A strange thing happened last night. Our Penguins were eliminated from qualifying for the postseason for the first time since 2006.
Unlike our Pens, the Islanders made the most of their second-chance opportunity by defeating the Montreal Hab-nots by a score of 4-2.
It seems so surreal, doesn’t it? I mean, the last time we missed the postseason was Sidney Crosby’s rookie season some 17 years ago. To put that in perspective, former GM Jim Rutherford still had reddish-brown hair and his ‘Canes won the Stanley Cup.
Truth be told, I’m still not sure how to process how I feel. An odd Mulligan stew of sadness tinged with emptiness, mingled with frustration and disappointment over what could’ve (and should’ve) been, not to mention a certain resignation and acceptance of the inevitable.
As they say, all good things must come to an end.
Perhaps in an effort to fill the void, I found myself reminiscing about the 2006-07 team that started our amazing run. Needless to say, it’s one of my all-time favorite black-and-gold teams.
Then 19, Crosby won his first scoring title with 120 points, which turned out to be his career high. A performance that earned Sid the first of his two Hart Trophies and the Pearson (Lindsay) Award. Evgeni Malkin defected from his homeland and burst onto the scene like a Russian supernova, tallying 85 points to garner the Calder Trophy.
A center by trade, 18-year-old Jordan Staal notched 29 goals while manning the unfamiliar left wing slot, including a rookie-record seven shorthanded goals! They were aided and abetted by fellow young guns and home-grown talents Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Ryan “Bugsy” Malone, Michel Ouellet and peppery “superstar” Max Talbot.
On defense, with 14 goals and 59 points former first-round pick Ryan Whitney of Spittin’ Chiclets fame was an emerging stud. Wrecking machine Brooks Orpik and steady shot-blocker Rob Scuderi provided muscle and a stay-at-home presence. Waiting in the wings…a mercurial 19-year-old from Montreal named Kris Letang.
Between the pipes, Gumby-esque phenom Marc-Andre Fleury appeared in 67 games and backstopped the team to 40 wins.
First-year general manager Ray Shero wisely surrounded his young charges with a veteran supporting cast that included the “Sarge” Sergei Gonchar, ’90s black-and-gold Cup hero Mark Recchi and abrasive pot-stirrer Jarkko Ruutu. At the trade deadline Shero imported power forward and leader extraordinaire Gary Roberts (“Scary Gary” to foes) and “Big” Georges Laraque, the NHL’s reigning heavyweight champ and the Ryan Reaves of his day.
Talk about a team burgeoning with promise and potential! Following four down seasons, I can’t begin to express how much I loved this bunch and how excited I was about our future. On a personal level, it inspired me to put the finishing touches on what would become my first book, Total Penguins.
That spring, during our first playoff appearance since 2001, we were taken to school by the battle-hardened Senators, who would go on to lose the Stanley Cup Final to the Ducks. But I knew in my heart this team was destined for greatness. You could just sense it.
Indeed, in ’07-08 we made it to the Final, only to be defeated by the powerhouse Red Wings. The very next season we dethroned the defending champs to capture our first Cup since ’92!
Basking in the afterglow, then-senior advisor Eddie Johnston gushed, “We could have clubs for the next eight or nine years like this.”
Veteran winger and current Wild GM Bill Guerin, a key pickup at the trade deadline, agreed. “This team is set up for a great future,” he observed. “These guys are all in their early twenties.”
EJ and Billy G proved to be prescient.
What a glorious run it’s been.
Peering into the abyss that lies dead ahead, we’re liable to be facing a long-delayed and much-needed tear-down and rebuild, similar to what we experienced in the early 2000s. It could be a long (long) time before we’re good again. There’ll be plenty of time for wailing and gnashing of the teeth in the days, months and years ahead.
As the Bible states in Ecclesiastes, there’s a time and season for everything.
For now, I wanted to pay homage to the team that started it all.
Rick
At the end of the day this is probably a good thing! If the Pen’s would of made the
playoffs chances are management would of once again sat on their hands, and
at best made minimul moves to the roster. Right now they have no choice but to
make drastic channges. I would also have a discussion with the teams core of
Crosby, Malkin & Letang on wheather or not they would like to have a shot at winning
another Cup playing elsewhere. Crosby maybe the exception in this group, but I
would be doing my best to get Letang on the next bus out of town.
LET THE TRANSITION BEGIN – THE TIME FOR CHANGE IS NOW!!
Hey there Mike!
I basically said something similar in my latest article “Islanders Show the Penguins How It’s Done”. I think this is the best thing that could have happened. As I agree, I don’t think FSG has the hockey know how, to realize that the team stinks as bad as it does. I think they have some idea, but missing the playoffs tells them a lot.
As I’ve said in some previous comments, from what I hear Hextall is as good as gone, thank god. Hopefully, that possible J.T. Miller trade goes out the window with Hextall.
I think there will indeed be some drastic changes, as FSG is known for that, I think they will be doing that with all their clubs this year as they all don’t look to good haha. Rough year for FSG.
I would keep the core together, they wanted to be together so bad they should be made to stay at least another year or two.
I would want a big return for Letang, despite what anyone says he’s still an Elite top ten defenseman and he’s our best dmen on a crap shoot of a defense lineup, who hasn’t slowed and he’s on a cheaper contract. But like I said I’d force this core to stay for another year or two. They don’t get to bail ship after crying about keeping everyone.
As I said in some other comments, Granlund, Carter, Petry, Rutta, POJ, and Jarry are the absolute cancer of this team they CANNOT play next year, don’t care how you do it, retain their salary until someone takes them and play cheap Wilkes-Barre players, or just straight buy out Cater and Petry, or Carter and Granlund.
But I would think Granlund would be easier to move as a known efficient passer who can get 60 points, someone needs that, but they definitely need to get washed up crap shoot has been Jeff Carter off this roster at all costs
Caleb.
Caleb
Good point about making the core live through the next 2 years. I agree that the older players
have to go come hell or high water. Or should I say Old and Expensive.
Keep up the good work.