As a rule, pretty much anytime we can get the opportunity to talk about Matt Barnaby, we're gonna do it. He's always been among our favorite hockey players considering the character he showed carving his way to a solid NHL career despite deficits in size and all-around talent. Sean at going five hole thinks Barnaby could the the replacement Mullet for ESPN.
We like this, Barnaby is good for TV. He is young, has the look, is fairly well-spoken and has pretty humorous stories and we think would do a good job. Hockey obviously doesn't have the biggest profile on the "World wide leader" but they've shown a little more exposure to our beloved sport lately. So thumbs up to Barnaby joining ESPN in some capacity.
Also, apologies again for the slowness around here....Horrifically casa de Hooks is lacking internet and television right now as we wait for installation of the wonderful Verizon FiOS in all it's high definition splendor. For now, however, we wait. Side effects of this technology down-time have included increased human interaction, depression, loss of the will to live and strange compulsions to venture to strange places such as outside and to bookstores...
..Told ya it was horrifying.
Showing posts with label espn still covers hoc-key?. Show all posts
Showing posts with label espn still covers hoc-key?. Show all posts
Monday, July 28, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Any worth in summer power rankings
ESPN really loves the power rankings, don't they. Well since Pittsburgh is #1, we suppose we'll bite..
--We agree that right now, on paper, it looks like Pittsburgh and Montreal at the top. But on paper and on the ice are two separate issues.
--Only one Northeast team in the top 8? Yeah, right.
--Tampa Bay is flashy but they are not a playoff team. Just wait.
--Hear that teeth gnashing sound? That's TST reader JP over the crack about the Caps defense. Their defense ought to be alright, it's the man in net that will provide the questions, if you ask us.
1. Pittsburgh PenguinsNever mind the absence of Marian Hossa, Ryan
Malone, Jarkko Ruutu and Georges Laraque, the Penguins still have the most formidable lineup down the middle of any team in the NHL, with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal, plus an emerging elite netminder in Marc-Andre Fleury.
2. Montreal CanadiensMany folks will pick the Habs to win the East next season, but Carey Price will have to prove he's over this spring's playoff meltdown before we hop on that train. Sundin will make that bandwagon pretty crowded if he signs on with the Habs.
3. Philadelphia FlyersWhat do Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Braydon Coburn, Daniel Briere, Kimmo Timonen et al do for an encore after going from 30th overall in 2006-07 to a berth in the Eastern Conference finals? How about a return trip?
4. New York Rangers The Rangers have been flirting with contender status for three seasons now, and they'll have a dramatically different look with Wade Redden, Nikolai Zherdev and Dmitri Kalinin in and Jaromir Jagr, Shanahan (we assume) and Martin Straka out. Different, but not necessarily better.
5. Washington Capitals OK, the defense is still a little suspect and there's Jose Theodore in net, but this Caps team can light it up with any team in the league.
6. New Jersey Devils We put the Devils here because they're always better than we expect they'll be. This will be true again with the addition of Brian Rolston and the continued growth of an underappreciated blue-line corps.
7. Carolina Hurricanes Yes, the Hurricanes have missed the playoffs twice in a row after winning the Cup in 2006, but they missed the cut by a single point this spring and have improved themselves along the blue line with the addition of Joni Pitkanen. If healthy, they're a playoff team.
8. Tampa Bay Lightning The Lightning will be much more imposing offensively this season with the addition of Malone, Radim Vrbata, Gary Roberts and Adam Hall. Defense is young, and goaltending is unproven. Still, a playoff team in the mediocre East.
--We agree that right now, on paper, it looks like Pittsburgh and Montreal at the top. But on paper and on the ice are two separate issues.
--Only one Northeast team in the top 8? Yeah, right.
--Tampa Bay is flashy but they are not a playoff team. Just wait.
--Hear that teeth gnashing sound? That's TST reader JP over the crack about the Caps defense. Their defense ought to be alright, it's the man in net that will provide the questions, if you ask us.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
And the ESPY goes to....
Hint: the guy on the left
Japers doesn't like it one bit (or doesn't care), after all this is supposed to be the year of Alex Ovechkin. Sidney Crosby is still the higher profile player with the constant media spotlight, the unending Gatorade commerical and the storybook GWG on the year's most widely watched game.
