The Jordan Staal Saga

The Jordan Staal Saga
Well Penguins fans, the topic of Staal’s future with the Pens is upon us. It was announced today (6/21/12) that Staal has turned down a long-term offer from the Pens. It is rumored that the offer was 10 years, $60 million. Now that he has turned that down, a lot of people are speculating that he does not want to stay a Penguin forever. In a statement by his agent, Paul Krepelka, "He is not prepared to enter into a contract extension at this time." With that being said, what will Ray Shero do with Jordan?

TRADE HIM

Pros:

·         Jordan Staal has a lot of potential trade value. He is currently a #3 center with the Pens, but he could be #1 for a lot of other teams. He’s got more potential, and he knows it.

·         The Penguins have some other areas that could use fixed. The James Neal trade was one of the greatest trades in recent Penguins history; Malkin and Neal have showed a lot of chemistry together. Now the problem is a solid winger for Crosby. This could be solved with a Staal trade.

Cons:

·         Losing Staal means losing a big part of the penalty kill. Jordan Staal is one of the best defensive forwards in the game. With him gone the Pens would have a hole in the PK that would need filled.

·         Staal has great offensive powers that the Pens would love to have. Staal is getting better and better every season. (This is why he wants a bigger role) With him gone the Pens will have to have someone else step up in that 3^rd line center role.

·         Some teams might be weary on the high value. Staal only has one year left, and could still not sign with the team he would be traded to. Teams would want to talk to Staal and see his interests before a trade is done.

Potential Trade Teams:

·         Edmonton: With the 1^st pick overall in the 2012 draft, the Oilers could easily pick Nail Yakupov, who would be a very solid right wing for the Pens. In return the Oilers would get a center with plenty of experience, yet is still a young player.

·         Carolina: With all the rumors flying, it is believed that Staal may want to play in Carolina with his older brother Eric. If Shero finds this to be true than Carolina will be the biggest buyer. The Pens should look to get a defenseman such as McBain and a winger, or even a replacement center such as Sutter.

·         Anaheim: They are looking to add more to their team and have a few gems that could be useful to the Pens. Hello, Bobby Ryan. He would be a great addition to the Pens roster, and his current contract has less of a cap hit than what was offered to Staal.

KEEP HIM FOR THE SEASON

Pros:

·         The Penguins have won a Stanley Cup with Staal before. All it could take is a few tweaks to the team, and they would have a real shot at making a deep run next season. With the talent on this Pens roster, they are a threat every year. Use Staal’s skill to help this team to another Cup.

Cons:

·         Once it hits July 1^st 2013, Staal could sign anywhere without the Pens getting anything for him. This could be a huge blow to the Pens after all the have invested in Staal.

OFFER HIM A SHORT-TERM CONTRACT

Pros:

·         The obvious pro is that the Pens would have Staal for a few more seasons.

·         The team can continue to grow and build around him. Staal could find where he fits in and would then want to stay with the Pens.

Cons:

·         He could not produce in those seasons and would lose trade value.

·         The Pens really could strike while the iron is hot here. Staal has a lot of value that they could cash in on.

Overall, I don’t think Staal is completely content here, and I don’t blame him. He knows that he could have more responsibility, more time, and a bigger role on other teams, and he wants to explore those options. Also, it seems he is interested in playing with his brother, so that could play into the whole situation. Ultimately, we won’t know anything until a deal is done or Staal comes out and releases a statement. Until then, let the drama continue.

Rough and Tough Give Back

            Hockey players are known for their bruiser play and attitude. Fans are used to seeing the players throwing hits, scoring goals, and occasionally, engaging in fights. But what all fans do not see is the charitable things some of the players do. Many NHL players have not only started their own charities and given back to the communities in which they play, but some go on to give back to the communities in which they got their starts. This article will only highlight a few of the many NHL players that have given back so much.

