What does the title of the post mean? Nothing, we just go to Steven Segal IMDB page when we need inspiration.
What an idiot.
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How is it still July?
[The Hockey News] has a list of things hockey fans could do. "4. Grab a hockey stick, hold the top of it around crotch level, then run down a street that hasn’t been paved in years. "
Not bad
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Don't forget about the Center Ice contest going on over at [ Icethetics ]. The Penguins v. Wild poll closes on Friday. Right now the Penguins center ice is doubling up the Wilds, about 2 thousand votes to 1 thousand.
WAAAAAAA Maybe Minnesota fans should wake up.
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The Wings and Valtteri Filppula avoided arbitration with a 5-year, $15 million deal. Which means a salary dump is on the horizon. [ A2Y ]
Pascal Leclaire signs a 3-year, $11.4 million extension with the Jackets. [ TSN ]
The Wild have waived Mark Parrish, with a buyout expected. [ Hockey Rants ]
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:: Someone decided there was a need for an entire forum devoted to Tyler Kennedy. [ TylerKennedy.com ]
:: The Blues Dan Hinote was recently married in a ceremony that included a couple of Playmates, a teammate dressed as a woman, and Jim Carrey in Fidel Castro costume, beard and all. [ Puck Daddy ]
:: [ Mirtle ] looks at who's still left after a month of free agency.
What came next was Gary Roberts running Lemieuxblog in the Boston zone.
He sets up Christensen twice with insane passes that Christensen couldn't put home.
Roberts is clearly a better passer than Larry Bird.
he top line got it working yet again.
Aaron Ward takes a late run at Malkin and knocks him down.
He gets up in time to job in the slot, where Crosby finds him.
Malkin holds in "B" on NHL 95.
3-0. Still no picture.
Terrible.
::::
The power play was non-existent for the entire time.
Right before the power play was gonna tick off, Bing throws down with Andrew Ference.
"This is gonna be Sid's first fart." -- Bob Errey.
Kinda weak, 'cause Sid didn't throw his helmet (and visor) off.
And even while in the box, he draws an extra two minutes.
What a hockey player.
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We went to the shootout, but the Bruins forgot to bring their guns.
Christensen goal. Thomas forgot to check his scouting report.
Conk save.
LeGame up next for the Pens.
Goal.
Marco Joke is up for the B's.
Should have kept Joe Thornton.
Conksave.
Game.
THIRD PERIOD
brought to you by:
Chernobyl Power
The Bruins knew the fat lady was lurking when the third period started.
They came out peppering the Conk with shots.
It was readily apparent that the Pens were content to let the Bruins shoot their balls off.
Ruutu heads to box with 13-something left in the game.
The Penguins maintain.
A little while later, Gonch heads to the box.
The Pens survive the PP, but the Bruins put it home shortly thereafter.
tallyho. 4-3.
As Father Time and the fat lady start doing it, Christensen shows he work at the Pittsburgh Marriot, as he opens the door for the Bruins by taking a penalty.
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Breathtaking comment from who else, but Stoosh
Unreal.
One little comment like that changes lives.
n its simplest form, to the ordinary person.
It is a mere question of little importance.
But in our universe.
"What Would Gary Roberts Do," is not a question.
It is a statement.
It is a mindset.
A statement few can understand, and a mindset only one can have the power explain.
What Would Gary Roberts Do?
Be a beast.
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Ference went to the box later on for JFK.
Then Wideman slashes Malkin's stick in two.
The Pens had a 5-on-3 for 1:30.
They spent about a minute to set up Malkin with two blasts.
One was blocked, the other one went right into Auld's balls.
Unreal. The entire powerplay goes by the wayside.
Picture: Some gay Allegheny Power workers attempt to restart the Penguins powerplay. They are disappointed to find the solution is not making out with each other
.............................................................
Second Period
To start the second period, the Pens came out buzzing.
They had to weather some Bruins crap.
And then it finally happened.
Back to the neighborhood we go.
On this weeks episode Mr. BGL goes into his office and finds Roberts in front.
1-1.
Best goal of the season.
The goal changes the game. And the lives of 3,000 or so Turkish people who are killed by the aftershock.
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The rest of the second it mud.
The Bruins try to get something going.
No dice.
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
This is one of the best sites on Al Gore's internet:
Dear god
Sunglasses sale at Target.
The guy on the left just moved into our top 15 of people we'd love to sucker punch.
Wooooowwwwwww
Top ten shirt slogans of all time?
Stunned
Last one?
Is that Rufio?
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:: On Sunday, [ Going Five Hole ] discovered a nice gem in a Matthew Barnaby interview over at [ LCS Hockey ]. Barnaby was going to ESPN's lair to interview for the position vacated by Barry Melrose now that he's running the circus down in Tampa Bay.
The interview was from last Thursday, the 24th.
Then yesterday afternoon, The Insider on Pittsburgh Sports, citing what else but their
anonymous inside source, broke the news that Matthew Barnaby was interviewing with ESPN to replace Barry Melrose.
Well, today we are prepared to out TIOPS' deep inside source.
The Google.
Has TIOPS just been Gwned?
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The Lightning signed first-round draft pick Steve Stamkos to a 3-year contract at the entry-level max, $875,000. But he can make up to $8.55 in performance bonuses. [ Bolts Report ]
Jay Bouwmeester and the Panthers avoided arbitration with a 1 year, $4.875 deal. The single-year contract allows Bouwmeester to be a UFA July 1st 2009. [ Miami Herald ]
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It's been all but confirmed that the Penguins' 3rd jersey will be the powder-blue threads they donned for the Winter Classic, but we're always up for concept designs. If only because they give us something to do during July when news slows to a crawl and we have to pretend to care about Mats Sundin.
:: Speaking of uniforms and crap, here is the Pens' enormous vector logo. [ Here ]
:: Voting should commence sometime Tuesday. [ Icethetics ]
We always hear those stories of people going into someone else's house and peeing everywhere.
That was this game.
Halfway through doing the recap, we read through it and realized that we're tired of reading and writing about the Islanders/Pens games.
If you're upset at us for not producing a recap,
you may need to reassess everything going on in your life.
We've spent money during Christmas, and we are already depressed because of it.
You ever wake up one morning and wish you were on the cast of Heroes?
That happened to both of us Saturday morning.
If this blog had a coach, we would have been sitting in the press box watching some third-liner bang out a mediocre recap.
Apologies,
Derek, Adam, Marty the chicken, Charlie
We'll be full-throttle for Sunday's game.
In case you wanted to see it. Here is the recap as we had it started in the pre-draft.
The Islanders are dead last in the NHL in goals scored in the first period.
30 seconds in.
Goalblog.
Satan lives.
1-0
Everyone has recover for a little bit. Sabu tries to get himself back into the game.
Gary Roberts stares at some dude for the Isles.
He falls.
Pretty much nothing happens until BGL-Roberts-EC came out.
BGL goes into his office.
Passes to Roberts.
Roberts wraps around.
EC picks up the trash.
1-1
..........................
Roberts 900th point
Standing O
............................
The goal unites the Pens.
Some moron takes a penalty.
Ricky D says go away.
*need photoshop.
Maybe Ricky D in an Emo band?
Bruno Homo flicks it over the glass.
The Pens try to decline the Pentaly. No dice.
Just when it looks like another Powerplay will fail. Andy Sutton and Ricky D give Staal an early Christmas present.
2-1
Mike comeri sucks. Mark Eaton owns him.
**Photo shop of Eaton plowing Duff?***
Phil Borque brings up a good point.
Comire brought his girfriend Hillary Duff a 100,000 car for her B-day.
He is stressed out over Christmas.
4 on 2 for the Isles.
Gasp Andy Hilbert.
Goal
2-2
Malking and Crosby almost bring down the house.
Best combo since....
JFK takes a four minute major
Sabu
Shit.
Peace
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[Michael W]
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
Last year around this time, [ NHL Tournament of Logos ] got bigger than your sac.
Everyone touched themselves every day, waiting for news regarding the new RBK uniforms.
We touch ourselves 24/7/365, but we do it with more determination during the offseason.
NHLToL has changed its name and address to [ Icethetics ].
Just a tremendous website.
He found some credible information and got the low-down on all 18 third jerseys
that will be introduced in anticipation of the upcoming season.
The Pens will definitely be rocking the baby blue.
ICETHETICS is also doing a logo contest for some fantasy-hockey league.
This is a potential logo for the Pittsburgh Miners:
Finally, ICETHETICS is also doing a Center-Ice Tournament. [ Here ]
While we're talking logos, we've spent some time recently and drew every NHL logo using vector art.
Basically, that means we can make the logo as big as your mom and the logo won't lose its quality.
We had to do it because having high-quality .png files of logos in flash blog makes the flash about 1 megabyte.
We hate watching things load more than anything.
It wasn't an exact science, and some logos were a bitch.
[ Florida ] and [ Nashville ] were no picnic.
:: What exactly does one do after being replaced by Barry Melrose? According to [ Newsday ] John Tortorella was in New York to meet with the Islanders about their coaching vacancy.
