SB Nation Pittsburgh: All Posts by Jim Rixnerhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48827/pitt-fv.png2011-06-26T12:23:28-04:00https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/authors/Jimmy-Rixner/rss2011-06-26T12:23:28-04:002011-06-26T12:23:28-04:002011 NHL Draft Grades, Atlantic Division
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<p>Here are some knee-jerk draft grades for the Atlantic Division.</p>
<p><strong><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/">New Jersey Devils</a>: B+</strong><br>The Devils really lucked out that defenseman <span>Adam Larsson</span> was on the board at No. 4 overall. The polished Swede will be an <span class="caps">NHL</span> mainstay for years to come and could even end up being be the best player in the entire draft. They get docked for not having a second-round pick, which the league made New Jersey forfeit for attempting to circumvent the salary cap with the <span>Ilya Kovalchuk</span> contract fiasco of 2010.</p>
<p><strong><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lighthousehockey.com/">New York Islanders</a>: A-</strong><br>Owning four of the top 63 picks, the Islanders had a great draft. First they grabbed skilled center <span>Ryan Strome</span> fifth overall. Early in the second round they were able to pick a 6-foot-4, smooth-skating defenseman in <span>Scott Mayfield</span> who many thought could be a first round talent. At No. 50 overall the Isles nabbed a 6-foot-2 Swedish center, and they rounded the early choices out with <span>Andrei Pedan</span>, a 6-foot-4 defenseman. That’s a lot of size and skill added for an organization that’s looking to build through the draft.</p>
<p><strong><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blueshirtbanter.com/">New York Rangers</a>: B</strong><br>The Rangers selected Pittsburgh native J.T. Miller at No. 15 overall and then had to wait until No. 72 before they had another pick. Who knows if any of their middle round picks will ever turn into professional prospects, but adding Miller to the fold ensures they ought to have at least one impact player come out of the 2011 draft.</p>
<p><strong><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.broadstreethockey.com/">Philadelphia Flyers</a>: B+</strong><br><span>Sean Couturier</span>, thought to be a top prospect, slipped to the Flyers at No. 8 overall, which is good enough to salvage a B+ here. However, they just traded a surefire <span class="caps">NHL</span> impact player (<span>Jeff Carter</span>) for two young, unproven players in Couturier and <span>Jakub Voracek</span>. Time will tell if the risky deal was wise, but it's hard to argue the pick of Couturier makes it a solid draft for Philly.</p>
<p><strong><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pensburgh.com/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>: C+</strong><br>Using a first round pick on defenseman Joe Morrow might be understandable, since the Penguins don’t have any players with Morrow’s skill-set in their prospect pool. But GM Ray Shero went off the board in the second round, selecting a defensive defenseman in <span>Scott Harrington</span>. It was a surprising move in many observers' eyes. The Pens then used their three middle-round picks on smallish, little-known forwards that seem to be longshots at this point.</p>
<p><span class="caps">NHL</span> Drafts take a long time to sort themselves out, but as of now, Shero passed over several well-regarded skill forward prospects to add two defensemen. Considering the Pens' weakness in young forwards, and strength in prospect defensemen, it was a curious draft. Defensemen can always be moved for forward assets, as the trades of <span>Ryan Whitney</span> and <span>Alex Goligoski</span> proved, so Pens fans will just have to be patient and hope the Pittsburgh scouts selected young players who can pan out.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-penguins/2011/6/26/2245003/2011-nhl-draft-gradesJim Rixner2011-06-24T22:28:00-04:002011-06-24T22:28:00-04:002011 NHL Draft: Penguins Select Defenseman Joe Morrow
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<p>Amongst a flurry of trades in the 2011 <span class="caps">NHL</span> draft, the <a href="https://www.pensburgh.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> elected to hold tight with their No. 23 pick and select defenseman Joe Morrow.</p>
<p>Morrow, from the Western Hockey League, has good size, is an excellent skater and could develop into a puck-moving <span class="caps">NHL</span> defenseman. In this wide-open draft, he was ranked by most services in this area, but the Pens did pass up forwards like <span>Brandon Saad</span> (Gibsonia), <span>Nicklas Jensen</span>, <span>Matt Puempel</span> and <span>Ty Rattie</span>.</p>
<p>When many thought the Pens might draft a forward, Ray Shero listened to his scouts and took the defenseman in Morrow. Shero’s earlier management job, as an assistant in Nashville, saw the Predators take many defensemen, like <span>Dan Hamhuis</span>, <span>Ryan Suter</span>, <span>Shea Weber</span>, <span>Ryan Parent</span> and <span>Kevin Klein</span>, early on in the draft.</p>
<p>Chosing Morrow goes in that mold, several goal-scoring forwards were on the board but the Pens went a different route. Morrow will need a few years of development, but his addition to the Pens puts one more blue-chip prospect to the team’s portfolio.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_743913.html">As we’ve seen</a> with <span>Ryan Whitney</span> and <span>Alex Goligoski</span>, the Pens aren’t afraid to trade good defensemen for forwards, so the idea to draft the best player available always works out at the <span class="caps">NHL level</span>. Now it’s just a matter of time to see how Morrow develops.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-penguins/2011/6/24/2243050/penguins-select-defenseman-joe-morrow-2011-nhl-draftJim Rixner2011-06-24T15:13:38-04:002011-06-24T15:13:38-04:002011 NHL Mock Draft
