Outline · [ Standard ] · Linear+ Penguins get draft rights to Crosby

[aceecards]

I just finished watching the 05 draft lottery. congrats to the pens and Lemeiux for getting sydney

[bob_TCC]

Wow. Crosby is coming to Pittsburgh. If he ends up being as good as some think, I may just have to go to my first hockey game - especially since the ticket prices are supposed to be much more reasonable this year.

Who knows, maybe I'll get hooked? If I do, it will be easy to go to the games since I drive by where the Penguins play each weekday.

-Bob

[snowblink]

I just finished watching the 05 draft lottery. congrats to the pens and Lemeiux for getting sydney

Yeah, if they can manage not to screw it up like the other 1st round picks they've had in the last 10 years...

If I'm Crosby...I'm not so sure I'm excited

[bob_TCC]

If I'm Crosby...I'm not so sure I'm excited

I guess he'll have to be though.

-Bob

[snowblink]

I guess he'll have to be though.  
-Bob

[bob_TCC]

 

I figured the Dads in the group will find the humor in this.

-Bob

[snowblink]

Well to carry on. This seems to make pens fans squirm, but the best thing I think the Penguins organization could do is to have Mario hang up the skates.

I see Mario as a crutch to prop up the franchise, and it has just not worked...

Then the pens get to take advantage of the rare opportunity of getting a pick at a big pool of available free agents that will flood the market in the coming month.

Build a long-term vision of a team that can ease a player like Crosby into the role he will decide he is going to take in the NHL. Get a goaltender to take the heat off of Fleury for the next 2 years and maybe he can recover and be the talent he can be.

[northicehero99]

Mario will not hang em up until he gets all the money he was supposed to get before they went bankrupt. That is why he took over the team.

I think he should retire, but so should have Jordan, Howe and Gretzky. They all should have retired several years before they actually did. When Mario retired the first time it was the right time. I enjoy watching him play, but nothing was better than watching him in the late 1980's and early 1990's.

All that being said, maybe he will be a good mentor for Crosby, and take some pressure off in the first year. Everyone knows all the top picks could use that advantage.

As for the flood of players, when is that going to happen? If I am Colorado, Detroit, Philly am I going to give up my top players? You are not going to see any franchise type players hitting the market, unless they are overcompensated currently. The flood will be your less than 30 goal scorers making over $3 million (Robert Lang types). Those are going to be the players available in the "flood" so why not stick with Mario he can score 30 on the powerplay alone?

Overall, I am glad the Pens got the top pick, but I am not sure if the hype is fact or fiction on Crosby. Lots of players perform well in the minors but make it to the NHL only breifly.I am taking a wait and see approach, and I will be adding his cards to my collection in the hopes he is the next one.

[snowblink]

Mario will not hang em up until he gets all the money he was supposed to get before they went bankrupt.  That is why he took over the team. 

Will never happen as a player. The best place he can hope to hold onto getting some return is in the CEO area.

As for the flood of players, when is that going to happen?  If I am Colorado, Detroit, Philly am I going to give up my top players?  You are not going to see any franchise type players hitting the market, unless they are overcompensated currently.  The flood will be your less than 30 goal scorers making over $3 million (Robert Lang types).  Those are going to be the players available in the "flood" so why not stick with Mario he can score 30 on the powerplay alone?

I think we all will be surprised who ends up on the market. I believe the Pens keep on the road to obscurity and end up moving out of town by holding on too long to Lemieux as a player.

[northicehero99]

I believe the Pens keep on the road to obscurity and end up moving out of town by holding on too long to Lemieux as a player.

The Pens are not the only team ever to be on a road to obscurity, look what happened to the Nordiques, they moved and became sucessful after several great draft picks and trades. Every team has pitfalls, some teams worse than others. The Pens have a hard time competing in a city where football is the lifeblood. Above and beyond that the prior CBA severly handicapped the smaller market teams like the Pens, Buffalo, Montreal, etc. Who can compete when the Rangers, Flyers, Detroit, Colorado, etc are willing and able to pay $10 million for one player per year? Now the playing field is leveler, so we will see what happens from here.

[snowblink]

...Now the playing field is leveler, so we will see what happens from here.

Certainly going to be interesting to see if it makes a big difference.

[northicehero99]

Yeah, it is going to be interesting. I hope it does help. If it makes it like the NFL it would be great. Although the Patriots have been dominating the last three years at least all the teams have a chance, until injuries interfere.

At least it has done one thing, it has got us thinking about the sport that abandonded it's fans last year.

Certainly going to be interesting to see if it makes a big difference.