Tocchet talks on a number of Penguins topics
Rick Tocchet spoke on 105.9 FM in Pittsburgh on Monday afternoon. Tocchet is a CSN Analyst in Philadelphia.
Here are some of his thoughts on a number of topics:
Sidney Crosby – Pens need a right wing. Sid had to do too much stuff against the Flyers.
Crosby’s Contract – No brainer. Best player in league, arguably best player, think he’s past problems with his head. No brainer. For people to say that the Pens are crazy (for signing him) – they’re crazy.
Zach Parise, Ryan Suter – Don’t know if Parise can carry the load. Do you want to pay $100 million for a piece of the puzzle or do you want to pay $100 million for the puzzle? I would save my piggy bank for (Shea) Weber next year.
Tocchet said a team like Pittsburgh or Philadelphia should consider giving the three or four first-round picks to acquire Weber.
NYR & Rick Nash – I know the Rangers are hot and heavy for Nash, but they’re holding tight. When you’re talking four or five pieces, you’ve got to hang the phone up.
Bobby Ryan – Ryan would fit Sid like a glove. Ryan’s dad has ties to the Flyers. I think he’d score 40 goals in his sleep with the Pens or Flyers.
Alexander Semin – Worth a shot as a right-handed shot.
Shane Doan – The Pens unraveled for 11 days, two weeks. Doan could help 87, Malkin, not that they lost the room. Doan would help in seven-game playoff series like that.
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An article in the
St. Louis Dispatch suggests that Brenden Morrow could be on the move from Dallas.
While it’s unknown whether the Pens have contacted the Stars about Morrow, or whether GM Joe Nieuwendyk would even talk to Ray Shero after the James Neal/Matt Niskanen deadline deal, Morrow would provide the Pens veteran leadership and grit around the net.
Morrow is a left winger with a left-handed shot, so he’s not a perfect fit. He’s also battled back and neck injuries. He’s set to make $4.1 million in the final year of a six-year deal. The forward is only 33 years of age but has 12 tough years of NHL mileage.
Health will prove to be a big factor in what happens with Morrow and where he ends up.
Here are Morrow’s
career numbers.
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The Penguins prospect camp begins Tuesday. A look at the roster reveals 13 defensemen and 18 forwards (three of whom are 23 or older). Here’s a
link to the roster.
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As a by-product of doing some research on the Shane Doan/Bill Guerin comparisons, I dug up some interesting background information on the two-time Cup winner Guerin.
- Story of Bill Guerin helping Nicaraguans affected by Hurricane Mitch
here. Guerin is believed to be the first person of Hispanic descent to play in the NHL – his mother's family is from Managua, Nicaragua.
- An interesting profile on Guerin in the Feb. 3, 1998 issue of
Sports Illustrated, prior to the Nagano Olympics. Guerin was the last cut of the 1992 Olympic team.
"It was a tough thing for me to go through," he says, "and to be honest with you, I don't think I ever got over it. That's why this means a lot to me."
Here’s Guerin
mic’ed up for the 2011 Pittsburgh Penguins prospect camp.
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Treasure Life!
JT
Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger • 
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