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<p>Just hours before the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, a look at how it might shake out. This draft is considered more wide-open than usual, so the accuracy of this list as we go on could be comical by the end of the night.</p>
<p>Regardless, we see three players with Pittsburgh ties hearing their names called tonight? Whom could they be and where are possible locations? On to the draft!</p>
<p><strong>1. Edmonton Oilers - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C (WHL)</strong></p>
<p>"RNH" is the most dynamic offensive prospect in the draft. He's got elite puck skills and will be a great compliment to last year's first overall pick in Taylor Hall. Nugent-Hopkins still needs to fill out from his 163 pound frame and add muscle to be an impact player in the NHL, but his vision and playmaking ability make him the pick at #1.</p>
<p><strong>2. Colorado Avalanche - Jonathan Huberdeau, C/W (QMJHL)</strong></p>
<p>Colorado adds Huberdeau, the best player in juniors from the best team. Huberdeau is a riskier pick than some other options, but he also offers a higher ceiling with his ability. He's a smooth skating, skilled forward that probably projects as a winger in the NHL. Add him to Matt Duchene's line and the Avs have the making of a tremendous young core to build around.</p>
<p><strong>3. Florida Panthers- Gabriel Landeskog, W (OHL)</strong></p>
<p>Landeskog is the most physically ready prospect in the draft to play in the NHL next season. Florida can use that, but they can also use the character, work ethic and energy that Landeskog can immediately add.</p>
<p><strong>4 New Jersey Devils- Adam Larsson, D, (Sweden)</strong></p>
<p>A dream scenario for the Devils- they won the draft lottery to move up to this position, and the prospect they wanted falls to them. Larsson has NHL size and already played (and played well) in the top professional men's league in Sweden as a 17 year old. With a good mix of hockey sense and all-around game, he'll be a mainstay in the NHL for years.</p>
<p><strong>5 New York Islanders- Sean Couturier, C (QMJHL)</strong></p>
<p>The Islanders continue to add to their forward prospect pool with the best two-way player in the draft. Couturier has been compared in some circles to a Jordan Staal type of player with his size, reach and positioning. If his offensive abilities can progress, Couturier could be a special player, but at worst he will be a solid and reliable contributor.</p>
<p><strong>6 Ottawa Senators- Ryan Strome, C (OHL)</strong></p>
<p>Strome's stock has risen all year with a great season- he and Nugent-Hopkins tied for the most points (106) scored by any draft eligible player. Strome is a great playmaker and has terrific hands. Ottawa can use the skill infusion.</p>
<p><strong>7 Winnipeg Jets- Dougie Hamilton, D (OHL)</strong></p>
<p>Winnipeg is back in the NHL and are likely to announce they've brought back the Jets nickname tonight. That'll be the big story, overshadowing the pick of a very solid two-way defenseman who may have the highest ceiling for any defenseman in the draft.</p>
<p><strong>8 Philadelphia Flyers- Mika Zibanejad, C (QMJHL)</strong></p>
<p>Zibanejad is a center with good size, great two-way abilities and scoring touch. Which sounds pretty similar to an unpolished, younger Jeff Carter, the player the Flyers traded yesterday to get this pick.</p>
<p><strong>9 Boston Bruins- Ryan Murphy, D (OHL)</strong></p>
<p>The rich get richer: the defending Stanley Cup champs add an elite puck-moving defenseman in Ryan Murphy. The B's got this pick in the trade with Toronto for Phil Kessel and adding Murphy plugs one of the few holes they have in their organizational depth chart. Murphy is an excellent skater and racks up points, he'll have to add some strength to compete defensively in the NHL.</p>
<p><strong>10 Minnesota Wild- Mark Scheifele, C (OHL)</strong></p>
<p>The host city uses their first round pick to added a skilled center. The Wild need a big, skilled center and Scheifele provides just that. He'll have to work on his skating and develop further, but his hands and potential justify the pick.</p>
<p><strong>11 Colorado Avalanche- Duncan Siemens, D (WHL)</strong></p>
<p>With their second pick of the night, the Avs go to defense. Siemens is a big, tough, physical defenseman with some offensive upside, and at #11 Colorado's happy he's still on the board.</p>
<p><strong>12 Carolina Hurricanes- Sven Bartschi, W (WHL)</strong></p>
<p>Bartschi, at 5'10, isn't big, but he certainly is a fast skater and offensive dynamo. At this point in the draft he's got one of the highest offensive ceilings and skill sets.</p>
<p><strong>13 Calgary Flames- Mark McNeill, C (WHL)</strong></p>
<p>The Flames have a weak prospect pool, so they jump at the chance to add a big center with offensive potential. McNeill has a lot of strength and his high-end ceiling has been compared to that of a Ryan Kesler player.</p>
<p><strong>14 Dallas Stars- Jamieson Oleksiak, D (Northeastern)</strong></p>
<p>At 6'7, 245 pounds, Oleksiak has drawn natural comparisions to Tyler Myers or Zdeno Chara. Don't expect the big guy to last long in the draft.</p>
<p><strong>15 New York Rangers- Joel Armia, W (Finland)</strong></p>
<p>High offensive upside for this winger, but knocks on his consistency.</p>
<p><strong>16 Buffalo Sabres- Nathan Beaulieu, D (QMJHL)</strong></p>
<p>Beaulieu is a great puck moving defenseman, a commodity for NHL teams always seeking smooth skaters that can distribute the puck and run a power play.</p>
<p><strong>17 Montreal Canadiens- Matt Puempel, W (OHL)</strong></p>
