Generic Penguins Thread

[pnickers]

Well, they picked up Alexei Ponikarovsky last night in exchange for Martin Skoula and Luca Caputi.  I'm sad to see Caputi go; he will be a decent NHL player pretty soon.  But, the acquisition of Ponikarovsky (I'm going to get sick of typing that) gives Malkin an all Russki line with Fedotenko.  Good move, Mr. Shero.  

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/10062/1039840-61.stm

[Tha_Professa]

...gives Malkin an all Russki line with Fedotenko.  Good move, Mr. Shero. 

Sounds like someone is expressing his love for Mother Russia.

[Jeebas]

Well, they picked up Alexei Ponikarovsky last night in exchange for Martin Skoula and Luca Caputi.  I'm sad to see Caputi go; he will be a decent NHL player pretty soon.  But, the acquisition of Ponikarovsky (I'm going to get sick of typing that) gives Malkin an all Russki line with Fedotenko.  Good move, Mr. Shero.  

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/10062/1039840-61.stm

False - Fedotenko is Ukrainian and Ponikarovsky is Ukrainian-Canadian. They were both born in Kyiv

[newefezziwig]

Well, they picked up Alexei Ponikarovsky last night in exchange for Martin Skoula and Luca Caputi.  I'm sad to see Caputi go; he will be a decent NHL player pretty soon.  But, the acquisition of Ponikarovsky (I'm going to get sick of typing that) gives Malkin an all Russki line with Fedotenko.  Good move, Mr. Shero.  

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/10062/1039840-61.stm

False - Fedotenko is Ukrainian and Ponikarovsky is Ukrainian-Canadian. They were both born in Kyiv

Ukraine is game to you?

[Bull]

Yeah so you could say an soviet line if you wanted to be old school.

[pnickers]

Well, they picked up Alexei Ponikarovsky last night in exchange for Martin Skoula and Luca Caputi.  I'm sad to see Caputi go; he will be a decent NHL player pretty soon.  But, the acquisition of Ponikarovsky (I'm going to get sick of typing that) gives Malkin an all Russki line with Fedotenko.  Good move, Mr. Shero. 

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/10062/1039840-61.stm

False - Fedotenko is Ukrainian and Ponikarovsky is Ukrainian-Canadian. They were both born in Kyiv

Well how about that? Ukraine must be game to me.  +1 to Oldfezziwig for the youtube. 

[Jeebas]

Well, they picked up Alexei Ponikarovsky last night in exchange for Martin Skoula and Luca Caputi.  I'm sad to see Caputi go; he will be a decent NHL player pretty soon.  But, the acquisition of Ponikarovsky (I'm going to get sick of typing that) gives Malkin an all Russki line with Fedotenko.  Good move, Mr. Shero. 

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/10062/1039840-61.stm

False - Fedotenko is Ukrainian and Ponikarovsky is Ukrainian-Canadian. They were both born in Kyiv

Well how about that? Ukraine must be game to me.  +1 to Oldfezziwig for the youtube. 

And -1 to me for the correction apparently

[pnickers]

Didn't come from me. 

[Nye]

Well, they picked up Alexei Ponikarovsky last night in exchange for Martin Skoula and Luca Caputi.  I'm sad to see Caputi go; he will be a decent NHL player pretty soon.  But, the acquisition of Ponikarovsky (I'm going to get sick of typing that) gives Malkin an all Russki line with Fedotenko.  Good move, Mr. Shero. 

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/10062/1039840-61.stm

False - Fedotenko is Ukrainian and Ponikarovsky is Ukrainian-Canadian. They were both born in Kyiv

Well how about that? Ukraine must be game to me.  +1 to Oldfezziwig for the youtube. 

And -1 to me for the correction apparently

Somebody nitpickerey'd your ass up! lol

[homesystem]

Sir, you've been found guilty of nitpickery, and you must fake puke.

[Jeebas]

Sir, you've been found guilty of nitpickery, and you must fake puke.

Ha! Never call a Ukrainian a "Russian", they hate that...

[Jeebas]

So just the other night, I found out that this guy is my third cousin (we had common great-great grandparents in Ukraine). He currently leads the NHL in penalty minutes - awesome!!!

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/jan/27/270953/sp-konopkas-fury-fun-loving-contagious-on-the-e/sports/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tbo%2Fsports+%28TBO+%3E+Sports%29

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79HkF9i8khc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP0H6b1sLvc

[pnickers]

Nice!  Does that mean it's time to buy Morgan some skates and a mouth guard? 

