Alex Ovechkin named NHL All-Star at two different positions in voting embarrassment

By Greg Wyshynski | Puck Daddy

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy

July 3, 2013

Alex Ovechkin accomplished many great things in the 2012-13 NHL season: Leading the NHL in goals (32) and winning the Hart Trophy as the League’s most valuable player. But his most peculiar accomplishment arrived on Wednesday, as the NHL released the rosters for its annual All-Star Teams, as voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Ovechkin was named first-team all-star right wing, the position where Washington Capitals Coach Adam Oates infamously shifted him after Ovechkin spent his entireNHL career on the left side. Oates had found similar success shifting Ilya Kovalchuk from left to right during his time as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils. The experiment with Ovechkin paid off as well.

Yet despite the fact that Ovechkin was playing right wing during his offensive resurgence this season, the Capitals star was also named to the NHL all-star second team as its left wing.

Here are the 2013 NHL All-Star Teams

Once more, with feeling: Alex Ovechkin is a two-time all-star in the same season.

Did somebody at the PHWA miss a memo?

Actually, they probably did, and we have the memo to prove it.

On April 22, Kevin Allen, president of the PHWA, sent out a message to the organization’s voters warning them that for the purposes of All-Star voting, Alex Ovechkin should be considered a right wing this season.

“If you intend to vote for Alex Ovechkin in your All-Star ballot, please note that he has been playing RIGHT WING this season. Ignore what the NHL statistics say.

“We had similar problems last season, with whether players were RW, C or LW.

“People who have questions should contact the beat people for each team, so that we get things right.”

There have been a few issues in recent years with the NHL listing a player in one position but with that player having excelled in another position during the season. James Neal of the Pittsburgh Penguins was listed as a right wing and not a left wing last season; ditto Claude Giroux of thePhiladelphia Flyers, who listed as a winger rather than a center.

In both cases, the PHWA sent out a warning to its voters during balloting; a warning that, apparently, was ignored in the case of Ovechkin, who remains listed as a left wing by the NHL.

Here's the voting on right wingers:

(Ryan Getzlaf on RW? The hell?)

So who got screwed by the PHWA’s double vote for Ovie?

Yep, Taylor Hall of the Edmonton Oilers. As if Tyler Dellow didn’t already have enough reason to rail against the hockey writers.

For transparency's sake, my ballot for the 2013 All-Star teams.

NHL All-Star Team

CENTER

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning

RIGHT WING

Marty St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning
 Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks

LEFT WING

Taylor Hall, Edmonton Oilers
Rick Nash, New York Rangers
Chris Kunitz, Pittsburgh Penguins

DEFENSE

Ryan Suter, Minnesota Wild
Francois Beauchemin, Anaheim Ducks
P.K. Subban, Montreal Canadiens
Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks
Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins
Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins

GOALTENDER

Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets
Antti Niemi, San Jose Sharks
Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins

The word “transparency” has been heard plenty around the PHWA in the last month, as the call for all voters to reveal their votes has never been louder.

I plan on writing on this down the line, but know this: There’s a huge difference between a witch hunt to find out who game Patrick Kane two votes for the Selke and one to find out who thought Alex Ovechkin played left wing this season for the Washington Capitals. One is a trivial quibble that doesn’t mandate transparency, in my eyes; the other just cost Taylor Hall an all-star berth and whatever rewards come with it.

The former is a matter of preference, misguided as it is. The latter is just an embarrassment – either through laziness or assumption or because of the anomaly of the season's truncated conference-exclusive schedule, the second-team all-star selection was completely wrong.

Yes, the problem begins with bad information for the source: The NHL has Ovechkin listed as a left wing, so writers see his stats and list him as a left wing. But they're not just writers; they're hockey journalists, a.k.a. writers that should know better, especially when his shift to right wing was one of the biggest stories of the season.

To get it this wrong puts the faith of fans in this process, and the future of the writers’ voting on the postseason awards, at risk. I’m not a transparency guy per se, but I’m stunned and embarrassed that this happened, and want to know why.

