Comments on: How are the Penguins still winning?

By: danphipps01

danphipps01 — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 21:10:35 +0000

Like the others have said, they’re incredibly well-run. Bylsma won the Jack Adams for a reason, and Ray Shero (and to a degree Craig Patrick, but mostly Shero) was the guy who had the vision to put this team together. They’ve got one of the youngest squads in the NHL, some of its most talented players (and I don’t mean “Crosby’s the best” here, I mean some of the best in their roles – Letang as an offensive D, Staal as a 3C, Orpik as a shutdown man, etc.) and they’ve assembled all this without pulling a Chicago – they can actually afford to keep the team together long-term. Chicago’s basically running two fourth lines to make up for the giant contracts they’ve given their top six guys, and it hurt their record badly last year. Pittsburgh has managed to keep fantastic depth long-term – again speaking to their managerial brilliance. Give credit to their players, absolutely – but recognize the reason they’re all on one team in the first place. Most GMs would have failed to keep this team together.

By: killerpgh

killerpgh — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:22:35 +0000

# 4 on your list Jordan Staal did not make the trip to Toronto for tonight’s game.

By: rambodiaz

rambodiaz — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 14:28:28 +0000

They’re incredibly well coached, and the players are committed to the system. Plus, James Neal being a monster this year doesn’t hurt, either.

All Pens fans want Crosby back at full health, but like florida76 says, the team’s future isn’t solely resting on his shoulders.

By: icelovinbrotha215

icelovinbrotha215 — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 01:52:15 +0000

Haha tell that to the NHL. By the way they promote Crosby, you’d think there weren’t any other great players in the league. But you are correct. They have depth. And as a Flyers’ fan, I can tell you that they will be a force to be reckoned with. And they better get use to it because they can’t bank on Crosby with his future still a question mark.

By: florida76

florida76 — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 23:41:39 +0000

Any successful franchise must have a strong organization, regardless of the sport, and the Pens are no different in this regard. From ownership to the front office, this club was making smart moves even before drafting the likes of Crosby. Pens are definitely built for long term success, so the future doesn’t depend solely on one player.