OT: Let's Go Pens!!!

[JLeurck]

If the Wings can get everyone healthy, I like them in 6. They're just too deep. Crosby has mad skills, but I consider him to be somewhat of a punk-ass whiner. I prefer someone who leads like Yzerman or Lidstrom and doesn't run their mouth or come up and start pounding guys who are already engaged in a scrum. I suppose if Sid played for my guys I'd probably like him better, but I'm going to hold off on hailing him as "The Second Coming" just yet. Hockey remains a team sport - Sid needs to actually bring home the Cup before I buy into him as a legitimate team captain.

 

[Jeff Hilligan]

You take any of our top 6 and they are the Sidney on any other team.

This is fucking hysterical. Are you serious?

You guys kill me. OK 5. Zeterberg, Datsuk, Franzen, Hossa, Lindstrom, Yes I mean total package, scoring, leadership, playing both ends. Any of these 5 go to another team and they would be the star themselves like Crosby is on his team of good players but not outstanding players.

You say the Pens have gotten better. You guys make it sound like the Wings haven't. We added Hossa your top guy during the finals last year. So we did get better. But your, "we got better" is a 39 year old who has playoff experience so now he is a top player, at the level of Crosby, Zeterburg, Datsuk, Malkin, Franzen, Lindstrom. After your first line the team is sub par. Let's say Crosby and Malkin go down. What do you have to replace their skill level. No one.

Your defense will be eaten alive. You have no one at the level our defense and defensive forwards..Zeterburg, Datsuk, Hossa. Oh ya Helm, Hudler, Fipulla.

Who beat us up last year...your top three guys are all gone. Hossa, Roberts and someone else. The 2 current superstars were shut down. Anything can happen in one game but the Wings will prove that the better team wins in a 7 game series. Experience, consistency Wings in in 5.

 

[yngzaklynch]

Pens in 6

 

[mrp5150]

You guys kill me. OK 5. Zeterberg, Datsuk, Franzen, Hossa, Lindstrom, Yes I mean total package, scoring, leadership, playing both ends. Any of these 5 go to another team and they would be the star themselves like Crosby is on his team of good players but not outstanding players.

The only two guys on the Wings that are in the same class with Crosby are Zetterberg and Datsyuk, and I don't even think those two guys are nearly as good as Sid offensively. Neither one of them have the playmaking ability that Sid has and they just don't draw the entire focus of the defense like Sid. Hossa shouldn't even be mentioned in the same breath as Sid, it's stupid to even try and argue he's a better player. He isn't, end of story. Lidstrom is a defenseman, you can't compare him with Crosby at all. And Franzen...are you fucking kidding me? I'm not even going to say anything about that one.

 

[JLeurck]

Wouldn't matter if Crosby were the reincarnation of Maurice Richard, Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe all rolled into one. Moot point - hockey is a TEAM SPORT, and the Pens do NOT have the horses. Beyond the first line, this matchup does not favor Pittsburgh - and that is only offensively. Defensively, it doesn't favor Pittsburgh at all. Even though they've looked pretty pedestrian on some of their penalty kills, Detroit has two of the best defensive forwards in the game and a Norris Trophy finalist. They don't take stupid penalties and don't get rattled. Just don't think the Pens are deep enough. Line by line, this looks like:

Red Wings > Pens

However, you never know...injuries, someone comes of age or plays out of their tree - all sorts of things can happen. That's why they play the game!

The way I see it, Wings in 6 (if that), and Zetteburg gets the Conn-Smythe (again)

 

[bstaley]

You take any of our top 6 and they are the Sidney on any other team.

This is fucking hysterical. Are you serious?

You guys kill me. OK 5. Zeterberg, Datsuk, Franzen, Hossa, Lindstrom, Yes I mean total package, scoring, leadership, playing both ends. Any of these 5 go to another team and they would be the star themselves like Crosby is on his team of good players but not outstanding players.

You say the Pens have gotten better. You guys make it sound like the Wings haven't. We added Hossa your top guy during the finals last year. So we did get better. But your, "we got better" is a 39 year old who has playoff experience so now he is a top player, at the level of Crosby, Zeterburg, Datsuk, Malkin, Franzen, Lindstrom. After your first line the team is sub par. Let's say Crosby and Malkin go down. What do you have to replace their skill level. No one.