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The price for Kris Letang; Penguins re-sign Chris Kunitz

By Sean Leahy | Puck Daddy 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy

June 27, 2013

The Penguins announced that Chris Kunitz has been signed to a three-year, $11.55 million extension. Kris Letang has reportedly been offered an eight-year, $54 million dollar deal.

Are Kris Letang’s days in Pittsburgh numbered? Just like Jordan Staal a year ago, the Penguinsdefenseman is entering the final year of his contract and will be looking for a substantial raise; a raise helped by being named a Norris Trophy finalist this past season.

The negotiations are still in the early stages between Letang’s agent and Penguins general managerRay Shero, with last report being no numbers having been exchanged yet. But with the NHL Draft this coming weekend and all 30 GMs in attendance in Newark, Shero’s phone and ear will be busy from his colleagues kicking the tires wondering just exactly the price would be for the 26-year old Letang.

According to Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, that price would be a roster player, a first-round pick and a top prospect, or two roster players if there isn’t a preferred prospect available. Rossi reported Thursday that the Toronto Maple Leafs would be a place Letang would be happy to go to if a trade was the end result.

Letang does not have a full- or limited-movement clause in his contract, and he has not requested a trade.

He reiterated Wednesday that his focus is on working out a new contract with the Penguins.

However, Toronto has emerged as a potential destination if there is a breaking point with the Penguins, the sources said.

That package would be similar to what Shero got for Staal last year a day after the now-Carolina Hurricanes center reportedly rejected a 10-year, $60 million offer from the Penguins. Of course, Staal had an eye on joining brother Eric in Carolina. Letang would prefer to stay in Pittsburgh, but with the Penguins' cap situation, would he be willing to leave plenty of money on the table to take a discount and stay, thereby allowing Shero to build a stronger team?

Now comes the question for Shero: does he pull the trigger on a trade before next season begins if an extension can't be worked out, or does he (and Letang, for that matter) go into a potential lame duck season?

There's no rush to get something done at the Draft this weekend. The Penguins don't pick until No. 77 overall, but the summer is shaping up to be a busy one with GMs wheeling and dealing. Shero can take his time trying to lock in Letang to something long-term, while at the same time scoping trade possibilities if things go sour.

Once numbers begin getting exchanged between Letang's camp and Shero, that's when the fun, or fireworks, will start.

And while waiting for the Letang negotiations to really get going, the Penguins announced they've re-signed Chris Kunitz to a 3-year, $11.55 million extension. It's a modest raise from the $3.725 million he'll make in 2013-14 and a signal to soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Pascal Dupuis that they want to bring back that top line that was so effective last season.

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy

Letang exit would weaken Penguins

Penguins defenseman Kris Letang playing against the Canadiens on Tuesday, April 5, 2013, at Consol Energy Center.

About Joe Starkey

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Freelance Columnist Joe Starkey can be reached via e-mail or at 412-320-7848

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By Joe Starkey 
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Published: Wednesday, June 26, 2013, 11:03 p.m.Updated 7 hours ago 

Kris Letang isn't the kind of hockey player a team discards without regret.

Kind of like Jordan Staal, you know?

Ray Shero, under the circumstances, made an amazing trade with Carolina last summer. But that doesn't mean the Penguins were better for it when the big games arrived.

Do you think Staal's size, strength and playoff pedigree might have helped against the Bruins?

There's a reason Shero once said he would never trade Staal. And remember, his preference was to retain Staal. That's why the Penguins offered him nearly $60 million to stay.

Staal wanted out, leaving Shero little choice but to move him.

Here's hoping the Penguins are just as serious about keeping Letang. Not at any cost, mind you, but with all these high-priced forwards around, you better have an elite triggerman on your blue line.

Listening to some of the prattle around town, you'd think Letang was perfectly expendable. Easily replaceable. We've even heard that some inside the organization believe Paul Martin is the team's best defenseman.

