Head to the Net’s “Hockey Insider” Saj Karsan has advised me not to make predictions. He warns that in sports, nothing is predictable. No truer words could be spoken, yet, what fun is sports without picking sides? With this in mind, I predict that we have just witnessed the beginn
ing of hockey’s first dynasty since the great Edmonton Oilers of the 80’s.
The Pittsburgh Penguins finally overcame their youth and inexperience on Friday night to win their first Stanley Cup since 1992. Sidney Crosby became the youngest ever captain of a Cup winning team, and it’s only a sign of things to come. For all the leadership provided by Crosby, Evgeni Malkin answered with scoring – becoming the highest ever point scoring playoff performer not named Gretzky or Lemieux. And for all the scoring Malkin provided, Marc-Andre Fleury answered with goaltending. Although he may have had his weak spots during the run, he showed championship mettle when it counted in game seven. Not only did he play a stellar game, he made two Stanley Cup winning saves in the final minute, on none other than Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Lidstrom, two former Conn Smyth trophy winners.
The reason I label this team capable of a sustained dynasty is that the key players are all locked up with the team for years. Crosby is signed until the 2012-13 season, Malkin until 2013-14, Fleury until 2014-15, and even “checking centre” Jordan Staal is locked up until 2012-13. As long as they can continue to fill the role player positions, this hockey franchise has a very good shot at achieving four straight championships.
Looking for a bandwagon to jump on? Hop aboard the Pens’ train, you’re in for a fun ride.
According to TSN’s hockey insider, Darren Dreger, the Pittsburgh Penguins were a happy group after Tuesday night’s game six win, because they stuck to their game plan and then “they weathered the storm in the third.”
Let’s say for arguments sake that Detroit had scored during their phase of prolonged pressure, which basically lasted the entire third period. Dreger, in his analyses, would definitely not be talking about how successful the Penguins were at their game plan, he would probably be lauding the Red Wings’ ability to absorb the blows and land a knock-out punch at the crucial moment.
In all fairness to the Penguins, Detroit deserved to lose the game. They slept for the first two periods and only awoke for the third, which they dominated. But for the Penguins, the final 20 minutes were a failure. Entering the last period with a lead of 1-0 and subsequently being outshot 14-7 was a failure on their part. They played with fire and were lucky to escape with a tie from that timeframe.
But that’s not what the analysts say. They give us a results based breakdown, stating that Pittsburgh bounced back well from their loss, played a great game, and deserve their win. We deserve better! We demand a real analysis!
One year ago, Marian Hossa sat slumped on the ice realizing his dream was over. He looked up, seeing the men in re
d and white, the storied Detroit Red Wings, celebrating once again. He wondered if his chance would ever come to feel that jubilation; to put his hands on the Stanley Cup.
A rematch in any sport produces drama and many riveting storylines. In the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Final there are many: will Sydney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have matured enough to win this year? Can Nik Lidstrom lead the Detroit Red Wings to glory once again? With so much hype going into the series, the most compelling story is not of a team, but of one player and his quest to win.
The bad blood caused by memories of last year’s battles will not be shared by Hossa, as he looks across at the Pittsburg Penguins’ bench to see the familiar faces of friends and ex-teammates with whom he made the trip to the Final last year. While his decision to switch allegiances for the more proven team may reek of selfishness, when examined closely, his intentions are noble. Upon becoming a free agent in the summer of 2008, Hossa, the premier unrestricted free agent of the summer, received many hefty contract offers and multi-year deals, including a rumoured $9M over several years from the Edmonton Oilers. The Penguins also offered a multi-year contract, and job security in the world of sports is always sought after. Hossa went the unconventional way, agreeing to a one year deal at $7.4M with the Detroit Red Wings – leaving both money and term on the table so that he could play with the team that gave him the best shot at a championship.
In an age where most professional athletes will chase the almighty dollar wherever it leads them regardless of the quality of the destination – see Ed Jovanovski to Phoenix, Nikolai Khabibulin to Chicago, or countless other examples – it is very refreshing to see a legitimate superstar take a paycut and be willing to share the spotlight in order to win. If his gamble doesn’t pay off, Hossa may look much more dejected than he did last year, as he watches the team he could have signed with, hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup.
Note: This Saturday posting is in lieu of Monday's.
