Bleacher Report - Articles by Stephanie Lewark

Get Ready: Hockey Season Is Almost Here!

Stephanie Lewark — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:35:44 -0400

You can tell you're a hockey fan if you begin feeling miserable the day after the last game of the Stanley Cup Final (unless you're a fan for the Championship team and luckily this year, I am). But even so, I miss hockey; I miss watching it, I miss talking about it and I miss reading about it.

Luckily, having a blog keeps me pretty busy with the little off-season stuff that may normally go unnoticed to the average fan or else I would go completely crazy.

Simply, I love hockey.

But I'm in luck today as I accidentally stumbled across news that the NHL plans to release the 2009-2010 schedule later this afternoon and I am just thrilled beyond words.

According to NHL.com, the 2009-2010 schedules will be released at 3 pm E.T. today coinciding with a major event planned for 2 pm E.T. at Boston's Fenway Park (the announcement of the Winter Classic).

You are able to watch the event on the NHL Network or NHL.com.

I'm so ready!

Who Is Jay McKee?

Stephanie Lewark — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:05:00 -0400

Jay McKee is a veteran defenseman and was Buffalo's first-round draft pick of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft (14th overall).

With his blocked-shots stats (a team high of 185 for the 2008-2009 season), it appears as though Pittsburgh acquired him to replace former Penguins veteran D-man Rob Scuderi even though the players are different as much as they are alike.

Since the Penguins have named Alex Goligoski as one of the defensemen to replace a key blueliner making up the powerhouse combination of Hall and Scuderi, it would then lead one to believe that McKee will be paired with Goligoski for the upcoming season. It still remains to be seen, though, as Shero has said this would be a decision left up to head coach Dan Bylsma.

The only foreseeable issue with McKee could be the possibility of his being an injury-prone player, although some may argue that the injuries come from his willingness and ability to block shots.

McKee missed two playoff runs with the Buffalo Sabres due to injuries. Coincidentally, he suffered the one injury after a collision with Mario Lemieux during Game Two of the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals.

In 2006, he had a severe infection in his leg from a cut that he received by blocking a shot. His first season with the St. Louis Blues was cut short due to various injuries including a knee injury, a broken finger, and two lower body injuries.

However, with the Blues paying the majority of McKee's salary due to buying out his final contract year with the Sabres and Pittsburgh only picking up $800,000 of it, it may turn out to be worth the risk. Let's hope so.

Miroslav Satan, Playing Like a Man Possessed, Has Redeemed Himself

Stephanie Lewark — Thu, 21 May 2009 06:15:00 -0400

I'm just as impressed as anybody watching Satan over the last few games—particularly this and last series.

There is definitely a noticeable change in play for Miro. He's stepped up his game and I think it's great.

He really deserved the goal he scored in Game One of the Finals against the Canes. And what a goal it was—breaking out of the penalty box, taking a pass from Matt Cooke, and just skating away with it.

It was really a sight—and good for him! When he was being interviewed after the game on Monday, you could just feel the confidence shining through.

And has anyone else noticed that he's been getting a little more "dirty" when it comes to going after the puck instead of just waiting around for someone to pass it to him? I swear I saw him skate after one of the Canes trying to steal the puck away from him.

And hitting! Man, I never thought I'd see the day! I've had to ask my husband many times now, "Was that Satan who just hit that guy against the boards?"

Satan has changed his play for the better—that's for certain. The Penguins are benefiting and it's quite a show for the fans!

Pittsburgh Penguins Face More Adversity Without Michel Therrien

Stephanie Lewark — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 06:15:00 -0500

After the initial shock of the announcement, I cleared my head and began to try and make sense of it all.

My initial response was to be upset that they decided to lay blame solely on Therrien for all of the Penguins shortcomings and ultimately get rid of him.

It was almost like grieving a death, all things considered.

I realize this isn't as serious, but think about it—we've known Therrien for awhile now and are aware of his track record then suddenly, he's gone and the future without him is uncertain and it's just as final). My emotions went from fear to joy to anger back to a clear mind enabling me to come to my own realizations of the situation.

I eventually began to embrace the opportunities and possibilities that the change could bring until I watched Sunday's Sports Showdown. I listened to Rob Rossi (along with Bob Pompiani and a few callers) say things that reaffirmed a lot that was initially coming to mind all night after learning of this abrupt coaching staff shake-up that I will cover later in this post.

Rossi, Pompiani, and one caller that I can recall covered things like the players asking management for Therrien's departure, Crosby's hand in it, last season's off-season trades, Hossa, and more.

At the top of the show, Rossi directed his comments to the "core" of the team (Crosby, Malkin, Whitney, Orpik) saying that they have talked "privately" that coaching was the problem and now they have got what they wanted, but "be careful what you wish for."

