Random
Remembrances
Musings
Questions
Fears--Edition 1
Remembrances
All right, so it's not my top ten list, or top twenty list, or season-in-review. At least not yet. But here are some things from the past year that make me eager for the start of the 2007-08 Pens' season.
Malkin's goal against the Devils. Yes, that one. That pass from Crosby. That goal. That celebration. That made Mario Lemieux, watching on TV, pause and go, Wow. Yeah. That one. That goal reminded me what it felt like when I watched Mario and Jagr as a kid. And now I get to watch kids all over again as an adult.
First NHL goals: No matter they sent Letang back to his junior team. That 6-5 win against the Rangers was so much fun. Letang got his first goal, showing glimpes of what I hope I'll get to see next season. And well, let's just say I hope there's something beautifully poignant, when it comes to the trajectory of Jordan Staal's career, about scoring his first goal, shorthanded, by breaking up a play between two future Hall of Fame players.
All-Star galore: Who cared that Malkin didn't get a point in the Young Stars game or that Crosby didn't get a point in the All-Star game? (Hmm, if I remember reading about that, surely someone did.) There were Penguins back at the All-Star game because they BELONGED THERE. And that was beautiful.
Hockey Night in Canada: Gotta love being 18 years old and scoring your first hat trick on HNIC. What I would have given to have seen Cherry kiss Staal. Still, beautiful.
Take your pick: Crosby scored so many ridiculous goals this season. I liked the one against Phoenix, of course, because he scored against Wayne Gretzky's team. (Always a beautiful thing for a Pittsburgh fan.) And perhaps due to Paul Steigerwald's call, "Here comes Sidney Crosby, 1 on 4, surrounded by Canadiens, shoots...scores!" Beautiful, lovely.
"Long Stick": For anyone who listened to Steigy and Errey all year long, they probably heard, multiple times per game, about the "long stick" of one Pens' rookie. Moreso than the long stick comments, however, Steigy and Errey, even when they didn't necessarily call the game to a perfect T, kept me in hysterics with such discussions of a "long stick" and other such phrases.
Amazing how little you care to fuss about announcing when the team on the ice mesmerizes you.
Musings and Questions
Crosby: How can Crosby get any better than he has this season? He should only be bigger, stronger, faster, and yes-healthy. Wow. Now could we pretty, pretty, please, find him a scoring winger?
Malkin: Will another year of adjustment help? Will he give an English interview? Will he be able to adapt more and more to the North American game?
Staal: Everything was so unexpected. I mean, 3 goals in 5 playoff games? 7 shorthanded goals? What planet did the 18-year-old killing penalties come from (and don't tell me Peterborough one more time, Bob Errey)? Can he keep that up--and get better? Can he add assists next year?
Kris Letang: Will he be the new wunderchild, a la Staal? Will he be able to play in the NHL right away? Will he be able to make an immediate impact on the power play? Will he make me remember Paul Coffey or Larry Murphy in a good way? And do I have unrealistically high expectations or what?
(Important Note to Self: Mario, Jagr, and the first three kids listed in this musings/questions post have spoiled me rotten. I fully admit that.)
Fears
Regression: What if one of our two Calder Trophy nominees endures a sophomore slump, as sometimes can happen? What if they don't play the way they played this season, and by that, I mean they regress instead of progress?
Injuries: The Pens were fortunate to endure only short-term injuries for most of the season. What about a longer term injury to a key player? Can the team overcome that?
Stumbling: What happens if the team so many people now expect to leap forward takes a step backward? What happens to chemistry? To player development? To making the playoffs--which, by the way, is no longer a pleasant step, but a bare-minimum preseason expectation.
* This is the first edition of Remembrances, Musings, Questions, and Fears. More editions shall be forthcoming throughout the summer months.*
Sunday, May 27, 2007
All Right
Hockey Post
Since I have been without playoff competition for what feels like an eternity (how I will endure the summer I am not yet sure), it took a bit of warming up to get to the point of writing about hockey.
So the Finals start tomorrow night. I hate to make series predictions and then end up being proved wrong, so here are some random thoughts. And maybe, you know, a prediction or two will appear. Sometimes that can't be helped.
Marquee Match-up: If the Ducks' defense can shut down Ottawa's first line, I think Anaheim wins the series.
(Sigh, so I guess that's a prediction.)
However, there are so many caveats here:
Anaheim's PK versus Ottawa's PP: If Anaheim can't stay out of the penalty box, they're in trouble. I don't care if you do have 2 of the NHL's best defensemen on your roster; you'd need double that if you're going to be silly enough to give Ottawa's skilled forwards too much time on the man advantage. While it may not suit Anaheim's style, they'd be advised to limit the time they spend killing penalties, which means, in English, stay out of the penalty box, Anaheim!
Anaheim's depth versus Ottawa's depth: Anaheim has two marquee defensemen that Ottawa, in name value, doesn't have. Ottawa rolled four lines more regularly than Anaheim during the regular season. Whichever team gets the most from their "depth chart" also has a far better chance of winning the series.
Anaheim's scoring versus Ottawa's scoring: Anaheim has a line of kids that scores (and as a Pens fan, I love and appreciate kids) and Teemu Selanne, in addition to, of course, Pronger and Niedermayer. Ottawa has that Spezza-Alfredsson-Heatley line that I loathe (also, of course, as a Pens fan). Of course this sounds boneheadedly simple, but if a player who's depended on to score doesn't score, well, not so good for that team. Obviously.
So, what do I think? Honestly, I don't know. I've thought all playoffs long that the only team with a shot to stop the Senators was Anaheim, precisely due to the presence of Pronger and Niedermayer. If anyone could limit the chances of Ottawa's first line, it would have to be Anaheim's Norris Trophy winning defense. Yet having watched Ottawa roll through the best of the Eastern Conference (beating teams that were the best in the league from January through the end of the regular season), if Anaheim does pull it out, it won't be easy.
The bottom line, of course, is that all it really comes down to is which team is better and which team plays better.
Meaning, if Pronger and his ilk can shut down Ottawa's first line, then well, Ottawa better hope for terrific goaltending, mind-boggling coaching, and role players performing as more than mere role players.
Meaning, if the line that's had its' way the entire playoff season does its' thing with usual aplomb in the playoffs, there had best be fantastic coaching, otherwordly goaltending, and kids performing like wily veterans.
So I draw the same conclusion: Whoever wins the battle--whether Ottawa's first line or Anaheim's defense--takes the series.
However, given the caliber of Ottawa's first line and Anaheim's defense, if that match-up is a draw, then it comes down to everything else. Coaching, match-ups, role players, goaltending, and, of course, special teams play.
No predictions yet. I just want to see them play hockey tomorrow night.
Hockey Post
Since I have been without playoff competition for what feels like an eternity (how I will endure the summer I am not yet sure), it took a bit of warming up to get to the point of writing about hockey.
