"Penguins Hockey"
For the rest of the regular season, well, I don’t know what will happen. All I know is that I expect and anticipate being thoroughly entertained by this Penguins team.
Of course I hope that winning will occur, and winning is always fun. (Ask New Jersey. Even though the Devils bore me to tears, the players have got to enjoy winning.)
But I know this much, and this much is why I am eagerly looking forward to the remainder of the season: These Penguins know how to play "Penguins hockey," as Colby Armstrong termed it in one of this morning’s newspaper articles, and Penguins hockey, at present, is skating and scoring and winning.
I want the winning to continue along with the skating and scoring—but I know this much, Penguins hockey is most definitely entertaining, pleasurable, and when important victories come—sheer bliss for this ardent fan.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Jordan Staal
I mentioned the team’s new second line that has been working wonders lately, but I also feel the need to mention that man, I feel like I share Bob Errey and Paul Steigerwald’s obvious affection for the 18-year-old rookie.
The kid is defensively reliable, kills penalties, cleans up his own end, and now, even more wonderfully, is allowed to play on the second line and deposit the puck in the goal on a regular basis. Even better, he’s only 18 years old, he sometimes blushes when he talks, he’s humble about what he does, and he consistently makes smart plays. Who knows what happens after this season (sophomore slump, please, flee far away), but at this early juncture of his career, I’m hearing fellow fans throw out phrases like future Lady Byng, future Selke Trophy candidate, future 40 goal scorer. And, too, I’m hearing the so-called experts call Staal another franchise player.
All I know is there is no way the Pens are in their current position in the standings without many of their players performing as they have this season—and Staal is one of those players who are a crucial component of this team.
Yeah, I’m really, really glad Ray Shero has kept him in the NHL all season. Juniors? The world juniors? No, seriously—how about the Stanley Cup playoffs?
Seriously. I love Staal. Just had to say that. It’s been awhile since I’ve felt this endearment towards one particular player, but my daydream musings about what arc Staal’s career might take are also pleasant—as is, of course, reading the message boards that mention how obscenely pleasurable it is that one can compare and contrast Staal’s goal totals with those of his older brother and one Jaromir Jagr.
Yeah, it’s been a nice rookie season for the second best rookie on the team. Very nice indeed.
I mentioned the team’s new second line that has been working wonders lately, but I also feel the need to mention that man, I feel like I share Bob Errey and Paul Steigerwald’s obvious affection for the 18-year-old rookie.
The kid is defensively reliable, kills penalties, cleans up his own end, and now, even more wonderfully, is allowed to play on the second line and deposit the puck in the goal on a regular basis. Even better, he’s only 18 years old, he sometimes blushes when he talks, he’s humble about what he does, and he consistently makes smart plays. Who knows what happens after this season (sophomore slump, please, flee far away), but at this early juncture of his career, I’m hearing fellow fans throw out phrases like future Lady Byng, future Selke Trophy candidate, future 40 goal scorer. And, too, I’m hearing the so-called experts call Staal another franchise player.
All I know is there is no way the Pens are in their current position in the standings without many of their players performing as they have this season—and Staal is one of those players who are a crucial component of this team.
Yeah, I’m really, really glad Ray Shero has kept him in the NHL all season. Juniors? The world juniors? No, seriously—how about the Stanley Cup playoffs?
Seriously. I love Staal. Just had to say that. It’s been awhile since I’ve felt this endearment towards one particular player, but my daydream musings about what arc Staal’s career might take are also pleasant—as is, of course, reading the message boards that mention how obscenely pleasurable it is that one can compare and contrast Staal’s goal totals with those of his older brother and one Jaromir Jagr.
Yeah, it’s been a nice rookie season for the second best rookie on the team. Very nice indeed.
The Hype
To Be Believed?
To Be Embraced?
To Be Avoided?
In the midst of the Pens’ current hot streak, praise has been heaped on the team from various corners—from journalists and opposing players and coaches. And as much as fun as the hype is to read, sometimes I wonder, well—isn’t this, well, just, hype? And even if some of the hype is legitimate, should the team—or its’ fans—embrace the hype?