Rossi said he was told Therrien's job was safe and that "management had his back." It is on their hands and as he pointed out, even though it's the way of the NHL to fire the coach, "it rarely works."

I, myself, have recently doubted Crosby and his leadership role as well as wondering whether or not he's been one of or the player that's been complaining to management. However, Rossi put that to rest for me by saying that from all that he knows and has heard from Crosby that this in no way is anything that Sidney's been a factor in and it was something that management is solely responsible for. "I promise you," Rossi said.

We all knew that with "the direction this team was headed in" that big changes were coming, but nothing we ever read or heard or said prepared us for this one. Sure, we could have seen a trade(s) coming and our needing to say goodbye to another player perhaps or it coming to pass that assistant coach Mike Yeo would get the ax; I think we all would have been less surprised by either of those since that's what the speculation has been for the last few weeks.

I just don't ever remember hearing one thing seriously pointing to Therrien. And certainly, without a doubt, there were always the Therrien doubters and those fans that called for his head, but none of us took any of that crap seriously—who could blame him for all the things that were rapidly going downhill for the Pens?

I surely didn't, nor do I now. There's just too many things going wrong and too many circumstances that have affected this team since the final ticks of Game Six in the SCF last June.

Michel Therrien's Firing May Create More Problems for the Pittsburgh Penguins

Stephanie Lewark — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 06:10:00 -0500

Was Therrien not part of the reason that the Penguins made it within two games of winning the Stanley Cup last season?

One thing I felt I could always count on was Therrien's track record and his keen ability to know his players and when/when not to push buttons—and what buttons to push.

I'm not sure about the timing of this shake-up. Did last Saturday's third-straight loss to the lackluster Maple Leafs strike enough fear in Shero to make a rash, panic-ridden decision?

Shero continues to believe that the Pens can still make it to the playoffs, so my question is, who is he trying to convince? And what has happened since Therrien's contract was extended and Shero showing, even voicing, such confidence in him?

I realize that the Pens have quickly plummeted to a 10th-place team and changes are in order, but can a little over a half a season be enough of a chance given to Therrien to turn things around and are the 26 games left in this season realistically enough time to get rid of a coach, name an interim coach, and hire him or another permanent coach to get acquainted and make a change in an unmotivated, uninspired team to the point they raise their play to playoff caliber?

I really question that, but will be the first to give Shero (and Bylsma) "kudos" if he pulls it off.
I truly believe that Shero got rid of too many of the Pens key players (or waited to long to "do business" with them) without picking up sufficient replacements for the losses (loss largely outweighed any gain). Granted, I really like most of the new guys -- Cookie, Godard, Tenks - they have proved their worth, but it's still wasn't enough to create a smooth transition from old to new - too many large holes created and roles left unfilled. I still can't comprehend why he waited so long for Hossa and I think it was a huge mistake in the long-run (and it's coming back to haunt the team now).
Hossa is also partially to blame for the the loss of alot of the players that were part of the SCF team last season. There is no reason he had to drag his decision out as long as he did - NO REASON AT ALL. We lost alot of toughness and physical players (do I even have to mention them -- you are all well aware of my thoughts on them by now and my continuing lament towards losing them): Malone, Ruutu, Roberts even Sydor (for the sole purpose of some veteran presence - we have absolutely none right now; no one to help Sidney in leading the team through these slumps which is something only a veteran's experience and knowledge can provide to a team).

Has it already been decided that Bylsma will become the permanent coach of the Penguins or did Shero and Pens management have someone in mind for the job? I just can't see how they can find a good coach at this point in the game (better than what they have had with Therrien, anyway—which may not be the best, but it's more ideal than finding someone good enough to get them to the playoffs in 26 games being ranked 10th in the Eastern Conference).

These next few games will be clear indicators as to what kind of coach Bylsma will make and if Shero is right in his faith in a man without any NHL experience—although that's how Therrien got his start, and look where he is now!

I am by no means making any judgements based on this one game, but they don't look any more motivated to me. You'd think they wouldn't want to let Bylsma or Therrien down.

When will the players themselves be held responsible for their own success or lack of it?

And what happens when Bylsma (or whomever they permanently hire) doesn't get them into the playoffs or even motivates them to play harder and look better than what they do now Will Shero continue to go through coaches until they start winning and change their attitudes, but what if that doesn't happen—then what?

So what's my bottom line? I honestly think Shero really messed up here and it is not something that started Monday when he fired Therrien, it began in the offseason and has been an open wound that's been festering up to this point.

I'm hoping that I'm proved wrong because otherwise it would be at the expense of the team's success; however, I truly believe that this recent move will only make things worse for the immediate future of the Penguins and not the positive change they so desperately need.

Pittsburgh Penguins Face Inevitable Changes

Stephanie Lewark — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:44:59 -0500

With the recent losing streak the Pittsburgh Penguins have been on, it is no surprise that everyone is looking to GM Ray Shero to make some moves to help the team get out of the midseason slump they are in.

