I maintain to this day that the most amazing thing I’ve seen in a quarter century plus of watching hockey is Mario Lemieux’s comeback in 2000-01.
Le Magnifique took a three year hiatus from the game, returned during the heart of the appalling dead puck era and promptly tallied 76 points in 43 games. That remarkable average of 1.77 points per game extrapolates to a 145 point season; assuming you could suspend disbelief enough to think Lemieux could ever suit up for all 82 games.
Taken in context of the era, the scoring championship was won that year by Jaromir Jagr, who just happened to be Lemieux’s line-mate with 121 points. The highest scoring player not sharing a locker room with Big 66 was Joe Sakic with 118 points. No other player scored more than 96.
And I left out the part about Lemieux scoring three points in his first game back including setting up a goal in the game’s opening minute. Which is to say in the immortal words of Marc Liverant, he was back to making a mockery of the game…on his first shift.
It is blatantly unfair to measure Sidney Crosby’s comeback against such lofty standards. At least that’s what I told myself as Emily and I entered the new energy barn last Monday night. As indescribably exciting as it was to luck in to attending that game (and I assure you it was just that), I told myself all the way to faceoff that there was no conceivable way that Crosby could match Lemieux’s prowess and to keep my expectations in check.
So much for that theory.
Crosby did not just match Lemieux’s performance, he beat it; four points to three. That included two breathtakingly spectacular goals, the first of which was as impressive as any I’ve seen in the NHL this season. Even more impressive, Crosby was far and away the best player on the ice, a surface he was sharing with the rejuvenated Geno Malkin and the Islanders lost wunderkind John Tavares. It was eerily similar to Lemieux doing the same thing that magical December night in 2000 while sharing the ice with Jagr.
Which is to say the game, heck the event was frighteningly reminiscent of the Mario’s return. It started with a positively electric atmosphere, one completely disproportionate to an early season week night game. It ended with an identical 5 to 0 Penguin rout. It was one of those rare sporting events that you simply did not want to end.
There were differences as well. Crosby’s unexcused absence was 11 months, in comparison to Lemieux’s 3.5 years. In addition, Lemieux was retired which means his conditioning was likely “suspect“ (and I’m being charitable) during his time off. Crosby in contrast has been skating hard for months and dominating practices while waiting for “clearance for contact.”
Morover, Le Magnifique returned against a Toronto team that ultimately earned a playoff spot. Crosby returned against a team that might miss the post season if it were relegated to the ECHL. The Leafs started a borderline hall of famer in goal in Curtis Joseph, the Islanders started 4th stringer Anders Nilsson.
[As an aside, did anybody else find it funny that on a stage of this magnitude the Isles choose to start Nilsson rather than their $65 Million supposed franchise goaltender Rick DiPietro? Enjoy writing those checks for another decade…party on Garth (Snow)!]
Given those differences I can afford Mario the slight edge on impressive comebacks; with the caveat that I am quite literally splitting hairs to make that assessment. At the end of the day we are still talking about a brilliant four point performance that most players dare not dream of. Even that does not fully reflect Crosby’s dominance; his mastery of the faceoff circle or how many scoring chances he created. It was other worldly or dare I say Lemieux-esque.
When Crosby suffered his concussion(s) last season he was putting on the most dominant offensive performance the NHL had witnessed since that fabulous Lemieux comeback season. And when he returned to the ice on Monday night, he picked up right where he left off. That in and of itself is perhaps the most amazing part of the story. If I went that long without typing I would lose 20% of my speed.
For a more realistic comparison consider Jordan Staal struggling throughout last season to regain form after an 8 month absence. I expected Crosby would find his game faster than Staal but I still thought it would take some time. It took one shift.
It continued on Friday night when Crosby added three points against overwhelmed Ottawa and showed a renewed feistiness as well. Even his scoreless performance against St’Louis resulted in a tying goal with him on the ice.
The truth of the matter is this; Crosby is right now exactly what he was supposed to be when he entered the league. Not just the best player in the game bar none but one of the truly great players to ever play. Statistically it may be a tad early to make that assessment. Realistically it is not. We got previews of this ability in both the 2009 playoffs against Washington and the first part of last season. Watching him now after ten months in the post-concussion wilderness merely reinforces the obvious.
Keep in mind that Crosby can be measured almost every night against Malkin, who has resumed his place as one of the most dominant offensive forces in the game. Malkin’s return alone spurred the Penguins beyond where they were last spring when consistently hard work rarely translated in to goals. That’s the same Malkin who for my money out performed Sid in both 2007-08 and 2008-09 (an opinion which is permanently archived in writing through the miracle of the internet…for better or for worse).
Those days are now behind us. Malkin is a truly elite hockey player; Crosby is just one step better. For reference, think Lemieux versus Steve Yzerman when both were in their heyday.
What’s truly amazing about Crosby is he continues to improve while many other superstars around him plateau of even fade. Is there anybody outside the 301 area code for example that still thinks Alex Ovechkin is Sid’s equal, let alone the better player? And keep in mind that Sid remains eminently coachable while the great 8 is, in the definition of irony, cursing out Bruce Boudreau.
I still consider Lemieux the most supremely dominant hockey player I’ve ever seen. I remain reluctant to suggest any current player as his equal. As recently as the start of last season I considered any such comparisons utter blasphemy.
I’m not quite ready to renege on that position, but Sid the Kid is putting a real dent in my convictions.
There is unfortunately one other comparison to Lemieux that we cannot ignore. Just as we lived in perpetual fear of Mario’s balky back, we will fear future Crosby concussions. We will swallow hard and hold our collective breath every time he takes a rough hit. We will seize up in terror when the David Backus’ of the world take a swipe at Crosby’s cranium. Those concerns will be multiplied when and if Sid signs what figures to be a 7 year plus deal for $10 Million a year; before July of 2013.
So be it. Such things are out of our control. We can no more control Sid’s health than Nilsson can stop his high speed backhand roof job. We just have to hope that Crosby like many others (Ben Roethlisberger for example) can shake the concussion issues and remain dominant and healthy. I always felt that Lemieux’s health issues cheated the Pens out of several more Stanley Cups. I hope the same is not true of Sid. The Penguins are a very good team without him. They are very likely the best team in the NHL with him.
There is a lot of hockey to be played between now and June. And as we learned last season, a lot of things can happen in that span, for better or for worse. There are no guarantees that the Pens will carry the cup in June just because Sid the Kid is back in the line-up.
No guarantees…but the odds look a whole lot better.
ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY PENGUIN…BLESSED BE THE PENGUIN, FOR IT IS GOOD.
Showing posts with label jaromir jagr. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jaromir jagr. Show all posts
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Turning up the Hate on Jaromir Jagr
Well so much for that whole, why I think the Penguins should sign Jaromir Jagr blog last week.
I spent 1,200 words detailing how Jagr could help the Penguins on the ice and how his return might heal a decade’s worth of wounds off of it. I described my long held and unchanged belief that the treatment of Jagr since he left the Burgh has been truly disappointing. I referred to it as “a blight on an otherwise terrific fan base.”
Given what transpired last Friday afternoon, that decade will now be remembered as “the good old days.”
Before that, Jagr was disliked by most of the Penguin populace. He has now graduated to utterly detested. In truth, I’m not even sure that sentiment captures the degree of venom and hatred launched at the former Penguin superstar since his ill fated decision to sign with the Eastern Pennsylvania Orange and Black Goon Squad. To quote a Facebook post from one of the best hockey fans I know, “He’s dead to me now.”
As my wife Emily so perfectly retorted, “I guess Marian Hossa does not seem so bad anymore.”
For the record, I think what Hossa did to the Penguins in 2008 was far worse than what Jagr did last weekend. Hossa and his teammates barely had time to clean out their lockers before Maid Marian bolted to the team that beat them in the Stanley Cup finals. His departure nearly swung the balance of power to the Pens biggest championship obstacle. By contrast, the 39 year old Jagr’s last meaningful game as a Penguin came before there was wireless internet.
I am in no way defending Jagr and believe me I’m not happy with his chosen destination. Still I can’t help but think that that the overbearing emotion here is clouding the real story. At face value, this is simply an unrestricted free agent, eleven years removed from his last game in a Penguin uniform electing to sign with a team that offered him 65% more money. If you replaced the name Jaromir Jagr with say Peter Forsberg, would that seem so awful?
To me this outpouring of unbridled hatred is not really about Jagr’s actions last week. This is about a fan base that already hates him being given a perfect opportunity to hate him even more.
Alas, it’s fairly clear that I’m in the minority here. Better stated, I’m in the republicans running against Richard Daley in Chicago minority.
Given the tenuous olive branch that Penguin fans were extending, I’m not sure Jagr could have survived signing anywhere other than the new igloo. The fact that he chose Philadelphia just blew the whole mess up to epic levels. Keep in mind however that since he left the Burgh, Jagr has played for the Craps and Rangers; two teams that are not exactly on the typical Penguin fan’s Christmas card list.
Jagr has turned Penguin fans in to jilted lovers; so blinded with emotion and rage that the actual facts of the situation have become immaterial. Yes we are angry that Jagr “appeared” to string us along and that he signed with our mortal enemy. I can understand that to some degree. I’m still not sure this qualifies a player eleven years removed from his Pittsburgh career for Barry Bonds treatment.
