Staal

In the past week, I’ve noticed that the Penguins have won more games than they lost. I’ve also noticed the Penguins have beaten other teams by virtue of their talent level. Seriously, you can throw Crosby, Malkin, a hot player or two and good goaltending at about half the teams in the NHL, and you automatically—no matter the youth of Crosby and Malkin—have more talent than do several other NHL teams. Against those bottom-tier, less-talented team, the 2006-07 Penguins have no excuse—but none—for losing games against clearly less-talented team. And if Michel Therrien’s teams wins the games it’s supposed to win—the Penguins should be, at bare minimum, a .500 team and possibly—given other variables—a little more than that.

Here’s the thing. Jordan Staal is a crucial reason why Pittsburgh’s penalty killing has been so incredibly effective (for the Penguins, seriously, their PK is "on it" this year). Perhaps, as Malkin acclimatizes to the NHL, he slides into the role Staal has filled on the PK unit, and the Penguins are no worse for wear. But over the course of a season, injuries (witness Ryan Malone’s current one) occur. At this moment, Staal provides solid play in his own end, extremely effective penalty killing, and depth the Penguins choose to give up if they send him back to his junior team.

I really think Jordan Staal could play a role in helping the Penguins sneak into the playoffs this year. Not to contend for the Cup, mind you. But to get the team into the playoffs, I think Staal could play a role in ensuring the 2006-07 Penguins are a playoff team for the first time in six seasons. I also think Staal’s ability to contribute to the Penguins this season isn’t the question anyone should be asking or answering.

When it comes to Staal, and to an investment an organization makes in a number two overall draft pick, the organization has to think long-term, and long-term is what is going to make Staal, ultimately, the most effective NHL player he can possibly be. When that’s the question that’s being answered—not even salary cap worries, etc—is it really best for the kid to stay in the NHL this season?

Because, hmm, he can play a "role," and perhaps more than that when injuries occur, in learning the NHL game and getting NHL experience, maybe even NHL playoff experience.
Or he can return to junior and play in every situation and develop those aspects of his game at which he’s not yet elite. Granted, he’s playing against boys, not men, and not getting NHL experience.

I read online this week that a Penguins beat reporter suggested that Staal and Letang should both be sent back to junior if the team wasn’t going to play them 18 minutes a game at the NHL level. Because, bottom line, young players learn by playing games, and they need ice time to learn the game. I think I basically agree with that sentiment—young players need game time to develop their games, and not just 10 minutes a game. (Though just to be difficult, it should be noted that Jaromir Jagr played mostly on the third line his first NHL season and was none the worse for wear come playoff time that year or definitely come playoff time the next season. Still, Jagr—his faults aside—is a 5 time NHL scoring champion and future Hall of Fame player, and no one really ever questioned that he’d eventually turn into a scoring superstar.)

In any case, if the Pens do decide to return Staal to juniors, the 2006-07 team needs to be aware of what they’re losing this season—an incredibly effective penalty killer, a role player who has the potential to be so much more than just a role player. However, if the organization decides—as the organization should when it comes to making long-term decisions—that it’s important for Staal to develop a whole repertoire of skills that could help the Pens when the time truly comes to contend—then GM Shero needs to make sure he finds a replacement for Staal on the NHL roster this season. Maybe that comes from within the organization; maybe that replacement doesn’t.

But the Penguins need what Staal has already provided this season. Granted, I think it’s far more important that they need what a more complete, more mature Staal could provide in a few seasons’ time. But if they don’t keep Staal for the season, the GM needs to do his job in the short-term and find someone who can do what Staal has already been able to do so his team still has a real chance to make the playoffs.
,