Your defense will be eaten alive. You have no one at the level our defense and defensive forwards..Zeterburg, Datsuk, Hossa. Oh ya Helm, Hudler, Fipulla.

Who beat us up last year...your top three guys are all gone. Hossa, Roberts and someone else. The 2 current superstars were shut down. Anything can happen in one game but the Wings will prove that the better team wins in a 7 game series. Experience, consistency Wings in in 5.

Hossa is playing mediocre at best. Yeah, that improves your team but I'll tell you right now, any of the guys on your team over about 32 years old have NOT gotten better in the past year. They may still be fantastic players, but they are at least a tiny bit slower and more fragile. Meanwhile...Crosby, Malkin, Staal and Fleury have not even reached their primes yet. Guerin is 38, not 39, but he is averaging almost what Hossa did for us last year. You are not taking into account Fedotenko who has been on fire lately and Kunitz who forechecks and hits like a beast.

To say Roberts was one of our top 3 guys is just silly. He's 42 and I think he scored 1-2 goals the entire playoffs. Sykora was hurt and has been out for a couple weeks but if needed I'm sure he could step in, much healthier now. Remember him...he scored the goal to win in 3OT's?

Arguing is pointless. We think the Detroit fans feel as if their team is God's gift to hockey and you guys think we are a one dimensional team with 2 good players. Crosby and Malkin are having one of the top playoff runs in history for a duo of scorers and you give no credit at all. They are destroying what Zetterberg and Datsyuk did last year and you guys think THEY are gods. Why no respect? Both teams are loaded with talent. I give credit where credit is due. Detroit is awesome, they really are. I always liked them until they beat us last year and then Hossa defected. The Pens are really on a roll right now. I think the teams are very close right now. It should be a competitive series.

 

[bstaley]

Wouldn't matter if Crosby were the reincarnation of Maurice Richard, Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe all rolled into one. Moot point - hockey is a TEAM SPORT, and the Pens do NOT have the horses. Beyond the first line, this matchup does not favor Pittsburgh - and that is only offensively. Defensively, it doesn't favor Pittsburgh at all. Even though they've looked pretty pedestrian on some of their penalty kills, Detroit has two of the best defensive forwards in the game and a Norris Trophy finalist. They don't take stupid penalties and don't get rattled. Just don't think the Pens are deep enough. Line by line, this looks like:

Red Wings > Pens

However, you never know...injuries, someone comes of age or plays out of their tree - all sorts of things can happen. That's why they play the game!

The way I see it, Wings in 6 (if that), and Zetteburg gets the Conn-Smythe (again)

Wow...just wow. Nothing beyond the first line?!?!?!?! Ok, I guess that guy named Malkin who won the SCORING TITLE doesn't matter. And as far as the best defensive forwards in the game...well, they have be on the ice. How is ol' Pavel's foot anyhow? Rumor is it's swelled so much he can't put a skate on it right now.

 

[mrp5150]

I can't wait for this series to start. I hate the Wings more and more everyday and I just hope the Pens slaughter them.

LET'S GO PENS!!!

 

[VH4_BigRig]

As an unbiased fan (I really don't care who wins- Sens fan here), my belief is that this matchup could be determined by Detroit's health. If Datsyuk and Lidstrom are hurt, with the way Crosby and Malkin have been playing lately, the Pens have a legit shot. However, if Detroit can stay healthy, they have better overall depth and defensemen and should take the series. It will be much tighter than last year though. My hunch is Wings in 7.

 

[bstaley]

As an unbiased fan (I really don't care who wins- Sens fan here), my belief is that this matchup could be determined by Detroit's health. If Datsyuk and Lidstrom are hurt, with the way Crosby and Malkin have been playing lately, the Pens have a legit shot. However, if Detroit can stay healthy, they have better overall depth and defensemen and should take the series. It will be much tighter than last year though. My hunch is Wings in 7.

You make good points. If Lidstrom and Datsyuk stay out I'll go as far as to say I EXPECT the Pens to win. Try rolling Chelios against us and see what happens.

