In an unexpected turn of events, the Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis from the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for forwards Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, prospect Angelo Esposito and a first round pick.
The Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens were believed in the bidding war for Hossa, so this move by the Penguins comes as a huge shock, the biggest of this year’s deadline.
It’s a huge move by the Penguins, who weren’t expected to make any major moves at the deadline, and it’s also a puzzling one.
While there’s no question Hossa adds another big gun to the Penguins offensive arsenal, he’s only expected to be a playoff rental player. The Penguins cannot possibly hope to re-sign him and still have cash available to re-sign rising superstar Evgeni Malkin at the end of next season.
With the Penguins playing so well despite losing Sidney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury to injuries, it’s odd as to why GM Ray Shero would make this move. The Penguins have no problem in the scoring department, indeed, with Crosby expected back very soon they’d be getting a significant offfensive boost.
Bringing in Hossa makes no sense other than the Penguins are going for it this season, loading up for a Cup run.
However, by bringing in Hossa, it’s possible Shero may have upset his team’s chemistry. Armstrong was close friends with Crosby and along with Christensen were considered valuable members of the rising young Penguins.
And if the Pens fail to re-sign Hossa after this season, they’ll have parted with significant assets with nothing to show for it this summer.
The Thrashers won’t be able to replace Hossa’s offense this season, but Armstrong and Christensen could become valuable additions both now and for the future, while Esposito has the potential to become a scorer in the NHL with more seasoning.
Agreed, puzzling is the perfect word. This team is winning without Crosby, I guess time will tell on this one. The new power play unit should be something to behold though.
Thats rediculous. There's no way the Pens would give up all that for a rental.
Look...
The pens have about 42 mill committed to salary. They probably just took on another 5. all they have to do is get rid of MAYBE one other player to retain Malkin if hes about to make about 7-8 mill.
Esposito seems like hell be expensive eventually too, so it was really just an awesome move by the Pens.
Guarentee next year the Pens are gonna have a top 3 that will be scarier than Ottawas.
Stunned. The only thing that I can think of is that they did this in a defensive move so that the other two sides couldn't get their hands on Hossa.
But parting with Armstrong is very odd. Esposito is floundering. His play in Q this year has been unremarkable at best. He'll be lucky to get a couple of cups of coffee.
Loved Army, loved Christensen...They're great guys but they're not Marian Hossa. This trade creates a HUGE problem for the rest of the NHL. Crosby & Hossa will play together on the "1" line and with the way Malkin and his mates have been playin' (Sikora & Malone), who in the East has an answer to that? TWO lines with world class scoring ability...it's a great problem to have!
There's lots of work to be done, but this trade sets the Pens up very nicely for a run at the Cup. The Cup....Isn't that's what it's all about? renting Hossa & giving up good young players is next year's problem. I'll take the Cup now.
I'd be interested to see the aftermath of this, the "Big Winners" list should be interesting. Hossa's going to boost their offense, and Hal Gill is a presence on the blue line. Once Crosby's healthy again, the Penguins could push New Jersey for the top spot.
Messing up the team chemistry? Chemistry doesn't score goals. Marian Hossa scores goals! Although losing a locker room buddy may cause Sid a sour stomach today, one shift with the raw talent of Marian Hossa will make Colby very forgetable. The Penguins want to win now and who can blame them? Kudos to Ray Shero for pulling the trigger. Eric Christensen was nothing more than a third line player for the Penguins. Great at shootouts - Terrible at actually getting real time shots off. Angelo Esposito drew a red flag when he failed to make the Canadian National Team this year. There are just as many first round busts as their are first round studs. (Remember this will certainly be a late first round pick and Colby Armstrong was once drafted in the late first round) Is losing a potential Colby any worry to the Penguins? NO. With so much talent moving from East to West the Penguins now become the legitimate Number 1. Malone - Crosby - Hossa Staal - Malkin - Sykora. Nuff said...