Which frankly is irrelevant since that’s exactly what he’s going to get…and worse? Jagr’s first visit to the Energy Barn in December figures to rank with Cliff Stoudt’s infamous USFL return in 1983 as the most venomous sporting event in the history of the Burgh. With all due respect to the winter classic, they might have to play the game at Heinz Field to accommodate the demand from irate Penguin fans.
Most of the current anger towards Jagr stems from his quote a few years back suggesting he would take the league minimum salary to play for Lemieux and the Penguins again. More than one fan or member of the esteemed Pittsburgh media has referenced that quote and suggested they would not be nearly so angry if he did not go back on his word .
You can argue that a person should honor thier word and I will not disagree. We certainly have enough experience with Jagr; not too mention other athletes and celebrities to know that this is often not the case. I’m sorry but I did not believe it when he said it any more than I do now. To me it’s no more relevant than the infamous and badly overplayed “dying alive” comment which while upsetting and stupid, did come while Jagr was leading the NHL in scoring.
Honestly, do we care more about the mindless dribble that spews from Jagr’s mouth or what he does (or did) on the ice? To me it’s the latter by a mile.
I’m also not sure about this concept of Jagr stringing the Penguins along. Ray Shero basically dropped in to Michael Corleone mode noting this was strictly business and he has no emotional attachment to it. Shero moved on to his plan B which was Steve Sullivan and that was that. I’m fairly sure that Shero and his Hall of Fame boss were more peeved than they let on publically but it’s not like the Pens missed out on Brad Richards…or even Radim Vrbata because of Jagr. Jaromir took his talents to South Philly and life moved on at the Consol.
As far as I’m concerned, nothing has changed except that the Pens missed out on a good free agent. Life goes on with Crosby, Malkin, and Fleury, I can happily deal with that. For whatever reason, I am nowhere near as angry about this as most other Penguin fans. Perhaps because as much as I thought he could help the Penguins this season, I wrote him off emotionally while Ben Roethlisberger was a sophomore in college.
Honestly I’m more upset about the idea of Max Talbot in orange and black than I am Jagr. I do not blame Max in any way for his decision. The Penguins were clearly moving away from him and he took the best opportunity for long-term security, on and off the ice. I hate the fact that the quintessential Pittsburgh athlete will spend five years plying his trade in Philly, but I completely understand it.
Most (though not all) Penguin fans seem to feel the same way about Talbot’s decision. There seem to be about three of us who feel that way about Jagr; and I’m still waiting for the other two to publicly identify.
I would love for all of my favorite athletes to be good people and solid citizens. I want to genuinely like the people I root for. I’m also a realist. There are a lot of great athletes who are not up for sainthood and frankly there are a lot more who think and act like Jagr than there are like Sidney Crosby or Hines Ward. This point was driven home during the whole Roethlisberger debacle last year.
As a result, I’ve made a compromise with my ideals. If my favorite athletes perform at their best on the field and remain law abiding citizens off of it, I can deal with their other faults and flaws. It’s the same stance I took with Big Ben last year (given no charges or evidence of a crime). For whatever grievances we may have against Jagr, he greatly exceed those qualifications while in the Burgh.
None of that changed last weekend; no matter how disrespectful he was perceived in his actions.
I have numerous reasons to hate the Philadelphia professional hockey club whether or not they suit up number 68. As a result, I see no need to make a special trip to the Burgh just to jeer an old friend. Maybe I will develop that Hossa like disdain for Jagr if he ends up squarely between the Pens and the Stanley Cup next spring but frankly I doubt that will be the case.
It’s fairly clear that Jagr could care less about Pittsburgh, the Penguins, or his legacy here. That’s his prerogative. It’s also obvious that he’s immature, and feels no accountability to his public statements. That’s not exactly breaking news either. He handled this situation as poorly as he did his initial exit from the Burgh. He should have been more upfront about his intentions and more straightforward with his decision. Clearly neither he nor his agent cared to be and for that he deserves a degree of scorn.
I just don’t think it’s this degree.
I spent 1,200 words detailing how Jagr could help the Penguins on the ice and how his return might heal a decade’s worth of wounds off of it. I described my long held and unchanged belief that the treatment of Jagr since he left the Burgh has been truly disappointing. I referred to it as “a blight on an otherwise terrific fan base.”
Given what transpired last Friday afternoon, that decade will now be remembered as “the good old days.”
Before that, Jagr was disliked by most of the Penguin populace. He has now graduated to utterly detested. In truth, I’m not even sure that sentiment captures the degree of venom and hatred launched at the former Penguin superstar since his ill fated decision to sign with the Eastern Pennsylvania Orange and Black Goon Squad. To quote a Facebook post from one of the best hockey fans I know, “He’s dead to me now.”
As my wife Emily so perfectly retorted, “I guess Marian Hossa does not seem so bad anymore.”
For the record, I think what Hossa did to the Penguins in 2008 was far worse than what Jagr did last weekend. Hossa and his teammates barely had time to clean out their lockers before Maid Marian bolted to the team that beat them in the Stanley Cup finals. His departure nearly swung the balance of power to the Pens biggest championship obstacle. By contrast, the 39 year old Jagr’s last meaningful game as a Penguin came before there was wireless internet.
I am in no way defending Jagr and believe me I’m not happy with his chosen destination. Still I can’t help but think that that the overbearing emotion here is clouding the real story. At face value, this is simply an unrestricted free agent, eleven years removed from his last game in a Penguin uniform electing to sign with a team that offered him 65% more money. If you replaced the name Jaromir Jagr with say Peter Forsberg, would that seem so awful?
To me this outpouring of unbridled hatred is not really about Jagr’s actions last week. This is about a fan base that already hates him being given a perfect opportunity to hate him even more.
Alas, it’s fairly clear that I’m in the minority here. Better stated, I’m in the republicans running against Richard Daley in Chicago minority.
Given the tenuous olive branch that Penguin fans were extending, I’m not sure Jagr could have survived signing anywhere other than the new igloo. The fact that he chose Philadelphia just blew the whole mess up to epic levels. Keep in mind however that since he left the Burgh, Jagr has played for the Craps and Rangers; two teams that are not exactly on the typical Penguin fan’s Christmas card list.
Jagr has turned Penguin fans in to jilted lovers; so blinded with emotion and rage that the actual facts of the situation have become immaterial. Yes we are angry that Jagr “appeared” to string us along and that he signed with our mortal enemy. I can understand that to some degree. I’m still not sure this qualifies a player eleven years removed from his Pittsburgh career for Barry Bonds treatment.
Which frankly is irrelevant since that’s exactly what he’s going to get…and worse? Jagr’s first visit to the Energy Barn in December figures to rank with Cliff Stoudt’s infamous USFL return in 1983 as the most venomous sporting event in the history of the Burgh. With all due respect to the winter classic, they might have to play the game at Heinz Field to accommodate the demand from irate Penguin fans.
Most of the current anger towards Jagr stems from his quote a few years back suggesting he would take the league minimum salary to play for Lemieux and the Penguins again. More than one fan or member of the esteemed Pittsburgh media has referenced that quote and suggested they would not be nearly so angry if he did not go back on his word .
You can argue that a person should honor thier word and I will not disagree. We certainly have enough experience with Jagr; not too mention other athletes and celebrities to know that this is often not the case. I’m sorry but I did not believe it when he said it any more than I do now. To me it’s no more relevant than the infamous and badly overplayed “dying alive” comment which while upsetting and stupid, did come while Jagr was leading the NHL in scoring.
Honestly, do we care more about the mindless dribble that spews from Jagr’s mouth or what he does (or did) on the ice? To me it’s the latter by a mile.
I’m also not sure about this concept of Jagr stringing the Penguins along. Ray Shero basically dropped in to Michael Corleone mode noting this was strictly business and he has no emotional attachment to it. Shero moved on to his plan B which was Steve Sullivan and that was that. I’m fairly sure that Shero and his Hall of Fame boss were more peeved than they let on publically but it’s not like the Pens missed out on Brad Richards…or even Radim Vrbata because of Jagr. Jaromir took his talents to South Philly and life moved on at the Consol.
As far as I’m concerned, nothing has changed except that the Pens missed out on a good free agent. Life goes on with Crosby, Malkin, and Fleury, I can happily deal with that. For whatever reason, I am nowhere near as angry about this as most other Penguin fans. Perhaps because as much as I thought he could help the Penguins this season, I wrote him off emotionally while Ben Roethlisberger was a sophomore in college.
Honestly I’m more upset about the idea of Max Talbot in orange and black than I am Jagr. I do not blame Max in any way for his decision. The Penguins were clearly moving away from him and he took the best opportunity for long-term security, on and off the ice. I hate the fact that the quintessential Pittsburgh athlete will spend five years plying his trade in Philly, but I completely understand it.
Most (though not all) Penguin fans seem to feel the same way about Talbot’s decision. There seem to be about three of us who feel that way about Jagr; and I’m still waiting for the other two to publicly identify.
I would love for all of my favorite athletes to be good people and solid citizens. I want to genuinely like the people I root for. I’m also a realist. There are a lot of great athletes who are not up for sainthood and frankly there are a lot more who think and act like Jagr than there are like Sidney Crosby or Hines Ward. This point was driven home during the whole Roethlisberger debacle last year.