Here’s a sampling of some hype:
∑ Toronto coach Paul Maurice didn’t just say the Penguins were the hottest team in the NHL. Paul Maurice said the team was currently the best team in the NHL and that he was happy his team got a point against a team that was currently the best in the league. Umm, wait a second. When did the Eastern Conference’s youngest team morph into the best team in the entire NHL?
∑ I just listened to NHL on NBC broadcasters, former players all, say that the Penguins are the "best watch" in the NHL. Journalists say the team is easily the most entertaining team in the NHL even if they are, as one NBC broadcaster just commented, a "bit of a high wire act" from time to time.
∑ Who can ignore the newspaper articles that compare the young Penguins squad to the Edmonton Oilers’ dynasty for the 1980’s? Sure, those Oilers won multiple Stanley Cups and have multiple players in the Hockey Hall of Fame, but you know what, these young Penguins—they could be the new Oilers. Really.
∑ The comparisons of young players to legends, or minimally, to Hockey Hall of Fame talent. Wondering if Crosby will break Gretzky’s records. Marveling at how Malkin plays like Jagr. And even my eager eyes on Jordan Staal, wondering if he will one day, perhaps, be his generation’s version of the great two-way center Ron Francis was.
When it comes to the hype, the thing that hits—hard—especially in the middle of
the team’s current unbeaten streak, is that some of the hype is legitimate. I can’t help but marvel at Crosby, Malkin, and Staal, and wonder what they will have achieved by the time they retire. I can’t help but see the enormous potential and possibility on the team’s current roster. The standings tell me that the 2006-07 Penguins are far from the league’s best overall team, and yet the team is so, so close to getting to that point.
In the midst of all the hype that I love to read and offers tantalizing hope for the future, a part of me wonders if the players, coaches, and especially fans should take the hype with a large grain of salt. Meaning, yes, the comparisons are great. The comparisons are probably even legitimate in many cases.
But at this point—for fans, how about forgetting the hype and just rooting for the team currently on the ice? For the team, which doesn’t yet seem to be a problem, how about having the confidence that comes from believing you can win but no cocky arrogance that your talent means you don’t have to put forth effort to earn victories?
The hype is fun, don’t get me wrong. But the hype doesn’t matter, all the quotes about the team being the hottest, best, and brightest in the league—doesn’t matter until the team shows it matters. First by earning a playoff berth, and then by doing something with that playoff berth.
And until then, for fans like myself—well, read the hype, enjoy the hype—but don’t believe the hype until the team shows you, on the ice, in victories that lead to the playoffs and in actual wins come the postseason—that all the hype was absolutely accurate.
1
To Be Believed?
To Be Embraced?
To Be Avoided?
In the midst of the Pens’ current hot streak, praise has been heaped on the team from various corners—from journalists and opposing players and coaches. And as much as fun as the hype is to read, sometimes I wonder, well—isn’t this, well, just, hype? And even if some of the hype is legitimate, should the team—or its’ fans—embrace the hype?
Here’s a sampling of some hype:
∑ Toronto coach Paul Maurice didn’t just say the Penguins were the hottest team in the NHL. Paul Maurice said the team was currently the best team in the NHL and that he was happy his team got a point against a team that was currently the best in the league. Umm, wait a second. When did the Eastern Conference’s youngest team morph into the best team in the entire NHL?
∑ I just listened to NHL on NBC broadcasters, former players all, say that the Penguins are the "best watch" in the NHL. Journalists say the team is easily the most entertaining team in the NHL even if they are, as one NBC broadcaster just commented, a "bit of a high wire act" from time to time.
∑ Who can ignore the newspaper articles that compare the young Penguins squad to the Edmonton Oilers’ dynasty for the 1980’s? Sure, those Oilers won multiple Stanley Cups and have multiple players in the Hockey Hall of Fame, but you know what, these young Penguins—they could be the new Oilers. Really.