So the Finals start tomorrow night. I hate to make series predictions and then end up being proved wrong, so here are some random thoughts. And maybe, you know, a prediction or two will appear. Sometimes that can't be helped.
Marquee Match-up: If the Ducks' defense can shut down Ottawa's first line, I think Anaheim wins the series.
(Sigh, so I guess that's a prediction.)
However, there are so many caveats here:
Anaheim's PK versus Ottawa's PP: If Anaheim can't stay out of the penalty box, they're in trouble. I don't care if you do have 2 of the NHL's best defensemen on your roster; you'd need double that if you're going to be silly enough to give Ottawa's skilled forwards too much time on the man advantage. While it may not suit Anaheim's style, they'd be advised to limit the time they spend killing penalties, which means, in English, stay out of the penalty box, Anaheim!
Anaheim's depth versus Ottawa's depth: Anaheim has two marquee defensemen that Ottawa, in name value, doesn't have. Ottawa rolled four lines more regularly than Anaheim during the regular season. Whichever team gets the most from their "depth chart" also has a far better chance of winning the series.
Anaheim's scoring versus Ottawa's scoring: Anaheim has a line of kids that scores (and as a Pens fan, I love and appreciate kids) and Teemu Selanne, in addition to, of course, Pronger and Niedermayer. Ottawa has that Spezza-Alfredsson-Heatley line that I loathe (also, of course, as a Pens fan). Of course this sounds boneheadedly simple, but if a player who's depended on to score doesn't score, well, not so good for that team. Obviously.
So, what do I think? Honestly, I don't know. I've thought all playoffs long that the only team with a shot to stop the Senators was Anaheim, precisely due to the presence of Pronger and Niedermayer. If anyone could limit the chances of Ottawa's first line, it would have to be Anaheim's Norris Trophy winning defense. Yet having watched Ottawa roll through the best of the Eastern Conference (beating teams that were the best in the league from January through the end of the regular season), if Anaheim does pull it out, it won't be easy.
The bottom line, of course, is that all it really comes down to is which team is better and which team plays better.
Meaning, if Pronger and his ilk can shut down Ottawa's first line, then well, Ottawa better hope for terrific goaltending, mind-boggling coaching, and role players performing as more than mere role players.
Meaning, if the line that's had its' way the entire playoff season does its' thing with usual aplomb in the playoffs, there had best be fantastic coaching, otherwordly goaltending, and kids performing like wily veterans.
So I draw the same conclusion: Whoever wins the battle--whether Ottawa's first line or Anaheim's defense--takes the series.
However, given the caliber of Ottawa's first line and Anaheim's defense, if that match-up is a draw, then it comes down to everything else. Coaching, match-ups, role players, goaltending, and, of course, special teams play.
No predictions yet. I just want to see them play hockey tomorrow night.
Speaking of Archives....
In the midst of my various Internet searches, I made a discovery. Message board archives can also be absolutely hysterical.
While I'm not in the mood to post up links, if you're bored, go to any message board's search engine. (You should probably make this a message board you actually want to read). Type in "2006 draft" and you'll come up with some dandies.
I particularly enjoyed the sentiment that Jordan Staal should play two more years in the OHL, and then one year in the AHL, before joining the Pittsburgh Penguins. Think a certain Calder-Trophy nominated 18-year-old has something to say about that? (In the interests of full disclosure, Staal changed a lot of people's minds--or opened lots of eyes--over the course of his first NHL season. My own expectations changed as I watched the 18-year-old play.)
In all seriousness, however, it will be quite a bit more fun to look back on archives about the 2006 draft year in, let's say, five years. Because in five years' time--let's just say it will be interesting to see the general sentiment when players were drafted versus five years down the road. And the beauty of the Internet--it's all readily accessible with a few words typed on a search engine and the click of a mouse.
In the midst of my various Internet searches, I made a discovery. Message board archives can also be absolutely hysterical.
While I'm not in the mood to post up links, if you're bored, go to any message board's search engine. (You should probably make this a message board you actually want to read). Type in "2006 draft" and you'll come up with some dandies.
I particularly enjoyed the sentiment that Jordan Staal should play two more years in the OHL, and then one year in the AHL, before joining the Pittsburgh Penguins. Think a certain Calder-Trophy nominated 18-year-old has something to say about that? (In the interests of full disclosure, Staal changed a lot of people's minds--or opened lots of eyes--over the course of his first NHL season. My own expectations changed as I watched the 18-year-old play.)
In all seriousness, however, it will be quite a bit more fun to look back on archives about the 2006 draft year in, let's say, five years. Because in five years' time--let's just say it will be interesting to see the general sentiment when players were drafted versus five years down the road. And the beauty of the Internet--it's all readily accessible with a few words typed on a search engine and the click of a mouse.
Too Much Free Time
So I haven't seen playoff hockey in almost a week (at least it sure feels like almost a week). During the playoffs, something about this long of a layoff, speaking from the perspective of a fan and not a player, is just, well, wrong.
In the midst of all the free time I've had, and partially due to a dial-up connection (still haven't upgraded) that makes watching videos a bit of a trick, I've taken to googling hockey-related topics.
It is absolutely astounding what Internet searches will yield. I got to laugh-aloud several times at the following links I found when searching "Bob Errey." (Yes, I know how sad that is. I was curious to see other opinions of the Pens' TV color analyst).
Here are the links, purely for your amusment:
http://www.answers.com/topic/bob-errey
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=313975&highlight=bob+errey
The first link exemplifies why I love the power of user-edited encyclopedias (though if you check out the current entry, someone has "fixed" it. Anyone want to volunteer to "tweak" Bob's entry again?). As for the latter link, well, good 'ol hockey humor. Has to make you laugh.
Speaking of hockey and humor, although the website has been around forever (since before I ever used the Internet, and no, I'm not kidding), www.lcshockey.com is just utterly hysterical.
Just to think. I have the entire summer to do more hockey-related research (yeah, ostensibly, that was how I rationalized my free time search queries of various hockey players and other hockey-related personnel).
So I haven't seen playoff hockey in almost a week (at least it sure feels like almost a week). During the playoffs, something about this long of a layoff, speaking from the perspective of a fan and not a player, is just, well, wrong.
In the midst of all the free time I've had, and partially due to a dial-up connection (still haven't upgraded) that makes watching videos a bit of a trick, I've taken to googling hockey-related topics.
It is absolutely astounding what Internet searches will yield. I got to laugh-aloud several times at the following links I found when searching "Bob Errey." (Yes, I know how sad that is. I was curious to see other opinions of the Pens' TV color analyst).
Here are the links, purely for your amusment:
http://www.answers.com/topic/bob-errey
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=313975&highlight=bob+errey
The first link exemplifies why I love the power of user-edited encyclopedias (though if you check out the current entry, someone has "fixed" it. Anyone want to volunteer to "tweak" Bob's entry again?). As for the latter link, well, good 'ol hockey humor. Has to make you laugh.
