~ Power To The Consol ~ A Pittsburgh Penguins Dynasty (NHL 11)

[GoldenJet]

Pittsburgh Penguins Season Review

It was definitely unexpected when the Montreal Canadiens came back against the powerhouse Washington Capitals, led by 50 goal scorer Alexander Ovechkin in the first round of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They were down 3 games to 1 when the Canadiens defence, especially a young man named P.K. Subban and a forward named Mike Cammaleri came back against the Capitals to eliminate the Capitals in seven games. But, the real excuse for the Canadiens attack in the playoffs was goaltender Jaroslav Halak. The Slovakian netminder pulled a beautiful performance that showed the National Hockey League who the real starter was in Montreal, over former heralded goaltender Carey Price, named the second coming of Saint Patrick, Hall of Famer Patrick Roy.

Next up was the defending Stanley Cup Champions, who came in fourth place in the Eastern Conference Finals behind Washington, the New Jersey Devils and the Buffalo Sabres. Pittsburgh added high flying winger Alexei Ponikarovsky and Jordan Leopold at the trade deadline. Ponikarovsky comes in to rescue Evgeni Malkin from his recent slump, giving him a winger to adjust to and hopefully work with like he did with Petr Sykora prior to him leaving via free agency. Leopold adds depth to their defensive corps as a solid bottom 4 defenseman.

Sidney Crosby finished the season on a high note, especially with a 5 points effort vs the New York Islanders in the season ending game, which pushed him to 109 points to tie him at second place in the NHL points standing with Alex Ovechkin. Vancouver Canucks center Henrik Sedin won the Art Ross Trophy for the leader in points with 112 points, but led the league in goals with Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos with 51 goals. Ovechkin fell behind with only 50 goals, failing to score on his last game. Crosby finished top 10 in 6 different categories, 1^st in goals, 8^th in assists, 2^nd in points, 6^th in powerplay goals, 10^th in game-winning goals and 5^th in shots.
Crosby’s mindset was to shoot more, influenced by his excellent playoffs that had him scoring 13 goals and 31 points, a career high in both
categories.

He has his career high in shots with 298 shots; his previous high was from his rookie year, where he had 278 shots. The Pittsburgh Penguins was 4^th in the Eastern Conference, 2^nd in the Atlantic Division. In 5^th place, was, who else, but the Ottawa Senators.

The Penguins had previously played the Senators in the first round of the playoffs 3 times in the past four seasons. This time, the Senators were without Dany Heatley, who requested a deal at the beginning of the season and was dealt to the San Jose Sharks, and the Penguins were without Marian Hossa, who left the Penguins for the Cup Champions the Detroit Red Wings, who got his money’s worth, losing to the very same Penguins in seven games as the Penguins acquired their third franchise Stanley Cup.

Sidney Crosby has the playoff series to match his series the previous playoffs against the Capitals, leading the Penguins to a 6 game series win over the rival Senators. Crosby led the way with magnificent playmaking skills as well as scoring in tight situations. Pascal Dupuis and Evgeni Malkin also played vital roles in the beating the Senators.

Next up was the underdog Montreal Canadiens that had just uprooted the number 1 seed Washington Capitals. It was definitely a playoff for upsets, as the Penguins were the highest seed advancing in the Eastern Conference. Montreal beat Washington, Philadelphia beat New Jersey and Boston beat Buffalo. The Canadiens job were to shut down the Crosby/Malkin duo, a task almost every team takes on and a task that every team fails. Head Coach Dan Bylsma runs Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on separate lines, spreading out their super stardom in hopes of tiring out the defence in their valiant efforts of slowing the attack. Then there is determined third line center Jordan Staal and clutch scorer Maxime Talbot, along with a talented defense led by Sergei Gonchar, Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski.

The Canadiens proved that upsetting the Washington Capitals was no fluke, and that they were in it to win it. The Penguins doubled up on the Canadiens with a 6-3 victory. Sidney Crosby had 2 assists and Evgeni Malkin had 1 assist. Kristopher Letang had a goal and assist. Gonchar, Staal, Adams and Goligoski were the other goal scorers. Subban, Cammaleri and Gionta scored for Montreal. Halak played better the next game with a 3-1 victory. He tipped in with 38 saves on 39 shots, Gionta scored once and Cammaleri scored twice for Montreal. Matt Cooke scored the lone goal for Pittsburgh.
They came back the next game, with a 2-0 shutout in Game 3 with third period goals from Malkin and Dupuis. Marc-Andre Fleury didn’t have much work to do, as he only needed to make 18 saves. A late period rally in Game 4 had the Penguins losing 3-2. Goals came from Talbot and Kunitz for Pittsburgh and Pyatt, Lapierre and Gionta. The Penguins took the series lead, with a 2-1 victory. Crosby was held off the scoresheet with Letang and Gonchar scoring the goals.