If you look at pure points per game in playoffs plus regular season, Crosby was in a virtual dead heat with Ovechkin. Sid talled 1.33 (99 points in 73 games) to AO's 1.36 (121 in 89). Crosby played 20 playoff games (to Ovechkin's 7) where points are supposed to be harder to come by.
Not to mention Crosby helped his team to within 2 games of Lord Stanley, while Ovechkin and the Caps were shown the door in the first round of the playoffs.
So picking Crosby over-all as player of the year isn't as bad as Captial fans may cry about....But for Christ's sake it's the ESPYs, not anything important.
If you look at pure points per game in playoffs plus regular season, Crosby was in a virtual dead heat with Ovechkin. Sid talled 1.33 (99 points in 73 games) to AO's 1.36 (121 in 89). Crosby played 20 playoff games (to Ovechkin's 7) where points are supposed to be harder to come by.
Not to mention Crosby helped his team to within 2 games of Lord Stanley, while Ovechkin and the Caps were shown the door in the first round of the playoffs.
So picking Crosby over-all as player of the year isn't as bad as Captial fans may cry about....But for Christ's sake it's the ESPYs, not anything important.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Scott Burnside: Get bent
ESPN's Scott Burnside really did a number on Mario Lemieux...
Mario Lemieux talking to reporters is not going to make millions of casual sports fans tune in, nor drum up significant interest. The Penguins, especially Sidney Crosby, are deep enough in Lemieux's shadow and him in the spotlight would not only unfairly detract from the moment that they've earned through their excellent play this season but also make Lemieux a target from the same media about how he doesn't know when to drop into the background.
Lemieux has always been a very gracious, but cautious public figure. To see him in the picture (but clearly remaining in the background) is a very kind way to let the new kids have their moment.
And that's a little more than admirable. GFY, Scott Burnside.
It is both convenient and predictable for Lemieux to hide in the background at a time when the game most needs its relevant stars in place, because it's always been about convenience for Lemieux.
It's curious how suddenly available and accessible Lemieux was when he took an ownership stake in the team because he was owed millions of dollars in the late 1990s. The more attention focused on the Penguins meant more ticket sales and a better chance at either a new arena deal or a deal to sell the team.
Then, when Lemieux decided he was going to play for Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and was named captain of the squad, he couldn't have been more gracious; but, after that was over, when he didn't need the attention, not so much.
Later, when talks to build a new arena in Pittsburgh broke down and Lemieux was at war with local politicians and officials over funding for the project, he was once again available to discuss the issue. He was prepared to sell the team to whoever walked in the door. A couple of suitors, including Jim Balsillie and William "Boots" Del Biaggio, would undoubtedly have tried to move the team as quickly as possible to Southern Ontario or Kansas City, but that fact seems lost in the renaissance of the team.
Not that anyone could blame Lemieux for trying to get the most out this team
financially. He's done his time and served the team and the city well.
But let's not paint this with any other brush than what it deserves. The only reason
Lemieux isn't making himself available during these finals is because there's
nothing in it for him.
And that's more than a little sad.
Mario Lemieux talking to reporters is not going to make millions of casual sports fans tune in, nor drum up significant interest. The Penguins, especially Sidney Crosby, are deep enough in Lemieux's shadow and him in the spotlight would not only unfairly detract from the moment that they've earned through their excellent play this season but also make Lemieux a target from the same media about how he doesn't know when to drop into the background.
Lemieux has always been a very gracious, but cautious public figure. To see him in the picture (but clearly remaining in the background) is a very kind way to let the new kids have their moment.
And that's a little more than admirable. GFY, Scott Burnside.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Mirtle, Buccigross weigh in
Noted blog-ologist James Mirtle (MD) weighed in on the big issue that will dominate our summer: just how in the heck the Penguins are going to make this work...
Mirtle was probably citing nhlnumbers.com (a must read for NHL contract details), but if you look down the column for 08/09 contracts, their numbers tally nine players under contract for$26.8 million. But one can clearly see, as we did earlier tonight, that the Penguins do have 15 players (including possible farmhand Chris Minard) as being under contract. Tally up the cap hits (the number on the left) and that's where we got the $34 million figure. NHLNumbers is probably a little behind with the Gill trade and the site doesn't seem to have included players that will be under contracts on their entry year deals next season (Malkin, Staal, Kennedy, Letang, etc).
