If it was Chris Neil (instead of Cooke), and Sid or Malkin (instead of Karlsson), how would you react if Neil refused to fight anyone? It happens all the time in the NHL. A player is hit, on the ice, then the offender fights someone from the other team. That right there usually closes the book.
If Alfie knocks Sid out with a headshot, I would expect him to fight someone from the Pens.
Someone fighting Engellend does nothing here - Ottawa Fan
You're wrong Cooke answered when he did something wrong... That was against Boston and Thornton who is way tougher. He did nothing wrong and doesn't have nothing to answer for.
Sid got a concussion on a hit we didn't like in PGH but don't remember Steckal? answering anything.
You are one delusional person. No one knows when Karlsson's next Achilles tendon problem happens either. No one knows if the next achilles tendon problem will end his career. Crosby has done it longer than Karlsson, who has only had two good years - one solid and one studly. Top flight centers don't grow on trees either, especially guys of Sid's ilk. I think the fact he was well ahead of the competition for a few major awards at the time of him taking a puck to the jaw proves it.
Keep talking. The more you post, the more you are looked at as a homer or an idiot. Your choice. - Oneonta Penguin
Crosby has been in the league for 8 years. Three of those years, he's played under 55 games (two of those have been the past two seasons).
You can call me any name in the book that you want, but if the league had a dispersal draft, GMs would be worried about his health. I don't see how you can't grasp that.
A fully healthy Sid blows EVERY hockey player in the world out of the water. But it's rolling the dice.
Also, you can't compare concussion problems to a freak injury on one's Achilles. How many players have had their careers cut short because of a cut tendon?
Concussions on the other hand....
Sid is injury prone.. it sucks, but it's a fact. Karlsson has had one freak injury and didn't miss time with any significant injuries prior to that, at any level.
I think the Pens take it. I think the remaining players take great enjoyment of winning when all the "stars" are out of the line up.
3-1 Pens! - Sell My Monkey
Assuming it's between the Rags, Isles, and Sens (I assume the Caps or Jets win the SE, with the other on the outside looking in), who do Pens fans want to draw in the 1st round ? I don't think that there is an easy out among the 3, though obviously a healthy Pens team would be a heavy favorite.
If the league folded and they had a dispersal draft (new teams with every player), I'd argue that Karlsson would be picked ahead of Crosby or Towes.
Before you charge me as a homer, I'm simply saying that because:
1. Dmen play more mins and are more valuable than forwards.
2. Karlsson is younger than both and Crosby has injury problems. No one really knows if the next concussion will end his career.
Now I could see how one would argue that Weber or Chara would be picked ahead of Karlsson. There is the age issue there as well though.
But mainly, simply because Dmen eat up more mins and are much harder to find than good forwards, I would think Karlsson would probably go #1 or at least ahead of any forward (outside possibly Stamkos). - Charliebox
Karlsson is a great player but one Norris does not make him the heir apparent to anything. At the very least, he would need to put his team on his back and take them deep into the playoffs. Look at Ovie and all of his hardware(Rocket, Hart, Calder, Art Ross) yet he still barely enters the conversation of best in the league largely because he hasnt taken his team deep into the playoffs. If/When Karlsson is the catalyst for a long Ottawa run in the playoffs, then he can enter the conversation. As a Dman, Pronger and Lidstrom set the bar with how to get mentioned as the best in the game---it takes postseason success.
Assuming it's between the Rags, Isles, and Sens (I assume the Caps or Jets win the SE, with the other on the outside looking in), who do Pens fans want to draw in the 1st round ? I don't think that there is an easy out among the 3, though obviously a healthy Pens team would be a heavy favorite. - MadCap2008
Location: @Mance_22 - Albany, NY Joined: 02.27.2007
Apr 22 @ 2:14 PM ET
Changing gears a bit, how about the season Beau Bennett. Sad to see he is out tonight, as he has looked more and more confident and poised in the past few weeks.
Looking at points per game by fookies, he's 4th behind Conacher, Huberdeau & Gallagher, tied with Saad, and ahead of guys like Yakapov and Tarasenko.
Who knows what his stats would be like playing a full season, and like most of the players above, playing a top 6 role a lot of the time.
I like how he's been brought along this season, and expect him to be a long term right wing for many years to come on this team.
With the cap the next few years, you need big contributions from guys with low cap hits, and Bennett's entry level deal is perfect for that.
Location: Drinking the tears of the defeated from Lord Stanley's chalice. Joined: 01.18.2007
Apr 22 @ 2:14 PM ET
And yes, Karlsson is the best player in the NHL, or at least he was when he got hurt. Whether he still is or not coming back, who knows. But for a time, he absolutely was. - the_terror
I deleted the rest of your para for the sake of brevity, and should point out that I agree with it. But to say that Erik Karlsson is the best player in the NHL is beyond ludicrous and to suggest so in a Pittsburgh forum makes this post even more ham handed. Best offensive defenseman, maybe.
