Never Doubted For A Second

More Than Just Two Points

Going into last night's showdown between the Penguins and the Red Wings I had pretty easily convinced myself that it was, despite all the hype surrounding the game, 1 out of 82 games the Penguins will play this season and nothing more. I'm not one of those people who thinks beating a team in the regular season after they beat you in the playoffs the season before is any kind of revenge, so that angle was lost on me. It was 2 points just like any other game.

Somewhere in the third period last night that all changed. The Penguins came back from 5-2 and 6-4 defeceits in the third period on the road against one of the best teams in the NHL. That counts for a lot more than just two points. This will be one of those moments that this team can look back on for the rest of the season and remember that even when they are down, they are never out of a game. Even under some of the worst possible circumstances.

Here are my thoughts on the game:

• Have to start with Jordan Staal. The way he played in the last 10 minutes of the third and OT was a dominant a performance as you will ever see from any player. Jordan made himself a lot of money this offseason with this game. And it was not lost on me that #11 had the game of his life on 11/11 and set up the OT winner with 1:11 remaining.
• Red Wings fans are a joke. Nice of them to show up in time for the second period.
• Letang and Goligoski both looked really good to me. They did not have mistake free games, but they both looked really poised down the stretch.
• I know he had 2 assists, but really... did Marian Hossa even play last night?
• Mike Zigomanis may be the pick-up of the year. His dominance on face-offs can not be overhyped as it is a big boost for the Pens both in the defensive zone and on the power play. If he doesn't win that offensive zone draw at the end of the third I'm writing about a 6-5 Detroit win right now.
• Red Wings fans are a joke. This game was so big and such a statement while they were winning, but as soon as Fedo sent them packing in OT it was just another regular home game against some random non-conference team.
• Marc-Andre Fleury was much better than the numbers tell. The Hudler goal was the only one he had any chance of stopping. The bottom line is that right now if MAF can see it he is going to stop it 99% of the time.
• Red Wings fans are a joke. They love to go on and on about how good Datsyuk and Zetterberg are defensively and all the turnovers they create and then turnaround and dismiss Staal picking Datsyuk's pocket in overtime as lucky or a fluke. Just watch Zetterberg flop around on the ice during the Pens' 5-on-3 goal and then explain to me how great he is defensively.
• I have never been happier watching one of my fantasy goalies give up 7 goals.
• Hearing Hossa getting booed on his "home" ice was priceless. Penguin fans definitely had the edge at "The Joe" last night.
• Red Wings fans are a joke.
  

And this post would not be complete without a highlight package:

Anyone Feel A Draft?

Before things really kick into gear with the NHL season I thought I would take a moment to reflect on my two fantasy hockey drafts. I am in one of Sean's Going Five Hole head-to-head leagues as well as my own sponsored TOFTT roto league. Two very different leagues and two very different draft experiences as you will see. Picks are listed by round with overall selection place in parenthesis.

Team: Black n' Blue Line (GFH league)
Picks:

1. (3) Jarome Iginla
2. (22) Sergei Gonchar
3. (27) Chris Osgood
4. (46) Brenden Morrow
5. (51) Johan Franzen
6. (70) Miroslav Satan
7. (75) Cam Ward
8. (94) Ilya Bryzgalov
9. (99) Teemu Selanne
10. (118) Jordan Staal
11. (123) Duncan Keith
12. (142) Braydon Coburn
13. (147) Ryan Whitney
14. (166) Michael Ryder
15. (171) Joe Sakic
16. (190) Robert Lang

Notes:

• Taking Iginla at #3 was pretty much a no-brainer for me. No offense Geno.
• This draft was the night after Gonchar got hurt, which explains why I took him in the 2nd round.
• My plan was to take either MAF or Henrik Lundqvist in the 2nd round, but they were both gone. MAF was the 6th player off the board.
• Osgood, Franzen, Morrow, Satan, Staal, and Coburn should all be steady producers.
• Teemu at 99 should be a steal. Why won't he score at least 40 goals this season?
• I'm not looking forward to another season of Cam Ward, but I didn't have a lot of other options at that point.
• If Ryder can regain his form under Claude Julien he is a great value pick, as is Sakic at 171.
• I've already dropped Robert Lang to pick up Andy McDonald.

Team: TOFTT Again! (TOFTT league)
Picks:

1. (5) Dany Heatley
2. (18) Dion Phaneuf
3. (27) J.S. Giguere
4. (40) Carey Price
5. (49) Jason Pominville
6. (62) Derek Roy
7. (71) Mike Ribeiro
8. (84) Brent Burns
9. (93) Petr Sykora
10. (106) Pascal Leclaire
11. (115) Jordan Staal
12. (128) Daniel Carcillo
13. (137) Marek Zidlicky
14. (150) Tomas Plekanec
15. (159) Teemu Selanne
16. (172) Sean Avery
17. (181) Patrice Bergeron
18. (194) Alex Goligoski

Notes:

• Heatley could be a beast this year. I could end up regretting not taking him in my other draft.
• I could not be happier that "The Dion" fell to me at 18.
• I am set between the pipes with Giguere and Price. Leclaire isn't a bad third option to have either.
• If Buffalo makes the playoffs Roy and Pominville push me to an easy title here.
• I will own the PIM column with Avery and Carcillo. And they can both provide some offense too.
• Selanne at 159?!?! Somebody pinch me, I must be dreaming.
• If Patrice Bergeron is back to 100% he could be a nice asset to trade down the road. Plekanec could fall into that category too.