Speaking of hockey and humor, although the website has been around forever (since before I ever used the Internet, and no, I'm not kidding), www.lcshockey.com is just utterly hysterical.
Just to think. I have the entire summer to do more hockey-related research (yeah, ostensibly, that was how I rationalized my free time search queries of various hockey players and other hockey-related personnel).
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Sick Talent
On my first day home in Pittsburgh, I watched the Pens fall behind Toronto. I complained aloud, "They just don't have it tonight." No one, necessarily, was to blame. Toronto was fighting for its' playoff life, and the Pens had long ago secured a postseason berth. The intensity level of the two teams just couldn't be the same.
Nevertheless, the third period arrived, and I watched the Pens do what they have done all season long. Somehow sitting in front of the television, watching this unfold live rather than reading about it or seeing it later, made it different. When the Pens scored, with a few seconds remaining, to tie the score at four, I, like both coaches, could only shake my head in wonder.
I wanted a "Caption this!" for Therrien's face. My own "Caption this!" would have been something along the lines of, "How did I end up coaching a team so sickly talented that they can screw off for most of the game and then pull off feats like this?" I probably would have added, "This talent certainly helps my win-loss record."
I didn't disagree with Toronto's coach, either, when he said that he'd known Pittsburgh could come back and tie the game as they did because of the talent on the roster. Toronto's coach knew well his own team's limitations when facing the talent of the Pens.
A few weeks later*, it's obvious the Pens can't pull the magic they pulled against a non-playoff team against a team that finished with the same number of points they did. And yet, just focusing on the jubilation on the Pens bench in the last five seconds of that Toronto game, well, wow.
Toronto's coach is right. The Penguins are sickly talented. And the solace in the suffering of a playoff loss remains: That sick talent should have many more celebrations like that celebration against the Maple Leafs in the next few seasons.
Perhaps, even, experience will help such sick talent perform as sick talent should in the playoffs.
*(Present Day Note: Obviously, it's way more than a month later. Just saying. And by the way, I still share the same sentiment at this present moment that I did when I first drafted this post.)
On my first day home in Pittsburgh, I watched the Pens fall behind Toronto. I complained aloud, "They just don't have it tonight." No one, necessarily, was to blame. Toronto was fighting for its' playoff life, and the Pens had long ago secured a postseason berth. The intensity level of the two teams just couldn't be the same.
Nevertheless, the third period arrived, and I watched the Pens do what they have done all season long. Somehow sitting in front of the television, watching this unfold live rather than reading about it or seeing it later, made it different. When the Pens scored, with a few seconds remaining, to tie the score at four, I, like both coaches, could only shake my head in wonder.
I wanted a "Caption this!" for Therrien's face. My own "Caption this!" would have been something along the lines of, "How did I end up coaching a team so sickly talented that they can screw off for most of the game and then pull off feats like this?" I probably would have added, "This talent certainly helps my win-loss record."
I didn't disagree with Toronto's coach, either, when he said that he'd known Pittsburgh could come back and tie the game as they did because of the talent on the roster. Toronto's coach knew well his own team's limitations when facing the talent of the Pens.
A few weeks later*, it's obvious the Pens can't pull the magic they pulled against a non-playoff team against a team that finished with the same number of points they did. And yet, just focusing on the jubilation on the Pens bench in the last five seconds of that Toronto game, well, wow.
Toronto's coach is right. The Penguins are sickly talented. And the solace in the suffering of a playoff loss remains: That sick talent should have many more celebrations like that celebration against the Maple Leafs in the next few seasons.
Perhaps, even, experience will help such sick talent perform as sick talent should in the playoffs.
*(Present Day Note: Obviously, it's way more than a month later. Just saying. And by the way, I still share the same sentiment at this present moment that I did when I first drafted this post.)
REGULAR SEASON
I was in Pittsburgh for the last game of the regular season (I watched on television), and what struck me was how no one wanted to see a magical regular season end. The fans cheered loudly. The players did what they usually did at Mellon Arena in the second half of the season and won a one-goal game. Even the media loved the team so much that they awarded the whole team that Good-Guy media award. The announcers relished every second of the game.
Most of all, however, I was struck by the players, who skated around the ice after the game had ended. Fans remained to cheer. Sidney Crosby skated slowly and appeared to be taking in the atmosphere. The regular season, with no expectations, and every expectation since set exceeded, had been magical.
This wasn't necessarily a portent of things to come. But only one team's season ends as every team wishes for their season to end. And somehow, watching those players soak up every last second of a wonderful regular season was only giving them their due for a great a season.
At some future point, may that wonderful end to the regular season become a a wonderful end to the playoff season.
I was in Pittsburgh for the last game of the regular season (I watched on television), and what struck me was how no one wanted to see a magical regular season end. The fans cheered loudly. The players did what they usually did at Mellon Arena in the second half of the season and won a one-goal game. Even the media loved the team so much that they awarded the whole team that Good-Guy media award. The announcers relished every second of the game.
Most of all, however, I was struck by the players, who skated around the ice after the game had ended. Fans remained to cheer. Sidney Crosby skated slowly and appeared to be taking in the atmosphere. The regular season, with no expectations, and every expectation since set exceeded, had been magical.
This wasn't necessarily a portent of things to come. But only one team's season ends as every team wishes for their season to end. And somehow, watching those players soak up every last second of a wonderful regular season was only giving them their due for a great a season.
At some future point, may that wonderful end to the regular season become a a wonderful end to the playoff season.
A CAVEAT
The sting I currently feel is actually good. It means my team is much closer to capturing the Cup than I ever would have thought possible at the start of the season.
Back when the Pens were piling up high draft picks, the only thing that excited me was which player Pittsburgh might earn the right to draft. There was no sting about not making the playoffs, no hurt about not winning hockey's holy grail, because, well, let's be real--the team was nowhere near a contender.
As much as it pains me to say that the commentator buffoons (i.e. Brett Hull and Don Cherry) were right this time around, the Pens, even in the midst of this playoff loss, are so, so close to being a legitimate and perennial Cup contender.
And it's supposed to sting when legitimate Cup contenders get bounced from the playoffs. That sting sill beats the indifference experienced by teams who have no shot at the Cup and know they have no chance.
Commercials
The best part about watching the national TV bozos (I don't live in the Pittsburgh area) was watching the Versus commercial about the Penguins" quest for the Cup.
I memorized the commercial, which showed a picture of Sidney Crosby and said, "He has been hailed as a prodigy and a legend of the game. Yet 19-year-old Sidney Crosby has not cracked under the pressure. Now the Pittsburgh Penguins begin their quest for the Cup, led by three young stars," and cue the pictures of Crosby, Malkin, and Staal, "in a world that has always separated the men from the boys." The commercial ended by urging me to log onto Versus and follow the Penguins' quest for the Cup.