<p>The Habs add a goal scoring winger and aren't concerned about a hip injury.</p>
<p><strong>18 Chicago Blackhawks- JT Miller, C (North Dakota)</strong></p>
<p>A great two-way center with a good motor that's headed to North Dakota? To the Hawks, that sounds a lot like Jonathan Toews. Miller doesn't figure to end up with that elite of a ceiling, but his future is still bright, and he is the first prospect with Pittsburgh roots to hear his name called.</p>
<p><strong>19 Edmonton Oilers- Jonas Brodin, D (Sweden)</strong></p>
<p>Smooth skating, good size and hockey sense- sounds like the classic Swedish defenseman.</p>
<p><strong>20 Phoenix Coyotes- Nicklas Jensen, W (OHL)</strong></p>
<p>Jensen has ideal size, is a great skater and has excellent hands. He needs to develop some physically, but could be an impact player.</p>
<p><strong>21 Ottawa Senators- Brandon Saad, W (OHL)</strong></p>
<p>The Gibsonia native gets selected by Ottawa, who added Strome at #6 and hope Saad can join him one day on a top line in the NHL.</p>
<p><strong>22 Anaheim Ducks Zach Phillips, C (QMJHL)</strong></p>
<p>Phillips played a huge role in his team winning the Memorial Cup and is a high-end offensive players. His skating needs work.</p>
<p><strong>23 Pittsburgh Penguins- Rocco Grimaldi, C (North Dakota)</strong></p>
<p>The Penguins roll the dice on the smallest player in the draft. Grimaldi is a terrific skater, has great hands, excellent drive, but how will his 5'6, 165 pound frame translate in the NHL? That's the million dollar question, but the Pens are in a position to roll the dice and swing for the fences on the type of high-end skilled prospect that they don't currently have a lot of.</p>
<p><strong>24 Detroit Red Wings- Oscar Klefbom, D, (Sweden)</strong></p>
<p>Detroit loves how his stock has risen, another technically sound player that has time to develop as the ageless Nicklas Lidstrom keeps on playing.</p>
<p><strong>25 Toronto Maple Leafs- Boone Jenner, C (OHL)</strong></p>
<p>Boone Jenner is about the defintion of a Brian Burke player: big, tough, hard-working, skilled. This one's right up the Leaf GM's alley.</p>
<p><strong>26 Washington Capitals- Scott Mayfield, D (USHL)</strong></p>
<p>Size (6'4), skating ability, aggression, and puck control make Mayfield an intriguing prospect.</p>
<p><strong>27 Tampa Bay Lightning- John Gibson, G (Michigan)</strong></p>
<p>Tampa GM Steve Yzerman turns to the Pittsburgh native to add a badly needed goaltender prospect.</p>
<p><strong>28 San Jose Sharks- Tomas Jurco, W (QMJHL)</strong></p>
<p>The European player proved he could play in North America this season in the CHL and has skill to burn.</p>
<p><strong>29 Vancouver Canucks- Joe Morrow, D (WHL)</strong></p>
<p>A good puck-moving defenseman always helps an NHL team, Vancouver glad to add Morrow and let him develop for a few years.</p>
<p><strong>30 Toronto Maple Leafs- Tyler Biggs, W (US National Development Team)</strong></p>
<p>At 6'2 210, Biggs lives up to his name. He plays an aggressive game, again a Burke player. His scoring touch is a question- but he hits, he fights and he will make an impact in some way.</p>
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https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-penguins/2011/6/24/2242347/2011-nhl-mock-draftJim Rixner2011-06-17T09:00:48-04:002011-06-17T09:00:48-04:00Saad World: Brandon Saad's Draft Stock Falls Throughout 2010-11 Season
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<p>Entering the 2010-11 season, draft prospects were sky high for Gibsonia's Brandon Saad. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, he helped Team USA win the Under-18 hockey championship in the spring 2010. He went to play at Saginaw of the Ontario Hockey League to continue to ply his trade and prepare for his draft year.</p>
<p>Highly respected TSN analyst Bob McKenzie polled hockey scouts in September 2010, and their aggregate rank for Saad was the fourth-best draft-eligible prospect. <a href="http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/story/?id=333756" target="_blank">McKenzie wrote</a> that Saad appeared on nine of the 10 scouts surveyed and had set himself up nicely.</p>
<p>Then the season began and things went south for Saad.</p>
<p>To be fair, Saad was a rookie in the OHL, a very competitive league featuring players up to two and three years older than him. Still, Saginaw was a strong team and Saad only managed to produce 27 goals and 28 assists in 59 games. Saad missed time with injury, and was rumored to still be playing through it, which didn't help observers who judged him as looking unimpressive.</p>
<p>"The issue with hype comes accountability, and Saad really dropped off the map as the year went forward," said Jesse Marshall of <a href="http://www.faceoff-factor.com">Faceoff Factor</a>. "To be fair, Saad was battling injury ... but that same drive and work ethic that put him at the top of a lot of lists to start the year kind of came back to bite him in the end. He appeared disengaged a lot towards the end of the year and some people accused him of mailing it in as the season drew to a close."</p>
<p>The bad taste left in Marshall's mouth was shared by all the scouting services. The NHL's official scouting service dropped Saad to No. 8 among North American skaters in their mid-season <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=67005" target="_blank">draft ranking</a>, and Bob McKenzie's survey of NHL scouts also had <a href="http://puttingonthefoil.com/2011/01/bob-mckenzies-2011-mid-season-draft-rankings/" target="_blank">Saad No. 8 in January</a>.</p>
<p>After his injury at the end of the season, Saad would continue to slide, down to <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectbrowse.htm" target="_blank">No. 19 among North American skaters</a>. From being ranked in the top four before season considering all prospects, to No. 19 just looking at players from Canada and America, 2010-11 has seen Saad's draft stock drop quite a bit.</p>
