Comments on: All's Well in Non-Hockey Playing Western Pennsylvania

By: Penguins Experience

Penguins Experience — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:53:44 +0000

I don’t think Ray Shero is to blame for the current situation the Penguins face. Negotiating with Hossa during the summer meant that Shero had to let people like Malone and Roberts go in order to free up some cash. When Hossa decided to head to Detroit it left Shero with very few options.
The Penguins may not be as great as they were last year, but they still have enough talent that they should be making the playoffs.
If this poor season is anyone’s fault it’s the players themselves. Unlike last year, no one is stepping up their game. Only Crosby, Malkin, Sykora and Fleury are playing as well as they should be, and even Crosby isn’t having a great season.
The rest of the team (Staal, Talbot, Satan, etc.) is simply lacking any sort of competitive spirit.

By: Fruitland Generics

Fruitland Generics — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:22:22 +0000

In the case of Hossa, leaving money and years on the table certainly strengthens the original argument.

By: Murshawursha

Murshawursha — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:03:25 +0000

I’d argue that the difference there is that Huet left purely because the Caps weren’t willing to engage in a bidding war for his services. He went to Chicago because he wanted more money.
I’m not sure about Roberts and Malone, but in Hossa’s case, he took less money (by a good million and a half if I remember right) and significantly less years (1 vs. 6 or 7) to play in Detroit rather than Pitt.

By: Fruitland Generics

Fruitland Generics — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:40:41 +0000

“To me, it speaks volumes when players like Roberts and Malone elect to sign in Tampa(!) and Hossa bolts after a few weeks of the regular season and a playoff run to the Cup Finals.”
Well, wouldn’t an outside observer say the same about the Caps and Huet? Nou sure that’s enough anecdotal evidence to declare causality.

By: Blackaces

Blackaces — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:56:43 +0000

Great insight as usual, pucksandbooks. I do have a request, though. Is it possible for us to refer to Alexander Semin here on out as a question mark? You know, we’ll call him ‘?’ from now on. I propose doing this because we simply have no idea what to expect to him game to game. Will he be mysteriously injured? Will he have a hat trick? Will he stick-handle right through an opposing defense? Will he speak english? (No.)
Seriously, though. Prince was once known as that squiggly thing. He had his own character. Why not do same with the enigmatic sniper from Krasnoyarsk?

By: Bucky Katt

Bucky Katt — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:57:00 +0000

“It seems to me that there is very little chemistry on this year’s Penguin’s team and wonder just how well “liked” their “Face of the NHL” team captain actually is within their dressing room.”
An interesting observation. Watching “NHL on the Fly” the consensus of opinion seemed to be that Therrien and his rather abrasive personality was one of the factors in Hossa heading off to Detroit as well as why Roberts and Malone packed their bags and left Steeltown.
I watched the game yesterday on the Pittsburgh feed (NHL Center Ice subscriber) and I was cheering the Isles on every step of the way.

By: PureAgression

PureAgression — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:52:10 +0000

You know…I was thinking about leading that chant if I get to the March 8th game at Verizon.

By: capshockeyfan

capshockeyfan — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:55:56 +0000

Thank you, as always, for a spot-on posting and interesting read! I’ll chime in and add that the waddling waterfowl also took a major hit when Ty Conklin left for Detroit; a reliable back-up goalie is a must-have in the NHL today.
Via NHL Center Ice, I watch a lot of non-Caps games, and gleefully cheer against the Penguins at every opportunity. It seems to me that there is very little chemistry on this year’s Penguin’s team and wonder just how well “liked” their “Face of the NHL” team captain actually is within their dressing room. To me, it speaks volumes when players like Roberts and Malone elect to sign in Tampa(!) and Hossa bolts after a few weeks of the regular season and a playoff run to the Cup Finals.
It was with great satisfaction that I saw Crosby’d true colors in the “junk punching” incident against Atlanta and the face-off mugging against Florida. Here’s hoping that Caps fans will be loud and proud this coming Sunday; it’s a NBC (Nothing But Crosby) network game of the week and our opportunity to let the hockey-watching Nation know who truly is the best player in the League.

By: MPL

MPL — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:07:08 +0000

I like the first option(s) for whose available… I hope the Caps keep Neuvirth, but if they must give him up, hopefully a team will overpay for him after watching his performance against the Bolts.