I believe that prior to the trade deadline, Shero will be under a bit of pressure to make all the necessary changes to get the team back on track, similar to what he did by bringing Marian Hossa on board last season.

Although I believe that the team has a wealth of talent to work with, a few changes need to be made for them to become the Stanley Cup contending team they once were that led them to within two games of winning the Cup last season.

With all the new players the Penguins acquired during the offseason, they failed to pick up a replacement to fill the skates of Ryan Malone. I believe this is definitely one area where the Penguins are lacking and it has had a big impact on their success as a whole.

Malone was a huge presence in front of the net which was one of the keys to the team’s achievements last season. They initially were looking to Jordan Staal to move into this role, however, he still needs time to develop such skills.

Another important role they neglected to fill was that of a veteran leader which was eliminated with the departure of Gary Roberts and more recently Daryll Sydor. The majority of this team is made up of younger players who obviously still need the experience of a veteran to guide them through the normal highs and lows of a season.

The coaching staff may be another area that the organization will be forced to look at. The media and a lot of the fans have been quick to point the finger at head coach Michel Therrien and special teams coach Mike Yeo. However, I believe if they choose to go this route it will be Yeo who takes the brunt of the blame.

After all, it is the Penguins' power play that currently seems to be one of the biggest problems for this team.

Regardless of what changes are made, it is abundantly clear that they are necessary for the Penguins to climb their way back up the Eastern Conference standings in order to even make it to the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Penguins Look Forward to a Great 2009

Stephanie Lewark — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 03:26:11 -0500

With all of the recent losses the Penguins have had, it's only natural for fans and critics alike to start voicing concerns or throwing in the towel.

However, unlike the popular belief among fans these days, I think a lot of this hand-wringing is unsubstantiated, and it's really too early to have such pessimistic views of this team—especially Crosby!

And, yes, I am getting somewhat frustrated with the Pens since I know they're better than this, and it's not fun to watch your team lose.

But some of the reactions are starting to get a little bit ridiculous even though writers like Rob Rossi also seem to be adopting this mode of thinking:

Their biggest mistake may be presuming all will be well just because it has been in the second half of the past two seasons.

Quite honestly, I'm seriously getting tired with fans blaming Coach Therrien and wanting him fired (this is just ridiculous, people, and you know it) as well as wanting to give up on Crosby because he's having a slow season.

Come on now, Sid is amazing, but he is human and no one ever claimed that he would be "on" night after night or season after season—that's just impossible!

Tuesday, Therrien seemed to abruptly end the post-game press conference by getting up and leaving, and I think I can see where he's coming from and share in his frustration. He's essentially obligated by his job as a head coach to address the media and answer questions and, of course, the questions will focus on the losses and what the problems are / could be.

I'm assuming that how he sees it, he could record a statement then stand there and play it back at the press conferences after each loss (which I'm sure he would find more enjoyable) because the same thing remains true—the Pens are a good team, they're simply getting beat and it happens.

It's not necessarily any one particular thing and you could sit and pin-point a ton of reasons for each and every loss. It's just not the end of this amazing team—like some people are acting like it is.

The fact remains that the season is long and it's too early right now to be focusing on "the downward spiral" of this team and Sidney Crosby's career. Crosby is not a captain (excuse the pun) that's going down with his sinking ship, so let's put this into perspective.

And speaking of captain, the idea that he doesn't make a good one is simply ludicrous, since no one is in the locker room or on the bench to witness his abilities as a leader.

Let's just sit back, take a deep breath, and let it out slow, so we can clear our minds and realistically think about where this team is at this point and what lies ahead.

Let me pose a few questions to all of you pessimistic fans: Where were we this time last season? Were we any better off than we are now?

We were in about the same boat, if not worse off, last season and it really didn't turn around until midway through—which we are currently approaching right now. And they played well enough to get two games away from clinching the Stanley Cup!

That doesn't sound so dismal to me, especially since this team had it's best start this season since 1995 and that's without two of their best D-men!

Now, that's not to say that I won't start worrying and joining this bandwagon come late February or March—at that point, our asses will definitely be in a sling!

But seriously, guys, can we just stop all the "gloom and doom" and take the time to realize what a great 2009 this could be? Let's make that our New Year's resolution for 2009!

Rotating the "A" Suits the Pittsburgh Penguins

Stephanie Lewark — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 06:05:00 -0500

With the recent anointing of the alternate captains this month for the third time this season, a lot have questioned whether or not rotating the responsibility is an ideal situation.

I will admit that I wasn't too keen on the idea when they first announced that this was their plan from the start, but since then I got to thinking—this procedure is really fitting of the Pittsburgh Penguins as a team when you think about it.

