Calder Cup Champion Max Lajoie Signs With KHL's Avangard Omsk
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New York Times
20 minutes ago
- New York Times
Where does Sidney Crosby rank among the NHL's all-time greats?: Penguins mailbag
Welcome to Part 2 of my monthly Pittsburgh Penguins mailbag, which is dedicated to Sidney Crosby's birthday week. Part 1 is here. We've reached the true dog days of the summer, but the good news is that opening night is now less than two months away, if you can believe that. Thanks for all the great questions. Away we go. If Sid continues his brilliance for a few more seasons into his 40s, where do you think that rates him among all-time greats? Not even the other greats played at this level late into their careers. — @DDD20022014 No question, Crosby is operating at a higher level at his age than most all-time greats do. This is partly a compliment to him and partly a sign of the times. Nutrition and training have changed the game. In recent years, legends such as LeBron James, Tom Brady, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have dominated their sports while in the neighborhood of 40. That's not a coincidence. Crosby, of course, has a drive that's unique. All-time rankings are great for debates, but the problem with them is that there is no right or wrong answer. It's all what you think, what you make of it, how you interpret the numbers, what your eyes tell you. I'm a firm believer that Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr are the greatest hockey players who ever lived. I don't know what Crosby would have to do to crack the top three, but it would be tough. He won't catch Gretzky's numbers, and he won't dazzle with pure talent the way Lemieux and Orr did. Advertisement That said, I've got Sid at No. 4, ahead of Gordie Howe, Jaromir Jagr and Alex Ovechkin. I'm a big believer that, a decade or two from now, we will say that the five greatest players of all time are Lemieux, Gretzky, Orr, Crosby and Connor McDavid. The order you put them in is up to you, but I think there will be a clear distinction after those five, with all due respect to the other all-time greats we've discussed. What is your personal favorite goal that Crosby has scored in a Penguins uniform? — @Haugh412 For pure drama, I'll never forget the classic 'f— yeah' goal against the Islanders in 2011, when he returned from his year-long concussion absence. On a personal level, he scored a great goal against the Islanders in Game 5 of their 2013 first-round series. That was the first time my oldest son, Colton, was ever in attendance for a Penguins game. He was all of 10 months old, but he can always say he was in the building for that goal. If the Lemieux group buys the Penguins, does that all but guarantee Crosby is not only a Penguin for life, but that ownership is in his future? — @MikeFitzPGH I could give you a lengthy answer here, and I could give all the warnings about how far away we are from this becoming a reality. But if this were to happen, sure, I could imagine Crosby being an investor at some point. He's got the financial qualifications. It wouldn't be bad PR. He'd be a firm but fair owner. It all makes sense. In your opinion, is there a player in the NHL right now that could rival 87's career by the end of that player's career? — @michaelthughes Well, sure. McDavid is the only answer. He's been the best player in the world for about seven years now, and his scoring totals exceed Crosby's, at least on a year-by-year average, through 10 years of his career. Crosby is the more decorated winner and the more complete player. But McDavid may well win a championship, and you could argue he's a more dominant offensive player than Crosby. Advertisement In the end, Crosby and McDavid are both top five all-time. But if McDavid finally gets a Cup win, many will rank him ahead of Crosby historically when it's all said and done. You can't diminish what McDavid has done so far. He's an all-time great. So is Crosby, of course. Do you think Sid shares some of the same mystic/enigmatic qualities of Mario? Always felt like this was a parallel between them. — @The_GreekHammer I don't think anyone could ever consider Sid enigmatic in any manner, so I guess the answer is no. But I thoroughly enjoyed the question. Might need some more time to digest this one. Ha ha. Which Penguins team, on paper, did you think Crosby was going to lead to another Stanley Cup win? And would he have if Jarome Iginla played the right side? — @Rutsburgh Indeed, the 2013 Penguins were the best, on paper, of the Crosby era. What happened against the Bruins in the Eastern Conference final remains confounding. But I wouldn't blame Dan Bylsma too much for putting Jarome Iginla on the left wing. Was it unwise? Sure. Is that why the Penguins lost that series? Of course not. This drives me nuts. I don't know why this has become the narrative. The Penguins scored two