House Under Fire...

With the Stanley Cup Final possibly ending tonight, we look ahead. Not to the off season, (as a Sens fan that's far to ominous...) no, to something perhaps even more dramatic: The White House visit. Or, possibility thereof. You see what used to be a cheesy, all be it unique opportunity, for athletes to take a few pictures and hand over a jersey to the Commander and Chief has dramatically changed since Donald Trump took office. When former NFL quarterback (why a guy who lead his team to a Super Bowl appearance is still a former quarterback is another story all together) Colin Kaepernick started taking a knee during the national anthem a few seasons ago to raise awareness about police brutality and social injustice towards African Americans, outrage soon followed. Outrage drummed up by the man in the Oval Office who outright lied about what Kaepernick was protesting, and framed him and others who followed as sons of bitches, who ought to be fired. How very Presidential. After this, teams like the NBA’s Golden State Warriors outright refused to visit with him, and this week President Trump dis-invited the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles before they could no-show the occasion, which is tantamount to the class bully inviting everyone over, only to cancel the event in order to be spared the inevitable embarrassment.

With game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final tonight in Las Vegas, the Washington Capitals are one win away from hoisting Lord Stanley’s mug for the first time in franchise history. A Stanley Cup championship team, in his own back yard no less, not going, especially a hockey team where politics are avoided like the plague, seems impossible. But there is that potential, however unlikely. That said,when they or the Vegas Golden Knights do in all probability do go, not everyone is likely to make said trip. DeVante Smith-Pelly of the Capitals, one of the few black players in the NHL spoke up recently, making his feelings on Trump’s behaviour clear. “The things he spews are straight up raciest and sexiest. Some of the things he said are pretty gross…It hasn’t come up here, but I think I already have my mind made up.” Doesn’t sound like a man sitting on the fence. Earlier in the season Winnipeg Jets Captain Blake Wheeler, an American, spoke out on twitter as well, after Trump blasted NFL players for kneeling. It’s not often we see this in NHL, whose leaders generally freeze faster than an idle puck whenever politics are brought up. For many it’s refreshing. For others, it’s yet an example of the “stick to sports” or “shut up and dribble” mentality the President’s defenders cling to rather than face reality. However, years ago a hockey player on the other side of the isle made waves and many are trying to now compare the circumstances.

A number of people have pointed out, in the wake of many teams now choosing to boycott or abandon the White House visit, (you know, before its rescinded) that they’re being praised by the media for their actions while Tim Thomas was vilified by those same folks, for skipping the Bruins trip after their 2011 Stanley Cup win. Thomas wasn’t the first athlete to do so, and lets all remember, it is a free country and individuals are still able to do as they like, unless of course that’s kneeling in protest...That said comparing those two issues makes about as much sense as Democrats voting for Trump in the midterm elections.

Thomas skipped the visit and was grilled on why, eventually releasing a Facebook message saying he disagreed with the politics of President Barack Obama, certainly well within the realm of reasonable. Now, was Thomas called out in part because of his right leaning politics countering a well like Democratic President? By some, without a doubt, and to be fair athletes from other sports had skipped out on various Presidents before citing personal disagreements with particular policies or scheduling conflicts. However, the bigger issue was that in doing so, Tim Thomas ended up making it about Tim Thomas. The cardinal sin of the hockey world: putting himself before the team. He was an outlier. He wasn’t protesting a specific issue, trying to fight for a cause, nor had he presented any particular agenda. He simply didn’t like the guy in charge. Which is fair. I’m sure some other Bruins players weren’t Obama supporters either. So why cause a scene? What purpose did it serve other than to seem petty? To be an unnecessary distraction? Over the years whether it was Regan, Bush Sr. or Clinton, you honestly believe every athlete in attendance wanted to be there? That they all supported the guy in charge, Democrat or Republican?  As Michael Jordan famously said, “Republicans buy sneakers too!” They saw it for what it was, at least before Trump took office, a harmless if corny photo-op that, generally, wasn’t particularly politicised by either side. A perfunctory sort of pat on the back with a few mediocre jokes forced in to cut through the awkwardness.

