The Lions' Pride

i suspect Ottawa wins. the Rangers are extremely frustrated and now their coach is trying to get players suspended for no reason.

Haha.

The problem is that Shero tried to fix the defense in 2010 by giving Paul Martin and Z. Michalek huge contracts that off-season, but neither have made the impact that was expected.

I bet Shero wished the Pens had found a way to resign Talbot. He was a difference maker this series and is the type of player the Pens need again.

I haven't looked at the list of free agents and have no idea about the Pens cap situation, but I wonder if Shero tries to bring back Hal Gill and tries to upgrade the checking lines and penalty killing with someone like Paul Gaustad or Sammy Pahlsson (I'm assuming they're all pending UFAs since they were moved at the trade deadline).

Giroux played extremely well. Knew he was a good player, but this series really showed he is a great player.

Staal was said to be the X-Factor of the series and he did well. He did lose a lot of crucial faceoffs in our own zone though. Flyers kept doing the same thing over and over on Faceoffs in our zone, wrap the guy up and have a winger come in and pass it back to the D.

If the D and PK (ranked 3rd in the regular season) and goalie did not have a complete meltdown, Staal would've helped a lot. He is a solid player that had 25 goals and 25 assists in 60 regular season games. Extremely important player but rumblings that he is beginning to not be happy in his role at Pittsburgh and wants to be a 1st liner. He denied them in post game but what do people think he would say?

The bad thing is that Crosby/Staal are up for a contract extension this summer but with the whole CBA thing going on, who knows what will happen. The NHLPA does not even want to start discussions until playoffs are over, but I would think it would be in both the NHL and NHLPAs best interests to at least have preliminary discussions. Donald Fehr is a pretty intense negotiator and was behind the cancellation of the 1994 World Series. I DO NOT want to see a repeat of 2004-2005 as this sport we love is doing pretty well.

Also, Bettman seems like the biggest d*ck. Does any watch NHL Live on Thursdays when they do the 1 hour call in show at 6pm with Bettman and EJ Hradek? He belittles Hradek and complains and makes these back-handed statements to him all the time it is extremely uncomfortable to watch.

Also, I think this series might've helped Laviolette toward being Team USA's HC for the Olympics. Bylsma was said to be one of the leaders, but not so sure now, though I dont blame the Playoff losses entirely on him but coach is at least somewhat responsible.

Staal has been demanding a trade or top line minutes/money from the Pens..... doubt he returns.... Crosby came back and they got worse.... It's going to get sticky for him and Malkin.... They almost have too many generals and not enough soldiers.

What are you talking about too many generals, not enough soliders? Practically everyone of our forwards had career years, Malkin will be the MVP, and Crosby is well over a PPG since hes played. Our forwards are not the issue, its ours defense and goaltending. If you counting Staal as a General, and the soldiers as our D corps then you are prob. right.

Also, Staal "demanding a trade" for awhile now is not fact, and has only come up within the past few days. I would not be surprised he wants to be a top liner or get paid top line money, I could definitely see a team paying Staal up to 7.5m but anymore is a little much. Who knows, salary cap might go up and give the Pens some room to do some things but I dont see him getting more than 6.5-7m from the Pens.

Pens have depth at D (Hutchinson, Morrow), just not at the NHL level yet.

they have some good young defensemen, not sure when they are going to be ready though.

Fleury looks like a top 5 goalie one minute, and a bottom 5 goalie the next.

yes, they miss Hal Gill, and someone like Scuderi. Given their budget, I don't know what options they have.

Scuds would be perfect. Gill will be 38 next year.

I checked the free agent list and really nothing out there that interests me, unless Shero goes balls to the wall - makes a trade that we don't see forth coming and go after Suter.

I could see him making a run after someone like Lannon from Boston.

watching game 5 of Vancouver/LA Kings. the Canucks are hanging on for dear life. The Kings have had some glorious chances since they tied it at 1-1 tonight.

The NHL will pray Washington doesn't play Philly and both make it to the ECF and then pray someone like the Blues comes out of the West. It's not the Wings or Hawks, but at least the Blues have a decent local market. It won't have any national intrigue though. Flyers vs. Kings probably has the best national storyline with Carter and Richards playing against Philly, but nobody cares about the Kings.

NHL is just hoping the Hawks can make the comeback and make a run and the Bruins, Rags or Flyers can come out of the East.