Ryan Wilson: Penguins celebrating early 90's success tonight Penguins celebrating early 90's success tonight

First

I agree with starting the hot goalie but 1 good game for Fleury and 1 bad game Murray does not really make it that clear cut. I think Murray should have a shot at redemption. He has been the better goalie this season. If he falters again, then start Flower. This 2 starting goalie scenario is gonna turn into a real poop show. Goalies need reps and now neither one is getting them.

The 90's Penguins were dominant! It was scorefest every night. If you weres down by four goals they would still come back. Some nights Mario carried the team on his back. I got my first job in Pittsburgh in 1988. I fell in love with the Pens and so did my wife and kids. We loved to go to the games or make nachos and crowd in front of the TV. The neighbors used to say you could tell when I was watching in the playoffs because I would yell so loud when we scored.

I love this team too and the Pens will always be special for us. It's just that was such a special team at such at amazing pace of scoring it is hard for anyone to fathom unless you saw it.

I have a signed picture and puck of Mario which we got him to sign at the golf tournaments in Nemicoln. One year Sid almost flipped a golf cart when they were racing too fast down the cart path and hit a corner. We used to have drinks with the team at the bar. Man those were some fun days.

The info I have says Murray is in tonight, then again it also says Mrazek is in for the Dead Things and they are actually playing a rookie making his first career start. Not liking the 1a, 1b goaltending scenario at all regardless.

I was lucky enough to see the 91,92 team players play many times in my childhood at both Joe Louis Arena and Maple Leaf Gardens. I saw Jagr play live the first time he ever played against the Leafs actually. I saw Gerard Gallant punch Mario after a whistle once and Kevin Stevens come off the bench and pummel Gallant into the ground starting a bench clearing brawl. Ahh the good old days! Watching Paul Coffee skate was like watching some magestic falcon soaring through the sky. Saw Tochet break Rob Ramages nose. Watched Ken Wregget play for both the Leafs and the Pens.

I know the forward corps will eventually hit their annual injury decimation period but it's the start of the year still, this is the time you acclimate some younger players to the NHL game. Kunitz is fine but maybe we should be saving him for the playoffs a little. Having a 5th centre in Fehr is good in a pinch in case of injury but he's just not a great winger. These lines as currently constructed leave us with a pretty average bottom 6. Aside from Cullen and Rust the other 4 are not contributing on an acceptable level. Well Wilson has been fine. Kuhnhackle, Cullen, Wilson is a much better 4th line than with Fehr in there. The only line that should not be touched is the first line. Hagelen and Kessel on the third line with a new centre. Who is available? They need a bit of a shake up.

This is the perfect game for Pouliot to get a game in, the wings are an injured beat up bunch.

The starts have to be based on performance, not Murrays feelings. He said the D needed to have better gap control and it wasn't his fault anyway.

The 90's would have a dozen or so players with 100+ pts every year. So much talent across the league. They even had the 2 line off sides....now they tried to open it up and it just got worse.

Pens, Wings, AVs, Stars.....those teams were so awesome.

The starts have to be based on performance, not Murrays feelings. He said the D needed to have better gap control and it wasn't his fault anyway.
- Grinder47

For reals?

Far more likely we make a trade to upgrade the defense than try to move bonino to change up 3rd line. Bonino is UFA so tough to move him and upgrade at same time. Just have to hope he gets hot again at right time.

If we make a move it's going to be to fix the top 2 pairs. Tiops also reported Schultz QO next year is this years salary. So after this year going to have to hope we don't lose him to expansion. Going to be a cheap player again next year.

Bonino, Fehr, Fleury all trade bait

Are the Pens gonna turn another rookie goalie into an overnight sensation or light him up? Seems like we are always faltering in these situations.

I think the hardest part about putting the best lineup together is the Pens are deeper at LW than RW. None of Hagelin, Kunitz, Guentzel, and Sheary are standouts, yet all 4 deserve top 9 minutes. The easiest way to resolve that is to put Sheary at RW, but why would we want to break up Crosby's line right now?

And would Sheary be nearly as effective elsewhere in the lineup. I'm not sold yet on him as a long-term top 6 player, but he is certainly earning the opportunity with his play thus far. If Sheary isn't shifted Rust or Wilson are the best options and neither is showing that skill level of even a 3rd liner.

Wish we could put Guentzel and Kunitz on Malkin's wings and try it. Can Guentzel play RW?

I think the hardest part about putting the best lineup together is the Pens are deeper at LW than RW. None of Hagelin, Kunitz, Guentzel, and Sheary are standouts, yet all 4 deserve top 9 minutes. The easiest way to resolve that is to put Sheary at RW, but why would we want to break up Crosby's line right now?

And would Sheary be nearly as effective elsewhere in the lineup. I'm not sold yet on him as a long-term top 6 player, but he is certainly earning the opportunity with his play thus far. If Sheary isn't shifted Rust or Wilson are the best options and neither is showing that skill level of even a 3rd liner.

Wish we could put Guentzel and Kunitz on Malkin's wings and try it. Can Guentzel play RW?
- Tojo.

that would be cool to try

I think the hardest part about putting the best lineup together is the Pens are deeper at LW than RW. None of Hagelin, Kunitz, Guentzel, and Sheary are standouts, yet all 4 deserve top 9 minutes. The easiest way to resolve that is to put Sheary at RW, but why would we want to break up Crosby's line right now?

And would Sheary be nearly as effective elsewhere in the lineup. I'm not sold yet on him as a long-term top 6 player, but he is certainly earning the opportunity with his play thus far. If Sheary isn't shifted Rust or Wilson are the best options and neither is showing that skill level of even a 3rd liner.