I saved the Game 4 loss to the Senators that I taped. Not because I really desire to re-watch a playoff loss, but because I want to see that commercial--the children's first appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs--recorded for posterity.
Next week, I'll reflect on everything I loved about this Pittsburgh season (and believe it or not, I'll include a playoff event, too), but four days after the Pens were eliminated, the fact that Versus had to pull the plug on that commercial still stings.
I'm going to let that sting linger for a little awhile. Perhaps, if and when Crsoby, Malkin, and Staal capture the Cup, I'll be able to insert that commercial advertising the kids' first postseason appearance and smile.
Even though that commercial wil probably always make me smile, right now the fact that I'm not going to be seeing it, or the 2006-07 Penguins, who exceeded all my expectations, again, does seriously sting.
(Present Day Note: Obviously, this post was written four days after the Sens bounced the Pens from the playoffs. Also obviously, I haven't yet written what I promised to write the next week: the best moments from the season. At some point this offseason, I plan to get around to that. Seriously. But I'm not promising it's going to be next week. Just sometimes this summer. Reasonable expectations, right?)
The best part about watching the national TV bozos (I don't live in the Pittsburgh area) was watching the Versus commercial about the Penguins" quest for the Cup.
I memorized the commercial, which showed a picture of Sidney Crosby and said, "He has been hailed as a prodigy and a legend of the game. Yet 19-year-old Sidney Crosby has not cracked under the pressure. Now the Pittsburgh Penguins begin their quest for the Cup, led by three young stars," and cue the pictures of Crosby, Malkin, and Staal, "in a world that has always separated the men from the boys." The commercial ended by urging me to log onto Versus and follow the Penguins' quest for the Cup.
I saved the Game 4 loss to the Senators that I taped. Not because I really desire to re-watch a playoff loss, but because I want to see that commercial--the children's first appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs--recorded for posterity.
Next week, I'll reflect on everything I loved about this Pittsburgh season (and believe it or not, I'll include a playoff event, too), but four days after the Pens were eliminated, the fact that Versus had to pull the plug on that commercial still stings.
I'm going to let that sting linger for a little awhile. Perhaps, if and when Crsoby, Malkin, and Staal capture the Cup, I'll be able to insert that commercial advertising the kids' first postseason appearance and smile.
Even though that commercial wil probably always make me smile, right now the fact that I'm not going to be seeing it, or the 2006-07 Penguins, who exceeded all my expectations, again, does seriously sting.
(Present Day Note: Obviously, this post was written four days after the Sens bounced the Pens from the playoffs. Also obviously, I haven't yet written what I promised to write the next week: the best moments from the season. At some point this offseason, I plan to get around to that. Seriously. But I'm not promising it's going to be next week. Just sometimes this summer. Reasonable expectations, right?)
Oh, yeah....
I almost forgot. Marc-Andre Fleury wasn't stand-on-his-head-sensational by stealing a game by stopping every puck, but he hardly looked like a goaltender under duress (despite the putrid quality of defense in front of him). Despite the fact that he only won 1 game,his team only won 1 game, and he kept the scores closer than they should have been when the Pens were ridiculously outshot and outchanced.
Every goaltender gets the "He can't win the big one" until he does, in fact, win the Cup.
But, in his first taste of the Stanley Cup playoffs, Fleury gave no indication that he lacks the physical skill or mental fortitude to backstop a team (that will, overall, be better than this year's team) to a Cup at some point in the future.
I almost forgot. Marc-Andre Fleury wasn't stand-on-his-head-sensational by stealing a game by stopping every puck, but he hardly looked like a goaltender under duress (despite the putrid quality of defense in front of him). Despite the fact that he only won 1 game,his team only won 1 game, and he kept the scores closer than they should have been when the Pens were ridiculously outshot and outchanced.
Every goaltender gets the "He can't win the big one" until he does, in fact, win the Cup.
But, in his first taste of the Stanley Cup playoffs, Fleury gave no indication that he lacks the physical skill or mental fortitude to backstop a team (that will, overall, be better than this year's team) to a Cup at some point in the future.
Speaking of Expectations
Amazing how fast, isn't it, that expectations can change? Prior to the start of the season, I expected the Pens to be a borderline playoff team. I didn't count on a 14-0-2 unbeaten streak, close to the most 10 goal scorers in the NHL, or an 18-year-old rookie finishing 1 shy of the 30 goal mark.
And yet I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed that the Pens lost in in 5 games in the playoffs. I had hoped for a run, at least, to the Eastern Conference finals. My expectations had changed--and soared.
While it might be too easrly to consider this, next season will be different. The team will be expected to make the playoffs. Very few prognosticators will pick the team to miss the playoffs; a few might even pick the Pens to capture the Cup. The "surprise" factor is over, and so, too, is the "We're just happy to be here" sentiment.
When you have a team laden with first round draft picks, ask the Pens' 1st-round opponent what happens to expectations. Expectations are going to soar. If the team struggles to make the playoffs, or suffers through injuries, or players endure sophomore slumps--look out, Loretta, and not in a good way.
Part of what made this season special was the fact that any success was an unexpected surprise, a bonus of sorts. Despite the fact that the Pens will remain one of the youngest teams in the league, and will still count among their best players those who have yet to reach the legal U.S. drinking age, high expectations, from here on out, will be par for the course.
And you know what? Although the Senators can certainly tell you that nothing is guaranteed even when you have a roster full of former high 1st round picks, there is something right about allowing expectations to soar when watching young superstars begin to develop the skill set that will one day allow them to retire known as franchise players.
Amazing how fast, isn't it, that expectations can change? Prior to the start of the season, I expected the Pens to be a borderline playoff team. I didn't count on a 14-0-2 unbeaten streak, close to the most 10 goal scorers in the NHL, or an 18-year-old rookie finishing 1 shy of the 30 goal mark.
And yet I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed that the Pens lost in in 5 games in the playoffs. I had hoped for a run, at least, to the Eastern Conference finals. My expectations had changed--and soared.
While it might be too easrly to consider this, next season will be different. The team will be expected to make the playoffs. Very few prognosticators will pick the team to miss the playoffs; a few might even pick the Pens to capture the Cup. The "surprise" factor is over, and so, too, is the "We're just happy to be here" sentiment.
When you have a team laden with first round draft picks, ask the Pens' 1st-round opponent what happens to expectations. Expectations are going to soar. If the team struggles to make the playoffs, or suffers through injuries, or players endure sophomore slumps--look out, Loretta, and not in a good way.
Part of what made this season special was the fact that any success was an unexpected surprise, a bonus of sorts. Despite the fact that the Pens will remain one of the youngest teams in the league, and will still count among their best players those who have yet to reach the legal U.S. drinking age, high expectations, from here on out, will be par for the course.