So there are my teams. Initially I was pretty down on my GFH league team, but I am feeling more upbeat about it now. I could not be happier about my TOFTT team. I felt better at the end of that draft then I had at a draft in a long time. Probably since my fantasy football heyday. I would seriously be shocked if I don't win that league. Knock on wood...

NHL 09 Custom Covers

It has been well documented by now how jazzed I am for the pending release of NHL 09 next month. Those of you who have been coming around here for a while also know that I like to put together custom covers. So with that in mind, here is my custom cover thread for NHL 09.

It took me a little longer than I had hoped to get these ready because I made my own template this year. The good news is that the hard work is over and new covers will be relatively easy to produce. So... if you want to request a cover you can leave a note in the comments or e-mail me and I will get to it as soon as I can and then add the finished product to this post. Additionally, if there is a particular image you would like me to use feel free to attach it in the e-mail or include a link in your e-mail or comment. Enjoy!

Update:
Pascal Leclaire added. Martin Brodeur and Brenden Morrow are on the way!

2008 Playoffs: Wrapping Up Game 6 And The Finals

The better team won. Let's just get the clear from the start here. The Detroit Red Wings are your 2008 Stanley Cup Champions thanks to their 3-2 Game 6 win in Pittsburgh. The Penguins gave it all they had, but they were flat for most of the game and two (really) bad goals did them in. They made a game out of it with Marian Hossa's late deflection goal, but it was all for naught as Chris Osgood made one final glove save to seal the deal for Detroit.

Detroit was the better team in this series, but the Pens did themselves in by playing so poorly in the two opening games in Detroit. As good as this Penguins team was, they were not going to be able to take four out of five from this Red Wings team. Hats off to the Wings, they earned it.

My other random musings:

• The Pens were really flat for most of this game. They were losing just about every race to a loose puck and they weren't going to beat Detroit playing like that.
• That third goal for Detroit (the Cup clincher) was one of the most painful things I ever watched. I could easily throw Brooks Orpik under the bus for not dealing with the loose puck in the crease, but he was trying to protect his goalie and I'll never fault a player for that.
• I am legitimately happy for Brian Rafalski. Red Wing or not, I really like him as a player.
• I feel completely opposite about Johan Franzen. He's the guy I really learned to hate during this series.
• Nice of Kris Draper to take a run at Sergei Gonchar from behind early in the game. Isn't this the same team the whined about Gary Roberts going after Franzen in Game 2?
• The refs were terrible tonight from start to finish. I'm not saying that as a Penguins fan either, but just as a hockey fan. The NHL officials really need to get it together.
• Evgeni Malkin finally had the kind of game we had all been waiting for. Better late than never I guess.
• For about the last 10 minutes of the game I kept telling myself over and over "Ron Francis in Game 7 against the Islanders". Marian Hossa almost made my wish come true. Complete with the brilliant deflection on a wrister from the point. Almost...
  
• I wouldn't be shocked to see these two teams battle for the Cup again next year.
  
• The next few weeks are going to be real interesting for the Penguins as Ray Shero and company begin to deal with their glut of free agents.

The Conn Five

1. Henrik Zetterberg
2. Sidney Crosby
3. Marc-Andre Fleury
4. Johan Franzen
5. Chris Osgood
   

2008 Playoffs: Wrapping Up Game 5 Of The Finals

Just wow. That's about all I can say. We are just minutes removed from Petr Sykora's triple overtime goal and all the pressure in this series is now squarely on the shoulders of the Detroit Red Wings. The Penguins are back in the Stanley Cup Finals in a big way and they are heading home for Game 6. For the fourth game in a row, many of these young Penguins will be playing in the biggest game of their lives. At some point they just get used to it and get on with life I'm sure.

My notes on Game 5:

• When his team needed him the most, Marc-Andre Fleury was at his best. MAF's contract demands probably just got bumped up a little bit. Again.


• Huge performance by the Penguins defense tonight. After losing Sergei Gonchar the 5 remaining Penguin blue liners circled the wagons and took care of business. Ryan Whitney in particular was outstanding as he led all skaters in ice time and left it all on the ice.
  
• People will be talking about Sykora calling his shot for years. That was the stuff of legends.
• Evgeni Malkin picked up an assist on the winner. Could that be the start of something big?
• It seems like forever ago but... Max Freaking Talbot!!


• 30 minutes ago I hated Jiri Hudler. Now he's possibly my favorite Red Wing ever. Nice stickwork there joke.
• It has been said many times but it still holds true, nothing around beats playoff overtime hockey.
  
• Game 6 can't get here soon enough. The Igloo is gonna be rocking!

The Conn Five

1. Henrik Zetterberg
2. Sidney Crosby
3. Marc-Andre Fleury
4. Johan Franzen
5. Chris Osgood
   

2008 Playoffs: Wrapping Up Game 4 Of The Finals

This sucks. I don't even feel like writing about this game, but on the off chance someone is expecting me to... This loss hurts. A lot. Games 1 and 2 didn't sting too bad because I knew there was a really good chance that the Pens could respond with a pair of wins on home ice. Now that the Pens lost the pivotal Game 4 it feels like someone walked into my house and slapped all three of my kids. I couldn't feel worse right now. I'm not giving up on my Pens, but I'm also smart enough to realize that the odds of beating this Detroit Red Wings team three games in a row, including twice at home, are pretty slim. I guess I'll just have to channel my inner Lloyd Christmas on this one because a least there's still a chance...