Really? I'd love to test that theory.

I'd love to ask the other 29 GMs who they'd rather graft onto the roster — Kris Letang or Paul Martin. I'm fairly certain all 29, after they asked me 58 times to repeat the question, would choose Letang. And recommend counseling.

I still remember Scotty Bowman raving about Letang before the '08 Cup Final, before most people knew what kind of player he was. Scotty could see it. So can Paul Coffey, who makes that clear whenever he's in town.

As bad as Letang was against Boston, he is a rare, dynamic defenseman. He is a player who could win multiple Norris Trophies.

So, please, trot out your advanced metrics and theories about Letang being an offense-obsessed, out-of-control, injury riddled head case.

He's not the crazy one.

I'll stick with this: In his past 86 games over two seasons, Letang has 80 points and a plus-37 rating. He is a unique combination of skill, toughness, speed and off-the-charts stamina.

Letang is constantly challenged, consistently targeted and holds up to the tune of 27-plus minutes per game. He also does things like return concussed at Montreal to score the winning goal.

He is coachable, too. The staff — which never settled on a partner for Letang this season — asked him to tone down his act so he cut his penalty minutes to eight.

Eight?

Yes, Letang has missed too many games of late. He could improve on the power play. So could Sidney Crosby. He could stand to grow up a bit and not so easily succumb to frustration and mindless turnovers. So could Evgeni Malkin.

Which brings us to the key question: What is a fair offer?

Upwards of $7 million a year, I'd say. A five-year, $35 million deal would be perfectly reasonable and would leave Letang with one more big contract ahead.

Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, Brian Campbell and Drew Doughty are the NHL's $7 million defenseman, in terms of annual cap hits. Five more, including Ottawa's Erik Karlsson, are at $6.5 million-plus.

Letang's next deal could set the bar for post-lockout defensemen. If early indications mean anything, the bar will be ridiculously high. Mark Streit, 35, just signed a four-year, $21 million deal with Philly. Sergei Gonchar, 39, got $10 million over two years in Dallas.

So what's a 26-year-old Norris finalist worth?

Letang might be tempted to find out after next season, and nobody should blame him. He is not obliged to follow the paths of Malkin, Crosby and others by taking a hometown discount.

The Penguins could always try to trade Letang at next year's deadline or keep him until his contract expires. But where's the sense in allowing him to leave without proper compensation?

In the meantime, there's only so much room in the budget. The Penguins wisely prioritized Malkin over Letang. The good news is that if Letang prices himself out of town, he could command a nice return, and the Penguins already are stocked with talented young defense prospects, starting with Simon Despres.

Let's be clear, though: None of the young guys are Letang — and there's no guarantee any would be.

The Penguins would absolutely be a lesser team without him.

Joe Starkey co-hosts a show 2 to 6 p.m. weekdays on 93.7 FM. Reach him at jraystarkey@gmail.com.

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Now is time for Pens to bid Letang adieu

By Mark Madden Special to The Beaver County Times 

http://www.timesonline.com

June 21, 2013

Ray Shero will negotiate with Kris Letang’s agent.

The Penguins’ general manager will make an offer he knows Letang is likely to refuse. Take it or leave it.

Then Shero will trade Letang.

It’s exactly what happened with Jordan Staal. Dominoes are falling.

There are certain things the Penguins can’t do with Letang.

The Penguins can’t pay Letang what he wants, which is between $7-8 million per. That price tag would make the Penguins’ salary cap disturbingly top-heavy.

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin took less than full value. Letang won’t. Letang certainly doesn’t have to. But the Penguins won’t hit his number.

The Penguins can’t keep Letang for the final year of his current deal under the guise of taking a run at the Stanley Cup. Keeping Staal would not have overturned the result of the Eastern Conference final vs. Boston. Assets can’t be allowed to walk away. They must be used to replenish. Beside Crosby and Malkin, most of these Penguins will turn out to be temporary.

Given what the Penguins can’t do with Letang, what they must do is trade him.