∑ The comparisons of young players to legends, or minimally, to Hockey Hall of Fame talent. Wondering if Crosby will break Gretzky’s records. Marveling at how Malkin plays like Jagr. And even my eager eyes on Jordan Staal, wondering if he will one day, perhaps, be his generation’s version of the great two-way center Ron Francis was.
When it comes to the hype, the thing that hits—hard—especially in the middle of
the team’s current unbeaten streak, is that some of the hype is legitimate. I can’t help but marvel at Crosby, Malkin, and Staal, and wonder what they will have achieved by the time they retire. I can’t help but see the enormous potential and possibility on the team’s current roster. The standings tell me that the 2006-07 Penguins are far from the league’s best overall team, and yet the team is so, so close to getting to that point.
In the midst of all the hype that I love to read and offers tantalizing hope for the future, a part of me wonders if the players, coaches, and especially fans should take the hype with a large grain of salt. Meaning, yes, the comparisons are great. The comparisons are probably even legitimate in many cases.
But at this point—for fans, how about forgetting the hype and just rooting for the team currently on the ice? For the team, which doesn’t yet seem to be a problem, how about having the confidence that comes from believing you can win but no cocky arrogance that your talent means you don’t have to put forth effort to earn victories?
The hype is fun, don’t get me wrong. But the hype doesn’t matter, all the quotes about the team being the hottest, best, and brightest in the league—doesn’t matter until the team shows it matters. First by earning a playoff berth, and then by doing something with that playoff berth.
And until then, for fans like myself—well, read the hype, enjoy the hype—but don’t believe the hype until the team shows you, on the ice, in victories that lead to the playoffs and in actual wins come the postseason—that all the hype was absolutely accurate.
1
If Reality Crashes, How Will Reality Crash?
Looking at everything that is good, well, it seems obvious that if one of these things turns sour, then the team might, potentially, have trouble.
So in my imagination—balancing out the ridiculously positive sunny side daydreaming of Stanley Cups and taking aim at the NHL record books—I have also pondered what might prevent the Pens from fulfilling their potential—either to get to the postseason or to win come playoff time.
Injuries to Key Players: Like it or not, injuries are a part of any sport. This year, the Penguins have been fortunate in terms of key injuries. The three main cogs—Fleury, Crosby, and Malkin—have not been lost for significant amounts of time. If and when injuries to key players occur, the Penguins, as presently constructed, do not yet appear to have the depth to compensate for what might happen if Malkin or Crosby or Fleury are lost for any significant amount of time.
(Please remember that the Pens played two series in 1991 without Paul Coffey and had to rely on other players stepping in for an injured Mario Lemieux to defeat the Rangers in 1992.)
The X-Factor of Youth and Inexperience: Most of the Pens’ players have played on winning teams throughout youth and junior hockey. But the NHL playoffs are a different story, and with every game currently a jostle for positioning just to earn a place in the postseason, points are precious. No one yet knows how Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Fleury, and the rest of the kids on the roster will respond to increased pressure—meaning tighter checking, more prepared game plans, etc. Do the kids actually need time to learn how to win before they win? Or can they learn how to win as they win games?
The Opposition and Videotape: Let’s be real. NHL teams can study videotape. They can look at things that work. Granted, against healthy superstars, there is not always a whole lot that does work (legally) to stop such superstars. And yet, still, an eighteen-year-old rookie in Staal (granted, a special rookie) was able to break up a pass between two 600 NHL goal scorers because he’d watched videotape of the New York Rangers power play. When it comes to videotape, what happens when opponents aim for rebounds at Marc Andre Fleury in a specific way? What happens when opponents start to exploit the fact that Staal, for as strong as he is, is not yet as strong as he one day will be? What happens when other coaches find a way to use their roster to stop, or if not to stop completely, to make sure the Penguins don’t score as prolifically as they are accustomed to doing? Will the Pens’ coaches be able to respond, and will the players learn to make adjustments on their own? Will the players know how to adjust to changed tactics—and if they don’t know how to react, will they learn how to react?