Although the Penguins are not short on talent, you cannot deny that they rise and fall together—everything is a joint effort.Aand when you talk to the players individually about the positives, they will credit each other and the team as a whole without thought.

Each player has stepped up at one time or another to lead the team to victory. There is the ultimate in Sidney Crosby, but there is more making up the Penguins—like Evgeni Malkin and Brooks Orpik.

They are all a piece of the puzzle that makes contributions to being a successful team. Look at Tyler Kennedy. He was brought up from the AHL and made an impression from the start and has earned his spot on the Penguins roster.

My point in all of this? Each player accepts their role. They are all different but it makes the team what it is, so why should they not share the responsibility of alternate captaincy? Its a well-rounded team absent of any egos, so it works for them and is very fitting to the team.

Just as each player steps up in their role when they are needed, they are willing to accept the responsibility of the "A" when that time comes, and none of them are resentful of one another. They all understand that each of them plays a vital role in the entire team's success, so why not share the benefits and responsibilities?

It's very fitting, if you ask me.

Remembering "Badger" Bob Johnson

Stephanie Lewark — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 06:05:00 -0500

Today marks 17 years that the world has been without the great "Badger" Bob Johnson, who passed away in 1991 at the age 60 after battling brain cancer for only a few months.

Even though he only coached the Pittsburgh Penguins for a single season, Johnson is an important part of Penguins history, as he led the team to their first Stanley Cup victory in that season (1990-91).

You hear many of the Penguins players who played under Johnson during that season, like Phil Bourque, Joey Mullen, Jay Caulfield, Bob Errey, and Troy Loney, talk about his positive attitude being infectious and his coaching style being fundamentally simple. But it worked. It was something that was rare in that time and is no longer seen in today's NHL.

He also had an uncanny ability for recognizing players' strong points and putting them on the ice at a time they were most effective.

Part of the charm of Bob Johnson's positive attitude was his sayings—the most famous of which is being used by the Penguins organization for this year's marketing ad campaign:
"[It's] a Great Day for Hockey."

And he believed that, as a coach, you never ask a player to do something that you, as a coach, could not—which is why he posted the following sign on his office door:

"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and it annoys the pig."
Attitudes Lifted Team

Taken from an article in the New York Times published November 27, 1991:

"There are a lot of ways to coach," Mr. Johnson said last year of his coaching philosophy. "You can coach from fear, when it's 'you do it this way or you're gone tomorrow,' or you can develop pride in performance."
Recently, a webpage went up appropriately called, "It's a Great Day for Hockey! A Tribute to Legendary Leader Badger Bob Johnson." It announces that an autobiographical book to be written by Tom Osenton (with the same title, I'm assuming) is in the works and asks readers to submit their personal stories about him:

Your stories - and those of hundreds of others around the world—will be collected and edited into a book that will show—not tell—the story of Badger Bob. Please help us build a lasting tribute to a man who gave much more than he took.

Every day is "A Great Day for Hockey." However, it seems to be most appropriate each November 26 to honor a man who began building the foundation of the Pittsburgh Penguins, not only living by that motto but also embodying it—which is why I believe he would be proud of the team's accomplishments so far.

New Look to Penguins Power-Play: Add a Dash of Kennedy and Cooke

Stephanie Lewark — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:57:00 -0500

We knew it was coming; hell, Therrien SAID it was coming and according to the Pittsb urgh Tribune-Review, the Penguins' power-play will have a new look (with some "grit" thrown into the mix).

Here are the new power-play units as they were set up in practice today (and I'm kinda liking them; it seems to be a simple solution to one big problem; almost like, "Why didn't anyone think of this before?!"):

FIRST UNIT
Right point: Malkin
Left point: Goligoski
Half-wall: Crosby
Down low: Satan
Front: Kennedy

SECOND UNIT
Right point: Letang
Left point: Boucher
Front: Staal, Cooke, and Sykora

“One thing we’re really missing is gaining puck control,” said assistant coach Mike Yeo, who is in charge of the power play. “At the end of the day, a lot of times, it’s your battle level, your ability to protect the puck and how hard you work to support the puck. These guys (Kennedy and Cooke) are willing to get into the corners, win those battles, and give us a better chance to get puck control. Along with (Staal), they’re also willing to get in front of the net.”

Although, as coach Therrien said, it's not always about the end result but the "jump" the players/team get(s) from working hard during the power-play that may make all the difference (and whether or not the opposing team takes advantage of the "boost" they could get from Penguins' play that's lacking as in the Penguins' previous game against the Vancouver Canucks).

“It’s not always about the result,” Therrien said. “We need momentum from the power-play, and right now it’s the opposite. We’re losing all the momentum—and when you lose it, it’s tough to get it back.”

We all know that Kennedy and Cooke have no problems fighting for the puck ("puck-retrieval ability and grit" in the words of Joe Starkey), so this could be good. I'm really anxious to see these units in action tomorrow!