But with the Tortorella still collecting $1.3 million from the Lightning this season, you'd expect him to be more selective in his next position and not run head-first into the debacle that is the Islanders' front office, who recently split with Ted Nolan over "philosophical differences".
Yeah, Ted Nolan, the guy who performed a feat akin to squeezing blood from a stone, and actually took the sorry excuse for an NHL roster to the playoffs in 2007.
[ Puck Daddy ] doesn't think he's a great fit either.
:: [Steel City Sports Fan ] details the continuing twisted mess that has grown out of the Casino Licensing and assures that regardless of the situation, the Penguins will get their new arena.
Although, due to lack of funding for the construction of the Majestic Star Casino,
it may come at the cost of taxpayers.
:: Sean Leahy at [ Going Five Hole ] thinks that Matthew Barnaby
may just be Barry Melrose's replacement at ESPN.
:: Speaking of the devil, in an ESPN poll, over half of the 13,000+ who voted thought the L.A. Kings would make the playoffs in the next 2-3 seasons.
16 of the 30 teams make it to the postseason, so it's not like anyone's saying the Kings are going to be lifting the Cup or anything. But we're talking about a team that had 7 different starting goaltenders last season and has hovered at nearly $30 million under the cap, but made no big free-agent acquisitions this off-season.
What Barry Melrose has to do with the Kings in 2008 is anyone's guess.
We just needed a segue.
It was painfully obvious early that this was going to be one of those games.
The season finale of "Shot at Love," had more suspense.
Nothing you can do about games like these.
At least the Pens didn't give up over 150 yards rushing.
National Treasure 2 comes out soon, life isn't that bad.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
After some jobbin, the Rangers scored again.
Straka deflects it in.
2-0. A weight machine gets an assist.
abu made a huge save on the PK.
The Rangers finish off their night of weak goals by throwing it at the net again, and Drury is ready to make some cherry pie. 4-0.
Drury, the cherry-picker, enjoying the fruits of his labor, caught red-handed...err, red-mouthed. Woooo.
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[Michael W]
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
It's the weekend. It's July. We're mailing this one in.
::::::::::::::::::
Before we get to anything.
We have to mention this.
Remember our old friend from yesterday?
Well check out the email we got:
As a Pens fan living in California (Pittsburgh born and raised), I follow your blog daily. Your writing is great and it is obvious you devote a lot of time to it.
I'm writing about the post today titled Douchebag City. I went to Michigan and was at that party where Kid Rock, Draper and Chelios came. The guy in the M hat who you are making fun of is named Jack and one of my roommates worked with him at the campus gym. Jack is a mentally handicapped 30 year old who lives with his parents and occasionally came out to parties with me and my roommates. He is a nice guy and I feel bad that your blog is making fun of his facial features. If it's possible, could you please remove the picture and comments isolating him?
This is the second time something like this has happened.
We accidentally jobbed our friend Chase back in May.
We can't even enjoy a good jobbing anymore.
But we have to make a stand.
And it may offend everyone, but thats what we do.
Rule # 1266 of being alive:
"Even if you are mentally challenged and or gay, you should not hang out with members of the Detroit Red Wings or Kid Rock."
Sorry, had to be said.
This place wasn't founded on class.
:: Over at [ ESPN ] Burnside has up his off-season power rankings. He's playing it safe, nothing really too interesting, but it's never bad to see this.
Like that half empty carton of milk that you just aren't sure about, it appears that relations between the Florida Panthers and star defender Jay Bouwmeester are beginning to sour.
Unless they can come to terms on a longer deal before the scheduled arbitration hearing, this looks to be the last season Bouwmeester wears a Panthers sweater. [ Mirtle ]
:: [ Melt Your Face-Off ] is getting through the summer by answering other peoples mail. Which, if done right, is not just a federal offense, but can also be hilarious. Lucky for those guys it's just some online correspondence.
Have you seen Oz?
Don't think they could take it.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Don't forget Aug 1st is a deadline for the [Puck Daddy] photoshop expo.
He wants Gary Bettman protrayed as a hero.
Most casual/semi-serious Pens fans will check the internet and see the Pens squeaked out a win and won't think anything of it.
This is just a run-of-the-mill win on a snowy night in December.
It gets the Pens out of the basement, but it will mean more in late March.
An egregious giveaway by the Islanders, Ricky D vomits all over himself.
Sid throws it into a wide-open net.
1-0.
And after a couple more minutes of being in the Isles zone, they score again.
Whitney's shot finds its way through traffic. Cheap goal.
2-0.
Roberts and Sutton throw down.
Sutton got a couple in on Roberts early, but in the end it was Roberts throwing a couple and eventually getting the takedown. He pins Sutton on a quick 1-2-3 count.
Comcast just couldn't handle the fight, as the game's feed goes nuts.
[thanks to Phprock for the capture]
The Isles took advantage when former Pen Richard Park puts in some trash.
2-1.
And then it didn't take long for the Islanders to tie it up.
You could feel it.
They get a 2-on-1 and Vasicek scores. 2-2.
Yet another 2-goal lead blown.
After a skirmish around the Islanders net, the Pens somehow ended up with another power play.
They finally capitalized on one.
Staal takes care of business and gets to the net.
JFK was there to Ouellet it in.
3-2. Nice play by Staal to set it up.
Chris Simon is simply an idiot. A moron.
He was the guy who tried to take a player's head off last season.
He tries to cut Jarkko Ruutu's foot off with his skate.
Simon gets a 5-minute penalty for intent to injure since there isn't a penalty in the rule book for stomping.
The Isles couldn't do anything before Father Time gave them a DDT.
Sabu leg-dropped them from the top rope.
Game.
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[Michael W]
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
In journalism you usually have to write a story with three good sources.
In blogging, you can quote Big Bird if you want.
We recieved this story from a man we will call "Donnie."
We waited till we got 110% confirmation from"Donnie's," girlfriend.
And while this story isn't close to the likes of Deadspin " Your With Me Leather," it still is pretty funny:
Here is what we got from "Donnie" you can be the judge.
I met EJ Hradek in a bar on the Jersey Shore a few weekends back. He came in the bar wearing a Corona tshirt and proceeded to order a Corona at the bar, dick. Already not a big fan of his, I was debating whether or not to say something to him. He was sitting at the end of the bar constantly looking around seemingly waiting for someone to notice him with this smarmy "you should know me" look on his face. It was that or he was just lonely and misses Melrose.
I eventually decided I had to ask him for a picture because my friends would get a kick out of it. So we are about to get our picture taken with him (boy was he happy we asked) and he slaps my girlfriends ass and creepily says "Hey you" as hes staring down her shirt. She proceeds to slap him and call him a scumbag. So the only picture I got of him is this one, him finishing his tshirt matching Corona right after the bartended told him he had to leave.
Creeperblog
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
If there is one thing that get Canadians hard it's musicals based on the works of Swedish discopop groups. [irrefutable evidence]
But they also get pretty jacked about anything regarding moving more NHL franchises to their constitutional monarchy and stunning natural landscapes.
Which is why when NHLPA Executive Director Paul Kelly says something like this, well, it's like throwing tiny scraps of meat to a pack of bloodthirsty wolves with bionic legs and infrared eyes or some awesome shit like that.
"it seems to us a no-brainer that if you're going to expand or you're going to relocate, that you first and foremost have to consider some of the major hubs here in Canada. You know, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Quebec City, perhaps Halifax if they had an arena that could sustain an NHL team. But I think there are locations in Canada that would strongly support the NHL game." [ TSN ]
While your at it Paul, why don't you mention how much you love Celine Dion?
It's not like we disagree. Either about more Canadian teams or that epically beautiful voice of Dion. But how does it sound saying something like that on the radio to Canadians? Like a politician on a midwest swing pushing the importance of corn crops.
The PA got it handed to them a couple years ago, and after Orwellian email surveillance issues, there was a shake up from the head down. Now they are out kissing babies and trying to make some ground.
It's the people in Hamilton and Halifax that are getting screwed on this deal. It's the top story on TSN. And will be the fodder for debate for a while in Canada. Or at the very least until Mats Sundin changes deodorant or orders out for chinese. But it's just some guys spouting off on local radio what people want to hear.
Remember reading into every quote for hope when the Penguins looked to be on their way out of Pittsburgh? We'll never look at franchise relocation the same way again.
And seriously guys, if you don't like "My Heart Will Go On", you don't have a soul.
Billy Zane =All Business
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Random 1:
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Random 2:
Canaan found this link pertaining to former Pen Eric Meloche.
[ EricMeloche.com ]
The old saying goes,
"Mama said there'd be days like these."
Well your Mom is a joke.
Tough times.
Could be worse.
Malkin got tripped up in the near corner early.
No penalty.
Gonna be a long night.
The puck was heading through the neutral zone when all of a sudden, it's Georges Larauqet Richard facing off against McGratton.
The Pens had a solid chance early on, but Gerber robbed Sykora.
5 minutes into the second, and there was still no sign a fan-initiated LET'S GO PENS chant.
Student Rush is sorely missed.
And then finally it happens.