My observations on Game 4:

• Nothing is going right for Evgeni Malkin right now. You really have to feel for the big guy. Hopefully he comes out of this a better player somehow. In the meantime, he really needs to be taken off the point of the power play. His bad decisions at the blue line are killing the Penguins right now.
  
• Tonight's broadcast by NBC was almost VS. quality. And no, that is not a compliment in any way. The intermission with Ron Francis in particular was a joke. Here you have one of the best players in NHL history on set and the idiot host asks him if he "remembers" winning the Stanley Cup. How's that for insightful? Why not ask him if he remembered to put socks on this morning too?
• Marian Hossa was excellent tonight, but he needs to get in to support the puck faster on the power play. That said, if the Pens had won tonight his first period goal would have become a part of Penguins lore.
• Mike Babcock has a very Al Bundy quality about him if you ask me.
• The refs really let Detroit get away with a lot in this game. I wouldn't go so far as to label the Red Wings a dirty team, but they sure hit from behind a lot. It's hard to blame them though if the refs are going to continue to let them get away with it. Not to mention the whole Dan Cleary shooting a broken stick at Sid thing...
  
• That 5-on-3 gone bad will be giving people nightmares for years.

The Conn Five

1. Henrik Zetterberg
2. Sidney Crosby
3. Chris Osgood
4. Johan Franzen
5. Marc-Andre Fleury
   

2008 Playoffs: Wrapping Up Game 3 Of The Finals

Well, it took three games, but we finally have ourselves a series. The Pens stepped up as they returned to the friendly confines of The Igloo and responded with a 3-2 victory over the Red Wings. Maybe this will be enough to shut up some of the NHL media about how Detroit is the best team ever and the Pens' dynasty is over before it even got started. Pittsburgh came out tonight playing the way they should have from the drop of the first puck. Granted home ice played into their success, but they were simply better. All the little things I said they were doing wrong after Game 2, well they were doing them all right tonight, and it paid off.

Here are the rest of my thoughts on Game 3:

• Sid was simply a beast tonight. He had played well in Detroit, but he was on another level tonight. He showed why he is hands down the best hockey player on the planet.
• Darryl Sydor looked really rusty tonight, but that is pretty understandable. He got better as the game went along and as much as I love Kris Letang, he will probably be a steadying presence on the blue line for the remainder of the Finals.
• Where would Detroit be without Johan Franzen? He has been their most effective offensive player since getting back into the Red Wings lineup.
• Brooks Orpik was out of his mind tonight. He brought a level of physicality that Detroit just can't match. Especially in the third when he was hitting everything in a white jersey.


• Gary Roberts was back to being Gary Roberts.
• I could go on for hours about how much I love the way Tyler Kennedy plays hockey. If you're lucky, someday I will.
• Chris Osgood may have a pair of victories in the Finals, but tonight Marc-Andre Fleury became the first goalie in the Finals to win a game.
  

The Conn Five

1. Henrik Zetterberg
2. Sidney Crosby
3. Marc-Andre Fleury
4. Chris Osgood
5. Johan Franzen
   

2008 Playoffs: Wrapping Up Game 2 Of The Finals

Well, it seems like we've been down this road before. Once again the Penguins rolled into Joe Louis and walked out with a bagel for their efforts. As with Game 1, I wasn't terribly impressed with Detroit in Game 2, but they still deserved to win. They took advantage of a handful of Penguin mistakes, and that was the difference in the game. Also like Game 1, the Penguins played horribly. I don't know if it is nerves or what, but they are really sucking it up right now. I'm talking about the little things like making clean passes, pulling the puck off the boards, and getting the puck in deep at the blue line.

Here are my other observations from Game 2:

• I said it before and I'll probably be saying it again Wednesday night, but Niklas Kronwall is a dirty hitter. He had two big hits tonight. One was a blatant charge, and the other was his more traditional elbow. Sooner or later one of these has to get called.
• Chris Osgood is a joke. It is comedic to see him flop around like he was shot at the slightest hint of contact. Let alone the fact that the refs let him initiate contact and then hit players on the other team with a goalie interference call (see Ryan Malone). Someone needs to take a real good run at him and show him what it is like to really get hit. That brings us to...
• Johan Franzen. What an embarrassment. I would never wish for a player to get injured, especially when we're talking about head injuries, but if that guy is going to collapse in a heap and play dead five seconds after getting nudged at the blue line then he deserves what is coming to him. Someone on the Pens really is going to go upside his head if he continues to pull that crap. At least (for once) the refs weren't buying what he was selling.
  
  
• Tyler Kennedy is everything you could want in a hockey player. If every Penguin forward had played as well as TK in the first two games we would be heading home with a split at the very least.
• I'm assuming Evgeni Malkin left his game in Pittsburgh. Which should be a good omen for the next two games right?
  
• Hal Gill and Pascal Dupuis were both awful tonight. There's no other way to put it. They both really need to pick up their games in a big way.
• No more VS. broadcasts!!! (Just thought I'd end on an up note.)

The Conn Five

1. Chris Osgood
2. Henrik Zetterberg
3. Marc-Andre Fleury
4. Pavel Datsyuk
5. Sidney Crosby
   

2008 Playoffs: Wrapping Up Game 1 Of The Finals

Well that sure sucked. The Pens really looked flat tonight, but full credit to Detroit. They outplayed the Pens and did a pretty good job of limiting the Penguins offensive chances, especially in the first period. Hopefully this game will be a good wakeup call for Pittsburgh, because tonight they looked a lot more like the team that got battered around by Ottawa last year than the team that cruised through the East this season.