Penguins-Red Wings: Paybacks are a Bitch, Detroit!

Stephanie Lewark — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:15:00 -0500

What a GREAT game!

It couldn't have been any better than it was—and the best part is that the Penguins finally get their revenge against the Detroit Red Wings (and put some doubt in Hossa's mind about which team is better this season) by coming back from a three-point deficit in the third period, and winning the game in sudden-death overtime!

The Penguins were sharp—aside from the second half of the first period when the Red Wings shifted the momentum after scored two goals to take the lead.

However, the game was never lacking in excitement, especially when Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal scored two goals within two minutes of each other in the third period to bring them within a solitary goal to tie the game and force it into overtime—and to top it off, Staal scored that tying goal, which allowed him to record a hat trick for the game.

With a little over a minute left in overtime, you could just feel the Pens' urgency. Their persistence paid off when Jordan Staal made an awesome pass to Ruslan Fedotenko, who shot a bullet that found its way to the back of the net before Detroit goalie Chris Osgood ever had a real chance to locate and stop it.

Key Players

ALL of the Penguins put in a greater than usual effort—let's hope this is a turning point, and they keep it up.

But two players come to mind when I think of keys to last night's game—Jordan Staal and Mike Zigomanis. Zigomanis, by far, was just a brilliant move on Shero's part—his skills at face-offs have allowed the Penguins to soar to new heights. And Jordan Staal just looked amazing against Detroit.

My only question is: Who thinks it's a good idea to trade Staal now? Let's see how many critics there are out there today. I think he turned a corner with the empty-net goal he scored, and he's on his way back to the Jordan Staal we knew his rookie year!

And keep in mind, this is the end result without our top D-men—Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney. What do we have to look forward to the next time these two teams meet on February 8?

WAY TO GO PENS!!!

Pens VS Redwings Pre-Game Review (or Stanley Cup Final Preview?)

Stephanie Lewark — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:15:00 -0500

This game has mostly been referred to as the "Stanley Cup Final Rematch," but a lot of articles have also called it a SCF Preview. There's alot of us who believe that these two teams could very well meet each other again at this season's Stanley Cup Final.

I'm not going to sugar-coat it, this game tonight will be a tough one, but it'll make for an exciting 60 minutes (if the Pens come to play the entire game and not give up in the third)!

The Pens must to be in top form tonight and they'll need each player to give no less than his very best play for the full 60 minutes or else our team doesn't stand a chance against Detroit, but I believe our boys know this and will perform accordingly.

Former Penguin (and organization traitor) Marian Hossa has been on fire for Detroit chalking up an amazing Eight goals and Nine assists for a total of 17 points in 13 games so far this season (with two of those goals being scored in their previous game against the New Jersey Devils).

That is impressive and I will be the first to admit it appears that Hossa made the right decision and that Detroit is a better fit for him than Pittsburgh was / would have been.

However, I am like most other fans and still hold onto the resentment I have for him; but unlike alot of them, I do not resent him for the simple fact that he chose Detroit over Pittsburgh. No—that's totally his "personal choice," as he put it.

What I am and will forever be upset about is the precious time that he cost the Penguins organization by taking so much time to make his decision. He played a large part in placing Penguin's GM Ray Shero's back against the wall by being unable to offer deals to a number of valuable UFA that were a vital part of the team that led us to two games away from the Stanley Cup who ultimately had no other choice but to find deals elsewhere—players like Ryan Malone, Jarkko Ruutu among a number of others.

Who knows how else this would've ended if Hossa wouldn't have drug his feet on the whole thing—it was just a bad situation altogether. We may have had a chance at keeping more of the same team although at this point, it appears that it ended up better for everyone since the Penguins are also off to their best season start since the 1995-1996 season which is also quite impressive.

So, when I read about Max Talbot being upset about Hossa's choice to bail on the Penguins, I can relate with him to a point. And quite honestly, he may not be the only Penguin player to feel this way, but he is the only player forward enough to voice it - and that's Max, after all (I wouldn't have him any other way - good ol' Max!).

"Oh, yeah," Talbot said. "There's [anger]. You can't forget about something like that because everybody in the organization and [the player], we expected him to come back. We thought he was comfortable here, and he was really good with [Sidney Crosby as his center], and stuff.

"The way he left was kind of, [a blow] to the heart, but you have to live with that ... You have to respect his decision, but, for us, it's not the best thing that could have happened."

I give Max credit. His statement is not so much negative as it is heartfelt and it illustrates the loyalty he has for the team which is echoed throughout the locker room and to the media by all the players.

And you can't fault him (the players, or me) for that!

Let's hope this picture is part of their bulletin board material for tonight's game. It makes my skin crawl, so I can't imagine what it must feel like to them!

Alexander Ovechkin's Motives Different against Elite Russian Opponents?