<p>There's reason to believe not all hope is lost. Saad's injury, as it's rumored around Pittsburgh, has been more significant and nagging than publicly acknowledged. That he returned to game action and pushed through the pain speaks to character and a team-first mentality. Young hockey players can be inconsistent, and Saad has size and skill that simply can't be taught. As much as he's slid during the season, Saad remains one of the most-talented and highly-regarded young players available.</p>
<p>"At this point, I'd bet on Saad going in the 15-25 range, mid-first round," Jesse Marshall told SB Nation Pittsburgh. The team that selects Saad figures to add a player with promise but still a lot to prove. Brandon Saad will be one of the most intrguing prospects in the draft. Though he had a disappointing season, he still has a whole professional career in front of him to prove himself.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-penguins/2011/6/17/2228149/nhl-draft-2011-brandon-saad-pittsburgh-prospect-saginawJim Rixner2011-06-16T10:14:46-04:002011-06-16T10:14:46-04:00John Gibson, Top-Ranked Goalie In 2011 NHL Draft, Ready To Break The Mold
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<p>From <span>Ryan Malone</span> and <span>R.J. Umberger</span> to today's youngsters like Brandon Saad and JT Miller, Western Pennsylvania has been turning out more and more professional hockey prospects every year. Until now, though, the big-time hockey players from the Pittsburgh area have always been skaters. <br><br>Goaltender John Gibson, a Whitehall native, is about to break that mold. Gibson is the Central Scouting Bureau's top ranked goalie for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Actually, he's the consensus pick for the top netminder of every credible draft ranking around.<br><br>Gibson officially checked in at the recent NHL Scouting Combine already at NHL size- 6-toot-3, 205 pounds. He spent this past season playing for the US National Development team. Among his highlights is leading the USA's Under-18 year old team to an international tournament win this spring. Gibson will be heading off to Ann Arbor in the fall to play for the University of Michigan and their powerhouse program.<br><br>"The intriguing thing about Gibson is his size," Jesse Marshall, a draft expert from <a href="http://www.faceoff-factor.com" target="_blank">Faceoff Factor</a> said to SB Nation Pittsburgh. "[Gibson's] a huge kid but he's really flexible. He has the demeanor in net where he always appears to be in total control of his emotions and where he fits in the game. He doesn't show you much in terms of body language or anything of that nature. I'd also say he's advanced in terms of how well he can play the puck."<br><br>Despite having the size and pedigree, many predict Gibson could be a mid-to-late first round pick in next week's draft. It's especially difficult to judge the ceiling of goaltenders at the age of 18 or 19, so many NHL teams are gun-shy about drafting a goaltenders early. Looking in the recent past confirms this; in last year's draft there were only two netminders picked in the first round, and in 2009 there wasn't a single goalie selected in the opening round.<br><br>In 2011, some possible landing points for Gibson, given team needs and outlooks, could be the <a href="https://www.secondcityhockey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chicago Blackhawks</a> (who pick No. 18), <a href="https://www.silversevensens.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Ottawa Senators</a> (No. 21) or the <a href="https://www.rawcharge.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> (No. 27). However, this year's draft is considered to be very wide-open, and often, draft-day trades will take place, so picking potential suitors for Gibson is especially tough. Whichever team gets his rights will be adding a rising star and a player to watch for the future.<br><br>One thing is certain, it could finally be a goalie's turn to take the spotlight in western Pennsylvania. Gibson could very well edge out Saad (Gibsonia) to be the first local player to hear his name first called on draft day. </p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-penguins/2011/6/16/2227001/2011-nhl-draft-top-ranked-goalie-john-gibsonJim Rixner2011-06-09T16:12:35-04:002011-06-09T16:12:35-04:00Pens Re-Sign Forward Craig Adams To Two-Year Contract
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pensburgh.com/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> have retained an important depth player, extending forward <span>Craig Adams</span> <a href="http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=565396" target="new">for two more years</a>.</p>↵<p>The contract has an average annual value of $675,000, and runs through the 2012-13 season.</p>↵<blockquote>↵<p>Adams, 34, played the last two-plus seasons with Pittsburgh and was a key contributor to the team’s Stanley Cup championship season in 2009. Adams, who was originally claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh March 4, 2009, was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent July 1, but chose instead to re-sign with the Penguins.</p>↵</blockquote>↵<p>Since being picked up on waivers in March of 2009, Adams has clawed his way into a solid role on the Penguins' fourth line and penalty kill. Despite providing almost no offense in the regular season — just four goals in his 171 games in a Pittsburgh jersey — Adams has also shown a knack for goal-scoring in the playoffs, with six goals in 44 contest with the Pens.</p>↵<p>Adams led all Penguins forwards in short-handed time on ice per game (3:05) and blocked shots (64), and was third in hits (171).</p>↵<p>Though superstars like <span>Sidney Crosby</span> and <span>Evgeni Malkin</span> get the glory and attention for their contributions to the team, winning teams often have "grunts" like Adams contributing in gritty capacities. At near-league-minimum salary, Adams should again be a bargain for the Pittsburgh Penguins.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/2011/6/9/2215964/pens-re-sign-forward-craig-adams-to-two-year-contractJim Rixner2011-05-31T10:14:30-04:002011-05-31T10:14:30-04:00Atlanta Thrashers Sold, Team To Move To Winnipeg