And you know what? Although the Senators can certainly tell you that nothing is guaranteed even when you have a roster full of former high 1st round picks, there is something right about allowing expectations to soar when watching young superstars begin to develop the skill set that will one day allow them to retire known as franchise players.
STRATEGY
While I could not accuse Michel Therrien of being a poor regular season coach, I have always questioned Therrien's use of matchups, adjustments, and well--plainly put--in-game strategy. Although I believe Therrien did a marvelous developmental job with many players who were spending their first full season in the NHL, my quibbles with his strategy, or lack thereof, became even more evident in the playoffs.
Granted, the Penguins' power play ran hot and cold all year. For the power play being fifth overall during the regular season, it was ridiculously streaky. Ryan Whitney was right: for the talent on the Pens' team, they should score against anyone. And, while one can blame Ottawa's penalty killers, was there a response to what Ottawa did? Other than Sidney Crosby diagramming his own plays (more on that later, too)? Was there a change in strategy? Not that I saw.
Therrien's line juggling and shifting of lines made me crazy all season long. When Malkin struggled, I wondered why Therrien didn't just reunite Stall, Malkin, and Ouellet, who had sick (sickeningly good) chemistry throughout much of the season. I saw that his third and fourth lines weren't scoring, but wondered why those lines weren't deployed as they had been during the Pens' winning regular season.
Friends and I have discussed the fact that Therrien has proved himself to be an excellent developmental coach. However, Therrien's skill as a tactician is still in question, particularly--like it or not--after this playoff series. At some point in time, when the Pens' players stop needing development and opposing coaches spend all their time devising creative ways to impede franchise players, the Pens will need a coach who is a masterful in game tactician. To this point, Therrien has not yet shown he is that coach, and to this point, this very young team has not yet screamed that they are no longer in need of a developmental coach.
Yet at some point--perhaps, even, if next season starts off too slowly and the team fails to meet in-house organizational expectations--Therrien will either have to learn on the job to develop in-game tactical skills, or he will have to be replaced. Because there is going to be a point when Crsoby, Staal, Malkin, and Whitney, are not going to need someone to teach them the finer poitns of the NHL game. Those players are going to know how to execute the finger points of the NHL game, and the challenge for a coach won't be to teach and develop those players but to devise strategies that will allow them to excel against opponents devoting all their energy to containing them.
This post is not a call for Therrien to be replaced immediately, but with the Pens' development this season, Therrien will soon need to do some of his own development--that of in-game tactical skills and matchups that will allow franchise players to do what franchise players do. Because that's what's necessary for a championship coach to do.
While I could not accuse Michel Therrien of being a poor regular season coach, I have always questioned Therrien's use of matchups, adjustments, and well--plainly put--in-game strategy. Although I believe Therrien did a marvelous developmental job with many players who were spending their first full season in the NHL, my quibbles with his strategy, or lack thereof, became even more evident in the playoffs.
Granted, the Penguins' power play ran hot and cold all year. For the power play being fifth overall during the regular season, it was ridiculously streaky. Ryan Whitney was right: for the talent on the Pens' team, they should score against anyone. And, while one can blame Ottawa's penalty killers, was there a response to what Ottawa did? Other than Sidney Crosby diagramming his own plays (more on that later, too)? Was there a change in strategy? Not that I saw.
Therrien's line juggling and shifting of lines made me crazy all season long. When Malkin struggled, I wondered why Therrien didn't just reunite Stall, Malkin, and Ouellet, who had sick (sickeningly good) chemistry throughout much of the season. I saw that his third and fourth lines weren't scoring, but wondered why those lines weren't deployed as they had been during the Pens' winning regular season.
Friends and I have discussed the fact that Therrien has proved himself to be an excellent developmental coach. However, Therrien's skill as a tactician is still in question, particularly--like it or not--after this playoff series. At some point in time, when the Pens' players stop needing development and opposing coaches spend all their time devising creative ways to impede franchise players, the Pens will need a coach who is a masterful in game tactician. To this point, Therrien has not yet shown he is that coach, and to this point, this very young team has not yet screamed that they are no longer in need of a developmental coach.
Yet at some point--perhaps, even, if next season starts off too slowly and the team fails to meet in-house organizational expectations--Therrien will either have to learn on the job to develop in-game tactical skills, or he will have to be replaced. Because there is going to be a point when Crsoby, Staal, Malkin, and Whitney, are not going to need someone to teach them the finer poitns of the NHL game. Those players are going to know how to execute the finger points of the NHL game, and the challenge for a coach won't be to teach and develop those players but to devise strategies that will allow them to excel against opponents devoting all their energy to containing them.
This post is not a call for Therrien to be replaced immediately, but with the Pens' development this season, Therrien will soon need to do some of his own development--that of in-game tactical skills and matchups that will allow franchise players to do what franchise players do. Because that's what's necessary for a championship coach to do.
MYTHS
Myth: The regular season doesn't matter.
Reality: The regular season matters. It just doesn't sometimes matter the way we think it does.
While perhaps nothing would have helped the Pens when it came to an inexperienced team facing a superior opponent, I wonder. What if the team had secured home ice? What if the team had won the Atlantic Division? Surely trading chances with Tampa's stars and throwing shots on the Lightning's goalie would have been a better option than facing a stingy Ottawa team that consistently outshot the Penguins?
In addition to learning how much it sucks to lose in the playoffs, perhaps the players will learn (despite losing two games on home ice) that where they finish in the standings does matter. And that, while no playoff team is a pushover (and surely you never utter that aloud), some matchups (still never say this aloud) are more beneficial for your team than are other matchups.
Beyond the matchups, however, look at the Rangers, who swept Atlanta after finishing sixth in the conference. For much of the regular season, the Rangers didn't appear to be a playoff team. Now I don't expect a team with two Cup-winning, 600 goal scorers to fade away.* At this point, I'd take New York's up-and-down regular season for the Pens next year if the Pens perform as the Rangers did against Atlanta (through 2 or 3 rounds rather than the Ranger's sole round demolishment) next postseason.
From the Rangers, however, the Pens can learn a lesson that doesn't just have to do with matchups. How you win can be just as important as winning. As much as I enjoyed the "Cardiac Kids" thrill a minute comebacks after relinquishing leads or falling behind 4-0 and somehow winning 5-4, goals are much harder to come by in the postseason. Team don't relinquish leads. If you want to win, you can't play a period or two periods; you have to play the entire game.
Despite their youth, the Pens escaped with regular season victories when they failed to play a complete game. The Pens had so much talent that such victories were possible during the regular season. And perhaps someday, the Pens will have enough experienced talent that such comebacks are possible even come the postseason.
More often than not, however, habits stick. Even in the midst of regular season games, the Penguins must begin to do the things they learned this spring are a requirement for playoff success. Habits matter; it's not just about "peaking too soon," but about how you peak. Win with the right habits, and you're not peaking too soon--win with the wrong habits, and despite your talent, expect another early-round playoff ouster.