goals in four games in that series. Iginla playing out of position didn't have that much of an impact. (And for the 100th time, Crosby didn't want to play with Iginla. He was at his best that season while playing with Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis. James Neal was a sensational right winger for Evgeni Malkin. So, you either put Iginla at left wing or played him on the third line, neither of which made much sense.) My 2-year-old kid has a soundbox to fall asleep to that I can program things on. Loves Sid and the Pens. What's the best game or broadcast that I can download and put on the soundbox for him to fall asleep to? Best Sid game or best Mike Lange called game? — @tankk25 If simply sleeping is the desire, you could pick between dozens of 2-1 losses in New Jersey. I believe I've covered them all. Just dreadfully boring. Advertisement But if Mike Lange is the desire, and it's a good one, there are lots of YouTube videos of his greatest calls. You can't go wrong with any of them. What's more important to Sid: retiring a Penguin or playing in the Stanley Cup Final one more time? If the latter, at what point would he agree to be moved? This year, next? When he knows it's his last season? — @genebromberg I know this isn't the answer you're looking for, but I think he'd like to return to the Stanley Cup Final as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. And I think that's all he really thinks about. What do you think Sid thinks of the rebuild so far? — @GoPenquins I think he's frustrated and wants the Penguins to be good right now instead of a few years from now. That's my sense. This doesn't mean he's against Kyle Dubas or anything like that. I just think he hates to lose and this isn't a fun time for him. How involved in the operations is Crosby really? — @AmyKirschner75 Not at all. He really isn't. He has the power to flex his muscles if he wants when it comes to front-office decisions, but he doesn't. Mario and Jagr did. He's just not wired that way. Will the national media ever stop trying to put Crosby in another sweater? — @jmadden34 Probably not. People sure are tired of seeing him play in Pittsburgh. I'm exhausted by the topic. When are you going to stand up for Sid and start telling the major networks that Sid isn't leaving? — @gregcook09 Thank you for presuming I have the power to get ESPN and Sportsnet to stop talking about it. I'll make sure to have a word with them later today. How happy will Sid be when McDavid and Gavin McKenna join him in Pittsburgh after next season? — @Yinzerporn I'm sure he'd be delighted. I wouldn't mind it either. It's good for my line of work when the Penguins are interesting, and I think that's the kind of trio that would get people talking just a bit. Thanks for all the questions, everyone, and thanks for reading, as always. I still suspect this offseason will have another interesting transaction or two before training camp arrives in mid-September. I'll have you covered. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
New York Times
20 minutes ago
- New York Times
Do the Edmonton Oilers need more of a rugged edge next season?
Midway through last spring's playoffs, it appeared the Edmonton Oilers were on their way to a Stanley Cup victory. The team was rugged, battle-hardened and effective in moving the puck out of its zone under control. Edmonton was playing a strong defensive game. It was a key element in the club returning to the Stanley Cup Final in 2025. Advertisement Once in the final, the old problems returned. The Florida Panthers were aggressive, filthy and deadly in suppressing outlets and took all of the oxygen out of the Edmonton end, defusing the team's top offensive talent. Breakouts that were brilliant in the three previous series were abandoned in favour of less creative and predictable outlets. The final result was predictable. How did the Oilers lose the hitting game, and why did that lead to a baffling change in deployment out of the Edmonton end? Can the team overcome it while playing well enough in other areas to make it to the final? All agreed that losing Zach Hyman during the series against the Dallas Stars was a major turning point for the Oilers. His relentless pursuit of the puck, along with a steady barrage of hits, left opponents frustrated by his non-stop motor. During the playoffs, Edmonton's five-on-five GA-60 when Hyman was healthy (1.86, best in the NHL) towered over the group's performance after he left the lineup (2.82 GA-60). The club simply couldn't get out of its zone under control, and once in the Florida zone, were unable to punish Panthers defencemen in the same way Edmonton's blueliners were getting overwhelmed at the other end of the rink. Hyman hit everything that moved, and he did it on a skill line. For Edmonton, turnovers caused by Hyman's forechecking have a better chance of resulting in goals because of his linemates. Keeping Hyman healthy