Pittsburgh Penguins advance to Stanley Cup Finals

[Pensfan 0]

Age isn't relevant in this conversation. We're not talking about future prospects, we're talking about the likelihood that the Pens will win the Cup.

And it's almost nil. No depth = screwed against the Wings.

Don't get me wrong, they might take us to 6 or 7 games (might), but they won't win unless the Wings disappear.

Turning the point to a player's age when it's not relevant to the topic won't win you points for intelligence in my book.

You were not talking about winning a cup, you were saying staal is "overrated at defense" and "overpaid", which age is relevant. You can take your hands down from your eyes now.

[RockyMountainWingGal 108]

Id have to say it has more to do with your 2 superstars carrying your team, despite average Defense, inconsistent goaltending, and a lack of depth both at forward (the fact the Pens don't even roll 4 real lines points to this) and on the blue line.

You can get away with that when you play in the East.

Congrats though to the Pens for two trips in a row to the SFC.

Hopefully this puts some pressure on our boys to close out the junior Hawks tomorrow night. Until then, I feel I shouldn't discuss....

[Theophany 110]

You were not talking about winning a cup, you were saying staal is "overrated at defense" and "overpaid", which age is relevant. You can take your hands down from your eyes now.

Age isn't relevant when talking about pay.

Well, no, it is. Sorry.

But you just compared Staal to a guy who's never taken a big contract, even when he could.

It's ok, your organization is still learning what it takes to compete with the Wings. Maybe someday Crosby won't be overpaid and will have a decent supporting cast around him.

I wouldn't hold my breath, though.

[Pensfan 0]

Age isn't relevant when talking about pay.

Well, no, it is. Sorry.

But you just compared Staal to a guy who's never taken a big contract, even when he could.

It's ok, your organization is still learning what it takes to compete with the Wings. Maybe someday Crosby won't be overpaid and will have a decent supporting cast around him.

I wouldn't hold my breath, though.

I don't consider $4M a lot for a two-way player that nets 20+ goals and close to 50 points a season at 20 years old, playing with Tyler freakin' Kennedy and Matt Cooke.

The Penguins have made it to the cup finals for the second straight year centered by a 22, 21, and 20 year old. Only good things will come when these players hit their prime. But wait, that's right, we're going to become the train wreck known as "Tampa Bay".

[Snazzy 0]

You were not talking about winning a cup, you were saying staal is "overrated at defense" and "overpaid", which age is relevant. You can take your hands down from your eyes now.

I don't think Staal is overrated. I think he's pretty solid player. In fact, he'd be a nice fit on the Detroit Red Wings. Maybe after his contract expires in 4 years, he'll take a big pay cut and come to Detroit for a chance to win his first Stanley Cup. But he is overpaid compared to Red Wings' standards, he makes as much as our top power forward, Franzen.

[Dabura 12,207]

I don't consider $4M a lot for a two-way player that nets 20+ goals and close to 50 points a season at 20 years old, playing with Tyler freakin' Kennedy and Matt Cooke.

The Penguins have made it to the cup finals for the second straight year centered by a 22, 21, and 20 year old. Only good things will come when these players hit their prime. But wait, that's right, we're going to become the train wreck known as "Tampa Bay".

I doubt it'll get that bad. But the Pens do have cap concerns.

[Pensfan 0]

I doubt it'll get that bad. But the Pens do have cap concerns.

There's no doubt about it that it will get tight. Luckily we have some strong prospects.

[Grim 5]

Wings better finish this in 5... more days off wouldve been great, but an extra game or two could be disasterous if someone vital gets hurt.

Them Pens sure look good... they carved up a decent defensive Canes team.

[Dabura 12,207]

they carved up a decent defensive Canes team.

Key word.

[8 Legged RedWing 367]

Hossa... you people are forgetting the desire to rip the pens a new one Hossa must be feeling now, or at the start of the series. I bet he explodes for 6 or more goals this series.

[Duck Guy 86]

IDK but the Pens look a little more dangerous then they did last year.. Whoever plays the PENs in the SCF it will take more then 5 to put them away.

[Yzerfan1999 81]

IDK but the Pens look a little more dangerous then they did last year.. Whoever plays the PENs in the SCF it will take more then 5 to put them away.

I agree. The Pens are a different animal this year. Crosby and Malkin are playing better - and I am sure Fleury will have a better final this time around. If the Wings beat the Hawks and want to win the cup, Datsyuk has got to start scoring, and Hossa, Zetterberg, and Franzen HAVE to keep it up.

I have a feeling it will be a lot closer this year, but I am confident if the Wings make it to the finals, they will not take the Pens lightly. Babcock and co. know what their doing out there.

Can Hossa be denied?

[Chaosyosh1 0]

Please. Detroit has the best 6 man defensive unit in the league without arguement; and by far the best back-checking forwards as well. As the saying goes "defense wins championships", i honestly believe this. With Nick and Pav back I have almost no doubt that Detroit will reach the finals and once there play respectively. I think they have the depth and skill to Malkin and Crosby seize up like last year. As well with this core group of players (not only making it to the WSF 3 years in a row) they will go far next season no doubt. (I do miss the days with Coffey, Nick, Yzer, Shann and Federov though )

[titanium2 867]

The Wings will probably bring out a different animal in the Pens. They will have that bitter edge that comes with being beaten before. They will turn it up like no other against the team that beat them last year.

I find it interesting how we Wings fans perceive the Pens' depth considering that their fans feel as if the depth has been the best they've seen in a while. I think we're really underestimating Pittsburgh's depth. Sure, on paper, they don't appear to be as good as the Wings. But they have some pretty good players on that team that know how to win. Their supporting cast is doing a lot of good things too and they shouldn't be dismissed so hastily.