(*Present Day Note: The Rangers almost took the Sabres to seven games. The Rangers also showed how vulnerable the Sabres were. The Rangers were unable to beat the Sabres, in my estimation, primarily due to lack of blueline depth that Ottawa actually possessed. Despite the Rangers' subsequent 2nd round playoff ouster, I maintain that the Rangers definitely didn't fade away/roll over for the Sabres. And while I still think Ottawa's superior defensive depth would have prevailed in a 7 game series, I think the Rangers could have taken Ottawa the deepest of any Eastern Conference playoff team--primarily because those two 600 goal scorers and future Hall of Famers, laden with experience and talent, would have been the most even matchup for Ottawa's scoring hotshots.)
Myth: The regular season doesn't matter.
Reality: The regular season matters. It just doesn't sometimes matter the way we think it does.
While perhaps nothing would have helped the Pens when it came to an inexperienced team facing a superior opponent, I wonder. What if the team had secured home ice? What if the team had won the Atlantic Division? Surely trading chances with Tampa's stars and throwing shots on the Lightning's goalie would have been a better option than facing a stingy Ottawa team that consistently outshot the Penguins?
In addition to learning how much it sucks to lose in the playoffs, perhaps the players will learn (despite losing two games on home ice) that where they finish in the standings does matter. And that, while no playoff team is a pushover (and surely you never utter that aloud), some matchups (still never say this aloud) are more beneficial for your team than are other matchups.
Beyond the matchups, however, look at the Rangers, who swept Atlanta after finishing sixth in the conference. For much of the regular season, the Rangers didn't appear to be a playoff team. Now I don't expect a team with two Cup-winning, 600 goal scorers to fade away.* At this point, I'd take New York's up-and-down regular season for the Pens next year if the Pens perform as the Rangers did against Atlanta (through 2 or 3 rounds rather than the Ranger's sole round demolishment) next postseason.
From the Rangers, however, the Pens can learn a lesson that doesn't just have to do with matchups. How you win can be just as important as winning. As much as I enjoyed the "Cardiac Kids" thrill a minute comebacks after relinquishing leads or falling behind 4-0 and somehow winning 5-4, goals are much harder to come by in the postseason. Team don't relinquish leads. If you want to win, you can't play a period or two periods; you have to play the entire game.
Despite their youth, the Pens escaped with regular season victories when they failed to play a complete game. The Pens had so much talent that such victories were possible during the regular season. And perhaps someday, the Pens will have enough experienced talent that such comebacks are possible even come the postseason.
More often than not, however, habits stick. Even in the midst of regular season games, the Penguins must begin to do the things they learned this spring are a requirement for playoff success. Habits matter; it's not just about "peaking too soon," but about how you peak. Win with the right habits, and you're not peaking too soon--win with the wrong habits, and despite your talent, expect another early-round playoff ouster.
(*Present Day Note: The Rangers almost took the Sabres to seven games. The Rangers also showed how vulnerable the Sabres were. The Rangers were unable to beat the Sabres, in my estimation, primarily due to lack of blueline depth that Ottawa actually possessed. Despite the Rangers' subsequent 2nd round playoff ouster, I maintain that the Rangers definitely didn't fade away/roll over for the Sabres. And while I still think Ottawa's superior defensive depth would have prevailed in a 7 game series, I think the Rangers could have taken Ottawa the deepest of any Eastern Conference playoff team--primarily because those two 600 goal scorers and future Hall of Famers, laden with experience and talent, would have been the most even matchup for Ottawa's scoring hotshots.)
Answer #2: Mismatch
The Penguins and the Senators each finished the regular season with 105 points. Only two teams scored more goals than the Penguins did this season, and Ottawa was one of those two teams. Ottawa was also one of the rare teams, like Pittsburgh, that could roll four lines. Perhaps more than just rolling four lines, the Senators rolled four lines composed mostly of players who'd long ago learned how you have to play in the NHL postseason.
If the standings had been seeding differently, rather than giving Atlanta the third seed for winning their division, the Pittsburgh flaws that the Senators exposed might not have been revealed until the second round of the playoffs. And, by that point in time, perhaps the Penguins, who might have experienced playoff hockey by beating a different team despite a few hiccups that surely would have come, would have been slightly better equipped to deal with Ottawa's deeper, more experienced team.
Plain and simple, the match against the Senators was a mismatch for Pittsburgh. The Senators' team was designed to exploit every one of Pittsburgh's weaknesses. Of other Eastern Conference teams, perhaps only Buffalo could have so starkly revealed the Penguins' inexperience and need for still more depth in various areas.
While I still believing inexperience to be the primary culprit in the Pens' first round loss to the Senators, and as a part of inexperience I am including the fact that every single one of Pittsburgh's core players is not yet in his prime, the fact of the matter is that the Senators were, at least this season, the superior team.
That being said, it sucked that the Pens had to face a clearly superior team in the first round of the playoffs. But, as they say, it's a learning experience, right?
(Present Day Reflection: As it turns out, the Senators were also a mismatch for the Atlantic-Division winning New Jersey Devils and the President Trophy winning Buffalo Sabres. The Penguins are not in "bad" company. Perhaps it's better that Pittsburgh's youngsters were beaten by the eventual Eastern Conference championships--because such a loss clearly revealed just what the Pens need in order to become a team that can beat Ottawa.
On the other hand, it's something of a bitter pill to swallow. All the "if's"--despite how thoroughly Ottawa beat Pittsburgh--perhaps showed that the Pens, while far away from being the Eastern Conference champs, aren't that far away--certainly no further away than the other teams considered the "elite" of the Eastern Conference.
Yet, the fact of the matter is, being eliminated is being far away, no matter how ostensibly close you are, you've still got a long way to go.)
The Penguins and the Senators each finished the regular season with 105 points. Only two teams scored more goals than the Penguins did this season, and Ottawa was one of those two teams. Ottawa was also one of the rare teams, like Pittsburgh, that could roll four lines. Perhaps more than just rolling four lines, the Senators rolled four lines composed mostly of players who'd long ago learned how you have to play in the NHL postseason.
If the standings had been seeding differently, rather than giving Atlanta the third seed for winning their division, the Pittsburgh flaws that the Senators exposed might not have been revealed until the second round of the playoffs. And, by that point in time, perhaps the Penguins, who might have experienced playoff hockey by beating a different team despite a few hiccups that surely would have come, would have been slightly better equipped to deal with Ottawa's deeper, more experienced team.
Plain and simple, the match against the Senators was a mismatch for Pittsburgh. The Senators' team was designed to exploit every one of Pittsburgh's weaknesses. Of other Eastern Conference teams, perhaps only Buffalo could have so starkly revealed the Penguins' inexperience and need for still more depth in various areas.
While I still believing inexperience to be the primary culprit in the Pens' first round loss to the Senators, and as a part of inexperience I am including the fact that every single one of Pittsburgh's core players is not yet in his prime, the fact of the matter is that the Senators were, at least this season, the superior team.
