Pittsburgh Penguins Lack Leadership

The Pittsburgh Penguins are a team filled with veteran leadership. From Sidney Crosby to Jarome Iginla, the Penguins are filled with players who have been to the dance and learned all the moves. Yet somehow in that room full of leaders there is a lack of leadership and it's costing the Penguins in the playoffs.

For a team that technically has three captains on the roster; Crosby, Iginla and Brandon Morrow, the Penguins aren't playing with veteran experience and need someone to step up and calm the team down.

It was a lack of leadership combined with mental mistakes that saw a completely different Pittsburgh Penguins team take to the ice in games one and two of the Eastern Conference Finals. They got away from their game plan and led by their captain, started playing Boston Bruin hockey.

There's a reason it's called Boston Bruin hockey, because the Bruins are the best at it. They know how to play physical between the whistles, how to get under opponents skin and most importantly what they can get away with. The Bruins like to get involved physically to draw their opponents off of their game plan and strike while their opponents are trying to play "Bruins" hockey. If you're trying to beat the Bruins at their own game you're not going to win period.

In the first two games the Penguins were annoyed. You saw Evgeni Malkin wrestle Patrice Bergeron to the ice and Crosby take a shot at Tuukka Rask. Crosby wears the "C" and is the leader of the Penguins, he also happens to be the best hockey player in the league. But Crosby isn't playing like the best hockey player, we should be talking about his sick goals and great passes to Chris Kunitz.

Instead we've seen Crosby whine and complain to the refs, commit an awful turnover in game 2 and attempt to take on Zdeno Chara in game 1. This is not the Crosby or the captain the Penguins need to lead them to a Stanley Cup, this is the Crosby who is being completely shutdown and frustrated by the Bruins.

What makes matters worse is the fact Crosby doesn't even have a point in this series and has been virtually invisible. In the regular season Crosby is virtually the best player on the ice every game, he has no problem scoring goals and elevating his game to the next level when he wants to. But the playoffs are a different story. In the playoffs, especially in the later rounds everything gets's tighter. There's less space and time and Crosby is forced to make decisions much quicker than in the regular season. Throw the Bruins into the mix and not only do you not have any space or time, but you're also getting hit every time you touch the puck.

The Physicality in this series has thrown Crosby off his game and hasn't given him a chance to be Sidney Crosby. Since the Penguins aren't winning and Crosby is frustrated the frustration goes throughout the entire line-up. What the Penguins have right now is a team that has too many superstars. It's great to have the likes of Sidney Crosby, James Neal, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Jarome Iginla in the line-up, but what happens in a situation like this is players take it upon themselves to save the team. The Pittsburgh Penguins aren't playing like a team while the Boston Bruins are.

Crosby needs help. He may be the best player and have a solid character but that's not helping the Penguins win right now. What everyone forgets is Crosby is still a rather young player. Iginla or one of the other veterans needs to take Crosby under their wing and teach him how to get through a rough series because he doesn't know how. Crosby knows how to score goals but does he know how to play when the goals aren't coming? The rest of the team is following the example Crosby is leading and right now it's not a great example.

Now as much as people want to flog Crosby to death it's not all his fault. He needs to step it up, but so do other players. Jarome Iginla and Brenden Morrow have turned out to be major disappointments and Kris Letang has looked lost on the backend. Crosby, Neal, Malkin, Iginla and Kunitz all have a combined 0 points in this series and the lethal Penguins powerplay is a dismal 0-12.

The Penguins offence has been shutdown on every level, even when they're up a man they have failed to capitalize. Someone in the dressing room needs to step up. Tomas Vokoun has fixed their goaltending issues; now it's time for someone to step up score goals, show the team discipline and how to win.

The Pittsburgh Penguins backs' are up against the wall, it's now or never. We're about to see the character and leadership of Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.

Why Tomas Vokoun Should Start Game 3 For the Penguins

After a 6-1 loss in game two, in which neither Tomas Vokoun nor Marc-Andre Fleury could stop a beach ball, the Pittsburgh Penguins are at a crossroads with what to do with their goaltenders. Do they go back to Marc-Andre Fleury who has won them a Stanley Cup but is showing more recently that he can’t handle the playoff pressure or continue down the road with the veteran Tomas Vokoun?

The goaltending decision ahead of game three is the biggest decision of Dan Bylsma’s coaching career. If he chooses the wrong guy, the Penguins’ hopes of lifting another Stanley Cup will end at the Conference Finals.

Going into the Conference finals, no one expected this series to be high scoring. Sure the Penguins have superstars that when they’re on can make any goalie look like a house league call-up, but they were facing the hard-hitting, physical Boston Bruins who have a stellar goalie in Tuukka Rask between the pipes. And oh yeah, Rask is playing for a new, multi-year contract.

Remember last time the Penguins faced a physical team in the playoffs? They were eliminated in the first round because they got coaxed into the physical play. After game one it appeared that would be the case again.

Heading into this series all questions surrounded the goalies. Would the Penguins continue with Tomas Vokoun and would he be good enough to lead them to a Stanley Cup? Would Tuukka Rask be able to withstand the Penguins offence?

With 9 goals in the first two games, it’s clear the Penguins goaltending isn’t getting the job done. While all the blame isn’t just on Vokoun or Fleury as the whole Penguins team needs to be better, the Penguins also need a goaltender in net who is going to come up with a big save to keep them in the game.

While it wont be an easy decision naming a starter for game three, considering neither goalie stopped anything in game 2, the Penguins need to keep going with Tomas Vokoun.

The time to put Fleury back between the pipes has long passed; this is Tomas Vokoun’s Penguin team right now. Not saying the Penguins will go forward with the 36 year-old veteran next season, but this is turning into a similar situation that the Canadiens went through in 2009 with Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak.

This is the second straight post-season where Fleury has faltered, he arguably played himself out of the starters role and Bylsma chose to run with Vokoun. It’s too late for Bylsma to run back and catch the Fleury bus while he’s riding full speed ahead on the Vokoun train.

The time to put Fleury back between the pipes was immediately after he was pulled in round 1 or the beginning of round two, not when you’re down two games in the Conference Finals. The Penguins have asked Tomas Vokoun to step up and carry the Penguins; he’s done that and now deserves a chance to get the Penguins out of this hole. If not for Tomas Vokoun the Penguins would have been eliminated in round 1.

Going back to the fragile Fleury for game three would be a major mistake. It doesn’t matter how good he’s looked in practice while riding the bench; that’s practice, against his own teammates, not a playoff game against the Boston Bruins. Fleury has proved he doesn’t have what it takes to perform in the playoffs lately. The Penguins need to go with the goalie that gives them the best shot at winning and that goalie is Tomas Vokoun.

