Pittsburgh Penguins Win The 2017 Stanley Cup
After a back-and-forth battle and a goaltending showcase for the ages, the Pittsburgh Penguins finally broke a 0-0 tie with the Nashville Predators with 1:35 remaining in the third period of Game Six on Sunday night and added a empty netter with seconds left to take a 2-0 win and capture the 2017 Stanley Cup title. The Penguins successfully defended their 2016 championship to become the first team since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998 to win back-to-back titles. It is the first time in the salary cap era of NHL hockey that any team has won consecutive Stanley Cups.
On their road to another championship, the Penguins entered as the #2 seed out of the Atlantic Division and wiped out the upstart Columbus Blue Jackets in just five games. Pittsburgh then took on the top-seeded Washington Capitals, knocking out the President’s Trophy-winners for the second straight season, in a hard-fought seven-game series. The Ottawa Senators, out of the Atlantic Division, also took the Penguins to a Game Seven in the Eastern Conference final, but again the Penguins were victorious. The Stanley Cup Final was a face-off against an unexpected opponent, a Nashville Predators team that had entered as the second wild card team in the Western Conference and the 16th-seed overall, but swept the powerhouse Chicago Blackhawks and beat both the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks in six games. The performance of the Predators and the enthusiasm of the city of Nashville should not be understated and will likely be how many remember the 2017 playoffs. However, the Penguins were too much for the Predators, outscoring Nashville 17-4 in their four wins, including a shutout in the series-clinching win on the road.
The Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs, was given to Sidney Crosby. The captain of the team and the NHL’s leading scorer, Crosby notched 8 goals and 19 assists on his way to the title. Crosby became just the third player to ever win back-to-back Conn Smythe Trophy’s, joining Bernie Parent and Penguins owner Mario Lemieux. Other standouts of the playoff run include Crosby’s partner in crime, Evgeni Malkin, who outscored the captain by one point to lead all postseason scorers with ten goals and 18 assists. Both goalies, veteran Marc-Andre Fleury and rookie Matt Murray were phenomenal, with Fleury winning nine games while Murray was sidelined, and the youngster taking over to win the final seven and take home his second Stanley Cup despite still being a rookie. Murray posted a .931 save percentage and 1.87 goals against average in 10 appearance as he continues to develop a legacy as a clutch performer. Chris Kunitz lifted the Stanley Cup for the fourth time, the most among active players, while on the flip side trade deadline acquisition Ron Hainsey, who at 35 years old had never even played in the postseason, made the most of his first appearance. Justin Schultz was incredible as the surrogate leader of the defense for the sidelined Kris Letang, as he fought through injuries himself and posted 12 points during the Cup run. And who could forget rookie Jake Guentzel, who led the team with 13 goals, including an amazing five game-winners. In an ironic twist, Patric Hornqvist the final pick of the NHL Draft by the Nashville Predators in the same year that Crosby went #1, got the game winning goal to deny his former franchise their first ever Stanley Cup.
The frightening part for NHL fans is that, unlike their dynastic rivals in Chicago among others, the Penguins should remain largely intact heading into 2017-18. Fleury will likely be gone, but is no longer the starter anyway. Several veteran defenseman and bottom-six forwards could go as well, but Pittsburgh will for the most part return at full strength in October as they look to keep this incredible streak going. Crosby is still just 29 years old and he and the Penguins are far from finished. Congratulations to the 2017 Stanley Cup champs from the staff at PHR.
Snapshots: Oleksiak, Crosby, Sheary, Stephenson, Shipachyov
The Stars are facing an interesting decision when it comes to their back end and the upcoming expansion draft. John Klingberg and Esa Lindell are expected to be protected which leaves one opening for several blueliners who are at risk of being exposed. One of those is Jamie Oleksiak and Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News opines that the hulking rearguard should not be protected over youngster Stephen Johns even though the early thought seems to be that they may be leaning towards doing so.
