Phil Kessel having the opportunity to play with elite centers rightfully has the 412 area code buzzing but it has also intrigued others from around the league. Today one of the league's best players chimed in on Kessel in Pittsburgh
Toews on Kessel skating with Crosby or Malkin: "That's an overdose of skill, if Kessel ends up playing with one or the other." -MC
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) September 9, 2015
Toews: "It's pretty amazing what a pure sniper/goal scorer could do with two guys that can move and control the puck like (87 and 71)." -MC
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) September 9, 2015
Chicago only plays Pittsburgh twice each regular season but it sure would be fun to watch Toews/Hossa take on Crosby/Kessel in a head to head matchup.
Evgeni Malkin also chimed in
Evgeni Malkin had this to say about Phil Kessel today: "I think if he plays with Sid he can score 50 goals at least. He has everything."
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) September 8, 2015
Here is the problem with Geno's optimism. It really isn't up to the players to make that happen. Until the NHL stops catering to the bottom feeders in the league the star players will never hit their potential ceilings. It is tough to predict 50 goals from Kessel when he has never hit 40 and the leading scorer last year didn't even hit 90 points.
Phil Kessel was on the ice in Pittsburgh for the first time today
It Phils like the first time. Welcome to Pittsburgh ice, @PKessel81. pic.twitter.com/0cuqaFVYka
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) September 9, 2015
Phil Kessel 's first shot as a Penguin #Bardown pic.twitter.com/2QvTGGq7p3
— Joe Politowski (@HoboJoethe34) September 9, 2015Sidney Crosby knows exactly what is in store for Connor McDavid
Crosby said the hardest thing McDavid will face is dealing with constant expectations from city to city. He knows a thing or two about that.
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) September 8, 2015
Wayne Gretzky said it best (and I'm paraphrasing). He talked about how he couldn't take a night off because he knew there would always be a young fan at the rink watching him for the first time and he never wanted to let them down. It is an incredibly tough standard to maintain considering the human element. Sidney Crosby does a wonderful job bringing it every night and Connor McDavid will more than likely do the same.
There is some World Cup news to report. Today the schedule was released
2016 World Cup of Hockey schedule. Final is beat of three. pic.twitter.com/fingBqn5LJ
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) September 9, 2015
The cool thing about the schedule is that the final round is a best of three. That should make for some intense hockey.
A former Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguin is going to be running Team Europe in the World Cup
Former #Penguins player Miro Satan named GM of Team Europe for 2016 World Cup.
— Shelly Anderson (@_ShellyAnderson) September 9, 2015
Jason Mackey discusses some of the potential Penguins that could be taking part in the World Cup
Sid and Geno, sure. But who else could represent the Penguins at the World Cup of Hockey? From Chipped Ice: http://t.co/1kYk4c7dYc
— Jason Mackey (@Mackey_Trib) September 9, 2015
Hearing an NHL team is on verge of hiring @acthomasca in analytics role. But @war_on_ice won't be shut down.
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) September 9, 2015
Andrew Thomas, a University of Florida data science professor who runs the widely popular analytics site war-on-ice.com, is also expected to be hired by an undisclosed team – believed to be in the Western Conference – in the near future
Great news that both founders from War on Ice are being rewarded for their excellent work and even better news that the site will continue to live on unlike many of the other sites that closed up shop after its owners were hired.
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