The Pittsburgh Penguins not only suffered a 3-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday—they also lost Sidney Crosby, their brightest young star, to a high ankle sprain. Preliminary reports indicate Crosby could be lost for up to eight weeks, depending on the severity of the injury.
Does this mean the Penguins will start working the trade front?
I think they have to.
The Penguins haven't had much luck without Crosby, as their winless record when he's out of the lineup indicates. The Kid has only missed four games in his career—and the Pens haven't won any of them.
Crosby is their leader and their heart. He's irreplaceable.
The Penguin franchise knows what it's like to have its superstar out for long periods of time. The Mario Lemieux medical sagas taught the Pens how to adjust—and in those instances, they remained respectable.
But those Pens are not these Pens.
The Penguins of the early 90s had veteran leaders like Ron Francis, Rick Tocchet, and Larry Murphy to settle the troops when the unthinkable happened to Lemieux. The 2007-08 Penguins simply can't measure up.
Darryl Sydor, Sergei Gonchar, and Petr Sykora are the most active vets on the team. Not one of those three can match the likes of the names listed above. Their other veteran, Gary Roberts, is on the sidelines with a broken leg.
Letting Mark Recchi go doesn't seem like such a solid move anymore. Recchi may not have been putting up numbers, but his value went way beyond goals and assists. He brought what the Penguins now lack: solid veteran experience.
Championship teams need to have a veteran presence to guide the ship through rough waters. In the glitz and glamour of Sidney Crosby's NHL, the true value of experienced leadership is sorely overlooked.
As I see it, Pittsburgh has to trade for a veteran core. Names like Mats Sundin have been tossed around almost casually in the past few weeks, but one has to wonder if this new development hasn't put those trade rumors into overdrive.
Now more than ever, the Pens need another center...a veteran presence...a leader who has been through the wars of the NHL battlefields...to help refocus them. A trade involving a Sundin type for Jordan Staal, Angelo Esposito, and a draft pick or two has serious merit—and would take some salary cap pressure off the Pens in the future as they try to re-sign their young guns.
Now is the time for the Pens to act. No one knows what GM Ray Shero will do, but Penguin fans are hoping for two things: a better than expected evaluation of Crosby's injury, and a General Manager not afraid to pull the trigger on a trade that will help the team.
The Pens could surprise without Crosby. But seriously: a team already suffering from a lack of secondary scoring facing life without its top producer?
The odds are against them.
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9 months ago
They may need a veteran, but not Mats Sundin. The penguins would be crazy to lose Staal to Toronto for Sundin considering they would have to try and sign him after the year. Pittsburgh gets nothing in return should Sundin not sign. Very bad idea on your part!!!!!!!!!!!
9 months ago
Sundin is rumored in Montreal.
And if the injury to Crosby keeps the Pens out of the playoffs, will it cost head coach Michel therrien s job?
9 months ago
It wouldn't be so crazy. The way the new NHL works with the Salary Cap restraints, teams like Pittsburgh only have a small window of years to get the cup because the reality is, they wont be able to sign all their good young guys and keep every important piece in the fold (see Buffalo for example.) They have Crosby locked up, Whitney locked up, Fleury is an RFA after this season and I'm sure they want to get him done long term, Malkin still has one more year, but you know they want him locked up, and Conklin is also a UFA and the way he has played, if the Pens wish to keep him around it will be for more than the paltry $500,000 he made this season.
Thus with all those moves to consider, the Penguins would have to say bye bye to one of their young players, not because they want to, but simply out of sheer necessity. If they didn't they would likely end up like Tampa Bay and we all know how well that is going.
So really, in retrospect Mr. Anonymous, you could lose young, talented Staal for absolutely nothing, or you could trade him for a Centre who could help your team deep into the playoffs. I personally, would rather lose a veteran who gives you a good chance at the cup than a young guy for nothing.
BTW Justin, awesome article, well written, timely too. It looks like you're one of the first on here to post about the injury.
Keep up the good work
from 9 months ago
I posted about it yesterday at 11:00 PM EST.
9 months ago
By the way things are going in New York R. , you could expect a trade out of that franchise. Even though it would cost the Penguins a lot in salary and young talent, they could pick up Straka, Drury, or maybe even Shanahan. But, Pittsburgh fans shouldn't be too concerned since guys like Malkin and Staal are most likely to use this situation to their advantage. Expect big points and more production out of those 2.
9 months ago
Hindsight 20-20, but dropping Recchi was not the smartest move. He has produced a point a game in Atlanta since signing with the Thrashers, and even scored the winner in a shootout against the Pens. Can we expect Malkin to step up and lead at such a long age? For the Pens sake, he'd better. He is an immense talent and will get plenty of ice time, now with Crosby on the shelf. The loss of #87 will undoubtedly mean a drop in the standings for Pittsburgh, as well as, the win total for goalie Ty Conklin. Ty has played way over his head, most would agree.
9 months ago
The Pens won tonight, before that I would have said absolutely, but tonight they proved they can win, and against a great team in the Sens. I don't think it'll hurt to bolster the offense, but not at the expense of the chemistry they have going now.
8 months ago
Pens beat Montreal...not going to judge a win right after an injury when the adrenalin is pumping...lets see what happens.
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