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<p>The hockey world is abuzz with excitement today as the <span class="caps">NHL</span> is set to announce the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/teams/atlanta-thrashers" class="sbn-auto-link">Atlanta Thrashers</a> have been sold and will move immediately back to Winnipeg. Atlanta’s ownership has long been in disarray, and with a lack of local ownership options, the team just could not survive.</p>↵<p>The Thrashers' inaugural season was 1999-2000, and it was Atlanta’s second <span class="caps">NHL</span> franchise - the <a href="https://www.matchsticksandgasoline.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Flames</a> moved to Calgary in 1980. The Thrashers never won a single <span class="caps">NHL</span> playoff game and only made the postseason one time, an amazing feat for a league where more than half the teams make the playoffs.</p>↵<p>The <a href="https://www.pensburgh.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Penguins</a> feasted on the Thrashers, <a target="new" href="http://letsgopens.com/cgi-bin/dbman/db.cgi?db=pensrec&uid=&ww=on&Season=---&Month=---&Day=---&Location=---&Result=---&GameType=---&Opponent=Atlanta+Thrash&PenScore=&OppScore=&sb=---&so=ascend&mh=20&view_records=View+Records&nh=1">going 33-8-3 all-time</a> against the soon-to-be-defunct team, including a 5-2 Penguins win in Atlanta’s final game. <span>Mike Comrie</span>, who the team recently <a target="new" href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11148/1149969-61.stm">announced will not be re-signed</a>, scored the last goal, and his only regular-season tally in a Penguins uniform. (Comrie also scored the first pre-season goal to christen the Consol Energy Center, giving him a high goal to trivia ratio in his brief Penguin career.)</p>↵<p>Moving forward, the <span class="caps">NHL</span> plans to have the new Winnipeg team stay in the Southeast division before re-aligning the league for the 2012-13 season. It’s believed then one of Detroit, Columbus or Nashville will shift to the East and Winnipeg will take a rightful place in the West. This season will present huge travel issues for the league - the Penguins, for instance, play two games a season in Atlanta. It remains to be seen if they will have two extra cross-country trips or if the schedule will keep them in Winnipeg for back-to-back games.</p>↵<p>It’s a joyous day in Canada for adding its seventh <span class="caps">NHL</span> franchise, but it comes at the expense of a cluster of diehard Atlanta fans, who’ve seen the <span class="caps">NHL</span> abandon them twice in 30 years. For those of us in Pittsburgh who can still remember how close the Penguins were to leaving town, it’s something to sympathize with.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/2011/5/31/2198780/atlanta-thrashers-sold-team-to-move-to-winnipegJim Rixner2011-05-26T01:40:57-04:002011-05-26T01:40:57-04:00Top Five: Ray Shero's Five Boldest Moves As Penguins General Manager
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<p>On the anniversary of Ray Shero's hiring by the Penguins, here's a look at his five bold moves that have shaped the team's direction.</p> <p>May 25 marks a special day in <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pensburgh.com/">Penguins</a> franchise lore. It was on that day 20 (!!) years ago that Mario Lemieux <a target="_blank" href="http://%20http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=563653">first raised the Stanley Cup</a>, as the Pens vanquished the Minnesota North Stars in the finals. Five years ago, the <a target="_blank" href="http://%20%20http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=563758">team hired general manager Ray Shero</a>, who's made the playoffs four straight seasons and turned the Pens into Cup winners once again.<br><br>Here are the five boldest moves Shero has made in his first tenure as an NHL GM.</p>
<p><b>1. Acquiring <span>Marian Hossa</span> at the 2008 trade deadline (February 26, 2008).</b> This is number one and nothing else ought to be close. The current group of Penguins had just made the playoffs for the first time in 2007, and heading into 2008, management was not content with just taking a slow step forward. The message was sent loud and clear in acquiring Marian Hossa, a terrific winger whose all-around game was one of the finest in all the league.<br><br>Shero paid dearly, giving up his 2007 first round choice in <span>Angelo Esposito</span> and also his 2008 first round pick, plus two young, NHL-caliber players in <span>Erik Christensen</span> and <span>Colby Armstrong</span>. Dealing Armstrong, a centerpiece of the locker room and good friend of one <span>Sidney Crosby</span>, sent the message loud and clear: we're here for business, we're here to win.<br><br>The Pens would do just that, going 12-2 through the Eastern Conference in the playoffs en route to a matchup with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.wingingitinmotown.com/">Detroit Red Wings</a>. Though they wouldn't get over the mountaintop quite yet, dealing for Hossa was instrumental in getting there. Hossa's 26 playoff points ranked only one behind Crosby for the team lead.<br><br>Pittsburgh would use the experience gained in '08 to help prepare to play (and beat) the Red Wings in 2009, winning hockey's ultimate prize.</p>
