The Stanley Cup Finals between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings has appeared on Fox with words showing comparisons of each (especially the offense), how the Wings were worn out, and how the Penguins are the preferred shooters of the National Hockey League. This column will present the comparisons of not only the offense (each are similar but there are major differences and while I am Red Wings fan I will point out the betters of Pittsburgh and contrast them with Detroit we will get better understanding that way), the age of the Detroit Red Wings, the young guns of the Penguins and the goalies for each team. My sources are three websites they are the stats machine from nhl.com, the Pittsburgh Penguins official website and the Detroit Red Wings official website; for team history and other interesting reading.
The roster for the Penguins is a list of verified talent from around the world. The same for the Detroit Red Wings. The leadership of each team is a difference on the rosters comparison. Here is why. The Captain of the Penguins is an offensive player young and eager to win the Cup for the first time. The Captain of the Red Wings is a defensive player in his thirties who is eager to win the Cup again (as was indicated during the photo op with the presentation of the Campbell trophy for the western conference champion Nicklas Lidstrom did not touch the trophy) he wants the biggest trophy in the sport; the Stanley Cup so retiring a winner is something that is important to Nicklas Lidstrom and starting his career as a winner is something that is important to Sidney Crosby; so here is where the comparisons are similar both want the Cup for reasons related to career statements. This will end the comparison of the Captains meaning that the personal accolades of both will not be listed, that information can be found in the player biographies of each on the teams websites.
With comparison number one we found out the the determination of the captains to win the Cup is similar and doing so would make a solid career statement. But there are differences in the comparisons because of the skill position for each age. One offenseand young and the other defense and in his thirties. Now we will delve to the age of the Red Wings with the youth of the Penguins and ask and answer the question of 'do the Red Wings and Penguins have comparable depth?' this might lead us to a very clear difference.
To start with the Pittsburgh Penguins is stating that this team has the youth mixed with NHL experience on this roster. Sidney Crosby, Evegeni Malkin, are the leaders and names of the NHL statistical columns. The goalie, Marc Andre Fleury is young and showing that he was the right pick at the right time in goal for the Pens. The youth of the Red Wings, starts with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg who are both nominated for the Selke Trpohy which is an award that goes to the best defensive forward in the NHL. The goalie that has been starting for the Red Wings Chris Osgood, has experience and Stanley Cup wins. So we see here in the comparison that they match up very similarly until the youth breaksdown to cast a difference in the goalkeeper position which for the Red Wings has age. This is not a negative here at all for each team. To the contrary a logical argument can be made for each being positive. Fleury like Crosby wants the Stanley Cup to make a career statement now and the age of Osgood will make him slow. Wings have an experienced goalkeeper not slow at all but knows how to react to the pressure of the playoffs and he wants another Stanley Cup because going out a winner like Nicklas Lidstrom is important. The differences can make similar convincing arguments.
In comparison two the comparisons start to breakdown because of the age (or experience) of the Red Wings goalkeeper Chris Osgood. If fans and bloggers on Foxsports.com wish to debate, trash talk and predict with points that may seem strong a counter from another fan can be as valid and strong, Seeing this might help the debate be one of the best on this site. The age of the Red Wings versus the youth of the Pittsburgh Penguins will we find who has the most depth to predict who wins what could one of the most exciting series of Stanley Cup Finals of the NHL?
Here we go to reach a conclusion promised very shortly. The Pittsburgh Penguins have a system that relies on four forward lines with lines as does Detroit. The defense of each team has depth . The conclusion is realizing that the outcome of the series will be the play of the powerplay units and penalty kill units. The defense of each team will face its fair share of tests, adversity, and challenges. The offense of each team will score, be shutout and knocked down. Who wins is the team that outscores, outshoots and stays focused more on the Stanley Cup to be awarded to the winner.