Cold Streaks and Bounces: One reason the team has been hot lately is because, well, much of the team has been hot. Specifically, at least one star a game has put on a show that befits a star. What happens when a cold streak hits two or more players at the same time? What happens when Jordan Staal’s shooting percentage dips beneath the obscenely high 28% at which it currently stands? What happens when players hit posts instead of the net, or when Fleury might lose his game for a period or bounces go against the Penguins? What happens when the bounces don’t go their way, and players who were on the "hot" fantasy lists suddenly appear on the "cold" fantasy lists?
These are just some things I’ve considered when it comes to reasons why the Penguins could (I surely hope not) fail to qualify for the postseason or be "one and done" come playoff time. Being realistic, is the team currently equipped to deal with long-term injuries to a star player? Even if the team remains fortunate injury-wise, what about the other things that happen as part of the course of a season?
None of this is to say that I believe the Pens will fail to qualify for the postseason or fail to make noise in the postseason come playoff time. It is to say that in addition to fantasies about the team winning the Cup and/or breaking NHL records before anyone thought possible, that perhaps fans like me should temper those daydreams, which may no longer be delusional, with a dose of harsh reality.
-
Looking at everything that is good, well, it seems obvious that if one of these things turns sour, then the team might, potentially, have trouble.
So in my imagination—balancing out the ridiculously positive sunny side daydreaming of Stanley Cups and taking aim at the NHL record books—I have also pondered what might prevent the Pens from fulfilling their potential—either to get to the postseason or to win come playoff time.
Injuries to Key Players: Like it or not, injuries are a part of any sport. This year, the Penguins have been fortunate in terms of key injuries. The three main cogs—Fleury, Crosby, and Malkin—have not been lost for significant amounts of time. If and when injuries to key players occur, the Penguins, as presently constructed, do not yet appear to have the depth to compensate for what might happen if Malkin or Crosby or Fleury are lost for any significant amount of time.
(Please remember that the Pens played two series in 1991 without Paul Coffey and had to rely on other players stepping in for an injured Mario Lemieux to defeat the Rangers in 1992.)
The X-Factor of Youth and Inexperience: Most of the Pens’ players have played on winning teams throughout youth and junior hockey. But the NHL playoffs are a different story, and with every game currently a jostle for positioning just to earn a place in the postseason, points are precious. No one yet knows how Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Fleury, and the rest of the kids on the roster will respond to increased pressure—meaning tighter checking, more prepared game plans, etc. Do the kids actually need time to learn how to win before they win? Or can they learn how to win as they win games?
The Opposition and Videotape: Let’s be real. NHL teams can study videotape. They can look at things that work. Granted, against healthy superstars, there is not always a whole lot that does work (legally) to stop such superstars. And yet, still, an eighteen-year-old rookie in Staal (granted, a special rookie) was able to break up a pass between two 600 NHL goal scorers because he’d watched videotape of the New York Rangers power play. When it comes to videotape, what happens when opponents aim for rebounds at Marc Andre Fleury in a specific way? What happens when opponents start to exploit the fact that Staal, for as strong as he is, is not yet as strong as he one day will be? What happens when other coaches find a way to use their roster to stop, or if not to stop completely, to make sure the Penguins don’t score as prolifically as they are accustomed to doing? Will the Pens’ coaches be able to respond, and will the players learn to make adjustments on their own? Will the players know how to adjust to changed tactics—and if they don’t know how to react, will they learn how to react?
Cold Streaks and Bounces: One reason the team has been hot lately is because, well, much of the team has been hot. Specifically, at least one star a game has put on a show that befits a star. What happens when a cold streak hits two or more players at the same time? What happens when Jordan Staal’s shooting percentage dips beneath the obscenely high 28% at which it currently stands? What happens when players hit posts instead of the net, or when Fleury might lose his game for a period or bounces go against the Penguins? What happens when the bounces don’t go their way, and players who were on the "hot" fantasy lists suddenly appear on the "cold" fantasy lists?
These are just some things I’ve considered when it comes to reasons why the Penguins could (I surely hope not) fail to qualify for the postseason or be "one and done" come playoff time. Being realistic, is the team currently equipped to deal with long-term injuries to a star player? Even if the team remains fortunate injury-wise, what about the other things that happen as part of the course of a season?