That being said, it sucked that the Pens had to face a clearly superior team in the first round of the playoffs. But, as they say, it's a learning experience, right?
(Present Day Reflection: As it turns out, the Senators were also a mismatch for the Atlantic-Division winning New Jersey Devils and the President Trophy winning Buffalo Sabres. The Penguins are not in "bad" company. Perhaps it's better that Pittsburgh's youngsters were beaten by the eventual Eastern Conference championships--because such a loss clearly revealed just what the Pens need in order to become a team that can beat Ottawa.
On the other hand, it's something of a bitter pill to swallow. All the "if's"--despite how thoroughly Ottawa beat Pittsburgh--perhaps showed that the Pens, while far away from being the Eastern Conference champs, aren't that far away--certainly no further away than the other teams considered the "elite" of the Eastern Conference.
Yet, the fact of the matter is, being eliminated is being far away, no matter how ostensibly close you are, you've still got a long way to go.)
Answer 1: The X-Factor
Game 1 showed that the inexperience that I didn't believe would be a factor would, indeed, be a factor for the Penguins. Despite having watched playoff games, nothing prepares one for playoff hockey like playing in the playoffs. You don't know what playoff hockey is until you are, baptized by fire, so to speak. As much as it pains to me to say that buffoon commentators like Brett Hull and Ray Ferraro were right, the only way to learn how to play playoff hockey is to play in the playoffs.
While it's easy to remember that the Pens' trio of underaged superstars were experiencing their first run through the NHL playoffs, so, too, were the Penguins' crucial role players experiencing their first taste of the NHL postseason. Colby Armstrong, Max Talbot,. Erik Christiansen, and Michel Ouellet , will all be better players given this experience. But the fact of the matter is that the Pens' role players were not as experienced or skilled at how to perform their duties come playoff times as were Ottawa's role players.
When it comes to the lack of scoring from the blueline, it only goes to say that Ryan Whitney, like the rest of the Pens' youngsters, will benefit from his baptism by fire in the NHL playoffs. Whitney will have to learn how to play in hard-hitting traffic and still move the puck, and he has the size and skill to learn how to do that. However, like the rest of the Pittsburgh youngsters, inexperience showed out, and not in a good way.
Game 1 showed that the inexperience that I didn't believe would be a factor would, indeed, be a factor for the Penguins. Despite having watched playoff games, nothing prepares one for playoff hockey like playing in the playoffs. You don't know what playoff hockey is until you are, baptized by fire, so to speak. As much as it pains to me to say that buffoon commentators like Brett Hull and Ray Ferraro were right, the only way to learn how to play playoff hockey is to play in the playoffs.
While it's easy to remember that the Pens' trio of underaged superstars were experiencing their first run through the NHL playoffs, so, too, were the Penguins' crucial role players experiencing their first taste of the NHL postseason. Colby Armstrong, Max Talbot,. Erik Christiansen, and Michel Ouellet , will all be better players given this experience. But the fact of the matter is that the Pens' role players were not as experienced or skilled at how to perform their duties come playoff times as were Ottawa's role players.
When it comes to the lack of scoring from the blueline, it only goes to say that Ryan Whitney, like the rest of the Pens' youngsters, will benefit from his baptism by fire in the NHL playoffs. Whitney will have to learn how to play in hard-hitting traffic and still move the puck, and he has the size and skill to learn how to do that. However, like the rest of the Pittsburgh youngsters, inexperience showed out, and not in a good way.
What Went Wrong
I could list a legion of things that went wrong in the Pens' first round playoff loss, and I will. However, as I list these things that went wrong, I want to focus on how what worked during a wonderful second half of the regular season stopped working in the playoffs.
I could list a legion of things that went wrong in the Pens' first round playoff loss, and I will. However, as I list these things that went wrong, I want to focus on how what worked during a wonderful second half of the regular season stopped working in the playoffs.
- What happened to the Penguins' third and fourth lines? Throughout their 14-0-2 point streak, the Penguins regularly rolled four lines, and they could count on timely goals from their third and fourth lines. Their third and fourth lines helped them to gain many points in the standings.
- How did the entire Ottawa defense, not known for its' scoring prowess, (Present Day Note: Ottawa's offensive defensive explosion continued through the conference finals, so this wasn't just something that happened to the Pens uniquely), manage to outscore 2 defensemen who topped the regular season defensemen scoring leaders? Where was the offense that Ryan Whitney and Sergei Gonchar so regularly provided during the regular season?
- Where, oh where, was Evgeni Malkin? Exhausted from the long season? Unaccustomed to the frenetic pace of NHL playoff hockey? What happened to the league's rookie scoring leader in the first round of the playoffs?
- What happened to the power play that was ranked fifth overall during the regular season, the power play of which Ryan Whitney said, "We have the talent to score against anybody." How did the power play that had helped the Pens win so many games suddenly go so cold at exactly the wrong time?
- What happened to those magical regular season comebacks? Spot the other team a goal or two, and always manage to mount a comeback. What happened to the team that could seemingly score at will for most of the regular season?
FRANCHISE PLAYERS?
The Penguins' two youngest players appeared to be their best players for much of the first-round series against the Senators. Perhaps more importantly for a fan suffering through a disappointing end to a satisfying season (more on that later), the glimpses of the future I saw gave me hope. Lots of hope.
At certain points in the playoff series, albeit too rare, Sidney Crosby and Jordan Staal both showed themselves to be players who had a "second gear." For all their amazing regular season feats, Crosby and Staal had another level to reach, and their "second gear" kicked in during the playoffs. I was astounded to learn that Crosby had been playing on a broken foot. Staal's three playoff goals in his first four games quickly made me forget that he'd just misssed out on scoring thirty in his rookie season.
Perhaps more importantly, and more bluntly, the Penguins looked like they had two teenagers who would one day be capable of captaining Cup-winning teams. Both Crosby and Staal showed that second gear, and both showed glimpses of how phenomenal they will be when they hit the prime of their careers. Perhaps just as importantly as the talent flashed by the two two teens was that "second gear." Crosby and Staal elevated their games in the playoffs.
WIth Crosby, I have to say that such elevation of his game was expected and anticipated and has been since he has been a child. Crosby was destined for stardom, and stardom was expected, and to some degree, guaranteed.
Although the coaching staff and veteran players tried not to marvel at the 18-year-old who played with veteran savvy, they, like me, couldn't help themselves. Jordan Staal wasn't surrounded by the same caliber of team as was a teenaged Jaromir Jagr (more on that later, too), but Staal showed flashes, like a young Jagr did, of the dominant "star" player he will one day become.
