Gibson was spectacular and with every game, he grew better and better. He had saves that kept USA in the picture and thankfully had guys in front of him who took advantage of that and scored game winning goals.

The best part about Gibson? He’s a Pittsburgh native along with J.T. Miller, Riley Barber and Vince Trocheck. The four of them made plays to help USA come out on top, and for three of them it was a reunion of sorts as Barber, Miller and Trocheck all played on the same youth team, the Pittsburgh Hornets.

Additionally, Gibson, Miller and Trocheck were a part of Pittsburgh’s largest local draft class of four in 2011 along with Brandon Saad, but none of the four were drafted to the Penguins. Miller was drafted to the New York Rangers, Gibson to the Anaheim Ducks, Trocheck to the Florida Panthers and Saad to the Chicago Blackhawks.

After Penguins’ management made the decision to sign goaltender Thomas Vokoun over the summer, it was clear that Brent Johnson’s future was not in Pittsburgh.  With Johnson’s career-worst season in regards to statistics, and Marc-Andre Fleury’s worrisome playoff performance last spring, a concerned ownership group felt the need to move in another direction.

That hasn’t stopped the thirty-five year old veteran from working hard and surveying all options that would keep him close to the game he loves.

April 20, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goalies Brent Johnson (1) and Marc-Andre Fleury (29) react after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in game five of the 2012 Eastern Conference quarterfinals at CONSOL Energy Center. The Pittsburgh Penguins won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

Johnson hopes to find a team in need of his services once the lockout is lifted and has continued to practice with a number of Pittsburgh Penguins at Southpointe; the complex which has become home to the infamous informal workouts.

One thing the goaltender hasn’t done, however, is minimized his options.  In the instance a net-minding job isn’t offered to him in the NHL, Brent has begun pondering the idea of coaching in the National Hockey League.  Although he knows that a job won’t just fall from the sky into his lap, nor will their necessarily be many options without having somewhat of a coaching background or resume, it hasn’t worried him the least.  If the lockout continues, he plans to look around Western Pennsylvania for chances to coach a school or run hockey camps.  The same will likely happen if the lockout is lifted and he remains unemployed.

Either way, Brent Johnson seems set on finding some coaching opportunities now or in the future, and wherever he ends up, the Penguins’ will surely miss this great, locker-room guy.

Feb. 9, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Fencing indicates where the ice rink will be in Comerica Park for the Hockeytown Winter Festival which is part of the NHL 2013 Winter Classic game between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE

Having professional hockey being played on American soil in 2013 seems unlikely as the grim outlook continues to grow.  In recent weeks we’ve had the Players Association scoff at what was thought to be a “season-saving” offer from the owners before rebutting with three separate proposals.  Sadly, the NHL abruptly shot them down one by one, leaving them no choice but to cancel two chunks of the pending season.  The sides then, unsurprisingly, compounded the previously made mistakes with their broken and pathetic excuse  for negotiations; a word I would consider code for “Not actually ever speaking with one another at a table”.  Time is waning as each day passes, and unless a motivation to meet suddenly arises, ending this lockout before a season is destroyed in its entirety seems implausible.

Oh yes, this isn’t the end of the bad news.

Katy Strang of ESPN recently reported that the Winter Classic could be cancelled this Thursday.  This information was brought to ESPN by “a source familiar with the league’s plan”.

Yeah, now is the time to run for cover ladies and gentlemen, but make sure you bring the necessary technologies and subscriptions that will give you access to the KHL, because that is where many of our team’s stars will find a sheet of ice to shine on.

Since the NHL decided to create the pond-hockey-like outdoor event, it quickly became the most popular game offered each year, not to mention the most profitable.  When the lockout was first instated, the common thought was that the season, no matter the duration, would not be in jeopardy so long as the Winter Classic was still scheduled.  That goal may be coming apart at the seams.

All we can do as fans is wait, as usual.  I truly hope the cancellation doesn’t come to pass; I see no other reason for a season to take place if it does.  Judging by the money that has already been lost, if they are willing to give up the Winter Classic this early, then the remainder of a potential season will probably mean squat.