Free_Candy

That guy from Michigan behind the bench has something to do with it. I've had some concerns about Bylsma before but I'm also happy to admit that I can also be wrong. The players really do seem to enjoy playing for him and buy into his system, so that helps.

I didn't really have a problem with his rant too much, there was a lot of debate about this over the summer and on a certain level I could understand his frustration. One side (Pittsburgh media especially) wanted updates from Crosby and wanted to know why he wasn't giving updates, others (like me) were on the "enough already, let him be, if there was a update he'd give one" side. The only point I didn't agree with was JR's "I know concussions are bad, but let's get to playing, let's get going" point of view...thanks, Dr. Roenick. Doesn't matter now. Crosby's cleared for contact and seems to be on schedule to return fairly soon.

Which would be the normal and human response. Most people and fans I know (from various teams and my own) have strong opinions about players and don't always like them, but draw the line at wishing serious harm or injury on them. In addition to what Shoreline, Southern Wings Fan and others pointed out, in additional context, the media had been on Crosby's ass all summer for not giving any interviews or updates, which I thought was stupid. A player can only say "I'm getting better, but I don't know when I'll be back" so many times, the plan was just to give one good and informative presser and be done with it. As they also had doctors flown in (with tight schedules and patients of their own) that could have also been a complicating factor in postponing it. In the end, I do think postponing it would have been a nice gesture, but I don't think any disrespect was intended by not doing so. It's probably just not worth making it into bigger controversy than it needs to be.

Detroit/Colorado rivalry is one of my all time favorites. /rooted for Detroit

I'm chuckling because I'm giving a +1 to a post that says Cindy in it but I agree with the overall sentiment. And thank you for your well wishes in the other (Lokomotiv crash) thread (didn't want to take it off topic). In general they sound pretty optimistic about his recovery and ability to play so far, I think the difference would be recovery time. In light of what we are continuing to learn about concussions, it sounds to me like players in the past just weren't taking enough time off to heal and that's had long term consequences. If this were 10, even 5 years ago he might have been back on the ice for the playoffs or something. He may or may not be on the same trajectory as a player if he comes back, but in the end, for him and any other player that has suffered a brain injury, it isn't just about playing hockey longer term or even playing at all, it's also considering longer term quality of life outside of hockey. If it's one thing we've all been reminded of with today's tragedy, the players are so much more than just hockey players, they are also living, breathing human beings with loved ones and families, with lives that matter outside of hockey.

Just wanted to stop by and offer my condolences to the Wings and their fans for this loss. What a horrible summer this has been for hockey. Take care.

Long time no see, dudes! If you havent seen it and are able: to quote Boudreau, "Get your asses out of your heads!" and see it. ;-) Great watch no matter which team, it really shows a great perspective on player culture, shows the day to day rather than just a lot of glossy hype. Play the Puck Daddy Drinking Game at your own risk, Craig Adams is shown for over 3 seconds (reading literature on the plane while others play video games and cards...obviously a Harvard grad.)

I've been traveling and just found out about this. Probert was one of my favorites and to me he's always been a Wing (but a universal badass in the best way most of all) Such a shock, and so sad. My condolences and prayers. Rest in peace.

Leave it to Johan Franzen to steal the show from Jordan Staal's adamantium foot. I tip my hat, sir. Jättebra.

TSNBobMcKenzie reporting he had surgery to repair foot tendon that runs to toe, but could be back next round if not sooner. As I see it, Pens still have a decent shot of getting through the east as long as guys step up and don't do anything stupid. We would probably need him back if we got to the finals and I am doubtful we would repeat without him, though. It would make it significantly harder, anyway. He's a good kid, built like a big moose. Pretty amazing that he hadn't missed a single game since his rookie year (06-07). Even then he only sat out a game because he was sick.

What the hockey gods giveth, they taketh away. They're reporting that Staal is out for the season.

That sounds like something Barry Melrose would say.

