Random Thoughts

∑ I like the way Letang plays, but most defensemen need seasoning time. While Letang may not be ready for the NHL, I wish he could be in the AHL this season. I think he’s learn more playing against men than boys in junior. Anyhow, that’s just a complaint about NHL rules. I know the reasons for the rules, the need to keep Canadian major junior hockey content, but sometimes—I just wish individual options were available so what is in the best interests of the player could be done.

∑ Keeping Letang around because he is the only right-handed shooting defenseman seems rather silly. I am not saying we just go about randomly making trades, but if we truly need a right shooting defenseman, can we go about exchanging a fifth and sixth defenseman, perhaps, so we can acquire a right handed shot if we deem that necessary?

∑ Granted, the Penguins have a younger core now than they did to start last season. But just looking at Fleury’s statistics this year, I really wonder if Fleury had started last season here, what a difference that might have made in the wretched start to the 2005-06 Pens’ season. When goaltending is good, teams usually win more than they lose, particularly when you have the talent up front that the Pens do.

∑ Eric Staal thinks the Penguins would be crazy to send his little brother back to juniors. Yet I know the Penguins have been known to do crazy things (witness what they did last year with Fleury). Somehow I want the Pens to make the best decision for Staal’s development and for the team, and I really want money to stay out of it. Because if you’re just sending the kid down to avoid a big time pay-out later on, it’s not a good enough reason. It’s just not a good enough reason. If the kid can play in the NHL this season, and if he’ll learn more playing here than by playing against boys in juniors, keep him where he belongs, money be darned. (Caveat: Obviously I’m a fan and not the general manager tasked with building a future Stanley Cup champion. So keep my caveat in mind.)

∑ The housecleaning in Philadelphia was similar to what happened in Pittsburgh last year (to some degree), and it happened for a similar reason. Philadelphia, Forsberg and Gagne aside, wasn’t built for the new NHL. And, just like the Pens last year, it doesn’t help when your goaltending is way less than mediocre.

∑ Have the Rangers found an identity yet? The team hasn’t seemed to make up its mind who it is, and I don’t know what to make of the Rangers yet, save to know that Jagr and Shanahan need to perform consistently, the whole team needs to find discipline, and the gold-medal winning sensation whose last name I really should learn how to spell needs to find his game for the Rangers to have any chance for contending for the Atlantic Division lead.

∑ There is still something patently unfair about Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger playing on the same defense, and I say this even after Sergei Gonchar has gotten off to a "fast" start is Malkin's landlord. I’m really curious to see what happens when the Penguins face the Ducks.