There’s no question the Penguins offence needs to step it up in game three. Just three goals through the first two games with all the star power they have is inexcusable. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and James Neal all need to be better, they’re counted on to lead the Penguins and right now they’re not doing that. For whatever reason Crosby isn’t living up to the “C” on his chest and the Penguins are lacking some serious leadership.

While the offence needs to pick up the slack, the goalies need to make key saves. Throwing Marc-Andre Fleury into game three reeks of desperation, Tomas Vokoun has been fine since he took over, he had a rough game but so did the rest of the team. If you’re going to replace Tomas Vokoun with Fleury in game three you may as well put Matt Cooke on the first line instead of Sidney Crosby because Crosby had a rough game.

The Penguins have made their bed with Tomas Vokoun, now it’s time for them to lie in it.

Why the Ottawa Senators Will Beat the Pittsburgh Penguins

On paper you see the 7th place Ottawa Senators squaring off against the 1st place Pittsburgh Penguins, and you feel sorry for the slaughter the Senators are going to go through. But the best part about the NHL playoffs is what's written on paper doesn't matter once you hit the ice. Just ask the Penguins how their easy round one with the 8th place New York Islanders panned out.

The Senators are not your typical 7th seeded playoff team. When you look at the final Eastern Conference playoff standings just 2 points separated 8th from 5th. The Senators were one win shy of 5th place and a match with the Boston Bruins and just one point up on 8th and a first round match with the Penguins. Since the East was so close and the Sens were just one point out of 5th you have to treat the Senators like a 5th seeded team.

After a hard-fought series with the Islanders, the Penguins must be ready for another hard-fought series with the Sens. The Sens are a very young and skilled team. They don't just rely on one guy to get the job done, it's a combined effort from everyone. The Senators easily dispatched of the number 2 ranked Montreal Canadiens by forcing them back on their heels and getting them off their game. If the Sens can do that again, it could be another long series for Crosby and the Pens, one that could see them eliminated.

While the Senators are nothing like the Philadelphia Flyers or Boston Bruins when it comes to physical play, the playoffs require every team to raise their level of physicality and the Sens have done that. Remember the big hit Eric Gryba laid on Lars Eller? Or game 3 when both teams barely had enough players to ice 2 lines after a line brawl?

The Senators, a much tougher team, baited the Canadiens into a physical battle. If the Sens manage to draw the Pens into that physical battle and force them off their game plan, it'll be lights out for the Pens who will be wondering what hit them.

The Ottawa Senators are also not the same team as they were 3 months ago. Erik Karlsson is back in the line-up and is beginning to look like the Norris winning defencemen he was a year-ago, Craig Anderson is back between the pipes and has been lights out posting a .950 Save Percentage and the Sens could be getting another boost should Jason Spezza return to the line-up.

The Senators are a young team that has been relying on the youthfulness of Erik Karlsson, Mika Zibanejad, Cory Conacher, Kyle Turris and Jean-Gabriel Pageau to lead the team. While the Pens rely on the skill of Sidney Crosby, James Neal and Evgeni Malkin to lead the way. The Penguins are a much older team than the Sens and use their veteran leadership and depth throughout the line-up to their advantage. But their age truly showed in round one against the Islanders. They were slow and lost battles for loose pucks all series, the Sens should be able to exploit that with their younger quicker players.

The two things that make the Senators a very scary threat in the East is their goaltending and defence.

The Penguins got lucky having to face a weak goalie in Evgeni Nabokov who allowed them to keep pace with the goals the Islanders were scoring. The Senators have one of the best netminders in the league in Craig Anderson. If the Penguins go back to Marc-Andre Fleury and he falters early on, the Sens will jump all over it and Anderson will shut the door.

Anderson is boasting a 1.80 Goals Against Average and a .950 Save Percentage while only allowing 9 goals throughout the first 5 games of the playoffs. The Sens don't let a lot of goals in, the Pens will need to score 1 or 2 garbage goals and then rely on their goaltending to squeak out close games in this series.

Then there's the whole matter of defence, before you even get to the brick wall that is Anderson. Their defence was the 2nd best in the NHL during the regular season allowing just 2.08 goals a game. Their penalty kill was the best ranked in the league killing off an outstanding 88% of their penalties. Plus they have one of the best defenceman in the NHL back on their blue-line with Karlsson who isn't afraid to rush the puck and pick up the slack by netting some goals himself.

The second round match-up between the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins is going to be a tough series and perhaps one of the closest in the playoffs. All the pressure will be riding on the Penguins a role reversal from 2007, the last time the Senators beat the Penguins in the playoffs. The Penguins are the team that everyone was and is expecting to challenge for the Stanley Cup and the Senators are just a speed block on that journey. The Senators have nothing to lose in this series, they've already come farther than most expected and have shown just how good a team they have.

After their tough series win over the Islanders the Penguins are a team that is down on the matt and now is the perfect time for the Sens to jump quickly and kick them while they're down. The Senators may be the Penguins toughest opponents in this years playoffs, the question becomes can they survive two series' where the underdog teams give them all they can handle?

At the end of the day this series is likely going to come down to goaltending. The Senators have no issues with Anderson and know he can get the job done. The Penguins have a number one goalie who can't stop a beach ball and is rattled, while their back-up is capable. Do the Penguins let Tomas Vokoun have a shot or do they go back to Fleury? Whoever the Penguins choose to go with will have to come up big in this series.

With Craig Anderson leading the way, the Ottawa Senators have all the tools to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins. In fact the Senators pose a very real Stanley Cup threat, not bad for a team who was decimated with injuries in March.

Is It Time for the Pittsburgh Penguins to Play Tomas Vokoun?

On paper when you see the Pittsburgh Penguins squaring off against the New York Islanders in the first round of the playoffs, you wouldn't expect the series to be tied at 2 after 4 games. Some fans may have expected the Islanders to have already been eliminated, but the Islanders are sticking around and they owe a huge thank you to Marc-Andre Fleury. With Fleury not playing his best hockey, is it time for the Penguins to turn to Tomas Vokoun?

After the Pittsburgh Penguins made major strides to build the team for a deep playoff run, seeing them struggle in the first round is a big shock. Heading into the playoffs the Penguins had a roster boasting the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Jarome Iginla, and Kris Letang. When looking at their roster it's hard to find a weak spot but it's becoming more apparent goaltending may be that weak spot.

After last years melt-down in the first round against the Philadelphia Flyers, there have been questions about Marc-Andre Fleury's goaltending. Just how worried were the Penguins about their goaltending? Worried enough to acquire Tomas Vokoun to help lighten the load and be ready in case Fleury has another playoff implosion.

