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.