through the last game of the season needs to be a priority, but that's obvious. Oilers GM Stan Bowman dealt for Vasily Podkolzin a year ago, before camp, and in doing so established the best template for procurement over the next several seasons. A young winger who brought a rugged edge and had enjoyed some degree of NHL success, Podkolzin was at a point with the Vancouver Canucks organization where the team had other, preferable options. It was an astute acquisition. Management added Trent Frederic at the trade deadline. In the postseason, the three players (Hyman, Podkolzin and Frederic, along with Evander Kane) provided a physical element for the Oilers up front. Here's a look at the first three rounds, then the final round, in the per 60 numbers. All numbers five-on-five Coach Kris Knoblauch marbled these wingers throughout his four lines for the first three rounds, enjoying a great deal of success. Against the Panthers, without Hyman, the straw that stirred the drink was not part of the Connor McDavid line. Losing Kane leaves the club with three wingers who can punish defencemen consistently, and Frederic should be able to do more in a completely healthy season. Advertisement That will be important, with two skill rookie wingers (Matt Savoie and Ike Howard) penciled in to the lineup. The young players won't bring much in the way of physicality, so it'll fall to Hyman, Podkolzin and Frederic to get the job done. There is a danger for Knoblauch in constructing his roster in anticipation of facing Paul Maurice and the Panthers for the third final in a row. His Oilers have to get there first, and the wins over the Los Angeles Kings, Vegas Golden Knights and Stars included plenty of high-end skill populating the top lines. It's possible the Oilers make a deadline deal for another aggressive winger, but it behooves management to see how well Frederic plays. Aggressive forechecking and unnerving opponents is his specialty, and he might be a strong fit on a line with Leon Draisaitl or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. If Hyman, Podkolzin and Frederic can deliver enough physicality, it should free up Knoblauch to run the kids on the high skill lines more often. That would represent an ideal situation. The Oilers have been to two finals in a row and have yet to win the Stanley Cup in this era. Fans have spent the summer worrying over the goaltending, the ability of the team's best players to stay healthy in the most pivotal moments of the season, and a possible downturn in physical play. This kind of frustration, caused by great teams being unable to take the final step, has a long history in the NHL. One of the best examples of the expansion era is the New York Islanders of the late 1970s. Long before modern free agency, teams built through the draft and via trade, and Islanders general manager Bill Torrey was the best of his generation. A modern comparable to Torrey is Florida general manager Bill Zito, who has built a possible dynasty since taking over in September 2020. Advertisement Zito built on what was already there upon arrival. A series of brilliant trades (Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk) in 2021 and 2022 expanded the already substantial talent base on the Panthers' roster. The Oilers, under Peter Chiarelli and then Ken Holland, have traded away young assets and acquired older players for a decade, flying by the 'in their prime' talents like Bennett, Reinhart and Tkachuk. When the final whistle blew in the final last spring, it was the Oilers who looked old and tired; the Panthers looked like a team at the beginning of something special. Bowman appears to be changing the procurement style of the Oilers and sending the team in a more aggressive direction. Part of that direction (along with puck movers on defence) involves a younger group of aggressive forwards like Podkolzin and Frederic. Youth is important to this Oilers team, as Edmonton was forced to fill multiple positions each summer via free agency. The club will still need to use the trade market for a goalie upgrade (if required) and would do well to grab the next Brad Marchand at the 2026 trade deadline (if there is a player like him available), but there is a need for youthful experience of the kind provided by Podkolzin last season. There is a crack in the Florida armour, as the organization spent heavily on its own aging free agents this summer. That kind of long-term commitment to 30-plus players has historically been the beginning of the end for top-flight teams during the cap era. For Bowman, finding players like Podkolzin is the key. Do the Oilers have a need for another rugged winger? The season to come will tell the story. A team in Edmonton's position must start as it means to go. Young players with NHL experience and room to grow are the key. It's imperative that Bomwan continues on this path in the months to come. (Photo of Trent Frederic and Matthew Tkachuk: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ready To Break Out: Pacific Division
