Helps to forget that the Pirates exist.

The NHL network is showing games broken down to an hours worth of time the rest of this week into next. Guess what, the fuckers are only making the Pens/Blues game available whilst showing other teams multiple times against multiple opponents.
Doesn't make much sense to me. You would figure the league would want to show off their back to back Champs more than that.

But... I thought the league favored the Penguins?

I got to watch the second period last night.
Guentzel was really good. He sees the whole ice and has a knack for finding the loose puck in crowds. He can pass, take a pass and has a good shot.
He had a real nice assist to Sheary on the PP where he was in a crowd but was able to make an incredible pass through two players.

Reaves is an energy player. He wears #75 which really took me by surprise. I see that number and I think Mean Joe Greene. I have never liked seeing that number on another player. I looked it up and Reaves is the first Penguin player to ever wear the number. We all know that after Greene retired the number was retired. One Pirate player wore the number after Greene's playing days were over.

McKegg was good and he has a nice burst and some size. In fact most of the new players all seemed to have good size. The defense was a mess and though Murray played well in spurts he was exposed way too much. Gave up a few goals over the glove hand-his true weakness.

Kuhnhackl blocked a shot at the end of the period and got hurt. It looked bad because he had to be helped off the ice and into the dressing room.

Kuhnackl returned and was fine.

Jarry was outstanding in the last few minutes of regulation-- stopped several point blank shots, even though he allowed one where he had no chance.

McKegg was all over the ice, like he wants a job or something. Guentzel will be as big an NHL star as Sid, Geno, Letang, & MAF within 3 or 4 years. Ideal situation for him and he has every tool you could want. I think his postseason scoring numbers are no fluke. Natural-born scorer.

I'm not ready to declare him the next Sid/Geno/Ovi, but he'll at least be in the lower level of stars. I.e. Hossa

Dude is amazing, like you can't believe he's doing this kinda stuff. Forget the points...it's his hockey IQ- just knows where to be. That's what makes him like Sid/Geno, but I'm not sure he's got the natural skills to be at their level. Time will tell.

Guentzel still needs to get stronger-teams are going to lean on him until he can stand for himself. He needs to work on his defensive game as well.
Credit the Pens organization for not bringing him up two years ago for the playoff push through to the fourth cup. Guentzel has said it was the best thing for him. That is why they held Sprong back-they saw how it worked with Geuntzel.

That is a bold statement though you once said that Staal was going to be better than Malkin or Crosby. I think JG is going to be a solid and at times a spectacular player. I could see him next to Sid scoring 30+ goals. Those two need to stay together.

I said Staal would be better?

I loved Staal's defensive game. A lot. Haven't followed his career since Pgh at all, can't say whay his story is.
I agree completely that Guentzel isn't strong enough to take a beating but he's more of a Gretzky player, anyhow-- a guy that can create and see the ice and anticipate plays. This is why I think he's going to continue the start and parlay it into hockey stardom. He doesn't have the pure skills nor size of Crosby/Malkin, but there's more than one way to skin a cat.

All Jake has done since his call up is score and make plays, even in the biggest situations vs great teams/players.

You said it wouldn't surprise you if he turned out to be better. That was about 6-7 years and three boards ago. If memory served you made a compelling argument as well. I remember you saying that Malkin and Crosby were already at their best and at the top of the league. Staal meanwhile was still growing and learning, developing his skills that one day might be better than 87/71.

I was thinking of writing one of those papers on 'what if Staal had accepted the Pens offer back in 2012 for 10 years at 60 million.'
It might have changed the course of the franchise. Probably would have made it difficult for the Pens to sign Letang and Kessel would never have happened. Then again Staal could have helped us to more cups.

Staal had a nice career in Pittsburgh but he chose wrong when he went to Carolina. Injuries and a lack of talent around him cursed him.

I like the Guentzel comparison to Gretzky. There is some truth in that. People always forget that Gretzky came to the NHL on a very talented(possibly the most talented roster ever) team. Certainly he was the focal point but he played with some of the best for sure. Guentzel doesn't have that pressure but playing next to Crosby is only going to help in his development.
The Pens knew early on that Guentzel was going to be a player so they took their time with him just like they are doing with Sprong.

Can you imagine if Guentzel and Sprong turn out to be 30 goal scorers each? Watch the fuck out NHL.

As Penguins fans we are extremely spoiled. From Mario to Jagr to Crosby and Malkin... we have had the best player in NHL on this team for the better part of 30 years. We just don't know or can't imagine what it is like to not have an elite superstar on the ice. Even the post-Jagr/ pre-Crobsy years still had a shell of himself Mario on the ice. He wasn't what he used to be but he still put up 91 points in 02-03. His 1.36 points per game that season was second best in the league. The point I'm making is we are very blase about elevating somebody to be the next elite star because that is kind of all we know. Guentzel is a nice talent. But I don't think any other fanbase would be talking him up to be the next great superstar because every other fanbase knows how rare those kinds of players are.