Not a feeling better than walking the streets of Pittsburgh after winning the Stanley Cup and shouting for hours, "**** you Hossa!" 
Happiest night of my life.
Happiest night of my life.
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NHL PLayoffs 2009
- Thread starter warwick.hoy
- Start date
I have a great respect for the Pens (one of the few Eastern Conf teams I like), and I really don't mean to be whining the day after the loss, but I'm inclined to think that the officiating of the NHL played a crucial role in the outcome of this series.
True, Detroit could have played substantially better on the road and in game 7 (game 7 looked to me like the Blues looked in round one against Vancouver).
But let me take you back to the end of game 2. Malkin instigated a fight and should have received a suspension for game 3. The suspension was waived by NHL director of hockey operations Colin Cambell. In game 3, Malkin led the Pens to a 4-2 victory with 3 assists.
Had Malkin actually received his suspension, the series very well could have ended quite differently. Must be nice to be the MVP.
True, Detroit could have played substantially better on the road and in game 7 (game 7 looked to me like the Blues looked in round one against Vancouver).
But let me take you back to the end of game 2. Malkin instigated a fight and should have received a suspension for game 3. The suspension was waived by NHL director of hockey operations Colin Cambell. In game 3, Malkin led the Pens to a 4-2 victory with 3 assists.
Had Malkin actually received his suspension, the series very well could have ended quite differently. Must be nice to be the MVP.
Fluery should have the Conn Smyth.
I'm growing leary of conspiracy theories, but I think you are right about the Campbell helper for Malkin. Players who try to "send a message" were dealt with in previous series, why not hold Malkin to the same standard (I'm recalling the Carcillo thump to the back of Talbots head back in April). It's a double standard and something that has been bugging me for a while (I'm a Flyers fan,...would you expect any less).
A lot of what makes a good team is how they handle that sort of adversity. When all the "luck" is going to the other team and you can still pull out wins says something. Wings put up a good fight.
I'm growing leary of conspiracy theories, but I think you are right about the Campbell helper for Malkin. Players who try to "send a message" were dealt with in previous series, why not hold Malkin to the same standard (I'm recalling the Carcillo thump to the back of Talbots head back in April). It's a double standard and something that has been bugging me for a while (I'm a Flyers fan,...would you expect any less).
A lot of what makes a good team is how they handle that sort of adversity. When all the "luck" is going to the other team and you can still pull out wins says something. Wings put up a good fight.
And I agree, he did kind of baby Malkin, but even if I were a Red Wings fan, I would much rather it be a tough series and it come down to the last minute, then Malkin get kicked out and an easy breezy win for the Wings.
But Im a Pens fan, so it doesnt matter! Ordered my hat today... cant wait!
Not a feeling better than walking the streets of Pittsburgh after winning the Stanley Cup and shouting for hours, "**** you Hossa!"
I still don't get the Penguin fans obsession with Hossa. The man was on the team for a grand total of 35 games.
Including playoffs. He was a rental player.
I think Ty Conklin has Hossa beat as the bad luck charm here.
Edmonton in 06
Pens in 08
Detroit in 09
Of course he was warming the bench 99% of the time.
I was saying the same thing to my cousin. This is a best of three. Heck, how about a best of five???
Either way, I'll see you guys in the Cup Finals next year. I have no doubts you will be there.
-Mike
I was saying the same thing to my cousin. This is a best of three. Heck, how about a best of five???
Either way, I'll see you guys in the Cup Finals next year. I have no doubts you will be there.
-Mike
Yeah, I don't know though. There are some teams in the West that are coming along quite well like Chicago and Columbus. Even San Jose will more likely be better than last year. Dallas, with Marc Crawford as head coach, will be in the running too. It's too early to say but we'll definitely make the playoffs.
BTW, why are we still posting in this thread? It's baseball season now. GO TIGERS!!!
Yeah, I don't know though. There are some teams in the West that are coming along quite well like Chicago and Columbus. Even San Jose will more likely be better than last year. Dallas, with Marc Crawford as head coach, will be in the running too. It's too early to say but we'll definitely make the playoffs.
BTW, why are we still posting in this thread? It's baseball season now. GO TIGERS!!!
Baseball....pffff
Stopped following baseball ever since the Expos left.
We got MAJOR screwed during the lockout.
See? I don't get this. Up until they traded Hossa and lifted some much needed salary cap money, the Penguins sucked. It wasn't until the trade deadline and Pitt getting some key players (because Hossa was no longer on the payroll) that Pitt started winning.
So, you can basically thank Hossa for allowing Pitt to even make it to the finals.
Oh, and half of Detroit was playing injured. Some not so serious while others serious injuries.
Here's a partial list:
• Nicklas Lidstrom: He was speared in the testicles by Patrick Sharp during Game 3 against Chicago and underwent surgery on the area two days later. He Missed Games 4 and 5 against Chicago, then returned and played every game of the Cup finals.
• Rafalski: He ruptured a disk in his back between the first and second round but returned for Game 6 against Anaheim. “It got to the point where he could play again,” Holland said, “but if had been the regular season, he would have been out another week or two. He played through the pain of a herniated disk.”
• Kris Draper: He missed the first 10 games of the playoffs after taking a stick to the throat that tore cartilage in the neck area, Holland said. “As a precaution, we didn’t want him to get hit in the neck and have something go down the air pipe wrong.” Draper was out from Game 4 against Chicago to Game 5 against Pittsburgh because of a pulled groin.