Here are the rest of my notes and observations on Game 1:

• The Pens defense looked shaky at times, but in all honesty the Wings didn't have that many good scoring chances. The Wings did take advantage of a couple bad mistakes by the Pens' D though, and in a series this close that will be the difference.
• MAF looked a bit shaky for the first time in this post-season, but I think he did a good job of surviving the first period and then settling in.
• Granted Henrik Zetterberg scored a garbage time goal, but he and Pavel Datsyuk were not much of a factor tonight.
• Evgeni Malkin looked absolutely lost tonight. Geno can be the most dominant player in the NHL when he is on, but he also has nights like tonight when he is really off. Pittsburgh will need more from him if they are going to have a shot in this series.
• Sidney Crosby and Marian Hossa both looked good tonight. They weren't at their best, but they were probably the Penguins' two best players aside from MAF. I would even go as far to say that Sid was the best forward for either team.
• I hated Mikael Samuelsson going into this game. I still hate him. Move along.
• Niklas Kronwall is a nice hitter, but he really leads with his elbows a lot. Some ref needs to step in and call that when applicable. That said, his big hit on Jordan Staal was as clean as they come.
• That Detroit crowd is a joke. Can't someone step in and officially strip them of the Hockeytown title already?
• I couldn't be more excited about the fact that there is only one more VS. broadcast left in the season. Their broadcasts could not be worse.

One last piece of business to attend to. As I said in a previous post, I will be keeping a running list of Conn Smythe Trophy candidates for the duration of the Finals. So without further delay, here is the first edition of...

The Conn Five

1. Chris Osgood
2. Marc-Andre Fleury
3. Sidney Crosby
4. Henrik Zetterberg
5. Sergei Gonchar

2008 Playoffs: Handicapping The Conn Smythe Contenders

As we get ready for the Stanley Cup Finals to get underway on Saturday night, I thought this would be the perfect time to look at who are the front runners for the Conn Smythe Trophy on both teams. Both the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins have been led by their biggest stars in the post-season, but there have also been some unsung heroes on both teams that I feel should get some recognition for their tremendous play thus far.

I am going to list my top four Conn Smythe candidates for each team below. Once the Finals begin I will include a Conn Smythe Top 5 when I recap each game. This will be a dynamic list that will obviously reflect the ebb and flow of the series as it plays out.

Detroit Red Wings

1. Chris Osgood
2. Henrik Zetterberg
3. Pavel Datsyuk
4. Johan Franzen

Notes: I give Osgood top billing here because he really turned things around for the Wings in their first round series against Nashville. Datsyuk and Zetterberg are pretty much a coin flip at this point. The bottom line is that the Wings would be lost without them both. Franzen would be much higher on the list if it were not for his injury. It will be interesting to see if the Wings get him back for the Finals or not.

Pittsburgh Penguins

1. Sidney Crosby
2. Marc-Andre Fleury
3. Evgeni Malkin
4. Sergei Gonchar

Notes: It was a tough call for me here between Sid and MAF. I still don't think MAF has gotten his fair share of the credit for the Penguins' performance thus far. People seem all to eager to declare him the weak link in the Penguin chain, but not give him his due as he continues to outperform every other netminder in the NHL. Geno could be leading the pack here if he hadn't gone quiet in the middle of the Eastern Conference Finals. Gonchar has been unreal all post-season and does not get near the amount of credit that he deserves. He has been an anchor for the Penguins at both ends of the rink.

All Is Right In The Eastern Conference

The universe has finally righted itself and after a brisk 14 games the Pittsburgh Penguins have taken back their rightful spot atop the Eastern Conference. I have to say that the path the Pens took to the top of the East could not have been sweeter either. Let's reflect for just a second...

• Round 1 - Annihilating the Ottawa Senators in 4 games and getting revenge on the team that took them out behind the proverbial woodshed in last season's playoffs.
• Round 2 - Dispatching Jaromir Jagr and the rest of the Penguins alumni squad that not calls themselves the New York Rangers.
• Round 3 - Eliminating the rival Flyers in near perfect fashion, culminating in the 6-0 series clincher on home ice.

Back on top, where they belong!

Not looking past the fact that there is still one more round to go, I can't resist the opportunity to look back on what was a dominating romp through the East for the Penguins. Here are a few of my observations on the first 3 rounds:

• The Flyers and their fans can make all the injury excuses they want, but except for the 3 goals the refs gift-wrapped for them in the first period of game 4, they were never in their series against the Pens. It was not nearly as close as the 4-1 result would lead you to believe.
• Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin get most of the press, but Marc-Andre Fleury and Sergei Gonchar have been the Penguins two most consistent and arguably best performers this post-season.
• Jordan Staal has gotten better and better as the Pens have gotten deeper into the playoffs. Anyone who would complain about his drop in scoring during the regular season just does not get what hockey is about.
• Where have all the people bashing the Pascal Dupuis Marian Hossa trade gone?
• Ryan Malone and Marc-Andre Fleury have both made themselves a fortune in the last six weeks.
• Every single player on the Penguins has performed their role perfectly. Knowledgeable hockey people realize how valuable guys like Tyler Kennedy and Max Talbot have been in Pittsburgh's run to the Finals.