None of this is to say that I believe the Pens will fail to qualify for the postseason or fail to make noise in the postseason come playoff time. It is to say that in addition to fantasies about the team winning the Cup and/or breaking NHL records before anyone thought possible, that perhaps fans like me should temper those daydreams, which may no longer be delusional, with a dose of harsh reality.
-
What’s Working
In the mist of the Penguins hot streak, it seems important to note everything that has been working. In fact, noting everything that has been working throughout the hot streak will also help me to catch up with those mid-year, All-Star game summaries that I never bothered to do earlier this season.
The Power Play—When your power play climbs to the top 5 in the league while clicking at a rate of 30%+, something important is working. With the offensive talent the Penguins can ice, it seemed a matter of time until the power play clicked as it should. Jordan Staal’s presence in front of the net during 5 on 3’s is something that is working.
Sidney Crosby—Although Crosby has cooled off in his most recent games, he was on fire at the beginning of the streak. Crosby looked as though he were going to run away with the NHL scoring title (and he still very well might). He was the best player on the ice, the best player on his team, the best player in the league, and the best player in the world. And when the best player in the world is on your side, good things tend to happen.
The Second Line—Say what you will of Michel Ouellet (I have often bemoaned his skating stride, for one), but the second line has been clicking lately. Malkin is free to play his natural position as center, and Staal’s shooting percentage is obscene. With Malkin passing pucks and Staal and Ouellet’s ability to finish plays, well, good things tend to happen when two lines can score.
The Energy Lines—The third and fourth lines have the ability to cycle and control the play with an aggressive forecheck. Therrien is not afraid to put these lines on the ice and regularly rolls four lines. These are the players who come to the defense of teammates, provide checks and body checks or a timely goal at just the right moment, and they make the Penguins a complete team.
Mark Eaton—Eaton’s return to the lineup, his play alongside Sergei Gonchar, let’s just say that it is nice to have a steady, solid defenseman who can log the same minutes as Gonchar and is consistent and steady.
Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney—Say what you will for both of these players, because they’re easy to criticize when things go bad, as things tend to go bad when it comes to great risk, great reward offensive defensemen like these two. I said at the beginning of the season that Gonchar’s primary job this season was Malkin and anything on the ice I would take as an added bonus. Well, Gonchar’s play on the power play, his chemistry on the ice with Malkin, and of course, Malkin’s terrific overall play, mean that I don’t have many complaints about Gonchar this season. And as for Whitney, well, sure he might still make a pinch that goes bad every once in awhile. On the whole, though, when I see Whitney, I see a young defenseman who is already an elite offensive talent and who is morphing into a defenseman who knows more about playing defense than he once did. Gonchar and Whitney’s offensive contributions to the Pens’ recent run cannot be overlooked.
Goaltending, goaltending, goaltending—Marc-Andre Fleury has been hot lately. He has kept the team in games until the offense kicks in, and at moments when a defensive play or a save went awry, his teammates have helped to even the score. Fleury is now able to keep his team in games and give his team a chance to win every game, and during the hot streak, he’s provided the crucial save at the critical moment. And for a team with explosive offensive talent like that of the Pens, they need a goaltender who can play the way Fleury has during the hot streak.
Chemistry, chemistry, chemistry—There are specific players I haven’t mentioned by name. They have names like Ruutu, Talbot, Armstrong, and yes, even names like Scuderi and Orpik. They are players who have played their roles to perfection. In the case of the defense that I bemoaned last year for being AHL-caliber, they have not strayed beyond the limit of their abilities. In the team’s chemistry, in third and fourth liners who can chip in a goal as necessary, in defensemen who can play decent defense without committing game-altering errors, in everyone on the team striving to improve, the Penguins have a really, really good thing going. They have young players and an old man (Mark Recchi in hockey terms), all of whom genuinely believe their team has a legitimate shot. And chemistry—the way the team may squander a lead and still come back, the way the team never quits or gives up and comes to the defense of each other—is invaluable come playoff time. And of course, good chemistry fuels winning, and winning fuels good chemistry. It’s a win-win.
