Category: Teams

First, can you let readers know a bit about Pensburgh and what they should expect to see from your coverage over in 2014?

Hi everyone, thanks for having me over, you can find us at pensburgh.com where we have analysis and thoughts on all the news and happenings around the Pittsburgh Penguins. We’ll have statistical analysis and also add context with what our writers see and how events that unfold today will affect the Pens in the future. We also have game-threads and recaps where our community of Pens fans love to chime in and talk all things hockey and the Pens!

Every team closely guards with metrics they use to analyze players, but the Penguins definitely do consider these things in their acquisitions- use of advanced stats was cited in the decision to acquire James Neal. But, then again, the Pens also traded 2 second round picks for Douglas Murray, who’s been one of the worst players in the league in possession-based and shot-based stats, so I wouldn’t say their every decision is ruled by pure analytics.

I think the rise of advanced stats happened in hockey for the same reasons it happened in baseball or any other sport- technology has advanced to the point where a lot more data is tracked these days. Naturally teams can use this data to attempt to gain an advantage over conventional wisdom by trying to add more context to players and attempt to project how they can get more value or better performance by using new tools and measures that just weren’t available years ago.

The natural fit would be Matt Moulson- he’s a goal scoring 1^st line winger who played very well with John Tavares with the Islanders and would be a natural to replace the injured Pascal Dupuis. The problem will be that Moulson is going to be among the best available “rental” player options and with that comes a high price to pay in a trade. Will the Pens want to trade even more picks/prospects again this year? It looks like a guy like Simon Despres could be on the outs, but it’s hard to see the Pens trading away any bluechip prospects or any roster players.

Fleury’s played 60+ games five times in his career- he’s been a very steady and capable regular season goaltender to handle a big workload and perform generally pretty well. He’s been around seemingly forever, but is still only 29 years old and in tremendous shape, I don’t fear too much of a burn out- top goalies love to play in every game and while they have leaned heavily on Fleury, he’s shown so far that he can handle it.

Now, whether that will translate into playing even at a decent level in the playoffs is a whole different issue. I don’t truly think it matters if Fleury plays a lot in the season or a little for his post-season performance. He’s still got to make saves in April no matter how many games he played earlier in the year.

Lots of excitement over the Olympics. But with so many Penguins making Olympic teams (seven?) – should fans be more worried about the effect it will have on the team long term this season?

It’s a valid concern, especially considering all the injuries the Pens have had to deal with and the fact the Pens have some older Olympians (Orpik, Martin, Kunitz and Jokinen are all 30+ years old). But, also, we can remember that just about every other top player in the league is also going to the Olympics, so every team really has the worry of how their top couple players will be late in the year. I’d like to think that for most, the thrill of wearing their country’s jersey and getting to represent them on such a big stage will provide enough of a lift to get them through it and back.

You also have to look at the constants, guys who have played in every game. Sidney Crosby is far and away the best player in the world and he’s helped Chris Kunitz to the top of the league’s scorers as well. Fleury’s played a ton and he’s provided very even and solid efforts for the most part. Matt Niskanen has played every game and has had a terrific season. The Pens have had to deal with their injuries- including some to top players- but they’ve been fortunate that some of their best and most consistent players have been able to stay in the lineup all season.

Bylsma had no choice but to play a lot of guys with all the injuries in some cases. Also, the Penguins have a teenaged defenseman in Olli Maatta, that’s almost unheard of. I don’t always agree with Bylsma’s every personnel decision, but it’s hard to argue with his record and the job he’s done putting the best team out there. Performance matters and some of the guys who haven’t performed or progressed as much as the coaches have hoped for aren’t going to stay in the lineup every night.

Bylsma has tried to play guys like Beau Bennett and Jayson Megna, and both have looked good when they’ve been able to stay healthy. If a young player performs and plays well (again, think Olli Maatta) the door is open for him to become as big a part of the team as he can handle.

Outside of Boston, nothing in the East is really too special on paper. But, playoff series aren’t played on paper and many times #7 and #8 teams can win a couple rounds of the playoffs. Especially with heated rivals like Philly and Washington- two teams that always rise their intensity and compete level to give Pittsburgh their best.

The Penguins really shouldn’t lose to a division team this year, but in the NHL playoffs surprises can happen when the right mix of emotion, momentum and a hot goalie come into play, so I don’t think it’ll be a cakewalk either. I’m not too concerned about the Pens not getting enough high quality opponents, they’ll have rival teams that will really test and push them early in the playoffs and if they make it late, they’ll be facing higher quality opponents just like any other season.

When a defenseman plays 26-28 minutes a night and handles the puck as much as Letang, he’s going to have turnovers, there’s no way around it. The mistakes he makes are mostly mental, physically he’s one of the best athletes and skaters in the league. I definitely think the Pens should hang on to him at this point. His salary isn’t as high as people think in the new age of the rising salary cap (seriously- watch when PK Subban gets a new contract).