Malkin makes an unreal move on Lee Malvo at the blue line, and gets a shot off as JFK drove to the net.
1-0.
There wasn't a lot of time to touch yourself over the lead, because Dany Heatley drives a puck past Sabu. 1-1.
It looked like Eaton may have possibly made another goal-saving play, but it was mootblog.
Spezza picked up the trash from an Orange Sherbert shot from the point.
2-1.
Heatley should have been in the box.
Off of a faceoff, Sykora slams Mesjokos from behind.
Always welcomed by a Senator player.
Unfortunately, it happened on an ice rink.
And it meant Sykora was going to the box.
Therrien throws up on the bench.
Oh no. Heatley again.
3-1.
And with that goal, Father Time makes his presence and his balls known.
The next eight minutes are pointless.
The Pens can't get anything going.
They end up pulling Sabu later. Didn't matter.
The microphone in the net picking up the puck hitting the back of the net when an opposing team scores an empty-netter is a huge kick in the sac.
Game.
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Go Pens
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
[Michael W]
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
The Bruins made a couple moves today, signing Dennis Wideman to a 4 year $15.5 million extension, and placing veteran Glen Murray on waivers. [ Wicked Bruins Fan ]
Apparently Murray will be bought out after clearing waivers, which we didn't even think was possible outside the June 15th to 30th buy out period. But it turns out you can do it a limited amount of times, so what the hell do we know.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The Gary Bettman photoshop contest continues over at [ Puck Daddy ] this week. Here's your chance to win some old crap that Greg was going to drop off at Goodwill anyways. All you have to do is make Bettman look heroic.
Easier said then done.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;
Besides having a ridiculously repetitive name, Fedor Fedorov also has to deal with being the younger brother of 3 time Stanley Cup Champion, 6 time All-Star, 2 time loan defaulter, and 1 time ex-Mr. Anna Kournikova, Sergei Federov.
So after going through the NHL Entry Draft twice, playing in the AHL, OHL, UHL, and ECHL, making a couple very brief stints in the NHL, playing in Russia, and then signing with the New Jersey Devils for another shot at sticking in the NHL, he probably went apeshit when he saw this headline.
[ NHL Fanhouse ] takes a look at out of proportion sibling rivalry, including Alain Lemieux and Brent Gretzky.
Dry your tears guys, Billy Baldwin knows how you feel.
"And when Therrien's postgame session with reporters ended, Flyers knuckle-dragger Ben Eager (0 points, 60 penalty minutes), whom Therrien passed in a corridor outside the Penguins' locker room, said to him, "You're a joke."
"Therrien offered a two-word comeback, only the second half of which -- "you" -- is suitable for public consumption." [Post Gazette ]
Our feelings exactly.
Palindrome goes to the net for an easy tap-in. 1-0.
Cue The Whitney Play™.
Bring it home. 2-1.
Who the hell let Sykora stand alone by the post? 2-2.
Then it was Umberger again two minutes later. 4-2.
The second period was jobber city after that.
Letang punched Upshall, and then huffed and puffed and got a unsportsmanlike.
Hopefully Letang said something about Bill McCreary's mustache.
"Auditions for 'Wyatt Earp' ended a decade ago, dick."
Out of nowhere, Ty Conklin gets some action.
AND THEN BAM
The camera switches to Roberts and Eager throwing down.
We're not boxing experts, but it wasn't even close.
Eager hit air three times, while Roberts was waiting to bring a howlizter to the anus every time.
Right there is why Roberts is a man. Nothing else needs to be said.
There was 15:53 left.
The Flyers were up 6-2 now, which could have meant headhunting season for the Broad Street Homos.
BGL broke his stick crosschecking someone.
Keith Primeau almost scored on a Flyers 3-on-1.
And then another shot heard 'round the world.
Sid borderline trips Martin Biron behind the Flyers net. Sid loves it.
And then the Flyers fans use the assistance of the Wachovia Center organ to chant "Crosby Sucks."
He's trying to hear you, but he's too busy taking a dump in your mouth
After another scuffle with Whitney and Armstrong going to the box for fighting, the Wachovia faithful start chanting "We want Crosby."
Yeah, every NHL team does.
By this time, we just wanted to get out of Philly without any injuries.
Balls, Laraque wasn't done.
He totally jobs Martin Biron, trying to take his legs out.
He didn't even try to disguise it.
That is the definition of a job. Pure and simple.
If Biron gets injured there, BGL would have that blemish for the rest of his life.
That resulted in a Flyers power play.
Umberger made it 8-2.
Longtime Pens fan Elmo had seen enough
Finally, with more mercy than Jesus Christ, the clock went to all zeros. Gayme.
"Are we talking about the same team that got five guys suspended this year?" Therrien said. "It is a lack of respect what (Stevens) did tonight. At 7-2 you don't send your best power play on the ice. Even Daniel Briere didn't want to go on the ice. It is a lack of respect."
[Trib]
1/24
Revenge
Go Pens
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Go Pens
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
[Michael W]
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
Thankfully, [Puck Daddy] is holding a photoshop contest that could help pass at least a day or two.
Here is the premise:
Puck Daddy, aka Greg Wyshynski, thinks Gary Bettman needs to be portrayed as a hero to maybe change his image.
Before you log off your computer, listen.
Bettman has been very good to the Penguins fanbase. Bottom line, he is a reason they are still in town.
Don't think so? Ask Seattle how David Stern helped them. Joke.
But whatev, this isn't about factual shit, because Bettman has made some errors. It is about having some fun.
The job, if you choose to accept it, is to make conceptual photoshops of Bettman as a hero. Maybe as a cop arresting a criminal, or maybe him slaying a dragon.
Here are some examples:
The photos will all be featured on Greg's blog on Yahoo. It will be a nice chance to show the world how we roll.
Looks like the Lightning need to start worrying more about their sales... and less about signing all the Penguins:
[Double A]
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
There is nothing to talk about. Things are bad.
But, they aren't as bad as Rick Mahorn's life is about to be.
He pushed Lisa Leslie in some brawl in Detroit. This will be the only time you will ever see a WNBA highlight from us. But just listen to the crowd's reaction.
On this 82-game journey we all embark on, every so often we get to witness some special things. Tonight, as hockey fans, was one of those instances.
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The next time a Penguin broke wind, they would get a penalty. Talbot goes to the box. Crosby then decides to draw another penalty.
ater, Luongo went into Sykora's house and robbed him.
What a goaltender.
FSN shows Pens backup goalie Ty Conklin on the bench. He looks like he just finished off a Budweiser.
Just when you thought Luongo was going to shut everyone out for the rest of his life, Malkin and Sykora team up and get one past Loooooooooooooooo.
That's a gooooooaaaaaaaaaaaallllllll. 1-0.
Malkin's pass is why he is a huge deal.
::::::: OT
The overtime was just doing its own thing until Sid Crosby comes out of nowhere on a breakaway. He gets tripped up, and the shootout starts early as Sid gets a penalty shot.
You couldn't make this up.
Crosby vs. Luongo. Two of the best at what they do. Sidney on his Western Canada trip. TNT could have run a miniseries on it. And odds are stations all over Canada broke into their respective shows to bring viewers this penalty shot.
Lord Therrien calls a timeout to ice Luongo and give Sid a breather.
Here we go. All of Canada watching. Pens Nation on their feet. Sick.
Sid turns Luongo into a woman, but just couldn't lift the puck over Luongo.
What a player. What a goaltender.
An insane end to the OT brings us to another shootout.
Christensen says Luongo means nothing to him. 1-0.
Jim Morrisson up for the Canucks.
Sabu says no.
Pens up. Syko can't beat Loo.
The crowd starts to roar. Trevor Linden = Mr. Clutch. 1-1
Sid vs Loo, Round 2. No dice. Sid is stopped again.
Some dude for Vancouver comes down.
Post, or is that the Linden goal? We don't know. These pics are nasty, though.
Ruutu could stun the nation, tries to make a move, but not today.
The ghost of Craig Patrick steps in.
Sabu poke check. Sick.
Malkin contemplates his life, but Luongo says no.
One of the Olsen Twins comes up.
Not today
And look who comes out with the chance to win it...
Kris LeGAME
Unreal.
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Go Pens
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[Michael W]
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
You know it is close to Steeler training camp when the Big Ben jokes start flying. Check out some action of Big Joke hitting the crowd with a golf ball at some tournament:
This next clip may have Steeler Nation worried:
Upon further review, the guy in the boat that he overthrew had a Hines Ward jersey on. But it wasn't Hines Ward because he wasn't holding anyone when they ran a running play.
We aren't going to bother to explain we are kidding, because if you don't get it by now, hopefully you overdose on something or contract a lifethreatening STD.
But please don't let it stop you. We love reading "Why can't everyone be fans of the Steelers and Penguins" rants. It gets us through the day.
Mike Lange's entire archive of broadcasts of the 2008 playoffs are now available [PittsburghPenguins.com]
Thanks to [FH] for that.
:: Speaking of Lange, our boy Tony from [ The Confluence] had some reaction about Steiggy getting the nod over Lange for the TV job for the next few years.
