Hello, hockey fans.The Pittsburgh Penguins will have a week off, but they won't be as satisfied. The Athletic.
This is part 1 of my monthly mailbag. Part 2 will be published soon. There's a lot to discuss. There were over 100 questions asked, but not one was about the own goal in Arizona. And in this case, it's probably best to deny that it happened.
We had a lot of great questions this month. Let's go.
It's over now. — @JewniorGong
I love how simple and poignant this question is.
The days when the Penguins were a perennial Stanley Cup contender are certainly over. The 2022 playoff team is pretty good and probably would have made it if not for the health of their goalie and Jacob Trouba's elbow. But it's true that the Penguins are on the decline right now, and they're just as likely to miss the playoffs as they are to make the postseason.
All that remains now is nightly performances by some of the all-time greats and the nostalgia of finally seeing a dramatic spring run through. Yes, that is unlikely.But really, that's not the case considering how good the Penguins goaltending is, how great Sidney Crosby is playing, and how incredibly bad the Eastern Conference is. completely out of the question. Unlikely, yes. very. Let's stop being delusional here. But seeing Crosby perform at this level and seeing the reality that the Penguins are a very good 5-on-5 team has some in the organization hopeful that at least a trip to the Finals is possible. I think they continue to do so.
Fenway didn't buy the Pens or hire Kyle Dubas to carry out a rebuild and youth movement. So what are the best courses going forward? Will he be able to punt, make hockey trades and space this season to really shine this summer? Or will you do your best to meet the deadline? — @ggiants
Oh, and they hired him to run a rebuild. However, it doesn't necessarily happen this quickly.
It's hard to believe the Penguins will embark on a complete rebuild as long as Crosby is on the roster. The best and most romantic thing the Penguins could do would be to rebuild and keep Crosby, allowing him to show the way for the next generation of Penguins before their captain walks off into the sunset.
But I can't see Dubas trying to rebuild this team over the next few years in a final attempt to win a championship again.
He's in an almost impossible place. He could sell, but risks alienating Crosby in the process. For those of you who think a rebuild is the obvious answer, ask yourself if it would be okay for Crosby to finish his career in a different uniform. It's not that he wants to leave. What I'm saying is that the quickest path to a rebuild is for the members of the Big Three to finish their careers elsewhere. I don't think Crosby has any interest in being part of a rebuild, but I don't blame him.
But if they're going to make this a championship roster again, they're going to need a lot of luck. Dubas will now have to pull off a series of trades and free agent acquisitions, which is no easy task even for someone as intelligent as he is.
It's doubtful he'll go “all in” at the deadline, since it's nearly impossible to go “all in” given the Penguins' financial constraints and the number of players on the roster with no-trade clauses. But I would be surprised if he were even a seller by the deadline. How they play next month will determine that.
What is the relationship and interaction between Dubas and the room? Is there a lot of interaction there, or does Dubas not have much to do with this group? @Classic Hockey
You don't often see general managers in the locker room. I saw Jim Rutherford in the Penguins locker room once every seven years (after Game 7 in Washington in 2017, when Jim Rutherford burst into the room and gave Marc-Andre Fleury a bear hug).
I will say this: I talk to players and coaches all the time, not to mention a lot of people in the front office and throughout the organization. I haven't heard any bad rumors about Dubas yet. Everyone loves this guy and very highly values his ability to move this team forward.
Why keep Salley as a coach when some teams have fired coaches and gotten results? — @RobertParadiso1
Because the Penguins are more than just a team.
Sure, they might bring in a new coach. Do you think Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson will listen to their new coach? No. You might say they don't listen to Mike Sullivan now, but I don't think that's entirely true. It's an almost impossible team to manage. Sullivan has two Stanley Cup rings and will always be in Crosby's shoes. they're very close.
He's not a perfect coach, but he's the best person to coach this team. I know it's not working right now and I know the fan base is frustrated. Understood. But I don't think firing him is the answer.
