I was going through my daily routine of checking hockey blogs, hockey forums, and listening to people talk hockey on ESPN. It was all obviously about the recent Stanley Cup finals and people giving their opinions on what happened, and singing the praises for the Red Wings.
Did you know everyone knew the Red Wings were going to win? Just ignore all the articles and rants for the past few weeks that said how Sidney Crosby was the second coming of Jesus, and how the Penguins are the greatest thing since sliced bread and a 1992 repeat is a sure thing.
So I took note of some of the more outrageous claims that were made by people and the one I really wanted to address was saying that the Penguins are going to be back at the Cup finals next year.
I would be amazed if they even made the playoffs next year. This is not just because I feel Sidney Crosby is beyond overrated, but they have 16 unrestricted free agents next year that are currently on their team according to nhlnumbers.com.
- B/R Ticket Guide
These are not just random minor league players that are filling holes in the team. Here are some names: Brooks Orpik, Mark Eaton, Pascal Dupuis, Jarkko Ruutu, Adam Hall, Georges Laraque, Marian Hossa, Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts, and Ty Conklin.
They will not be able to resign all these players, or even a good chunk of these players.
Sid “The cry baby” Crosby will start getting his big boy contract next year, which is an increase from $850,000 to $9 million. Also, Marc-Andre Fleury will be a restricted free agent and will no doubt be getting a $5-6 million contract, which is a huge increase from the $1.6 he made this year.
The Pens also have to take into consideration Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, Maxime Talbot, and Tyler Kennedy who are all restricted free agents in 09/10. Malkin is probably going to make $8+ million in his contract and the others are looking at multimillion dollar contracts. So any signings the Penguins do will have to be one-year contracts or at least take future huge contracts into consideration.
This year was a fluke for the Penguins and it will probably be another 15 years until they are back in the Cup finals.
*Disclaimer* This is to all the bandwagon Pens fans: Do not take out losing the cup on me or my article. This article was not made to bash the Penguins with the exception of the few shots at Crosby.
This article was made to point out the problems with salaries and contracts the Penguins are about to face and how it may cause them to have troubles next year. Anymore personal attacks will be marked as offensive.
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5 months ago
Sounds like Crosby, at 20, is way mature than you are.
from 5 months ago
Yep, he's way more mature because I insult people online... oh wait thats you.
from 5 months ago
actually you insulted Crosby by calling him a crybaby before alei said anything to you....if you expect to be a writer take a note from a guy who took a Journalism-Print course in college....you're not going to go very far insulting superstars in the sport you are writing about bluntly like that...
from 5 months ago
Well now that I have corrected by a guy who took A course in college I can throw 2 years of courses out the window and select broadcast journalism classes in high school out the window... I do not expect to be a writer and this is just a blog of my opinion... if you do not like do not read it
5 months ago
A 1993 repeat? Were you implying that the Pens win the Presidents Trophy? Because that's the only thing they won in 1993. 90-91 and 91-92 were the Cup years.
Tyler Kennedy will never sign a multi-million dollar contract.
Congrats on at least inducing some laughter a few times while I was reading this article.
from 5 months ago
Oops, No, fixed it, you never know but I agree it is doubtful, thanks I guess?
5 months ago
Wow, that's insane. I didn't know that. Hossa will be gone next year. In Crosb[ab]y, Malkin, and Fleury, you're tying up roughly $20 mil at least. That's somewhat ridiculous considering your roster is 25 players deep.
5 months ago
This guy calls Crosby a crybaby and in his avatar he's wearing a Devils jersey...gee, I think someone is bitter...you have a massive lack of evidence to back p your claim that this year was a fluke or that the Penguins will not be back in the finals for 15 years...you sir are a FAIL!
from 5 months ago
What am I bitter about? If you notice I'm next to the Stanley Cup so I think the bitter one would be all you bandwagon Pens fans because you haven't done that in more than a decade... Crosby isn't a two-way player, has no physical presence, and gets most of his points off other people's goals and if you watched press conferences and watched him throwing fits after games by going after Zetterberg of all people you would know he's a crybaby. The evidence that the Pens won't be back next year was my ENTIRE ARTICLE... learn to read... they have 16 UFAs next year... most of them won't be back... it took them 4 years of 1st and 2nd overall picks to get to where they are now... so it is going to take time for them to reload... it may not be 15 years but it has been that long since the Pens were in the cup finals.
from 5 months ago
Crosby has no physical presence? Put the PCP down, Crosby finishes checks and is amazing at keeping his feet moving to DRAW PENALTIES. Crosby is a natural playmaker, so it's his fault he sets up guys like Hossa? Dupuis? Malkin on the PP? Whitney through a backdoor pass? You sir are an idiot, and that's a compliment. Malkin, Staal and Fleury will be locked down after this season, those are Shero's top priorities and if Malkin can't be locked down he will be traded for GOOD players and if he isn't signed by July 1st, Hossa will be signed as insurance....between you and the flyers fan (who are both bitter division rivals) all your statements are a) bias and b) have no evidence, where's your evidence? that we have 16 UFA's? Good one...go home you FAIL
from 5 months ago
by the way, David...I've been a fan since '92 when I was seven years old...my brother's been a fan since '84...I'm a lemieux fan first before a Crosby fan so before you call someone a bandwagon fan...get your facts straight moron
5 months ago
I agree with the article. Not because im a Flyers fan, but I think this cup loss is really going to hang heavy on these guys. Malkin wasnt the player that I thought he was. He was invisible in the playoffs except for the 5 ft slapshot on Biron, ha. But the Flyers ARE going to get better this offseason and will become the team to beat in 08-09! Mark these words.