Well, the Red Wings just (finally) finished off the Stars. So now we know who our new enemy is. Nothing in the world could make me happier than to see the Pens beat the Wings in the Finals. Nothing. This is going to be unreal. The ghosts of '96 have been exorcised! Strap in Pens fans, there's four more miles to go to the promised land!

A Look Inside Penguins Vs. Rangers

I have a million thoughts racing through my head regarding the series between the Penguins and the Rangers. I figured I might as well voice some of them since everyone and their mother seems to have an opinion on this series. So away we go!

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People keep referring to Marc-Andre Fleury as the big question mark in this series. Normally this would be where I would go on a rant about how dominant he has been since coming back from his ankle injury and how he has now made it just as deep into the playoffs as Henrik Lundqvist ever has, but instead I'll let the numbers do all the talking:

Marc-Andre Fleury's Post-Season Stats:
6-0, 1.51 GAA, .944 SV%, 2 SO

Any more questions?

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The NHL media is reacting to Pittsburgh's 2-0 Game 2 win like the Pens have never played defense before. I know the Penguin offense is what gets all the press, but the boys in black have been one of the top defensive teams in the NHL since we all unwrapped our 2008 calendars. The only reason I can think of for all this sudden amazement on the part of these so-called experts is that they picked the Rangers to win and have to act shocked that the Penguins are this good. Otherwise why wouldn't they have picked them to win the series? Honestly, the Penguins are just as good as the Rangers defensively, if not better, yet they don't get any credit because they actually score goals to go along with it. Die hard Penguin fans know that guys like Gill, Letang, Orpik, and Scuderi have been just as important to the Penguins in the playoffs as Sid and Geno. It doesn't hurt having the hottest goalie in the game between the pipes either (see above).

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No, the Penguins have not lost a game in the playoffs yet, but there is still a lot more work to be done in this series. As much as I would love to see the Pens sweep the Rags, and as good as they are playing right now, I would be perfectly happy with taking one of the next two and returning to the Igloo for Game 5 up 3-1 in the series. The Rangers are still a good team and the biggest competition to the Penguins in the East for my money. I don't expect Pittsburgh to take their foot off the gas, but I don't think the Rangers are ready to roll over yet either.

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So much was made heading into this series about the impact Sean Avery would have on the Penguins. Despite his Game 1 goal, Avery hasn't had much of an impact on the series thus far. At least not until the end of Game 2:


I have a few reactions to the scrum at the end of the game:

• Why has nobody mentioned the tomahawk slash Avery took at Hal Gill after the linesman stepped in? Watch closely at about the 1:15 mark of that video and then tell me why Avery should NOT be suspended. That is a flagrant and vicious stick swing and Avery should be out for somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 to 6 games at least. It was an indefensible act by a despicable player and he should be held accountable for it. I am literally in shock that I have not seen this mentioned anywhere.
• People are going to talk about how Avery was going after MAF and how he was setting the tone for Game 3, but who is to day MAF hasn't gotten to Avery instead. MAF is a smart kid. You know he knew Gill and Laraque were nearby when he decided to show Avery the business end of his stick and Avery fell for it. If not for the bravest (or stupidest) linesman ever they'd still be picking pieces of Avery out of the end boards.
• How great was it to see Scuderi and Talbot arrive on the scene and then turn to keep the oncoming wave of Rangers from coming to the aid of Avery? Part of me wondered if any of the Rangers were even going to bother going to help Avery. I would not have been shocked if they had just headed for the locker room and left Avery to clean up his own mess.

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You can tell that there is really something special going on between Penguins fans and this team. This group of guys is just so likable and easy to get behind that it is not too surprising. But there is something to be said for the fact the Penguins are in the midst of a sellout string better than the teams of the glory days of the early '90s ever enjoyed. I am right in line with this too. This Penguins squad is right there with the '92 Cup winning team as probably my two favorite teams ever. To put it simply, as many others already have...

I love this team!

2008 Playoffs: Looking Back On Round 1

With the second round of the playoffs just a few short hours away, let's take one last look back at the opening round, including how I fared with my predictions. The first round of the playoffs are possibly my two favorite weeks of the year, and this season was no disappointment.

My Predictions:

Detroit v Nashville
I said: Red Wings in 5
What happened: Red Wings in 6
Comments: Nashville made a series of it thanks to goalie Dan Ellis, but they just didn't have enough to hang with the Wings. I picked Alexander Radulov as my player to watch in the series as I expected him to have a big impact for Nashville. I just didn't think it would be for knocking Jason Arnott out of the series with a celebratory check into the boards after a goal. That may signal the end of his days in Nashville before all is said and done.

San Jose v Calgary
I said: Flames in 7
What happened: Sharks in 7
Comments: This was a back and forth series and the tightest of the first round offerings in the West, as I expected. I really thought the Flames were going to pull off the upset, but they just didn't have enough in the end. San Jose's depth was the big difference in the series as Calgary failed to find much offense beyond the Iginla line.

Minnesota v Colorado
I said: Wild in 6
What happened: Avalanche in 6
Comments: In what is becoming a playoff tradition, I was really high on Minnesota heading into the playoffs and they proceeded to let me down. I thought Marian Gaborik would get the Wild through to the next round, but he was nowhere to be seen. It was nice to see Joe Sakic back in vintage form though.