All year long, I have not held the Penguins' youth against them. Even though our stars are young, they are still stars. Yet, somehow, as Crosby and Staal experienced their first NHL postseason, this fan took solace in the thought that Crsoby and Staal have a long way to go before they peak. There will come a day when the talent of Crosby and Staal, both of whom I now believe will morph into franchise players around whom a Cup contender can be built, will ridiculously overshadow the talent of Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson, and Jason Spezza--all stars, but not franchise players. (Present Day Note: Weeks after the fact, and after the line of Heatley, Alfredsoon, and Spezza, has demolished the best of the Eastern Conference, I still maintain, even if the Senators go on to capture the Cup, that there will come a day when the talent of Crosby and Staal will overshadow, to a great degree, the Senators' 3 big guns this year. Perhaps it's bias or intoxicated hope speaking, but I still believe that, no matter what the Senators ultimately achieve this spring. )
Someday, not too far away, I can see Crosby, already a superstar, and Staal, who did fulfill what the Sporting News predicted he would do and storm the playoffs, becoming known not just as superstars, but as franchise players.
For now, here's to hoping that the two teenagers, neither of whom will be able to drink legally in the States next year, either, have the development process in route to becoming franchise players accelerated by this first round playoff loss.
The Penguins' two youngest players appeared to be their best players for much of the first-round series against the Senators. Perhaps more importantly for a fan suffering through a disappointing end to a satisfying season (more on that later), the glimpses of the future I saw gave me hope. Lots of hope.
At certain points in the playoff series, albeit too rare, Sidney Crosby and Jordan Staal both showed themselves to be players who had a "second gear." For all their amazing regular season feats, Crosby and Staal had another level to reach, and their "second gear" kicked in during the playoffs. I was astounded to learn that Crosby had been playing on a broken foot. Staal's three playoff goals in his first four games quickly made me forget that he'd just misssed out on scoring thirty in his rookie season.
Perhaps more importantly, and more bluntly, the Penguins looked like they had two teenagers who would one day be capable of captaining Cup-winning teams. Both Crosby and Staal showed that second gear, and both showed glimpses of how phenomenal they will be when they hit the prime of their careers. Perhaps just as importantly as the talent flashed by the two two teens was that "second gear." Crosby and Staal elevated their games in the playoffs.
WIth Crosby, I have to say that such elevation of his game was expected and anticipated and has been since he has been a child. Crosby was destined for stardom, and stardom was expected, and to some degree, guaranteed.
Although the coaching staff and veteran players tried not to marvel at the 18-year-old who played with veteran savvy, they, like me, couldn't help themselves. Jordan Staal wasn't surrounded by the same caliber of team as was a teenaged Jaromir Jagr (more on that later, too), but Staal showed flashes, like a young Jagr did, of the dominant "star" player he will one day become.
All year long, I have not held the Penguins' youth against them. Even though our stars are young, they are still stars. Yet, somehow, as Crosby and Staal experienced their first NHL postseason, this fan took solace in the thought that Crsoby and Staal have a long way to go before they peak. There will come a day when the talent of Crosby and Staal, both of whom I now believe will morph into franchise players around whom a Cup contender can be built, will ridiculously overshadow the talent of Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson, and Jason Spezza--all stars, but not franchise players. (Present Day Note: Weeks after the fact, and after the line of Heatley, Alfredsoon, and Spezza, has demolished the best of the Eastern Conference, I still maintain, even if the Senators go on to capture the Cup, that there will come a day when the talent of Crosby and Staal will overshadow, to a great degree, the Senators' 3 big guns this year. Perhaps it's bias or intoxicated hope speaking, but I still believe that, no matter what the Senators ultimately achieve this spring. )
Someday, not too far away, I can see Crosby, already a superstar, and Staal, who did fulfill what the Sporting News predicted he would do and storm the playoffs, becoming known not just as superstars, but as franchise players.
For now, here's to hoping that the two teenagers, neither of whom will be able to drink legally in the States next year, either, have the development process in route to becoming franchise players accelerated by this first round playoff loss.
UGH*
Honestly, that's how I felt Thursday night. Plainly put, it sucked to watch the Pens get eliminated from the playoffs. On Thursday night, I didn't care about the wonderful regular season or about the fact that one of the youngest teams in the NHL had just gained valuable and invaluable playoff experience. All I felt was...
That sucked. That was brutal. That was awful. It left me with a bad taste in my mouth. It was a bitter ending to a wonderful season.
And you know what? Not just for fans, but for the players themselves, all the wretched feelings that came with playoff elimination were necessary. Not just for the sake of "getting through the experience," but actually to experience.
Don't tell me that the bitter end to this season won't be something the players remember the next time they appear in the postseason.
And with that being said, on to analyzing what went right and what went wrong.
* (Note: All posts published today, save for "An Explanation That Wasn't," were originally written the Sunday after the Sens booted the Pens from the playoffs. Sigh. The NHL on NBC won't have the Pens' company until the 2007-08 season.)
Honestly, that's how I felt Thursday night. Plainly put, it sucked to watch the Pens get eliminated from the playoffs. On Thursday night, I didn't care about the wonderful regular season or about the fact that one of the youngest teams in the NHL had just gained valuable and invaluable playoff experience. All I felt was...
That sucked. That was brutal. That was awful. It left me with a bad taste in my mouth. It was a bitter ending to a wonderful season.
And you know what? Not just for fans, but for the players themselves, all the wretched feelings that came with playoff elimination were necessary. Not just for the sake of "getting through the experience," but actually to experience.
Don't tell me that the bitter end to this season won't be something the players remember the next time they appear in the postseason.
And with that being said, on to analyzing what went right and what went wrong.
* (Note: All posts published today, save for "An Explanation That Wasn't," were originally written the Sunday after the Sens booted the Pens from the playoffs. Sigh. The NHL on NBC won't have the Pens' company until the 2007-08 season.)
The Explanation That Isn't
Okay, so no new posts in over a month (almost two months).
The explanation involves a seven-year-old computer, a word processor,
and well, other things, too.
In any case, however, here are the "unpublished blog entries" written right after the Pens were eliminated from the playoffs (sigh, more than a month ago at this posting).
And then, after those entries are published, well, onto discussing various topics such as:
Okay, so no new posts in over a month (almost two months).
The explanation involves a seven-year-old computer, a word processor,
and well, other things, too.
In any case, however, here are the "unpublished blog entries" written right after the Pens were eliminated from the playoffs (sigh, more than a month ago at this posting).
And then, after those entries are published, well, onto discussing various topics such as:
- How does a 45-year-old man play more competently than the entire Pens' defense corps? (And Whitney had an injury, but, really, what excuse did the others have? Aside from Gonchar being Gonchar and the others, being, well....)
- Does it make it any better that the Ottawa Senators also beat the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils in five games? (Hmm, doubtful.)
- It's not a coincidence that all three teams still remaining in the postseason have depth and competency on the blueline, is it?
Those bullet points, however, are just to whet the appetite. Back to reliving the Pens' all too brief appearance in the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs.
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