During the Olympic Break
Matt Bodenschatz | Faceoff Factor News
Feb 15, 11:55 AM | Hype this story!
So yesterday marked the last game for two weeks, as a hoard of NHL players headed to Vancouver to partake in the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The good news is that we, hockey fans, are in for possibly the best hockey we’ve ever seen. And I mean that.
The bad news is, with the games being played in Vancouver (time zone difference), me having a job (what a drag), and Comcast in my area not carrying MSNBC (gotta love Comcast, eh?), I’ll miss a significant number of the games.
My goal is to write a few interesting stories throughout the Games, and I’ll try to keep up with the schedule and the scores.
But I don’t want to neglect our beloved Penguins.
So, during this time, I have a few gems up my sleeve.
Last year, I had a feature called “Penguins Among League Leaders,” which I’ll bring back for a cameo. We’ll see just where the Penguins’ top players in a slew of categories fit in among the league’s best.
I’ll also take a look at how the departed Penguins are doing with their current teams. Rob Scuderi, Hal Gill, Miroslav Satan, Petr Sykora, and, heck, we just may even look at Ryan Whitney, Marian Hossa, and a few others.
Lastly, I’ve been working with a few friends on a names tournament to determine which NHL players, past and present, have/had the best name. You, the reader, will decide!
Keep an eye peeled, and please feel free to offer suggestions!
Comments
nick
Feb 15, 03:04 PM
Screw the Olympics, i think its total crap our HIGHLY paid palyers get to play in the winter games. 1st off Gonch gets older every second he plays the game. 2nd everyone and their mother is going to be head hunting for Sid(he is going to get hurt in these games, i would bet on it 100-1). 3rd whatever happened to the Olympics being a showcase of amature talent? Its crap, if any of our players get hurt i hope everyone feels the way i do about this situation. Something needs to be changed, the fans in Pittsburgh do not pay for a ticket, food, and merchandise just to see our star players get worn down or even worse hurt for the playoffs.Just to see Russia or Canada win a snowflake molded medal.
Matt Bodenschatz
Feb 15, 03:35 PM
@Nick, whoa, my friend. I, for one, absolutely love Olympic hockey and look forward in anticipation a good year in advance. In terms of pure hockey, there’s nothing like it. It’s simply the best showing you can see.
Regarding Crosby being headhunted, I believe you’re severely misinformed. Olympic rosters are comprised almost exclusively of skilled players, with the very rare exception (Jarko Ruutu of Finland being one) of a grinder and/or agitator. These players play to win, with less physicality, nearly no fighting, and almost exclusively pure skill. If anyone truly is headhunting, his team ought to be prepared to lose, is there is just too much talent on the ice to make such foolish mistakes.
Regarding the amateur aspect of Olympics, which athletes, exactly, are amateurs, anymore? Probably a good 75 percent of those participating do so on a professional level. Olympics have evolved and adapted with the times to include the best in the world, regardless of status — professional or amateur.
Lastly, injuries are one area I agree with. It would be a shame to see any player, let alone a superstar such as Crosby, get injured in the Olympics. But, for me, I’m willing to take such a risk to see players compete for the one thing that just might rival (or possibly surpass) the Stanley Cup: country pride.
I’m sorry, but I think you’ll see very few hockey fans who share a similar “screw the Olympics” mentality. And I’m glad it’s that way, as this, again, is hockey in a very pure way.
nick
Feb 15, 03:47 PM
The dirtiest player in the game is playing in the Olympics. Ovie, i will promise you if he gets a chance he will end Sid’s season. There will be head hunting, and there will be very physical games. Dont you think that there are no name dudes who want to take a shot at the best player in the world? Just to make a name for themselves. Do you remember 2006, it was pretty physical, in my eyes anyways. I dont hate the Olympics i hate NHL players playing in the Olympics. I am willing to put anything on the line stating that 99.9% of NHL players would rather have a Stanley cup than a gold medal. I just dont like the way it puts all NHL talent at such great risk. When i was a kid playing on the pond i never remember me and my brother playing in OT for a Olympic gold medal. IT was always and ever will be the Stanley Cup.
ppirilla
Feb 15, 06:01 PM
Most years, I look forward to Olympic hockey much moreso than the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. This year, not so much. With the Games in North America, they will be skating on NHL regulation Arena-sized ice, rather than the IIHF regulation Olympic-sized ice that really lets playmakers shine.
It’s a dissapointment, but I will still watch every team USA and team Canada match. International hockey is still great hockey, after all!
Ric
Feb 15, 08:09 PM
You have to include Hakan Loob in the name tournament.
Albert
Feb 15, 08:18 PM
No doubt that Ovie is a dirty player.
I’m surprised more teams are taking a Hitchcock-Columbus approach and fighting fire with fire. He’s a million-dollar talent with a 10-cent punkass head.
Definitely excited for the Olympics!!!
Agree w/ the comment on the IIHF size rinks. That is a shame, but it’ll still be awesome w /the best talent in the world concentrated on a very few teams.
Albert
Feb 15, 08:23 PM
Agree that Ovie is extremely dirty.
And I am surprised that more teams aren’t taking a Hitchcock-Blue Jackets approach and fighting fire with fire when it comes to his running and kneeing players.
If the Penguins meet the Craps in the playoffs again this year, I would LOVE to see someone take out his knee the way he took out Gonchar’s last year. There is NO WAY that was an accident.
Oh yeah, the Olympics…they are awesome! Greatest talent from ALL over the world concentrated on a handful of teams. The larger IIHF rink would have been even better, but still, this is going to be flat out sick!
Nate
Feb 15, 09:20 PM
@Nick,
If that was the case, then why are there so many NHL players risking suspension from the NHL in four years to play in the next games.
In any case, being a true fan of hockey, I can’t wait for the games to begin.
Watching the Canadian women win 10-1 tonight and the American women winning last night was a great lead in to the men’s games.
Matt Bodenschatz
Feb 15, 10:09 PM
@Albert, apologies for your posts not showing up immediately. Apparently our word filter has a problem with the name Ken Hitchcock..haha.
Albert
Feb 15, 11:40 PM
Hey no problem. I got kinda fired up about AO and just thought I hit the wrong key.
Natty Lite
Feb 16, 11:22 AM
@Matt,
I think we all, as Pens fans, have a problem with the name Ken Hitchc**k, not just your filter.
Matt Bodenschatz
Feb 16, 12:05 PM
Is it fair to say the last four letters in his last name are a fair description of the fellow?
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