FanNation - The Republic of Sport

This years Stanley Cup came to a close today with the Detroit Red Wings defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 3 to 2 in Ga.me 6, locking up the series 4 games to 2, but is there more to this story?  Or better yet, have we seen this storyline before in the hockey world?

One squad has been the hockey giants for almost a decade winning Lord Stanley's Cup more than once and taking it to their opponents, always putting forth a fight and always feared on the ice.  The other squad, a group of young talented superstars, that didn't know any better than to take on the big boys, but they had never been to the Stanley Cup Finals before, and without the experience they were unsuccessful in their quest.

Remind anyone of 1982-1983? 

The 1982-1983 Edmonton Oilers were one of the best teams in hockey that year.  Wayne Gretzky was in his fourth NHL season and led the team with 71 goals and 125 assists for 196 points.  He was surrounded with such other great names as Mark Messier, Jari Kurri and Paul Coffey.  And these young skaters were joined by the young goaltenders of Andy Moog and Grant Fuhr.  That year their team put up 106 points, and won their division.  They cruised to an 11-1 record in the play-offs and reached the Stanley Cup for the first time in Team History. 

The Oilers, however, had their own run in with history when they took on the three time defending champion New York Islanders.  They had won three straight Stanley Cup Finals and had been dominating their conference for years prior to that.  Edmonton was the young guns though with everything to gain, but they would be made short work by the Isles in a 4 game sweep sending the Oilers home empty handed. 

Edmonton would rise again, however.  They would win 5 of the next 7 Stanley Cups, led by their young guns who had been hardened by the sweep in the Cup Finals by the Isles.  They would produce some of the best players of their generation in Gretzky, Messier, Coffey, and Fuhr. 

So how do the Penguins compare?

They battled a hardened Detroit team that has been on top of the League for years now, winning four of the last seven President's Trophies that have been awarded.  Plus Detroit won the Stanley Cup in four of the last twelve years, a fairly impressive feat and comparable to the 82-83 Islanders.

On the other hand the Penguins were led this season by the heir to the throne, Sidney Crosby, along with his partner in crime Evgeni Malkin.  Along with young goal tending phenom Marc-Andre Fleury.  Plus they only had 7 players all season over the age of 30, which is quite young by Hockey Standards.  Also they put up over 100 points this year just as the Oilers of 82-83 accomplished en-route to their Stanley Cup defeat.

The comparison is definitely warranted, but can the Penguins come back hungry?  They showed the fortitude to come back in Game 5 and try to come back in Game 6, but will they be complacent in the off-season?

They have the tools to become a dominant franchise and dynasty for years to come it only takes a little work to get the jod done.