<p><b>2. Keeping <span>Brooks Orpik</span> and jettisoning <span>Ryan Malone</span> (June/July 2008).</b> Shero had his work cut out for him in the summer of 2008. The Pens were riding high after their Stanley Cup finals appearance, but suddenly the season was over and there were a host of free agents to retain or replace. Just how many? Let's take a look:<br><br>Unrestricted free agents: Hossa, Ryan Malone, <span>Gary Roberts</span>, Jarrkko Ruutu, <span>Pascal Dupuis</span>, <span>Adam Hall</span>, Brooks Orpik, <span>Mark Eaton</span></p>
<p>Restricted free agents: <span>Marc-Andre Fleury</span><br><br>Quite the laundry list of important players. Under the salary cap, the Penguins couldn't afford to keep everyone, but in order to be well-positioned they had to make sure they kept as many of the right players at the right prices. Heading into July 1 and the start of free agency, Shero had any number of choices. The premier unrestricted free agents - Hossa, Malone, Orpik - all wanted to test the open market. Shero identified that not all would fit, so he tried to be proactive and dealt Malone and Roberts for a third-round pick (that turned into college player Ben Hanowski).<br><br>Hossa famously did test the market, turning down Pittsburgh's long-term offers in favor of what he perceived his best chance to win the Cup: joining the Red Wings. Spurned there, Shero was able to retain Orpik for six years at $3.75 million per. <br><br>Quietly, Shero also brought back Dupuis and Eaton on friendly deals, and Ruutu (who wanted a three-year contract) was replaced in free agency by <span>Matt Cooke</span> (who was willing to accept a two-year deal). Those moves didn't generate the buzz of the biggest signings, but the players would play instrumental roles on Pittsburgh's '09 Cup just the same.<br><br>Fleury, as an RFA, was signed to a seven-year deal, and Shero also extended <span>Evgeni Malkin</span> (who had one year remaining on his entry-level contract) for five years.<br><br>Just like that, in a matter of weeks, Shero's decisions kept as much of the core of his team together as possible, setting the stage for the Pens to be contenders for the foreseeable future.</p>
<p><b>3. Firing Michel Therrien, promoting Dan Bylsma (February 15, 2009).</b> The Penguins' core almost didn't realize its potential in the 2008-09 season. There was a huge problem, and it was that the coach was unable to get his players to hear his message. Michel Therrien turned the Pens around - they were famously 'soft' and weak when he took over, but his discipline quickly turned them into a passable team defensively.<br><br>Tough coaches can be respected, but sometimes that can sour in a room of mostly-young men, especially when times are bad and losses are piling up. That was the scene in February 2009 when it appeared that as talented as the defending Eastern Conference champions were, that they were likely to miss the playoffs.<br><br>Shero had a tough call: Therrien was a good coach, but the ship was quickly sinking. And in the middle of the season there aren't too many great coaching options around, since the best and brightest coaches are all under contract and, you know, <i>coaching</i>. Shero decided to promote Dan Bylsma, a first-year head coach, up to the NHL on an interim basis.<br><br>Bylsma, young and energetic, quickly caught the attention of the Penguins, and they rattled off wins. They finished on an 18-3-4 tear under Bylsma, made the playoffs, and eventually wound up Stanley Cup champions.<br><br>And it all started when Shero had the moxie to fire a coach who he had given a contract extension to just seven months earlier.</p>
<p><b>4. Drafting, and standing by, <span>Jordan Staal</span> (June 24, 2006).</b> Shortly after being hired, Shero led the Penguins contingent through his first NHL entry draft. Coming from Nashville's steady and patient organization, is it any surprise he selected two-way center Jordan Staal second overall ahead of flashier offensive players like <span>Jonathan Toews</span>, <span>Nicklas Backstrom</span> and <span>Phil Kessel</span>?</p>
<p>The debate on whether Shero made the right call still hasn't died - all the above named have had finer individual offensive careers than Staal. Toews is a Stanley Cup winnrt. Backstrom has a 100-point season under his belt. Kessel scored 36 goals in his third season.<br><br>But Shero saw something else, in terms of Staal's potential and the Penguins roster. With Crosby and Malkin as offensive centers, Pittsburgh was in the unique position not to need to draft an offensive-minded center like Backstrom or Toews were perceived to be at the time. Shero liked Staal's polish and it showed - Staal made the Penguins as an 18-year-old (the only member of the '06 draft class to do so) and Staal tossed in 29 goals as a rookie.<br><br>Since then there have been infinite rumors and whispers for Staal to be dealt for other pieces that could help the Pens win, but Shero has remained steadfast in his support for Staal's position with Pittsburgh. Staal's developed into a Selke-nominated forward and is one of the premier two-way players in the game. He was Ray Shero's first draft pick, and his boldest one to date.</p>
