45pm group A off-ice workout
11:45-1:15pm practice group B
1:30pm group B off-ice workout


Friday, Sept. 21 @ MELLON ARENA

10:00-11:00am practice game group
11:15-12:45pm extra’s practice
1:00pm extra’s off-ice workout
7:30pm Game @ Detroit

Saturday, Sept. 22 @ MELLON ARENA

10:30-11:15am practice game group
11:30-1:00pm extra’s practice
1:15pm extra’s off-ice workout
7:30pm Game vs. Detroit

Sunday, Sept. 23 To West Point


Monday, Sept. 24 11:00-1:00pm practice


Tuesday, Sept. 25 11:00-1:00pm practice


Wednesday, Sept. 26 10:00-12:00pm practice


Return to Pittsburgh

PUBLIC Thursday, Sept. 27 11:00am practice @ MELLON ARENA

post practice off-ice workout

Friday, Sept. 28 9:00-10:00am extra’s practice @ MELLON ARENA
10:30-11:15am game group practice
7:30pm Game vs. Buffalo

Saturday, Sept. 29 10:30-11:15am game group practice @ MELLON ARENA
11:30am extra’s practice • post practice workout
7:00pm Game @ Buffalo

Sunday, Sept. 30 11:00am practice @ MELLON ARENA

Monday, Oct. 1 11:00am practice @ MELLON ARENA

Tuesday, Oct. 2 11:00am practice @ MELLON ARENA

Wednesday, Oct. 3 11:00am practice @ MELLON ARENA

Jerseys Ads

I was doing a little reading on Emptynetters and found an article about former Pens goalie Andy Chiodo. Currently, Chiodo is playing in Finland, but it wasn't so much the thought of him playing in another country that shocked me. Hell, Belfour did it with the Leksand club in Sweden. Instead, here is what caught my eye.



Notice anything? Look closer.

The only thing with more Ad Space than Andy Chido is Dale Junior's racing car. Some people were a little peeved about the new Pens Jerseys taking away from the traditional look, but at least Sidney Crosby's game winning goal wasn't brought to us in part by Midas. Sure, the announcers will have sponsors for certain things, but it's just an eye sore to see it matted on a player's jersey.

Soccer does it (or football if you're from across the pond).

Any thoughts?

Things To Come - Too Cool For School

So now that we have the new fall fashion out of the way, prospect camp in the works and preseason only a little under 2 weeks away, we can finally breathe a sigh of relief; the regular season is almost upon us.

Finally.

School's back in session, and hey if you're a student willing to skip classes (I know it's insane, but hear me out) you can get yourself some student tickets.

The Penguins expect attendance to be at an all time high this upcoming season. With a genuine run for the playoffs last year, and an honest rush for the cup this season, you're going to need fire marshalls on hand to assure the fire code isn't being broken.

According to the Pittsburgh Tribune

Even though sales of season tickets and partial plans have been brisk, the Penguins will withhold at least 200 tickets per game to devote exclusively to the popular student rush program.

In previous years, any student with a valid ID could get in line at Gate 8 on game day and purchase an unsold ticket for a set amount, which this season will be $20.



Of course, there is still 8 days before the sale, so student or not - you have to wait.

Finally, I'd just like to make a personal note here. My goal for this blog was simple: create a community around The Penguins, provide facts and try to prove or dispel rumors. In a few days, this blog is going to hit message boards, online communities and blog sites with the intent to increase traffic and take this site to an all new level. Your contributions are more than welcomed, they're encouraged. I hope you enjoy what I provide here at Pensburgh, and I hope in a few months we'll all be celebrating the cup's return to Pittsburgh!

Pens Jerseys

Well apparantly the jerseys did leak early, because they are as previously posted. Judging by some pictures from pittsburghpenguins.com, there was a decent turnout.




Now that we have the uniform thing situated, let's focus on getting some rival blood on that new clean white.

Uniform Update

Right now as I type this the Penguins are holding a ceremony at the Pittsburgh Mills to unveil the new uniforms. The initial speech is to discuss the new arena, what to expect in 07/08 and finally at 6:30 the unveiling of the new uniforms. No word as of yet if non-media cameras are allowed, but whenever I get a pic I will be sure to post it.

Markov update...most likely final

I'm now reading that Markov and Pittsburgh is out of the question. He's now rumored to be in talks with Boston, in turn eliminating himself from discussion in this blog.

However, we can at least take a look at what life is going to be like for our D-men.

If all goes well and no further signings take place, then our defensive core is looking pretty tight. However, tomorrow is Prospect Day and we can expect to see what Letang has to offer, aside from the seven games and two goals from last season. I'm expecting good things.

Additionally, we have contributions from the likes of Gonchar, Orpik, Sydor and Whitney, all of whom I feel stand out as our top defensemen.

3 Mark Eaton
55 Sergei Gonchar "A"
58 Kris Letang
32 Alain Nasreddine
44 Brooks Orpik
4 Rob Scuderi
5 Darryl Sydor
43 Mike Weaver
19 Ryan Whitney

Currently The Pens have a 21 man roster, but under NHL regulations they are allowed to have 23. What room we have under the cap is really the deciding factor. I'd like to see a prospect or two step up for us, or perhaps pick up another defensive forward for the PK. Other than that, I couldn't be happier with how things look, and I'm desperately counting down the days to the start of the season.