Then in 2016, shortly after the Cubs won the World Series, and Trump was elected, the conversation came up amongst friends and the million dollar question was posed: “If you were invited to the White House to celebrate a championship, would you go?” At the time, I said yes. That though I vehemently disagree with the politics and behaviour of the man in charge, I respect the office and could put personal feelings aside. Also the opportunity to visit one of the world’s most famous buildings would be special. Teams seemed to agree at first as well, a contingent from the Cubs went. Most of the New England Patriots went. Considering the close relationship between the owner Robert Kraft, coach Bill Belicheck and the President this wasn’t a shock. They were however, minus Tom Brady, though he is as far as I know, he’s still friends with the President. The Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, in a scene more awkward than me trying to get a date, showed up as well, all be it after much consternation and debate, (not to mention a questionably timed tweet). This visit was a perhaps the most scrutinised  as it was just after, as only The Donald can, he’d started speaking…

Trump, a man who shouts patriotism from the highest peaks at every opportunity, this week couldn’t even remember the words to God Bless America, (a tune school children can recite at will) at a staged ‘Patriotic Event’ to replace the Philadelphia Eagles visit, and he railed on Twitter, again, against the NFL players stance and the league, of predominantly black athletes, for this behaviour. He’d previously called them sons of bitches, suggesting they lose their job or be deported simply for exercising their first amendment rights. All this from an individual who is ONLY president because of said first amendment! A spoiled rich kid eventually growing into a pompous blowhard who made his living as a supposed ‘real estate genius’ bilking people with less money in business deals, only to repeatedly go bankrupt, in between thousands of lawsuits, before spawning a TV Show where he’d spout his now infamous “Your Fired” catch phrase, thus ensuring the impeachment memes will write themselves…And yet he’s attacked those who are protesting not their country, or the flag, the military or the anthem. A conn man who has manage to convince others they’re trying to destroy the nation or are somehow un-American simply because they’re attempting to make things better. They’re simply trying to raise awareness about a social justice issue as civil rights leaders past have done. As LeBron James put it, “He’s using sports to divide us.”

I understand the risk you run taking a stance like this during the anthem, and I’m sure Colin Kaepernick did as well. People, naturally associate it with their country and not paying what they deem due respect to the flag can incite the kind of anger we are seeing, however short sighted it is. Personally I have great respect for the anthem and the flag. I’m the sort of person who stands for our own Canadian anthem and the American one, even if I’m watching at home alone…seriously…and if the NFL players had ever spoken a negative word about their country, the military or the flag, I’d understand the outrage. If their protest had hadn’t been peaceful or they’d tried to incite civil unrest, I would see why others were upset. But the fact of the matter is they haven’t. They’ve been nothing be civil, clear and unified in their coherent message and have paid a great deal of respect and praise to the military in the process. Not to mention, thirty years ago this wasn’t even an issue. The players stayed in the locker room until the anthem was over. Where was the outrage then? The vitriol? This sort of drummed up patriotism can be a double edged sword and is clearly cutting a line through the nation.

In the “Land of the Free” where “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” are supposedly of paramount importance, the administration has made clear it’s their way or the highway. The NFL owners have even admitted they caved into the pressure from the President. Cowards, who’ve abandoned their work force and the notion that: “I may disagree with what you say but I’ll fight to the death for your right to say it.” Instead men like Ted Cruz paint these athletes as spoiled, ungrateful millionaires...though I imagine with his looks I’d avoid looking in mirrors as well…ignoring the fact that they’ve put their blood , sweat and tears into this endeavour, giving back both time and millions of their own dollars to help their communities. Other leagues like the NBA have worked with their coaches and players to create an environment where they feel free to speak up about social issues and be aware of the world they live in, to understand the power they have to make a difference. Does everyone agree with their stances? Of course not. San Antonio Spurs head coach Greg Popovich was greeted with a ton of anger by Spurs fans who support Trump, feeling he insulted them with his comments. Steve Kerr coach of the Golden State Warriors, and Popovich protégé, is another outspoken man who is not afraid to go after the President. Stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry have as well and what are they met with in the media? “Shut up and Dribble.” That these predominately black leagues are being singled out or criticised can in no way be seen as a coincidence. If Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers were leading these protests, would the reaction have been the same? And what stance does a predominately white league like the NHL take? Do they have the guts to stand by "Hockey is for everyone!" Or does the John Tortorella "I''d bench the guy!" mentality prevail?