I think that this boils down to a few things for Ray Shero. (1)Before Crosby's injury, the Pens did not have 2 consistant scoring lines. Now they do. (2)Shero/Therrien has given both Christensen and Armstrong many minutes playing with Crosby to get some scoring going and it wasn't working. He is showing the young guys still in the pipeline that they will not have an unlimited number of seasons to develop. They had their shot, but he felt it was time to more forward. (3)Moving Esposito proves that even though Staal's offensive production is down this year, Shero has not lost faith in him as a Center that the Pens will continue to count on in the future.
I'm listening to Shero's press conference right now and he says that he feels that the Pens have proven that they can hang with any team in the conference. And the moves today only make the team better. He knows that he won't necessarily sign Hossa in the off-season and he is OK with that. Like he said, even if they lose Hossa in a few months, who wouldn't want to be the GM for a team that will still have: Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Whitney, Gonchar, Letang...
Do you really think that this deal wasn't done with the approval of Sid...I am sure he will miss his old buddy Armstrong but this will give him a BIG gun on his line while keeping the Malkin line together...remember who Sid's landlord is...
Actually, Shero addressed that question specifically. He said that he didn't have time to talk to any players, including Crosby, before the deal was done. He said that he hadn't even had a single call regarding Hossa until after 1PM. He said that he did speak to Lemieux and the ownership group for their blessing, though.
Sid will be sad to lose Colby, but he has to be happy to have Hossa.
Last edited by BlackGoldPenguin21 on February 26th at 2:50 PM.
I am a huge Thrashers fan. I honestly do not see what the Thrashers are getting. They have basically given up on going to the playoffs this year. They have pretty much written off this year. This could be and possibly should be Don Waddell's last year as GM. I am more upset about the fact that Atlanta gave Pascal Dupuis along with Marion Hossa. This is not good for the Thrashers.
Hey Ray do you have change for a 100. Give me 5 fives,4 tens,3 twenties and I'll give you a 100.
Sounds wrong does'nt it but something tells me your the man that would fall for it. I like the fact your giving us another scorer but the cost was way to high. I can see Armstrong and Erik in the deal but what are you thinking when you cough up a No. 1 draft pick in Esposito. Oh here's another thought if it is'nt broke don't fix it. All great teams have role players you just traded those away. I hate to say this but don't do as the Pirates do trade your talent away. Being a business owner, having employees that fit in and do there job does'nt constitute letting them go and bringing in ones that have no clue how things operate. I was feeling good about this team but I am left with doubt!!
This move is awesome!!! Armstrong is a mediocre player at best, and even though he has good character that isn't what the Penguins needed. A winger for Sid was crucial in order for Pit to make a serious run at the cup... and that is just want Hossa is going to do. I admit I'm not crazy about giving a first-round draft pick, but it isn't like Pens don't have any other young talent. Once Hossa starts lighting the lamp and we are champs of the Eastern Conference, all the nay-sayers out there will see what a great move this was by Shero and management.
And don't discount the fact that the Pens could sign Hossa in the off season. Many players would kill to play for a team such as this, so all this rent-a-player talk is WAY premature.
The only reason I could come up with for the trade is that Crosby is not even close to coming back. I have read reports that he has said he isn't even skating anymore. Its the only thing that would make some sense of this deal. Either way, bad trade.
This trade makes no sense whatsoever, to give away the future and the young talent for a shot at it all this year? Two first round picks and two quality young players for Hossa for a few months? Esposito has the potential to be better than Hossa and score more, Shero is insane to think this team will beat Detroit and win it all if they get that far! Why you trade away the future for someone who will be with you for three months is criminal!!!
The Penguins acquired an All-Star player and didn't have to give up a top 6 forward or top 4 defenseman ... didn't have to give up Malone or Staal to get a sniper ... Armstrong's grit will be missed but we have the potential to score at least 4 goals every night now ... Christensen has a great wrist shot but horrible hockey instincts ... with Crosby, Malkin & Staal at center what kind of ice time would Esposito gotten around here? The 1st round pick was the most expensive piece of the pie ... will have revenue streams when they move into their new building after next year ... even if they don't sign Hossa they will still have that money available for another winger ... a trade the pens should make ten times out of ten.