This is going to be a very good series. I think both teams haven't seen the type of challenge that the other will impose in the Final. Both had relatively easy times in the way of getting to the Stanley Cup Final. The Red Wings needed two extra games to get there as opposed to the Pens. The Pens offense has been getting all the attention, but they have gotten this far by being a balanced team. Save the clincher over the Flyers, their offense hasn't exploded and dominated a game. They have grinded out wins. The Wings are obviously a very good team. All of their defenseman can move the puck well, something the Flyers D-men were totally incapable of. They have a great power play, and crash the net at all times. That is where the Flyers scored almost all of their goals, directly in front of the net, after getting traffic. I am going to contrast you by saying whoever has the better defensive series is going to win.
Last edited by thesupposedbuckles on May 20th at 11:00 AM.
supposedbuckles a defensive contrast might win in this case if the speed of Lebda is mentioned and not underestimated. Lebda has an incredible outlet pass not just along the boards on clear situations but breakaways and Kronwall can pass and hit.
But so can Gonchar and Orpik good games all.
And the way to beat a trap like system that the Devils used in 95 and what the pens use now is to have passing d men and one of the best from the devils is now in red and white.
But Gonchar and orpik are great at finding the passing lanes.
the things that the wings d does is shoot from the blue line or to beat the shot block in front of the net is to pass to the right or left boards where the forwards are they learned that after the oilers series in the year the canes won the CUp.
I will counter the d contrast with coaching and preparedness to face what is used and how the team has learned from other series.
letsgoredwings
This could be one of better Stanley Cup Finals of recent years. You've got the Wings themselves and the kid they've anointed the Boy Wonder in some circles.
Let's however see how Crosby'll fare against the mighty Red Wings over quite possibly the span of 7 games. The last thing however the NHL really needs is for the series to be a complete blowout.
It could very well happen if the Penguins aren't on top of their game.
I have avoided the classification of Crosby as what you quoted for good reason. There is plenty of competition for that title right now in the league and in the recent future.
The point here is that the Wings are calmly finally doing what was expected of them after Bowman retired.
Dave Lewis started coaching the wings.
When Mike Babs was hired and now Zetterberg has throughout his career steadily advanced after the one and out two and out and then three out to make the playoffs and one thing about Hank Z that I think is different to Crosby is that Zetterberg has endured the learning process with poise. He is the next leader of the Wings he needs the Cup on paper to show credibilty the difference about Zett and Crosby is Sid already has the C stitched without the trophy hoist.
I believe the Wings fuel for the fire is Zetterberg for the team. We will see the Pens have drive too do not get wrong.
It is for other than passing the torch though.
The Wings team believed in 98 for Vladinator and the team is now in 08 for Hank watch and see about the Wings and Hank this playoffs. Sure the trophy and Lidstrom is the obvious byline but the undercurrent is Hank.
Another undercurrent is Ozzie.
Listen to the chants of OZZIE grow in the Joe it has happend in posts on this site as well so there are some writers on Fox that have picked up on that vibe.
However the one I mentioned about the difference in getting the youth of Crosby and Hank Z credible is the remaining vibe left.
The Wings team looks for these to build on so IF the Wings watch who get the trophy after Lidstrom.
In the lockerroom the team can finally say who after Nick. if it is Hank then this team will be fired up.
letsgoredwings
Like I've alluded to before because of work colleagues I'm becoming attuned to the game. And I do see the Wings winning the series in 6 games if they play to their strengths.
Either way I just hope that it'll be a great series as the game needs something to bring it back to the fore and in the minds of the public once again. It's languishing at the moment from the lack of high profile visibility. This could very well change the public's perception of the game should the series be really entertaining.
I think it'll be a series of ebbs and flows because both teams are evenly matched for the most part. There are some advantages here and there, but nothing major - no areas that can be seriously exploited. The one facet of each team that has given previous opponents trouble is speed - and since they both have it, you've got to figure that it will cancel out.
Bottom line is this. When two teams are evenly matched, the only real way to find out who's going to win is to see which team wants it more. That has nothing to do with skill and advantages, and everything to do with heart and "want to." No matter what, it ought to be a great series. Figure each team gets a blow-out win, but the other five are all tight.
The game of hockey is intense, it is a game that is not about finesse all the time. It is about second chances and detmerination and the fight to win welcome back DMAC #25!
NHL Rules