Stephanie Lewark — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 05:39:38 -0400

In response to a recent article of mine, one of my readers left a comment regarding Alex Ovechkin and the fact that he's more concerned with playing physically when opposing teams have elite Russian players than when playing against teams without (and that he would have more goals against those without Russian players since he's not preoccupied with head-hunting anyone):

A friend and I were discussing Ovie's headhunting of Malkin. He said that it seems that Ovie goes after Russian elite players. My friend is from [North Carolina], so He sees the 'Canes, and mentioned that Ovie goes after Ilya Kovalchuk the same way. He mentioned about his point totals when he's playing against teams with "elite" Russian players? I think you'll notice a drop-off. He's too busy trying to hurt people to score.

—m-kim58

I thought it was an interesting point and decided to do some research. I took stats (goals scored) for Ovechkin during the regular 2007-2008 season (taken from NHL.com using the box score of game recaps in the schedule tab) when playing against the teams of the two players m-kim58 mentions in her comment—Pittsburgh and Atlanta—and compared them to two teams that do not have any Russian players on them—New York Islanders and New Jersey.

What's interesting is the fact that the results are almost the complete opposite of what we were expecting. It appears that Ovechkin scores more goals when he's playing against Pittsburgh and Atlanta (having elite Russian players) from looking at the stats and making a comparison. It wasn't a large difference, but I really didn't have a lot of games to "sample" from.

The Breakdown

Goals scored against Atlanta: 6
Goals scored against Pittsburgh: 3
TOTAL = 9 goals

Goals scored against New York (Islanders): 2
Goals scored against New Jersey: 0
TOTAL = 2 goals

He scores a little over four times as much against Pittsburgh and Atlanta as he does when playing the Islanders and Devils. The only explanations I can offer are as follows:

1. We are way off on our thinking and he isn't as pre-occupied with Malkin as we believe. (I find this hard to believe because every time he turned around, Malkin was being pushed around by Ovechkin.)

2. Not only is Ovechkin motivated to be physical with the "Russian elite" on opposing teams, but also to work harder to score goals at the same time, which would be exhausting.

Bottom line, he either doesn't spend as much time going after Malkin or spends more energy to be both physical and score goals.

If anyone else has any thoughts (or thinks comparing other stats would allow me to come up with better/more accurate results) let me know. I'd love to hear what everyone else is thinking!

NHL: Last Year's Stats May Not Be a True Indication of this Season's Issues

Stephanie Lewark — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 06:10:00 -0400

I came across a very interesting post on the THN.com blog. It covers what I was discussing a few posts ago, regarding the fact that Ovechkin seems to be playing a more physical game, and headhunting elite Russian players on the ice.

The post starts out by saying that Ovechkin isn't playing his caliber of hockey thus far this season (he's not the best player in the league or even on his team). And although it doesn't specifically point out the Malkin incidents in their loss to the Penguins on October 16th, it does point out the fact that Ovechkin is now more concerned with making a big hit than in previous years. THN's Ken Campbell makes the following observation:

"Here’s a thought. Ovechkin is undoubtedly the most physical elite player in the NHL. Perhaps he is too focused on playing a rugged game and is looking for the big hit too much. With 22 hits in seven games thus far, Ovechkin is on pace for 258, which would be the fourth-highest total among forwards since the NHL began tracking hit totals."

This may explain why my results turned out the way they did (totally opposite than what we all were expecting). Last year's stats aren't going to consider the fact that Ovechkin may be playing a totally different game this season. So Rage from NC may not be far off in his assessment of Ovechkin looking to make a run at elite Russian players in the NHL.

The bad part is that it's to early in the season to work with the stats; we need a few more months to really come up with a clear picture of whether or not the assessment is correct, but it should be interesting—stay tuned!!

Janne Pesonen Supporters: Four of Five People Think He Will Be on Roster Soon

Stephanie Lewark — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 06:05:00 -0400

The title of this article is just a play on all those poll-type commercials and such. But seriously, my husband has to be that fifth person.

(I can actually name four-plus people who support Janne Pesonen being on the Penguins NHL roster. And I've recently come across several articles and posts from those who believe that Pesonen will be called up to the NHL very soon.)

Brian Metzer, from HockeyBuzz.com, is predicting that this will happen "before the end of the year," citing the fact that Pesonen has eight points (six goals and two assists) in five games. Not to mention the fact that he is playing on a line with Jeff Taffe and Chris Minard—two players who have NHL experience under their belts.

And Dave Molinari continues to answer questions pertaining to Pesonen and this timetable. The most recent question/answer was posted this past Friday, when a reader asked for his opinion as to when we can expect Pesonen to "get a chance to play with Sid."

Molinari begins his answer with a similar tone, stating that Pesonen is on the top line with Taffe and Minard and that his stay with the Baby Pens will not be long.