I strongly disagree with Spector’s comments that Marian Hossa was a bad investment for the Pens and that they mortgaged their future for a rental player. According to the Hockey News, the Pens will have a projected 12 mil in cap space next season sans Hossa. They freed up $1,950,000 dealing away Colby Armstrong and Erik Christensen pushing the above number up to $13,950,000 – More than enough to sign both Hossa and Malkin.
Pittsburgh was desperate for a winger that could skate with Crosby et Malkin. With all due respects to Armstrong and Christensen, they’re nothing more than pluggers who at times would have trouble scoring on a cut out goalie. As for Angelo Esposito, his stock has gone down considerably after scoring 98 points in 57 games as a Quebec Rempart in 2005/2006. This season he’s averaging slightly more than a point a game. The last thing Pittsburgh needs is another centre-Especially one who plays as soft as Esposito. Despite the name Esposito he is no relation to Phil and shares none of his leadership or grit. As for this year’s 1st rounder, whoopee. The Penguins may finish 1st overall with Hossa speeding along side Sidney Crosby. Go Pens Go! What a steal by Ray ‘Junior Fog’ Shero!
Last edited by thewizardofwords on February 26th at 5:24 PM.
I don't understand why some people are insinuating that the Pens are giving away the future. Colby will get better, but by how much? Christensen has reached his peak in my opinion. How much developmental ice time do you need, especially on a top line with Crosby, before it becomes obvious that a player will never work out as a top winger? Christensen has averaged 22 points per season in three seasons with the Pens, and that is playing some of that time with Crosby, Malkin and Roberts. On top of that, the Pens are already covered for the future at Center. Esposito was another Naslund situation waiting to happen, except this time it's Crosby, Malkin and Staal instead of Lemieux and Francis taking his future icetime away. Finally, 1st-round draft picks are never certainties, especially later in the 1st-round. The Pens did give something up to make a run at the cup, but it wasn't the future of the franchise. The Pens have many more seasons of Crosby, Whitney, Letang, Goligoski, Malone and Kennedy. And soon Shero will add Malkin and Staal to that list.
As a Habs fan, I would have liked to see Hossa with us, but we could not pay the price that the Pens paid. It does make me feel good that the Habs passed on Esposito in this last draft, even though the pressure was high to take him - the Pens already giving up on him proves he may have been more hype than substance. Good trade for the Pens, I wish them well - a very entertaining lineup.
i knew things were going to wellfor the pens crosby is out and we seem tobe playing better so what do they do trade two good young players for what a guy who mite play with them till the end of the year i hope this guy sheros has an eye out for his next job he wont be in this one much longer guess they got tired of looking to the future and decided to try and get it all in one year shame on you guys you had a team if they were given time to grow together could have won more than one cup no im not so sure giving away prize young player and draft picks to get what this was a bad trade any way you look at it
The Pens problem is defensive depth. They should have dealt for a top defenseman. This also does not bode well for them in the long run either. They will get #### the way a bunch of teams were #### last year over playoff rentals.
Ryan Malone has allready said this will be his last year in Pittsburgh, he wants to move and be closer to his family in Minnesota, so there goes another young talent, gee, we should have traded Malkin for federov before washington got him!
I don't know where you're getting your Malone info from. Malone has said on several occasions that he has no want to play for any team other than the Pens. In fact, his worst stretch of on-ice performance was during the trade rumors that swirled around him near the deadline last year. That wasn't a coincidence, and Malone admitted to that on-camera after the deadline. With the way that Malone has been playing with Malkin this season, he is going nowhere. He's from Pittsburgh. He was drafted by the Pens. His father is well respected in the organization. Even though Malone has been streaky most of his career so far, the Pens have stuck with him and he will do the same in the near future. He will be with the team for at least another few years.
For all that think that the Pens have no way of resigning Hossa, here are some numbers from the significant salaries for you to look at:
Left/Leaving the roster during/after 07/08 season:
Recchi - 1.125 million
Gary Roberts - 2.5 million
Mark Eaton - 1.6 million
Colby Armstrong - 1.2 million
Erik Christensen - 750,000
Total: 7.175 million
Added to the roster:
Marian Hossa - 6 million
Hal Gill - 2 million
Pascal Dupuis - 880,000
Total: 8.880 million
Of course there are also some variables, because nobody knows what some of these players will make next year. The point is that even if the salaries go up, which they tend to do, so will the cap. If the Pens make a decent run at the cup, the playoff revenues will offset this difference. The deal for Hossa was not Shero's alone. He said in his interview today that he had the blessing of the ownership group. The reason is that they know that playoff series = money in the bank.
