Pittsburgh Penguins: Phil Kessel Creating a Buzz in Pittsburgh
By Mike Necciai
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a team packed with superstar talent. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Marc-Andre Fleury, and you can even add Olli Maatta to that list. But, every season a lot of the Pens faithful approach hockey with pessimism and outright anger.
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I’m not taking either side here, as much of the criticism regarding the Pittsburgh Penguins is completely valid. In 2009, everyone looked at the Pens as the next hockey dynasty. Two consecutive appearances in the Stanley Cup Finals, one Championship, and arguably two of the best players in the world leading the way.
However, that was the last time you could feel a true excitement about this team, as the following six years ended in disappointment. We watched the Pittsburgh Penguins collapse against the Philadelphia Flyers in what should have been a series for the ages, but instead turned into a mockery of what the playoffs represent. We watched a promising team that piled on superstars like Jarome Iginla get swept by the Boston Bruins in the conference finals. I’m getting nauseous just thinking about it.
Even when the Pens acquired James Neal, another natural scorer that would end up being one of the most productive wings to play alongside Malkin, fans didn’t quite have the same pulse. Maybe that was due to Neal being unproven at that point, but the last addition that truly boosted everyone’s morale was Marian Hossa.
That was until Jim Rutherford was able to acquire Phil Kessel, while only giving up Nick Spaling from the active NHL roster and somehow only boosting the Pens’ cap total by approximately $4.6 million.
The following tweet sent chills down the spines of any Pittsburgh Penguins fan that was following along with free agent frenzy.
Immediate concerns began flooding social media with questions of what Jim Rutherford gave up. Was it Derrick Pouliot? Was it Olli Maatta? Well, it ended up being neither.
Ever since the details slowly leaked regarding what assets the Pittsburgh Penguins gave up, the city and it’s fans have been rejoicing. The thought of a top-tier, lethal scorer like Kessel playing alongside either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin has everyone ready to bypass summer and jump right into October. There’s a refreshing vibe among fans that rival that of when it was announced that Hossa had joined the team at the trade deadline in 2008.
No one is picking the Pittsburgh Penguins to win the Stanley Cup already. Considering that multiple other teams have improved in the Metropolitan, they may not even be a favorite to win the division. There are still a few holes to fill on this roster and the Pens certainly aren’t done building the 2015-16 roster yet. But, none of that matters right now.
It’s a great time to be a Pens fan. There’s a lot to look forward to next season, and the roster is actually coming together quite nicely considering the challenges this team faced heading into the offseason. Goal droughts will happen. Injuries will occur. And, no, they won’t go undefeated. But, it’s feasible to say that they just might have three of the top-five scorers in the league next season.
I recommend enjoying it.
Next: Jim Rutherford's Patience a Welcome Trait this Offseason