It appears that once again Fleury is having a playoff meltdown and that meltdown appeared to hit rock bottom after a laughable 6-4 loss in game 4. The Penguins helped out their netminder as much as they could but when they needed a big save they didn't get it, instead they got several questionable goals.

This is nothing new for Marc-Andre Fleury and is a major cause for concern for the Penguins. For a goaltender playing behind a world class team Fleury's lack of playoff success is alarming. In his last 10 playoff games (including last year) he's 4-6 with a 4.11 GAA and a .860 Save Percentage, not the type of numbers a team needs to advance in the playoffs. For those who don't put their stock in GAA and Save Percentage, Fleury has allowed 3 or more goals in 10 of his last 13 playoffs games and 4 or more goals in 9 of those last 13. Whatever Fleury is doing isn't working and he's beginning to get a reputation as a playoff "chocker".

Even when you look back at the year Pittsburgh won the Stanley Cup, Fleury's numbers weren't good at all. He recorded a 2.61 GAA and .908 Save Percentage in 24 games. When you dig a little further and look at Fleury's regular season stats he's right around the middle of the pack, average, he seems to just float by in the regular season. Which begs the question, does Marc-Andre Fleury just benefit from a skilled Penguins roster?

For a goalie that has a Stanley Cup ring, Olympic gold medal and two World Junior Championship silver medals, Fleury certainly isn't playing like a championship level goalie.

It doesn't matter if a team has the skill to score 8 goals a game, if they don't get key saves from their goalie when they need them they will continue to lose. When a goalie lets in a weak goal, the team know's and it takes a lot of momentum out of their game. What good is it to score 6 goals if your goalie is just going let in 7?

If you watched the game and saw the reactions of the Penguins players after the weak goals, you can see how frustrated the Penguin players are with their netminder. The players have lost faith in Fleury and now is the perfect time to play $4 million back-up Tomas Vokoun.

Tomas Vokoun is 3-0 against the New York Islanders this season with a .90 G AA and a .970 Save Percentage. Putting in Vokoun who has been solid against the Islanders, may be the Penguins only move in game 5. Fleury and the Penguins are reeling and looking for answers, Vokoun may be the answer. Switching goalies may serve as a wake-up call for the Penguins who have been out-played 5 on 5 by the Islanders in games 2, 3 and 4. Vokoun is a very capable goalie and not your average back-up goalie. With 13 NHL seasons under his belt he's been around the league and has experience.

Two things people can take away from this series; The Penguins aren't as good as everyone believes they are and the Islanders aren't as bad as everyone believes. The Islanders have been, out-working and out-skating the Penguins, using their speed and youth to their advantage. The Islanders also don't have any pressure, no one gave them a shot in this series, if they pull off the upset all the focus will still be on what went wrong for the Penguins. The Islanders deserve some credit for playing their best and forcing the Penguins to make a goalie change, they've come out a lot better than everyone expected.

While goaltending isn't the only issue for the Penguins in this series, it's a big piece of the puzzle. At this point heading into game 5 the Penguins don't have any other choice than to play Tomas Vokoun. You can't throw a delicate ticking time bomb in Fleury back out there, that would be feeding him to the Wolves who already know they can eat him.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If the Penguins want to advance in the playoffs they'd be wise to give Tomas Vokoun some playing time. Crosby has the skill and wants to win multiple Stanley Cups, don't waste his skill waiting for a goalie to figure out his playoff woes.

Year Of the Goalie Tandems

Good goaltending is the key to any successful hockey team. A team is only as good as their goaltending and will only go as far as their goaltending will take them. Just ask the Los Angeles Kings who wouldn't have had a shot at the Stanley Cup Finals, let alone the Stanley Cup without Jonathan Quick. Or the Philadelphia Flyers who lost in the finals because of poor goaltending from Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton. Goaltending makes or breaks a championship team.

For most teams relying on one goalie to come up big night after night is tough enough. Teams will usually ride their starter all year, plugging in the backup only when the starter is dead tired. But this year has been a different story for many teams. On any given night you don't know who you'll see between pipes.

With the season shortened due to the lockout, it was obvious teams would need to rely on their backup goalies more. Backup goalies everywhere are rejoicing as they're playing more games in this shortened season then they would in a normal 82 game season.

With the gruelling and compact 48 games season, more and more teams are using goalie tandems. Not only are we seeing more goalie tandems this season, but the teams who are utilizing both goalies are amongst the best in the NHL this season.

Chicago Blackhawks

Corey Crawford (25 games played) 17-4-4 and Ray Emery (19 games played) 15-1-0.

The Blackhawks are the prime example of this season's goaltending tandems. They've used both Crawford and Emery during various stretches this season. As a result both goalies are fresh and playing well in the final games before the playoffs.

By using both the veteran and the younger goaltender it helps relieve the pressure from the younger Crawford and also allows him to learn from the veteran Emery.

Using the goalie tandem this season has proven to be a great idea for the Blackhawks. Both have been stellar at times this season and as a result they're currently in first place in the entire league.

Toronto Maple Leafs

James Reimer (27 games played) 16-5-5 and Ben Scrivens (18 games played) 7-8-0.

Remember when everyone was freaking out about the Leafs inexperienced goaltenders? Then when the Leafs were going to acquire a goalie at the trade deadline everyone was against that notion? Good times in Toronto.

Both James Reimer and Ben Scrivens have played well for the Leafs and have them currently inside the playoff picture. Having two young goalies battle to become the starter, has forced both Scrivens and Reimer to elevate their game. The Leafs finally have a competitive goalie tandem and as a result they're having a great season.

Now that the Leafs don't have to worry about their goaltending holding them back, they're able to focus on offence. Leafs sit 5th in the Eastern Conference.

St. Louis Blues

Brian Elliott (17 games played) 8-7-1, Jaroslav Halak (16 games played) 6-5-1 and Jake Allen (14 games played) 9-4-0.

The St. Louis Blues don't have a goalie duo, they have a goaltending trio. While Elliott has struggled at times this season the Blue have been able to call on other goalies to step up and carry the load while their "number one" goalie was off his game.

Halak and Elliott combined to carry the Blues last season and won the William. M. Jennings trophy for their efforts. They became the first goalie tandem in NHL history to both record at least 6 shutouts in a season.

After their strong performance between the pipes last season everyone expected the same again this season. Unfortunately that didn't happen. Both netminders lost their job to the rookie Jake Allen and Brian Elliott even found himself in the AHL by March.

With the last handful of games before the playoffs both Halak and Elliot have re-found their game and are ready to prove critics wrong. The Blues are a team on the prowl. Sitting 6th in the West- they're a scaring team heading into the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Marc-Andre Fleury (29 games played) 21-6-0 and Tomas Vokoun (18 games played) 11-4-0.

