First off, I have to say that my feeling that the Flyers would win that series after falling down 2-0 turned out to be spot on.....to come back from down 3-0 in the series, then 3-0 on the road in Game 7, one cannot question the character of this year s Flyers team.......I expect them to win the next series as well, before bowing to the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals............
The Penguins three center system and win "down the middle" theory is one I subscribed to, as two trips to the Finals and a Cup using that system seems to validate it.............but, it is also predicated on those three centers playing out of their minds to make up for the lack of talent on the wings that results in so much of your salary cap being tied up in "the middle." It also means you need excellent goaltending, as part of the win down the middle theory. If any of your people in the middle that you pay big money to, fail, then you have issues..........Crosby and Staal held up their end of that bargain this season.........Malkin and Fleury did not............If Malkin and Fleury do that to any degree, then the Pens probably win the Atlantic Divsion this season, and find themselves prepping for a third straight Eastern Conference Finals.........so the question is, do you believe that the Two Horsemen can go back to being the Four Horsemen?
On that note, there has been much debate since the loss on whether the Pens should trade Malkin..........those who think we should point to the fact that Malkin has very Jagr like tendencies, and is a distraction in waiting............I think he is more like Kovalev, in that he unleashes his other worldly talents on his whim, and when disinterested, plays very much like it........those who say you can never trade him, cite his Art Ross and Conn Smythe season last year, and his taking the team on his back in Crosby's abscence the year prior............I believe Malkin to be in the top 5 players in the world talent wise, hands down............I do however question his character.............not to the point where I say trade him, but to the point where I at least LISTEN to offers...............IF you think Staal is a player who can contribute more offensively with more ice time and as he matures, and if you think that a world class winger on each of those top two lines gives the Pens more balance, then you have to listen to trades that would bring two top flight wingers in return for Malkin..........I actually think if you added a 2nd round pick, you could get two 30 goals type wingers and a solid top 4-5 rotation stay at home defenseman............and if you can't, then you dont move him.....if you can, I think the spreading of the risk factor makes it at least worth hearing..........
Unless the money gets ridiculous, the Penguins have to go against their grain, and offer Matt Cooke a three year deal for the right money to retain him..........period........that third line was the backbone of the team this season..........and his grit means a lot to the positive make up of this team.............
The defensive corps is intriguing to me.....bye bye Sarge.......I hope........Letang, Orpik and Goligoski are the only D signed.....Eaton, McKee, Leopold, Lovejoy are not........bye bye McKee, unless he plays for a 1M.......not likely........sign Lovejoy..........choose between Leopold and Eaton and bring another physical stay at home guy to complement Orpik...........not enough of that on this blue line....could still see GoGo as part of a trade based on the number of puck moving/offensive oriented defensemen the Pens have available....would love to see Volchenkov, but probably too much cash for him............
As far as forwards/wingers.......I see Crosby, Malkin (unless you get a megadeal), Kunitz, Cooke, Dupuis, Staal, Rupp, and Adams based on their production and/or specific and necessary roles as untouchable............I like Talbot, Kennedy, Guerin quite a bit, but see them as movable based on what happens in the offseason...Guerin did all that you could expect from him but his age is a question mark....I see Fedotenko and Ponikarovsky as not worth any further words...........I see Letestu, Connor, and Tangredi as possible step ups from the system next season................
I see Bylsma needing to adjust a bit........I love the forechecking, aggressive style of hockey, but do think that the team needs to come up with a bit more team oriented defensive focus......
Finally, as I chew on this season, I do not see the impending UFA status of so many Penguins as a negative.....the Pens still have a great nucleus of young talent, and they were a little attitude and ONE TIMELY goal or ONE TIMELY SAVE away from going to the ECF for the third year in a row......with all of the teethknashing and worry about their season that is all the further they were away from prepping for Philly today.......If they use the money that can be freed up with the departure of Gonchar, Ponigirl, Fedostinko, etc. to wisely fill in some of the roles on this team AND we get bounceback seasons from Fleury and Malkin, there is no reason this team is not in the thick of the hunt again next year...........
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