Mark Recchi—Say what you will for the team’s oldest player, who actually does things the other players don’t like take off optional game day skates, but his experience has to help at this time of year. So, too, does the fact that he’s contributing on the scoresheet and knows where to be when Sidney Crosby is passing the puck.
The development of the young players—Frankly, it has been pure, plain, pleasure to watch Jordan Staal morph into a second-line offensive threat in addition to his steady defensive presence and penalty killing. Watching Evgeni Malkin strong arm defenders a la Jaromir Jagr is likewise enjoyable. Even watching the Penguins’ youngsters, those who ply their trade on the third and fourth lines, is fun because I am watching kids, for the most part, become legitimate NHL players. No longer is the most of the Penguins roster, save for elite stars, composed of borderline NHL/AHL players. It is fun to watch the development of kids who will not be superstars but may yet carve out 10 year careers as reliable, blue collar NHL players.
Winning, winning, winning. In case I haven’t mentioned this yet, winning is really, really fun. I like reading about wins in the newspaper. I love the feeling I get when the Pens win. I can only imagine that the players, by breed and training, fierce competitors, likewise embrace winning as much as I do.
*
In the mist of the Penguins hot streak, it seems important to note everything that has been working. In fact, noting everything that has been working throughout the hot streak will also help me to catch up with those mid-year, All-Star game summaries that I never bothered to do earlier this season.
The Power Play—When your power play climbs to the top 5 in the league while clicking at a rate of 30%+, something important is working. With the offensive talent the Penguins can ice, it seemed a matter of time until the power play clicked as it should. Jordan Staal’s presence in front of the net during 5 on 3’s is something that is working.
Sidney Crosby—Although Crosby has cooled off in his most recent games, he was on fire at the beginning of the streak. Crosby looked as though he were going to run away with the NHL scoring title (and he still very well might). He was the best player on the ice, the best player on his team, the best player in the league, and the best player in the world. And when the best player in the world is on your side, good things tend to happen.
The Second Line—Say what you will of Michel Ouellet (I have often bemoaned his skating stride, for one), but the second line has been clicking lately. Malkin is free to play his natural position as center, and Staal’s shooting percentage is obscene. With Malkin passing pucks and Staal and Ouellet’s ability to finish plays, well, good things tend to happen when two lines can score.
The Energy Lines—The third and fourth lines have the ability to cycle and control the play with an aggressive forecheck. Therrien is not afraid to put these lines on the ice and regularly rolls four lines. These are the players who come to the defense of teammates, provide checks and body checks or a timely goal at just the right moment, and they make the Penguins a complete team.
Mark Eaton—Eaton’s return to the lineup, his play alongside Sergei Gonchar, let’s just say that it is nice to have a steady, solid defenseman who can log the same minutes as Gonchar and is consistent and steady.
Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney—Say what you will for both of these players, because they’re easy to criticize when things go bad, as things tend to go bad when it comes to great risk, great reward offensive defensemen like these two. I said at the beginning of the season that Gonchar’s primary job this season was Malkin and anything on the ice I would take as an added bonus. Well, Gonchar’s play on the power play, his chemistry on the ice with Malkin, and of course, Malkin’s terrific overall play, mean that I don’t have many complaints about Gonchar this season. And as for Whitney, well, sure he might still make a pinch that goes bad every once in awhile. On the whole, though, when I see Whitney, I see a young defenseman who is already an elite offensive talent and who is morphing into a defenseman who knows more about playing defense than he once did. Gonchar and Whitney’s offensive contributions to the Pens’ recent run cannot be overlooked.
Goaltending, goaltending, goaltending—Marc-Andre Fleury has been hot lately. He has kept the team in games until the offense kicks in, and at moments when a defensive play or a save went awry, his teammates have helped to even the score. Fleury is now able to keep his team in games and give his team a chance to win every game, and during the hot streak, he’s provided the crucial save at the critical moment. And for a team with explosive offensive talent like that of the Pens, they need a goaltender who can play the way Fleury has during the hot streak.
