[News] Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins on their Stanley Cup win

[Caged Great]

Booooooooooooooo.

Anyway, congrats to Schultz for breaking out of Edmonton and instantly being rewarded.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I certainly hope you are trolling because if you actually believe that you my friend have some serious issues

I believe that Byron and Sheary are pretty similar talents. Nowhere did I say Sheary was the reason the Pens won or the best option to throw on Crosby's wing, but I do think he was a positive contributor, unlike a lot of what we had on roster this year, dead weight like Jones and Raymond.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I believe that Byron and Sheary are pretty similar talents. Nowhere did I say Sheary was the reason the Pens won or the best option to throw on Crosby's wing, but I do think he was a positive contributor, unlike a lot of what we had on roster this year, dead weight like Jones and Raymond.

The Flames weren't good enough for Sheary or Byron to matter. Only a couple of nobodies per year get to write this story.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

The Flames weren't good enough for Sheary or Byron to matter. Only a couple of nobodies per year get to write this story.

All I'm saying is, going forward we ought to value players who might show they can play despite size (Lomberg, Mangiapane, Shinkaruk, Keller), because the Penguins model is a viable one and suits our two highest-ceiling forwards (Johnny/Bennett) better than, say, an Anaheim Ducks model. Sheary, Rust, Hornqvist, Hagelin, that was a team of mostly undersized wingers, plus Kessel who's notorious for being non physical. They also didn't have any wastes of space (Bollig) and their blue line was pure analytics, they showed what Justin friggin Schultz could be if used properly.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

All I'm saying is, going forward we ought to value players who show they can play despite size (Lomberg, Mangiapane, Shinkaruk, Keller), because the Penguins model is a viable one and suits our two highest-ceiling forwards (Johnny/Bennett) better than, say, an Anaheim Ducks model.

I get what you are saying but there is no model. All that matters if if Gaudreau/Brodie are good enough to be a Stanley Cup team's top two skaters. Building the depth to help them is another matter. Personally, I believe in BT, but the Shearys and Byrons this team wins with have yet to emerge, they will be filled out later, we cannot even picture them yet. There is a lot of potential in Calgary but comparing Pittsburgh to them in any way is premature. I love Brodie and Gaudreau but if this teams wins it will be in a different way than Pittsburgh did. An idiot could build around Crosby and Malkin and win eventually.

[midniteowl]

A big Congratzzzzzzzzzz to the Pens!!!!

[midniteowl]

Schultz can now skypes the Oilers management to thank them for trading him out of hell!!

[zamler]

There is no one way to build a team you go with what works. The Pens had the right combination of players and coaches to make their speed game work its magic. That doesn't mean it will work for the Flames although it might. Next Cup win could be from a big bruising smash mouth team you never know, look at the Kings two Cup wins they were brutally physical.

Oh and Schultz winning a Cup is even more epic than Kessel on the schadenfreude scale.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by wittynickname

This entire run was very much a team effort. Some nights it was Murray, some nights it was the d-core, some nights it was the forwards. Every line did its job, each defenseman did his job, the coach did his job, the goalie did his job. This was not a matter of a superstar player or two taking over a series. This was a team win, top to bottom. No one player on the Pens really stood out on a nightly basis.

Crosby's game changed dramatically before our eyes this season. Is he putting up the numbers he has in the past? Nope. But he played a 200 foot game every single night. He was used to shut down other teams' top lines. He was used to win huge faceoffs. He was used in a million different ways other than just dominance offensively. The numbers may not be there, but his mark is all over this team right now.

In years previous, Crosby was petulant and easily frustrated, easily knocked off his game. This season he was determined, steel-eyed on his goal, and the team followed suit. This was the most disciplined I've seen a Pens team play in years, and it started with his leadership.

There are cases for several players, but there's nothing wrong with Sid taking home the Smythe.

Exactly.

[CalgaryFan1988]

I'm not a fan of Fleury, but I can't help but feel bad for him. He led the team to the playoffs and he probably knows he's played his last game in a pens uniform.

[wittynickname]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

I'm not a fan of Fleury, but I can't help but feel bad for him. He led the team to the playoffs and he probably knows he's played his last game in a pens uniform.

By the same token, the Pens have made two deep runs in the playoffs in the last 7 years. This year, obviously, in front of Matt Murray.

The last time they made it to the ECF, they made it on the back of Tomas Vokoun, as Fleury had failed miserably and they put Vokoun in to stop the bleeding.

Fleury's a fantastic regular season goaltender, but he doesn't often have the mental toughness to get through a playoff year. The Penguins failures in the last 6 years aren't all on him, obviously, but this team plays differently in front of him. When Murray gives up a bad goal early, it doesn't feel like all hope is lost. When Fleury does, you can see in his body language that he's defeated.