In the first round of the playoffs last season goaltending was the Penguins downfall. They played their rivals in the Flyers and let their
emotion's get the better of them. To insure that wouldn't happen again they brought in Tomas Vokoun to hold down the fort when Fleury isn't playing well.

The Penguins have arguably the best goalie tandem in the league right now. Both goalies have been stellar this season posting Save Percentages above .910. It's been an up and down season for Fleury who has struggled at times but Vokoun has stepped up and shut the door while his counterpart was struggling.

While Vokoun likely wont win any accolades for his performance between the pipes this season, he's been huge for the Penguins. By sharing some of the load Fleury will be rested for the playoffs and if he has some rough patches Vokoun can step in.

The Penguins goaltending is a big reason they're the Stanley Cup favorites and why they're currently first in the East.

Anaheim Ducks

Jonas Hiller (23 games played) 13-5-4 and Viktor Fasth (22 games played) 14-5-1.

The Ducks, much like the Blackhawks, have utilized their goalie tandem for the best. Hiller faltered this season and battled injury, during that time Fasth came in and proved he's ready to be an NHL goalie. Instead of letting their situation turn into a controversy they've used their tandem to propel them into 2nd in the West.

The Ducks have had a remarkable turnaround from last season and their goalie tandem deserves a lot of credit for carrying the load.

In addition to the teams listed above who have fully utilized their goalie tandems and are benefiting in the standings, at least a third of all NHL teams are playing their tandems more and more often. The Vancouver Canucks have used both Cory Schneider and Roberto Luongo at times this season, the Ottawa Senators were forced to use both Craig Anderson and Ben Bishop, The New Jersey Devils have used both Martin Brodeur and Johan Hedberg and the Lightning have also used multiple netminders.

When you look around the NHL this seems to be the year of the goalie tandems. Some of the teams atop of the NHL have been utilizing their goalie tandems to the fullest and as a result their dominating the NHL.

Winners and Losers From the Trade Deadline

Another NHL trade deadline has come and gone. Trades were made and some teams made deals that will no doubt help their teams for the future. It's time to break down the winners and losers from the trade deadline.

Winners

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets are battling for a playoff spot in the Western Conference- who would have thought that when the season started? At

[caption id="attachment_2839" align="alignright" width="300"] Marian Gaborik[/caption]

trade deadline time they proved that they're serious about making the playoffs and went out to acquire some big guns.

The biggest deal for the Blue Jackets was acquiring Marian Gaborik  from the New York Rangers who waived his no-movement clause to join the Jackets. The fact Gaborik waived his no-movement clause to join the Blue Jackets is huge and turns Columbus into a possible destination for other big players.

In addition to bringing in Gaborik, they also brought in veteran forward Blake Comeau which gives them added depth up front. Sergei Bobrovsky has been lights out for the Jackets this season, he's proven he's ready to be their full time goalie and as a result Steve Mason was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Columbus Blue Jackets made a major splash at the deadline, giving them all the tools they need to make the playoffs. Rick Nash who?

Boston Bruins

While the Bruins missed out on the Jarome Iginla sweepstakes they made up for it by landing Jaromir Jagr at the deadline. Now of course this opens up the debate on which player is a better fit for the Bruins; Jagr or Iginla?

Jagr will be a huge help for the Bruins and their 24th ranked power play, he'll bring creativity and will help mentor some of the younger players like Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand. In addition to bringing in Jagr to help the offence, the Bruins also brought in Wade Redden to add depth to their blue line.

The Bruins brought in key pieces to help counter what the Pittsburgh Penguins have done. The Eastern Conference is extremely close with the Penguins and Bruins both stocking up, wouldn't be a surprise to see them in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins did a lot of their wheeling and dealing ahead of the trade deadline. By getting their shopping list done early the Penguins were able to get the pieces they needed for a playoff run without having to sell the farm. Penguins brought in Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow and Douglas Murray before the deadline, putting them in contention for a deep playoff run.

Ray Shero deserves the GM of the year award, he brought in three key players that will add depth to the Penguins without even giving up a player on the roster. Right before the trade deadline the Penguins were dealt a major blow when Sidney Crosby took a puck to the face and broke his jaw. No one knows how long he'll be out and with playoffs right around the corner the Penguins needed more depth. Shero made another brilliant move bringing veteran Jussi Jokinen to add more depth, the kicker is the Carolina Hurricanes will be eating some of Jokinen's salary.

Buffalo Sabres

When you trade your captain away it means you're waiving the white flag, and for the Buffalo Sabres trading Jason Pominville is the beginning of their rebuild. This trade deadline may be Darcy Regier's last as GM of the Sabres, but he went out on fire.

Ahead of the deadline the Sabres traded Robyn Regehr and Jordan Leopold for three 2nd-round draft picks and a conditional fifth. The most important thing when entering a rebuild is the draft, the Sabres have a plethora of second round draft picks which will be key for the future.

The biggest move by the Sabres was the aforementioned Pominville trade. While getting picks for Regehr and Leopold was good settling for picks in return for Pominville wasn't acceptable. The Sabres managed to rob the Minnesota Wild in the return for their captain. Johan Larsson a top prospect who's being compared to both Pominville and Cody Hodgson, top goalie prospect Matt Hackett, a first round pick in 2013 and second round pick in 2014 are all now Sabres property.

This was the perfect move for the Sabres and sets them up for a big off-season that will see the likes of Ryan Miller and Drew Stafford heading out of town. Times are changing in Buffalo and this was the move that needed to kick it all off, the monster return is just the cherry on top.

San Jose Sharks

It was a quiet but good deadline for the Sharks. They picked up 5 draft picks in return for Ryan Clowe and Douglas Murray and they replaced their two roster players with Scott Hannan and Raffi Torres. The Sharks are in tough spot; They're battling for a playoff spot but also starting to rebuild on the fly.

Losers

Philadelphia Flyers

With both the Penguins and Bruins making considerable moves to help them make a playoff run the Flyers did nothing to help themselves get closer to the playoffs. In fact by doing virtually nothing- other than claiming Adam Hall off waivers and bringing Steve Mason to add to their goalie circus, the Flyers may have gotten worse.

Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings needed to add some offence at the deadline to help solidify their win-now motto, they were unable to land anyone that would help. The Red Wings made offers for multiple players leading up to the deadline but nothing materialized forcing them to stay put and make their playoff run with their current roster.