Chemistry, chemistry, chemistry—There are specific players I haven’t mentioned by name. They have names like Ruutu, Talbot, Armstrong, and yes, even names like Scuderi and Orpik. They are players who have played their roles to perfection. In the case of the defense that I bemoaned last year for being AHL-caliber, they have not strayed beyond the limit of their abilities. In the team’s chemistry, in third and fourth liners who can chip in a goal as necessary, in defensemen who can play decent defense without committing game-altering errors, in everyone on the team striving to improve, the Penguins have a really, really good thing going. They have young players and an old man (Mark Recchi in hockey terms), all of whom genuinely believe their team has a legitimate shot. And chemistry—the way the team may squander a lead and still come back, the way the team never quits or gives up and comes to the defense of each other—is invaluable come playoff time. And of course, good chemistry fuels winning, and winning fuels good chemistry. It’s a win-win.
Mark Recchi—Say what you will for the team’s oldest player, who actually does things the other players don’t like take off optional game day skates, but his experience has to help at this time of year. So, too, does the fact that he’s contributing on the scoresheet and knows where to be when Sidney Crosby is passing the puck.
The development of the young players—Frankly, it has been pure, plain, pleasure to watch Jordan Staal morph into a second-line offensive threat in addition to his steady defensive presence and penalty killing. Watching Evgeni Malkin strong arm defenders a la Jaromir Jagr is likewise enjoyable. Even watching the Penguins’ youngsters, those who ply their trade on the third and fourth lines, is fun because I am watching kids, for the most part, become legitimate NHL players. No longer is the most of the Penguins roster, save for elite stars, composed of borderline NHL/AHL players. It is fun to watch the development of kids who will not be superstars but may yet carve out 10 year careers as reliable, blue collar NHL players.
Winning, winning, winning. In case I haven’t mentioned this yet, winning is really, really fun. I like reading about wins in the newspaper. I love the feeling I get when the Pens win. I can only imagine that the players, by breed and training, fierce competitors, likewise embrace winning as much as I do.
*
When Does Reality Hit?
And How Hard?
So I haven’t blogged in months, and the title of my first post (in a long time) hints that this wonderful unbeaten streak is soon going to come to an end, or at least—at some point—will end.
But first things first. As much as any other fan, I have thoroughly enjoyed this unbeaten streak. I have been excited to see the Penguins catapult from just outside the playoff picture to being ensconced (if only for today) into a share of fourth place in the Eastern Conference playoff race. And in the midst of this unbeaten streak, my mind has wandered to places I never thought it would even dare to daydream of this season.
A sampling:
∑ If any team has to break the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins record 17-game winning streak, I want that team to be another Pittsburgh Penguins team. And while a shootout or overtime loss quickly brought me back to earth on the day I was envisioning these Penguins running off 17 straight victories, I couldn’t help thinking, seriously, that the 2006-07 Penguins are not very far away from being able to put together a near-record winning streak.
∑ That’s the other thing. In the midst of this wonderful, wonderful streak of earning at least a point in every game, I am beginning to dream of the team not merely making the playoffs, but making noise in the playoffs. When the Penguins have been "on," they have beaten some of the best teams in the league (Nashville and Buffalo come to mind), and they have "beaten down" (Toronto defenseman McCabe’s words, not mine) those opponents who have fewer points than do they. I’m not yet at the point where Kevin Stevens was back in the early nineties, when he stated that he couldn’t believe there were any teams that could beat his Penguins in a seven game series. There are still too many variables on this Penguins team for me to make a statement similar to that of Stevens, and yet, well, sometimes, in my brain or my heart or somewhere, I’m wondering. If the team plays as it recently has, really—in a seven game series, which teams are best equipped to beat the Penguins? How many of those teams exist? In any case, the point is, I have begun to dream of Cinderella runs to the Stanley Cup finals, or something thereof—and really, at the start of the season, I never expected such daydreams to be even remotely realistic.
All right, just so you know, I have daydreamed—and I considered these to be daydreams to be at least somewhat rooted in the reality that comes when a team reels off a double-digit unbeaten streak—of breaking the NHL record for consecutive wins in a season and of winning the Stanley Cup not in future seasons but this season. As much as any other fan, I’m what I term "high on hope," intoxicated by the potential and possibility these Penguins have shown in this unbeaten streak.