David The Gnome once said: "Look around you. There are many things to see, that some would say could never be. These things I know. It's true, and I will tell you so. They are there to see, if you believe."
Picture: David The Gnome, all business.
That quote might have everything to do with the Pens-Flames tonight. Or maybe we just wanted to drop a David the Gnome reference.
Who cares. Pens won, life is good. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Second period was brought to you by the chick from the JB Robinson commercials.
That face says, "Give me diamonds. I'll have sex with another man while you work to pay off the diamonds." :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kris Legame
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Go Pens
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
All Swedes are liars. Sorry, vast sweeping generalizations are just all the rage right now.
[ Jason S ]
But at least Dusan Umicevic is a liar. He reported in the Swedish Daily News that Mats Sundin had signed with the Vancouver Canucks, which the Sundin camp was quick to refute. [ TSN ]
And really, with a name like "Dusan," he's got no reason to be all pissed at the world, cause that's just bad-ass.
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
"Philadelphia has nothing on Pittsburgh. In Pittsburgh, they regularly and vociferously boo the second-greatest hockey player to perform for the beloved home team. In Pittsburgh, they boo the kid third baseman who had put up Roberto Clemente-type numbers until he was mysteriously traded. When it comes to knuckleheads, Pittsburgh has it all over Philadelphia."
Knuckleheads? Is this 1930?
You have to love it when sports writers in this town chastise us. Not to mention they group all fans in the same boat.
We don't boo Jagr, never have, never will. We know a lot of people that feel the same way.
We also know a lot of people who do Boo Jagr. That's fine too.
But to say we all Boo Jagr? Come on man.
Philadelphia heckles and taunts Sidney Crosby for no reason, but we're all knuckleheads? They booed someone who was paralyzed on the field, but we are wrong to boo anyone?
Comparing the booing of Aramis Ramirez and Marian Hossa? It doesn't make sense.
First off, is it even that well documented that people boo Aramis Ramirez? Maybe someone was booing because he banged their girlfriend.
Calling us assholes- we assume that is 60 year old sports writer lingo for "knuckleheads"- doesn't fit.
Hossa sold the Penguins out, he was not a man of his word.
We owe him nothing, and we will boo him if we want.
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
:: In what we can only assume is a move to make amends for the trainwreck that was The Love Guru, the Maple Leafs are giving away all the tickets to a preseason game for free.[ THN ]
:: If a hockey team plays in Carolina, but no one around knows, does it make a sound? [ Puck Daddy ]
Because the Pens rushed up the ice later with the puck. They lose control of the puck when Eaton can't take Malkin's tape-to-tape pass. The Pens leave Sabu out to dry, as Toronto goes the other way on a 2-on-0.
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
HOME STANDS 4 games in October 5 games in January (interrupted by all-star game) 4 games in February 8 games in March/April. Jesus.
ROAD TRIPS 5 games in February/March
Unlike the NFL, where people take a day off work to talk about 16 games, the 82-game NHL schedule was released on Thursday, and nobody did a half-hour show about it.
The Pens start off in Sweden. They'll get almost a week off to recuperate from the travel.
November 11 is a date that is circled on every Pens fan's calendar. Good times. That 1:00 Vancouver game is what the new schedule is all about.
The dog days of Winter will hit when December rolls around. 14 games in 28 days. December 23 -- Malone, Roberts, Recchi, Hall at the Mellon.
They'll have a home-and-home with Boston, culminating with a New Year's Evening game.
February looks to be good times. February 8 -- Hossa makes his return on most likely an NBC game.
The Pens will have an unheard-of 8-game home stand in March. How pivotal will that be. Not to mention, we may need a win in Montreal on the final day of the season to get in the dance.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Hopefully, the games circled in green caught your attention. Those games are gonna be road-trip city. We're going to gun for Chicago, and if that doesn't pan out, we'll get Columbus.
The Chicago plan would be ideal, since it's on a Friday night. It will allow you to explore Chicago on Saturday, which is the kicker for us.
We wouldn't mind organizing a group of 20 or so people to chip in for a group plan or whatev for that game.
It's a 7-hour, 30-minute trek to Chicago. About 475 miles.
At 20 miles to the gallon with $4.00 gas, it will cost roughly $200 round-trip. 4 people to a car -- $50 for gas.
The best gauge we could find for ticket prices was this [ Bleacher Report article ]. We definitely won't have to break the bank for this.
Putting about $200 or so on retainer sounds like a safe bet.
If hockey-hungry Chicago fans jump at tickets for the Crosby Show, then Columbus is the next best thing, on March 12.
Details on how we're gonna string all this together will come as the season draws nearer and tickets go on sale.
We're putting a call into the United Center in the next few days to check things out.
The complete schedule will be released later today, but just to get up to date, here's what we know now.
The Penguins will open the season in Sweden with two games against the Ottawa Senators, October 4th and 5th. The New Jersey Devils will be in town on October 11th for the Mellon Arena's home opener. And the Pens will be in Boston for the Bruins home opener on the 20th of October. [ Eye on the Media ]
2008-09 kicks off the first season under the new schedule matrix. Over the 82 game schedule they'll play each Atlantic Division opponent 6 times. 3 at home, 3 on the road.
They'll play the rest of their Eastern Conference opponents 4 times. Twice at home, twice on the road.
And they'll play every team in the Western Conference once.
With the exception of their "at-large" Western opponents, the Sharks, Blue Jackets, and Red Wings, whom they will play twice.
The first thing you do when you print out that new schedule is circle those Detroit games.
The preseason calendar is out. Players report on September 16th. [ Penguins.com ]
Saturday, Sept. 20 TAMPA BAY 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 22 at Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 24 TORONTO 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 26 at Toronto 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 2 at Jokerit (Finland) 11:30 a.m.
Good ol' [ Eric P ] with a 2008-09 preview.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: [ The Columbus Dispatch ] dished out grades for the off-season. Shero's moves put him in the bottom 5.
:: [ Bleacher Report ] breaks down what we should expect from Puck Finn.
Dark Knight comes out in a day.
That is all that matters right now.
The NHL refuses to confirm when the schedule is coming out.
So Whatev.
In other news,well just celebrate free candy.
[Thanks to Kelli K for that]
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ray Shero signs a few more depth players. Ryan Stone, Bill Thomas, and yes, Kris Beach.
Nothing to get too excited about, though if this was Montreal, they'd probably riot in the streets.
25 year-old Thomas is a Pittsburgh native and has played parts of 3 NHL seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes.
DALLAS DRAKE RETIRES
No one cares.
:: What would drive a respected but over the hill hockey player to resign with the Washington Capitals for another tour of mediocrity. Well, in the words of the Wu Tang Clan, dolla dolla bill y'all.
More specifically, not having enough of them. [ The World of Isaac ] says Sergei Federov recently defaulted on two loans from a Michigan bank worth a total of $2.25 million.
Only $2.25 milllion? Boots Del Biaggio laughs at such a meager debt. He's run up bigger bills throwing together Powerpoint presentations.
Hat tip [ Puck Daddy's ] way.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
All Star break.
Works hard. Vacations harder.
[ Matt B ]
5 - 0
Chris Thorburn forgets he is playing for ATL now.
He takes a dumb penalty.
The new-look powerplay jaunts out.
Gonchar to Sid.
4-0 peace
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Go Pens
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
[Sh0ez]
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
:: [Doctor Mirtle] says the move was poorly timed, with the Islanders rookie camp starting the same day the head coach was fired.
The whole thing is more awkward than that time Charlie hosted the Subway Nightly Sports Call with gay hater Ron Cook.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
You may know that Geno is the owner of a prison themed restaurant back in Russia. For what reason, who knows, probably just to make those raised in the USSR days feel at home. Some Russian site has a review complete with pictures. [ Babel fish translation ]
:: [ Sports Illustrated ] lists the 20 greatest individual sports rivalries, and reminds us of long ago when from time to time a hockey player would actually grace their cover.
:: In the spirit of the all star game. Here is a nice list of hockey players who played baseball. [Greatest Hockey Legends ]
In old Bob's column, we must have fell asleep before we read this:
"Rumors circulating around town that 1250 ESPN would bring in Jerome Bettis as part of its new afternoon drive-time team seemed too preposterous to even investigate. Bettis would not figure to be interested in such a role and nor did his skill set seem to be right for such a show. But a phone call to Bettis' business manager Jahmal Dokes put a different spin on the possibility."
Think about how fun it would be to prank Jerome Bettis everyday.
Despite his best efforts, Body by Jake could not get Daniel Alfredsson's groin ready.
And as Dean McAmmond gets denied by Sabu, we wait on pins and needles for FSN to switch their camera to who was taking the next shot.
Jarkko Ruutu stands at center ice. All business.
The hopes and dreams of a battered Penguin nation on his stick.
We all know what move he is going make.
But wait.
Gerber vomits all over himself.
Looks like someone was too busy reading his own press clippings and not the scouting report.
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Go Pens
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
[ TheFandangler ]
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
We aren't ones to spread mass panic. But if you aren't watching this Casino mess.