• Pavel Datsyuk: Suffered a charley horse when he was hit along the boards and also was hit by a slap shot in his foot during Game 2 against Chicago, causing him to miss seven games. “The charley horse turned out to be more significant,” Holland said. “He never was 100% -- he didn’t have any thrust. A charley horse can be a 4-6-week injury, but he pushed through to play.”
• Dan Cleary: Played through a groin pull suffered in Game 4 against Pittsburgh. “He was very sore after Game 4, and we didn’t expect him to play in Game 5,” Holland said. “An MRI showed he had a significant groin injury, but he wanted to play.”
• Tomas Kopecky: Needed surgery after he fractured his right orbital bone following fight with Francois Beauchemin in Game 4 against Anaheim. Missed the rest of the playoffs.
So, to all the Pitt fans, congrats. It was a hard fought series. Just don't get cocky because you won against a seriously beat up team... barely.
Even I took a little pleasure in laughing at Hossa. That decision blew up in his face. But how was he to know at the time right?
He was offered a fair contract, and he declined it which is fine. The thing that irritated Pens fans was when he said he wanted to go win a Cup, like Pittsburgh didn't have a chance. When he walked, we had just as much of a chance as Detroit did. Now that we won, you're going to have people in Pittsburgh telling him to kiss off because he basically told Pittsburgh to kiss off. I suspect the same from Detroit fans, or any other team for that matter, had the situation been reversed all around.
No one is healthy by the time the Stanley Cup playoffs and Finals roll around. But if it makes you feel better to play doctor and tell us all about them, then go ahead I guess. I'm guessing you haven't read this thread much as we've already talked about it.
-Mike
He was offered a fair contract, and he declined it which is fine. The thing that irritated Pens fans was when he said he wanted to go win a Cup, like Pittsburgh didn't have a chance. When he walked, we had just as much of a chance as Detroit did. Now that we won, you're going to have people in Pittsburgh telling him to kiss off because he basically told Pittsburgh to kiss off. I suspect the same from Detroit fans, or any other team for that matter, had the situation been reversed all around.
No one is healthy by the time the Stanley Cup playoffs and Finals roll around. But if it makes you feel better to play doctor and tell us all about them, then go ahead I guess. I'm guessing you haven't read this thread much as we've already talked about it.
-Mike
Guys, guys, guys, it's over. C'mon now, don't you realize that the Tigers got spanked again by the Pirates?
I'm being a bit fair. Yes, it was "mentioned". No one specifically talked about the injuries since no one knew the extent of the injuries until they were released yesterday by the Detroit Free Press.
And, again to be fair, at the time Hossa made those comments, Pitt was doing poorly and didn't look like they'd even make the playoffs. On the flip side, Detroit was either in first or second (behind San Jose) in the entire NHL.
It was a sound decision at the time.
Any time you can get a player like Hossa for less than what he's worth, it's a sound decision at any time. He took quite a pay cut to play for the Wings. I can't blame him for switching even if it were turned around. I can't blame any of the Lions for wanting to be traded to another team because they're horrible. Hossa made a value judgment and it didn't work out. So now Pittsburgh fans want to poop in his bed and rub his face in it. Hey, that's life and we deal with it every day.
What are you talking about? He made the comments in July after he signed with Detroit.
We won without him, so I guess he wasn't as important as we thought he would be. He made a choice that looked right at the time, no biggie. He ended up choosing wrong, so everyone in Pittsburgh is telling Hossa to stuff it. Neener, neener.
-Mike
Just to clarify,...Hossa Started the 08-09 Season with the RWs. When he made the "win a cup" comments I cannot comment on, but this post makes it look like he made the move and the comments at the 2009 trade deadline which is when the Penguins picked up Kunitz and Guerin. Also Hossa declined a bigger contract from the Edmonton Oilers not the Penguins. He actually made .5 mil more than if he signed with the Pens and it was a shorter term contract that the Wings offered him.
Bottom line with Hossa,...we all make foot in mouth comments.
I've said it before and I'll say it again,...Conklin is the bad luck charm here.
SCFinals with Edmonton in 06 = Loss
SCFinals with the Penguins in 08 = Loss
SCFinals with the Red Wings in 09 = Loss.
It bears mentioning that Conklin rode the bench during the Playoffs.
Ugh, don't remind me. We got him for three more years too.
I can only hope Tangradi saves this deal.
-Mike
July 3, 2008 is when the comments were made.
Pittsburgh offered Hossa a 7 year $50 million deal. The Edmonton deal was around $9 million a year, not sure how long though. The amount of money was not the issue Pens fans had, it was the comments.
But yeah, this is old news now. We won the Cup. Maybe Hossa will try and come back to us now. I'd love to have him.
-Mike
I think I just did a Hossa...
... and made a foot in mouth comment.
And surely you meant July 3, 2008
That's what the playoffs do, they create more injuries on the teams who last longer. There's always an excuse for Detroit not winning the cup. Lindstom and Rafalski were hurt prior to the series and their performance shouldn't have been impacted greatly due to injury. Gonchar tore his MCL in Game 5, and continued to perform. Plenty of Pens were injured, but were never mentioned. The Pens were a healthier, fitter and younger team. They won fair and square. Enough with the excuses for Detroit losing.