            Vancouver Canucks’ star twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin have donated over $1.5 million dollars to help build a new children’s hospital in British Columbia, Canada. Not only do the two donate money, but they along with fellow teammates make trips to the local children’s hospitals to visit with the children. The Sedin twins find that it is very important to give back to the community because without the fans, there would be no team to play for. Daniel Sedin once said, "Henrik and I along with our families feel very fortunate to live and work in this great city and province. We are committed to giving back to the community we live in and wanted to do something that would benefit children and families across the province." The passion these two have for giving back was noticed by the NHL when the two were nominated in 2010 for the King Clancy award, given to a player who shows great humanitarianism.

            Saku Koivu has not had an easy NHL career. The top hardship of his career would be during the 2001-2002 season when he was diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma. Although he was expected to miss the entire season, Koivu made an exceptional recovery and returned on the Canadiens' 80^th game of the season. The Montreal fans gave him an eight minute standing ovation for that incredible feat. Following his recovery, Koivu decided to create the Saku Koivu foundation so he could raise the 8 million dollars to purchase a PET scanner for the Montreal General Hospital where he was treated. The PET scan is a high tech machine that is used for early detection of cancer. “It was during this period that I began thinking of a way to make a significant difference in helping others who might one day face a similar prognosis.” Because of his dedication and generosity, Koivu was awarded the King Clancy award following the 06-07 season.

            Although Evgeni Malkin is far from home, the people of Russia are not far from his heart. When the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane filled with the entire team and coaching staff crashed on September 7^th, 2011, Evgeni Malkin was crushed. Not only did he play on the Russian National team with many of the team members, he grew up in Magnitogorsk and was very close to a few of the players. The whole hockey world was saddened by this situation, and many NHL teams have stepped up to raise money for the Love for Lokomotiv foundation that raises money for the players’ and coaches’ wives, children, and family. No other NHL player has stepped up more than Evgeni Malkin. Malkin approached the Pittsburgh Penguins organization with the idea to wear a special patch on their jerseys and then sign them and auction them off following a game. The Penguins teamed up with the Washington Capitals when they played on October 13^th and both teams had the special patches on their jerseys. Following the game the jerseys were autographed and auctioned on NHL.com. The cause was also important to the Capitals, as star Alexander Ovechkin is also from Russia. Malkin is also hosting a benefit on Sunday November 13^th with all proceeds going to Love for Lokomotiv. With his extreme passion for the cause, it would not come as a surprise if Malkin is nominated for the King Clancy award this season.

            Vincent Lecavalier has accomplished a lot and has won many of the NHL’s most coveted awards in his 13 years as a professional. Since being drafted 1^st overall in 1998 by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Lecavalier has done so much for the Tampa Bay area. Having been there his whole NHL career, the area is very dear to him. Since launching his foundation in 2005, Lecavalier has contributed significantly to local children’s hospitals and charities. In 2007 the foundation announced it was going to commit $3 million for the construction of the Vincent Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at All Children’s Hospital.  “I love kids – and I love the Tampa Bay area. So this is a cause with great meaning to me,” Lecavalier said in a statement about the donation. The Pediatric Center opened in 2010 and has seen an increase in the patients that have been helped. “Having success on the ice is great, but it’s the life and death battles these children and families face that are most important.” For Lecavalier’s efforts, he was awarded the King Clancy award in 2008.

            Although this is only a few examples of outstanding humanitarianism, NHL players do more than just what is seen on the ice. They not only take initiative in starting foundations and charities, but they go above and beyond to help those in need. They visit the sick at a nearby hospital, they take underprivileged children on shopping trips, and they even help build things in their communities. So the next time you see a rough and tough player throwing a check on the ice, think about what good he has done in his community. They may seem tough on the ice, but NHL players know how to give back.