You might want to start.
Pittgirl talked about this last week on [Burgblog].
And now more people are talking:
"Sens. Jane Orie, R-McCandless, and Jim Ferlo, D-Highland Park, sent a letter today to board Chairwoman Mary D. Colins urging the board not to hastily approve a refinancing plan being sought by casino license holder Don Barden, who is ceding control of his Majestic Star casino project to an investors' group from Chicago." [PG]
To sum everything up, they want to re-open the entire casino awarding process.
What could this mean for the Penguins?
No clue. We assume that whenever the Casino mess gets settled, someone will honor the 7.5 million- dollar commitment to the Penguins.
We don't give a rats ass about politics. But the vomit rags at the State Gaming Board at this point should all be fired/ and or shot.
For a hockey fan, no time is worse than the present.
But it is a necessary evil.
Our minds have to heal from the tortures of an 82 game season, plus 20 or so playoff games.
All the jobbin, praying, and fighting on messages boards takes it toll.
So what do we do?
Maybe you catch up on the great tv you missed, maybe you hang out with the significant other you ignored.
Maybe you download the soundtrack of "Mama Mia," because it makes you feel free.
Whatever the case, at least we will have something to talk about today and tomorrow.
The NHL schedule is expected to be released today.
UPDATE: Yea maybe it won't be out today.
Shit
There is no better feeling than looking forward to being suicidal in mid November.
A source, according to Bob Smizik, which means himself, says Madden is headed to the X.
At least Smizik will have something to do now.
Dick.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
[Puck Daddy] found a great story from the [Tennessean] about William "Boots" Del Biaggio.
He was going to move the team, and then he accidentally lost his sideburns.
Sideburns in this case mean his real sideburns, and all his cash money.
What a douche.
All this really means to us is that, if there was any doubt, he was going to move the Penguins.
People in Nashville actually cared for ten minutes, than some country music song came on.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jason Williams had a hell of a day yesterday.
First he signed a 1 year $2.2 million dollar contract. [ TSN ]
Then, according to a google news search, he almost killed Scott Stevens. [ We Are Central PA ]
You've got to serious question the mental health of Williams at this point. Who the hell willingly plays for the Atlanta Thrashers?
Actually neither of those stories are 100% true. TSN is just reporting that some local Canadian TV channel is reporting it. And there is also a slight chance that there are more than one "Jason Williams" in the United States. So who knows.
The Pens kill Christo's penalty off in time for Zach Parise to punch MAF in the throat. 1-0.
And that was it.
Not much to write home about.
Fact: These kids got closer to the net in the first period than any Penguin did.
::::::::::::
Sidney Crosby shows he belongs on the PK when he generates another opportunity, this time with a breakaway.
The ice at Mellon Arena was as consistent as Bob Barker's stool, and Sid couldn't get a handle on the puck.
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
If it seems like we're talking about the Lightning every day, it's because everyday they do something else that makes you wonder if these guys realize they are running an actual team and not playing NHL 08.
Today it was signing Vincent Lecavalier to a 11 year $85 million contract extension. [ TSN ]
The deal will go through the 2020 season, when Lecavalier is 40 years old.
Although by then, in the post robot invasion world when humans are slaves, it probably won't be that big of a deal.
::::::::::::::::::::
Ladybloggersblog
In a big break up, your bound to lose something you hold near and dear. Like when splitting the record collection and they take the Police two-disc anthology, even though you know they've only listened to it three times top. The callous bastards.
In her split [ Wrap Around Curl ] lost the Vancouver Canucks. And honestly, she's probably better off, especially in the post Markus Naslund era. But now she's a UFA and looking for someone to sell her on a new team.
:: And over at [ I Mean, We Got Guys ] they're progressing in the Hottie Hockey Dreamy Team contest.
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Game #20
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
We have gotten a few emails about linking to others blogs.
And we want to link to as many people as we can.
The only problem is the emails sometimes get lost, or we are just to lazy to add them.
So we will keep this post linked on the side, if you have a blog and want linked, tell us in the comments and we will go through every week and make adds.
If you want to create a hyperlink in comments enter this code:
>a href="pageYOUARElinking.html">text you want people to click>*/a*
Change the ">" at the beginning to "<" Then in place of the asterisks at the end, use "<" and ">" in that order.
:: Alexander Whatevov is going to Russia, despite the agreement between the NHL and the Russian superleague. [Globe and Mail] The reported deal is 3 year, 24 million dollars tax free.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: "I'll predict right now, Tampa Bay will win the division," owner Len Barrie said. "That's how much we like our team." [ St. Petersburg Times ]
This is not Super Bowl III, Len Barrie is not Joe Namath. And really, with the Hurricanes, Thrashers, Capitals and Panthers, an above average pee wee squad could win the Southeast Division.
With quotes like that paired with the hiring of a media head to place behind a bench of hodge podge players handpicked by the new owners, GM Jay Feaster called it quits.
"For the past two weeks I have watched from the sidelines as Brian Lawton, Len Barrie and Oren Koules executed to perfection the game-plan they shared with us prior to the NHL Draft in Ottawa. During that time it became apparent to me that this new ownership group did not need my advice or expertise, and I came to the conclusion that it was time to move on."
Which translates roughly to: "Screw you guys. I'll be laughing my ass off when you've been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs in late January."
[ The 2 Man Advantage ] has a sick interview with the Islanders Jeff Tambellini, Kyle Okposo, and Blake Comeau in a sports bar answering Jenga questions and playing Hungry, Hungry Hippos with Kim the waitress.
[JB] "Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
"Mr. Barden expressed disappointment yesterday in losing control over the casino, which was to be the flagship of his Majestic Star chain. Now Majestic Star probably won't even be part of the name. But Mr. Barden also said he was proud that he was able to get construction started."
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
Gonchar went to the box for some phantom call.
7 seconds into the power play, Palindrome deflects in a shot from the point.
3-0. Emoblog.
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C-BLOG CITY
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Go Pens
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
[Rick M]
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
Salary cap woes forced the Flyers hand in letting team captain Jason Smith walk out the door without so much as an offer. Smith signed a 2 year, $5.2 million deal with the Ottawa Senators.
The Flyers are over the cap ceiling by about a million dollars, but will get a break by placing injured defenseman Derian Hatcher and his $3.5 million dollar contract on the long-term IR.
:: With papa Bettman threatening to ground Brian Burke or Kevin Lowe if either throw any more verbal barbs, the biggest drama right now is the offersheet war between the Blues and Canucks. [ TSN ]
Last week the Canucks signed Blues RFA David Backes to an offersheet, which St. Louis quickly matched.
Yesterday the Blues responded, signing Steve Bernier to a $2.5 million offersheet. The Canucks matched the offer. Vancouver had acquired the rights to Bernier last week for draft picks.
Unfortuantley 'nucks GM Gillis says there's no ill will between the two front offices. Thats not what a man with 6 Stanley Cup rings would say. Man up and protect your house.
At the very least insult the mans intelligence and/or franchise. If for no other reason than to see Bettman put on his Dr. Phil 'stache again.
::
[ Scott Burnside ] breaks down the entire Eastern Conference team by team. Solid read. Or maybe we're just saying that because he says the Penguins are on the rise.
[ Christopher O. ]
:: It's official. Janne Pesonen is in the Penguins organization. [ Penguins.com ]
The Adventures of Puck Finn.
We made a big mistake in the post yesterday.
Commentor Erik was cool enough to point it out.
Two-way deals have nothing to do with waivers.
We fell asleep while trying to read the rest of his novel, but it sounded good.
:: The Pens signed d-man Ben Lovejoy to an entry-level contract on Monday, as well. [ Penguins.com ]
#65 in the preseason last year.
With his last name beginning with "L," that pic gives you a tease.
-- Lovejoy has a blog, most recently updated in early April. [ HOCKEY GUY ]
We want him to make the team just so we can reference Billy Zane's manservant as much as possible.
And...
Rev. LoveJoy
:: Ross the Boss likes what Shero has done. [ Yahoo ]
It just won't stop. They signed good ol' Mark Recchi on Monday. [ TSN ]
Sooner or later, something's gotta give.
Or maybe not, as Hiro Nakamura brought back this SI cover from January 10, 2009:
"I understand business is business and I would not have taken it personally if it was done the right way, and when threats are involved and my personal character and work ethic is questioned; when those things get personal, that's not the way to do business." -- Dan Boyle
[ James Mirtle MD ] has the breakdown of the problematic relationship between former Panthers teammates Dan Boyle and Len Barrie.
Boyle waived his no-trade clause to be sent to San Jose after Barrie became owner in Tampa Bay.
:: A lot of people caught a possible Pat Sajak sighting
in the picture Penguins.com used to announce the Matt Cooke signing.
This article from a sports blog at the Washington Post confirms it. [ Here ]
You might want to reassess your life when you're Googling for Pat Sajak's ties to the Washington Capitals at 1:30 in the morning.
In case you're wondering where Henrik Zetterberg was during the SCF,
he was helping Easton making this micro-site. [ Easton ]
Mark it down. January 1, 2009.