Wish we could put Guentzel and Kunitz on Malkin's wings and try it. Can Guentzel play RW?
- Tojo.

Interesting idea, I like it.

For reals?
- Thorny87

No, he did say that in an interview after a loss at some point in time though. I get the feeling he's kind of a cocky wiener too so I'm going with it.

For reals?
- Thorny87

Yeah, he's been known to say stuff like that. So far it hasn't been a problem, but I could see that act wearing thin eventually.

Ah, the late 80's and early 90's and Penguins hockey.

First and foremost, the team filled a huge hole for the city because the Steelers of the Malone/Brister era were really struggling until Cowher took over.

Secondly, they were such a fun team to watch and tickets were still dirt cheap - I went to countless games back then and it didn't break the bank, even when I became a teenager and my friends and I would go by ourselves.

Finally, those guys were all so approachable.

We hung out with Luc Robitaille at the airport Arby's late at night for hours. He was waiting for a red eye and we were simply at the airport to eat Arby's after a long night out (24 hour food wasn't a thing yet, so we'd go to the airport after the "establishments" closed).

Two of my college buddies were from Sewickley and we'd drive past Mario's house there in the summer and he'd just be out in the yard playing with the kids, and he'd come over and say hello and sign whatever we had.

But my best memory involved my job at Kennywood at the water gun boat race game. The boats' speed could be manipulated by turning dials in the back, so you could make sure jerks lost, or so certain people would win. One afternoon Tom Barrasso and his wife and kids came up to play. This was in the midst of his daughter Ashley's battle with cancer, and I went in the back and turned her boat up as far as it would go. She won five times in a row and walked away with the biggest koala bear we had, and as they were leaving I gave Tom a wink, and he immediately knew what was up, and gave me a big hug and incessant thanks for bring his daughter some easy joy.

Ah, the late 80's and early 90's and Penguins hockey.

First and foremost, the team filled a huge hole for the city because the Steelers of the Malone/Brister era were really struggling until Cowher took over.

Secondly, they were such a fun team to watch and tickets were still dirt cheap - I went to countless games back then and it didn't break the bank, even when I became a teenager and my friends and I would go by ourselves.

Finally, those guys were all so approachable.

We hung out with Luc Robitaille at the airport Arby's late at night for hours. He was waiting for a red eye and we were simply at the airport to eat Arby's after a long night out (24 hour food wasn't a thing yet, so we'd go to the airport after the "establishments" closed).

Two of my college buddies were from Sewickley and we'd drive past Mario's house there in the summer and he'd just be out in the yard playing with the kids, and he'd come over and say hello and sign whatever we had.

But my best memory involved my job at Kennywood at the water gun boat race game. The boats' speed could be manipulated by turning dials in the back, so you could make sure jerks lost, or so certain people would win. One afternoon Tom Barrasso and his wife and kids came up to play. This was in the midst of his daughter Ashley's battle with cancer, and I went in the back and turned her boat up as far as it would go. She won five times in a row and walked away with the biggest koala bear we had, and as they were leaving I gave Tom a wink, and he immediately knew what was up, and gave me a big hug and incessant thanks for bring his daughter some easy joy.
- hardnosed

Hockey players will always be approachable. Overall they are predominantly working class white kids with a ton of talent. It takes years of success to take that away from a kid into an elitist. Furthermore, the moral ethos necessary to make it in pro sports is much different than corporate America or Wall Street. People tend to adopt the morals necessary for success in their profession. The physical training and focus necessary for success keeps them humble.

Hockey players will always be approachable. Overall they are predominantly working class white kids with a ton of talent. It takes years of success to take that away from a kid into an elitist. Furthermore, the moral ethos necessary to make it in pro sports is much different than corporate America or Wall Street. People tend to adopt the morals necessary for success in their profession. The physical training and focus necessary for success keeps them humble.
- sditulli

More and more of that is leaving the game of hockey. Young skilled hockey players are whinier and female dogier than ever. It comes from the changing of the guard from the old school to the stats oriented "grow the game" mindset that people who call themselves hockey fans are promoting.

For reals?
- Thorny87

Just in his world. I still have Murray as the starter tonight not sure where it's listing MAF. Red wings are starting some rookie, it's his first NHL start.

Don't understand fehr instead of Guentzal... is DB back as coach. Sitting the rookies is stupid

More and more of that is leaving the game of hockey. Young skilled hockey players are whinier and female dogier than ever. It comes from the changing of the guard from the old school to the stats oriented "grow the game" mindset that people who call themselves hockey fans are promoting.
- Grinder47

YEah all the people that he want to get the WWF, trailer park trash aspect out of the game and just employ players that can actually play the game. What monsters they must be huh? How dare they take out the aspect that all the brain dead idiots like the most? Why would we want to prevent the guys that get paid the minimum from developing pugilists dementia when they are 38 years old because they have been punched in the head so many times? Then we can continue to deny the correlation between hockey and brain injuries. If a fight between 2 regular players breaks out because of the heat of the game then I'm all for it but when Derrick Boogaurd and Rick Flair are indistinguishable there's a huge problem there and it's just stupid.

Just in his world. I still have Murray as the starter tonight not sure where it's listing MAF. Red wings are starting some rookie, it's his first NHL start.
- Dcoms

this enough?

To Hardnosed...

Great stories! Thanks for sharing.

Don't understand fehr instead of Guentzal... is DB back as coach. Sitting the rookies is stupid
- nh4442

It doesn't surprise me. Nearly every coach is going to favor the vet over a young kid. Especially if the team is doing pretty well. If the team was barely hanging on in the standings, I guarantee Guentzal is playing.