Carolina Hurricanes

With Joni Pitkanen lost for the year due to injury the Hurricanes needed to bring in another defenceman to fill his spot. They went out and found Marc-Andre Bergeron who will help fill the gap for the rest of the season. In the sense that they got their defenceman they did alright, but where they really lost out was losing Josi Jokinen and having to eat some of his contract as part of the deal with Pittsburgh. Hurricanes are just on the edge of the playoffs fighting every game to gain ground, they needed to do more at the deadline to get them closer to the playoffs.

Calgary Flames

It's hard to fault the Flames for their lack of movement at the deadline and getting less than market value back for many of their key pieces as they're heading into a "rebuild." But the Flames could have at least tried to get some solid young prospects in return for Iginla and Bouwmeester. The good news is the Flames now have three- first round picks for the upcoming draft which will help them either make some trades or draft some solid prospects in this years deep draft.

 

Pittsburgh Penguins Preparing for Stanley Cup Run

The Pittsburgh Penguins are amongst the elite in the NHL, with some of the best talent in the NHL they are often the standard by which opposing teams measure themselves. They took home the Stanley Cup in 2009 but have since failed to advance past the Conference Semi-finals. A large part of their lack of playoff success lately has been due to injuries to Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. But with a healthy Sidney Crosby playing arguably the best hockey of his young career - the Pittsburgh Penguins are serious about winning the Stanley Cup this season.

The last two seasons saw Crosby battle through his concussions and as a result he wasn't able to play at the level many had come accustomed to seeing him play. He put up 103 points between the two seasons (66 and 37) but wasn't the same leader, he couldn't carry the Penguins on his own. So the Penguins went and acquired James Neal to help add depth and aid Evgeni Malkin in leading the Penguins while Crosby wasn't playing like Crosby.

Sidney Crosby is now back playing at the pace- if not slightly better than before his concussions, averaging 1.6 points per game through the first 33. With Sidney Crosby back as the best player in the world and a 12 game win streak the Penguins are in a "go for it" mode, and who can blame them?

Penguins GM Ray Shero has decided to get his playoff shopping list done a little early by acquiring Brenden Morrow from the Dallas Stars and Douglas Murray from the San Jose Sharks. While both Morrow and Murray have seen better days, they will add tremendous depth to the star-studded Penguins.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Shero's wheeling and dealing is the fact he didn't give up a single roster player in either trade. The losses to the Penguins were prospects and draft picks- and when you have Crosby, Neal, Malkin, Brandon Sutter and Beau Bennett all locked up- the Penguins don't need to worry much about the future for now.

Back to the present, by going out and acquiring solid depth players who will make an impact in a playoff run the Penguins have solidified that they are serious contenders for the Stanley Cup. 

"With the makeup of a young team, having a healthy Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby -- which we haven't had in a couple years, we feel we have a nice good team and we're trying to do what we can to strengthen it. ~ Ray Shero

Morrow leaves his captaincy with the Stars to join his former Olympic teammate Sidney Crosby and Stars teammate James Neal. With Chris Kunitz and Neal playing bigger roles this season for the Penguins, Morrow will also become a lethal weapon and provide more secondary scoring. With Morrow being paired with Malkin and Neal look for him to up his scoring production and help the Penguins become the most well-rounded offensive team in the NHL.

In addition to secondary scoring Morrow will also add veteran leadership which will be vital for a deep playoff run. Brenden Morrow is the perfect player for the Penguins to acquire for them to make a valid run at the Cup and frankly they couldn't afford not to.

The Penguins have only won one playoff round since their Cup win in 2009, Crosby is finally healthy again and once again the best player in the world and the Penguins are atop the Eastern Conference. Everything is going right and this is their best chance at winning another Stanley Cup.

We want to win, It's up to us as players to do our part, but the organization and management is giving us every opportunity to do that. As a player, that's all you can ask for -- and we'll definitely try to do our best." ~ Sidney Crosby

Knowing how competitive Crosby is and his will to win, one Stanley Cup isn't enough- he wants several and now is the perfect time to add his second. 

In addition to the great leadership and secondary scoring from Morrow the Penguins are also adding a solid defenceman in Douglas Murray. While the 6 foot 3, 240 pound defenceman wont be a star on the blue line like Kris Letang, he will add size, toughness and grit to the Penguins blue line. Murray is a solid shut-down defenceman who is used to going up against the oppositions best players.

But the most important attribute for the Penguins is the fact that Murray is a stay-at home defencenman. They don't need anymore high scoring defenceman, who like to jump up in the rush. They need someone who is strong in front of the net and clear the opposition out of the crease.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are making it clear they are in it to win it right now and with the season they're having there's no better time to make a run. If you thought the Pittsburgh Penguins were good now, just wait till they hit the playoffs with a healthy Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Brenden Morrow, James Neal, Douglas Murray and Kris Letang.

The Penguins now have four forward lines full of depth, veteran leadership and all the right pieces to make a run. I don't see too many teams able to de-rail the red-hot Penguins.

Chris Kunitz is the Perfect Winger for Sidney Crosby

Let's forget all the debate for a moment- Sidney Crosby is the best player in the world, period. As Crosby is the best player in the world many believe he should be playing with better wingers than Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis. The Pittsburgh Penguins have taken a lot of flack for not having an all-star winger like James Neal playing on a line with Crosby, but Kunitz is doing just fine on the first line.

A lot of people are crediting Chris Kunitz's success this season- 18 goals and 40 points- to playing on a line with Sidney Crosby. But Crosby see's it differently;

"Anyone who has played with him will tell you that he does so many little things. He makes us all look good by putting the puck in the back of the net." ~ Sidney Crosby

Chris Kunitz currently sits 2nd in NHL scoring with 18 goals and 40 points, behind his linemate Crosby. He's on pace to set a career high with 66 points and 30 goals despite this only being a shortened season. Heck there's even talks the un-drafted winger has a shot of winning the Art Ross trophy. It would be hard to look at the success Kunitz is enjoying this season and not relate it to Crosby, who has assisted on 14 of his 18 goals and has the ability to make all his linemates better.

There's no doubt he's benefited from playing on a line with the best player in the world but in all fairness to Chris Kunitz you have to look at what he brings to the table and his track record. While Kunitz was playing with the Anaheim Ducks he played on lines with Teemu Selanne, Ryan Getzlaf and Andy McDonald and put up at least 50 points in all 4 seasons with the Ducks. He also won a Stanley Cup while in Anaheim and was given the role of alternate captain in his final year before being traded to Pittsburgh.

Last year while Crosby was out with a concussion Kunitz played on a line with Evgeni Malkin, ironically Malkin won the Hart trophy. This season Kunitz has been reunited with Crosby and guess who's one of the leading candidates to win the Hart- Sidney Crosby. Perhaps Chris Kunitz is a little more valuable than people think.