Cammaleri’s 2 goal night pushed the series to a Game seven, as the Canadiens won the game 4-3. Crosby had a goal and an assist while Spacek returned from injury with a goal. Then Game seven didn’t finish exactly to plan, with a 5-2 loss. Crosby took an early penalty that led to a fluke goal by Brian Gionta. Jaroslav Halak had a 37 save performance, as the Canadiens upset the Penguins. And it was the end to the Mellon Arena. The Penguins’ arena since they entered the league in 1967 was their home while their successor, the Consol Energy Center, was being built.

[GoldenJet]

Pittsburgh Penguins Draft Recap

Beau Bennett highlights the Penguins night

The buzz in Los Angeles, California was definitely in the air, most of it surrounding who would be taken by the Edmonton Oilers, top ranked North American player, Tyler Seguin, or hyped number 2, Taylor Hall. If the Oilers were to take Plymouth Whalers center Tyler Seguin, they could trade either Shawn Horcoff or highly rumoured Andrew Cogliano, giving them a three way punch down the middle of either Horcoff or Cogliano, Gagner and Seguin. The Oilers decided to opt with Taylor Hall from the champion Windsor Spitfires of the OHL.

Tyler Seguin joined the Boston Bruins, going 2nd Overall. The taking of Seguin brought the spotlight onto Marc Savard, adding another center to the fold made some rumours that Savard was supposedly being shopped around. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been said to be a front runner, with defensemen Tomas Kaberle flying around. Marc Savard has also been rumoured as to going to the Calgary Flames.


The Pittsburgh Penguins selected 20th Overall, from the Pentinton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League, 18 year old Beau Bennett. He is the highest drafted California born and trained player in NHL history. It has already been decided that Bennett will be playing for the University of Denver for NCAA Divison 1 for the 2010-11 season.

He finished the season with an astounding 120 points, coming from 41 goals and 79 assists. He was named the BCHL's top rookie of the year, as well as received the Penticton Vees' Leading Scorer Award and the Rookie of the Year Award. He shows great scoring prowess and a beautiful speed that should match either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin's style of play once he reaches the NHL level.

He is 6'1" and 185 lbs, he isn't the most physical player despite his size, but he positions himself good defensively, and is a phenomenal offensive threat. He is already ready for the Pittsburgh Penguins rookie camp, that is highlighted by prospects such as Dustin Jeffrey and last year's 1st round pick, defensemen Simon Depres, who is also looking to make the jump into the Penguins roster. Depres returned to the QMJHL's Saint John Sea Dogs and had his best year in the least amount of games.

Depres scored 9 goals and 47 points in only 63 games, before having an astounding post season, scoring 2 goals and 19 points in 21 games. The Sea Dogs lost to the Moncton Wildcats in 6 games in the Presidents Trophy Finals.

The Florida Panthers obtained the Penguins 2nd Round pick, choosing center Connor Brickley from the United States Hockey League. It was the pick they dealt when they acquired defensemen Jordan Leopold at the trade deadline. With their third round pick at 80th Overall, the Penguins selected right winger Bryan Rust from the US National U-18 team.

With the 110th pick in the 4h Round, the Penguins selected German winger Tom Kuhnhackl from the 2nd Bundsliga. With the 140th pick, the Penguins selected Kenneth Agostino from Delbarton School. The Penguins lost their original 177th pick, but traded for Toronto's 152nd pick, picking Joe Rogalski from the Sarnia Sting. Pittsburgh didn't have a pick in the 6th Round, losing their 200th overall pick.

A trade that had everyone talking was the Penguins acquring the rights to defensemen Dan Hamhuis for a third round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. This made assumptions that the Penguins and top defensemen Sergei Gonchar negotiating a new contract wasn't going well, and that they were already looking for a replacement. General Manager Ray Shero set the record straight, saying that the Penguins were attempting to sign both Gonchar and Hamhuis to contracts.

[GoldenJet]

Sergei Gonchar: August 4, 2005 - July 1, 2010

Bryan Murray has become public enemy number 1 in Pittsburgh

A valiant and heroic effort from the Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager Ray Shero was in vain when veteran defensemen Sergei Gonchar signed with the Ottawa Senators to a three year contract worth 16 million dollars. The contract also has a no trade clause included. This move was worth then when superstar winger Marian Hossa signed with the Detroit Red Wings out of the blue only 2 seasons before.