Anaheim v Dallas
I said: Ducks in 6
What happened: Stars in 6
Comments: This one was a minor shock to me. I knew the Stars were capable of big things even though they backed into the playoffs, but I really expected a lot more from the Ducks this post-season. Giving away the first two games in Anaheim really came back to haunt the Ducks once they started trying to make a series of it. With that said, I couldn't be happier the Stars won as I have a soft spot in my heart for them (and it keeps my dreams of a Pens/Stars Finals alive).

Montreal v Boston
I said: Bruins in 7
What happened: Canadiens in 7
Comments: I thought this was going to be a really tight series, and I mistakenly thought the Habs were going to be without the services of Mike Komisarek. If I had known he was going to be playing I probably would have taken Montreal. Oh well, life goes on...

Pittsburgh v Ottawa
I said: Pens in 5
What happened: Pens in 4!!!
Comments: I totally expected the Pens to run Ottawa into the ground, but I thought the Sens at least had enough pride to steal a game at home. I guess they showed me. Sid and Geno spearheaded a scarily balanced Pittsburgh attack while the Marc-Andre Fleury experience was in full effect at the other end. It was a near flawless series for the Pens and I think they have established themselves as the team to beat in the East.

Washington v Philadelphia
I said: Caps in 6
What happened: Flyers in 7
Comments: I could sit here and draw up parallels between this year's Caps and last year's Penguins, but that wouldn't do justice to either team. The fact is that Washington is a young team that put up a good fight after digging themselves quite a hole against the Flyers. Mike Richards led the way for the Flyers as they can now set their sights on the top seeded Canadiens and their rowdy fans.

New Jersey v Rangers
I said: Rangers in 5
What happened: Rangers in 5
Comments: While there was a bit more offense in this series than I expected, thanks largely to a rejuvenated Jaromir Jagr, it went down just as I expected. If someone would have made me bet my life on one of the first round series it would have been this one. The Rangers and Penguins are the two best teams in the East to me hands down. One of those two teams will be lifting the Cup come June.

Other Musings:

• How fun was it to watch the Senators implode right before our very eyes? The Pens sweep of Ottawa almost made last year worth it. Almost...
• How bad were the Ducks in their first two games? Did they think they could spot Dallas the first two and still roll right over them? And how lame are the Anaheim fans? Talk about fickle.
• The Rangers and Penguins are far more consistent (especially defensively) than any of the other teams in the East and that is what is going to get one of them to the Finals.
• The NHL brass must be happy a Minnesota/Anaheim rematch was avoided. That had bloodbath written all over it.
• Switching to Chris Osgood in net makes the Wings a legitimate contender in the West. Hopefully we've seen the last of Dominik Hasek on NHL ice.
• I bet if you petitioned NHL players you could raise enough money to launch Sean Avery and Jordin Tootoo into deep space. Martin Brodeur might even fund the entire venture himself.
• Is there another goalie you would rather have in net right now than Marc-Andre Fleury? Me neither.
• Bettman almost got his Ovechkin vs. Crosby matchup. Maybe next year...
  

Reactions to Penguins vs. Senators Game 1

The Pittsburgh Penguins put on quite a display against Ottawa last night at the Igloo to open their first round series. It was quite a game, to the point that I feel compelled to share my thoughts (in no particular order):

• The goal by Gary Roberts 68 seconds in was just what the Pens needed to set the tone for the series right from the get go. They had every reason to believe that this series would be a reversal of last year's five game defeat to Ottawa, but they needed to go out and show it.
• People can say what they want about Marian Hossa, but he played well and the goals will definitely come in time.
• Max Talbot racing to the aid of his goaltender was what hockey (especially playoff hockey) is all about. That may have been the highlight of the night.
• Marc-Andre Fleury looked solid and in complete control. He has really taken his game to another level since his ankle injury. Having said that, I don't recall a single instance where I actually thought the Senators might score. Great defensive effort by the entire team.
• Hats off to the Penguins forecheckers! Guys like Roberts, Talbot, Laraque, Ruutu, Kennedy, and Staal were making life miserable on the Senators defense.
• Like every other Penguins fan, I almost had a heart attack when Sid went crashing into the boards early in the 3rd.
• Ryan Whitney coming to the aid of his captain and giving Wade Redden the beat down of his life made up for every bad play Whitney has made this season. Being a +3 and assisting on Malkin's goal didn't hurt either.
• Evgeni Malkin = BEAST!!!
• The refs did everything they could to keep the Senators in the game, and even that was of no avail to Ottawa.
• This series ended the second Gary Roberts challenged the entire Senators team to a fight and nobody took him up on it. The Senators are the definition of gutless.
• The Bryan Murray taunting will never get old. Whoever put the "Sufferin' Succotash" sign up in the Igloo is my new best friend.
• The Jaws theme is back for the Pens PP. Even the arena staff is on board with the greatness that is this Penguins team.

Game Highlights:


Whitney v Redden:


Roberts v Everyone:

NHL Team Of The Month: March 2008

Okay, it's back to business! It's almost playoff time, can you feel it? In the meantime, here is my last Team of the Month for the 07-08 season. Enjoy!