As a result, I’ve made a compromise with my ideals. If my favorite athletes perform at their best on the field and remain law abiding citizens off of it, I can deal with their other faults and flaws. It’s the same stance I took with Big Ben last year (given no charges or evidence of a crime). For whatever grievances we may have against Jagr, he greatly exceed those qualifications while in the Burgh.
None of that changed last weekend; no matter how disrespectful he was perceived in his actions.
I have numerous reasons to hate the Philadelphia professional hockey club whether or not they suit up number 68. As a result, I see no need to make a special trip to the Burgh just to jeer an old friend. Maybe I will develop that Hossa like disdain for Jagr if he ends up squarely between the Pens and the Stanley Cup next spring but frankly I doubt that will be the case.
It’s fairly clear that Jagr could care less about Pittsburgh, the Penguins, or his legacy here. That’s his prerogative. It’s also obvious that he’s immature, and feels no accountability to his public statements. That’s not exactly breaking news either. He handled this situation as poorly as he did his initial exit from the Burgh. He should have been more upfront about his intentions and more straightforward with his decision. Clearly neither he nor his agent cared to be and for that he deserves a degree of scorn.
I just don’t think it’s this degree.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
My Case for Jaromir Jagr's Return
All blogged up and nothing to write about it. Thus is the curse of the annual sports dead zone which starts when the Stanley Cup finals conclude and ends on opening Sunday of the NFL season, when or if that occurs.
In the interim we get NHL hot stove talk mixed in with baseball; lots and lots of baseball. If you happen to live in a city where baseball thrives, that’s a palatable situation. If you happen to live in Chicago after growing up in Pittsburgh, well let’s just say I’m praying for a timely end to the NFL’s ludicrous work stoppage.
You think it’s a coincidence this blog has gone from a weekly to a monthly publication since Memorial Day?
Thankfully all hope is not lost; not with specter of Jaromir Jagr’s return to Pittsburgh. That would be 39 year old Jaromir Jagr who has spent the last three years plying his trade in Russia. That’s the same Jagr who for the better part of a decade has been treated with Hossa like disdain by most Penguin fans.
Of course that’s also the Jaromir Jagr who for 15 years was one of the greatest offensive players in NHL history. The same Jagr who was an integral part of two Stanley Cup champions in Pittsburgh; the same Jagr who dominated the NHL in the 90s and kept the Pens afloat as their talent was gradually siphoned off. This is the Jaromir Jagr whose virtuoso brilliance motived me to pen the attached blog entry below two years ago.
http://ahaberman35.livejournal.com/6810.html
And yes that’s the same Jagr who could be moody, pouty, and selfish almost on a whim. The Jagr who was a disaster as captain (though generally ok before that) and alienated most of the Penguin fans base on the way out of the Burgh. The same player who is indirectly responsible for Kris Beech wearing a Penguin uniform.
All of which is to admit that the circumstances of Jagr’s potential return are a fair bit complex.
So let’s simplify it.
First off, forget the past; the good, the bad, and the ugly. For my money Jagr is second only to Mario Lemieux in the annals of Penguin history but that is irrelevant today. The Pens are hoping he can contribute 25 goals or so and breathe life in to their morbid power play. The only relevant question is whether he can do that now; not what he could do in 1995 or did do in 2001.
Which also means forgetting Jagr’s acrimonious departure. It means forgetting the pouting, the dying alive and hardest of all, the carnage that was left behind. It’s water under the bridge now. The Penguins have moved well beyond it as has Jagr. The rest of us should join them.
For the record, I maintain that the treatment of Jagr since he left the Burgh has been disgraceful; a rare blight on an otherwise terrific fan base. Jagr is not a candidate for sainthood but he’s not Barry Bonds either. His departure from Pittsburgh, with little tangible return was inevitable; a point that was reinforced by the Alexie Kovalev deja vu deal two years later. The entire situation could have been handled with more grace on both ends but Jagr has been wrongly cast as the man who torched the Pens franchise. In truth, that ship had already sailed.
Jagr is an all time great Penguin who should be celebrated as such. If returning to Pittsburgh helps bring this about while burying what I consider a shameful part of Penguin history, that’s a nice ancillary benefit.
Second, the Penguins need Jagr; or at least someone with his current skill set. In a painfully thin free agent year where Tyler Kenney is highly sought after; old number 68 is likely their best hope.
Assuming (and praying) for the return to full health of Crosby and Malkin, this is a team with two brilliant centers and nary an elite offensive winger. If that evaluation sounds familiar, it’s because I’ve been regurgitating some variation it for the better part of three years.
Do you ever dream about what Sid the Kid could do with a legitimate 40 goal scorer on his wing. Notwithstanding my well documented issues with Marian Hossa, think back to the results when he and Sid played together in 2008. I’m not saying Jagr can be that good at his age; but he can be a lot better than Pascal Dupuis, Tyler Kennedy or Eric Tangradi. This assumes of course that Jagr does not sign a one year deal with Detroit because “it gives him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup” (oh the humanity).
We have lived through three years where Chris Kunitz was FAR AND AWAY the Penguins’ best offensive winger. Let me repeat that…Chris Kunitz. The guy who went from April to November 2009 without scoring (or at least it seemed that way). And while I applauded and fully endorsed the acquisition of James Neal; it’s hard to be too excited about a guy who scored three goals in his last 50 or so games last season. I’m expecting better this year (worse is hard to comprehend) but l admit my Neal optimism has been tarnished a bit.
Beyond that it’s an eclectic combination of checking line caliber wingers and hopeful but uncertain prospects. For a team that has legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations, that situation is not acceptable. The Pens are too good and have too much upside to be so reliant on the two headed monster.
And I have devoted barely a sentence to discussing the power play; a unit that is disturbingly bad with Malkin and Crosby and flat out unwatchable without them. I have to believe on some level that Jagr could benefit the man advantage. It seems inconceivable he could hurt it. The Pens will not win the Cup if Kris Letang spends another year reprising Mike Eurozione’s role during the early training days of Herb Brooks’ miracle team. AGAIN !!!
To reiterate, the Pens need Jagr and they need him bad.
I’m talking about the Jagr of today, not the Jagr of ten years ago. They need a talented winger with legitimate 25 goal ability regardless of who his center is. They need somebody other than 87 or 71 who can change the game offensively. Even if Neal or Tangradi is the real deal, neither has that ability. And unlike his last few years in the Burgh, Jagr will not be asked to carry the team on the ice or the burden of leadership off it.
Yes there are risks involved but consider that over the last three years Ray Shero out of necessity has played musical chairs with his wingers. If we as Penguin fans were willing to accept and endorse the risks implicit in signing Miro Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko, and for the love of all that’s good and holy Alex Ponikarovsky, why not a clearly superior player in the same role? I’m willing to wager that Jagr right now is better than any of those players in their prime. And he’s certainly as good as Bill Guerin was when he arrived in the Burgh.
Please resist comparisons to Kovalev version 2011. That was a desperation acquisition by Shero hoping to catch short-term lightning in a bottle. The Pens would NEVER have made that move with 87 and 71 healthy. Kovy was clearly washed up before he arrived in the Burgh and let’s be honest; even in his prime was not exactly touted for his work ethic. Kovalev at his best was an elite talent; Jagr an elite player.
Obviously the money has to work. If the Dead Wings or Habs wants to offer Jagr $5 Million per there is not much the Pens can do about that. Jagr once said he would take the league minimum to play for Mario Lemieux. That’s more than charitable but I’ll settle for getting him in at $3.5 Million or less. Then we can leave the other roster decisions, including Kennedy and Max Talbot in Shero’s capable hands.
The ball is now in Jaromir’s court; all we can do is wait and hope. Thankfully or sadly, at this time of year there is not much else for sports fans to do.
In the interim we get NHL hot stove talk mixed in with baseball; lots and lots of baseball. If you happen to live in a city where baseball thrives, that’s a palatable situation. If you happen to live in Chicago after growing up in Pittsburgh, well let’s just say I’m praying for a timely end to the NFL’s ludicrous work stoppage.
You think it’s a coincidence this blog has gone from a weekly to a monthly publication since Memorial Day?
Thankfully all hope is not lost; not with specter of Jaromir Jagr’s return to Pittsburgh. That would be 39 year old Jaromir Jagr who has spent the last three years plying his trade in Russia. That’s the same Jagr who for the better part of a decade has been treated with Hossa like disdain by most Penguin fans.
Of course that’s also the Jaromir Jagr who for 15 years was one of the greatest offensive players in NHL history. The same Jagr who was an integral part of two Stanley Cup champions in Pittsburgh; the same Jagr who dominated the NHL in the 90s and kept the Pens afloat as their talent was gradually siphoned off. This is the Jaromir Jagr whose virtuoso brilliance motived me to pen the attached blog entry below two years ago.
http://ahaberman35.livejournal.com/6810.html
And yes that’s the same Jagr who could be moody, pouty, and selfish almost on a whim. The Jagr who was a disaster as captain (though generally ok before that) and alienated most of the Penguin fans base on the way out of the Burgh. The same player who is indirectly responsible for Kris Beech wearing a Penguin uniform.
All of which is to admit that the circumstances of Jagr’s potential return are a fair bit complex.