Not that what Mirtle writes is far off; yes Crosby, Malkin and Staal will be eating up a large chunk of the cap and Hossa will command a ton of money.
No one can tell what will happen in the future; case in point this time last year it was a "given" that Crosby would be signing league maximum and he didn't. Will Malkin sign for $8 million? $9 million? More? Less? No one knows and speculation on it is too hard to predict until it actually happens.
Mirtle went on to cite a recent John Buccigross column where Bucci actually seriously made a pitch for the Penguins to trade Malkin this summer. Hah!*
A lot of people point to Tampa Bay as an example why an NHL team can't spend such a huge chunk of their alloted cap space/budget on just 3 or 4 players. Those same people don't usually point out that Tampa was well under the salary cap due to be up for sale and couldn't round out their team very well.
Similiarly Pittsburgh is quite a bit under the cap. Their billionare owner has seemed to take bigger interest in the team now that: A)There's a new cash-cow arena on the horizon, B)The team is winning and C)It's a hot product, they're selling out every single night.
If Ron Burkle is really willing to take a little bit of a hit in the pocketbook (and for his bank account the word "little" should be stressed) for the short-term to keep the team intact before new revenue streams from the state of the art 18,000+ arena, the nucleus will stay intact and management should be able to surround more skill around their stars than the uncertain situation in Tampa.
At the end of the day, it's not how you spend it, it's who you spend it on. Some teams like the Rangers will give a combined $14 million on two players longterm (Chris Drury, Scott Gomez and Henrik Lundqvist). Philly's spending about $23 million longterm on 4 players (Daniel Briere, Mike Richards, Scott Hartnell and Kimmo Timonen). Pittsburgh's probably going to be in that neighborhood on three players, but those players are Crosby, Malkin and Staal. Pittsburgh's players are a lot younger and will easily outplay any of the above named
We're not predicting for sure the Pens can/should retain Hossa, but it might be a little more of a possibility than most think it is right now....Hey, Gary Roberts was running right back to Toronto or Ottawa just as soon as he hit FA too, right? Sure the situation couldn't be more different between an aging player and a superstar in his prime, but the point is almost everyone in the media proclaimed Roberts to be a rental, and he ended up back.
*Although, in a very brief moment of weakness, we must confess did think how it would be if Nashville offered Alex Radulov, Shea Weber, Dan Hamhuis and a 1st rounder for Malkin and Ryan Whitney's $4 million deal
But if you're looking for the window, it's small.
Case in point, the Penguins, who have two incredible stars complemented by some pretty nice young talent. Despite the relative youth of Pittsburgh's lineup, the fact that both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are both going to command near-max contracts in the near future necessitates that the team-building process is sped up.
Forget the fact that this might be before their time — the Penguins' window is right now, when someone like Malkin can win a Hart Trophy and still be paid under $4-million next season.
Pittsburgh has $27-million committed for 2008-09, but there are about eight significant unrestricted free agent holes coming July 1, and Marc-Andre Fleury, an RFA, is due a raise. Come the season after next, 2009-10, and Malkin and Crosby are making $9-million a season, or about one-third of the Penguins' cap, and Jordan Staal is due a new deal.
There's no room, in other words, for a Marian Hossa, who will command an enormous deal as a 29-year-old UFA. Think $50-million plus over seven years and find a spot for that behemoth long term
Mirtle was probably citing nhlnumbers.com (a must read for NHL contract details), but if you look down the column for 08/09 contracts, their numbers tally nine players under contract for$26.8 million. But one can clearly see, as we did earlier tonight, that the Penguins do have 15 players (including possible farmhand Chris Minard) as being under contract. Tally up the cap hits (the number on the left) and that's where we got the $34 million figure. NHLNumbers is probably a little behind with the Gill trade and the site doesn't seem to have included players that will be under contracts on their entry year deals next season (Malkin, Staal, Kennedy, Letang, etc).
Not that what Mirtle writes is far off; yes Crosby, Malkin and Staal will be eating up a large chunk of the cap and Hossa will command a ton of money.
No one can tell what will happen in the future; case in point this time last year it was a "given" that Crosby would be signing league maximum and he didn't. Will Malkin sign for $8 million? $9 million? More? Less? No one knows and speculation on it is too hard to predict until it actually happens.
