I find myself addicted to the NHL playoffs still, despite my bitter disappointment relative to another early exit by my favorite team. As I watch this year's playoffs, a couple of things have become apparent. First, the officiating sucks. And that is being kind. Second, they don't even call the game as dictated by the rules when it comes to interference as a method of slowing down the star power of the opposition. The teams who remain have gotten to the final four of these playoffs have gotten there by using 4 lines they trust to produce, getting great goaltending, along with team defense and shot blocking. The scoring though not dominated by anybody since Giroux's abuse of the Penguins, has been plentiful but balanced up and down the lineups of the successful teams. When I realized that the NHL playoff scoring leader is STILL Claude Giroux with 17 points in 10 games for a 1.7 PPG average, I got to thinking about the criticism levelled at Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for not playing like stars in the Flyers series and "costing" Pittsburgh the series. First, let's acknowledge Staal who had 9 points in 6 games for a 1.5 PPG average, which would still be second in PPG in the post season. Great showing there. Malkin and Crosby had 8 points each in those same six games for a 1.33 PPG average. The remaining NHL playoff scoring leaders are Dustin Brown at 1.14 PPG, Anze Kopitar at 1.07 PPG, and Ilya Kovalchuk at 1 PPG. Outside of Giroux who feasted on weak goaltending and defense by Pittsburgh, all three of the Pittsburgh centers have more points per game than any remaining scoring leader. Yes, we all expected MORE from 87 and 71 offensively, but in reality they were 3rd and 4th in the league behind Giroux and Staal, which is not bad at all. The two headed monster played well enough in the current league environment offensively for Pittsburgh to advance. The Penguins got poor goaltending, poor team defense, poor penalty killing, and could not clear the front of their net or block enough shots in comparison to the Flyers and the teams I am watching compete at this point in the year. As I relate this to the three center debate, and general Penguins issues, it is tough to not feel that they need an upgrade at backup netminder, an upgrade in size and nastiness on the blue line., and some balance in the bottom of the 6 of the forwards. The trick is the amount of money tied up in the top end talent down the middle including Fleury, and the cash into Martin and Michalek relative to their return. The Penguins blue line is built largely for puck moving capability in what was supposed to be a more free wheeling league as opposed to a more physical group. I think they need to do a couple of things here. First and foremost, they have to move Martin. Have to. His 5M in cap space for the return they get is detrimental to the team,. There are fits out there for Martin if we dont get greedy in the return, as his movement is addition by subtraction. That cap space can be used to address the backup goaltending, sign Niskanen or a key third or fourth line character guy. A blue line of Orpik/Letang, Michalek/Niskanen and Engelland/Despres with Strait and Bortuzzo or Lovejoy as the 7th would be solid, and still leave room for a MINOR tweak. If management decides they need a major overhaul, it probably means the movement of one of the three centers, and despite my personal disagreement if that is the case, it is likely to be Staal, which bothers me based on his value defensively and on the PK. If that is the case, I think the Pens will have lots of options, some of which I address based on the Yohe article naming possible dance partners, but I am sure there will be plenty of others. Of the ones mentioned by Yohe, I am intrigued by the Leafs, as Burke values Staal more than most, and has a history of valuing Paul Martin. If we could wind up without Martin's salary, as a deal sweetener for losing Staal and got back Luke Schenn who is big and nasty, as well as signed long term at 1.5M less than Martin, and a Tyler Bozak and David Steckel it could be a win/win. We may need to throw in a mid round pick or a Lovejoy maybe, but getting Steckel gives the Pens a big face off winning center, Bozak, a solid third line center to replace Staal, and Schenn a big, tough, skilled blue liner. This is a nice balance of grit and skill for Pittsburgh coming back at least. The Pens would be moving 9M-9.5M in cap hits, with Staal due for a big raise after next year, and getting back 6.2M in cap space with Schenn locked up long term and Bozak and Steckel up after the next year like Staal. But they would have 3M still in extra cap space to continue adding to the team. That is enough for a solid backup goaltender with change left over. With that change left over and Niskanen's salary, you might have enough cash for some additional secondary scoring. Think of a blue line that has Orpik, Letang, Schenn, Michalek, Engelland, and Despres, as Niskanen probably is gone if Schenn were added. Add to that a more balanced group of forwardsm and better backup netminding. Sounds a lot like the balance noted above for playoff success. All conjecture, and none of it may happen, but it is fun to think of the myriad of possibilities for this team. Also the ramblings of a mad man.
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