"The Penguins have tried a variety of configurations for their top two lines so far this season, and unless coach Michel Therrien hits upon combinations that are consistently effective, it's hard to believe that general manager Ray Shero and his staff won't give serious consideration to recalling Pesonen and giving him a serious look as a top-six forward.

"Unless the quality of his play drops precipitously and the Penguins' current crop of forwards meshes superbly, he probably deserves to get an opportunity to prove it in the near future."

Does the Penguins organization already have a plan in motion with the recent assignment of Bill Thomas to the WB/S Baby Pens? Or are we just all wrong once again, like when we originally thought there was a slim chance that Pesonen would be cut from the team?

I'm hoping this time we all have better foresight into our prediction!

Jordan Staal's Future as a Penguin is Up to Him, Madden Says

Stephanie Lewark — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 05:45:00 -0400

There has been a countless number of rumors over the summer about whether or not Jordan Staal would be signed to an extension prior to the the beginning of this year's training camp (and his free agency). That time has come and gone and the speculation, as it often does, has disappeared.

I came across an interesting article by Mark Madden in the Beaver County Times with his take on whether or not Staal will remain a Pittsburgh Penguin beyond his free agency following this season. I have to admit, the article makes sense (I can't believe I just said that!).

Staal has made it clear that he prefers playing center (which was quite apparent at times last season when he looked outright awkward playing on the wing) and he's also made it well know that he wants to play on one of the top two lines.

But, as Madden points out, he can't do both; however, I believe coach Michel Therrien has resolved that issue with the compromise of placing Staal on the Malkin-Sykora, line which has been extremely successful.

Staal is a winger on this line, but it is the second line and he has the possibility of being incredibly productive, as we witnessed two seasons ago. His game was elevated by Malkin, his confidence grew and the entire line was unstoppable. I've already witnessed it at the first preseason game when Staal scored 51 seconds in; unstoppable, I tell you!

I suppose it would depend on how this season plays out. If Staal is successful (and kept on the line, assuming that Therrien doesn't pull his change-each-line-every-two-seconds tactic), Madden believes that there is a greater possibility that he will remain in Pittsburgh. However, there's always that slim chance that he could struggle on this line, and where would that leave him (or the Pens)?

I honestly don't believe that Staal will fail at Malkin's side—that line is just pure magic and creates endless opportunities when they're on the ice, but the closing of Madden's article sums it up best:

Staal’s fate isn’t up to Therrien, or Malkin, or anyone else. It’s in his own hands. Staal will start the campaign on a line with one of hockey’s top offensive juggernauts, and he’ll be standing right in front of the net while the NHL’s most talented power play weaves its magic. If he can’t produce, it’s on him.

Either way, Staal will get paid. But if he can establish himself as a full-time left wing and put up solid numbers, he’ll likely get paid in Pittsburgh and be a contributing part of a burgeoning dynasty. If that’s what Staal wants, it’s his to earn.

If you get a chance, visit the Beaver County Times webpage to read the article for yourself.

Ryan Malone Got "No Love" from the Pittsburgh Penguins?

Stephanie Lewark — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:03:00 -0400

Back at the end of June, around the time when the free-agent frenzy was set to begin, I remember being concerned about losing players—especially BIG ones like Ryan Malone (and Ruutu, but that's a whole other topic I've already beaten to death).

When reports started coming out that led everyone to believe there was no chance of Malone staying, I thought to myself, "How could he want to leave Pittsburgh?"

Now that we're all a little more removed from the situation, things are becoming clearer—or more confusing, depending on how you want to look at it.

The start of the 2008-09 NHL season is just around the corner, and preseason games are in full swing. The Pittsburgh Penguins began their preseason with two consecutive games against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Malone's new team.

It's only normal for questions to be raised again—but the difference now is that Malone is doing some talking!

To begin by summing up Malone's thoughts on the whole deal—"No Love." That's the text message the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review received from him in late-June when talks were underway.

"To me, that's what I think," Malone said yesterday. "Being from (Pittsburgh), you have a lot of pride pulling that jersey on. To not get a serious offer was kind of weird. I just figured they had other plans. It was easier to move on then than if something was closer...to happening."

This is more of what I was expecting from Ryan, but I suppose everyone close to the situation would know it's best not to discuss anything with the media. I guess they feel it's safe to talk now that cooler heads prevail.

Malone told Rob Rossi yesterday prior to TB's second preseason game against the Penguins (Malone's 1st to play in) that he never wanted to leave Pittsburgh.

"I don't think Ray knows how much (playing for the Penguins) meant to (me) and the other guys there I have a good relationship with," Malone said. "I think they didn't want to go to a certain (salary) range, but they never really gave me a serious offer to consider. If they had me slotted in for whatever and I exceeded that, I guess that's my fault."

"But it was a lot easier to leave because it wasn't a close negotiation."