Mirtle went on to cite a recent John Buccigross column where Bucci actually seriously made a pitch for the Penguins to trade Malkin this summer. Hah!*
A lot of people point to Tampa Bay as an example why an NHL team can't spend such a huge chunk of their alloted cap space/budget on just 3 or 4 players. Those same people don't usually point out that Tampa was well under the salary cap due to be up for sale and couldn't round out their team very well.
Similiarly Pittsburgh is quite a bit under the cap. Their billionare owner has seemed to take bigger interest in the team now that: A)There's a new cash-cow arena on the horizon, B)The team is winning and C)It's a hot product, they're selling out every single night.
If Ron Burkle is really willing to take a little bit of a hit in the pocketbook (and for his bank account the word "little" should be stressed) for the short-term to keep the team intact before new revenue streams from the state of the art 18,000+ arena, the nucleus will stay intact and management should be able to surround more skill around their stars than the uncertain situation in Tampa.
At the end of the day, it's not how you spend it, it's who you spend it on. Some teams like the Rangers will give a combined $14 million on two players longterm (Chris Drury, Scott Gomez and Henrik Lundqvist). Philly's spending about $23 million longterm on 4 players (Daniel Briere, Mike Richards, Scott Hartnell and Kimmo Timonen). Pittsburgh's probably going to be in that neighborhood on three players, but those players are Crosby, Malkin and Staal. Pittsburgh's players are a lot younger and will easily outplay any of the above named
We're not predicting for sure the Pens can/should retain Hossa, but it might be a little more of a possibility than most think it is right now....Hey, Gary Roberts was running right back to Toronto or Ottawa just as soon as he hit FA too, right? Sure the situation couldn't be more different between an aging player and a superstar in his prime, but the point is almost everyone in the media proclaimed Roberts to be a rental, and he ended up back.
*Although, in a very brief moment of weakness, we must confess did think how it would be if Nashville offered Alex Radulov, Shea Weber, Dan Hamhuis and a 1st rounder for Malkin and Ryan Whitney's $4 million deal
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Malkin's Contract Status
John Buccigross, who we genuinely like, irked us: (emphasis added)
More and more, with Ovechkin’s contract signed a lot of people are zeroing in on Malkin as the next big potential RFA to be. And with the way he’s been playing, for good reason.
But here’s the catch; Malkin’s only in the second season of the standard three year entry level contract. The CBA says the Pens can’t even talk extension with him until this summer, at the earliest.
Buccigross has become just the latest to subtly hint or suggest that Malkin’s long-term status as a Penguin could be in jeopardy. Nothing’s ever final until the pen hits the paper, of course, but the two sides aren’t allowed to even talk contract until after this season….It’s not going to happen but we wish the focus would be more on the hockey Geno’s playing right now, than his contract status.
There is little doubt Malkin has risen to the challenge in Crosby's absence. I think Crosby's injury and Ovechkin's contract both are motivational tools for Geno. Through his insane play, Malkin has positioned himself for a contract similar to that of his countryman Ovechkin. I'm sure the Penguins are trying or will try very soon -- no later than this summer -- to extend Malkin's contract.
His deal will expire after next season.
More and more, with Ovechkin’s contract signed a lot of people are zeroing in on Malkin as the next big potential RFA to be. And with the way he’s been playing, for good reason.
But here’s the catch; Malkin’s only in the second season of the standard three year entry level contract. The CBA says the Pens can’t even talk extension with him until this summer, at the earliest.
Buccigross has become just the latest to subtly hint or suggest that Malkin’s long-term status as a Penguin could be in jeopardy. Nothing’s ever final until the pen hits the paper, of course, but the two sides aren’t allowed to even talk contract until after this season….It’s not going to happen but we wish the focus would be more on the hockey Geno’s playing right now, than his contract status.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Indulge us, we're off our meds...
To dream the impossible dream...
So, instead of tinkering with the roster come trade deadline time next month, maybe looking to pick up some defensive help or scoring depth up front for the playoffs, the Rangers now must consider something more dramatic, possibly stunning, if they are going to get back in the Stanley Cup game.
And if general manager Glen Sather is considering such a move, that consideration begins and ends with Jagr.
Just sayin, this post is totally hypothetical, theoretical, anything else you want to call it.
There are plenty of reasons why it’ll never happen. Aside from the obvious Jagr history in Pittsburgh, it’s rare that division rivals would trade with each other, certainly when NYR still has hopes for the playoffs.
