2011 Pittsburgh Penguins Preview

The offseason is slowly coming to an end and for Pens fans across the country, it comes as bitter sweet relief. On one hand the boys of winter will be back on the ice and we have 82 games to look forward to. On the other hand we may be entering the season without our captain Sidney Crosby. It doesn't need to be said that 2011 has been nothing short of torture for Pens fans right from the start, and it's possible that the adversity still hasn't ended. 


Hockey is a different breed of sport, and adversity is a vital ingredient in molding great hockey teams. Nothing in this sport is ever given to you, and nothing comes easy. It's a long season and we know all too well of the obstacles that are certain to occur. We as fans need to have faith that the Pens as a team can overcome the adversity and find a way to win, much like they did last year. The adversity may come early this year. Actually it may come very early, and be the biggest challenge the Penguins have faced since the lockout. Sidney Crosby realistically may not be able to lace up his skates when the puck drops for the regular season. This could be the story-line of the entire season: Will the Pittsburgh Penguins overcome the absence of Sidney Crosby? Would our beloved Pens be able to overcome the long-term loss of the world's best hockey player? After the jump we will take a look at the 2011-12 Pittsburgh Penguins and try to answer that question. 

Craig Adams Wants A Raise

This is a little late, but better late than never. Craig Adams seems to want a raise from his 1 year deal of $550,000 that he made last year. This throws a wrench into The Pond's reasoning behind the Penguin free agents of this summer. This probably throws an even bigger wrench in to Ray Shero's plan leading up to the NHL's free agency beginning almost a month from now.  

The Offseason Review Series: Max Talbot

Over the next few weeks, The Pond will take a look at how different aspects of the team performed throughout the 2010-2011 season, and consider the criticisms offered about them. This will be a series of posts updated pretty frequently to give us as fans an opportunity to look towards the 2011-12 season and discuss any areas which we would like to see the Pens improve upon in the future.

Max Talbot

HBO Set To Release 24/7

The Offseason Review Series: The Power Play

Over the next few weeks, The Pond will take a look at how different aspects of the team performed throughout the 2010-2011 season, and consider the criticisms offered about them. This will be a series of posts updated pretty frequently to give us as fans an opportunity to look towards the 2011-12 season and discuss any areas which we would like to see the Pens improve upon in the future.

THE POWER PLAY

The Offseason Review Series: Tyler Kennedy

Over the next few weeks, The Pond will take a look at how different aspects of the team performed throughout the 2010-2011 season, and consider the criticisms offered about them. This will be a series of posts updated pretty frequently to give us as fans an opportunity to look towards the 2011-12 season and discuss any areas which we would like to see the Pens improve upon in the future.

Tyler Kennedy

The Offseason Review Series: Coach Dan Bylsma

Over the next few weeks, The Pond will take a look at how different aspects of the team performed throughout the 2010-2011 season, and consider the criticisms offered about them. This will be a series of posts updated pretty frequently to give us as fans an opportunity to look towards the 2011-12 season and discuss any areas which we would like to see the Pens improve upon in the future. Up first:

Coach Dan Bylsma

Pens Sign Forward Zach Sill

From the Pens Website:

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed forward Zach Sill to a two-year contract, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.

Sill, 23, has played the last two seasons in the Penguins organization with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – Pittsburgh’s top minor-league affiliate. In 134 games with WBS, he posted 16 goals, 41 points, 133 penalty minutes and a plus-19 rating.

In 2010-11, Sill recorded 11 goals, 30 points, 85 penalty minutes and a plus-16 rating while appearing in all 80 games for WBS. He chipped in three points (1G-2A) in 12 postseason games.

The Truro, Nova Scotia native played two years (2007-09) of junior hockey with Moncton of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Sill totaled 27 goals, 50 points and 173 penalty minutes in 124 contests for the Wildcats

 Just your ordinary depth move by Ray Shero.  The wheels are beginning to turn towards free agency.

The Offseason Review Series.

Over the next few weeks, The Pond will take a look at how different aspects of the team performed throughout the 2010-2011 season, and consider the criticisms offered about them.  This will be a series of posts updated pretty frequently to give us as fans an opportunity to look towards the 2011-12 season and discuss any areas which we would like to see the Pens improve upon in the future.

Up First:  Coach Dan Bylsma: 

We will look back at HCDB's promotion to head coach of the Penguins as well as his first two full seasons at the helm of the club.  After his unparalleled success during his inaugural season, the Penguins have seemed to digress a bit failing to make it past the first and second round of the playoffs in consecutive years.  Is this digression due to Bylsma's lack of change in the club's system, or is it simply that the Penguins suffered a few series of bad breaks the past two seasons that led to an early conclusion of their seasons?  Look for the first post of this series sometime this evening or tomorrow.  

Eastern Conference Finals Game 1

Yeah I know this is a blog focusing mainly on the Pittsburgh Penguins, but hockey season does not stop once the Pens are eliminated from Stanley Cup contention.

Tbe Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning squared off for game one of the Eastern Conference Finals in Boston. This is a very interesting series, one of which may go the distance because the 1-3-1 deployed by the Bolts may stymie the Bruins if the Bolts manage to get a lead.