I had a grandfather who served in WW2. I grew up near one of the largest military bases in Canada and know several active service members. To the extent I can, I understand the sacrifices these men and women make on our behalf every day. I have nothing but the utmost respect for what they do. For the freedom they help provide. It’s symbolic that the anniversary of D-Day was yesterday when men and women fought against a man who sought to control those freedoms, to warp people’s minds to his way of thinking. Who realised the tyranny he represented. Part of freedom is the right to peaceful protest. To speak our mind. This right is literally the 1st amendment. They realised that the flag represents not only the military but all those within a nation who seek to uphold it's values.To not be told by the government to leave the country or lose our job because of a dissenting opinion. With Trump there is no alternative. If you don't agree with him you're against him. With all the petulant drama of a teenage soap opera, he sits in his office, like a mad king who has openly suggested he can pardon himself should the Russian investigation prove his collusion, without the slightest notion of diplomacy or reasoning. forcing one to take sides. That said I’m not naïve enough to believe this is a simple conversation. It’s not easy to admit that racism, in this day and age, is still prevalent, that this is ultimately the reason behind the anger. But it is. 

Trump is capable of double speak Orwell could only dream of and convincing people that those who are simply trying to help make things better for others in their own country don’t deserve to live in it isn’t just dictatorial, or scary, it’s more un-American than anything Colin Kaepernick’s stance has ever represented.

Preds Pack - How a Brand of New NHL D are Leading the Way in Nashville

The St. Louis Blues season once again ended on a sour note Sunday, as for the first time in Nashville Predators history, the Preds are moving on to the Western Conference Finals. Do they sing about happy occasions in country music...?

Anyway, the music city is a buzz, and good on them for creating one of the better playoff atmosphere's in the game. Much of the credit has to go to goalie Pekka Rinne who's been all world this post season, shutting down skilled offensive teams in Chicago and St. Louis. He's more of a wall than his 6'5" frame would suggest, with a ridiculous .951 Save %. However, if the Beatles taught us nothing else, "I get by with a little help from my friends". The Preds have had timely depth scoring up front, but it's their impressive defensive core that's lead the way thus far.

This D core, shrewdly complied by GM David Poile, has put up big points in pushing the Preds into the Conference Finals and in doing so showed how the game is evolving in today's faster paced NHL. They can hit, shoot, pass and most importantly, skate. This is a blueline that moves the puck. Quickly, and effectively. They can clear the zone with a crisp breakout pass or their speed. Which is impressive, I mean considering all the time Subban spends being a 'clown'...They're not a big group, aside from Mattias Ekholm, but the can check well. PK Subban, Ryan Ellis and Roman Josi can all handle the puck and have heavy shots from the point on the Power Play. This lack of size seems to go against the grain when it comes to conventional wisdom of what blue liners should look like. (Time was they were more akin to Shrek) Josi and Subban are about 6' and Ellis is listed at 5'10". Not exactly the most physically intimidating of guys to battle with in the corner. Fact is, they don't need to be. That's not to say these guys aren't tough or can't handle themselves in a puck battle, (this is the NHL people) but they rely on their speed and deft checking ability with quick sticks and positioning so that they don't need to worry about getting crushed into the boards as much as a slower skater.