But, in the event they’re ready to part with Jags, consider:
``Mario Lemieux still loves JJ. He was a surprise guest to honor Jagr for a 600 goal ceremony last season in New York. And boy was he happily surprised to see Mario honoring him. Say what you want about the “dying alive” days or how it’ll never work out; if you’re good with Lemieux, you’re good with the Penguins.
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/columnists/20001130cook.asp
``Salary wise, it’s do-able. Jagr’s, as usual, is in a unique situation. His pre-trade to the Rangers stipulated the Capitals would pick up millions of his salary every year. The new CBA has since outlawed this, but this transaction can’t be reversed or tinkered with. So, as is, Jagr’s cap hit to a team is $4.94 million (with the Caps paying/absorbing the rest of the $8.3 million he gets paid). Since a little over the season is over, NYR has paid him roughly $2.6 million and JJ would be owed $2.3 million be a team for the rest of the season if they were to pick him up today.
Does Jagr have enough in the tank or has his statistical drop-off this season shown he’s about finished? Perhaps.
Would it be crazy to think about 68 flying down a wing with Crosby or Malkin? Probably.
Will this trade ever happen? Absolutely not.
So, instead of tinkering with the roster come trade deadline time next month, maybe looking to pick up some defensive help or scoring depth up front for the playoffs, the Rangers now must consider something more dramatic, possibly stunning, if they are going to get back in the Stanley Cup game.
And if general manager Glen Sather is considering such a move, that consideration begins and ends with Jagr.
Just sayin, this post is totally hypothetical, theoretical, anything else you want to call it.
There are plenty of reasons why it’ll never happen. Aside from the obvious Jagr history in Pittsburgh, it’s rare that division rivals would trade with each other, certainly when NYR still has hopes for the playoffs.
But, in the event they’re ready to part with Jags, consider:
``Mario Lemieux still loves JJ. He was a surprise guest to honor Jagr for a 600 goal ceremony last season in New York. And boy was he happily surprised to see Mario honoring him. Say what you want about the “dying alive” days or how it’ll never work out; if you’re good with Lemieux, you’re good with the Penguins.
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/columnists/20001130cook.asp
``Salary wise, it’s do-able. Jagr’s, as usual, is in a unique situation. His pre-trade to the Rangers stipulated the Capitals would pick up millions of his salary every year. The new CBA has since outlawed this, but this transaction can’t be reversed or tinkered with. So, as is, Jagr’s cap hit to a team is $4.94 million (with the Caps paying/absorbing the rest of the $8.3 million he gets paid). Since a little over the season is over, NYR has paid him roughly $2.6 million and JJ would be owed $2.3 million be a team for the rest of the season if they were to pick him up today.
Does Jagr have enough in the tank or has his statistical drop-off this season shown he’s about finished? Perhaps.
Would it be crazy to think about 68 flying down a wing with Crosby or Malkin? Probably.
Will this trade ever happen? Absolutely not.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Rough Recap for TSN
TSN is owned by ESPN, so I guess you'd expect these types of mistakes in their game recap that they're using as the lead story on their website.
"Ryan Christensen and rookie Kris Letang scored for Pittsburgh in the shootout, both beating Tim Thomas"
If that wasn't enough....
"Pittsburgh D Adam Eaton was forced out late with what appeared to be a shoulder injury."
Adam Eaton = shitty Philadelphia/San Diego baseball player
Mark Eaton = anonymous but important defenseman.
Come on now, TSN.
"Ryan Christensen and rookie Kris Letang scored for Pittsburgh in the shootout, both beating Tim Thomas"
If that wasn't enough....
"Pittsburgh D Adam Eaton was forced out late with what appeared to be a shoulder injury."
Adam Eaton = shitty Philadelphia/San Diego baseball player
Mark Eaton = anonymous but important defenseman.
Come on now, TSN.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Answer Man
ESPN's Scott Burnside previewed the Eastern Conference and ax-ed several questions about the Penguins. Well, I'm nothing if not a sage, so I will hazard a more than educated guess at his queries:
Burning questions
• So, what does Crosby, the league's first teenage scoring champion, do in Year 3?