You do realize that all this sudden talk of the Pens being the favorite out of the east means we'll s*** the bed, get some freak injuries and be done. In all seriousness though, nothing is guaranteed. I think the Devils would have been the worst matchup out of anyone for the Pens, for whatever reason, Lemaire and Marty completely sat on us and suffocated us all year. We could score on the Caps this year, but never the Devils. I still don't like to count the Caps out because they're so dangerous and talented when they're on, but going to 7 this early on and lack of deep playoff experience does hurt them and make them more beatable than before. But anything could still happen, my biggest concern in general is them being able to stay healthy. Ever since 93 I've learned to never assume or take anything for granted, it doesn't take much to change an entire series.

Ovechkin doesn't really seem to acknowledge the kid, so I tend to think it was just his pregame ritual as some Caps fans pointed out. I don't think Ovechkin meant anything either way, playful or malicious. Probably just thinking about the game, doing his usual thing and there happened to be a kid there. Kid was probably less concerned about Ovie and more concerned about being out on the ice in front of all those people and not wanting to mess up.

He got his replacement teeth stolen in Louisiana en route to Philly just before he was supposed to do a commercial. He shot the commercial anyway, but with pretty funny results.

Yeah, the argument started out because she wanted him to go to bed. Most likely the straw that broke a camel's back in their marriage and he just snapped after the argument escalated, would not be surprised if alcohol was also involved. One disturbed individual either way. I'm surprised this story hasn't made it on Fark yet.

Sid's got a good shot at it because he hasn't gotten a lot of help. Malkin and Fleury's play this year has made me want to punch babies. (okay not seriously on the last part, but yes, frustrating.) Would have no problem with Sedin winning, though. As far as Ovie goes, Bäckström's been so awesome I'm not so sure this is his year. He'd probably still get the LBP though.

Oh my god, we traded Kennedy!

Interesting post, OP. I can't stand the Caps, but I come from a completely different perspective than most on here, as they were once a divisional rival of the Pens, and a lot of that still lingers. There's a lot of other things I could say about the subject but it would take up a lot of time. Hate also takes up energy and I've been on vacation....so I won't go there. I will say this: I ******* hate it when people yell things like "RED" during the national anthem. They also yell "RED" in Carolina, and when they say "you see", they yell "JUSSI." I don't care what team it is, I can't stand it when people do that. For a brief moment you're paying respect to your country, you have the rest of the evening to root for your team. Not to get all Uncle Sam and Apple Pie on your ass, but that is a pet peeve of mine.

I think there may be at least some mental lapses throughout the year following a deep run with a lot of teams. But as far as being tired I don't think the players want to think of it that way. Mostly I think the league has just become more and more competitive, for both players on individual levels, and teams overall. We don't see teams win 4 in a row anymore like the 80s...and even now just going back to back is becoming more difficult.

It was a horrible hit, and Cooke deserves to be suspended. No excuses.

Talbot was laughing during the altercation on the MSG feed as well, I have no idea what on earth he was doing there, but Avery's response was hilarious. Avery is one of those guys that I have actually grown to find quite amusing and he's a decent player when he puts his mind to it. But I'd never want him on my team -- because New York is really the only place I see him ever really see him totally in his element and fitting in anywhere. It seems like anywhere else he goes, he gets bored and acts out.

Again, I'm not denying anything of what Shero has had to work with at all. In the end, only time well tell. Only reason I piped up was because I was under the impression from your previous post that you were mistaken as far as how long Shero has been GM in Pittsburgh. No worries. Fans will show a certain attachment to a GM just after a championship, but in the end it's just a poll. There's a reason why fans aren't GM's.

Shero's been the GM for four years. Everything that happened prior to 2006 for better or worse involved Craig Patrick and much of the team still has Patrick's fingerprints on it. Realistically it will take at least a few years more to really assess Shero's abilities, but he has proven so far to be pretty smart about managing the cap and making the right trades to assemble a supporting cast around the core. If you want to object because he is yet unproven and already had good players to work with, that is totally fine, but it's not really accurate to say he made the team blow for over 10 years. I don't rank him as "best" yet along the likes of Holland or Lamiorello because it's best to let time be the judge for now, but he does show promise.