Per Bob McKenzie on Twitter

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Rest in Peace Nani. 10/3/10

Gerbacity



"Grier coming in over the line. He leaves it to Gaustad. The shot. THEY SCOOOREE!! RING UP ANOTHER ONE FOR THE GOOSE!!! HONK IF YA HEAR THE GOOSE!! 3-0 BUFFALO!"

well, the pens are getting their wingers.

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Who's playing center for them?

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Wheelhouse

Only a 7th for Kovalev. Damn.

Guess Ottawa really wanted to get rid of him...but not push for a 3rd rounder at least?

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

It's not like Kovelev has that much left in his tank.

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He may with the Pens. He just didn't with the Sens. We shall see. Moving to a team in contention may get him a half tank at least.

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--Scott

you dont need alot for a playoff run.

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This is a smart, low risk high reward move for the Penguins. I respect the fact that they aren't rolling over and accepting defeat despite all of the injuries. Orpik is out for 4-6 weeks with a broken finger on top of Martin, Kunitz, Letestu, Crosby, Malkin, Jeffries, and more.

Kovalev is a broken down train wreck, but he'll always be one of my all-time favorites, and CEC is going to go nuts for his return.

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"I love that you know how to do that." Cheryl/Carol/Crystal

"And I love that I have an erection that doesn't involve homeless people." Kreiger

I just read your post Mike that he was an answer to their winger problem in the future basically, which he clearly isn't. For a push, maybe so, but it won't put them over the top to win another Stanley Cup this year.

Not with Malkin out at least.

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i would never count out pittsburg. especially when crosby gets back.

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Their first round matchup is going to be the Caps, even if Crosby comes back and plays well, they can't beat the Caps. Bodreau is a tool box, but he's smart enough to know that if he doesn't beat the Pens he is done. The Caps have been built for that one singular purpose, defeating the Pens in the playoffs. And I think they have finally figured out how.

But they will be beat to hell and back and wont win the Cup either. If the Sabres get in and beat the Flyers, the sky is the limit.

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"I love that you know how to do that." Cheryl/Carol/Crystal

"And I love that I have an erection that doesn't involve homeless people." Kreiger

I simply don't agree, Crosby by himself can't win a cup, it took him and Malkin to win it in 09.

Without Malkin, who picks up his slack in scoring in the playoffs? No one else was even remotely near those two in playoff scoring that year, but 30+ points.

Guerin was the nest closest skater on that Penguins team with 15 points.

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i guess i dont believe in putting a limit on a teams playoff ability in February.

at that idea, the sabres might as well pack it up.

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I'm not talking about now and how they are, Malkin won't be back period, and as evidence has shown from the Penguins in past playoff performances, Malkin and Crosby are the ones who score the most on their team and were the reason they won their cup.

Last year their defense was nowhere near as close to their cup run team and it showed. This year, injuries are devastating them, and I still don't think their defense is where it was when they won their cup, and without Malkin, it's ALL on Crosby to score and make things happen.

We'll see, but if the Penguins make the second round or ECF they will be very lucky. They sure won't make it past Philly if they meet.

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oh, ok. i guess giving up the second least amount of goals in the conference is a significant handicap.

gotcha.

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Malkin is done for the season. If Crosby doesn't come back, that team is fucked. It'd be too bad, too, because if he did their top line would automatically be Kovalev-Crosby-Neal. That's the best line they'll have iced since drafting Crosby.

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mechaphil

Maybe the most obscure trade to be made this year, get rid of a worthless draft pick, pick up a worthless has been.

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

crosby will be back, i think. and i expect the pens to pick up a big centre because.. well, the pens are aggressive.

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First of all, with regards to another poster the best situational line they have put on the ice since drafting Crosby was Malkin-Crosby-Hossa, the best regular line would be Kunitz-Crosby-Malkin. Of course that destroys their depth, but that doesn't change the fact that Malkin plays a lot of time on wing. All Neal does is ensure that Malkin wont have to center glorified 4th liners or AHLers all season.


Skyline I agree with everything but the defense, when healthy that is the best top four defense the Penguins have put on the ice since Coffey, Murphy, and Samuelsson back in 92'. It's better than both of the blue lines that they took to the SCF in recent years, it's as evident statistically as it is on the ice, and Martin and Orpik are both expected back on time for the playoffs. But like you said, it wont be enough, Kovalev will not come even remotely close to polishing the second line shit like Malkin does, maybe 10 years ago he would have. You match Staal against good defense men and tell him to create offense, and you wont get any at all.

Getting back to the inevitable Pens/Caps matchup this spring, the post lockout Caps always thought they could out talent the Penguins, and simply score more goals at will. But in the playoffs the penguins always knew how to lock it down when they needed too, the Caps didn't. Now the Caps are tremendous at containing the penguins forecheck, they finally learned. If they have any kind of a power play the Caps win it in 5 games.

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"I love that you know how to do that." Cheryl/Carol/Crystal

"And I love that I have an erection that doesn't involve homeless people." Kreiger