<p><b>5. Adding <span>Paul Martin</span> and <span>Zbynek Michalek</span> on the same day (July 1, 2010).</b> When the Pens were bounced in the 2010 playoffs by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/">Montreal Canadiens</a>, it was clear that changes would be necessary to elevate the Pens. They lost defensemen <span>Hal Gill</span> and <span>Rob Scuderi</span> to free agency in 2009, and top defenseman Sergei Gonchar's play was clearly on the decline in his own zone.<br><br>Shero again proved to be an aggressive general manager when he traded for impending UFA Dan Hamhuis just before he hit free agency. The Pens attempted to sign Hamhuis, but he wanted to test free agency, and there were rumors, later confirmed, that he wanted to play somewhere near his home in western Canada.<br><br>Shero knew he wouldn't meet Gonchar's demands, so he set his sights elsewhere. He quickly signed Zbynek Michalek, a sturdy, shot-blocking defenseman from Phoenix, to a five-year, $20 million total contract. Then Shero also added defenseman Paul Martin for five years and $25 million.<br><br>In one day Shero plunked down $9 million, or roughly 15 percent of his 2010-11 salary cap, on two of the biggest free agent defensemen on the market. Both proved to be positive performers in that season, and they're locked up for years to come.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-penguins/2011/5/26/2190257/penguins-ray-shero-sidney-crosby-jordan-staalJim Rixner2011-05-17T22:01:53-04:002011-05-17T22:01:53-04:00Ray Shero: Sidney Crosby Had 'Step Back,' Not Setback
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pensburgh.com/">Penguins</a> <a href="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/s_737547.html" target="new">general manager Ray Shero spoke on Tuesday</a> and gave some clarification on two of the hottest topics of the Pens 2011 off-season so far; Jaromir Jagr and <span>Sidney Crosby</span>’s respective statuses.</p>↵<p>On Jagr, Shero said that the team only wanted to open a dialogue with the player to get him involved with off-ice activities, such as an upcoming summer golf tournament to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first Stanley Cup in team history. There was speculation that the Penguins were testing the waters to see if Jagr was interested in coming back to the <span class="caps">NHL</span>, but Shero says that was overstated:</p>↵<blockquote>↵<p>“We’d like to acknowledge his involvement with the organization, that’s really all there was to it.”</p>↵</blockquote>↵<p>Then there was the topic of a player under contract in Pittsburgh in Sidney Crosby. Last week news broke that Crosby was still not cleared and had not been skating or exercising. At this news Shero also showed some bemusement.</p>↵<blockquote>↵<p>Cleared for what, to be on vacation? He’s been away, out of the country on vacation, and hopefully having a good time. There’s no rush in terms of having a deadline to have him cleared for whatever. In this case the break will probably do him well….</p>↵<p>He took a step back it wasn’t a setback.</p>↵</blockquote>↵<p>Shero has a point here - the number of <span class="caps">NHL</span> players who are skating/working out at this point of the year and aren’t still in the Stanley Cup playoffs can be counted on one hand. After a long and grueling season, players need a physical and mental break from training, especially coming off the rollercoaster ride that Crosby’s been on.</p>↵<p>Crosby, it should be noted, was seen at the Cannes film festival in France, enjoying himself on a yacht with actress Jamie Lynn Sigler (of Sopranos fame) and teammates <span>Maxime Talbot</span>, <span>Jordan Staal</span> and <span>Paul Martin</span>.</p>↵<p>Shero indicated Crosby will be back in Pittsburgh towards the end of the month and will be medically reassessed.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/2011/5/17/2176689/ray-shero-sidney-crosby-had-step-back-not-setbackJim Rixner2011-05-16T00:44:37-04:002011-05-16T00:44:37-04:00Penguins Season Recap Part Two: Injuries, Trades And Fights Result In Early Playoff Exit
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<p>The second half of the Pittsburgh Penguins season featured injuries, fights, and suspensions that left the Pens shorthanded for their playoff matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning. For more on the Penguins, check out <a href="http://pensburgh.com">PensBurgh</a>.</p> <p>In the <a target="_blank" href="http://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-penguins/2011/5/10/2159156/penguins-2010-2011-season-recap-sidney-crosby-winter-classic-nhl">first part of this </a>series, we looked at the beginning half of the <a href="https://www.pensburgh.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' 2010-2011 season, which quite symbolically mathematically ended with the Winter Classic loss to the <a href="https://www.japersrink.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Washington Capitals</a> at Heinz Field.</p>
<p>The second half of the season would be one of pain, fights and perseverance.</p>
<h4>Down Go Sidney Crosby And <span>Evgeni Malkin</span>
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<p>Crosby, though stunned by a collision with <span>David Steckel</span> on January 1, seemed like he wouldn't miss a beat. Crosby practiced with the team and was in the lineup for the very next game against the <a href="https://www.rawcharge.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Tampa Bay Lightning</a>. Then he took this hit from <span>Victor Hedman</span>.</p>
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<p>Again, Crosby, while dazed, soldiered on. He continued to play his regular shifts in this game and traveled with the team to Montreal for the next game. By then, finally, symptoms were showing and the player and team doctors knew this was something that had to keep him out of the lineup. Even though it was deemed a "mild" concussion <a target="_blank" href="http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=548659">with the famous "about a week" timeline</a>, it would be the last time Crosby played in the 2010-11 season. His symptoms would persist for many weeks, and even though he returned to limited on-ice practice sessions, Crosby suffered another setback on April 20 that effectively ended his season.</p>