This stems from also having skilled guys up front to move the puck to. Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson, Ryan Johansson and co. are great targets to have when trying to get out of your end and alleviate a lot of the pressure on their D core. They also have strong two way guys like captain Mike Fisher looking after their own end as well. That said you still need the ability to get it to them and the Preds have shown they move the puck as well as any defence core in the league. The analytics community has been in love with them this season and their admiration has added up to be full value.

Teams that have hoisted Lord Stanley's mug have been built around tough, physical guys shutting down opponents and being hard to play against. But more recently, with the speed of the game picking up, teams like Pittsburgh and Chicago with a sets of D men possessing similar skills to Nashville's group, have found their way to hockey glory. Guys like Kris Letang and Duncan Keith spearheaded the attack and got the puck out of danger quickly. Many are worried about the Penguins this post season because of Letang's absence, some see the Rangers slower, older D men as a liability, and many see Chichago's lack of depth on D as the reason the Preds swept them aside in round 1 this year. Where would Ottawa be without Erik Karlsson? The Preds have balance in not a true Superstar a collection of really, really solid, all star calibre guys.

Hockey has long had guys that could rush the puck from the back end, from Bobby Orr, to Paul Coffey to Nick Lidstrom and Scott Niedermayer, these guys were key offensive catalysts for their team while keeping opponents from generating much in the offensive zone. That said they were often surrounded by larger, more bruising guys who job was to physically punish opponents for crossing the blue line or standing anywhere near the net, a la Scott Stevens. Now, if you've watched the Preds games this post season you know it sure as hell isn't a pillow fight in front of the net, (Their nickname is Smashville after all) but they're not that kind of group. They fight as hard as any group for position and space but perhaps with the way the NHL is going, this is the type of group you need to have success. The less time the puck is in your zone, the better your odds of winning, (to the best of my limited knowledge), and when you've got guys who can effectively transition the puck and provide offence you're dictating the game, Speed and skill at every position is at a premium and with this group the Preds may have a perfect balance of what they need to go all the way.

Star Struck - Why the NHL Needs to Protect its Superstars

I love a good conspiracy theory. They're full of intrigue, paranoia, nonsense and while perhaps this says more about me than I care to admit, I certainly don't think Matt Niskanen stepped onto the ice in Pittsburgh last night with the intention of concussing Sidney Crosby. That said, he sure as hell didn't shy away given the opportunity.

Lets go back to April 12th. The NHL's been on a pretty good run since the Stanley Cup playoffs started this year. A record 18 games wen to overtime in the first round. You had stunning upsets: The Nashville Predators sweeping the three time champion Chicago Blackhawks. Young guys stepping up in Toronto to put a scare into a number one overall seed. A gritty team in Ottawa refusing to listen to the odds. An emerging Superstar in Edmonton leading his team back to the postseason for the first time in over a decade. There were incredible comebacks, great skilled plays, the games were close and entertaining. You had heat warming stories and great battles. All good. Then to top it off they got a great second round match up between the Caps and Penguins. Crosby and Ovechkin. Bitter rivals who happen to be two of the top teams in the league. This should've been another epic chapter in a solid playoff campaign. Then, Matt Niskanen stepped in,

A little over five minutes into game three, with Pittsburgh up 2-0 in the series, at home with a chance to (yet again) all but put Washington away, Matt Niskanen slammed his stick into Sidney Crosby's head and took him out of the game. We learned today Crosby has a concussion and will be out at for least tomorrow nights game, and one could probably assume with some certainty, given his history of concussions, the foreseeable future. Great. The best player in the game gone. But hey, at least the culprit was swiftly and severely disciplined for his reckless action...oh right. It's the NHL. Apparently five and a game is enough for removing the best player in the game from said sport. That's not to say Niskanen shouldn't have been punished for a hit like this on another player. It doesn't matter who it was, he should've been suspended in my opinion. But the fact that it's a superstar should mean it's taken more seriously. Like it or not.