When watching Chris Kunitz play this season there's two things that stand out. His confidence and his willingness to go to the tough areas. The most important thing for Kunitz is that he understands his game. He knows he doesn't have a menacing shot like James Neal or the play making ability of Crosby but he does have speed, grit and an ability to make life miserable for opposing goaltenders as he camps out in front looking for the tip. He plays a north-south game, keeping things simple and hunting for loose pucks always waiting to pounce.

When the Penguins faced off against the Toronto Maple Leafs last week there was a play by Kunitz that really stuck out to me and showed how much confidence he has in his game. He carried the puck into the Leafs zone put the breaks on and skated back towards the blue line where he was greeted by two Leafs and there was a third not far behind. Kunitz didn't panic and passed the puck to Dupuis alone in the slot.

He has so much composure when carrying the puck into the oppositions end, he doesn't automatically look for Crosby he waits and tries to make a play. His play this season has turned himself into a solid first line winger who the team can count on and most importantly he has earned the trust of Crosby. 

"He's just so dependable and that's contagious. When a guy is that responsible, you want to make sure you're following that up. You build that trust" ~ Sidney Crosby.

Chris Kunitz has certainly won over both his teammates and coaches for his skill and versatility;

"Chris does a lot of little things well to be a good complementary guy to play with."He goes hard to the net, forces turnovers, is a physical guy, but maybe more so this year than other he has moved into that slot area and been a weapon with his shot." ~ Dan Bylsma

The thing that makes Chris Kunitz the perfect winger for Crosby is the fact he doesn't like the spot light, he's perfectly fine being over looked. As Penguins GM Ray Shero said "he flies under the radar." When the opposition thinks about defending the Penguins they think of Crosby, Malkin, Neal and even Kris Letang but Chris Kunitz is an after-thought.

Perhaps his humbleness and willingness to do the dirty work is what helps his chemistry with Crosby, whatever it is the two just seem to connect becoming one of the best duo's in the league. Being an un-drafted, underrated player is likely one of the key reasons to his success. The opposition doesn't play him as hard as Crosby and he's usually left un-guarded when Crosby is working his magic with the puck.

Once thought to be an NHL journeyman traveling from team to team finding a brief stay on third lines Chris Kunitz has found a home in Pittsburgh playing on the top line along with Sidney Crosby. Not bad for a kid who played tier 2 college hockey and was un-drafted. Kunitz has turned himself into a consistent scorer netting 20 goals in 6 of 7 NHL seasons and now at the age of 33 it appears Chris Kunitz is making a name for himself and emerging from the shadows.

Can The Pittsburgh Penguins Survive Without Evgeni Malkin?

The last 2 seasons the Pittsburgh Penguins learned how to live without their captain Sidney Crosby as he battled through multiple concussions, now they have to adapt to playing without Evgeni Malkin who played a major role in Crosby's absence. By many accounts Evgeni Malkin has been the Penguins best player over the last 2 seasons, single handedly carrying the team and putting up enough offence for 2 superstars. He also won the NHL MVP award for for his leadership role during Crosby's absence. At the start of 2013 the Penguins were poised for a big year as both Crosby and Malkin were ready to start off the year healthy, but after a collision in a game Friday against the Florida Panthers Evgeni Malkin has been diagnosed with a concussion.

Anytime the word "concussion" is thrown around with the Penguins, fans and coaches hold their breath and hope for the best. They dealt with Crosby's concussion and "concussion like symptoms" which forced him to miss over 100 games in 2 seasons. Right now the Penguins are hoping that Malkin's concussion won't have the same effect. Concussions are nasty injuries and completely un-predictable, there's no time-table for a return and a player could be better within a few days Brendan Gallagher or their career could be over like Chris Pronger. Good news for Penguins fans is the team knows how to handle concussions thanks to their experiences with Crosby and Kris Letang, so they will be sure that Malkin is 100% before sending him back into game action.

Now that the Penguins are without Evgeni Malkin for the foreseeable future, will they be able to keep up their strong play or will their game taper off with the loss of their MVP?

No matter what way you look at it losing a player such as Malkin is huge for any team. He's currently 18th in points with 21 (4 goals + 17 assists) and is the type of player who makes everyone on the ice better. But if any team is able to handle the loss of a superstar it's the Pittsburgh Penguins who will still have Sidney Crosby and James Neal to turn to.

Here's why the Penguins will survive the regular season without Evgeni Malkin;

1. Sidney Crosby

The Penguins are lucky in the fact that they have arguably 2 of the best players in the NHL, because of that their 2 superstars are able to cover for each other if one is out with an injury. While Crosby was out Malkin was called upon to lead and carry the team, the Russian superstar responded by putting up 109 points and winning the Hart Trophy. Now it's Crosby's turn to answer the bell and prove to everyone who believes that Malkin became the better player during Crosby's absence that Crosby can also elevate his game and lead the Penguins by himself.

Right now Crosby sits 2nd in the league in points with 28 (9 goals, 19 assists) and has points in 13 of 15 Penguins games making him one of the most consistent players this season. Stepping up in Malkin's absence should be no problem for Sid the kid who is used to being the star and carrying his team to victory. It's time for Crosby to step up, lead his team and show the league he is still the most dominat all-around player.

2. James Neal

Aside from Crosby, James Neal will be affected the most while Evgeni Malkin is not playing. Malkin and Neal are arguably the best center/winger duo in the NHL right now and help provide the Penguins with a solid 1- 2 punch as both the first and second lines can score. But with Malkin out look for Neal to jump to the first line with Crosby. Now there is nothing wrong playing on a line with Crosby, but there's no guarantee Neal will have the same chemistry that he had with Malkin- he has 12 goals and 9 of them were assisted by Malkin. Neal's job will be to go to the net and try to get open so he can continue adding to his goal total, and Crosby has to be just as good at setting up goals as Malkin right?

With Neal jumping up on the first line he too will be called upon to play a bigger offencive role alongside Crosby. After putting up 81 points last season he is a dangerous guy in the offencive end and can score big goals when needed. He'll want to prove he can play with Crosby and add his name in the mix for the Penguins MVP race.

3. Power Play

Anytime you have the ability to have Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, Chris Kunitz and Brandon Sutter on the ice for one of your two power play units you're going to be able to capitalize more times than not. With Malkin out Kunitz will sub into his spot on the power play and his job will be to set up Crosby and Neal. The Penguins have the 3rd best power play in the league (28%) but it will be dealt a serious blow without the playmaking of Malkin, the way he sees the ice is just incredible and unfortunately for the Penguins near irreplaceable. But Neal and Crosby are also gifted on the power play and have combined for 23 power play points, so there is still some serious skill left on the Penguins power play that can easily burn the opposition.