I hate the idea. Letang is a legit X factor. Not unique among defensemen, but close. A one-man breakout. An unnerving attacking force. Fun to watch.

Letang can’t be replaced.

But he’s not necessarily needed, either.

The Penguins dumbfounded many (including me) by trading Paul Coffey in 1992. Coffey helped the Penguins to their first Cup the spring prior. His replacement on defense was gangly Kjell Samuelsson, Coffey’s antithesis.

But, minus Coffey, the Penguins won their second Cup. Attacking defensemen not named Bobby Orr have usually been proven luxuries, not necessities.

Despite him being a finalist for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman, the Penguins didn’t feel Letang was their top defenseman this season. Management thought Paul Martin did better, especially in the playoffs.

Letang’s control and puck movement on the power play were erratic. His shot wasn’t what it needs to be. Not often low and on net.

Letang had just five goals in 35 regular-season games, three more in 15 postseason games. His career-best is 10. A defenseman making what Letang wants needs to score 15 goals or more just about every season.

It’s not that Letang isn’t good. He’s very good. He’s also just 26. Letang could still improve.

But, to the Penguins, Letang doesn’t do enough to merit $7-8 million per year over a long-term contract, especially given their commitments to other players.

Letang may be worth $7-8 million to another team. Perhaps more. But he will be that team’s best player and prime drawing card.

With the Penguins, Letang will forever be third-best, at best.

Letang might help the Penguins more by enabling them to refurbish the team via trade than he would by continuing to play in Pittsburgh. For some teams, Letang would be a franchise player. But when Letang leaves, the Penguins will still have two of those. Letang will bring much more in return than Staal.

What will Letang fetch? Good question. Any team trading for Letang must be able to afford to keep him. That narrows the field considerably.

Here’s what the Penguins should want: A first-round draft choice, a top-four defenseman, and two young, affordable forwards with top-six potential. At least one of those forwards should be NHL-ready. The Penguins have one Beau Bennett. They could use three.

Letang is a rare talent. In Pittsburgh, however, rare talents are commonplace. At a glance, moving Letang seems unthinkable. In reality, it’s inevitable.

Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM (105.9).

Changes coming for the Penguins

By Mark Madden

Beaver County Times

http://www.timesonline.com/sports/

June 17, 2013

Penguins players react to a 1-0 loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs, Friday, June 7, 2013, in Boston. The Bruins swept the series. (AP)

The Penguins need change. But how much?

Upper management retained Coach Dan Bylsma and his top two assistants. Marc-Andre Fleury will return as the Penguins’ top goaltender.

What’s left?

Here’s what the Penguins should look like next season:

In goal, the decision has been made: Fleury starts, Tomas Vokoun is the backup that gets a decent workload.

Fleury’s problem isn’t physical. If anything, he sometimes trusts his athleticism too much. Fleury’s problem is confidence at crunch time. He needs to see a sports psychologist during the offseason. Management should mandate that.

Five of the top six defensemen should be holdovers Robert Bortuzzo, Simon Despres, Paul Martin, Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik. The sixth should be Kris Letang or, if the Penguins decide to trade Letang, one of the players Letang fetches. The seventh should be a rookie, perhaps Brian Dumoulin.

The handling of the Penguins’ defense this past season was baffling. Mark Eaton couldn’t find a job until late January. The Penguins signed Eaton and he often played in the top four. From unemployed to Letang’s partner. Strange.

Despres has the pedigree that goes with being a first-round pick. But he got scratched a lot. You can believe Bylsma has learned from his mistakes when ECHL retread Deryk Engelland isn’t in the lineup on opening night.

Bortuzzo, 24, is 6-foot-4, 215 pounds. Douglas Murray, 33, is 6-3, 240. Bortuzzo can do what Murray does. Bortuzzo is cheaper, with higher upside. Bortuzzo got drafted in the third round. Why take Bortuzzo if you’re not going to play him? Let Murray walk.

That’s not a great defense. But it could improve. This year’s defense didn’t.

