Throwdowns > Forfeited

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  • May 23, 2008 12:45 PM ET

If the Penguins were to win this stanley cup and the next stanley cup, this team wouldn't be better than when Lemieux and Jagr played.

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The fact of the matter is, hockey, like all other sports in America, is not on par with what it once was. The competition is lower, the rules have been changed to make it easier for the players, and the addition of too many expansion teams has diluted the talent pool. When the Penguins won the cup back in 90-91 and 91-92, it was still when the Canadiens were the Yankees of their day (they would win the cup the following year), not to mention that Wayne Gretzky was still around. While the Pens this season are young, exciting, and talented, it doesn't make any sense to already compare them to what was one of the greatest teams in NHL history.


I hate TD's like this where it's all based on speculation. But let me repeat the conditions again:

IF the Pens were to win THIS Stanley Cup AND the NEXT Stanley Cup
So assume we win this year and next when voting

1. Expansion - More teams equals more teams missing out on the playoffs. Since the Pens went back to back in 91/92, only 1 other team as won back to back cups - the Red Wings in 97 and 98. Prior to the Pens repeat, the were 2 different back-2-backs by Edmonton and a 4 peat by the Islanders following a 4 peat by the Canadians.

2. Salary Cap - Its harder now to win consecutive cups because there is a cap on the spending. Hossa will probably walk after this year, so he would have to be replaced. Replacing him and STILL winning the cup would be remarkable. Who all did the Pens lose after that first cup in 91?

3. Overall this team is more talented. Lemieux was in a league of his own, Jagr was really young and learning. Crosby and Malkin were both better than Jagr was in 91-92. Add in Hossa and this team already has more offensive firepower. Defensively there is no comparison how much better we are now. Our 3rd and 4th lines are deeper and better...


Forfeited Turn


Continuing on from my last argument. . .

This team would have to be considered better because of the difficulty of repeating in this era of the NHL.

Look at these very Penguins. . . They were the bottom of the league for 4 years early in the decade. Two years removed from being the worst team in the league, here they are 4 wins away from hoisting the cup. Last year, Philly had the dubious honor of finishing last in the league. Only a mere 1 year later, they were playing in the conference finals.

With the salary cap and free agency structure of the league, keeping and maintaining a team together is much harder than it was back when the Pens had their first stanley cup run. The NHL has parity, so those bottom teams can make a quick turn around and challenge for the cup.

Also, it should be mentioned, that the Pens played in arguably the best division in hockey this year. 4 of the 5 teams made the playoffs. Next year, the division looks to be just as tough.

This Pens team has the great combination of youth and experience that seperate them from other NHL teams. With the emergence of Fleury, Malkin, and Staal combined with Crosby, this team is better


Ok, I've burnt out about all the time I can stand to on hockey, sorry. I never was a big fan of the sport, even when it was at it's "height" of popularity. I follow the Penguins minimally because they are a Pittsburgh team, but I would rather watch the Pirates lose than the Penguins win, honestly. You win, good luck in the tourney.

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May 23, 2008  04:38 PM ET
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sorry, i ran out of room and prob wont get to my second arg until tomorrow morning....


GO PENS....

May 23, 2008  04:38 PM ET
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Attention Fannation viewers..... there is a special tomorrow night at Joe Louis Arena around 8PM....

ALL YOU CAN EAT WINGS!!!!!!!

haha LET"S GO PENS!

May 23, 2008  05:10 PM ET
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do we really think the penguins will win it this year?

 
May 26, 2008  04:14 PM ET
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I love it when folks say stuff like:

Overall this team is more talented. Lemieux was in a league of his own, Jagr was really young and learning. Crosby and Malkin were both better than Jagr was in 91-92. Add in Hossa and this team already has more offensive firepower. Defensively there is no comparison how much better we are now. Our 3rd and 4th lines are deeper and better...


Makes me wonder if they actually saw that Penguins team. Larry Murphy , Paul Coffey and the SammyWilson brothers alone made that Penguins team better. Add Ron Francis, Bryan Trottier, Kevin Stephens, Shawn McEachern, Bob Errey, Rick Tocchet, Joe Mullen and on and on and on. Probably 7 or 8 Hall of Fame players in all. The current team will be lucky to get 3.

There is zero comparison with the current Penguins team. Other than the fact they are from the same city.

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