So let’s simplify it.
First off, forget the past; the good, the bad, and the ugly. For my money Jagr is second only to Mario Lemieux in the annals of Penguin history but that is irrelevant today. The Pens are hoping he can contribute 25 goals or so and breathe life in to their morbid power play. The only relevant question is whether he can do that now; not what he could do in 1995 or did do in 2001.
Which also means forgetting Jagr’s acrimonious departure. It means forgetting the pouting, the dying alive and hardest of all, the carnage that was left behind. It’s water under the bridge now. The Penguins have moved well beyond it as has Jagr. The rest of us should join them.
For the record, I maintain that the treatment of Jagr since he left the Burgh has been disgraceful; a rare blight on an otherwise terrific fan base. Jagr is not a candidate for sainthood but he’s not Barry Bonds either. His departure from Pittsburgh, with little tangible return was inevitable; a point that was reinforced by the Alexie Kovalev deja vu deal two years later. The entire situation could have been handled with more grace on both ends but Jagr has been wrongly cast as the man who torched the Pens franchise. In truth, that ship had already sailed.
Jagr is an all time great Penguin who should be celebrated as such. If returning to Pittsburgh helps bring this about while burying what I consider a shameful part of Penguin history, that’s a nice ancillary benefit.
Second, the Penguins need Jagr; or at least someone with his current skill set. In a painfully thin free agent year where Tyler Kenney is highly sought after; old number 68 is likely their best hope.
Assuming (and praying) for the return to full health of Crosby and Malkin, this is a team with two brilliant centers and nary an elite offensive winger. If that evaluation sounds familiar, it’s because I’ve been regurgitating some variation it for the better part of three years.
Do you ever dream about what Sid the Kid could do with a legitimate 40 goal scorer on his wing. Notwithstanding my well documented issues with Marian Hossa, think back to the results when he and Sid played together in 2008. I’m not saying Jagr can be that good at his age; but he can be a lot better than Pascal Dupuis, Tyler Kennedy or Eric Tangradi. This assumes of course that Jagr does not sign a one year deal with Detroit because “it gives him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup” (oh the humanity).
We have lived through three years where Chris Kunitz was FAR AND AWAY the Penguins’ best offensive winger. Let me repeat that…Chris Kunitz. The guy who went from April to November 2009 without scoring (or at least it seemed that way). And while I applauded and fully endorsed the acquisition of James Neal; it’s hard to be too excited about a guy who scored three goals in his last 50 or so games last season. I’m expecting better this year (worse is hard to comprehend) but l admit my Neal optimism has been tarnished a bit.
Beyond that it’s an eclectic combination of checking line caliber wingers and hopeful but uncertain prospects. For a team that has legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations, that situation is not acceptable. The Pens are too good and have too much upside to be so reliant on the two headed monster.
And I have devoted barely a sentence to discussing the power play; a unit that is disturbingly bad with Malkin and Crosby and flat out unwatchable without them. I have to believe on some level that Jagr could benefit the man advantage. It seems inconceivable he could hurt it. The Pens will not win the Cup if Kris Letang spends another year reprising Mike Eurozione’s role during the early training days of Herb Brooks’ miracle team. AGAIN !!!
To reiterate, the Pens need Jagr and they need him bad.
I’m talking about the Jagr of today, not the Jagr of ten years ago. They need a talented winger with legitimate 25 goal ability regardless of who his center is. They need somebody other than 87 or 71 who can change the game offensively. Even if Neal or Tangradi is the real deal, neither has that ability. And unlike his last few years in the Burgh, Jagr will not be asked to carry the team on the ice or the burden of leadership off it.
Yes there are risks involved but consider that over the last three years Ray Shero out of necessity has played musical chairs with his wingers. If we as Penguin fans were willing to accept and endorse the risks implicit in signing Miro Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko, and for the love of all that’s good and holy Alex Ponikarovsky, why not a clearly superior player in the same role? I’m willing to wager that Jagr right now is better than any of those players in their prime. And he’s certainly as good as Bill Guerin was when he arrived in the Burgh.
Please resist comparisons to Kovalev version 2011. That was a desperation acquisition by Shero hoping to catch short-term lightning in a bottle. The Pens would NEVER have made that move with 87 and 71 healthy. Kovy was clearly washed up before he arrived in the Burgh and let’s be honest; even in his prime was not exactly touted for his work ethic. Kovalev at his best was an elite talent; Jagr an elite player.
Obviously the money has to work. If the Dead Wings or Habs wants to offer Jagr $5 Million per there is not much the Pens can do about that. Jagr once said he would take the league minimum to play for Mario Lemieux. That’s more than charitable but I’ll settle for getting him in at $3.5 Million or less. Then we can leave the other roster decisions, including Kennedy and Max Talbot in Shero’s capable hands.
The ball is now in Jaromir’s court; all we can do is wait and hope. Thankfully or sadly, at this time of year there is not much else for sports fans to do.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Twenty Year Later – Part II
Yesterday I waxed poetic about the 20 year anniversary of the Pens winning their first Stanley Cup.
The 1991 Stanley Cup Penguins will always have favored status in my heart. You never forget your first cup…or something like that. The team was not as brilliantly talented as their 1992 or even 1993 successors. Their run was not as epic as the 2009 version. And it matters not a lick.
What they did was bring Pittsburgh its first and most improbable Stanley Cup, doing so through a litany of spectacular moments. They gave us a lifetime of brilliant hockey memories; memories that two decades later are still burned in my brain (with an occasional second assist from YouTube).
Some of the most memorable include:
THE INJURY – The Pens opened the 1990-91 season without Lemieux. Le Magnifique had offseason back surgery and then suffered a major set back with a training camp infection. There was talk that his career was in jeopardy and ultimately we would not see him in the line-up until late January. I remember the Pens opening night broadcast starting with this quote from Tom Barrasso “I wish to state unequivocally that we are a better team with Mario Lemieux in the line-up.” The bad news was obvious. The good news, the rest of the team was forced to grow up with their franchise player sidelined.
THE KID – It’s fair to say that none of us had ever heard of an 18 year old Czech phenom named Jaromir Jagr when the Pens acquired him on draft day. I remember reading that he was the most talented player in the draft; and frankly not believing it. That’s exactly what teams say when they have the fifth pick in a deep draft, rather than the first. Who would have known that Jagr would develop in to the one of the truly dominant offensive stars in NHL history, and a critical component of two Stanley Cup championships. Not to mention a pretty solid weather man on WDVE.
THE OPTION LINE – With Lemieux out, the Pens offense was put in the hands of three young stars playing out their options; Kevin Stevens, Marc Recchi, and John Cullen. All three were critical to the team’s regular season success. All three were critical to the team’s ultimate Stanley Cup championship, Recchi and Steven’s directly and Cullen by being the marketable asset that allowed for THE TRADE (see below).
THE TRADE – Arguably the greatest trade deadline deal in NHL history. The Pens were struggling and underachieving when Craig Patrick changed the entire look of the franchise. The deal was such highway robbery that Hartford GM Eddie Johnston (yes, that EJ) should have gotten his name on the cup. Ron Francis brought leadership and brilliant two way hockey. Ulf Samuelsson brought dominant, in your face defense (as Cam Neely will attest). Even Grant Jennings was a key acquisition. Before the trade the Pens were a great offensive team, after it they were a great team.
THE GOAL, PART I – The Pens were very much in danger of falling behind New Jersey two games to zero…at home. They were outplayed by the plucky Devils for two straight games and had barely managed to force overtime in game 2. That’s when the 18 year old Jagr scored the first of his many jaw dropping goals over the next decade. He blew around the Devil defense, cut across the face of the goal, out waited Chris Terreri, and fired home one of the biggest goals in Penguin history. It was pure individual brilliance; the kind rarely seen by any player…or at least any player not wearing 66 in black and gold.
THE BANISHMENT – A regretably overlooked turning point in the playoffs may have occurred in game four of the first round against New Jersey. After discovering that the Pens had not won a game all year with John Rowan watching from Chris Cox’s house; we banished him to the backyard for the third period. The Pens lost the game but after that, we were more strategic about our viewing logistics. Quote of the year from Chris’ mom…”Why is J.P. in the backyard by himself?”
THE SAVE – I’m the biggest Tom Barrasso fan this side of…anywhere…and even I will acknowledge the obvious. Frank Pietrangelo’s spectacular glove robbery of Peter Stastny was “the moment” the Pens developed that championship belief. The combination of facing elimination and the loss of Barrasso drove stress levels to record highs amongst Pens fans. And then there was Stastny all alone in front, firing a loose rebound towards an empty net…until Frankie Pete robbed him blind. I love watching 18,000 fans jump to their feet to celebrate a sure goal, and then dropping down in stunned disbelief.
THE GOAL, PART II – The Pens were very much in danger of falling behind Washington two games to none, at home. Sound familiar? They were outplayed in game one and needed a late Randy Gilhen (seriously) goal to send game two in to overtime. And then Francis set up Kevin Stevens for the game winning goal in overtime. The Pens never looked back, dominating the next three games with Barrasso stopping 97 of 100 shots. The conference finals were coming.
