By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
At this time in 1993, the Penguins appeared to have a team as strong as just about any that ever played the game. They were led by eventual Hall of Famers Mario Lemieux, Ron Francis, Larry Murphy and Joe Mullen. They had ultra-talented Jaromir Jagr, Kevin Stevens, Rick Tocchet, Ulf Samuelsson and Tom Barrasso. They were coached by legendary Scotty Bowman. They won their final 17 regular-season games to take the NHL's President's Trophy. They were a lock to win a third consecutive Stanley Cup.
Or so it seemed.
The '93 Penguins lost to the New York Islanders in seven games in the second round of the playoffs.
The point is there are no guarantees in the two-month grind that is the NHL postseason.
Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
New Penguins defenseman Jordan Leopold works the puck against Sabres forward Jason Pominville in the first period of Tuesday night's game.
I keep telling myself that because I really, really like the '10 Penguins after the additions this week of defenseman Jordan Leopold and winger Alexei Ponikarovsky. I like 'em better than the '08 team, which added Marian Hossa at the trade deadline and went to the Cup final. I like 'em better even than last season's club, which picked up Chris Kunitz, Bill Guerin and Craig Adams near the deadline. You might remember that bunch proceeded to win the Cup.
Am I dreaming? I don't think so. Look at the roster. Clearly, these Penguins have a real shot at another championship. I'm thinking it's just as real as the Washington Capitals' or the San Jose Sharks' or the Chicago Blackhawks' or any other NHL team's.
No, the Penguins aren't perfect. The defense still is a bit of a concern. Leopold was a nice pick-up from the Florida Panthers -- especially for just a second-round draft choice -- but he's another offensive defenseman. There is no shutdown pair that compares with Rob Scuderi and Hal Gill from last year's club, although Brooks Orpik has developed into a terrific player and had a wonderful Olympics for the United States team and Mark Eaton always is solid in his end. The Penguins really need young defensemen Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski to play well during the run-up to the playoffs and beyond. They also need Sergei Gonchar, who will turn 36 the week the postseason begins, to stay healthy for what will be his last chase for the Cup here if he leaves as a free agent in July.
The rest of the team is stacked. Centers Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal are a year older, a year wiser and a year better. You have to love strength down the middle, right? You also have to love having a big-time goaltender. Marc-Andre Fleury has won seven playoff series during the past two seasons. I want him on my side when the games mean the most.
This much is certain:
The Penguins will not lack confidence when that postseason grind begins next month.
Getting Ponikarovsky -- a 20- to 25-goal man -- from the Toronto Maple Leafs for high-end prospect Luca Caputi is huge. "He's a big body who goes to the net. That's where things happen," Penguins general manager Ray Shero said. "He really was good when he played with good players in Toronto. He played well with [Mats] Sundin and [Nik] Antropov."
Now, Ponikarovsky gets to play with the great Malkin, who must be thrilled about it. Ruslan Fedotenko should get the first crack at playing on that line. If his sweet goal and assist in the 3-2 win Tuesday night against the Buffalo Sabres doesn't get him going after his miserable season-long slump, maybe the sight of Ponikarovsky will. Shero said the two have been friends since they were 5 in Kiev, Ukraine.
"We really like Sid, Guerin and Kunitz as a line," Shero said. "Now, we have that second line. If you stop one, hopefully you won't stop the second."
Giving up Caputi hurt a lot more than that second-round pick for Leopold. Originally, Shero had him on his list of untouchables along with the Penguins' No. 1 pick in the June draft, 2009 No. 1 pick Simon Despres and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton winger Eric Tangradi and defensemen Ben Lovejoy and Robert Bortuzzo.
But the Maple Leafs kept pushing for Caputi. Shero took the deal back to his coaches and scouts. They told him what he already knew -- that Caputi is going to be a fine NHL player. But it was something else they said that really stuck with him.
"We have Crosby and Malkin. We have to try to win now." So Shero made the trade, sending a strong message to his players that he's all-in with them.
Really, what choice did he have?
In the NHL salary-cap era, the future always is now.
"If you had told me a week ago that we'd get Leopold and Ponikarovsky for Caputi and a No. 2 pick, I would have been thrilled," Shero said. "I told you then that I liked our team. I meant it when I said it. I would have liked our chances if we hadn't done anything.
"But I really like our team now."
That makes at least two of us.
Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com. Ron Cook can be heard on the "Vinnie and Cook" show weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 93.7 The Fan. More articles by this author
First published on March 4, 2010 at 12:00 am
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