GM Jim Nill has been extremely patient with Oleksiak, their first round pick back in 2011. Big defenders often have a longer learning curve and that seems to be their thinking with him, who has played a limited role the last two years. Heika argues that the team would be better off trying to deal him and protect Johns but it stands to reason that Oleksiak’s limited playing time over the past two seasons (just 60 games combined) could potentially make dealing him a bit more of a challenge.
Other notes from around the league:
- Penguins forwards Sidney Crosby and Conor Sheary both passed their baseline tests and are listed as game-time decisions for tonight against Washington, NHL.com’s Nick Cotsonika was among many to note (all Twitter links). Crosby didn’t take part in the morning skate but head coach Mike Sullivan advised that doing so is normal for him. Both players were diagnosed with a concussion following Game Three on Monday night.
- The Capitals announced that they’ve re-assigned center Chandler Stephenson back to Hershey of the AHL in advance of their second round series getting underway against Providence today. Stephenson was recalled to the big club back on May 1st but didn’t see any action with Washington in this stint. He did, however, get into four games with the team in the regular season, being held off the scoresheet while averaging just shy of nine minutes of playing time per game.
- Vadim Shipachyov’s decision to join the expansion Golden Knights came as a surprise to some but Elliotte Friedman suggested to Sportsnet 590 in Toronto (audio link) that a big factor was their willingness to give him a second guaranteed year, something that other teams weren’t willing to do. The 30 year old has yet to play outside of Russia and while his KHL numbers this year were quite strong (26-50-76 in 50 games), it appears most teams around the league weren’t completely convinced that they’d be able to translate to NHL success.
Injury Notes: Crosby, Ryan, Karlsson
Sidney Crosby took to the ice today before practice and is continuing to be evaluated on a day-to-day basis. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain was diagnosed with a concussion, and amazingly has not been ruled out yet for game 5 on Saturday night. While it would be unbelievable to see him back in the lineup so soon, it is encouraging to see him back on the ice.
Crosby’s absence was definitely felt in game 4, as the Capitals dominated play for long stretches and kept the Penguins under 19 shots on goal despite five powerplays. The fact that the team won without him is a testament to their depth, but they would obviously welcome him back with open arms when he is deemed ready. That readiness is an interesting debate though, as even if he’s feeling perfectly fine he could still be in danger of suffering a further head injury. With a long history of concussions, the Penguins ought to be very careful not to bring him back too soon.
- Bobby Ryan will be back in the lineup for the Ottawa senators tonight, along with Tom Pyatt and Chris Wideman. Ryan exited game 3 after taking a slapshot from teammate Erik Karlsson, playing just under 12 minutes. He’s an important piece to get back, as he’s turned a terrible season into an excellent playoffs, recording eight points in nine games. Zack Smith, who also exited game 3 with an injury will be a game-time decision for the Senators.
- Speaking of Karlsson, Michael Farber of Sports Illustrated penned an excellent piece talking about the hairline fractures that the Senators’ captain has been playing with. The article goes in-depth on how the Senators viewed Karlsson as a youngster, and how he has now developed beyond even their wildest dreams. “Zubov without the cigarettes” has turned into a legitimate contender for the Hart trophy every year, and at just 26 will have a chance to earn one of the biggest contracts ever given out to a defenseman when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2019.
Sidney Crosby’s Injury History
The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without their captain for an undetermined amount of time after today’s concussion diagnosis.
This isn’t the first time that Sidney Crosby has missed time due to head injuries, though. Over the course of his twelve-year NHL career, Crosby has missed 168 games. The vast majority have been in the last seven years, where he has missed 129 games out of a possible 540.
Let’s take a look at Crosby’s history of major injuries:
2007-08 – missed 29 games with a high-ankle sprain – Crosby crashed feet-first into the boards during a mid-January game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He played just seven games over the rest of the season, ending up with 53 games-played.
2010-11 – missed 41 games with a concussion – During the 2011 Winter Classic, Capitals forward David Steckel caught Crosby with a blind-side hit as the puck went passed the Penguins’ captain. Crosby returned to the lineup for the next game, but took an innocent-looking hit from Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman behind the net. For the second time in two games, Crosby left the game holding his head. He didn’t play again that season; it was an early end to one of the most dominant seasons in recent history, as Crosby had 66 points in 41 games. That included a 25-game point streak where he scored 51 points.