THE GAURANTEE – In those days, the common belief was that the Boston Bruins were the superior team and the Pens the underdog upstart. Boston has played in the Stanley Cup Finals in two of the last three seasons, led by star players Ray Bourque and Neely. The Pens lost the first two games and were quite frankly robbed by a highly questionable penalty late in game two. The situation looked bleak until Stevens took over. He boldly guaranteed after game two that the Pens would win the series. It was pure bulleting board material...for the Pens. The boys have not lost of playoff game to the Bruins since.
THE ROUT – PART I – After two hard fought victories in Pittsburgh the Pens returned to Boston for a critical game 5. We all thought this would be a turning point in the series. It was. The Pens destroyed the B’s 7-2, chasing overrated scrub goalie Andy Moog in the process.
THE TROPHY – I laugh every time I see teams refuse to touch the conference championship trophy. After Recchi finished off the B’s in game 6, Lemieux and company took the Prince of Wales trophy for a skate. Two weeks later, they were Stanley Cup champs. Two decades later, Sidney Crosby did the same thing. Perhaps this superstition is a tad…dumb?
THE FOG – Don Cherry, a man who could do the entire world a favor by talking considerably less, accuses Barrasso of being “in a fog” after a game one loss to Minnesota in the finals. Barrasso’s response, “I refuse to have a battle of wits with Don Cherry because he’s unarmed.”
THE GREATEST GOAL IN STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HISTORY – “Here’s Lemieux, to center, penalty coming up, LOOK AT LEMIEUX, OH MY GOODNESS, WHAT A GOAL, WHAT A MOVE, LEMIEUX. OOOOOOH BABY.” Kudos to hockey night in Canada for its perfect description of what truly was the greatest goal in playoff history. What Lemieux did to Shawn Chambers and John Casey is a criminal offense in seven states.
THE PARADE – Mario’s back stiffened before game 3 causing a late and shocking scratch of the game’s greatest player. Without Big 66, the Pens fell 3 to 1. Minnesota started planning their Stanley Cup parade. The Pens were…ANGRY.
THE DANCE OF CHAMPIONS – The Pens jumped out to quick leads of 3-0 and 4-1 in a must win game 4; then gave two goals back to make it a one goal game. Late in the third period, the team known as an offensive juggernaut took a five minute major penalty. The Pens killed it without allowing a single shot on goal. It was the defining moment of what was now a great team in all phases. I still say this game was one of the underrated gems of Barrasso’s career.
THE ROUT, PART II – The Pens 8 to 0 demolition of the North Stars in game 6 remains possibly the most dominant cup clinching victory in NHL history. The NHL was close to invoking a mercy rule. Lemieux so dominates Minnesota that he looks to be playing pond hockey against local high school players. Francis, Mullen and even Jim Paek score breakaways. Barrasso silences his remaining critics with a defining shut out.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT – In the immortal words of Mike Lange, “The Stanley Cup has come to the city of Pittsburgh.”
THE LIFT – Mario Lemieux, the man who lifted the franchise, lifts the Stanley Cup. Lange…”Go for it Mario…Go for it.”
THE PHOTO – The Pens become the first team to do an all hands on photo at center ice with the cup. The tradition lives to this day. One of the greatest moments in Pittsburgh sports history, immortalized forever.
THE MEMORIES – To last a lifetime.
The 1991 Stanley Cup Penguins will always have favored status in my heart. You never forget your first cup…or something like that. The team was not as brilliantly talented as their 1992 or even 1993 successors. Their run was not as epic as the 2009 version. And it matters not a lick.
What they did was bring Pittsburgh its first and most improbable Stanley Cup, doing so through a litany of spectacular moments. They gave us a lifetime of brilliant hockey memories; memories that two decades later are still burned in my brain (with an occasional second assist from YouTube).
Some of the most memorable include:
THE INJURY – The Pens opened the 1990-91 season without Lemieux. Le Magnifique had offseason back surgery and then suffered a major set back with a training camp infection. There was talk that his career was in jeopardy and ultimately we would not see him in the line-up until late January. I remember the Pens opening night broadcast starting with this quote from Tom Barrasso “I wish to state unequivocally that we are a better team with Mario Lemieux in the line-up.” The bad news was obvious. The good news, the rest of the team was forced to grow up with their franchise player sidelined.
THE KID – It’s fair to say that none of us had ever heard of an 18 year old Czech phenom named Jaromir Jagr when the Pens acquired him on draft day. I remember reading that he was the most talented player in the draft; and frankly not believing it. That’s exactly what teams say when they have the fifth pick in a deep draft, rather than the first. Who would have known that Jagr would develop in to the one of the truly dominant offensive stars in NHL history, and a critical component of two Stanley Cup championships. Not to mention a pretty solid weather man on WDVE.
THE OPTION LINE – With Lemieux out, the Pens offense was put in the hands of three young stars playing out their options; Kevin Stevens, Marc Recchi, and John Cullen. All three were critical to the team’s regular season success. All three were critical to the team’s ultimate Stanley Cup championship, Recchi and Steven’s directly and Cullen by being the marketable asset that allowed for THE TRADE (see below).
THE TRADE – Arguably the greatest trade deadline deal in NHL history. The Pens were struggling and underachieving when Craig Patrick changed the entire look of the franchise. The deal was such highway robbery that Hartford GM Eddie Johnston (yes, that EJ) should have gotten his name on the cup. Ron Francis brought leadership and brilliant two way hockey. Ulf Samuelsson brought dominant, in your face defense (as Cam Neely will attest). Even Grant Jennings was a key acquisition. Before the trade the Pens were a great offensive team, after it they were a great team.
THE GOAL, PART I – The Pens were very much in danger of falling behind New Jersey two games to zero…at home. They were outplayed by the plucky Devils for two straight games and had barely managed to force overtime in game 2. That’s when the 18 year old Jagr scored the first of his many jaw dropping goals over the next decade. He blew around the Devil defense, cut across the face of the goal, out waited Chris Terreri, and fired home one of the biggest goals in Penguin history. It was pure individual brilliance; the kind rarely seen by any player…or at least any player not wearing 66 in black and gold.
THE BANISHMENT – A regretably overlooked turning point in the playoffs may have occurred in game four of the first round against New Jersey. After discovering that the Pens had not won a game all year with John Rowan watching from Chris Cox’s house; we banished him to the backyard for the third period. The Pens lost the game but after that, we were more strategic about our viewing logistics. Quote of the year from Chris’ mom…”Why is J.P. in the backyard by himself?”
THE SAVE – I’m the biggest Tom Barrasso fan this side of…anywhere…and even I will acknowledge the obvious. Frank Pietrangelo’s spectacular glove robbery of Peter Stastny was “the moment” the Pens developed that championship belief. The combination of facing elimination and the loss of Barrasso drove stress levels to record highs amongst Pens fans. And then there was Stastny all alone in front, firing a loose rebound towards an empty net…until Frankie Pete robbed him blind. I love watching 18,000 fans jump to their feet to celebrate a sure goal, and then dropping down in stunned disbelief.
THE GOAL, PART II – The Pens were very much in danger of falling behind Washington two games to none, at home. Sound familiar? They were outplayed in game one and needed a late Randy Gilhen (seriously) goal to send game two in to overtime. And then Francis set up Kevin Stevens for the game winning goal in overtime. The Pens never looked back, dominating the next three games with Barrasso stopping 97 of 100 shots. The conference finals were coming.
THE GAURANTEE – In those days, the common belief was that the Boston Bruins were the superior team and the Pens the underdog upstart. Boston has played in the Stanley Cup Finals in two of the last three seasons, led by star players Ray Bourque and Neely. The Pens lost the first two games and were quite frankly robbed by a highly questionable penalty late in game two. The situation looked bleak until Stevens took over. He boldly guaranteed after game two that the Pens would win the series. It was pure bulleting board material...for the Pens. The boys have not lost of playoff game to the Bruins since.
THE ROUT – PART I – After two hard fought victories in Pittsburgh the Pens returned to Boston for a critical game 5. We all thought this would be a turning point in the series. It was. The Pens destroyed the B’s 7-2, chasing overrated scrub goalie Andy Moog in the process.
THE TROPHY – I laugh every time I see teams refuse to touch the conference championship trophy. After Recchi finished off the B’s in game 6, Lemieux and company took the Prince of Wales trophy for a skate. Two weeks later, they were Stanley Cup champs. Two decades later, Sidney Crosby did the same thing. Perhaps this superstition is a tad…dumb?
THE FOG – Don Cherry, a man who could do the entire world a favor by talking considerably less, accuses Barrasso of being “in a fog” after a game one loss to Minnesota in the finals. Barrasso’s response, “I refuse to have a battle of wits with Don Cherry because he’s unarmed.”
THE GREATEST GOAL IN STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HISTORY – “Here’s Lemieux, to center, penalty coming up, LOOK AT LEMIEUX, OH MY GOODNESS, WHAT A GOAL, WHAT A MOVE, LEMIEUX. OOOOOOH BABY.” Kudos to hockey night in Canada for its perfect description of what truly was the greatest goal in playoff history. What Lemieux did to Shawn Chambers and John Casey is a criminal offense in seven states.
THE PARADE – Mario’s back stiffened before game 3 causing a late and shocking scratch of the game’s greatest player. Without Big 66, the Pens fell 3 to 1. Minnesota started planning their Stanley Cup parade. The Pens were…ANGRY.