The Penguins are crossing their fingers hoping that Evgeni Malkin's concussion isn't too severe and will be back by the end of the regular season, but no matter how severe it is they will make sure to take their time with Malkin to make sure he's fully healed up. Brandon Sutter will likely center the 2nd line and will need to step his game up along with goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury who hasn't been all that spectacular to start off the year. The Penguins have built a team that can compete and beat any team in the East regardless of whether they have both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin or just one. They will be fine in the Eastern Conference, but when playoffs roll around they may be in some trouble without Evgeni Malkin. Right now it's all about Sidney Crosby stepping his game up and carrying the Penguins like Malkin did when he was injured.

 

Sidney Crosby vs. Evgeni Malkin Best NHL Rivalry

Rivalry in sports is what engages fans and gets them to tune into games night after night. Of course there is the great Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens and the newest rivalry of them all Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins. Fans tune in to watch their teams battle their hated rivals both on the scoreboard and with the fisticuffs- but it begs the question what is the biggest player rivalry in the NHL today?

It's pretty much a universal known fact that Sidney Crosby is the best player in the NHL and by being the best player all the NHL "greats" of today are measured up to his standard. The Crosby standard virtually hockey perfection is difficult to match and only a truly skilled player can match all the talent that is flowing through Sidney Crosby- so who is Crosby's biggest rival?

It's pretty much a given that the Sidney Crosby- Alex Ovechkin rivalry is dying a slow and painful death and unless the Capitals captain goes through a major career shift will not become a factor again. So who will take the torch from Ovechkin and challenge the face of the NHL?
How about Tampa Bay Lightning sniper Steven Stamkos who reached the 60 goal plateau last season a feat not even Crosby has accomplished. Stamkos is becoming the old Ovechkin who dominates the NHL scoring race but has yet to achieve playoff success or lift the Stanley Cup. Stamkos needs a few more NHL seasons under his belt and some playoff success before he can challenge Crosby. You also have to mention captain serious Jonathan Toews the only other captain in this article that has won the Stanley Cup for his team. But Toews and Crosby have only faced off twice in their NHL careers and don't see each other nearly enough to be rivals. Finally you have to bring up new Flyers captain Claude Giroux who made a fool of Crosby during a shift in the playoffs. But Giroux is still fairly young and is yet to hit the prime of his career just being named captain this season. Like Stamkos, Giroux also needs a few more years under his belt before he's on Crosby's level.

So when looking for Sidney Crosby's biggest rival you need to find someone that has the same skill level and plays against/with him regularly- the obvious choice- Sidney Crosby's teammate Evgeni Malkin. What better rivalry could there be than 2 teammates who battle it out to see who the top dog is? The rivalry over who is the better Penguins star has been so intense it's even caused a rift in the Penguins fan base.

Malkin earned a lot of respect around the NHL when he stepped up during Crosby's absence last season and carried the team into the playoffs. Malkin played 75 games and racked up 5o goals and 59 assists giving him the league lead in points with 109 all without his partner in crime Sidney Crosby and his play opened the door for the Crosby- Malkin comparison. There were even arguments made last season that Malkin should have been named captain in Crosby's absence. Last season was finally Malkin's time to shine, after being riddled with injuries during the last couple of seasons the skilled Russian was healthy and ready to deliver proving Crosby isn't the only superstar in Pittsburgh.

But what makes Malkin so dangerous is the fact he is playing with Sidney Crosby not against him and doesn't want to fall into the his shadow forcing him to elevate his game and giving the Penguins arguably 2 of the best elite players in the game. Crosby and Malkin motivate each other to be better and when they're both on their game the Penguins are unstoppable.

With every great rivalry comes the argument over who's better, sure the Penguins don't care who's better as long as both Malkin and Crosby are doing their job they could care less who's better. But it's an argument that fans will never let go and an argument that will likely go on as long as the two are playing. In Malkin's 6 years in the NHL he's won almost all awards- Stanley Cup, Calder, Hart, 2 Art Ross' and a Conn Smythe- but what really separates Malkin from his teammate is his physical play. Malkin likes to throw the body around and run over opponents and at 6 foot 3 is simply a physical force that Crosby can not match. But Crosby holds the slight advantage where it counts- on the scoreboard. In 434 career games (not including this year) Crosby has 609 points which rounds out to roughly 1.40 points per game where as Malkin has 527 points in 427 games rounding out to 1.23 points per game but when the game is on the line stats prove you want Malkin taking that lost shot having scored 34 game winning goals to Crosby's 28.

The stats are close, and slightly altered due to injuries to both players so you can't judge solely based on stats. When looking at who the better player is between Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin it comes down to a matter of personal opinion- Some prefer the hard hitting Russian while others prefer the skill and finesse of Crosby. Both players are fantastic in their own right and make the Penguins one of the best teams in the East but will forever be competing against each other for the NHL's best player.

Next time you're looking for the best player rivalry in the NHL don't forget to look at teammates. So who would you take on your team Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin?

 

Was 2005 the Best NHL Draft Class?

For players it's their first step to having a career in the NHL. For teams it's an opportunity to "re-tool" and stack their system with prospects. The annual NHL Entry Draft is one of the biggest and most important events that take place for the NHL. It's all about the future. If your team had a rough season it's their chance to get a high draft choice to make tomorrow better, what happened in the past is gone. But of course some draft classes are better than others. There's hidden gems that get taken in the later rounds and duds that get taken in the first round. But looking back at recent drafts my attention immediately goes to the 2005 draft in which the Pittsburgh Penguins drafted Sidney Crosby and ultimately saved their franchise. But when you look deeper into the 2005 draft class, you discover that Crosby was not the only gem found in the draft. Other star players such as Jonathan Quick, Carey Price and Bobby Ryan were all taken after Crosby and have had a tremendous effect on their respective teams.

Today I'm going to dive deeper into the 2005 Draft to discover some of the top players that got their careers kicked off and further prove that the 2005 NHL Entry Draft was the best draft class of recent history.

Notable players:

Sidney Crosby: 1st Overall to the Pittsburgh Penguins

If you're reading this post chances are you've heard of Sidney Crosby before. The golden kid, Sid the kid whatever you call him, the point is you know who he is.
Crosby was the first overall pick in the 2005 Draft and became the immediate future of the Penguins. 7 years later he's the Penguins captain and became the youngest captain to lead his team to a Stanley Cup in 2009. In his 7 seasons he's racked up over 220 goals and 609 points, what do those stats say? he's not a selfish player more than half of his points are from assist. He's the face of the NHL and one of the most marketable players. His addition to both the NHL and the Penguins has been fantastic, a true gem discovered from the draft.