• Center: Johan Franzen (13 GP, 14 G, 4 A, +6, 12 PIM, 8 PPP, 6 GWG)
  
• Right Wing: Jason Pominville (14 GP, 8 G, 11 A, +7, 6 PPP)
  
• Left Wing: Alexander Ovechkin (14 GP, 14 G, 12 A, +17, 12 PIM, 9 PPP)
• Defense: Dion Phaneuf (14 GP, 3 G, 9 A, 24 PIM, 6 PPP)
  
• Defense: Brian Campbell (15 GP, 2 G, 13 A, +10, 9 PPP)
  
• Goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury (11 GP, 9 W, 1.44 GAA, .951 SV%, 2 SO)
  

Comments:

• Franzen had 6 game winners in March! It almost got to be a joke.
• Pominville has really come into his own as an offensive force in Buffalo. He and Derek Roy have been outstanding in the second half of the season.
• Ovechkin has Caps fans thinking playoffs. They may have to win the division to make that happen, but they play in the Southeast so that's not exactly out of the realm of possibility.
• I don't know what else to say about "The Dion" at this point. The guy may be a bit of a diva, but he can flat out play. Should be a Norris finalist for sure.
• Brian Campbell has been a great addition for the Sharks. That trade really could not have worked out any better for them in the short term.
• MAF has been playing out of his mind since coming back from the high ankle sprain. He has been the backbone of the Pens and has them sitting atop the East. He should be fresh after all the time he missed and he is peaking just as we head into the playoffs. It's pretty much the best case scenario for the Penguins.
  

Reacting To The Marian Hossa Trade

As I packed up at work and headed for school today at noon Central time Marian Hossa was still in play in the NHL's trade deadline dealing. TSN made it sound all morning as though it was only a matter of if he would end up in Montreal or Ottawa. They even kept talking up how the Thrashers were in Montreal for a game tonight and how easy it would be for him to just stroll down the hall to the home team locker room. Easy indeed.

When I arrived home I kissed the wife and kids and headed for the computer. I had a notion this morning that Sergei Fedorov was going to end up a Pen, so I was curious about that, but I was more curious to see where Hossa landed. As I typed in the web address for TSN and was hitting enter, the thought entered my mind Wouldn't it be wild if Shero snagged Hossa? Sure enough as quickly as the thought formed in my brain there was Marian Hossa on TSN's home page staring back at me in a Penguins jersey.

This is where the story takes an unexpected turn...

You would think my initial reaction would have been one of jubilation. It was not. The first thing to go through my head was, Who did we have to give up? As things turned out, the finalized deal went down as:

Marian Hossa
Pascal Dupuis
for
Colby Armstrong
Erik Christensen
Angelo Esposito
2008 1st round pick

Let's just take this one thing at a time. I had a feeling all along that Christensen wouldn't be here after the deadline and it turns out I was right on that one. I think he still has a good chance to turn into a really good player, and we'll miss him in the shootout naturally, but he's an acceptable loss. Angelo Esposito was going to face an uphill battle to find a spot in Pittsburgh and was a very tradeable asset so I didn't give that a second thought. And a draft pick is pretty much a lottery ticket so that's no big loss either. There's already enough 1st round talent on the Penguins.

But then there was that one other name... Colby Armstrong. That one stung a bit. Colby has been one of my favorite players for quite a while now and I think he plays played a big role for the Pens on the ice and in "the room". Colby is going to be missed very much by the team and the fans. A lot will be made about his relationship with Sid, and I think for good reason. I don't think the Penguins need to keep players around just because Sid likes them, but I think Colby (from what I've heard/read) did a great job of keeping Sid grounded and making him feel like one of the guys. Something Sid seems to truly desire. I know Sid is too much of a pro to complain about Colby being sent to Atlanta, but you know it disappoints him a little.

I'm disappointed too. I knew going in that there was a good chance that Colby could get traded. Honestly, if it came down to needing to include either Colby, Ryan Malone, or Jordan Staal then I think Shero made the right move. I just wish it could have been someone like Ruutu instead. When it all comes down to it though, for me the nucleus of this Penguins team is:

• Sidney Crosby
• Evgeni Malkin
• Marc-Andre Fleury
• Jordan Staal
• Ryan Whitney
• Kris Letang

Having said that, when it comes to trades, especially for players like Marian Hossa, everyone else is fair game.

When I started going through this post in my head I was full of thoughts about how the Penguins overpaid for Hossa if they don't re-sign him, and what would be the trickle down effect of adding a contract like that if they do re-sign him, but I'm not going to get into that. The bottom line for me at this point is that the Penguins brought in a world class talent to play with Sidney and they are a more potent offensive team than they were 24 hours ago. They have players who can fill the roles left empty by Colby and EC (including Dupuis, who I think is an unsung part of this deal), but they didn't have someone like Hossa just waiting around. As far as the cap impact if they do re-sign Hossa, which I'm going to go on record and say they will do, I think they'll be okay. If Ottawa can lock up their top line and still have money to spend then Shero should be able to do the same with Sid, Geno, and Marian. And don't think that extra money Sid left on the table last summer isn't a huge boost for the Pens right now.

Another positive byproduct of the Pens getting Hossa is that Montreal and Ottawa didn't. The Pens not only strengthened themselves with this acquisition, but they also kept Hossa away from two of their biggest competitors in the Eastern Conference and have set themselves up to be one of the favorites to make it to the Finals from the East. That's all you can ask for from your GM on deadline day, and with the brass of a riverboat gambler Ray Shero has come through again for Penguins fans.

In Shero We Trust!

Penguins Goalies Strive For White Supremacy

When Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury finally returned from his high ankle sprain to practice with the team, coach Michel Therrien thought the Penguins had acquired a new netminder. The reason; Fleury had traded in his signature yellow pads for a brand new set of white pads.