THE DANCE OF CHAMPIONS – The Pens jumped out to quick leads of 3-0 and 4-1 in a must win game 4; then gave two goals back to make it a one goal game. Late in the third period, the team known as an offensive juggernaut took a five minute major penalty. The Pens killed it without allowing a single shot on goal. It was the defining moment of what was now a great team in all phases. I still say this game was one of the underrated gems of Barrasso’s career.
THE ROUT, PART II – The Pens 8 to 0 demolition of the North Stars in game 6 remains possibly the most dominant cup clinching victory in NHL history. The NHL was close to invoking a mercy rule. Lemieux so dominates Minnesota that he looks to be playing pond hockey against local high school players. Francis, Mullen and even Jim Paek score breakaways. Barrasso silences his remaining critics with a defining shut out.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT – In the immortal words of Mike Lange, “The Stanley Cup has come to the city of Pittsburgh.”
THE LIFT – Mario Lemieux, the man who lifted the franchise, lifts the Stanley Cup. Lange…”Go for it Mario…Go for it.”
THE PHOTO – The Pens become the first team to do an all hands on photo at center ice with the cup. The tradition lives to this day. One of the greatest moments in Pittsburgh sports history, immortalized forever.
THE MEMORIES – To last a lifetime.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Twenty Years Later ???
If you are a hockey aficionado like me, I highly recommend the Empty Netters Blog on the Post Gazette’s web site. Not only does Seth Rorabaugh do an excellent and thorough job of covering the game, but he also adds a touch of sarcasm and humor which I find to be positively, “Haber-Esqe.”
Throughout the 2010-11 season, Empty Netters has been running a feature entitled “Twenty Years Later” focusing on the 20 year anniversary of the Penguins first Stanley Cup championship. It includes recaps of every game played (often with awesome video footage) and interviews with key players from that team. Most of those players are long gone, with the notable exception of the ageless Marc Recchi. Remember when the Pens traded him in 1992, ostensibly because he was too small to survive long-term in the NHL?
Needless to say, I was thoroughly enjoying the walk down memory lane, until reality slapped me in the face this morning.
TWENTY YEARS ???
Is it really possible that today is the 20 year anniversary of one of the greatest moments in Pittsburgh sports history? Can it really be two decades since that magical season ended with Mario Lemieux lifting the franchise’s improbable first Stanley Cup?
Twenty freakin years?
Let’s see, we were 18 years old, seniors in high school when the Pens won that first championship. That would make me…never mind.
Was it not just yesterday that Mario Lemieux was the 18 year old French Canadian savior of Penguin hockey? No, that was 1984. Did I not wake up this morning to news that 18 year old Czech phenom Jaromir Jagr was coming to Pittsburgh? Sorry, 1990. I could swear that only in the last few minutes came reports that the Pens had acquired Ron Francis and Ulf Samuelsson from Hartford. That was 1991.
And now, Lemieux is the Penguins OWNER, Jagr is playing out the string in Europe and Francis and Samuelsson are both coaches and/or executives in the league. How on earth did this happen?
Here’s the thing; for me and a large portion of my audience, the Penguins are the first championship team we truly experienced. I have the vaguest of memories of the Steelers’ fourth Super Bowl in 1980; just as I have the vaguest of memories of dressing up as “the Fonz” for Halloween. I’ve said before that those first four Super Bowl championships are far more history to me than they are reality.
The Penguins however are different. We quite literally grew up together. It started with the drafting of Lemieux in 1984, the event that quite literally saved the franchise. It continued as Lemieux matured in to a superstar, and then possibly the most dominant player in NHL history. And it morphed in to a championship when the Penguins finally surrounded Le Magnifique with other championship caliber players.
I still remember dancing around my basement when the Pens acquired Paul Coffey in 1987. Finally, there was a second superstar, a player truly worthy of sharing the ice with Big 66. The other star pieces of the championship puzzle fell gradually in to place over the next three plus years; Barrasso, Recchi, Stevens, Jagr, Mullen, Trottier, Murphy, Francis, Samuelson, etc. It was a stunning build out for a club that for too long relied on other team’s leftovers.
I’m not sure today’s generation of Penguin fans can truly appreciate how impossible to fathom a Stanley Cup Championship was for us in 1991. That’s not to say we were not fully on board for the journey, we absolutely were. We just never dared allow ourselves such grandiose fantasies. Not for a team that had won exactly one playoff series in ten years.
For the most part all we knew were near misses and failures. I remember albeit vaguely the 1982 first round loss to the NY Islanders where the Pens blew a 2 goal lead in the final four minutes. I remember quite clearly blowing what should have been a slam dunk playoff appearance in 1988, in spite of Lemieux’s unwavering brilliance down the stretch. And there but for the grace of Steve Guenette go I.
The Penguins made missing the playoffs an annual event; at a time when over 75% of the league was honored annually with a post season bid.
That’s why we celebrated like drunken sailors when the 1991 Pens knocked of Washington in the second round. Going to the conference finals was new ground; a previously inconceivable destination. On a side note, would anyone have guessed then that the series would mark the beginning of two decades of torturing the Craps?
The Penguins had little or no history in those days. Now they have history to match any non original six team (and for my money one or two of them). The watershed moment for the franchise was the Stanley Cup exchange between Sidney Crosby and Lemieux in 2009? That past meets the present. To me having two completely separate eras of championship greatness is what defines a truly great organization, in any sport.
And yet I still can’t believe its been twenty years.
Twenty years since Frankie Pietrangelo’s save against New Jersey. Twenty years since Kevin Stevens guaranteed a victory over Boston after falling behind two games to none? Twenty years since Lemieux effectively destroyed John Casey’s career.
I guess it makes sense. In those days we would watch the games in Chris Cox’s basement and then play hockey in the driveway between periods (with your friendly neighborhood blogger flopping around on the asphalt making “Barrasso-like” saves”). We would celebrate any series victory by grabbing sticks out the garage and running around the block. Today’s game night activities are to say the least, far more reserved.
So much has changed. Lemieux and Jagr gave way to Crosby and Malkin. Barrasso gave way to Marc-Andre Fleury; Phil Bourque gave way to Max Talbot. The Old Igloo has given way to the brilliant new Consol Energy Barn. Mike Lange has given way to Paul Steigerwald (admittedly the one change that we would all reverse in a heartbeat if possible).
And yet so much has stayed the same. Let us not forget that a franchise that endured so much losing and sorrow in its first two decades has lifted the cup three times in the past two decades. The Pens have turned post season success from an impossible dream to an annual expectations. And they have suited up an incredible list of superstars headlined by Lemieux, Jagr, Crosby, and Malkin. Such thoughts were inconceivable in the early 80s, when players were threatened with trades to the Burgh.
In short, a franchise that was once laughed at and mocked is now one of the class organizations in all of sports. Pittsburgh has become a destination spot for great hockey.
Could we have possibly had the foresight in 1991 to see this coming? Certainly not, nor did we care. At that point it was about nothing more than the moment, the incomprehensible idea that, “The Stanley Cup has come to the city of Pittsburgh" to quote Lange.
We had no foresight towards the repeat championship in 1992, nor the shocking collapse of the most dominant team in Penguin’s history two years later. We could not predict Mario’s back, Stevens’ face, Jagr’s moods, or Howard Baldwin’s reckless and unruly spending spree; all of which nearly ruined the team. We had no way of knowing how close our Penguins would come to extinction in the Burgh, before more Mario magic and a fortuitous ping pong ball returned them to prominence.
How could we? We could not even predict our own futures; college, relocations, jobs, wives, kids, and everything else. All of those things that define us today were unknowns 20 years ago. Our lives were blissfully simple back then. We were far more concerned about shutting down Minnesota’s white hot power play, than we were about graduation.
All we knew or cared about was that the impossible had happened; the Pittsburgh Penguins had brought home the Stanley Cup. It was the first time in my life that I truly felt the complete and total sports happiness that comes only with a championship. It was the year I truly became a Penguin fan for life.
Or better stated…twenty years to life.
ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY PENGUIN, BLESSED BE THE PENGUIN, FOR IT IS GOOD.
Throughout the 2010-11 season, Empty Netters has been running a feature entitled “Twenty Years Later” focusing on the 20 year anniversary of the Penguins first Stanley Cup championship. It includes recaps of every game played (often with awesome video footage) and interviews with key players from that team. Most of those players are long gone, with the notable exception of the ageless Marc Recchi. Remember when the Pens traded him in 1992, ostensibly because he was too small to survive long-term in the NHL?
Needless to say, I was thoroughly enjoying the walk down memory lane, until reality slapped me in the face this morning.
TWENTY YEARS ???
Is it really possible that today is the 20 year anniversary of one of the greatest moments in Pittsburgh sports history? Can it really be two decades since that magical season ended with Mario Lemieux lifting the franchise’s improbable first Stanley Cup?
Twenty freakin years?
Let’s see, we were 18 years old, seniors in high school when the Pens won that first championship. That would make me…never mind.
Was it not just yesterday that Mario Lemieux was the 18 year old French Canadian savior of Penguin hockey? No, that was 1984. Did I not wake up this morning to news that 18 year old Czech phenom Jaromir Jagr was coming to Pittsburgh? Sorry, 1990. I could swear that only in the last few minutes came reports that the Pens had acquired Ron Francis and Ulf Samuelsson from Hartford. That was 1991.