Nathan Gerbe: 4th round 142nd Overall to the Buffalo Sabres

One of the little guys on the Buffalo Sabres, Gerbe gives it his all night in and night out, he plays with heart and plays the game the right way. Most importantly he doesn't let his size intimidate him or stop him from fighting through. Last season Gerbe at 5 foot 5 was seen taking on the Boston Bruins giant Zdeno Chara. Gerbe has been with the Sabres full time for the last 2 seasons, but has missed time due to injuries during both campaigns. Gerbe is proving that no matter how small, or how late you were drafted, you can make a difference and be an important player.

Jonathan Quick 3rd round 72nd Overall to the Los Angeles Kings

The 2012 Stanley Cup and Vezina winning goaltender, not a bad résumé! Quick was another gem that was drafted in the 2005 draft, but unlike fellow goaltender Carey Price, Quick had to wait until the third round to hear his name. But with his Stanley Cup ring I don't think that's bothering him anymore. 2011-2012 was a big season for the young goaltender, he established himself as a starting goaltender, put up fantastic numbers and was able to knock off the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams in the Western conference while playing for a 8th place team, quite a feat! He also surprised a lot of people with his play but has solidified his spot amongst the elite goaltenders in the league.
The Los Angeles Kings have a dangerous team and with Quick as their goalie there's no telling how good this team can further become, they have all the tools to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions.

Carey Price: 1st round 5th Overall to the Montreal Canadiens

Price was taken 5th overall in the "Crosby draft" and was the highest goaltender selected, turning a lot of heads by his selection. It's odd or rare to see a goalie go inside the top 10 let alone the top 5, but obviously the Montreal Canadiens saw something special in him and were willing to take him. He had a rocky time getting adjusted to the NHL and quickly earned himself a reputation as a winer, as he was often seen pouting and arguing with the refs. He found himself riding the pine during the 2009 season and during the Canadiens Playoff run, but was given a vote of confidence when the guy who stole his job away was traded. Over the last 2 seasons Price has greatly matured and his play reflects his new found maturity. The Canadiens had a very rough year finishing 15th in the Eastern Conference, but Price still played well losing many 2-1 or 4-2 hockey games. But even during his teams struggles you did not find the goaltender pouting or blaming his teammates, a drastic change from his earlier career. Price is the franchise goalie and one of the building blocks for the Habs, they will only be as good as Price can play.

Jack Johnson: 1st round 3rd Overall to the Carolina Hurricanes

Whether it was bad luck, bad timing or he just ticked off the wrong people you have to feel bad for Johnson. He was dealt from the eventual Stanley Cup Champions to the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets at the NHL trade deadline in exchange for Jeff Carter a year after signing a 7 year contract extension. He was the captain of the 2010 US Olympic mens hockey team that won Silver. Johnson has great leadership skills and will be a huge part of the Blue Jackets rebuild.

Tukka Rask: 1st round 21st Overall to the Toronto Maple Leafs

Here's a player the Leafs organization is kicking themselves for letting get away. In Toronto he just wasn't getting it done, so they shipped him to Boston to be Tim Thomas' back-up. But with solid play and some mind games from Thomas, Rask has earned himself the job of starting for the Boston Bruins. He signed a 1 year deal worth $3.5 million which guarantees him the starting job for the Bruins for next season (whenever the lockout ends), a smart move by Rask only signing a 1 year deal: If things go well he can just ask for more money and a longterm deal but if things go south he can head out of town and not be a scape-goat for tying up major money. Rask's best season came in 2009-2010 where he started 45 games for the Bruins and won the starting job and the right to start during the playoffs, he was the only goalie in the league to have a Goals Against Average under 2.00 and a Save Percentage over .930 but was surprisingly not named to the Rookie of the Year ballot. He won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2010-2011 and will now have his chance to lead the Bruins back to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Bobby Ryan: 1st round 2nd Overall to the Anaheim Ducks

Being the guy that was drafted behind Sidney Crosby is not easy, many people don't even know your name. Often times there's trivia questions asking who was drafted 2nd overall in 2005, and to be honest I didn't have any idea. But despite having the distinction of "the guy drafted after Crosby" Ryan has made himself a solid career with the Ducks. He's played 4 full seasons with the Ducks and was playing on the top line with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. Before the beginning of the 2010 season he signed a 5 year $25 million extension with the Ducks, and except for some trade deadline rumours that were used to motivate him, the Ducks haven't had any complains. In all 4 seasons with the Ducks Ryan has scored at least 30 goals, proving that he is a reliable and steady forward. He was named to the United States Mens Ice Hockey team for the 2010 Olympics and helped them capture a silver medal in a heart breaking loss against Canada and the guy he was drafted behind. The 25 year-old has a bright future ahead of him and will no doubt turn out to be a key player for the Ducks on their next playoff run.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnLwgsIlwnM

James Neal: 2nd round 33rd Overall to the Dallas Stars

Neal is the ultimate feel good story. After not playing exceptionally well in Dallas he was traded to the Penguins in 2011 right at before the Trade Deadline. He got off to a slow start with his new team and many were worried he wouldn't be able to stick around on the star-studded Penguins. But he came out and proved doubters wrong with his strong play last season in the absence of Crosby. Neal played in 80 games and racked up 81 points and earned himself a 6 year contract extension worth $5 million. He along with Evgeni Malkin helped to support and carry the team in their captains absence.

Kris Letang: 3rd round 62nd Overall to the Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins had an absolutely fantastic draft in 2005. Not only did they get Crosby they managed to get their hands on young defenceman Kris Letang. In 5 seasons with the Pens, Letang has turned into one of the elite defenceman in the NHL and a leader on the Penguins. When Crosby was injured last season with his concussion, many noticed how well Letang flourished by taking more of a leadership role and helping out both on offence and defence. He was voted Penguins rookie of the year in 2008 and was apart of the Cup winning Penguins team in 2009. Letang is a key member of the Penguins and some have even gone as far as to say he is one of their most valuable players and has the biggest impact on the team. Think about it, who else do they have on the back end?

Adam McQuaid: 2nd round 55th Overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets

Another Stanley Cup winner from that phenomenal draft. McQuaid joined the Bruins in 2009 after a trade from the Blue Jackets. At 6 foot 5 he plays more of the "tough guy" role and fits in with the Bruins style of play perfectly, racking up more penalty minutes (216) than goals (6).

There you have it folks, some of the big names that came out of the 2005 draft. 5 of the players listed above have since won a Stanley Cup, all of which have experience success with their teams and the majority have become household names. Let me know, did I miss any big names? What is your favourite or most memorable draft?