And yet, still I wonder. The race for the Eastern Conference playoffs is tight. And for as much as the Penguins have grown to have longer winning streaks, the team has been streaky all season in terms of wins and losses. A few losses in a row, at an inconvenient time, and suddenly you’re no longer the NHL’s hottest team and no longer assumed to have a playoff berth.
That’s the thing. Reality will hit. Even the Penguins, who believe they can win every game, know that they will probably not win every game for the rest of the way. I read that Ryan Whitney viewing 18-10 as, perhaps, a decent goal for the remaining 28 games of the season.
How the Penguins lose—and believe me, as much as anyone else, I really don’t want them to lose—and how they respond to that loss will determine what becomes of the remainder of their season—regular season, and hopefully, the playoffs and even more hopefully, more than just a handful and "taste" of playoff games.
And How Hard?
So I haven’t blogged in months, and the title of my first post (in a long time) hints that this wonderful unbeaten streak is soon going to come to an end, or at least—at some point—will end.
But first things first. As much as any other fan, I have thoroughly enjoyed this unbeaten streak. I have been excited to see the Penguins catapult from just outside the playoff picture to being ensconced (if only for today) into a share of fourth place in the Eastern Conference playoff race. And in the midst of this unbeaten streak, my mind has wandered to places I never thought it would even dare to daydream of this season.
A sampling:
∑ If any team has to break the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins record 17-game winning streak, I want that team to be another Pittsburgh Penguins team. And while a shootout or overtime loss quickly brought me back to earth on the day I was envisioning these Penguins running off 17 straight victories, I couldn’t help thinking, seriously, that the 2006-07 Penguins are not very far away from being able to put together a near-record winning streak.
∑ That’s the other thing. In the midst of this wonderful, wonderful streak of earning at least a point in every game, I am beginning to dream of the team not merely making the playoffs, but making noise in the playoffs. When the Penguins have been "on," they have beaten some of the best teams in the league (Nashville and Buffalo come to mind), and they have "beaten down" (Toronto defenseman McCabe’s words, not mine) those opponents who have fewer points than do they. I’m not yet at the point where Kevin Stevens was back in the early nineties, when he stated that he couldn’t believe there were any teams that could beat his Penguins in a seven game series. There are still too many variables on this Penguins team for me to make a statement similar to that of Stevens, and yet, well, sometimes, in my brain or my heart or somewhere, I’m wondering. If the team plays as it recently has, really—in a seven game series, which teams are best equipped to beat the Penguins? How many of those teams exist? In any case, the point is, I have begun to dream of Cinderella runs to the Stanley Cup finals, or something thereof—and really, at the start of the season, I never expected such daydreams to be even remotely realistic.
All right, just so you know, I have daydreamed—and I considered these to be daydreams to be at least somewhat rooted in the reality that comes when a team reels off a double-digit unbeaten streak—of breaking the NHL record for consecutive wins in a season and of winning the Stanley Cup not in future seasons but this season. As much as any other fan, I’m what I term "high on hope," intoxicated by the potential and possibility these Penguins have shown in this unbeaten streak.
And yet, still I wonder. The race for the Eastern Conference playoffs is tight. And for as much as the Penguins have grown to have longer winning streaks, the team has been streaky all season in terms of wins and losses. A few losses in a row, at an inconvenient time, and suddenly you’re no longer the NHL’s hottest team and no longer assumed to have a playoff berth.
That’s the thing. Reality will hit. Even the Penguins, who believe they can win every game, know that they will probably not win every game for the rest of the way. I read that Ryan Whitney viewing 18-10 as, perhaps, a decent goal for the remaining 28 games of the season.
How the Penguins lose—and believe me, as much as anyone else, I really don’t want them to lose—and how they respond to that loss will determine what becomes of the remainder of their season—regular season, and hopefully, the playoffs and even more hopefully, more than just a handful and "taste" of playoff games.
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