The Senators add a star defensemen in Gonchar to their struggling defensive corps, highlighted by Assistant Captain Chris Phillips and Swedish rookie Erik Karlsson. Gonchar is expected to become a force to reckon with, and will help young defensemen Jared Cowen and Karlsson in progressing to become full fledged defensemen in the NHL. He's not the most physical defensemen, but he plays every situation and logs the minutes, a defensemen the Senators have been waiting for since Zdeno Chara and Wade Redden left the team. Matt Carkner and Andy Sutton will handle the physical issues while Gonchar can focus on his solid two way play.

This move is a step up or shut up situation for the Penguins. Gonchar leaving means that the young defensemen who have been learning under him need to step up for the Penguins to remain a powerhouse in the offensive Eastern Conference. The powerplay specialist Kristopher Letang is still only 23 years old, but he's a consistent 30 point scorer, is getting better defensively as he progresses and seems to be able to handle the baggage, experienced from when Sergei Gonchar missed a good chunk of the season when he was injured in 2009.

Brooks Orpik, the hard hitting 29 year old native from San Francisco, California, is a veteran presence on the Penguins blueline, he isn't much of an offensive player, but he positions himself well and isn't afraid to drop the gloves. His career high in penalty minutes came in the 2003-04 season when he racked up 127 minutes in the box. His career high in points came this past season, bringing up 25 points in 73 games. Brooks Orpik was drafted by the Penguins 18th Overall in 2000.

Alex Goligoski recently signed a contract extension on June 15, 2009 for 5.5 million dollars for three years, locking him up until the 2012-2013 NHL season. Goligoski is a smooth skater with offensive capablities. He could go either way in becoming a defensive liability or a defensive juggernaut. Dan Bylsma might consider splitting Goligoski and Letang up on seperate powerplay lines to spread on the defensive scoring prowess. After a sucessful campaign with the University of Minnesota in the NCAA and the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins on the American Hockey League.

The Penguins are also looking at top defensive prospects like Ben Lovejoy, Deryk Engelland and last year's 1st Round pick, Simon Depres, who rocked the Saint John's Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The Penguins have many options, and now have cap space and holes in their roster, with Jordan Leopold and Mark Eaton also leaving via free agency as well. It will be interesting to see what GM Shero has in store.

[onlybygrace]

Good job...very detailed.

[Chad0034]

follinwg. Im always down to follow an NHL 11 chise

[matt314hew]

I will follow, as I love the Pens.

Looks great so far with all the recaps.

[GoldenJet]

Pittsburgh, the Detroit of Defense

Playing his entire career under New Jersey's top notch defensive system, Paul Martin is welcomed to the Steel City

July 1st deals saw the New Jersey Devils signing heavyweight defensemen Anton Volchenkov to a contract and allowing long time veteran Paul Martin to test the free agent waters. The 29 year old native of Elk River, Minnesota signed a 5 year deal worth 25 million dollars American with the Pittsburgh Penguins after only playing 22 games this season due to a broken arm injury, though he still did put up 11 points.

Paul Martin broke onto the NHL scene when he was drafted by the New Jersey Devils 62nd Overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft after a successful campaign with the the University of Minnesota, amassing 98 points in 127 games.

Martin joined the ranks of Captain Scott Stevens and smooth skating defensemen Scott Niedermayer helped Martin become an advanced blueliner, which they needed when Niedermayer left via free agency and Stevens retired. He took on the role as Assistant Captain along with Zach Parise and Patrik Elias under Team Captain Jamie Langenbrunner.

Martin's best season came in the 2005-2006 when he scored 5 goals and 37 points in 80 games. Martin missed his chance at a Olympic berth twice for the United States National team both in 2006 and 2010. 2010 for was when he injured his arm.

Martin will most likely take Gonchar's spots on the powerplay and penalty kill unit and log the minutes as well, as he's a candidate for the Assistant Captain spot left behind by Sergei Gonchar, along with Brooks Orpik and Jordan Staal.



The second signing came not very long after, as the Penguins added defensive defensemen Zbynek Michalek to a 5 year deal worth 20 million dollars American.

Michalek was described as "The Defensemen every team wants" by AOL Fanhouse due to his strong defensive play and his determined shot blocking abilities. The 27 year old native of Jindřichův Hradec, Czech Republic has played for the Phoenix Coyotes and the Minnesota Wild previously.

The Penguins are excited to add him, as he is expected to play with Brooks Orpik, the hard hitting defensemen should match up very well with Michalek, a defensive specialist that can handle the defensive load on a penalty kill while two way defensemen like Paul Martin and Kris Letang can handle an offensive attack in tight situations.

[Bolts_26]

Like I said in the other site, The Pens are a hell of a team, even with Gonchar gone. They could EASILY pull off another cup run in 2010-11. Can't wait to see what ya do GJ!