Where do we go from here??… Is there a possible three peat in our future?

Hi Pens Fans. Greetings from up North.

Great to be back. I had to take a little sabbatical to clean up a few issues closer to home and now 6 days before Christmas I have been bitten once again by the dreaded writer’s bug. Before I start, I have so many wonderful people to thank and you all know who you are. Thank you for your kindness and patience. My last communication with Phil was so prophetic when he said, “you write when YOU want to, not because you feel you have to. You will know when the time is right.”Thanks Phil. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas !

Where do we go from here?  What is next?  That was a great response by one of our long-time contributors tonight, 55 on Point. It opens our minds to many different possibilities as we ponder the elusive question …Can the Penguins three-peat in 2018?  One would think with a team that boasts the talents of Sidney, Geno, Phil, Matt, Kris and Justin that the answer was inevitable. Subject closed. No debate! Yet I am taken back to memories of my childhood when another great team was in a similar situation to our beloved Penguins. Their names were Steve, Larry, Rod, Ken. And who can ever forget Guy, Jacques, Jean, Mario, Serge, Yvan, Henri, Gaston…You know know who they are!! I believe at least 15 members of their team are in the Hockey Hall of Fame today!  The Gold standard of hockey teams. (My mother would be proud. I am not a Montreal fan.)

My point being, Pens fans, is that we are at a crossroads today for our team. We wear the same team sweaters as our Cup-winning team in 2016, but to be brutally honest this current Penguins team is a mere shadow of the team that hoisted the Cup in 2016. Can we ever forget, ‘Bonino, Bonino, Bonnnninooo’? And the no-name kids who skated like their very lives depended on it and swarmed the opposition? 650k a year rookies all from the AHL a few months earlier running over 8 million dollar NHL star players like they were playing a game of pond hockey in Northern Ontario. It did not matter which line was on the ice, we simply out played them all!! Plus our PP/PK were incredible. That is what real champions do my friends. Oh, such sweet memories.

Today we have a problem, Houston. We do not out-play any elite teams as we did in 2016. We do not beat that many lower teams either. Our Penalty Kill and Power Play are not a strong suit for us anymore. OTR will kill me on this because I have not had the latest stats but the last time I checked we were not that great 5 on 5 either. Bottom 30% of the league?

The good news is today with the addition of 24-year-old 6’7″ defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, even with his past health issues, he represents a change in personnel to help regroup our team for the 2018 chase for the Cup. Remember Hal Gill? Same idea, only Oleksiak is a much better skater. With a new team, new coaching and a fresh surrounding he may develop into a solid shutdown d-man…something this team is lacking. Hope he can stay healthy.

In a separate trade today Jimmy R. sent Josh Archibald and minor-league goalie prospect Sean Maguire, plus a 6th round pick to  Arizona for a 4 th round pick and  36-year goalie Michael Leighton, who was sent to the WBS Pens. Archibald was immediately inserted into the Coyotes lineup and first-round pick, 3rd overall, Dylan Strome was sent to the AHL. For me this is just window dressing and the real trades will come shortly in the New Year. Our needs are many but nothing more important than a true 3rd line center man who can create his own offense and at least one new left winger with size to play with him. Geno and Phil, Sid and Jake, move Riley to fourth line with Carter Rowney playing wing. Elevate Daniel Sprong  before the All-Star break.It may be time to end the Reaves experiment ?

Leads me to my final point, Pens fans. You’re not going to like it. Before the trade deadline in 2018, orchestrate a trade for Letang to unload his 7.3 million  contract and use that cap space to reacquire a #1 or #2 front line, RENTAL d-man to pursue the elusive 3rd Cup in 2018. Does this guarantee success ? Hell no, but if we do not do something bold, assertive and creative I can guarantee you failure for sure in 2018!

Which would you rather have, Pens fans?? … Your thoughts please..