 

[JLeurck]

Wouldn't matter if Crosby were the reincarnation of Maurice Richard, Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe all rolled into one. Moot point - hockey is a TEAM SPORT, and the Pens do NOT have the horses. Beyond the first line, this matchup does not favor Pittsburgh - and that is only offensively. Defensively, it doesn't favor Pittsburgh at all. Even though they've looked pretty pedestrian on some of their penalty kills, Detroit has two of the best defensive forwards in the game and a Norris Trophy finalist. They don't take stupid penalties and don't get rattled. Just don't think the Pens are deep enough. Line by line, this looks like:

Red Wings > Pens

However, you never know...injuries, someone comes of age or plays out of their tree - all sorts of things can happen. That's why they play the game!

The way I see it, Wings in 6 (if that), and Zetteburg gets the Conn-Smythe (again)

Wow...just wow. Nothing beyond the first line?!?!?!?! Ok, I guess that guy named Malkin who won the SCORING TITLE doesn't matter. And as far as the best defensive forwards in the game...well, they have be on the ice. How is ol' Pavel's foot anyhow? Rumor is it's swelled so much he can't put a skate on it right now.

If they were to roll Holmstrom, Datsyuk and Hossa on the second line like they were earlier, then yes, I'll stand by what I said. However, I most definitely AM worried about Pavel's foot. That dude is such a good two-way player, but that's more on his speed and skating ability than physical size or brute strength.

I'll give you this...at least you don't have to suffer the Lions. People rag me about them (I'm origianlly from MI), and I just tell them that as far as I know we don't actully HAVE a professional football team in Detroit. I dig the Steelers, and work/live down here with a lot of displaced Pennsylvania people. We have fun

 

[bstaley]

The Lions? Ouch. Yeah you have the trump card there. You win. I loved watching them when Barry Sanders used to play and it's a shame they never got a good team around him. Keep in mind the Pirates streak of futility could rival the Lions. Thankfully I've never been much of a baseball fan.

 

[ratter]

Guerin is outscoring Hossa, in case nobody has noticed.

Zetterberg the Conn Smythe?? That's optimistic, considering he's double-digits away from both Malkin and Crosby in points and Crosby has a better +/-. He was better last year.

Maybe he's past his prime.

 

[ratter]

As an unbiased fan (I really don't care who wins- Sens fan here), my belief is that this matchup could be determined by Detroit's health. If Datsyuk and Lidstrom are hurt, with the way Crosby and Malkin have been playing lately, the Pens have a legit shot. However, if Detroit can stay healthy, they have better overall depth and defensemen and should take the series. It will be much tighter than last year though. My hunch is Wings in 7.

You make good points. If Lidstrom and Datsyuk stay out I'll go as far as to say I EXPECT the Pens to win. Try rolling Chelios against us and see what happens.

 

[JLeurck]

..........

 

[drs448]

all i keep reading about is detroit's depth
i'm guessing they would love to have a proven goal scorer like satan on their 4th line - that's depth

 

[Gino]

It seems that most, if not all, of the Pittsburgh fans on this board don't even really know much about the Red Wings' players judging by the things you're saying. I'm not going to claim to know much about the Penguins so I'm just gonna leave it at that. It's a pissing contest that will never be settled, no matter who wins the Cup. All I have to say right now is that you have to respect the Red Wings organization on the whole for how they operate and how they treat their players. There's a culture and a sense of family throughout the entire organization. Mike Illitch (owner) bought Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond (the local gameplay commentators for FSN) championship rings last year because they're as much a part of the organization as the players are. That's class. That's why Hossa "defected". Obviously we had more to offer than Pittsburgh did. We have a rock-solid organization that is unmatched by any other team in sports and that's a fact I double-dare anyone here to refute and back it up. Here's a good article reiterating this.

Wings in 6.

 

[Anonymous]

Ughhhh, Blues fan here. It's always fun to think it's going to be easy to beat the Wings, but much easier said than done. Pens are good, but not that good.

Detroit in 6.

 

[ratter]

We have a rock-solid organization that is unmatched by any other team in sports and that's a fact I double-dare anyone here to refute and back it up.

Pittsburgh Steelers.

Most championships in the league. 3 coaches in the past 40 years. Still owned by the same family that founded the team 76 years ago. Never a team to chase high-priced free agents.

Next?

 

[Gino]

We have a rock-solid organization that is unmatched by any other team in sports and that's a fact I double-dare anyone here to refute and back it up.

Pittsburgh Steelers.

Most championships in the league. 30 coaches in the past 40 years. Still owned by the same family that founded the team 76 years ago. Never a team to chase high-priced free agents.

Next?

You're serious?