NHL Playoff Predictions 2011: Why Pittsburgh Will Beat Tampa Bay

As the Pittsburgh Penguins prepare for their first-round matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning, one thing is clear:  They have to score and they have to score now.

NHL: Should Matt Cooke Be Traded?

In the wake of Matt Cooke's loooooooooooong suspension, rumors have sprung up that Penguins owner Mario Lemieux and team president David Morehouse have decided that Matt Cooke needs to be traded.  Further more, it's been reported that Ray Shero disagrees with this sentiment and is adamant about keeping the headline-grabbing forward.

So who's right?

Matt Cooke Screws It Up Again

Boy, Matt Cooke has some really bad timing, doesn't he?  Sure, the Penguins lost 5-2 to the Rangers on Sunday but the real story is Matt Cooke delivering a flying elbow to Ryan McDonagh and sending the anti-Penguins blogosphere into an absolute tizzy.

Why Mario Lemieux's Letter to Gary Bettman is Very Important

Monday was quite the in Penguins-land as team captain Sidney Crosby returned to the ice and team owner Mario Lemieux unveiled a letter sent to commissioner Gary Bettman.  The letter addressed the controversial topic of on-ice discipline in the NHL and the league's failure to punish accordingly.
Lemieux makes the point that suspensions have not stopped dirty players from repeating their actions when they return to the ice (see: Gillies, Trevor), which makes them somewhat ineffective.  Lemieux also wants the teams themselves to be liable for their player's actions (imagine that!) and be fined according to the suspension.

The Top 10 Worst Pittsburgh Penguins of the Last 10 Years

The Pittsburgh Penguins are only two seasons removed from their last Stanley Cup championship, have the greatest player in the world as their center, and have a supporting cast of Jordan Staal, Marc-Andre Fleury, and Evgeni Malkin.   Along with their new-found success has come a new generation of Penguins fans who don't know of the hardships long-time Pens fans suffered during the "dark ages" (2002-2006).

Well, fear not, because we are going to take a look at the worst Penguins since 2001...



#10 - Dan Focht  (D, 2002-2004)

 

While most Penguins fans have blocked this defenseman out of their minds, a simple mention of his name is enough to send chills down their spine.  Notoriously bad with the puck, Focht made every single fan in the arena nervous when he handled the vulcanized rubber.  His lack of speed and positioning more than contributed to his -23 rating during 52 games with the club in 03-04.  Danny wasn't much of a passer, or hitter, or shooter, or shot blocker, but hey...I bet he tried really hard.