The Pittsburgh Penguins across the board are a talented offensive minded squad built to beat opposing teams with speed, great transitional play and for the most part, superior talent. However, if and when the game turns ugly or physical as it did Saturday night against the Bruins, or last year in the playoffs, or the year before that against the Flyers, the Penguins are simply outmuscled. Attention, Mr. Shero. Enough is enough. This has to be your wake up call to go out and bring in a role player or two who is capable of playing the game, but his main objective is to protect the Penguins’ major assets.
Back in July, we wrote an article titled, “NHL’s Bodyguards,” and pointed out that the Penguins desperately need to get bigger and meaner. Just a few weeks ago, we wrote another article titled, “Power Struggle in Pittsburgh,” and outlined a few players who could be useful in the physicality department while still being able to produce. There are fans, writers, etc. that feel these types of players would break up the team chemistry, while I on the other hand, feel that these types of players would only add to the team chemistry. The high energy player who throws the body around, his outspoken persona on the bench and in the locker room makes him an immediate leader for a team that needs that security blanket. Perfect example is Rick Tocchet. Tocchet was brought in to protect players like Lemiuex and Jagr. In turn, Tocchet had his best year during the 92-93 season totaling 48 goals and 61 assists.
During the first round of the 2012 playoffs, fans and media members were forced to watch goonish behavior from players like Scott Hartnell, who along with the Flyers, bounced a superior talented squad in the Penguins. The series totaled 309 penalty minutes, which got the Pens off their game and subsequently lost the series. Last year in the Eastern Conference Finals, we were forced to watch Zdeno Chara, the biggest goon in hockey today throw his weight around with little resistance.
Chara may be one of the best shut down defenseman in the NHL today with a outstanding slap shot from the point. However, Chara without question is also a neanderthal as he proved to be true when he drove Max Pacioretty into the stanchion at the benches in the Bell Centre in 2011. Chara and the Bruins contended that it was a hockey play while everyone else saw a bush league move. Chara followed up his classy behavior in the 2012-13 postseason when he sucker punched Sidney Crosby in the mouth who at the time was recovering from a broken jaw.
On Saturday night, once again we all had to watch a key player from the Penguins squad get sucker punched from a criminal element in the game with no backlash, no retribution. Shawn Thornton should be banned from the league and not just for this incident, but for the lack of talent he offers to the game of hockey. Thornton would not even exist in this league if not for the fact that he can go toe-to-toe with heavyweights.
The goons that teams like the Bruins and Flyers deploy onto the ice night after night to gain an edge both physically and mentally is killing this sport. Unfortunately for true hockey fans, this type of behavior isn’t going away anytime soon. Furthermore, when you’re allowed to settle disputes in your sport by dropping your gloves and punching another player in the face, you’re going to have this happen. When you’re equipped with a stick that can cause bodily harm to another, this type of behavior is going to happen. That being said, it is imperative for the Penguins front office to take notice. The Penguins in order to be successful down the road must inherit a bit of nasty and put opposing teams on notice.