<p>The Penguins persevered, going 7-3-1 in January and early February without Crosby, and with Malkin largely limited with a left knee injury that knocked him out of the lineup. On February 6, Malkin was ready to rejoin the team and shoulder his share of the burden. And then he skated into the corner with Buffalo's Tyler Myers.</p>
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<p>Malkin's right ACL would be torn and he would undergo surgery, ending his season as well. Within a month, the Pens had been dealt two devastating injuries to their two best players. But they still pressed forward, illustrated perfectly in that Buffalo game. When Malkin went down, the Pens were losing 2-0. They'd win that night 3-2 in what could be a microcosm of their season, in terms of being resilient in the face of injuries.</p>
<h4>The Sideshow: Fights, Suspensions and <span>Matt Cooke</span>
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<p>February 2<sup> </sup>saw the sport of hockey devolve into a sideshow. <a href="https://www.lighthousehockey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Islanders</a> goalie <span>Rick DiPietro</span>, in a moment of frustration, hit Matt Cooke at the end of a 3-0 Penguins win. Pens backup goalie <span>Brent Johnson</span> took umbrage with this, and the two goalies fought, with Johnson dropping DiPietro with one swift left punch that broke DiPi's orbital bone. The bottom-feeding Islanders took issue with <span>Marc-Andre Fleury</span> laughing on the bench, so when the teams met again nine days later, the Islanders aimed for retribution.</p>
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<p>The penalty minutes accumulated and several players would be suspended, and <span>Eric Godard</span> for Pittsburgh was assessed an automatic 10-gamer for his part in leaving the bench to protect Johnson.</p>
<p>After this circus sideshow, Mario Lemieux <a target="_blank" href="http://www.pensburgh.com/2011/3/14/2050757/mario-lemieuxs-letter-to-gary-bettman">wrote a scathing open letter </a>to the league, advocating more supplemental discipline and the eradication of intentional head shots.</p>
<p>Almost before the ink was dry on that letter a few weeks later, Matt Cooke - who's been suspended several times for head shots - did this.</p>
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<p>Ryan McDonagh would not be injured, but Cooke made Lemieux look bad, he made the Penguins look bad and he made the league look bad. The NHL would be swift, suspending Cooke for the rest of the regular season plus the first round of the playoffs, quite the stern penalty. The Penguins, unlike many teams who lodge complaints when their players get suspended, publicly supported the ruling, but the loss of a player like Cooke would be just one more blow for them to overcome.</p>
<h4>Trade Deadline Shapes The Future</h4>
<p>Penguins general manager Ray Shero would look to add to the Pens' scoring touch at the deadline. He got former Penguin star <span>Alex Kovalev</span> from the <a href="https://www.silversevensens.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Ottawa Senators</a> for a seventh-round pick. The aging forward couldn't provide much of a spark, but his skill on the ice gave the team enough of a boost to justify the cost for this year, and his expiring contract will not handcuff the team later.</p>
<p>Also Shero made a trade that will shape the roster for years to come when he sent defenseman <span>Alex Goligoski</span> to the Dallas Stars for forward <span>James Neal</span> and defenseman <span>Matt Niskanen</span>. The loss of Goligoski, the team's power-play quarterback, represented a step back. Neal, a goal-scoring forward, only produced two goals in his 27 games as a Penguin, a disappointment for this year.</p>
<h4>A Strong Regular-Season Finish</h4>
<p>Lost in all the injuries and firestorm of fights and hits was how the Penguins actually played on the ice in actual game action. While they only went 3-6-4 in the first month without Malkin, the team won 12 of their last 16 games down the stretch, including four straight to close the season. The <a href="https://www.broadstreethockey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Philadelphia Flyers</a> built an early lead in the standings and would end up holding on for the Atlantic Division crown, but Pittsburgh was just one point behind them. The Pens were off to the playoffs as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference to meet the Tampa Bay Lightning.</p>
<p>For his efforts, head coach Dan Bylsma was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award for coach of the year, the winner of which will be announced in June.</p>
<h4>An Early Playoff Exit</h4>
<p>Game 1 of the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs saw Marc-Andre Fleury pitch a 32-save shutout in a 3-0 Pittsburgh win. Tampa would rebound with a 5-1 win in Game 2. The Pens clawed out two close wins when the series shifted to Tampa in Games 3 and 4, highlighted by a double-overtime win to give the Pens a 3-1 advantage in the series. </p>
<p>The tide would turn when Tampa's main offensive players like <span>Steven Stamkos</span>, <span>Martin St. Louis</span> and <span>Vincent Lecavalier</span> helped the Lightning outscore the Pens 13-4 in the last three games of the series, culminating in a 1-0 win in Game 7. The final game of the Penguins' season also showcased their determination, but also demonstrated their inability to produce enough offense to be a playoff contender.</p>
<p>And when the dust settles, that's how the 2010-11 Pens will be remembered: as a team that showed immense promise but had to deal with crippling injuries.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-penguins/2011/5/16/2172381/pittsburgh-penguins-2010-2011-sidney-crosby-concussion-evgeni-malkin-nhl-playoffsJim Rixner