Letang has bumps in the road and is far from a perfect player, but he’s also a unique talent that is capable of adding a lot to the team and isn’t the type of player that a team trades away and ends up being better for doing so.

That’s a good question, and the answer is they’re not much different. The hope is that getting Rob Scuderi back will stabilize Kris Letang’s play and that would be a boost. Goaltending in the playoffs is a huge question mark. Depth wise, the Pens are worse off in personnel (with Matt Cooke, Tyler Kennedy, Brenden Morrow, Jarome Iginla all gone) and Dupuis out too is a big blow.

The organization, by keeping Bylsma and not making any huge trades, likes the core they have in place. Last year with Tuukka Rask playing red hot and only giving up 2 goals in 4 games to the Pens probably won’t happen again, at least they hope.

The Pens have won 13 straight home games, Sidney Crosby is on a roll, it’s a fun time to be a Pens fan. Hopefully the Olympics will be exciting and we’ll see which Pens bring back medals and then it’ll be time to ramp it up for the playoffs again.

Rob Brown:

First, can you let readers know about your coaching career – how you got started and what you like most as a coach?

After I retired I spent the first full year as a stay at home dad to let my body heal, and more importantly, spend some much needed quality time with my two year-old twins.  After the year was over I knew I needed to start a new career and a good friend of mine ran a hockey academy and asked if I would like to try coaching at it.   After spending time on the ice with these kids, I knew this was where I wanted my next career to go towards.

I love helping kids reach their hockey goals whether it be making a higher level team or learning how to raise a puck.  It took me back to when I was a kid and hockey was simply a game we played cause we loved it.

How difficult has it for you to transition from the NHL to a second career – and how were you able to do so?

I never really found it difficult as I left the game when I was ready to leave.  I had no regrets and knew I was time to move on.  I never considered myself solely a hockey player  I felt I was just somebody who was fortunate to play a game I loved as a job. So when I retired I didnt see myself as losing my identity as much as I saw myself moving in a different direction

Who are some of the players and coaches that most influenced your coaching style today, and how so?

I think I probably took a little of all the coaches I had. I was fortunate to play for some pretty impressive coaches from Hitchcock to Keenan to Badger Bob etc.  so I took what I liked best from all these men and lost the things that turned me off.  Then added my own personality that emphasizes fun.

You read today about the struggles many NFL players face in transitioning from football to a post-sports career. How does the NHL help players do so – if at all, and is the issue as big with former NHL players as it is with NFL ones?

The NHLPA has a life after hockey program that helped with the adjustment to “normal” life by giving me the confidence to try something different.  I know of a lot of other players who have struggled and for the most part it is the players that identified themselves solely as NHL hockey players, and when the limelight was turned off, they were left in the dark and had a hard time dealing with the fact that they were now just regular folk and were quickly forgotten.

You were drafted by the Penguins in 1986. What were your thoughts on getting drafted by the Penguins?

I do remember my draft, it was Montreal and the excitement of achieving a life long dream of taking that step towards the NHL.  I knew they had a superstar in Mario and was both excited and nervous about taking part in training camp with the world;s greater player.

You had a huge season in ’88”90. What do you attribute that to besides being on the line with Lemieux. What about your game improved the most to allow for those 49 goals and +27 plus/minus rating?

’88-’89 was obviously a very special year and of course playing with Mario allowed my the opportunity to achieve huge success. My greatest attribute as a player was my knowledge  of the Game and that allowed me to be in the right place at the right time when playing alongside Mario

What do you see as the most under-appreciated part of your game, and why?

I think my tenacity for the game. I had a huge competitive nature. When I played games I would do whatever it took to beat whomever I was playing against. I hated losing.

Who helped you adjust to the NHL – both on and off the ice – and how did they do so? Any examples?

My father was the biggest influence on my game and the person I leaned on most when times were tough.

What was the biggest difference you found to exist between the minors and NHL – and how did you adjust? 

The biggest differences between the NHL and the minors were speed and size and the absence of true superstars.

As for adapting between my father and Ken Hitchcock, I was challenged to be the best player in the world not playing in the NHL and that fueled me to have hugely successful minor pro seasons and probably was the reason that I was able to come back for three more NHL seasons.

Who were some of the biggest characters on the Penguins teams you played for and what made them so? Any examples of the hijinks/personalities on that team?

There were a number of guys that would stand out from Johnny Cullen to Mark Recchi to Phil Bourque to Kevin Stevens. Any player will tell you the biggest thing they miss after their careers are over is the camaraderie that they shared with their teammates in the dressing rooms as well as on the ice.  That is something that can’t be duplicated in any other walk of life. And it is funny when you get together with these guys there is never any talk of what happened on the ice.   It’s all about what happened off.

What are your favorite memories of your time in Pittsburgh?