By Brian Costello, features writer New seasons provide new opportunities, which create avenues for players to break out. The 2025-26 season will be no different, and in this article, The Hockey News take a look at the strongest candidates to make a name for themselves or ascend into stardom on the Pacific Division teams. It's understandable when a 20-year-old stumbles a bit out of the starting gate. That happened to Cutter Gauthier this season. Picked fifth overall (by Philadelphia) in 2022, Gauthier didn't score a goal until his 16th game last season and didn't get an assist until his sixth. But as the season wore on, Gauthier ramped things up. He had five goals and 18 points in his first 41 games, then 15 goals and 26 points in the next 41. Next season? Prorate his second half, and you get 30 goals and 52 points. That's a breakout. Connor Zary didn't have the breakout season many expected of him in 2024-25. The expectation was he'd continue to blossom from an impressive rookie season in 2023-24 and almost certainly establish himself as a 20-goal, 50-point top-six regular. But a pair of debilitating injuries knocked the 23-year-old out of the lineup for 28 games and hindered his growth. The Flames are committed to his development and will deploy him on the power play and near the top of the lineup. He will likely top 50 points. The Oilers have such a veteran lineup that it's often the younger players who draw the short straw when games become clutch. Such is the case with 24-year-old Vasily Podkolzin. The 10th pick overall in 2019 (by Vancouver) has more than 200 NHL games under his belt and had a decent first season with the Oilers, generating 24 points and averaging 13:13 of ice time per game. That dropped to around 11 minutes in the playoffs, but as Edmonton's roster turns over, Podkolzin will get more plum assignments. If defenseman Brandt Clakre can have the type of breakout season that he had to start 2024-25, the Kings would be ecstatic. The eighth-overall pick in 2021 won a starting job in the top four after Drew Doughty got injured in the pre-season. Clarke, now 22, put up 12 points (five on the power play) in his first 13 games and looked to have immediately earned his stripes. But after hitting a rough patch in November, Clarke settled back into a third-pairing role even through the playoffs. He will bounce back. The Sharks picked up their goalie of the future last summer when they acquired 2020 first-rounder Yaroslav Askarov from Nashville. One of the five stoppers to see time in the Sharks crease this season, Askarov won four of 12 starts but spent most of the season in the AHL refining his game and posting a .923 save percentage. Make no mistake, the 23-year-old Russian will be a full-time Shark this season and start anywhere from 30 to 50 games depending upon which veteran San Jose signs as a summer free agent. Is it possible for the same player to have two breakout seasons a few years apart? We'll soon find out if our instincts about Matty Beniers prove correct. The second-overall pick in 2021 truly did have a breakout campaign as a 20-year-old rookie in 2022-23, scoring 24 goals and 57 points and winning the Calder Trophy. After back-to-back disappointing seasons of just 37 and 43 points, there's hope Beniers can recapture his freshman form and lead the Kraken offensively. Could be that 60 points are in his future. After arriving from the New York Rangers in the January trade that sent J.T. Miller to Broadway, Filip Chytil scored in his first game with the Canucks. In his next 14 games before going down with a concussion that ended his season, Chytil scored just one more goal but showed plenty of offensive promise centering the third line. The No.21 pick in the 2017 draft is still just 25 and will be given every opportunity to push the boundaries of his 22 goals and 45 points, which were career-highs from 2022-23. Keegan Kolesar and Nicolas Roy were two big reasons why Vegas had the league's best fourth line last season. The dynamic duo combined for 27 goals and 61 points playing with depth wingers such as Tanner Pearson, Alexander Holtz, Victor Olofsson and Cole Schwindt. Kolesar is a strong candidate to move up the lineup due to Vegas' long list of pending UFAs this summer. Kolesar is aggressive, assertive in the corners and has a strong shot. This article appeared in our 2025 Champions issue. Our cover story focuses on the 2025 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, specifically the elite play of defenseman Seth Jones, along with a recap of each game of the Cup final. We also include features on Sharks center Will Smith and Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans. In addition, we give our list of the top 10 moments from the 2024-25 NHL season. You can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.