13 Days Till Preseason

The Markov rumors continue to circulate, with additional tread coming from the Bruins and SJ. Personally, I think he'd be a better fit on those teams then on the Pens. Sure, he'd be an older, more experienced defenseman, but we have our core that I'd pretty happy with. If signing Markov means waving goodbye to Orpik, or dropping Letang down to the farm team, then I'd rather see Markov find another home.

Just a reminder; for you fashion savvy individuals out there, the new Pens Jerseys unveil tomorrow. They're being super secretive about them. I thought maybe I could try and buy one on nhl.com and get a look, but even they are displaying a "no picture available" icon. I just hope the Pens don't adopt pink as a rally color...

Preseason kicks off in 13 days against the Habs. I'd expect this preseason to be a good time for us to check out the depth of the team. Personally, I'm looking forward to Sabourin getting a start or two, can't wait to see Sykora and Sydor.

On a similar note, prospect camp begins tomorrow. I have a feeling we'll still be seeing one or two more additions before the season starts. However, I'm now beginning to think the Markov deal is simply a rumor and nothing more. Every year the guy 'threatens' to go overseas. Go ahead, you're not that good...so go ahead and walk away from the league with some of the best players in the world.

Labor Day

No official word on anything related to Markov as of yet. I suppose even the NHL takes off Labor Day. Don't blame em, they're often caught working all other holidays of the year so they might as well take a day in the offseason for themselves.

I'm on top of this Markov story like flies on poop. I want official word just as much as anyone else does.

In other somewhat relative news, despite previous posts of Lindros announcing his retirement, there has been no such word as of yet. E-train has suffered close to a dozen concussions in his career and has speculated he still wants to play, but not just for a game here or there. I still think the Pens can write him off as an option.

More to come soon, enjoy the holiday.

Danny Markov to the Pens?

According to Yahoo's NHL rumor site, defenseman Danny Markov is considering a two year offer with the Penguins. Apparantly it's either a two year offer to play with the Pens or a one year offer to play in the Russian league.

Last year Markov played in 66 games for the Red Wings, missing three weeks with a broken hand.

Top Rooks

The fourthperiod.com has a list of what they predict to be the top 20 rookies of the 06-07 season. In the top 5 alone, Malkin (#1) and Staal (#5) both make an appearance. The only other division rookie to make an appearance is the Devils' Travis Zajac at #9.

No! Not My Agent...

Just read this in the Washington Post:

Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin broke the jaw of Evgeniy Malkin's agent Gennady Ushakov. Once well-known keeper Gennady Ushakov came out to take part in a pre-season match the other day with his jaw injured. It has become known that a conflict flared up between Alexander Ovechkin and Gennady Ushakov during a night club party. Ushakov is said to have insulted Ovechkin which led to a fight in which Malkin's agent had his jaw broken.

I wonder if this somehow goes back to the Motherland. I've also read some reports saying the jaw is not broken, but his agent is in a hospital. Regardless, noone is denying the fact the punch was thrown.

Is Ovechkin is feeling some of the pressures of being Ovechkin, the "other guy", and not Crosby or Malkin? When it came to handing out the Calder, it was a heavy debate whether Crosby or Ovechkin should get it. Now Crosby is reigning in the spotlight and getting major endorsements.

Is Crosby the Gretzky to Ovechkin's Hull?

Crosby and Roethlisberger

The Pittburgh Tribune-Review posted an article that really got me thinking today. First, check out the article so you at least know what I'm talking about.

In a city where leaving has become a rite of passage, young stars have found a home.

Take Ben Roethlisberger, the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl. Consider Sidney Crosby, the youngest captain in NHL history. See Luke Ravenstahl, the youngest mayor of any major United States' city.

Actually, Ravenstahl, 27, would understand if his name never entered into the conversation.

"The reality is that on a national level, I am not even a drop on the radar screen compared to Ben Roethlisberger and Sidney Crosby," Ravenstahl said. "People in other cities, people around the world, often identify first with a city's sports franchises. So, in that respect, Ben and Sidney are Pittsburgh for a lot of people.
-Pittsburgh Tribune-Review-

So what I'm racking through my brain is, if Ben was the youngest to win a Super Bowl, then Crosby will be the youngest captain to win a cup right? Right?!

Let's hope so. In the past six years, this year is the best year for the Penguins to do it. Sure we made the playoffs last year, but we weren't exactly ready to compete. It was a shock, a new adventure for the rooks and a first even still for some of the more aged players. Fact is, we got there, and we'll get there again this year.

If you really want to break it down, The Sens' Philips did an amazing job defending Crosby. But it's not the Crosby show out there. When we needed players like Malkin and Armstrong to come up big for us, they both fizzled out and went cold. If anything, it was the absolute worst time for Malkin to cool off.

Let bygones be bygones. 07/08 is a new season.