Up front, there are five locks for the top six: Beau Bennett, Sidney Crosby, Chris Kunitz, Evgeni Malkin and James Neal.

The final slot is up in the air. Pascal Dupuis is an unrestricted free agent. Dupuis could get $16 million over four years someplace else. Dupuis won’t get more than $11 million over three years here, and he might get less.

Dupuis is 34. He’s coming off two career seasons. It’s his last chance to cash in. But Dupuis is happy in Pittsburgh, and plays with a superstar center. If Dupuis goes to, say, Montreal, the goals drop off and criticism mounts. En francais.

If Dupuis departs, the Penguins must replace him via free agency or trade. Beyond Bennett, the organization has zero young forwards of true quality.

Jarome Iginla is past it. Just not worth what he’s going to want.

Among the bottom-six forwards, change should be the watchword. With role players, comfort often equals complacence. Brandon Sutter and Jussi Jokinen are contracted. So are Tanner Glass and Joe Vitale.

Let the free agents go. That includes Matt Cooke, who just isn’t worth the trouble he’s perceived to cause. That includes Tyler Kennedy, who was nothing close to a $2 million player these last two seasons. Brenden Morrow? Done.

Craig Adams? At minimum wage, maybe.

It’s hard to believe the Penguins can’t do better than Glass and Vitale on the fourth line. But their system doesn’t have bottom-six prospects, either.

Young, affordable players with high upside are crucial. They’re cheap and, with proper coaching, get better. Bennett, Bortuzzo, Despres and Dumoulin would cost less than $4 million between them.

The Penguins have certain elements they can’t change, and others they have already chosen to not change. Adjustment will be minimal, which is in keeping with a theme. But if the playoff disaster against Boston doesn’t convince this organization it isn’t always right, nothing ever will.

Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM (105.9).

Ovechkin wins Hart Trophy, Crosby captures Lindsey Award

The Associated Press

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/teams/pit

June 15, 2013

CHICAGO (AP) -- Alex Ovechkin capped his great season with the NHL's biggest award.

The Washington Capitals right wing won his third Hart Trophy, given to the league's MVP, on Saturday night, beating out Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and John Tavares of the New York Islanders. Ovechkin led the NHL with 32 goals during the regular season, the first time he's led the league in scoring since 2009, when he won his second straight Hart Trophy.

''It was kind of hard, but as everybody knows, I like challenges,'' Ovechkin, who was moved to the right wing this season, said in taped remarks. ''It was a big challenge for me and the coaching staff, but we make it.''

Ovechkin is the eighth player to win three or more Harts, joining Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Clarke, Bobby Orr, Gordie Howe, Eddie Shore and Howie Morenz.

The vote was expected to be close after Ovechkin and Crosby tied for fourth in the NHL with 56 points, despite the Penguins center missing 12 games with a broken jaw. And it was, with Ovechkin edging Crosby by just 32 points (1,090-1,058) in voting by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. It was the closest Hart vote since Montreal's Jose Theodore and Calgary's Jarome Iginla finished in a virtual tie in 2002.

Crosby did, however, win the Ted Lindsay Award from his fellow NHL Players' Association members as the league's best player.

''I don't think you play throughout the season with awards in mind, to be honest,'' Crosby said. ''To be recognized by the players for this one means a lot. The Hart, I was in the mix and to be that close, you'd love to win. ... (But) I'm not going to be too upset that I didn't win.''

In other awards announced before Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals, Montreal's P.K. Subban won his first Norris Trophy, given to the NHL's top defenseman. Subban topped the league's defensemen with 11 goals and 27 assists, and was largely responsible for Montreal's resurgence.

''I think that every year you grow as a player, both on and off the ice. I think as an organization, a group and a team we improved this year,'' Subban said. ''When you improve, everybody benefits. I just think I benefitted from our improvement this year.

''Being a fan of the Montreal Canadiens since I was little kid and growing up a Habs fan, I appreciate being a leader for this organization.''