Malkin and Staal are already signed through next season, so don't be surprised if Crosby and Hossa gel, that Shero approaches Hossa with a 1-yr deal. Hossa could take it to pad his numbers for a huge UFA contract on his next stop.
We'll have to see how this all plays out. I'm just saying that I don't think Shero's as crazy as some are suggesting. He's taking a gamble, but it's not Cup or bust this year either.
You're assuming that Hossa will re-sign, and that's not a given. He'll be seeking a big pay day, probably in the neighborhood of $8.5 mil per season, and if the Pens opt not to pay that, he'll definitely get it somewhere else. Don't try to suggest that he won't because as we've seen the UFA market is as crazy as ever even with a salary cap.
The way Malkin's playing, he'll be in position to seek at least as much, if not more, than Crosby.
Assuming Malkin seeks Crosby money and Hossa $8.5 mil per, you're looking at roughly $25 million tied up in three players. Even if the Pens keep pace with the cap, that's still a big chunk of change, and may not leave enough wiggle room to retain other valuable players or to address depth elsewhere.
I only hope that if Hossa proves to be a rental that he helps take the Pens to at least the Eastern Conference finals because it'll take at least that to justify what Shero paid for him.
This move was all MARIO LEMIEUX'S! It is another EXCELLENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY to bring another cup to Pittsburgh. Thank you MARIO for having the CHARACTER to take a chance, (only with Esposito) and give SID someone who will score a goal after a perfectly fed pass is given to them as a gift.
The Pens will easily sign Hossa as Roberts will not be returning! GO PENS!
"He is showing the young guys still in the pipeline that they will not have an unlimited number of seasons to develop."
That's a good message to send too, right? We're not going to give young players the time to develop? Man, that's awesome! If we draft you and you don't perform right away, you're out.
THAT is called giving away your future, and they gave it away for one year with one guy who is a question mark in the playoffs.
This is a comment in regards to two things.... Ryan Malone is from Upper St. Clair, which is a suburb near Pittsburgh. Whoever said his family is in Minnesota needs to get their facts straight. Second, the Pens aren't mortgaging their future, and anyone who is from Pittsburgh or closely follows the team knows that Christiansen and Armstrong have been given plenty of chances to show what they can do, and I'm not saying they are not good players, but they are mediocre players. Sid took a below than expected/deserved salary so the Pens organization could sign Malkin, Staal, etc. In return, they need to give him someone (like Hossa) who can actually score and be productive and not drag Sid down. One last comment, it is really obvious who knows their Pens facts and who doesn't on here.
this was an excellent trade even if we don't win a cup and don't sign hossa. i love colby and christensen but they were not that talented. they together made one decent player, colby was tough and christensen could shoot, but colby was not a great scorer and christensen was soft. there was no room for espo with all of our centers and the draft pick is going to be low first round. we still have young talent in the minors with goligoski and the guys that have filled in this year and we didn't give up our young talent currently on the roster yes christensen and army were not young talent they had 3,4,5 years and it just wasn't happening. the young talent is crosby, malkin, staal, whitney, and letang. if we let any of those players go then I would like the trade less, but you have to give up something to get something and I don't think we gave up that much. Espo may develop, but he wasn't going to do it with the pens there was no room. I applaud shero for making the move and in a couple of weeks colby and christensen will be forgotten and the doubters will come around. go pens!
Crosby stated earlier in the season that he wanted a sniper as his wingman and he got it in Hossa. He is more about the team and always says how committed he is to win so with his best friend being delt I am sure he is ok with that if the move improves the teams chances of a Cup. He knows it is business and wants to win. So I am sure he is more than ok with the decision that was made. Colby is a role player and was great in the locker room and that chemistry is at stake if not gone. But now NEW chemistry will be made and much better. How will winning and scoring not accomplish that? They have made themselves better, much better.