This is your meal ticket. The face of the league. The sort of guy people pay top dollar to see and why TV networks pay those big dollars.  Matt Niskanen isn't a bad player, overpaid as he is, but 'Average NHL defenceman' is about as eye catching a headline as 'Used Prius for sale'. I can't name a single person who goes to the rink to see the likes of him, maybe not even his family. They're a dime a dozen these depth guys and punishing him should be a no brainer. However, the league seems to have about as much common sense a tourist at an all inclusive Mexican bar. Pierre LeBrun noted on Twitter than he'd polled NHL GM's and only a handful felt he should be suspended. Granted, this may be more pot not wanting to call the kettle black lest they find their own player in a similar situation, However I'd be willing to bet their opinion would be drastically different if it was their star struggling to skate off the ice. Crosby is the best player in the world and the likes of him are protected in other leagues, why isn't the NHL doing more to see to that? That's not to say Sid gives the most dynamic interviews. They tend to run the gamut from generic to mundane, but he carries himself well, represents his league, country and organisation with class and oh yeah, people know who the hell he is!! At a time when the league is struggling in many American markets, you need stars to carry the load, attract eyeballs to the screen, and if they're victim to cheap shots and this old school 'hockey play' mentality, it's no wonder the game won't grow. People need to see thees guys out there. They need to watch them perform something other than a baseline concussion test.

If someone in the NBA had smacked King James on the crown like this, there would've been outrage, a demand for justice by all! The networks would've no doubt called up commissioner Adam Silver looking for some kind of recompense for investing in a league who would allow such a star to be injured. I'm still amazed Lance Stevenson wasn't suspended for blowing in his ear. I mean, what if, God forbid, he'd caught a cold? All star San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey had his leg broken a few years back and the MLB almost immediately changed the rules around blacking the plate to protect catchers. The NFL is inching closer and closer to basically banning contact on the quarterback. I mean if Vaughn Miller had crushed Tom Brady like that, he'd still be suspended. But the NHL and Gary Bettman?

There's a recent history of guys like Crosby taking this kind of abuse. Look at Johnny Gaudreau, Kyle Turris and others who had their fingers broken from slashes. Crosby himself basically lopped off Mark Methot's finger and wasn't punished. So if he received 'special' treatment on that one, why wouldn't he when he was the victim? And it's not the first time. Several of the hits that have left him missing significant time over his career have gone unpunished, from David Steckel to Victor Hedman, Sid has taken more than his share of abuse. Other stars are not immune from such treatment, with guys admittedly going the extra mile to take a shot at them ie: Connor McDavid's injury last season. You never saw the likes of Gretzky or Lemieux take these kinds of hits, or this kind of punishment. Why? Well, the guys policed themselves. Enforcers acted as a barrier against guys taking things too far. There seemed to be a sort of code that you didn't run at another teams meal ticket or your guy was gonna get run. I'm not advocating they turn the league into Slap Shot, entertaining as the movie is, but the onus is on the NHL itself to protect its athletes, especially those who the fans come to see because right now, it seems like a free for all at times. Guys like Brad Marchand and even Alex Ovechkin seem to get away with slew foots and charging, launching at guys around because they're stars. So if you're not going to punish them for that because you don't want to see them out of the lineup, why the hell are you allowing other guys to take liberties that put them out with serious injuries? Crosby was in a vulnerable position (due to an uncalled slash from Ovechkin no less) and Niskanen who was lining him up for a hit slammed his stick into his head like he was trying to crack a melon. Period. He wasn't out there looking to do it but the end result was he did. Simple as that. The fact that many dismiss it as a hockey play saying Crosby was driving the net and the speed of the game blah blah blah is a ton of BS and just justifying a cheap shot. He didn't have to do it and he chose to. He alone was responsible for and in control of those actions. He should be punished for it.

Now no doubt there are people who feel a double standard isn't fair, and that it sends the wrong message. That everyone should be treat the same. We're all in this together etc. etc. We can't have people believe life isn't fair after all. I mean. that just not, true, right...