Sergei Bobrovsky of the Columbus Blue Jackets won the Vezina Trophy, given to the NHL's top goaltender.

Bobrovsky, who beat out Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers and Antti Niemi of the San Jose Sharks for his first Vezina, was the main reason Columbus was in the running for a playoff berth until the very end of the season. The Blue Jackets and Minnesota both finished with 55 points, but the Wild got the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference because of fewer non-shootout wins.

Bobrovsky finished 21-11-6, with a 2.00 GAA, .932 save percentage and four shutouts.

''This is not my final stage,'' the Russian said through a translator. ''I can be better and I will get better.

Florida's Jonathan Huberdeau won the Calder Trophy, given to the NHL's top rookie.

''There were a lot of good rookies this year,'' Huberdeau said. ''I wasn't expecting anything and I'd glad I won it.''

The Panthers center played in all 48 games for Florida, ranking second both on the team and among NHL rookies with 31 points (14 goals, 17 assists). Among first-year players, he finished third in goals, fourth in assists and third in shots on goal (112).

''For sure it helped that I had more ice time than I was expecting to have with all the injuries we had,'' he said.

''You don't have to think when you play every other game,'' he added. ''I wasn't thinking about the Calder. I was just playing my game at and the end I got the trophy.''

Evgeni Malkin’s huge new deal: 8 years, $76 million and still less than Crosby

By Greg Wyshynski | Puck Daddy 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy

June 13, 2013

Evgeni Malkin skates around the net behind Washington Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth in the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013, in Pittsburgh. The Penguins won 5-2. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Let’s get the big question out of the way first, as Evgeni Malkin commits to the Pittsburgh Penguinsfor eight additional seasons at $76 million, beginning in 2015 and running through 2022:

Is he making more money than Sidney Crosby?

The answer is “no,” technically, because as Rob Rossi points out Crosby is making $10.6 million on average in the first nine years of his 12-year, $104-milion contract signed last year.

So while Malkin’s $9.5 million cap hit annually eclipses that of Crosby ($8.7 million), technicallyCrosby’s is still the richer deal during the run of Malkin’s contract, before his salary dips to $3 millionwhen he retires UH WE MEAN when it’s 2023.

C’mon, Ray Shero isn’t about to engage in that level of boat-rocking.

From Rossi on Malkin’s new deal:

The deal was struck late Wednesday night in general manager Ray Shero's office with J.P. Barry, Malkin's agent. Barry has been in Pittsburgh all week, quietly working on the deal. Malkin wanted the deal done before he returned to Moscow, where he spends his offseason.

Malkin's entire immediate family — parents Vladimir and Natasha, and brother Denis — were in Pittsburgh for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Malkin wanted to work out the deal while his family was in Pittsburgh, too.

The Penguins wanted a deal with Malkin, 26, done so they could turn to other offseason matters, including a possible new contract with defenseman Kris Letang and wingerPascal Dupuis.

The deal had the blessing from Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle, who obviously like the idea of the two best centers in the NHL populating their lineup for the next nine years.

There was a thought that with the salary cap going down, the Penguins would have to choose between Malkin and Letang, but Shero indicated that he intended to keep both for next season.

Beyond that? It gets tricky. From the Tribune Review:

Letang, 26, seeks at least a five-year contract with a full no-trade clause, though he prefers an eight-year term. He also wants a full no-movement clause. Compensation is trickier because Letang is the first in-his-prime defenseman set to hit the open market under the new labor deal. The Penguins believe Letang will want at least $7 million annually and closer to or above $8 million.

Do the Penguins want over $25 million in cap space tied up in three players over the next several years? They may not have a choice if they want to keep Letang.

Lemieux, Burkle endorse status quo

Pittsburgh Penguins Hall of Fame center Mario Lemieux attends the dedication of a statue depicting him outside the NHL hockey team's arena on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

About Joe Starkey

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Freelance Columnist Joe Starkey can be reached via e-mail or at 412-320-7848

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By Joe Starkey
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
http://triblive.com/sports
Published: Wednesday, June 12, 2013, 9:27 p.m.Updated 8 hours ago

Ray Shero was on top of his game Wednesday at Consol Energy Center: well-spoken, honest, enlightening. But he could have used a centerman.