As far as resigning Hossa..that is not that out of reach. I highly doubt Malkin will request more money than Crosby. These guys want to win..bottom line. Sure, they also want their money but I am sure that players will request a bit less in order to reatin the team and keep them intact. And if things really work out as planned I doubt Hossa will walk if he enjoys playing with the "Kid". The cap will rise and some players will be shed to absorb. It is not as immpossible as people think. Besides, why wouldn't Hossa want to resign? More money? Sure. But everyone wants to win the "Holy Grail" and now his chances are increased dramaticlly. Where else would/could he go where his chances are any better?
Bottom line is....Coke (Hossa) by itself is great but add some Jack Daniels (Crosby) and it is MUCH better.
Iem sorry but the Pens didnt need anymore Offence they need a goalie and defence. I Personally am a Flyers Fan, and the way I see is they don't have a goalie to carry them. Hossa is a "BIG NAME" nothing more, common lets not forget Vinny Prospol has more points then him and the Flyers got him for dirt cheap. The Pens traded their future. They won't be able to draft until the 3rd round , and I can't see Hossa contributing more then what the Pens lost. Christensan is there best Shoot-out man one of the best in the leage. Coby played his heart out every shift, Esposito is a strong assiet which would have fit nicely with Crosby. The Pens should have taken a lesson from Nashville. bye bye first round of the playoffs! :D
Pittsburgh's acquisition of Marion Hossa at this year's trade deadline dropped jaws around the league and projected the Penguins as the Eastern Conference contender for the Stanley Cup. However, with Hossa's future with the organization in question beyond season's end, the price of a one-time run at the championship may be more costly than first perceived – especially for the fans.
While most Pittsburgh faithful would be comfortable with the loss of shootout expert Erik Christensen, prospect Angelo Esposito and a first-round draft pick for a chance at the championship, the shock and awe surrounding this trade was the departure of fan-favorite Colby Armstrong -- the roommate and good friend of Penguins captain and superstar Sidney Crosby.
Drafted 21st overall in 2001, Armstrong made a name for himself in Pittsburgh as a physical winger who was willing to work the corners for the puck and deliver punishing checks on unsuspecting opponents. His game play is similar to that of aging veteran Gary Roberts, who the Pens coveted enough to land via a trade with the Florida Panthers last season.
With the end of Roberts’ career possibly close at hand due to complications from a broken leg, it would seem that the Pens would need a younger, feistier version of the cagey veteran more than ever – especially when heading into the playoffs. Perhaps Pascal Dupuis, also acquired in the Hossa deal, can fill that spot on the roster, but it will be hard for him to replace Armstrong in the hearts of the Penguins and their fans who consider the loss too
But team chemistry and player affiliations aren't the only things that were costly to the Penguins fans. The addition of Marion Hossa proposes a huge financial problem for Pittsburgh’s immediate future. Not only will the Penguins have to resign Hossa, they will also have to shell out top dollar to retain Evgeni Malkin and Ryan Malone while retaining the goaltending tandem of Marc-Andre Fleury and Ty Conklin.
Based on his previous success in the NHL, Hossa will command anywhere from $7.5 to $9 million per year for his services. Malkin, who currently leads the NHL in scoring and is a strong candidate for the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP, will probably seek monetary compensation comparable to Washington's Alexander Ovechkin and push the Penguins closer to the salary cap with another demand near $8 to $9 million per season.
While Fleury has not had the impact that Malkin has, he does have a 40-win season under his belt in his short NHL career. A strong finish and stellar playoff performance that pushes the Pens deep into the postseason, provided he can wrestle the starting job back from Conklin, could be used to earn Fleury a moderate $2.5 to $3 million per season paycheck. Combine this with the hefty contracts of Hossa, Malkin and Crosby ($8.7 million), and the Penguins are already nearing $30 million dollars in just four players. That’s without adding in the price to keep Malone, Conklin, Jarko Ruutu, Brooks Orpik and the rest of the impending free agents for next season.
