The historical parallels of today's child prodigy with the great predecessors - Gretzky and Lemieux - are now popularly dealt with. Still, the mere mention of two or three of these names attracts interest in the article. This topic is very common. But that’s why we won’t go into comparisons, confining ourselves to a short congratulation to Crosby for exchanging the third hundred. And at the same time with the future hundred points in the season, to which he will get first (away from superstition - not for that they took Larak to knock on a tree and spit on his back), as befits the unconditional leader among the scorers.
In the end, as was said, your attention has already been drawn to the very mention of Gretzky, Lemieux and Crosby. Then the first part of the task can be considered completed. We turn to the topic of more relevant and less poppy. Because today it is much more interesting to speculate about the local future of a specific Pittsburgh than to recall the great and global past of the entire NHL.
Why Pittsburgh and not Ottawa, for example, or Buffalo? Well, firstly, because Crosby is not in these teams. Secondly, because they have already spoken about “blades” more than once in this section, regardless of the compliments to individuals. Thirdly, the cup prospects of the “senators” is a topic that has been pretty sore on the head in recent years. Let them give a reason for the real result. One conference finale in nearly ten years of hope and ambition is not that. Well, as a last argument - the author's heading implies a certain freedom in choosing the subject of discussion. Sometimes you can use it.
Moreover, the Pittsburgh Cup is a new and unremarked topic. Previously, any relationship between this club and the playoffs was impossible without Lemieux. It’s not about the fact of participation, it’s about any advancement. Today, Crosby acts as a link. Say, it's too early to talk about the playoffs, the Penguins are not so firm in the top eight, and can still change? And you will be right. But consider this note a bet. They will definitely be there.
Of course, the current Pittsburgh is not only a 19-year-old child prodigy. And quite on the conscience put together a team. In which it is full of young talents and a lot of strong players today. In which Crosby's enormous talent is not only striking, but also a coaching hand is felt. And managerial.
Michelle Terrien, by Enhael standards, is a specialist not so hot - two and a half seasons at Montreal, and a half at Pittsburgh. But the team fits almost perfectly. And because he has rich experience working with youth - in QMJHL and AHL. And because it is not the first year that has been working in the club system - he knows many wards well in pharmacy. There he played Whitney, Talbot, Ullet, Armstrong, Christensen - the guys who make up the team’s meat today, plus Fleury - one of the most promising NHL goalkeepers.
Ray Shero has been working as general manager only since this season, and his contribution to the selection of today's team is minimal. But he spent six years as an assistant at Ottawa, and then another eight at Nashville. Therefore, I must know very well how good teams are built.
But this whole future is more distant, which awaits the "Penguins", possibly in another city altogether. Now we are talking about the near future. So let's see what Pittsburgh has today for a solid advance in the playoffs, and why not.
There is a very decent line of attack. Crosby - of course. Malkin - of course. Rivers - there is still gunpowder ... Roberts and he will add, along with a lot of trouble to the opponent at the sides and on the "patch". Not to mention his ability to influence the morale of the team in the locker room. The terrible look and terrible fists of Larak - this is also what the Pittsburgh now has. And it’s wonderful - so that there wouldn’t be too much temptation to offend his youth.
There is a majority team - one of the most effective in the NHL. In the playoffs, this is a factor, perhaps even more significant than in the regular season.
There is a goalkeeper ... The fact that he is still very young and never played in the playoffs, of course, is a minus. But last year's example of Cam Ward gives reason to write Fleury in the pluses of the team. Take a chance. The main thing is not to drive the guy. And in this sense it is very good that his successor, Joséline Thibault, is now healthy. Well, as a last resort, Nolen Schaefer received right in front of the deadline from “San Jose” just comes in handy. But Fleury must have a rest.
But what Pittsburgh doesn't have is defense. The two strongest representatives of this line - Potter and Whitney - are natural midfielders. Very important elements in the majority brigade, but not particularly reliable in carrying out directly defensive duties. The rest of the defenders, honestly, in most teams would not have been included at all. Therefore, it is somewhat surprising that the “Penguins” did not take a reliable player of this role before the deadline. Hardly not looking. Rather, they could not find a good option.
It is the flagrant weakness of defense that does not allow Pittsburgh to be among the teams that can seriously qualify for some decent indicator in the playoffs, such as reaching the final of the conference. And so that after a year or two the situation changes radically, the Penguins' management, headed by Ray Shero, will have to work hard, because there are not many sensible young defenders in the club system. Chris Letan and Alex Goligoski have good prospects. Perhaps not enough. But “does not allow attributing” is not at all the same as “there is no chance." Today in the NHL, the attack rules the ball. So everything can be.
We must also wait until the end of the regular season and see where Pittsburgh finishes. Still, obviously, it’s too tough for him in the East today to have only two teams - Buffalo and New Jersey. You can beat the rest even with a hole in the defense.
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