Strange to see Pittsburgh as such a favourite, really.
I defer to ZebraShaSha’s more intimate knowledge of the team, and its dynamics, but just statistically, shouldn’t it be noted that although the Penguins still have Malkin and Crosby, they really haven’t been stellar in the post-season the past few years.
Funny, I was about to edit “they” above to change it to “the team”, but really, Malkin and Crosby. Yeah.
We’re sorely underrepresented around here!
I agree about the one-way contracts, but that’s kind of Lou’s way. I’m a little confused by the logjam he’s created on defense, but it leads me to believe there’s a trade brewing. Of course, I thought the same thing last year and nothing came of it.
I know Lou likes his defensemen, but I just can’t see them carrying 8 again all year. I wouldn’t be surprised, however, if nothing happened before the season started and he waited to see how Merrill, Gelinas, Urbom and Severson et al. fared at camp before either moving someone on a one-way deal (unfortunately Salvador and Volchenkov are nigh untradable, so it’d probably be Fayne or Greene) or trading one/some of the prospects for offensive help.
I’m not high on Zidlicky either, but the team really needs what he can bring. Their forwards are, for the most part, very defensively responsible, and their current crop of defensemen are all of the stay-at-home variety. They have no one who can really bring it from the blue line and isn’t afraid to take a lot of shots, and that hurts them a little on the cycle but especially on the PP where teams can collapse and protect the net because they know they don’t have to worry about bombs from the point. His defense is severely lacking and we can anecdotally bring up numerous cases where his poor positioning or aggressive pinching cost the team, but that’s the cost of his offensive prowess. It’d be great to have a guy who could be good in all three zones, but those guys don’t grow on trees and tend to cost a lot of money. If used properly (that is, paired with guys who can cover his deficiencies) I think he can greatly benefit the team.
That is too funny.
It seems that Sean Avery may be engaged.
Pre-season hockey! Means nothing in the big picture but the combination of new guys battling for a roster spot and the returning guys trying to get their timing sync’d is a nice diversion from football.
Tim Thomas is trying out with The Panthers, apparently.
Most obvious graphic on the NHL network over the weekend. Apparently the Penguins are trying to figure out what went wrong in the playoffs last year. 
It is just too much. The Penguins rated as favorite to win the cup. Crosby and Malkin rated one and two in the ESPN list of best forwards. I can understand all of that but Crosby making the list of 101 most beautiful athletes atBleacher Report is just too much. :dubious:
So, apparently you can be assessed a minor penalty now for having your sweater tucked into your pants, even just a portion of it, Gretzky-style, is illegal now.
Who came up wit this brainchild, and why? What problem does it resolve?
Also, it looks like some form of no-touch icing is now in effect, as long as it’s obvious that the defending team will be first to the puck. That makes sense, but the sweater tuck? Huh?
Apparently the no-tuck has been on the books for years. They should vacate all of Gretsky’s goals for being in violation.
They need to make a list of ugliest players so that James Reimer can win something.