By the summer of 1970, the Maple Leafs were a team that had fallen quickly from the pinnacle of NHL success. The Stanley Cup in 1967 was followed by playoff misses in 1968 and 1970, and a first round exit in 1969. John Bower retired following the 1969-70 season, George Armstrong followed the year after, ...
Pittsburgh Penguins Assistant GM Jason Botterill says there’s one question that he and the team’s front office always ask when evaluating a player: “Have they played in big games?” Next to defenseman Simon Despres‘ name he can now write ‘Yes’. Despres, the Penguins first round pick in the 2009 draft, led the Saint John Sea ...
May 25th. It’s a big day for the Pittsburgh Penguins franchise. Twenty years ago today Jaromir Jagr was mumbling about Elvis while the city of Pittsburgh was in a frenzy celebrating their team’s first Stanley Cup. On the ice, Mario Lemieux was the driving force behind that 1990-91 Championship. Five years ago – this time ...
In a previous article, I wrote how Pittsburgh Penguins center Jordan Staal has not lived up to the expectations of where he was selected in the draft (2nd overall in 2006); and that he is very close to being labelled a draft bust (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/703562-pittsburgh-penguins-was-drafting-jordan-staal-2nd-overall-in-2006-a-mistake). This piece also stated that the Penguins should have considered selecting ...
The 2006 draft, like every draft, presented its own set of intrigue. Erik Johnson, a defenceman playing out of the US National Development, was the consensus best player available and, with the St. Louis Blues making the selection and lacking any true number one defenceman in the system, selected Johnson. And the rest is…history? Johnson ...
It began with a simple gesture and some kind words. Jaromir Jagr has played with Omsk Avangard for the past few seasons, and played well. When his contract expired after the end of this year’s KHL season, the Pittsburgh Penguins made an offer to their former superstar. That is, they made an offer for ...
PITTSBURGH – The Tampa Bay Lightning kick off their Eastern Conference Finals series with the Boston Bruins tomorrow night after a nine-day layoff. For the Pittsburgh Penguins, the ease at which the Lightning dispatched the Washington Capitals has to make their thoughts of ‘what if?’ intensify. The Penguins held a 3-1 series lead over Tampa ...
SAN JOSE, Calif. (The Hockey Writers) Throughout their run of five straight Pacific Division championships, no one has ever questioned the skill of the San Jose Sharks. Their heart, well, that’s another matter. The killer instinct seemed lacking Sunday. Playing before a packed and rocking Shark Tank, San Jose had two different two-goal leads and ...
Blog: PensBurgh Writers: Frank D (Manager); JDunman, Justin M, and Hooks Orpik (Editors); Lavender, GoPens!, and TonyAndrock (Authors); and tehchico (Moderator) Team: Pittsburgh Penguins Strength: PensBurgh has been cited as one of the more influential blogs by other SB Nation writers. Weakness: Some of the “sections” seem to have been given ...
If you thought the Washington Capitals fan base was shocked by their first round exit last season in the playoffs, you should see them now. No one in the hockey world much the less the nation’s capital of Washington DC thought the Tampa Bay Lightning were even going to defeat the Capitals in the Eastern ...