Malone ended up getting a seven-year, $31.5 million deal from the Tampa Bay Lightning, so who knows what was offered by Pittsburgh or what Malone would have gladly accepted from them. However, the difference between the two was apparently great enough for Malone to leave—as suggested by his comment above.

And according to Barry Melrose, the Bolts' new head coach, Malone was their No. 1 target during free agency which is why they pushed so hard to sign him. I suppose he's getting the love from them that he was seeking—and maybe still is—from the Penguins. Perhaps, things may have turned out the best for all parties involved.

So I suppose, just as Rossi does, Malone may be surprised to know that Shero was and remains a big fan of his:

"I've got nothing but good things to say about Ryan Malone. He was a huge part of our team, helped us get to the Stanley Cup final. He left it out on the ice for us."

Whatever the case, it's time to move on and focus on the bright future ahead for both teams. And, yes, it was hard to picture a Penguins team without Ryan Malone at the time he signed with another team, but no one ever likes change. Now that the season has started, I think we've made a step toward accepting it—at least I know I have.

Penguins-Lightining: Preseason Game Two

Stephanie Lewark — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 05:44:00 -0400

Another great game between the Penguins and Bolts last night!

The Penguins continue to look good—or sound like they look good, as was the case last night. If this preseason is any indication as to what the regular season holds, we're in pretty good shape—and in for a treat!

These two games have been very physical and fast-paced—which is no surprise since a lot of these players are competing for a roster spot, but it makes for some very interesting games!

I love the fights and the Penguins' physical presence on the ice!! A lot of us fans were concerned about the loss of physicality on the team, but I really don't think we have to worry—there's plenty of that to go around, with Godard, Bissonnette, and Boogaard.

The only problem may be the fact that some of these players will be sent down to the AHL. We'll have to wait and see, but as it stands now, we have plenty of physical presence to make up for what we lost—and then some!

Here are the Game Summary and Event Summary from last night's game, as posted on the Pittsburgh Penguins webpage.

Jordan Staal of Pittsburgh Penguins Among 30 Golfing for Charity

Stephanie Lewark — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:09:00 -0400

Jordan is on the far left in the above photo.

The third annual Freedom 55 Financial Thunder Bay Hockey Celebrity Golf Classic was held at the Whitewater Golf Course on July 24.

Each team of golfers was joined by one celebrity golfer to play 18 holes. Jordan, Eric, and Mark Staal were among a total of 30 hockey celebrities to take part in the event.

Glenn Craig, President & CEO of the Health Sciences Foundation, was impressed by the continuing effort and dedication put forth by the event organizers and supporters. “The Freedom 55 Financial Thunder Bay Hockey Celebrity Golf Classic is one more great example of this community coming together to support excellence in cancer care in Northwestern Ontario.”

Proceeds for the golf tournament benefit the Northern Cancer Research Foundation and in the past two years, the event has raised over $50,000.

[Information taken from The Chronicle Journal, Thunder Bay's Source, and netnewsledger.com]

Jordan and Staal Brothers Skate for Charity

Stephanie Lewark — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:02:00 -0400

Jordan is second from the left in the picture above.

The 7th annual Skate for Easter Seals was held back on July 15th at the Thunder Bay Tournament Centre in Thunder Bay Ontario.

The highlight of the event is always the local NHL players who participate. Jordan Staal, along with his brothers Eric and Mark, joined other local hockey stars Trevor Letowski, Patrick Sharp, Alex Auld, and Taylor Pyatt to skate around and meet all the children and their families.

To date, this Easter Seals event has raised over $62,000 in addition to the $15,000 raised at this year's event. Proceeds benefit children, youth, and young adults with disabilities.

“It‘s amazing that they‘re here giving their time,” said volunteer and event chairperson Matt Villella said of the seven pros. “They love being here and they love giving back to their community.”

Which is probably part of the reason the kids, as well as their parents, look up to their hometown heroes:

As Jordan was about to be announced, a father more excited than his child screamed out “Here he comes, look!” The remark drew some smiles from the Pittsburgh Penguins centre as he hit the ice.

[Information taken from The Chronicle Journal ]

Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins Play Omnium Gervais-Talbot Open Golf

Stephanie Lewark — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:09:00 -0400

2008 OMNIUM GERVAIS-TALBOT OPEN

The first annual Gervais-Talbot Open took place in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec at the St. Hyacinthe Golf Club on June 27.

Bruno Gervais of the New York Islanders and Maxime Talbot decided to join together to hold this annual charity event. The proceeds were shared between the Canadian Red Cross and Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation.

Various NHL players, along with other athletes, celebrities, and TV personalities took part in the event.

Pittsburgh Penguins in attendance included Marc-Andre Fleury, Pascal Dupuis, Tyler Kennedy, Kris Letang, and former Penguin Erik Christensen.