2011-12 – missed 60 games with concussion-related symptoms – Not only did Crosby miss the final half of the 2010-11 season, he missed the first 20 games of the following season. Many fans will remember Crosby’s legendary return to action, when he scored four points in a 5-0 win over the New York Islanders. Unfortunately, after eight games, an awkward hit from Bruins center David Krejci lead to Crosby being diagnosed with soft-tissue issues in addition to the return of his concussion symptoms. Crosby returned in mid-March and played the final 14 games of the season and participated in the Penguins’ six-game loss to rival Philadelphia. In 22 regular season games, Crosby had 37 points. He followed that up with eight points in six playoff games.
2012-13 – missed 13 games with a broken jaw – After a dominant lockout-shortened season, Crosby missed the end of the regular season and first game of the playoffs after he took a (then-teammate) Brooks Orpik shot to the face. He retuned early in the playoffs, scoring 15 points in 14 games as the Penguins were swept by the Bruins in the Eastern Final.
2016-17 – missed 6 games with a concussion – Crosby enjoyed three mostly-healthy seasons between 2013 and 2016. After winning the Stanley Cup and World Cup in four months, the injury bug struck again. Crosby suffered another concussion in an unspecified incident at Penguins practice. He missed the final pre-season game and the first six games of the regular season, before returning to his dominant form, posting 89 points in 75 games and winning the Art Ross to go along with nominations for the Hart and Lindsay awards.
Based on his history of interrupted comebacks, the Penguins need to be careful with Crosby’s return. The potential for a repeat championship is dwarfed by the future health of their superstar.
Ted Lindsay Finalists Released
The NHL has revealed the three finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award: Brent Burns, Sidney Crosby, and Connor McDavid.
The award goes to the player judged to be the most outstanding player in the league. The biggest difference between the Hart and the Lindsay is who votes; the Hart is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) and the Lindsay is voted on by NHL players. It’s for this reason that players often seen the Lindsay as a more prestigious award to win, as it’s voted on by their peers.
Burns had a fantastic season, finishing ninth in NHL scoring. His 29 goals and 76 points were the highest by a defenseman, six more than Senators captain Erik Karlsson. Burns lead the Sharks in scoring by eight points (Joe Pavelski had 68), and was the most dangerous player on the ice for the Sharks on most nights. Going against Burns, however, is his 16-game goalless drought towards the end of the season. After scoring 27 goals in 59 games, Burns didn’t score between February 19 and March 28. However, that also illustrates the sheer dominance of Burns prior to the drought. Also, Karlsson had 82 points in 82 games in 2015-16 and failed to even be nominated for Lindsay or Hart. The last time a defenseman won the Award was 1974-75 when some guy named Bobby Orr won it.
Crosby is the only finalist who has won the award before, having won it three times in 2006-07, 2012-13, and 2013-14. Crosby had 44 goals and 89 points in 75 games this season. His 44 goals were good to win the Rocket Richard Trophy for the NHL’s leading goal scorer. Crosby scored 17 more points than his Penguins teammate Evgeni Malkin. Crosby is three-for-three when nominated for the Award.
However, the odds-on favorite is likely Oilers captain McDavid, who was the only 100-point scorer in the NHL this season. The 20-year-old McDavid scored 30 goals and 100 points in 82 games, winning the Art Ross trophy by 11 points over Crosby and Patrick Kane, both of whom had 89 points. While the other two finalists play for perennial contenders, McDavid was a huge part of the Oilers’ jump up the standings from 29th to 8th in the league.
The winner will be revealed at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas on June 21.
Pittsburgh Penguins Recall Josh Archibald, Oskar Sundqvist
After learning earlier today that they would be without both Sidney Crosby and Conor Sheary due to concussions, the Pittsburgh Penguins have decided to call up Josh Archibald and Oskar Sundqvist from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. Crosby and Sheary are both out indefinitely, though they will each be evaluated every day as they try to come back from their latest head injuries.