Fleury's a great human being, but I was glad to see someone else in net.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Thornton and Marleau played like garbage this series. Didn't deserve it, hate to say.

Kind of a sad sack effort from the Western Conference finalists. Still full marks to the Pens. That was textbook team defence. Seeing those once offense-first star players band together and play a strong 200-foot game is impressive.

I think Thornton and Marleau ran out of gas. Age has caught up with them.

[btimbit]

Have to smirk at seeing Schultz dubnyking all the way to a cup.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

Played a high-tempo, exciting brand of hockey in the Finals.

I think I missed that part. Seemed to me they just all collapsed into the crease to block shots. Torts would be proud.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...ter-game-4-win

[The Penguins' smothering, shot-blocking, lane-clogging defense was the dominant factor]

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by troutman

I think I missed that part. Seemed to me they just all collapsed into the crease to block shots.

They did clog things up in their own end with aplomb... but you did indeed miss the quick transition from defense to offense on turnovers. They played with speed and tenacity getting the puck from their own end onto the attack through the neutral zone with blazing speed. Not sure how anyone watching could have missed that. It was a huge difference in the series the way the Pens would counter attack off turnovers and quickly cycle the puck around the offensive zone for large stretches.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by troutman

I think I missed that part. Seemed to me they just all collapsed into the crease to block shots. Torts would be proud.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...ter-game-4-win

[The Penguins' smothering, shot-blocking, lane-clogging defense was the dominant factor]

And yet, the whole series was still very fast, and very exciting. It actually goes a long way in dispelling the myth that defensive hockey is boring.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by troutman

I think I missed that part. Seemed to me they just all collapsed into the crease to block shots. Torts would be proud.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...ter-game-4-win

[The Penguins' smothering, shot-blocking, lane-clogging defense was the dominant factor]

But they spent a lot of time in the Sharks' end as well. Jones was the difference in keeping the Sharks even close. They didn't just back off.

[IgiTang]

Regarding Fleury, anyone else notice him quickly grab the cup take a couple strides then dump it off?
He did not seem very excited to win another cup..

Perhaps I'm over thinking it.. but perhaps there's some underlying resentment that he rode the bench..? Or, like others have said, he sees the writing on the wall.

None the less, to me, many times this playoffs it appeared that Fleury was pouting..

On CBC for game 5 when Murray came to the bench for a TV timeout, the talking heads pointed out that Fleury didn't even look at Murray, stating he likely didn't want to make Murray nervous.

That's not how I seen it. To me, it looked like Fleury had some resentment towards Murray.

Again, perhaps I'm reading into it too much.. or.. perhaps Fleury is not really a team player, was bitter that he lost his job and was pouting about it..

Either way, I don't want Fleury on the Flames.

[Huntingwhale]

Congrats to the Penguins. I was rooting for the Sharks, but what Pittsburgh showed was quite the display of dominance. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the Sharks only ever led at any point during game 5. Everytime the Sharks scored to tie, the Pens would come right back.

HF seems to be in a fury that Crosby won the Conn Smythe. But it just goes to show how many people only look at the stat line and nothing else. As was said before, he drove the plays, played strong defensively and the team followed his lead. 17 pts in 23 games might not seem impressive for a CS winner. But would people rather have scored 35 pts only to not win it the cup?

And I'm also pretty happy for Rutherford. The Pens got a TON of hate for bringing him along (including most, if not all of CP) and he manages to put together a team that really started to form strong chemistry as the year went on. IMO team chemistry is the single most important factor in a cup winning team. More so then size, speed, or any of the other intangibles people like to list. Chemistry trumps it all.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by IgiTang

Regarding Fleury, anyone else notice him quickly grab the cup take a couple strides then dump it off?
He did not seem very excited to win another cup..

Perhaps I'm over thinking it.. but perhaps there's some underlying resentment that he rode the bench..? Or, like others have said, he sees the writing on the wall.

None the less, to me, many times this playoffs it appeared that Fleury was pouting..

On CBC for game 5 when Murray came to the bench for a TV timeout, the talking heads pointed out that Fleury didn't even look at Murray, stating he likely didn't want to make Murray nervous.

That's not how I seen it. To me, it looked like Fleury had some resentment towards Murray.

Again, perhaps I'm reading into it too much.. or.. perhaps Fleury is not really a team player, was bitter that he lost his job and was pouting about it..

Either way, I don't want Fleury on the Flames.

LOL wow, overreaction much?? Literally the complete opposite was said by every single player, broadcaster and coach every time someone was interviewed and asked about Fleury. I don't know what broadcast you were listening to, but it was nothing but consummate praise for him and how he handled things.

Fleury didn't look at Murray during a TV timeout?? The horror!! Flames, avoid him because he didn't look at his teammate during a freakin' TV timeout. Please