Uh, remarkably well. There's no reason not to think Captain Crosby won't be one of the top scorers in the league, as well as lead the Penguins through a solid regular season and be setup for a deep playoff run. Crosby's shown he's the best player in the game in just two years, at the age of 19.
• How does Malkin follow up his rookie-of-the-year campaign?
Malkin 'only' scored 33 goals last year. Given all the chances he had, that quite easily could have been 40-45 with a little luck. He's dangerous on every shift, and I have his linemates pencilled in as a 19 year old Jordan Staal and goal-scoring dyanmo Petr Sykora which sure beats a 18 year old Jordan Staal and the garbageman.
Burning questions
• So, what does Crosby, the league's first teenage scoring champion, do in Year 3?
Uh, remarkably well. There's no reason not to think Captain Crosby won't be one of the top scorers in the league, as well as lead the Penguins through a solid regular season and be setup for a deep playoff run. Crosby's shown he's the best player in the game in just two years, at the age of 19.
• How does Malkin follow up his rookie-of-the-year campaign?
Malkin 'only' scored 33 goals last year. Given all the chances he had, that quite easily could have been 40-45 with a little luck. He's dangerous on every shift, and I have his linemates pencilled in as a 19 year old Jordan Staal and goal-scoring dyanmo Petr Sykora which sure beats a 18 year old Jordan Staal and the garbageman.
Torturella's just a little bit different than your lover Lord Therrien, dickPlus Malkin had to deal with running away from Soviet Russia, leaving his homeland, his native tongue and coming to a totally foreign culture. That's huge. Plus the differences in NHL v. RSL (smaller rinks, more physical, much longer regular season) and it just shows what a great rookie season he really had.
But there's still room for improvement and I think Malkin will continue to develop and improve just fine.
• Will there be a step back for Staal, who showed a maturity well beyond his 18 years last season?
I think that's a fair question. Staal was unexpectedly spectacular, turning in a 29 goal season at just 18 years of age. But he only had 13 assists and admitted the speed of the game was something that he was still adjusting too.
Staal might score less goals this year (say 20-25 goals as a low-end estimate), but if he can muster 25 assists that will show he's picking up the intricacies of the game and become even more of a force.
Between Staal, Crosby and Malkin, if you were to tell me now that one would statistically regress, I would say Staal in a heartbeat.
• Now that veteran backup goalie Thibault has shuffled off to Buffalo, is there enough support in the form of Sabourin or Conklin behind Marc-Andre Fleury?
Fleury won 40 games last year and appeared in 67 games. The Penguins would like to see Fleury improve a little with his overall consistency and focus, but he's showing that he can start 65 games a year. Around the NHL, you'll see some tandem goaltending (Ottawa, Anaheim, Minnesota last year) but mainly, if you have a guy good enough to do so, it's just one guy carrying the mail. Brodeur. Luongo. Lundqvist. Miller. DiPietro.
The only reason really that you have a tandem goaltending situation is because, usually, one or more guy is struggling. The Pens can let Fleury play 65 games or so. He can handle it and they'd be better of for it.
Sabourin will be the #2, and Conklin will be the veteran in Wilkes-Barre. I know the Pens organ-eye-zation is very sweet on Sabourin, they like him and only lost him last year through waivers in a numbers/salary game.
The only way this will be an issue is if, God forbid, Fleury gets injured or struggles mightily.
• How does playing with Stanley Cup expectations change the dynamic in the Penguins' dressing room?
The most worthwhile question. At the beginning of last season, it was just a group of young guys with a lot of talent and no expectations. And they rocked it. The goal last year, all along, was to right the ship and make the playoffs. The Pens, of course, roared into the playoffs, then bowed to a more experienced foe.
At the beginning of this year there's more veteran names to provide quiet leadership, bring toughness and to carry out sturdy roles. This is where your Roberts and Sydor type players shine. The entire core of players--not just the stars but your guys like Armstrong, Talbot, Malone, Whitney, Orpik, etc. got their first taste of the postseason. There's no new surprises now.
First you got to get there, but unlike last year (where I don't believe any preseason publications had the Pens in the playoffs), this year I've seen them as no worse than the 3rd best team in the East, along with Ottawa and NYR. There will be expectations and the weight of that. But Crosby has had that weight on his shoulders for many years, Staal has ice water in his veins and Malkin doesn't even understand half the damn questions, so big deal.
Let's drop the puck already.
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