Archibald and Sundqvist leave a WBS Penguins team that was just eliminated by the Providence Bruins on Sunday in their first round playoff series, and would have likely come up anyway as “Black Aces”. They’ll now wait to see if they’re inserted into the lineup for Pittsburgh’s game 4 on Wednesday night. If they are, they at least both bring some NHL experience with them from this year. Archibald played in 10 games for the Penguins and scored three goals, while Sundqvist was held pointless in his 10 game stint.
While neither of the call-ups can replace Crosby or Sheary, they are skilled replacements that can fit into the bottom of a lineup. The Penguins will need more contributions from their unheralded youngsters this year, just as they did from Bryan Rust and Sheary himself last spring.
Sidney Crosby, Conor Sheary Diagnosed With Concussions
After being hit in the face with Matt Niskanen‘s stick last night—for which the Washington defender received a penalty and game misconduct, but no further discipline—Sidney Crosby has been diagnosed with a concussion and is out indefinitely. Crosby’s linemate Conor Sheary has also been diagnosed with a concussion, and both will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.
Crosby has now suffered at least four concussions during his career, with several other head, jaw and neck injuries that have been related. His last one came in October of last year in practice, while his first (that we know of) happening in 2011 at the Winter Classic against these same Capitals. It was coming back too early from that first concussion that stole almost an entire year of his career, a lesson that should be remembered this time around.
Should the Penguins re-insert him during the playoffs, hopefully the risks are understood completely. Earlier this year, Aaron Ekblad was put back into the lineup for the Florida Panthers only to shut down his season after one game and a decision Tom Rowe blamed himself for. While that seemed to also have connections to the neck injury Ekblad suffered in the World Cup, it is a similar timeline for Crosby and one that should be considered. For a player who was just announced as a Hart finalist, his future, and not just the immediate opportunity the Penguins find themselves in, should be paramount.
Sheary is almost as big of a loss for the Penguins, though he’d been held in check for the playoffs so far. In just his second year, Sheary scored 53 points in 61 games and was a big part of Pittsburgh’s Stanley Cup run last season. The team will now have to rely even more on Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel to provide offense against the Capitals for the rest of the series, something that proved difficult last night against Braden Holtby and the Capitals stifling defense.
No Hearing For Matt Niskanen In Crosby Incident
According to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post, Matt Niskanen will not receive a disciplinary hearing with the Department of Player Safety for his cross-check last night on Sidney Crosby. Niskanen was assessed a five minute major and game misconduct, while Crosby did not return to the game.
In the play, Crosby is knocked off stride as he cuts in front of the Washington net, and ends up being hit in the face by Niskanen’s stick. While it did end up in an injury, Niskanen said after the game that he had no intent there, and that he wasn’t even trying to cross check him. His hands aren’t separated on his stick like a normal check, and he told reporters that he hopes Crosby is okay.
Niskanen could still be fined for the incident, but it looks more like the league has deemed his penalty served as the Capitals played with just five defenders for most of the game and the short overtime period. The Penguins on the other hand have provided no update on Crosby’s status, and should he remain out will be leaning on Evgeni Malkin to help them through the series. After falling down 2-0, Malkin and the Penguins rallied late to score two goals with an empty net and send the game to overtime. A Trevor Daley penalty would eventually allow the Capitals to win on a powerplay goal from Kevin Shattenkirk, one of the most maligned players of the series so far.
Hart Trophy Finalists Announced
The NHL’s Hart Trophy finalists were released today and include Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby, and Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid.
The names surprise no one as all three were expected finalists. Crosby and McDavid were one and two in NHL scoring, and Bobrovsky led the league in GAA and SV% amongst starting NHL goaltenders.
Bobrovsky, as noted by the Blue Jackets’ Public Relations team, is the first MVP finalist in Blue Jackers history. He posted a .931 SV% and a 2.06 GAA in 63 games. He was considered Columbus’s best player in a surprising season for the Metropolitan Division team. He’s also a finalist for the NHL’s Vezina Trophy awarded to the league’s best goaltender.