from 5 months ago
Crosby has no physical presence? Put the PCP down, Crosby finishes checks and is amazing at keeping his feet moving to DRAW PENALTIES. Crosby is a natural playmaker, so it's his fault he sets up guys like Hossa? Dupuis? Malkin on the PP? Whitney through a backdoor pass? You sir are an idiot, and that's a compliment. Malkin, Staal and Fleury will be locked down after this season, those are Shero's top priorities and if Malkin can't be locked down he will be traded for GOOD players and if he isn't signed by July 1st, Hossa will be signed as insurance....between you and the flyers fan (who are both bitter division rivals) all your statements are a) bias and b) have no evidence, where's your evidence? that we have 16 UFA's? Good one...go home you FAIL
from 5 months ago
that comment I left was made towards David but to you I'll say this, the Flyers run was a fluke..sorry but you will not be a factor in the east next year, the Eastern Conference Championship will be the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals
5 months ago
There's absolutely NO way that Malkin is making $8+ million with the Pens. With the salary cap, it's not possible to allocate $17 million dollars to two players (as what you are suggesting will happen with Crosby and Malkin). And Fleury will absolutely not make $5-$6 million a year. That's significantly more than what Henrik Lundqvist makes, and Lundqvist is on a much bigger market team in New York.
I would suggest that you do some research on salaries and salary caps before you start making wildly inaccurate statements.
from 5 months ago
Malkin deserves to make $8+ million... his numbers actually getting that high or not is another thing... it is really going to boil down if he gives the Pens a discount (which I think is more likely) or flees for more money... also I am not sure where you see that thing about not allocating $17 million to two players... but you might want to bring that up with the league as the Rangers and the Senators are breaking that clause... as for your Lundqvist comment I don't know where you do your salary research but he's making $7.75 million next year... Brodeur is making $5.2 million and Dipietro is making $4.5 million and all those goalies are in the same division so I don't see whats so wild about a former 1st overall pick getting in the $5-6 million contract range... if you want to check my numbers they're all on nhlnumbers.com
from 5 months ago
DiPietro is not in Brodeur's, Luogno's or Lundqvist's league...sorry
from 5 months ago
Dipietro was drafted 1st overall just like Fleury was and that is why I mentioned him and the fact that he is in the same division as Brodeur and Lundqvist and Fleury to show what other goalies in the Atlantic division are making... no where in my comment do I see anything about Luongo or claiming Dipietro was as good as Brodeur or Lundqvist...
5 months ago
thank you J, you bring wonderful commentary to this article. The Washington Crapitals huh? We will see, wheres your evidence? How did that Malkin do in the Stanley Cup series?
5 months ago
Today NHL.com wrote an article with the exact same point as my article. Trying calling NHL.com biased. http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=365434&page=NewsPage&service=page
5 months ago
the shop at NHL.com has also started selling t-shirts claiming that Ovechkin is the Hart Trophy winner. the rest of the world must have missed the awards ceremony...
no bias there huh?
5 months ago
Being a Western Conference guy, so the East only matters to me in the spring. I decided i should step in and add my two cents. Personally:
1. I do not like Sidney Crosby, There is something about his game that makes me call him a crybaby too, hes no Wayne Gretzky, and never will be. He's only an NHL poster boy, nothing more.
2. Malkin is the real leader of the team, once he matures i look for him to outshine Sid.
3. Sid is overpaid, the Pens hurt themselves by spending gobs of cash on him, and will do it to secure Malkin as well.
4. I'd like to see Hossa stay in Pitts. he looked good there, but sadly money may be too important to him.
5. When writing an article based on something previous found on NHL.com, if it includes quotes or anything from the previous please be sure to cite it (prevent yourself and BR a lawsuit)
6. NHL.com is so biased its not funny, the shoulder the NHL market on Sidney and Ovechkin, quit complaining, don't complain about it, this bs marketing attracts fringe fans. For example, why do you think almost ever female pens fan has a Sidney jersey? Doesn't mean they know the game or anything, they know hes a sex symbol for the sport.
from 5 months ago
So much for reading over my post before posting it...YIKES! Also, I look for the Pens to do just fine, maybe not Cup Champs, or even EC Champs, but they will be a shaker. Top 5 finish for sure regardless of the offseason moves.
from 5 months ago
About #5... I actually wrote my article a day before NHL.com wrote their article so I did not take anything from them... I did give mention to where I found my info for the UFAs and salary cap numbers... also I appreciate your insight and response
5 months ago
No Problem David, just looking out for BR writers, that sorta my job as an NHL CL.
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