Windy City Winners?

The Stanley Cup Playoffs get under way Wednesday (insert tears of joy) and we in the great white north are happy ecstatic to have five Canadian based teams actually make the playoffs. Especially seeing as a whopping 0 qualified last year. Seriously, it's like you could hear Here Comes the Sun blaring when they started securing spots this season.


That said, it shall be exciting, if short lived for most as the powers that be still reside south of the border, specifically in Chicago. The Habs and Oilers had the best record among Canadian squads but have tough first round matchups and in Edmonton's case may have forgotten what playoffs are. (Tongue in cheek Oil Country, we love you) Connor McDavid should be the league MVP and leads his team against the defending western conference champion San Jose Sharks. The Sharks are banged up but still a veteran squad who will give the young Oilers a quick introduction to what it takes to win this time of year.


In Montreal the Habs face original six rival the New York Rangers and if they can get by the Broadway Blueshirts their path to the East final is much easier than the vaunted Metropolitan Division. The Habs have Caery Price in net and will go as far as he, well, carries them. They don't score a ton of goals but this isn't likely to be that kind of series anyway.


That other Canadian original six city, the Toronto Maple Leafs surprised, well, pretty much anyone who has even seen a hockey game and qualified for the playoffs with an incredibly young and inexperienced roster. In fact nine Leafs will be making their post season debut against the regular seasons best team two years running, the Washington Capitals. The young buds have been impressive (enough for a Sens fan to admit it) but don't seem ready to bloom against a very potent and experienced Caps team. Top to bottom Washington has more depth and talent and should make quick work of a team that ought to be just happy the rest of the Atlantic Division was so terrible (Looking at you Florida/Tampa) so they could get in. However, the Caps don't exactly inspire confidence come the spring (See every Caps post season ever). That said, they look poised to make a run this year, particularly with Pittsburg being so banged up on the back end.


In the other national Capital the Sens take on the Bruins in what seems like an very evenly matched series that ought to go 6 or 7 games. Injuries on the back end for both teams (Methot and Krug) will play a big part in who gets the upper hand. If Ottawa can get off to a good start at home they should win but the Bruins have veteran guys who have won a Cup still playing a key role, and of course Brad Marchand's antics can only add to the intrigue/Sens fans ire.


Back out west, in what may be one of the most contentious, series the Flames look to take out the Anaheim Ducks. This would however require they win at the Honda Center which is like asking Lanny McDonald to throw on the flaming C again. The Flames haven't won there in the regular season in over 20 games and the Ducks will not go quietly with the likes of Kesler and Getzlaf up front. However Cam Fowler being injured hurts the Ducks and since it was on a hit by Calgary captain Mark Giordano, they'll certainly look to settle the score. Star Calgary rookie Matthew Tkachuk will no doubt look to continue mixing it up, employing his own version of Duck Hunt, but with the size of the Ducks, be careful what you wish for. Johnny Hockey Gaudreau


The defending Stanley Cup chaps had a solid campaign, mostly while being decimated by injury on the blueline. All Star Kris Letang is out for the year and this will no doubt hurt the Pens chances of repeating. They match up with the Columbus Blue Jackets who have little to no use for the champs and this is one of the more true rival matchups. Brandon Dubinski will no doubt try to get under Sidney Crosby's skin, as he continues to prove himself the heel, but few seem more willing to ply the role.The Blue Jackets had a great season and their reward: The toughest first round match up ever in terms of combined points. That NHL playoff system eh?


The Blackhawks continue to look like the team to beat and with good reason. The west isn't what it was a few years ago as St Louis has played well but seem in flux with the unproven thought talented Jake Allen in net. After a strong start Minnesota has fallen off the rails for which Bruce Boudreau seems to have escaped the blame he deserves. Seriously, is there a more overrated coach in the league? Not that he'd admit that's his fault either..They Blackhawks still have their core guys together and performing at a high level. The rest of this plug and play lineup seems to always fit in perfectly or contribute just enough to continually keep them at the top. In my eyes they're the best team in the league and have the depth and experience to take home a fourth cup in the last decade, cementing what is possibly already a dynasty. We'll know for sure when the puck drops, and it doesn't get any better than that.