I don't mean for this to be a crack at anyone in particular but are we really forming fair opinions of the Pens? What I'm talking about is having watched a variety of their games and evaluating both good and bad aspects of their play and not just exaggerating the bad to create the delusion that they're not that good. So we call them a "two-man" team with "no depth." It makes us Wings fans perceive them as less of a threat, makes us feel better, doesn't mean it's a fair assessment.

I'm confident in how competitive the Wings are and their work ethic and the way they prepare themselves. They just need to worry about themselves. Of course, the Wings have to put away Chicago first. Other than that I'm not going to take any shots at another team or make any predictions until I've seen a game because, for better or for worse, the Pens are much different this year.

[zata20 4]

Wings better finish this in 5... more days off wouldve been great, but an extra game or two could be disasterous if someone vital gets hurt.

Datsyuk and Lidstrom aren't vital?

Edited May 27, 2009 by zata20

[reggiedunlop 0]

He did that last year too I think.

what an idiot

actually, he did not touch it last year. but you tried :-)

[reggiedunlop 0]

Id have to say it has more to do with your 2 superstars carrying your team, despite average Defense, inconsistent goaltending, and a lack of depth both at forward (the fact the Pens don't even roll 4 real lines points to this) and on the blue line.

yes malkin and crosby are playing lights out. hope they continue. (but we did win game 4 of the ecf without a goal from either one of them). as far as lack of depth, we have 2 players with 28 pts, your leading scorer has 19, we have 6 players with 10 or more points, you have 6 players with 10 or more points. we have 14 players with 5 or more points, you have 13 players with 5 or more points (i concede we have played more games) but im thinking that puts the depth comment to rest :-)...........with a g.a.a that is .5 behind you guys, would that make your D slighly better than average? :-) you got the inconsistent goaltending correct. actually we do roll 4 lines. our least played forward last night was tyler kennedy C with 9:38, which is more than 3 of your wingers played in your game 4, and he plays behind freakin crosby and malkin!!! where you bury us is +/-. we have too many guys with a minus for my taste.. hopefully they fix that. anyway,

good luck tonight.......see you saturday

Edited May 27, 2009 by reggiedunlop

[McCartyFanForLife 17]

yes malkin and crosby are playing lights out. hope they continue. (but we did win game 4 of the ecf without a goal from either one of them). as far as lack of depth, we have 2 players with 28 pts, your leading scorer has 19, we have 6 players with 10 or more points, you have 6 players with 10 or more points. we have 14 players with 5 or more points, you have 13 players with 5 or more points (i concede we have played more games) but im thinking that puts the depth comment to rest :-)...........with a g.a.a that is .5 behind you guys, would that make your D slighly better than average? :-) you got the inconsistent goaltending correct. actually we do roll 4 lines. our least played forward last night was tyler kennedy C with 9:38, which is more than 3 of your wingers played in your game 4, and he plays behind freakin crosby and malkin!!! where you bury us is +/-. we have too many guys with a minus for my taste.. hopefully they fix that. anyway,

good luck tonight.......see you saturday

Well we didn't have to play 3 AHL teams to get to the SCF; we only have played one AHL team (CBJ)

Edited May 27, 2009 by McCartyFanForLife

[reggiedunlop 0]

Well we didn't have to play 3 AHL teams to get to the SCF; we only have played one AHL team (CBJ)

i must have misread the league standings, because it looked like the capitals finished better than all 3 of your opponents and the flyers and hurricanes finished better than 2 out of 3 of your opponents.

but i know thats only on paper :-) pesky stats

[McCartyFanForLife 17]

i must have misread the league standings, because it looked like the capitals finished better than all 3 of your opponents and the flyers and hurricanes finished better than 2 out of 3 of your opponents.

but i know thats only on paper :-) pesky stats

Two Words: Eastern Conference

[Lovin Jiri Fischer 147]

Two Words: Eastern Conference

:clap:

[reggiedunlop 0]

Two Words: Eastern Conference

you make excuses well sir. good luck tonight.

hope to see you saturday

[McCartyFanForLife 17]

you make excuses well sir. good luck tonight.

hope to see you saturday

I'm not making excuses. The Eastern Conference just had no depth this year (or in past years for that matter). The Flyers were a joke and were a waste of a playoff seed. Washington needed 7 games to beat the Rangers of all teams. The Canes scraped by the Devils and the Canadians had their bags packed before the series even started. I could go on, but it's pretty obvious. Basically whichever team decided to show up would win; this year it was the Penguins.

[reggiedunlop 0]

I'm not making excuses. The Eastern Conference just had no depth this year (or in past years for that matter). The Flyers were a joke and were a waste of a playoff seed. Washington needed 7 games to beat the Rangers of all teams. The Canes scraped by the Devils and the Canadians had their bags packed before the series even started. I could go on, but it's pretty obvious. Basically whichever team decided to show up would win; this year it was the Penguins.

our no depth conference has won 3 out of the last 5... so i guess it isnt that bad. just pointing some things out.

[McCartyFanForLife 17]

our no depth conference has won 3 out of the last 5... so i guess it isnt that bad. just pointing some things out.

Well see, here's how it works. The Eastern Conference will always have 1 team in the SCF and the Western Conference will always have 1 team in the SCF. By that point, all the dross in the Eastern Conference will have been eliminated. Once you get to the Finals, it's anyone's game. My point is while the Wings have (are having) a hard road to get there (say for Rd 1), the Pens have coasted to the Finals.