R.I.P. yellow pads.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fleury received a letter shortly after his injury from an eye doctor telling him that his yellow pads were actually helping shooters and that he would be well served to trade them in for white pads. The doctor apparently provided charts and everything as he explained that white pads would make Fleury appear bigger in the net and make opponents feel like they have less to shoot at. I'm guessing this is why Ty Conklin switched to white pads in mid-January. MAF said it should take him about two weeks to break in his new glove, blocker, and pads. The best news is that he may be back between the pipes for the Pens before then. I really hope this switch works out for MAF, but regardless it is going to be really weird seeing him on the ice without the yellow pads.

*****************************************

As a side note, this is the 100th post here on Taking One For The Team and I would like to mark this occasion by thanking everyone who has helped make this experience everything that it has been so far. I really appreciate everyone who has contributed to the growth of this site in any way. If you have ever linked to here, a particular post, taken the time to comment on a post, or even just spent a minute or two of your time reading what I have to say I really appreciate it and I am looking forward to the next 100 posts. Onward and upward!

Breakout Passes: The Goalie Value Menu

It's time for another walk around the NHL online. Some interesting new stats, good news for Pens fans, and more...

• Puck That Hit broke down how much each goalie in the NHL cost their team per save. Pretty interesting stuff.
• MAF is back on the ice, and he's not alone!
• Can you really measure clutch? Somebody took a stab at it.
• Daniel Carcillo has some growing up to do.
• Some of the Preds are passing their chemistry exams.
• Scott Burnside shows us the other side of Sidney Crosby.

If you come across any nice links, be sure to send them my way and I'll get them into a future edition of Breakout Passes.

Should The Penguins Trade Sidney Crosby?

The Pittsburgh Penguins are now 3 games into life without Sidney Crosby, and the results so far have been mixed. One thing that has been made very clear though is that Evgeni Malkin is more than capable of playing the role of "franchise center/forward/player" when Sid is out. Including last season, Malkin has shown that he can put the team on his back while Crosby is out of the lineup. That got me to thinking... would the Penguins be better off trading Sid?

Ever since early last season a hot topic for Penguins fans has been how will the team keep all of their young talent in Pittsburgh with a salary cap in place. This isn't to say that I don't think the Penguins can keep their core intact. I think the Senators have laid a solid blueprint for locking up the nucleus of your team and staying under the salary cap. I really do think the Penguins can keep Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Fleury, and Whitney in the black and gold for the long haul. But that doesn't mean they couldn't improve the team by moving Sid.

While I love Sid to death and would love nothing more than to see him win several Cups and rewrite the NHL record books in a Penguins jersey, I would not be upset if Crosby was traded in the "right" deal in order to improve the Pens' chances of winning the Stanley Cup. If the right offer came along, I wouldn't hold it against Ray Shero if he took it.

The first step would be to consider which teams would be viable candidates for acquiring Sidney's talents. There is no way you could move him to a division rival and really it would be ideal to move him to the Western Conference if he is to be dealt. With that in mind, here is my list of possible destinations for Sid:

• Toronto
• Montreal
• Detroit
• Chicago
• St. Louis
  
• Dallas
• Los Angeles
• Anaheim
• San Jose
• Colorado

Now that we have a where in place, we need to determine what would it take to get Sid out of the Steel City. In my mind it would probably take a couple top prospects, one or two proven NHL-caliber players, and maybe a draft pick or two. If you took this coming offseason as the earliest possible window for Crosby to be traded, I would narrow down the list of potential trade partners to Chicago, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Montreal, St. Louis and San Jose. I don't see the other teams on the above list having either enough to offer the Penguins in return or the need to give up that much in the coming year or two to be serious considerations.

I understand that any offer for a player of Sid's ability who is still years away from his prime would most likely be promptly rejected, but Ray Shero would have to take some time to think it over if one of the following offers came his way this offseason:

Chicago offers:
- Jonathan Toews
- Martin Havlat
- Brent Seabrook
- Cam Barker
- 1st Round Draft Pick
for:
- Sidney Crosby
- Sergei Gonchar

Los Angeles offers:
- Dustin Brown
- Patrick O'Sullivan
- Jack Johnson
- Thomas Hickey
- 1st Round Draft Pick
for:
- Sidney Crosby
- 3rd Round Pick

San Jose offers:
- Jonathan Cheechoo
- Devin Setoguchi
- Joe Pavelski
- Matt Carle
- 1st Round Pick
for:
- Sidney Crosby
- Sergei Anshakov

St. Louis offers:
- Brad Boyes
- David Perron
- T.J. Oshie
- Ian Cole
- 1st Round Pick
for:
- Sidney Crosby
- Brian Strait

These are offers that would be too tempting to immediately dismiss as they could set the Penguins up to be Cup favorites for many years. I do believe that any time in the next 2 or 3 years would be too early to move Sid. My goal here is more to illustrate the kind of offers I think it would take to land him and that the Penguins may be better off moving him. If they could bring in a package of players and picks comparable to the ones above to compliment the players already in place (especially if Angelo Esposito reaches his potential) they could form a dominant team in Pittsburgh.

As crazy as it may seem right now, there could come a time where trading Sidney Crosby gives the Pens their best chance at success. It's not like there isn't precedent for a move like this either. Gretzky was traded in his prime and the Penguins themselves traded Jaromir Jagr coming off a string of 4 consecutive NHL scoring titles (under less than ideal circumstances). Hopefully things would work out a little better for the Pens if Crosby is moved.