March of the Captain

Another NHL season over, another chapter added to Sidney Crosby's growing legend. The Penguins captain lead his team to a second Stanley Cup championship (4th in club history) something most thought would've come sooner after back to back finals appearances in 2007-08.

From the minute Mike Sullivan took over behind the Penguins bench part way through the season it seemed Crosby was on a mission and ultimately there was no stopping him. His complete 200 foot game was reminiscent of Steve Yzerman in the late 90's or contemporary Johnathan Towes during recent Blackhawks Stanley Cup runs. Detractors point out his lack of well, points, but he still put up decent numbers and would have had plenty more had Connor Sheary and Patric Hornqvist been able to hit the broad side of a barn. His puck possession and face off dominance were a sight to behold. He controlled the tempo of the game, setting up opportunity after opportunity for his line mates. Unlike certain Washington based one trick ponies, Crosby proved he has matured from his youthful, whining ways to become an all around leader and someone on whom the coaches and players could rely on in the most pivotal moments of the game.

Many a fan felt that it was sheer favoritism when Crosby was handed the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP but they obviously weren't paying attention. Crosby's numbers may not have jumped off the stat sheet but his knack for clutch goals and his ability to control the play were second to none this post season. Many praise Jonathan Towes for leading the Blackhakws in a similar manner but seem reluctant to heap the same praise on Crosby because of his (well earned) past reputation as a whiner and the fact that his is so relentlessly slurped in the media. While that may be the case, the fact is he was at the top of his game and no one was more deserving.

Matt Murray was stellar in net and the ice in his veins was in better condition that San Jose's SAP rink. His efforts were an integral part of this run but Patrick Roy or Martin Brodeur he wasn't. This was not some upstart team who had no business hoisting the cup (a la Montreal 1986). Granted, he was consistently solid and clearly a much better option than wilting flower Marc-Andre Fleury, giving his team a chance to win every night. However, he never had to steal a game and was often out shone by counterparts Lundquvist, Holtby, Vasilevskiy and in particular the Sharks Martin Jones in the final, who essentially was the only reason it wasn't a sweep, Murray was a huge part of the reason they won but really was just there when called upon which ultimately was all he needed to be (think Antti Niemi with the Blackhawks circa 2009).

Phil Kessel was another Conn Smythe candidate and definitely proved his worth in the playoffs. His speed and quick shot got the job done on an incredibly productive 'third' line with beard aficionado Nick Bonino and the even speedier Carl Hagelin. If the award were give to a line, it'd likely be this one who came up with some timely goals throughout the playoffs, but no one individual really took over a series at any point and much of Kessel's damage was done on the Pens lethal power play alongside Evgeni Malkin and Crosby.

The Penguins ultimately won because of their depth and their commitment to solid defensive hockey, much of this accomplished without sacrificing in the offensive end. Their relatively unknown defense core lead by Kris Letang shut down the opposition time and time again and combined with stellar two way play from the likes of Matt Cullen and Eric Fehr they stymied everyone in their path. This buy in starts at the top with their leadership group, lead by Crosby, and trickles down throughout. The Pens frustrated the Sharks with their tight checking and shot blocking, holding the playoffs highest scoring team down most nights. The frustration was evident in Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Brent Burns Logan Couture and the rest of the Sharks top players as they couldn't find a way to break through. Analysts bandy about words like compete level and sacrifice, but cliche as they are they're used for a reason. Everyone wants to win, (seriously why else would they be there?) but the Pens just seemed a step quicker or more willing than the rest.

The debate over where this leaves Crosby in the ranks of Hockey's greats will rage on but there's no doubt a second cup was needed to raise his status and reclaim his position as the best in the business...at least for today.