Was Hextall correct in thinking that Malkin was about to be launched? — @MikeAdamsWI
I don't think it's fair to say Malkin is nearly washed out. He's 37 years old and looks 37 years old, meaning he's a Hall of Famer who's starting to fade.
Was former Penguins GM Ron Hextall right in wanting to give Malkin three years instead of four? probably. He turned down far more than Crosby or Letang. Malkin's play lately has been pretty disappointing.
I think we'll see him play better as more advanced linemates move forward. Maybe Riley Smith will get healthy and start playing better. Malkin hasn't been in the tank much lately and his gallop is mostly gone, but he still has the ability to be productive. He just needs help in a different way now.
Who is your favorite player to watch live, other than the Penguins, past or present? @Steve_Yo
In my career managing a team, I would probably choose Alex Ovechkin. He's just a rock star, you know? Young Ovi was a sight to behold.
When I was a kid, my favorite non-Penguins player was Pavel Bure. He always tried to get tickets when he was in Vancouver or Florida. He was just different.
Bonus selection: It's not bad to watch Connor McDavid play live.
Hi Josh, What would you like to see change in the city of Pittsburgh in the next 10 years (non-sports related)? @apomov
I would really like to see the area around PPG Paints Arena take shape with much-needed restaurants, bars, and more. Downtown Pittsburgh hasn't been doing very well lately, and has plummeted quite a bit since the coronavirus outbreak (which is true for most American cities). It would be great if we could have a fun social gathering around PPG before and after the game. I look at other cities like Columbus, but it's pretty frustrating to see how things are going in Pittsburgh.
That said, if you're attending a home game, come visit us at the Lexus Club after the game. It's funny to see me trying to write a post-game article while being busy talking to people. At this rate, there is no problem in having a few more conversations. It's fun is not it. Now, please come down. Rob Rossi, Mark Madden, Brian Metzer, Paul Steigerwald, join us. What could cause problems for that population?
Which NHL team has the best goal song? — @h_kirk6
Seattle is the winner. It might be a cliché to pair it with Nirvana in Seattle, but “Lithium” is truly amazing.
Most people hate Vancouver goal songs, but I think Simple Minds' “Don't You Forget About Me” is a hilarious goal song. I love Jim Rutherford and Rick Tocchet, so I watch Canucks games a lot, and it makes me laugh every time I hear that.
Also, the annual caveat: “Party Hard” is a pretty boring goal song. The Penguins' target song would be “Paint It Black” by the Rolling Stones. I remain strong in my beliefs.
In honor of his birthday, what are your top 5 Paul Newman movies? @ChrisBarnhart52
1. “Slapshot” (obviously)
2. “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”
3. “Cool Hand Luke”
4. “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”
5. “Sting”
Over the years of following the team, what has been your most memorable travel experience (for positive or negative reasons)? @jlhorn33
Hey, you. I could write a book about my adventures while traveling.
I met my ex-wife before a game in Buffalo in 2009. Although the relationship didn't work out, we have two wonderful children and she loves her older two as if they were her own. So I have no regrets.
Hearing Joe Pesci and Kris Letang talk about “Goodfellas” was a great experience. Such was the case the night I spent with Dennis Rodman in Anaheim.
Two years ago, a gentleman threatened to kill me at the Philadelphia airport. Fortunately, he did not follow through. I've seen so many strange things in the great state of Florida that I could devote several chapters to this book alone. Montreal and Vegas always make me smile.
My visits to the White House in 2016 and 2017 were something special. It was the same on the ice in San Jose and Nashville. Arriving in Vancouver by plane at sunset is the ultimate human experience. I once fell in love in Nashville.
I could go on forever. In the words of Johnny Cash, I've been everywhere.
What is your Chick-fil-A order? @ROTYNick
4 piece chicken strips, honey mustard, waffle fries and lemonade.
Thank you for your great question. Stay tuned for part 2.
(Sidney Crosby photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