Assuming it's between the Rags, Isles, and Sens (I assume the Caps or Jets win the SE, with the other on the outside looking in), who do Pens fans want to draw in the 1st round ? I don't think that there is an easy out among the 3, though obviously a healthy Pens team would be a heavy favorite. - MadCap2008
It doesn't matter, with a full-lineup, we have no excuses and should defeat any of the 3 teams listed above.
You're wrong Cooke answered when he did something wrong... That was against Boston and Thornton who is way tougher. He did nothing wrong and doesn't have nothing to answer for.
Sid got a concussion on a hit we didn't like in PGH but don't remember Steckal? answering anything.
- lloyd095
I don't think it was on purpose, but its important for teams to stick up for an injured teammate. Fighting is an easy way to end it. If not, Chris Neil will probably do something stupid tonight
Assuming it's between the Rags, Isles, and Sens (I assume the Caps or Jets win the SE, with the other on the outside looking in), who do Pens fans want to draw in the 1st round ? I don't think that there is an easy out among the 3, though obviously a healthy Pens team would be a heavy favorite. - MadCap2008
I'd take the Sens if I had to choose. Rags and Isles are really playing some solid hockey. I'd MUCH rather face the "Peg".
However if the team was completely healthy, I'd say bring on anyone. The Penguins at full force would bring alot of everything. I feel this team wants the Cup back in a bad way.
Crosby has been in the league for 8 years. Three of those years, he's played under 55 games (two of those have been the past two seasons).
You can call me any name in the book that you want, but if the league had a dispersal draft, GMs would be worried about his health. I don't see how you can't grasp that.
A fully healthy Sid blows EVERY hockey player in the world out of the water. But it's rolling the dice.
Also, you can't compare concussion problems to a freak injury on one's Achilles. How many players have had their careers cut short because of a cut tendon?
Concussions on the other hand....
Sid is injury prone.. it sucks, but it's a fact. Karlsson has had one freak injury and didn't miss time with any significant injuries prior to that, at any level. - Charliebox
Location: We're gonna skate to one song, and one song only. Joined: 12.15.2010
Apr 22 @ 2:20 PM ET
I deleted the rest of your para for the sake of brevity, and should point out that I agree with it. But to say that Erik Karlsson is the best player in the NHL is beyond ludicrous and to suggest so in a Pittsburgh forum makes this post even more ham handed. Best offensive defenseman, maybe. - Emperor Filonius
Whoa whoa whoa, it isn't beyond ludicrous, it's just ludicrous.
Crosby is the game's best player, plain and simple. Ovechkin and Stamkos could easily be second and third, and Datsyuk, King Henrik and Zdeno Chara should be mentioned close behind.
1. the sens team will not focus on cooke. it's only one stupid newspaper and a few "overly passionate" fans who are focusing on this.
2. i'm sure neil or kassian will ask him to go, if he doesn't then fine, and if he does, then fine. either way, it'll be over after that.
3. saying karlsson is better than crosby right now is just silly. i love karlsson, but crosby is the best player in the game.....PERIOD
4. that being said, saying letang is better than karlsson is pretty silly too. karlsson is a better skater (assuming he doenst regress after injury), has a better shot, better pass, is more elusive, better PP qb, and has arguably teh best "stick skills" of any d-man in the league (as shown by the fact that he led the league in takeaways last year)............i'm not saying letang isn't good at any of that, just that karlsson is better. letang is definitely more physical though, won't take that away from him. also, lost in all this debate is the fact that karlsson is like 5 years younger, and is nowhere near his prime years yet.
5. anyone who says that karlsson doesn't play D, and is just anohter mike green is either a) dumb, and know nothing about hockey b) a sens hater c) never actually watched him play d) all of the above
Karlsson is a great player but one Norris does not make him the heir apparent to anything. At the very least, he would need to put his team on his back and take them deep into the playoffs. Look at Ovie and all of his hardware(Rocket, Hart, Calder, Art Ross) yet he still barely enters the conversation of best in the league largely because he hasnt taken his team deep into the playoffs. If/When Karlsson is the catalyst for a long Ottawa run in the playoffs, then he can enter the conversation. As a Dman, Pronger and Lidstrom set the bar with how to get mentioned as the best in the game---it takes postseason success. - Rawdog9755
I believe this is more because Ovechkin had sub-par seasons the last few years - he was certainly in the conversation when he was winning Hart's/Lindsey's, etc. He might be yet again if he sustains his current level.
Location: Drinking the tears of the defeated from Lord Stanley's chalice. Joined: 01.18.2007
Apr 22 @ 2:21 PM ET
Well I don't think any Pens fans think I have any credibility anyways. Hard to lose something you don't have..
Just watch. Unless someone new comes into the league, Karlsson will be the most dominant Dmen in the NHL for years to come.
When it comes to forwards, Sid is in a class of his own. If he never had injury problems, I would agree that he would go #1 every single time. The injury issue may scare people off, though. - Charliebox
Karlsson is probably the best defenseman in the league. You can make that argument just fine. But Crosby is a once in a generation player....injury or not, there is a significant difference in the levels that they inhabit.