The teammates I played with.  My first game and first goal.  Playing in an all-star game.  Every time we stepped on the ice at the beginning of a playoff game.  And scoring a goal in my sister’s memory after she passed in 1999.

Any last thoughts for readers?

Having spent some of the greatest years of my life in Pittsburgh, I am loving my post hockey career as well spending quality time with my wife of 14 years and my now 11-year-old twins

Life has been good to Robbie brown and it still is today.

Chris Dahlquist:

First, can you let readers know about your post-NHL career – how you got started in the financial business and what you enjoy most about it?

My first taste of the financial service industry came in the fall of 1994 while playing for Ottawa Senators. As an NHLPA Player representative during the 94′ Owner Lockout, the deadlocked negotiations with the owners sure seemed like the season might get lost. With that in mind I joined a small investment firm in Minneapolis and got my first taste of the financial service industry.  I continued to spent a portion of my office season gaining additional experience until retirement.

Since Retiring in 1998 I have grown a Financial Service business with Prudential Financial, focusing on Individual Asset management and helping small businesses with their benefits coordination. I really enjoy the diversity of my practice. Whether it is helping individuals work through the challenges they face in growing their assets or working with business owners to help them build sustainable benefit packages in these uncertain times gives me a different challenge daily.

From a family standpoint, I’m very fortunate to have my own business and the flexibility of schedule to help coach both my son Chad and daughter Charly during their youth hockey years.

As a professional athlete, you have pressure to perform on a daily basis. There is an instant response to good or bad performance. As a player, you need the ability to rebound from a bad shift and not get too excited after a good one. Consistency and persistency is an invaluable trait when dealing with the volatility of the financial markets and the growing of a business.

And obviously it never hurts clients relationships in Minnesota if you can give a good hockey story or two about Badger Bob Johnson or Mario Lemieux.

The transition to a more rigid work schedule was not as big a hurdle as I thought it would be. Pro athletes reach that level through sacrifice and regimented work. The greatest challenge when transitioning out of the game for me was the drop in income. A major decision I made when playing was to defer some of my earnings till after retirement. This allowed my family to maintain our current lifestyle (with a few downward adjustments) while I grew my practice to a level we needed. There have been and continue to be hurdles with the balancing of life but last year I reach a milestone. After thirteen years as a financial advisor, this is now my longest career.

The NHL didn’t offer much support when leaving the league. In their defense, I don’t think it is owner’s responsibility to prepare or protect their players when its time to leave their employment. The responsibility lies with the players and the NHLPA. The PA is better equipt to oversee this and have done a better job of late. They sponsor “After Hockey”

Tough guy Steve Martinson of the Flyers organization gave me fighting lesson the summer before my 1st year. I figured since he set the AHL penalty minute record that he had some experience. He obviously wasn’t that impressed with me since he was my opponent in my first fight as a pro. In an exhibition game he came out and lined-up across from me at the face-off and said, “Coach told me to “Go-you” since you’re running around”. I was taught right then that there are no friends when you have a job to do and never let up on anyone…friend or foe.

That reputation of me being a tough-guy fighter is probably a little over-rated. Out of necessity I was a big body checker and that just resulted in some scuffles.

Cam Neely, Gary Roberts, Keith Tkachuk…stats say it all  50 goals- 200 PIMS

After over five years in the Pittsburgh organization, you found yourself in Minnesota. What prompted the move and how difficult was that transition for you?

I was actually only in Pittsburgh for five years before the trade to Minnesota. The first move is always the hardest for an athlete but I think Bob Johnson said it best when he called the house to tell me about the trade. Badger said, “I have some good news and some bad news. Bad news is we traded you today…but the good news is you’re going home.” Going back to Minnesota made that first trade transition a lot easier for us.

The game has gotten much more defensive than the 90’s. There were typically five to six defensive specialist on each team. I can’t think of more than a dozen players in the league that would block shots. It is expected today that your 50 goal scorer dives in front of shots. Paul Cofee would always say after blocking a shot that he just lifted the wrong leg.

Day one of my first training camp when I was training on the bike next to Giles Meloche (39 yrs old) and I told him that my squirt team used to hand out Oakland Golden Seals Stickers back when he was playing for them.

Getting engaged to my wife of 25 years Jeanie while going down the Mt Washington Incline on Christmas Eve 1986.

Sweeping NYR in 1988-89 playoffs and the fans throwing bottles at our bus as we drove out from under Madison Square Gardens.

The Penguin Christmas Dinner at the Igloo with my wife at a table with 19-year-old Rob Brown and his 16-year-old date…Alyssa Milano and her nanny.

Watching Zarley Zalapski’s dad save EJ Johnson with the Hiemlich maneuver when he was choking on a piece of steak.

Assisting on Mario Lemieux’s 4th goal of the night during my first NHL Game in St. Louis. Little did I know his seven-point night would be more points than I would get in my next three years.

Scoring a goal in my third NHL game and then going 70 games before my next.