The owner. Mario Lemieux.

While I respect Mario's low-key style, he, too, should have been there to answer for contract extensions for all the coaches (each got two years, or one for every goal the Penguins scored against Boston). After all, the puck stops with Lemieux when it comes to decisions as weighty as retaining and extending an embattled coach who has presided over four consecutive postseason wrecks.

Once viewed as the next coming of the 1980s Edmonton Oilers, the Penguins of late are looking more like the 1970s Houston Oilers — a team that cannot finish. Yes, they advanced to the Eastern Conference final. But they might as well not have. They never even held a lead.

It takes 16 wins to capture the Cup. The Penguins finished with eight. That's four straight years, with a loaded roster in three of them, in which this team failed to cross the halfway point. You'd think that would be unacceptable, but unacceptable is a word we never heard from Shero or coach Dan Bylsma on Wednesday. “Disappointing” was the word of choice.

Like it was all a matter of bad luck.

Look, I appreciate Shero's conviction for his coaches. He made it clear that these are his guys and that he was willing to go to the mat for them, though it turned out he didn't have to because Lemieux and co-owner Ron Burkle apparently were of the same mind.

“They were 100 were supportive,” Shero said. “They made it clear they wanted to move ahead with Dan Bylsma.”

Lemieux and Burkle needed to step in here, much as they did when the Penguins acquired Marian Hossa six years ago, and make the difficult call to change coaches. Or at least to not support the status quo.

Instead, they essentially told the world — via Shero — that they are accepting of the hideous playoff implosions that have marked the past four springs.

The Montreal meltdown.

The Tampa Bay tank job.

The Philly flop.

The Boston Tee Party (See local country club).

This move evokes the Steelers' coach-centric model of management. Which might not be a bad thing. It's a vote for stability. And who knows? The Steelers were proven correct when they twice extended Bill Cowher after disappointing seasons. The Penguins might be vindicated, too. It's just so hard to envision a largely unchanged cast changing the script next spring.

I mean, really, Marc-Andre Fleury's coming back, as Shero stated in the strongest possible words? The Bylsma-Fleury marriage works? Management's confidence in a shattered goaltender has not waned?

Nope. Nothing to see here.

Contrary to what the Penguins might believe, nobody — not even the most delusional fan — expects them to win the Cup every year. Reasonable people don't even expect them to consistently reach the Final. As Shero said, that isn't realistic in this day and age.

But you have to get further than halfway. You can't keep losing to lesser teams. You can't keep getting embarrassed.

Keep in mind, there was zero risk in staying with the status quo. The Penguins have become a wildly popular brand. One priority, as Shero put it, is to play entertaining hockey, and nobody is more entertaining than the Penguins from October to April. They attract ridiculous TV ratings. They have a long waiting list for season tickets. None of that will change.

On the stability front, Shero cited the Detroit Red Wings as a model franchise. He pointed out that the Red Wings have stuck with coach Mike Babcock through hard times. True enough, but when was the last time Detroit was totally humiliated in a playoff series?

It's not just that you lose. It's how you lose. And the Penguins have developed a nasty little habit of coming apart at the seams.

At times Wednesday, Shero made it sound like getting past the Islanders was deserving of a trophy in itself. He spoke of his team as if it were a playoff novice rather than a former Cup winner fortified with grizzled leaders and all-world talent.

Of the Islanders series, he said, “It was an important step for us to win when we were expected to win.”

He just sounded a little too accepting of this four-year run of playoff failure. But in that, I suppose, he was only echoing the sentiments of ownership.

Somehow, this has all become acceptable.

Read more:http://triblive.com/sports/joestarkey/4177247-74/shero-penguins-lemieux?printerfriendly=true#ixzz2W5cMcVQr 
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