WRIGLEY FIELD.
Umm, no Soldier Field?
God knows the Bears wont be playing into January.
Idiot
::We were gonna talk about it, but we headed over to one of our new favorite blogs, [ Talkin' Hockey N'at ], and they pretty much covered everything we were gonna talk about.
:: [ Puck Daddy ] covered the basics, as well,
along with news of the NHL buying a portable rink.
:: The Flames signed Todd Bertuzzi. Ugh. [ Balls ]
:: Marian Hossa is the Chris Pronger of Pittsburgh. [ The Cult of Hockey ]
:: Pissing contests will no longer be tolerated by the suits. [ TSN ]
[CNBC]
"The Wall Street Journal reported earlier Monday that the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise has been secretly shopped to potential buyers amid continuing divisions among the five sons."
We of course got tipped off on who those secret owners are.
66 buries it.
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Game # 16
[All Fall Down. PENS LOSE.] 4 - 2
The next two days are going to be amongst the longest of our lives.
Pens are under .500.
It is cold.
Your girlfriend might be on her period.
Your boyfriend might be a joke.
Things look bleak.
Everyone is getting blamed.
People taking shots at every player.
Everyone wants a change.
Everyone becomes a coach.
Get your mind right, man.
Get your mind right.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
After the second period, Chicken Little holds another press conference.
"Season is over. Pack it up."
Shut up, dick.
Marty the Chicken and Chicken Little have to be separated in the runway
for the second consecutive night.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
C-BLOG CITY
Bad times...
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::
Go Pens
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[Rick M]
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
What is the job of a general manager during the offseason?
To make the team better than it was heading into the offseason.
Many people who hate the Penguins (which blinds their reasoning)
think that the Penguins have gotten significantly worse this offseason.
They lost Hossa.
They lost Roberts, Malone, and Hall.
They lost Conklin, Laraque, and Ruutu.
On the turnaround, the Pens have picked up Eric Godard and Matt Cooke.
They signed Ruslan Fedotenko and Miroslav Satan.
Some Finnish dude with mystique around him looks to be on his way.
Shero signed Free Candy to a sweet 6-year deal.
And let's not forget those other eventual free agents the Pens signed:
Evgeni Malkin and Marc-Andre Fleury.
A lot of fans out there, specifically Red Wings fans, are already closing the door on the Pens' '08-'09 season.
Did these fans even watch their team beat the Penguins in the SCF?
The Red Wings beat the Penguins using their team speed more than anything else.
Besides Niklas Kronwall spying someone and then crushing them, their physicality in the Finals left something to be desired.
Everyone is saying the Penguins have lost their team toughness.
And you gotta go along with that.
But toughness, obviously, is not what brings the Cup home.
And then everyone is saying the Penguins lost their goal-scoring prowess.
As Ray Shero said, not every GM can lose out on Hossa and then sign Malkin 20 minutes later.
Yeah, okay, he's a big deal.
The Penguins and Hossa used one another for each's own benefit.
Just like Hossa and the Wings are doing to each other in this upcoming season.
Mid-February, Hossa wasn't even a thought in the Penguins future.
They already had a squad on the fast track to first place in the Eastern Conference.
The trade for Hossa was a gamble that Ray Shero had to take.
He saw the opportunity this year.
His departure brings up the "Need a winger for Sid" conversation again.
Christensen and Army weren't cutting it.
And the depth they provided is not sorely missed.
Losing out on Hossa has given Shero many avenues to look at.
The Pens aren't going to be the top-heavy team they would have been.
Thank God.
Replacement: He's as close to irreplaceable as you can get.
But every team that has ever won the Stanley Cup didn't need Hossa.
[Matt M]
RYAN MALONE
Ryan Malone has been trade-bait city since he started popping in 20 goals a season for the anemic Pens squads in '03-'04 and '05-'06.
Adjusted for his injury in '06-'07, Malone had averaged 21.3 goals a season prior to this past season.
He averaged 20.6 assists per season.
He ended up averaging 42 - 43 points per season.
Then he gets put onto a line with a player who challenged for the Art Ross Trophy all season.
Results: 5 more goals. 3 more assists. 8 more points.
Really? Is that it? Ehh...
We're not throwing Malone under the bus.
It would have been nice to have him around.
But not for $5 million a year. Sorry.
Replacement: Fedotenko
A 20-goal scorer is all they need to replace him.
Staal fills the "big dude in front on the PP" void.
Cake.
GARY ROBERTS That stings.
At the trade deadline in 2007, why was Roberts coveted by the Penguins?
He provided veteran leadership and experience to a group of young forwards that needed it.
In 2008, hampered by a nagging high-ankle sprain, he missed much of the season.
He was back in time for the playoffs.
He kick-started the team in the first game of the first round with two goals.
We've had the much-publicized love affair with him since he was brought here in 2007.
But his veteran leadership and experience isn't as critical anymore as it once was.
This young team has been close enough to the mountaintop to know what it takes to get there again.
The Pens' trip to the SCF nips all talk from here on out about how the Pens are inexperienced.
We send him on his way with as much respect as the Apollo 13 astronauts gave Aquarius when it was jettisoned shortly before re-entry.
Replacement: Plugger.
ADAM HALL Tampa Bay Lightning owners.
Unkempt hair = Overpaying free agents.
Let's face it. Hall wasn't around for a bulk of the season, and he wasn't sorely missed.
Then again, neither was Crosby, if you want to talk about wins and losses.
And neither was Fleury, actually.
Hall was exactly the type of player the Pens needed on their bottom lines.
He scored a couple of the biggest goals of the SCF for the Pens.
Both were lucky bounces. Niklas Kronwall even scored one for him.
Our goal here isn't to job Hall.
It just has to be stated that Adam Hall is not irreplaceable.
Although his overall average faceoff skills will be sorely missed on a Pens team that needs them.
Replacement: Ball wipes.
JARKKO RUUTU
Fan favorite, without a doubt.
The microscope was on him whenever he was on the ice.
But he's a player that you love to have on your team
and hate when you have to play against him.
He will be missed, but again, not irreplaceable.
Replacement: Matt Cooke, to an extent.
GEORGES LARAQUE
Shero went and got him at the deadline in 2007 to address the notion that Bing and Co. needed a bodyguard of sorts.
Whoops. He didn't even play in the ensuing playoffs that season.
BGL did great things for the community during his time here in Pittsburgh.
His penchant for fighting and the like in no way reflects how he is off the ice.
Replacement: Eric Godard
TY CONKLIN
Conklin may have wanted to come back, but the Pens said, nah, we're good.
He was one of two MVP's for the Pens this past season.
Night in and night out, he gave the Pens at least a chance to win.
His departure leaves the Pens' goaltending situation weary at best.
We remember saying that last season even when the Penguins signed him, so whatev.
He's the winger that the Pens will put up top with Crosby.
Satan approached Shero and wanted this to happen.
Is he Marian Hossa? No.
Even signing Jesus to replace Hossa wouldn't have been enough, according to some fanbases.
But Crosby is one year better. And he's gonna be like that for quite awhile.
Consequently, the players around him will be better.
The money that was freed up when Hossa spurned the Pens has been spent wisely.
We believe in Satan.
We don't want to cheapen the wristband idea from last season.
But "What Would Satan Do" is almost too good to pass up.
RUSLAN FEDOTENKO
If you're a hockey fan, you've heard his name in passing more than once.
Maybe because it's hard to forget a name like that.
Look what we have here.
A player who blossomed when he played on a Stanley Cup-winning team.
In many hockey circles, he is already being regarded as the best #26 for the Pens since Mike Stapleton.
He put together his best season in the year following the Cup, scoring 26 goals.
Since then, he has been mired in mediocrity with Tampa and the Islanders.
Line-combination debates aside, he fills the 20-25 goal gap left by the departure of Malone.
Easy.
JANNE PESONEN
We're not gonna say, "Yeah, we've seen him play a few times, bleh blah bluh."
We have no idea how this guy will do in the NHL. No one really does.
He's been a beast over in Finland for the last couple years.
He won the points race this past season in [ SM-Liiga ], regarded as one of the top hockey leagues in Europe.
And they have sick advertising practices over there.
[ Ben T. ]
If he can replace the energy left from Hall's departure, that would be beautiful.
But the Pens have bigger plans for Pesonen, most likely.
According to the [ PG ], the Pens scouted him vigorously during the season,
and are extending him a two-way contract for 2008-09.
That will let the Pens send him back and forth between Wilkes-Barre and Pittsburgh
without having to risk losing him through waivers.
Odds are that Pesonen won't leave top-dog status in Finland to work the half boards on the Baby Pens' power play.
We hope he signs.
Because we want to call him "Puck Finn."
Credit goes to [ Matt L. ]
Sick.
MATT COOKE
People are seeing him as a suitable replacement for Jarkko Ruutu.
It's probably a little unfair to just throw that tag on him.
But, hey, he took a paycut to come here.