And now, Lemieux is the Penguins OWNER, Jagr is playing out the string in Europe and Francis and Samuelsson are both coaches and/or executives in the league. How on earth did this happen?
Here’s the thing; for me and a large portion of my audience, the Penguins are the first championship team we truly experienced. I have the vaguest of memories of the Steelers’ fourth Super Bowl in 1980; just as I have the vaguest of memories of dressing up as “the Fonz” for Halloween. I’ve said before that those first four Super Bowl championships are far more history to me than they are reality.
The Penguins however are different. We quite literally grew up together. It started with the drafting of Lemieux in 1984, the event that quite literally saved the franchise. It continued as Lemieux matured in to a superstar, and then possibly the most dominant player in NHL history. And it morphed in to a championship when the Penguins finally surrounded Le Magnifique with other championship caliber players.
I still remember dancing around my basement when the Pens acquired Paul Coffey in 1987. Finally, there was a second superstar, a player truly worthy of sharing the ice with Big 66. The other star pieces of the championship puzzle fell gradually in to place over the next three plus years; Barrasso, Recchi, Stevens, Jagr, Mullen, Trottier, Murphy, Francis, Samuelson, etc. It was a stunning build out for a club that for too long relied on other team’s leftovers.
I’m not sure today’s generation of Penguin fans can truly appreciate how impossible to fathom a Stanley Cup Championship was for us in 1991. That’s not to say we were not fully on board for the journey, we absolutely were. We just never dared allow ourselves such grandiose fantasies. Not for a team that had won exactly one playoff series in ten years.
For the most part all we knew were near misses and failures. I remember albeit vaguely the 1982 first round loss to the NY Islanders where the Pens blew a 2 goal lead in the final four minutes. I remember quite clearly blowing what should have been a slam dunk playoff appearance in 1988, in spite of Lemieux’s unwavering brilliance down the stretch. And there but for the grace of Steve Guenette go I.
The Penguins made missing the playoffs an annual event; at a time when over 75% of the league was honored annually with a post season bid.
That’s why we celebrated like drunken sailors when the 1991 Pens knocked of Washington in the second round. Going to the conference finals was new ground; a previously inconceivable destination. On a side note, would anyone have guessed then that the series would mark the beginning of two decades of torturing the Craps?
The Penguins had little or no history in those days. Now they have history to match any non original six team (and for my money one or two of them). The watershed moment for the franchise was the Stanley Cup exchange between Sidney Crosby and Lemieux in 2009? That past meets the present. To me having two completely separate eras of championship greatness is what defines a truly great organization, in any sport.
And yet I still can’t believe its been twenty years.
Twenty years since Frankie Pietrangelo’s save against New Jersey. Twenty years since Kevin Stevens guaranteed a victory over Boston after falling behind two games to none? Twenty years since Lemieux effectively destroyed John Casey’s career.
I guess it makes sense. In those days we would watch the games in Chris Cox’s basement and then play hockey in the driveway between periods (with your friendly neighborhood blogger flopping around on the asphalt making “Barrasso-like” saves”). We would celebrate any series victory by grabbing sticks out the garage and running around the block. Today’s game night activities are to say the least, far more reserved.
So much has changed. Lemieux and Jagr gave way to Crosby and Malkin. Barrasso gave way to Marc-Andre Fleury; Phil Bourque gave way to Max Talbot. The Old Igloo has given way to the brilliant new Consol Energy Barn. Mike Lange has given way to Paul Steigerwald (admittedly the one change that we would all reverse in a heartbeat if possible).
And yet so much has stayed the same. Let us not forget that a franchise that endured so much losing and sorrow in its first two decades has lifted the cup three times in the past two decades. The Pens have turned post season success from an impossible dream to an annual expectations. And they have suited up an incredible list of superstars headlined by Lemieux, Jagr, Crosby, and Malkin. Such thoughts were inconceivable in the early 80s, when players were threatened with trades to the Burgh.
In short, a franchise that was once laughed at and mocked is now one of the class organizations in all of sports. Pittsburgh has become a destination spot for great hockey.
Could we have possibly had the foresight in 1991 to see this coming? Certainly not, nor did we care. At that point it was about nothing more than the moment, the incomprehensible idea that, “The Stanley Cup has come to the city of Pittsburgh" to quote Lange.
We had no foresight towards the repeat championship in 1992, nor the shocking collapse of the most dominant team in Penguin’s history two years later. We could not predict Mario’s back, Stevens’ face, Jagr’s moods, or Howard Baldwin’s reckless and unruly spending spree; all of which nearly ruined the team. We had no way of knowing how close our Penguins would come to extinction in the Burgh, before more Mario magic and a fortuitous ping pong ball returned them to prominence.
How could we? We could not even predict our own futures; college, relocations, jobs, wives, kids, and everything else. All of those things that define us today were unknowns 20 years ago. Our lives were blissfully simple back then. We were far more concerned about shutting down Minnesota’s white hot power play, than we were about graduation.
All we knew or cared about was that the impossible had happened; the Pittsburgh Penguins had brought home the Stanley Cup. It was the first time in my life that I truly felt the complete and total sports happiness that comes only with a championship. It was the year I truly became a Penguin fan for life.
Or better stated…twenty years to life.
ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY PENGUIN, BLESSED BE THE PENGUIN, FOR IT IS GOOD.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Short Term Pain for Long Term Gain - Crosby's Comeback Can Wait
Pittsburgh’s current hockey savior skated in full pads on Monday, ending his 68 day ice hockey exile. That short skate, plus two others that followed represent mere baby steps in Sidney Crosby’s recovery from his January concussion(s). And yet the mere sight of number 87 in uniform took Penguin fans on a rollercoaster of extreme emotions ranging from unbridled optimism to trepidation and outright fear.
Truth be told, any reaction at this point is premature. The simple fact that Crosby skated does not insure his return this season. It’s reasonable to assume that skating is part of his rehabilitation routine; a routine that could last an additional three weeks or three months. Much as we would like to believe otherwise, it’s very possible that we will not see Sidney Crosby play another game this season.
That said (for you Jared), I doubt the Pens would have made such a public spectacle of Sid skating if they were not reasonably comfortable with his chances.
So at the risk of putting the cart way before the horse, the obvious question is; should Crosby return this season? Are the risks implicit in his return worth the potential rewards of it?
From a pure hockey standpoint, there is no discussion. Sidney Crosby is the best player in the world right now. It goes without saying that his return to the line-up would measurably improve the Pens Stanley Cup chances. If he were rehabbing a knee or a shoulder injury there would be no debate; the Pens would suit him up the minute he was even close to ready.
Unfortunately that’s not the case. Crosby is dealing with a significant head injury; in point of fact, two head injuries. The concussion(s) was serious enough to keep him off the ice for nearly ten weeks during which time he continued to experience symptoms. That’s too big a red flag to brush aside based on two or three healthy weeks.
I understand that at some point injured players must take the risk implicit with returning to the line-up. With all due respect to Aaron Asham, I’m far more willing to accept the risks of his returning too early than I am for our face of the franchise superstar.
The Penguins know much more about this situation than we do. They have top notch physicians studying Crosby’s cranium and making informed medical judgments. And yet those same physicians basically threw their hands up for the last 2 ½ months and admitted essentially that the brain will be what it will be. They are doctors, not miracle workers. I’m sure Anaheim goalie Jonas Hiller would confirm that sentiment.
I’ll reiterate something I pointed out in late January when I first expressed my Crosby concussion concerns. Heath Miller endured one of the most brutal head shots I’ve ever seen against Baltimore and was back on the field three weeks later. Sid has been out more than three times that long. That should give some context on how serious this is. Remember, two concussions in five days; the second of which occurred before the first healed.
Concussions are cumulative. Each is worse than the one before; each one takes a greater toll. You simply can not be too careful given that reality. I keep thinking about how Bill Cowher and the Steelers enabled Ben Roethlisberger’s overzealous return from his motorcycle accident in 2006. His mid season concussion against Atlanta seemed almost preordained given those circumstances.
I’m not sure that anybody can definitively determine what the proper healing time is for this injury. I think we can all agree that six months is a safer time frame than four weeks.
Crosby is a smart player who plays the game with his head up. That’s a politically correct way of saying he’s not Marc Savard. And yet we all saw what happened to Sid twice in five day span in early January. It does not matter who you are; it is impossible to avoid every hit, especially when you play in the high traffic areas.
So yes the risks are great, as are the rewards. A healthy Crosby gives the Pens a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup. No Sid drastically reduces that opportunity. How do we evaluate this risk reward dilemma? By weighing as many considerations as possible. To wit:
1) The Pens chances to win the Stanley Cup – Exponentially better with Crosby in the line-up (unless you go with the theory that you can’t multiply by zero) but still considerably reduced without Evgeni Malkin. Throw in the likelihood that Sid will not be 100% either physically or hockey wise and those chances slip a bit further. Are those odds good enough to risk the franchise’s future?