With all these impending free agents to consider in the next two seasons,
there is one other concern the Penguins fans should consider – a new arena.
After nearly losing their team, fans will be treated to a brand new state-of-the-art facility in the 2009-10 season that will undoubtedly see an increase in their ticket prices. In just two short years, Pens fans have already seen an increase of nearly $10 in some sections. In two more years it’s feasible to predict another $8-$10 increase to cover the cost of the new arena and the rising costs of player salaries due to the blossoming talent of Malkin, Crosby and Malone added to the hefty pay that it would require to retain Hossa’s services. Add to all of this the cost of resigning Sergei Gonchar and Jordan Staal in the upcoming seasons and the Penguins are surely going to find themselves among the top tier teams and pushing the edges of the league’s salary cap – a position that owner Mario Lemieux must feel comfortable with only a few short years after avoiding bankruptcy and relocation thanks to a growing waiting list for season tickets.
It’s almost hard to imagine that just three seasons ago, the Penguins were struggling to sell out their home games. However, thanks to Crosby and crew Pittsburgh now boasts one of the league’s best attendance records. With Crosby and Malkin threatening to become the next Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr, it’s no wonder why the number of people on the Penguins season ticket waiting list is over one thousand and growing, and as long as that list continues to grow the owners can continue to
Last edited by Kreiter on February 27th at 7:15 PM.
raise the price of tickets to compensate for the inflation of players’ salaries in the seasons to come.
It remains to be seen if the addition of Hossa will lead the Penguins to the Stanley Cup, and if it does general manager Ray Shero could look like a genius. On the other hand, if the Penguins bow out in another first-round defeat and Hossa decides to move elsewhere, Shero will undoubtedly have a major blemish on a seemingly brilliant resume and will have to search for a replacement during the off-season – another signing that could prove costly to the Penguins and make the loss of Armstrong even harder to accept.
Whatever happens after the trade, it is certain that Pittsburgh’s rising superstars will continue to push the team to the edge of the salary cap with or without Hossa. As the Penguins continue to increase their salaries, ticket prices will go up and with it so will the price of a championship.
I totally agree with you about Hossa resigning. My point wasn't to assume that the Pens will resign Hossa, it's was to point out that the Pens didn't just take on new salary. They also have let some salary go. I would say that the chances of Shero resigning Hossa to a long term deal are less than 25%. But you never know what kind of contract a player will sign in any given situation. How many times have we heard rumors of a player pushing for something long term and then they turn around an sign for a year or two. We just don't know.
I would argue that the Pens resigning Hossa is not a requirement for this trade being a "success". If Hossa helps the Pens get far into the playoffs (farther than Armstrong or Christensen would take them, let's say), then it could still be a win for the organization. Every round in the playoffs is money in the bank, and Shero (and even Lemieux and the other owners) know this. Even in Shero's interview yesterday he said that he isn't thinking about resinging Hossa yet. He wants to see if Hossa is a good fit for the team.
Let's say Hossa sheds his prior playoff baggage of under-performances. This will probably take the Pens far into the playoffs and subsequently make him unaffordable. So be it. Let's say Hossa (playing with Crosby, Malkin, Sykora, Gonchar, Staal, etc.) tanks in the playoffs. Is that going to send GMs with open-checkbooks to his doorstep for 8 million a year? I doubt it, but you never know. Even if Hossa doesn't resign, the Pens will have cap room to add other wingers in the off-season, especially with a good run this year.
Last edited by BlackGoldPenguin21 on February 27th at 9:30 PM.
Even if Hossa doesn't resign, the Pens will have cap room to add other wingers in the off-season, especially with a good run in the playoffs. If the Pens are ousted in the first round, I will concede that this will be considered a bust for Shero.
To address some other points, I don't know why people are saying that Shero "gave up the future". Shero did not give up the future; he gave up could-be's, which is different. Christensen is a natural center on a team with centers to take them into the next decade. He was never going to produce for the Pens as a winger and his numbers back up this assumption. He may (accent: "may") do well in Atlanta, but I doubt it will be as a winger. Esposito is almost in the same boat. He hasn't excelled at wing in years and that position was already the writing on the wall for him on the Pens roster. Could he be a great winger? Possibly, but "possiblies" don't win games.
