Gotta start out by congratulating not the Pittsburgh Penguins but the NHL for being relevant once again. This is due in large part to an extremely entertaining series that really did have everything and showcased the two best teams in the league playing hard for 7 straight games. I thought it was an amazing series and I have a few observations and opinions I am going to discuss.
The Whole Handshake Thing
In case you haven't heard Kris Draper of the Red Wings is all pissed off because he thinks Sidney Crosby snubbed the Wings by not shaking all of their hands. Crosby has since responded by saying it wasn't intentional and that he was just enjoying the moment and getting caught up in it.
What a loser comment from Draper. Get over it pal. You lost. So what if he wasn't gung ho to shake hands. He is 22 and just won a Stanley Cup let the man enjoy it. Lack of class shown here by Draper and I think he is just being a sore loser.
The fact that this is news and has been discussed on Sportscenter 2 nights in a row is brutal. Sad to see something like this tarnish what was an amazing series.
Dan Byslma
Dan Byslma took over as the Penguins head coach in February and instantly turned the team around going 18-3-4 to finish the season. At 38 he was the youngest coach in the NHL but he had the respect of his players and led them all the way to a Stanley Cup victory.
With the victory Byslma becomes only the 14th rookie head coach to win the cup and only the 2nd coach to ever win it as a mid-season replacement.
A lot is being said about Byslma doing nothing and just inheriting a great team but you have to give the man some credit. It's not as if the players were coaching themselves out there and calling their own line changes.
Maxime Talbot
Not only can this guy make amazing car commercials (watch the Random Youtube Video for proof) but he can also snipe goals with the best of them. Talbot came up huge in game 7 as he scored both of the Penguins goals.
Both of the goals he scored show off the well roundedness of his game. The first was a gritty goal scored after he stole the puck from the Wings defenseman while on the forecheck and the second was him sniping top corner coming down the left wing.
Talbot really showed his worth throughout the entire playoffs and his two way style and aggressive attitude made the difference not just in game 7 but throughout the entire playoffs.
Talk About Having Balls
It was leaked today that Red Wings defenseman Nikolas Lindstrom missed games 4 and 5 of the Blackhawks series due to testicular surgery. He suffered an injury after getting speared by Patrick Sharp and was forced to miss the two games to get it taken care of.
I don't care what anyone says that is a ridiculous accomplishment. Getting hit in the nuts so bad it requires surgery and only missing two games is unreal. Amazing dedication shown by Lindstrom and it shows the passion he has for the game.
Have to wonder if his balls were hurting when he got robbed in the final seconds of game 7 though.
Sid the Kid and Gino
Crosby and Malkin weren't always the stars of the series but both played significant roles. Malkin led the playoffs in scoring and ended up winning the Conn Smythe. Not only did he rack up the points but he also beat up Henrik Zetterberg which in my opinion gave his team a bit of a mental boost.
As for Crosby he became the youngest captain to win the cup and in my opinion had the best celebration/cup raise since Ray Bourque in 2001. It was pure joy and it was nice to see a captain from a real team, Tampa Bay and Carolina shouldn't have teams and only hurt the NHl by winning so they don't count, hoist the cup. I don't count Lidstrom last year because he had done it before. Crosby just showed that passion and you could tell it was by far the greatest moment in his entire life.
Comissioner Idiot
Gary Bettman was boo'd mercilessly and with just cause by the Detroit fans. The man is a complete tool and deserves no credit for any success the NHL has. He is a detriment to the game and lets his ego get in the way of prosperity of the league. Thank god he is fighting tirelessly to keep a team in a city where the fans don't care if it stays or not.
I mean really the NHL wouldn't be the league it is today without teams in Phoenix, Tampa Bay, and Atlanta. Great job of expansion into the southern states. I wish instead of booing him someone had smacked him in the face with an octopus.
It was truly an excellent series and one that definitely helped the NHL as a business. I didn't really care who won since the Canucks were out of it but I did want a good series. Before the game I talked to a number of people and asked them who they were cheering for. The most common response, "I don't care just want it to be a good game." Well I think everyone got what they asked for.
Random Youtube Video
1 comment:
Okay, I'll admit that Draper needs to get over the lack of handshake, but I have two issues with what you said. First of all, Kris Draper has won 4 stanley cups with Detroit, I am sure he is over not winning one this year. Secondly, "he just won the stanley cup, let the kid enjoy it" is absolute crap. I agree that the whole situation is being blown out of proportion, but when almost every player on the team, except the CAPTAIN manages to tear themselves away from the excitment to be sportsmanlike, their is definite cause for criticism. Crosby is an idiot and it makes me sad that he already has a cup (this is not really influenced by the lack of handshake though..).
Post a Comment