2) The Future of the Program – The Penguins are built around Crosby both structurally and financially. Crosby takes up $8.7 Million of cap room through 2014. The worst case scenario is no Crosby. The second worst case is Crosby being in an out of the line-up at partial effectiveness a la Lemieux from 2001-02 through his final retirement. That would leave the Pens in a state of helpless hockey limbo.
3) The Championship Window – Any lost opportunity within an obvious championship window is profoundly disappointing. That disappointment is mitigated by the fact the Pens have locked in their young core for at least two more years; and that core is less than two years removed from lifting the cup.
4) The Environment – We all know the playoffs are considerably more physical than the regular season. You lose the Trevor Gillies thug factor but you gain the…”everyone finishes every check factor.” Net result, chances of injury increase. And that’s before we even consider…
5) The Garage League – The NHL has done little or nothing to dissuade head shots this year. They talk tough and then act with stunning impotence. Yes players fear suspensions more in the playoffs but the sad reality is that the league has FAILED to create a climate where players fear the consequences of delivering a hit to the head.
In the end, my contention is it’s not worth the risk. I might feel different if Malkin were not hurt. I might feel different if the team’s core was aging or they were about to be ravaged by free agency. I might feel different if the NHL made a genuine commitment to protecting its players rather than just spewing spineless rhetoric.
And before you tell me that the Pens medical staff has the best handle on the situation; remember this. On top of all the uncertainty I’ve already described, the Penguins let Crosby play four periods of hockey after taking the original hit from Steckel. For all the good things that go on at the new Igloo these days, this was nothing sure of negligence from top to bottom of the organization. The minute I saw Crosby scrape himself off the mush that was the winter classic ice, I suspected a concussion. Somehow his employer did not.
My emotional side wants Sid back in the line-up without question. My logical side knows that if he does play, I will cringe every time he goes to the corner to play a lose puck.
If you’re still conflicted, a bit of historical Penguin perspective can be quite valuable.
There are striking parallels between Crosby 2010-11 and Mario Lemieux 1989-90. Both players were dominating the league and carrying their team when significant injury struck. And while this current Penguin team is clearly superior in talent and depth; neither is or was a serious cup contender without their marquee star.
Remember how excited we were when Mario miraculously returned to save the Penguins’ hopes in the last game of the 1990 season? Remember how utterly devastated we were when the Pens lost in spite of that and were eliminated from playoff contention?
Given two decades of perspective we now clearly see what was impossible to know that night; losing that game was in reality the best case scenario. The Pens gave up a fleeting moment of happiness and a likely first round playoff defeat for the opportunity to draft Jaromir Jagr. In addition it eliminated the dilemma of whether Lemieux should try and play in the post season with his back in disrepair.
Moreover, Lemieux’s decision to comeback for that game ultimately delayed his inevitable back surgery and his return the following year. The Pens were quite fortunate that delay did not sabotage their 1991 cup run. In short, all emotions aside, the Pens should have shut Big 66 down the minute he hobbled off the ice at Madison Square Garden.
Sound familiar?
Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. My heart would love to see Sidney Crosby on the ice when the playoffs start. My head hopes he sits until next year.
Truth be told, any reaction at this point is premature. The simple fact that Crosby skated does not insure his return this season. It’s reasonable to assume that skating is part of his rehabilitation routine; a routine that could last an additional three weeks or three months. Much as we would like to believe otherwise, it’s very possible that we will not see Sidney Crosby play another game this season.
That said (for you Jared), I doubt the Pens would have made such a public spectacle of Sid skating if they were not reasonably comfortable with his chances.
So at the risk of putting the cart way before the horse, the obvious question is; should Crosby return this season? Are the risks implicit in his return worth the potential rewards of it?
From a pure hockey standpoint, there is no discussion. Sidney Crosby is the best player in the world right now. It goes without saying that his return to the line-up would measurably improve the Pens Stanley Cup chances. If he were rehabbing a knee or a shoulder injury there would be no debate; the Pens would suit him up the minute he was even close to ready.
Unfortunately that’s not the case. Crosby is dealing with a significant head injury; in point of fact, two head injuries. The concussion(s) was serious enough to keep him off the ice for nearly ten weeks during which time he continued to experience symptoms. That’s too big a red flag to brush aside based on two or three healthy weeks.
I understand that at some point injured players must take the risk implicit with returning to the line-up. With all due respect to Aaron Asham, I’m far more willing to accept the risks of his returning too early than I am for our face of the franchise superstar.
The Penguins know much more about this situation than we do. They have top notch physicians studying Crosby’s cranium and making informed medical judgments. And yet those same physicians basically threw their hands up for the last 2 ½ months and admitted essentially that the brain will be what it will be. They are doctors, not miracle workers. I’m sure Anaheim goalie Jonas Hiller would confirm that sentiment.
I’ll reiterate something I pointed out in late January when I first expressed my Crosby concussion concerns. Heath Miller endured one of the most brutal head shots I’ve ever seen against Baltimore and was back on the field three weeks later. Sid has been out more than three times that long. That should give some context on how serious this is. Remember, two concussions in five days; the second of which occurred before the first healed.
Concussions are cumulative. Each is worse than the one before; each one takes a greater toll. You simply can not be too careful given that reality. I keep thinking about how Bill Cowher and the Steelers enabled Ben Roethlisberger’s overzealous return from his motorcycle accident in 2006. His mid season concussion against Atlanta seemed almost preordained given those circumstances.
I’m not sure that anybody can definitively determine what the proper healing time is for this injury. I think we can all agree that six months is a safer time frame than four weeks.
Crosby is a smart player who plays the game with his head up. That’s a politically correct way of saying he’s not Marc Savard. And yet we all saw what happened to Sid twice in five day span in early January. It does not matter who you are; it is impossible to avoid every hit, especially when you play in the high traffic areas.
So yes the risks are great, as are the rewards. A healthy Crosby gives the Pens a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup. No Sid drastically reduces that opportunity. How do we evaluate this risk reward dilemma? By weighing as many considerations as possible. To wit:
1) The Pens chances to win the Stanley Cup – Exponentially better with Crosby in the line-up (unless you go with the theory that you can’t multiply by zero) but still considerably reduced without Evgeni Malkin. Throw in the likelihood that Sid will not be 100% either physically or hockey wise and those chances slip a bit further. Are those odds good enough to risk the franchise’s future?
2) The Future of the Program – The Penguins are built around Crosby both structurally and financially. Crosby takes up $8.7 Million of cap room through 2014. The worst case scenario is no Crosby. The second worst case is Crosby being in an out of the line-up at partial effectiveness a la Lemieux from 2001-02 through his final retirement. That would leave the Pens in a state of helpless hockey limbo.
3) The Championship Window – Any lost opportunity within an obvious championship window is profoundly disappointing. That disappointment is mitigated by the fact the Pens have locked in their young core for at least two more years; and that core is less than two years removed from lifting the cup.
4) The Environment – We all know the playoffs are considerably more physical than the regular season. You lose the Trevor Gillies thug factor but you gain the…”everyone finishes every check factor.” Net result, chances of injury increase. And that’s before we even consider…
5) The Garage League – The NHL has done little or nothing to dissuade head shots this year. They talk tough and then act with stunning impotence. Yes players fear suspensions more in the playoffs but the sad reality is that the league has FAILED to create a climate where players fear the consequences of delivering a hit to the head.
In the end, my contention is it’s not worth the risk. I might feel different if Malkin were not hurt. I might feel different if the team’s core was aging or they were about to be ravaged by free agency. I might feel different if the NHL made a genuine commitment to protecting its players rather than just spewing spineless rhetoric.
And before you tell me that the Pens medical staff has the best handle on the situation; remember this. On top of all the uncertainty I’ve already described, the Penguins let Crosby play four periods of hockey after taking the original hit from Steckel. For all the good things that go on at the new Igloo these days, this was nothing sure of negligence from top to bottom of the organization. The minute I saw Crosby scrape himself off the mush that was the winter classic ice, I suspected a concussion. Somehow his employer did not.
My emotional side wants Sid back in the line-up without question. My logical side knows that if he does play, I will cringe every time he goes to the corner to play a lose puck.
If you’re still conflicted, a bit of historical Penguin perspective can be quite valuable.
There are striking parallels between Crosby 2010-11 and Mario Lemieux 1989-90. Both players were dominating the league and carrying their team when significant injury struck. And while this current Penguin team is clearly superior in talent and depth; neither is or was a serious cup contender without their marquee star.
Remember how excited we were when Mario miraculously returned to save the Penguins’ hopes in the last game of the 1990 season? Remember how utterly devastated we were when the Pens lost in spite of that and were eliminated from playoff contention?
Given two decades of perspective we now clearly see what was impossible to know that night; losing that game was in reality the best case scenario. The Pens gave up a fleeting moment of happiness and a likely first round playoff defeat for the opportunity to draft Jaromir Jagr. In addition it eliminated the dilemma of whether Lemieux should try and play in the post season with his back in disrepair.
Moreover, Lemieux’s decision to comeback for that game ultimately delayed his inevitable back surgery and his return the following year. The Pens were quite fortunate that delay did not sabotage their 1991 cup run. In short, all emotions aside, the Pens should have shut Big 66 down the minute he hobbled off the ice at Madison Square Garden.
Sound familiar?
Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. My heart would love to see Sidney Crosby on the ice when the playoffs start. My head hopes he sits until next year.
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