Last edited by BlackGoldPenguin21 on February 27th at 9:28 PM.
On top of that, late first-round draft choices are not sure things, they're also possiblies. Here are the list of first-round draft choices for the Pens since 1984:
1984 Mario Lemieux, 1, Laval (QMJHL)
Doug Bodger, 9, Kamloops (WHL)
Roger Belanger, 16, Kingston (OHL)
1985 Craig Simpson, 2, Michigan State University
1986 Zarley Zalapski, 4, Team Canada
1987 Chris Joseph, 5, Seattle (WHL)
1988 Darrin Shannon, 4, Windsor (OHL)
1989 Jamie Heward, 16, Regina (WHL)
1990 Jaromir Jagr, 5, Poldi Kladno (Czech.)
1991 Markus Naslund, 16, MoDo (Sweden)
1992 Martin Straka, 19, Skoda Plzen (Czech.)
1993 Stefan Bergqvist, 26, Leksand (Sweden)
1994 Chris Wells, 24, Seattle (WHL)
1995 Alexei Morozov, 24, Krylja Sovetov, (CIS)
1996 Craig Hillier, 23, Ottawa (OHL)
1997 Robert Dome, 17, Las Vegas (IHL)
1998 Milan Kraft, 18, Plazen (Czech Rep.)
1999 Konstantin Koltsov, 18, Cherepovec (Russian Sr.)
2000 Brooks Orpik, D, 18, Boston College (Hockey East)
2001 Colby Armstrong, RW, 21, Red Deer (WHL)
How many drafted after the #5 pick have gone on the become impact players in the NHL? 3 (Straka, Naslund, Armstrong). I guess you could make a minor argument for Orpik, but...
Some will argue that the Pens haven't been good in drafting in the last 20 years and there is probably some truth to that, but you can find lists like this for every team in the NHL. That is why drafting is considered an art more than a science.
I have been happy with Shero's wait and see GM style the last two seasons, but I also see why he took a gamble this year. The East is wide open and the Pens have just a good a shot as anyone to represent in the Finals. It's possible that Esposito and the other late first round pick will turn out to be great players, but it is not probable. All that being said, I will miss Armstrong. Watching him lay hits on the Penguin crest will be difficult to watch in the coming years. :o)
OK, I'm done now. (Cue: Sarcastic Clapping and Jeering in the background)
Whew! Lengthy analysis, guys, but also thoughtful and well-written. Nicely done.
Still think this could create a cash-crunch for the Pens if they try to retain Hossa, and I also think they're rushing themselves in terms of the club's development. Regardless, it is what it is and it'll be interesting to see how things shake out.
You're absolutely right that Shero is taking a gamble with regards to the Pens development curve. I think the factor that tipped Shero's hands this year is how wide open the Conference has been. I can't remember a year where multiple teams changed positions in the standings on an hourly basis, as opposed to daily or semi-weekly. This has been a crazy season.
Last edited by BlackGoldPenguin21 on February 28th at 4:59 AM.
Yes, the pens are going for it. And they have to go for it. The need the revenue that comes from winning. Not every team can bide its time. Some teams face an economic reality that requires winning in the playoffs in order to meet payroll. Those teams take the kind of risks that montreal, detroit or philadelphia never have to take.
It was right for the pens to overpay for hossa. montreal didn't need to overpay.
sorry no shoot outs in playoff hockey by chistiansen.sorry army you did deserve to stay because your like a little roberts and hes gone next year and please hossa will be here for at least 1 more year he did not have that great of year so if he signs 1 year at 6.5 0r 7 mil its worth it hes no crosby or malkin he cannot produce on his own merrits like they can so hes not worth crosby or malkin money hes a couple mil under them.if he gets alot of points next year and leaves the other team will be getting only sticker value as to he wont put up same numbers with out a top notch center the likes of cros&malky.which is what going to drive his value up so he stays for 1 year i think then he will get his 8.5to9 mil to a team s u c k ered that he will put up the same numbers.
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