Punishment Smack Down

With less than two weeks until the regular season, it is already apparent that this year, there will be heavy rule enforcement. Brendan Shanahan, NHL Senior VP of Player Safety has already dished out suspensions to 5 players. The most recent suspension, handed to James Wisniewski of the Columbus Blue Jackets, is by far the harshest. Wisniewski has been suspended for the remainder of the pre-season and eight regular season games. Wisniewski is being suspended for his direct head hit on Cal Clutterbuck of the Minnesota Wild. One of the new things Shanahan is doing is creating videos explaining the rule and his reasoning for the specific suspension. He goes through the play and pinpoints the rule infraction. He is also cracking down on repeat offenders. Shanahan explained that since Wisniewski has been suspended four times since 2008, his record proves that he is a repeat offender.

Where does this leave the Penguins? As many can remember, last season Matt Cooke was suspended for the last 10 games of the regular season and the entire first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. This was one of the biggest suspensions in NHL history. With him out for the whole first round, the Penguins were not able to get past the Tampa Bay Lightning. With his presence, it is possible the Pens could have won that crucial game seven. Can Matt Cooke clean up his game and avoid a harsh smack down this season? One can only hope. Cooke has talked about his work in the off season and assures that he has cleaned up his game. When Cooke is on his game, he can be a huge factor for the Pens. Pens fans can be weary because as we all know, it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks.  

Battered Penguins on Road to Recovery

Pittsburgh, PA- With less than 3 weeks until the start of the 2011-2012 NHL season, everyone is wondering what type of shape the Pittsburgh Penguins will be in at the start. Last season, Penguins star, Sidney Crosby, was sidelined in January with a concussion. The Penguins then took another crushing blow, losing their other star, Evgeni Malkin, when he tore his ACL and MCL. Not only did the Penguins lose Crosby and Malkin, they lost other key players along the way.  Having the summer to recover, it is time to evaluate the shape of the team.

With training camp in session, seeing all injured players participate is great news. So far the biggest question is, will Crosby be ready for the beginning of the season? So far things seem to be looking up for Crosby. “I worked as hard as I possibly could out there. (First time I’ve done that) for that period of time. That’s the longest I went at that pace. It felt good,” Crosby said (Kasan). The next step in Crosby’s healing process is to slowly introduce contact. At the open practice yesterday, Crosby was able to participate in more drills and light contact, but is still restricted from full contact. As of right now, he is taking it one day at a time. “I’m glad I felt good. I have to see after the next few days here” (Kasan).

Evgeni Malkin spent his summer working hard with Penguins trainer, Mike Kadar. Tearing his MCL and ACL, Malkin was fortunate enough that he only needed surgery on his MCL. Although not quite at 100%, Malkin is confident. “I’ve got 20 more days to just work hard and be 100 percent ready for the season” (Kasan 2). Malkin returns this season after having mediocre point totals in the past two seasons. Malkin and other teammates are confident that he is back to his 08-09 season form, when Malkin captured the Art Ross Trophy for having the league high in points (113). Penguins’ goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said, “It's the old Geno that we know, so it's good to see” (Kasan 2)

A few other Penguins are in the process of healing before the start of the season. Penguins’ defenseman Brooks Orpik underwent lower abdominal surgery in the summer. He is fully participating in workouts at training camp and is expected to be ready to start the season. Orpik said. “I’m definitely not 100 percent, but it’s getting there. It’s definitely probably right on target for where I’m supposed to be” (Crechiolo). Orpik’s biggest concern is regaining his fitness and endurance.

Penguins’ rising prospect, Dustin Jeffery, also suffered an ACL tear towards the end of the season. He underwent surgery and has been participating in training camp. Jeffery says he is progressing. “It’s coming. Doing stuff at that level, being out for four or five months without skating and getting right back into it the last three or four weeks, it takes a little bit of time. But I felt pretty good, so it helps the confidence a little bit” (Kasan).

With the start of the season on the horizon, it is good to see that the team is close to full strength. Crosby being symptom free after two hard practices, Malkin being in great shape, and other team members working on getting into game shape, the 2011 season looks to be shaping up for the injury ridden Penguins. 

(Don't mind the citations. I needed them in there as this is for a class)