Sidney Crosby finished tied for 2nd in league scoring with 44G and 45A in 75 games. He tied Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane in points with 89, but did it in seven fewer games. Crosby has already locked up the Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophy for most goals this season. Crosby has been a Hart Trophy finalist six times, and won the award in 2007 and 2014
Connor McDavid led the NHL in scoring with 30G and 70A in 82 games. He led a Edmonton Oilers squad to its first playoff birth since 2006 in only his second pro season. This season he won the Art Ross Trophy for most points in the NHL.
Notable absences—thought to have finished fourth and lower—include Tampa Bay Lightning‘s Nikita Kucherov, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews, and Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand.
Penguins Limp On Past Game 2
Pittsburgh’s defeat of Washington in a 6-2 score in Game 2 is likely to overshadow three potential injuries sustained by their squad. Largely because of the shot-blocking mentality of the Pittsburgh squad, and the absurd number of shot attempts from Washington (35 in just the first period), injuries are bound to occur. Losing 3 players in one game, however, is a massive blow for any team. Although coach Mike Sullivan did not reveal any updates, stating that the players needed to be re-evaluated in Pittsburgh, there is cause for concern for fans.
Patric Hornqvist was the first to fall, after blocking a slapper off his foot/ankle area. He was forced to attempt to defend although doubled over. He left for the locker room and did not return, heavily favoring his one leg. Hornqvist had been performing remarkably well since his promotion to the top line with Jake Guentzel and Sidney Crosby. He had posted 5 points in 7 games, connecting with solid passes with the two skilled forwards. Conor Sheary returned to his spot at the top in Hornqvist’s absence, with Phil Kessel even seeing spot duty.
Tom Kuhnhackl took a shot off his upper arm and was seen in a good deal of pain as the puck caught in his equipment. Players gathered around and tried to squib the biscuit free before Kuhnhackl was called for delay of game. His penalty had to be served by a teammate, however, as he immediately left the ice and stayed out of competition. Finally, defenseman Ron Hainsey had an incredibly scary moment after getting in the lane of an Alex Ovechkin shot. The shot rocketed up rather steeply, and Hainsey turned his head in a reactionary move of avoidance and protection. The back of his head was struck, near the right ear. Hainsey writhed in extreme discomfort in what one can only hope wasn’t a permanently damaging situation. He also did not return.
None of these players are easily expendable. Kuhnhackl might at face seem to be an easily replaceable part, but when out of the lineup the Pittsburgh penalty kill has struggled mightily. He also has 24 hits through 7 games, and is one of the most consistently aggravating forwards in the roster. Hornqvist is definitively the most irritating and imposing physical player on the Penguins, and his offensive ability and net-front presence only add to his immense value. This is a player who is largely considered to be an integral piece, who can be slotted on any line and play in any situation. Losing the two most physical players they have is a large blow to a team that has been dominated physically by Washington. Hainsey has struggled at times in these playoffs, but has consistently been toward the top in ice time around 20 minutes, while facing a high quality of competition and blocking well on the penalty kill. In his absence, one of Justin Schultz or Trevor Daley will need to improve their game in their own zone. Turnovers and blown coverage have plagued both players throughout April. Olli Maatta‘s improvement in the wake of Kris Letang‘s long term injury has been huge, but too many defenders are struggling to sustain more losses.
In the worst case scenario, the replacement forwards would most probably be Scott Wilson and Carter Rowney, with Josh Archibald likely to be the first call-up. On the backend, Sullivan could opt to go with the veteran offensive defenseman Mark Streit, or instead choose the quieting influence of the stable Chad Ruhwedel. The Penguins have consistently been toward the top of the league in man-games lost, and this season was no different. The franchise has continued to find a way to compete in spite of poor luck, but losses such as these would significantly hurt their cup chances.
Update: Josh Yohe for DKPittsburghSports reports that the injuries for Kuhnhackl and Hainsey may not be serious after all, but information remains sparse. Additionally, the original publication had incorrectly linked Washington’s Tom Wilson instead of Pittsburgh’s Scott Wilson.