[pnickers]

I know we were talking about Konopka on Saturday night, and you wondered when we played Tampa Bay next.  As luck would have it, we play him this Sunday at 5. 

[Jeebas]

I know we were talking about Konopka on Saturday night, and you wondered when we played Tampa Bay next.  As luck would have it, we play him this Sunday at 5. 

Sweet! That'll work out great, as we're having family over then

[pnickers]

If anyone was watching the Pens game last Sunday (or any local news) you probably saw the hit Matt Cooke put on Marc Savard.  In a mind bogglingly stupid ruling, the NHL decided not to suspend Cooke. 

http://community.post-gazette.com/blogs/emptynetters/archive/2010/03/10/no-suspension-for-cooke-03-10-10.aspx

There is no excuse for taking head shots at guys like that.  I like Matt Cooke and all, but those kind of hits are unacceptable.  And if you missed it but want to see the hit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_F7LEZ78_o

[Bull]

I don't know. He showed remorse, and I still don't think it was a intentional hit to the head.

How can you suspend a player for something that is technically not illegal under the rules? 

If anything the need to reevaluate their system.

[newefezziwig]

looked pretty intentional to me.. he kind of threw his shoulder into it

[Jeebas]

Intent or not, he should be suspended so the league sends a message about those kind of hits

[Bull]

There is no rule against it. How can you suspend someone for not doing anything wrong. Especially when others have done the same thing and not been suspended. They need to make a rule and set a consistent punishment for it. Why should some people get a penalty and others fined and suspended. Doesn't make sense.

The new rule that they are working on for next year so far says.

"A lateral, back pressure or blindside hit to an opponent where the head is targeted and or the principal point of contact is not permitted.

A violation of the above will result in a minor or major penalty and shall be reviewed for possible supplemental discipline."

So basically you can receive a minor a major or a fine and suspension. Which really will not stop anyone. Since it will still be to open to interpetation. They need to just have 1 strict result no matter what and that's the only way you'll stop hits like that.

[pnickers]

I completely agree with that.  The bottom line is, the GM's needed to make a rule effective ASAP at the meetings they completed yesterday in Boca Raton.  A mid season rule change would have been unorhodox, but not unheard of like in the definition of unsportsmanlike conduct a few years ago, otherwise known as the Sean Avery Rule. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Avery#.22The_Sean_Avery_rule.22

With all of the attention concussions and their long term effects are getting, the NHL can't let acts like this continue.  If they clearly define the rules so that there is no gray area, Cooke would be suspended, remorse or not.   

[Bull]

yes but they need to make the rule first. And sine they haven't... I see no reason to suspend him.

[pnickers]

Well, you're right.  They can't suspend him without the rule change.  I'm just saying they passed up the best chance they were going to have now that the season is winding down towards the playoffs. 

That game in Boston on the 18th is looming pretty large right now. 

[Bull]

Yeah it's going to be brutal. I hope the ref's are ready and don't take no shit.

[Nye]

Well, you're right.  They can't suspend him without the rule change.  I'm just saying they passed up the best chance they were going to have now that the season is winding down towards the playoffs. 

That game in Boston on the 18th is looming pretty large right now. 

Campbell had a tough call to make, sure he could have suspended cooke and made the game safer for everyone, but since he didn't suspend Mike Richards for a similar hit he couldn't justify it.  It could be construed as playing favorites but if he did suspend cooke and not richards it could be construed that way anyway.  I think he made the right call.

[pnickers]

He had to abstain from any involvement in that Philadelphia-Florida game because his son is on the Panthers payroll.  It would have been a conflict of interest, as if this whole thing needed to be any more complicated than it already is. 

[homesystem]

the GM's needed to make a rule effective ASAP at the meetings they completed yesterday in Boca Raton. 

Following this meeting they all played 9 holes of golf, took a shvitz, went to the early-bird special and were in bed by 8pm.  They were especially concerned by the chilly 65-degree air, so they turned the thermostat up to 85 degrees before turning in.

[pnickers]

And finally a response from Matt Cooke himself. 

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/10070/1042036-100.stm

I wonder if this will affect his play, other than putting a target on his back. 

[pnickers]

I think this may top the "Maklin" jersey foul. 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/U-S-Senate-candidate-on-how-campaign-stole-Co?urn=nhl,227264

[Nye]

I think this may top the "Maklin" jersey foul. 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/U-S-Senate-candidate-on-how-campaign-stole-Co?urn=nhl,227264

So he's an openly gay libertarian copyright thief. Nice.