We asked J.P. to give us his impression of Cooke from the 20-some games Cooke played with the Caps this past season:
First and foremost, great team guy. From the minute he arrived after the trade deadline, he seemed to buy in to everything going on here. He was always available in the locker room after games, win or lose.
On the ice, I like his energy and he's a pretty good penalty killer, but he's got hands of feet and every shift with him is a checking from behind major waiting to happen.
You guys will like him. He busts his ass and plays on the edge - a good replacement for Jarkko.
As long as he can throw in about 10 goals and job some people, we're good to go.
Why the Post-Gazette is a monkey:
They ran this picture when mentioning the Cooke signing.
It took us 4 seconds to find a more recent mugshot.
Cooke is also going to be fun because he is already getting love as the "Cookie Monster."
[ Matt H. ]
Sure, he hasn't played a second in a Penguins uniform yet, but with 198 hits last season
and a name like Matt Cooke, it's hard not to get excited.
As we mentioned up top, the goal of a GM during the offseason is to make his team better.
The addition of Hossa last season was an unplanned risk that you take in the salary-cap era.
We knew it was a long shot to sign him. Let's forget that it even happened.
Isn't it fair to say that the Penguins' starting lineup this year will possibly be a step or two ahead of the starting lineup that took the ice on October 5, 2007?
Over the course of the past year, Shero has replaced players that were painstakingly trying to match their potential ( Christensen, Armstrong ) with proven scorers ( Satan, Fedotenko ).
The Pens' blue line has not looked this good in a long time.
Shero has replaced BGL with a younger, more agile suitor.
We all loved Ruutu, but Cooke can do the job.
A Fathead sticker of Dave Tippett can score 15 goals on a line with Malkin and Sykora.
But again, any team without Marian Hossa has no chance of being good.
Joe Starkey at The Trib will calm you down. [ Here ]
Sure, there are question marks. Every team has them going into a season.
Except Detroit.
If you could put out their starting 6 and turn fatigue and injuries OFF in the game-settings menu,
there isn't necessarily a reason to even play the 2008-2009 season.
Did we have ill will towards Marian Hossa?
Yeah, for a couple of days. But you move on.
You can never wish injury on another human, because karma is a bitch.
But the NHL season is long.
Let's not kid ourselves. There has never been a more likely team in sports to repeat as champs as the Red Wings are poised to do this upcoming season.
But the thought of them not doing it...
and Osgood crumbling...
and Red Wings fans clamoring...
and the Wings not being able to deliver for Hossa...
and Hossa whoring himself out on another one-year deal to a team he thinks can win the Cup...
The caption under the headline translates to "Pesonen instead of Hossa?"
The player is Janne Pesonen. A Finnish forward.
They are finishing the deal apparently. [PG]
Pesonen could be a big deal, or he could be the next Koltsov.
It is a low risk, extremely high reward move.
Ray Shero doesn't seem like they type of guy to move on something he doesn't think will work.
According to Andy Strickland, Pesonen is a complete beast. [HockeyBuzz]
26 years old, about 5-11.
Fast as balls.
4 time champion with Kärpät (also one bronze)
Leading scorer for his team , Karpat.
Top scorer and goal scorer in 2007-2008.
Best +/- 2007-2008.
Playoffs MVP 2006-2007.
Rookie of the year 2003-2004.
Some hockey people consider him better than the highy talented Fabian Backstrom that signed with the Stars.
Here is a quote from someone familar with him on [Hockey's Future board]
Thanks to [Jonathan V] for the heads up
"It would be great to see Pesonen playing in Pens. Pesonen has been in past two years a very important player for his team Kärpät. Like someone already said Finns are usually also good in defence zone and Pesonen doesn't make exception. For example last year Pesonen played in first pp-unit and in first sh-unit. Pesonen has good hands and isn't afraid to challenge with the puck. Pesonen is a player who can do great in NHL and at worst he will be ok third line winger. I think his style of playing fits well in NA and he will be ready to play in NHL from the very first game unlike Ville Leino (Detroit) who made similiar points with Pesonen last year in FEL."
"Pesonen would have been also with team Finland at WHC this year but at the training camp they realized that Pesonen had some fractures in his hand. Played almost all the playoffs this year with a broken hand and some national games after season ended in FEL. He played with painkillers for a long time but they didn't realize it was that bad.Anyway I hope you'll sign Pesonen and I whis all the luck to Pesonen and Pens next season."
From Mr. Penguin on the same boards...
QUOTE
Janne Pesonen! My favorite player in the Finnish Elite League.I've seen this guy play live many times and he is a great offensive player, but not bad defensively either. He has great hands, great movement and he's not afraid to get physical sometimes. The only complaint that people seem to have about him is that he gets frustrated easily and he's a bit of a diver, but I've seen worse than him. Pesonen could become a pretty good 2nd-3rd line winger in the NHL, and wingers are what Pitt needs!
For the past year since Kevin Lowe signed Anaheim RFA Dustin Penner to an offer-sheet,
Ducks GM Brian Burke has had what they would call in the gansta rap community "a beef" with Oilers GM Lowe.
But instead of heading to the studio and laying down a "diss song", which frankly we would have loved to hear, he went to every member of the media who would listen and blamed Lowe for the escalating cost of young players.
Along with just about everything else wrong with sports, except maybe the DH.
Maybe.
Previously Lowe had remained mum on the issue,
but he finally fired back in an interview on a local Edmonton sports radio station. [ TSN ]
"Where do I begin?," started Lowe. "He's a moron, first of all. Secondly, he really believes that any news for the NHL is good news. Thirdly, he loves the limelight and I don't think anyone in hockey will dispute that. Lastly, he's in a pathetic hockey market where they can't get on any page of the newspaper let alone the front page of the sports, so any of this stuff carries on."
Then Lowe brings it:
"He's an underachieving wanna-be in terms of success in the NHL. He won a Stanley Cup?Great. I've won six Stanley Cups, you want to count rings?"
Game. Set. Match. Lowe.
Sick
We'd post more NHL news, but that quote needs to stand by itself.
Unreal.
Sid and Malkin morph into Lecavalier and St. Louis during the last 10 minutes,
trying to tie it up.
The Flyers were shutting everything down.
Lord Therrien knows he has nothing to lose and pull Sabu late.
And, bam, Sid gets knocked down. We got a 6-on-4.
Powerplay streak.
Game.
Chicken Little and Marty the Chicken exchanged heated words in the tunnel after the game.
::::::C-BLOG CITY::::::::
Commit to the Stoosh.
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Go Pens
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"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
The NY Post also had some quotes from Jagr's departure. [ Here ]
"I'm disappointed that I'm not going to be in New York, but I've always believed in my life that things happen for a reason, and that's how I look at this," Jagr told The Post last night. "Coming to the Rangers was great for me, and I owe Glen thanks for making the trade with Washington [on Jan. 23, 2004] to bring me here.
"I can't say I regret anything that happened here. We didn't win the Stanley Cup, but there's a lot of luck that goes into that, too, even if you have a great team. Well, I guess I regret that I didn't get 84 points this season. If that had happened, I'd still be here."
"With the contracts for Scotty, Dru and Hank [Henrik Lundqvist], and then signing [Wade] Redden, they have almost $30M in four players, so there wasn't enough for me after that," Jagr said. "The Rangers wanted to get better on defense and they spent a lot of money on Redden.
"That's OK. That's what they thought would make them a better team. If I did a better job with Scotty or Dru, it might be different."
"People think that it's better to have a lot of choices, but sometimes having one choice is best because you can't make the wrong one," Jagr said. "I don't know what I'm going to do now, but I'll make that choice when it's time.
"I want to thank Glen and Tom and the Rangers. I want to thank all the people who supported me. Being in New York was special.
"And I also want to say to the people like Mike Milbury who made their living by criticizing me all the time, that they can kiss my [butt]."
If you are on the set as an extra. You are jacked. What a speech. They should write this movie into text books for grades schools, because it is way better than the real July 4th.
Picture: John Hancock thinking about how gay he looks.
It looks staged, but this pic is the real deal. That kid is gonna meet the business end of Sutter's left hand.
::::::::::::
CBLOG CITY
::::::::::::
Go Pens
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
And also a new wrinkle.
We are posting this quote everyday from Ho$a as a reminder:
"Pittsburgh has a great team, great people, great organization. I had to compare the two teams, and there's a little better chance to win the Cup in Detroit. I had a great time with Sid and playing on the power play with Geno [Evgeni Malkin], but the team in Detroit is something special. I know it's a short term, but we never talked about a one-year [deal] with Pittsburgh. We just talked about a long-term deal. I totally believe Detroit has the kind of team that can win it again."
Staying level-headed, let's first talk about the best news that came out of Pittsburgh on Thursday.
Ohh, beautiful. Marc-Andre Fleury will be making $5 million a year for the next 7 years. Just 3 years down the road, when he is 26 and in his prime, this deal will look great on the books.
Franchise Center: Check. Oh, another Franchise Center?: Check. Franchise Defenseman On The Verge (Whits) : Check. Franchise Goaltender: Check.
All of them under the age of 25 and locked up for at least the next 5 years: Check. A charismatic GM who knows what he's doing: Check.
If there was actually an Islanders' fanbase presence on the internet, we'd be hearing about taking away their trash for them. But there are no fans to be found.
Rumors were running rampant on who the Pens would sign. The whole time we were wondering...could it be...
[ SabreJets ] with the inspiration
MIROSLAV hmmm, SATAN?
Here are links to his various player profiles on the internet:
Yahoo -- http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/666 [ Link ] ESPN -- http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=666 [ Link ] SI.com -- http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/nhl/players/666/ [ Link ] Fox Sports -- http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/player?statsId=666 [ Link ]
Get it?
[ Bobby T. ] with the pic.
He may not have come out and said it, but he might have been dying alive in New York. We're optimistic Olivers, so we're saying coming to the Pens is a much-needed shot of adrenaline.
RUSLAN FEDOTENKO
Aside from looking like a Russian female tennis player, Fedotenko is a solid signing. But don't go around having unprotected sex in celebration of the signing just yet.
[ JMill ]
He has a cool name and has a ring with Tampa from '03-04. The knock on him that we're finding everywhere is that he's inconsistent. So was Robbie Brown when he wasn't on Lemieux's line.
Where do you think the most credible source for hockey rumors would come from? Most likely from hockey-hungry Canada. Okay, we have that covered.
And how about the rumor coming from a city that was interested in but couldn't land a certain free agent? Sold on that, too.
David Staples at [ The Cult of Hockey ] at the Edmonton Journal says a Jags deal is imminent. He tips his hat to a source he has in the Euro hockey world.
You can ask for the salt to go along with this rumor if you want. We've actually run out of salt as a result of these past few days.
But it's the most credible source to mention a pending Jagr signing, we feel.
But does JJ fit? He'll be looking at $4-$6 mill a year.
Sydor and USS Gill get traded to teams who didn't get what they wanted in free agency? Glad it's not our money.
P.S. -- If you're accustomed to the way pics work on our blog, 95% of the time, clicking on a pic itself will open a new tab, and the picture will be bigger.
For screenshots such as these cap numbers, we click the picture ourselves before we post, copy the big pic that comes up in the new tab, paste it back into the post, and resize it to fit the most common 1024x768 resolution.
There had to have been someone out there wondering why clicking the pic isn't even an option.
We, personally, are Penguins fans, first and foremost. No questioning that. In a close second place comes our enjoyment of the NHL itself.
We like seeing a mud team like Chicago rise from the depths and become beasts. We liked seeing a scrappy Bruins team make the playoffs and take Montreal the distance. And we're also aware that the Cup will not come to Pittsburgh every season.
Waking up this morning, a sense of desperation is among us. Uncertainty is there.
You feel like you want to e-mail Markus Naslund tell him to sign here, maybe even text ol' Double J.
Maybe you even make a post on a blog that is the same title as a Lifehouse song.
So much for a relaxing offseason.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Pens fans have watched helplessly as the Stanley Cup roster from less than a month ago has been picked apart.
We think Seth at [EN] said it best in that MAF, Bing, Malkin, Staal, are the core. Everyone else around them are extras in the show.
Hossa's gone. And so is one of the best pictures we've ever made:
But you had to be prepared for that. Him not signing two weeks ago was a sign he didn't want to be here. The USA Network took a jab at him tonight, by showing "Liar, Liar."
[ Nate B ]
Everyone has been taking there frustrations to the best place: Photoshops.
[ Sean L ]
[ Jason S ] -[ Chester B ]
Great minds think alike. There's an especially hot corner in hell where these two will share a table.
Now, watching Ruutu walk out the door? Tough. Especially to, of all places, Ottawa.
But that is the business.
All those seasons of futility, and now we have a sense of entitlement; a feeling that the hockey gods owe us something.
Ray Shero seems content on filling out the Pens roster and going from there. And that's what his job is. He is staying the course.
Lost in all the shit, you can't forget about the deal he made with Malkin. [ PG ]
So, what happens if we refresh that TSN Free Agency Tracker... and see that Naslund signed with Minnesota? and see New York somehow managed to re-sign Jagr? and see Pavol Demitra has taken a contract with Atlanta?
We as fans can't be naive enough to think we're entitled to sign a big-name free agent. We have two of the top 15 forwards in the game locked up for the next 5 years. We also have an all-world goalie who came into his own this past season. And honestly, when has a Penguin defense been so solid?
Most teams would dream of being in the Pens' situation right now. No one around the league will feel any sympathy if and when we don't land a stud.
But in a few days, we'll refresh TSN again. We'll see the Pens signed Sergei Brylin to a deal. We'll see the Pens are bringing Miroslav Satan aboard. Or even Ruslan Fedotenko.
Shero has now said the money that would have gone to Hossa will go to a few players. New photoshops will roll in.
These are fun and anxious times for sports fans. Everyone has their opinions on what should be done. It's beautiful.
But we must stay in touch with the reality that we're not entitled to the Stanley Cup. There are 29 other teams and fanbases who want it just as much.
Regardless, if the Pens sign Michael Peca, we shut the blog down.
Kristian Huselius signs with the Columbus Blue Jackets. 3 years, $14.25 million. [ Sportsnet.ca ]
-- 9:30 PM--
[TIOPS] almost an hour with new update? Did he run out of things to make up, or is he reading through everything to make sure he is covering it up?
Snore.
-- 9:17 PM--
At this point, everyone knows [TIOPS] is just making stuff up. But who cares.
It passes the time.
His latest:
8:37 p.m. Very quiet on the Markus Naslund front and Jaromir Jagr. Difficult to get info right now. Something may be up. Could see some movement from one of them very soon.
The way this guy has Shero working, Shero's head might fall off.
[Zach F]
--8:25pm-- The Malkin extension and bringing back Free Candy are huge. No two ways about it. But John Stamos is not to be overlooked.
Why not, [ the Lightning ] have taken enough from us.
--8:00pm--
Everyone hates Hossa.
Thanks to [Andrew M] for that.
Hossa was on [KDKA], but who cares what he has to say.
Free Candy stays a Pen. Six years, $22.5 million. wwjjd -- 4:15 --
[ Joe Weir ]
Pens still interested in the dude at the :39 mark of the Eric Godard video.
-- 4:09 --
[ J Schiff ]
[ Jeff H ] -- 4:00 --
[ Bobby T. ]
Unreal. It's almost as if we should retire that x=Stunned equation. It doesn't do this situation justice.
[ Abel to Yzerman ] is loving it. Wings fans are predicting 60 wins next season. That means 22 defeats. 6 of those will be to Chicago.
[ Mark Ash ]
BAM. That's how it felt sometime after noon. Hossa signs a one-year deal with Detroit worth $7.4 million.
The deal was enough to make people start blogs. [ Epic Backhander ]
[ Bryan A.R. ]
There's a Marian Hossa conference call just wrapping up as of 3:40 PM. Kukla's Korner will undoubtedly have the transcript up as soon as is humanly possible.
But Hossa has said that it was between Pittsburgh and Detroit. And he felt Detroit gave him a better chance to win a Cup. Oof.
Whoops. Jokes. Thanks to everyone who sent that screenshot in.
The deal dropped at a convenient time for the Pens. They can now hotly pursue and maybe overpay for some other big names. Getting two B+/A- guys instead of one A+ guy isn't too shabby.
But, uh-oh, it hasn't happened yet.
And, hey, they signed Malkin to a 5-year extension worth $8.7 a year. Let's, for a moment, pretend the Penguins' rebuilding process wasn't exponentially accelerated these past few years. Malkin and Crosby are locked up for a while. It's what we would have wanted.
Jarkko Ruutu is gone. He goes to Ottawa with a 3-year contract. Solid player. But there have been many Stanley Cup contenders who didn't have Ruutu on their team. Wow, basically, he's never won one, so whatev. See you in Europe.
Sean Avery to Dallas. 4 years. He'll be dating Jessica Simpson in a week.
Joe Melichar signed with Carolina. Or was it Chris Thorburn?
Mistake:
[ Adam Hince ]
That Ron Hainsey guy went to Atlanta. 5 years, $22.5 million.
Reportedly, Edmonton is offering Hossa $9 million a year. Whoops. They only have $4 million in cap space this upcoming season. [ Cap Numbers ] Unless Hossa makes 20 dollars this season as part of a backloaded contract, it's not happening.
That link to the cap number is from the same site who is reporting the Hossa/Edmonton rumor. Are we missing something?
The biggest wave Ray Shero made on Tuesday was re-signing Mark Eaton. He'll be making $2 million. If he can avoid being cheap-shotted again, he is worth that money and then some.
The biggest moves Tuesday came from the Windy City. Goalie Cristobal Huet and defenseman Brian Campbell were shown the money.
Dr. Evil is apparently the GM for the Canucks, who have reportedly offered Mats Sundin a 2-year deal worth $20 million.
Poor Washington. They lose Olie Kolzig to Tampa. They get the run-around from Huet's agent... [ Puck Daddy ]
...and thusly are trying to convince themselves that their new signing, Jose Theodore, is a big deal.
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