And now, a word from Mr. Adams

One of the best phrases in the Galaxy

I feel rather uncomfortable posting this, because I have my own doubts.  Yet I feel compelled to because I'm partly a contrarian out of nature, partly because I see merit in these points.

The 2000-2001 Penguins, with Jaromir Jagr, Alex Kovalev, Martin Straka, Robert Lang made it into the Eastern Conference Finals after a 96-point campaign.  Also chipping in for a stunning 76 points in 43 games was the Magnificent One, who hadn't played pro hockey in 3 and a half years.  I may be the only Edmontonian who believes Mario was better than Wayne, but that, like my appreciation for Brian Burke, is for another day.

The following season, they lost some key players - notably Jagr and Straka - and bombed to 69 points.  The year after was worse, with 65, despite a longer season from Mario (67 games, up from 24 in '01-'02.)  In 2003-2004 the Penguins were an unmitigated disaster, managing only 58 points - and remember, this entire discussion is the overtime loss era (though not yet shootout.)

With 2004-2005 a write-off due to the lockout, the Penguins got to draft Sidney Crosby.

In 2005-2006, Crosby's rookie campaign, he managed 39 goals and 63 assists.  Also on his team were Sergei Gonchar (58 points), and some of the last truly productive years for Mark Recchi (57 points in just 64 games) and John LeClair (51), along with an in-his-prime Ryan Malone and a great rookie campaign from Colby Armstrong.

The Pens were weak between the pipes, with rookie Marc-Andre Fleury shouldering the burden for 50 games and being the best option with a .898 save percentage and 3.25GAA.  Bad as those numbers were, they were by far the best on the Pens.  Somehow, he isn't ruined by that experience.

So this team, with some good offensive output, decent defenders, and shaky goaltending... repeated its 2003-2004 record, with just 58 points again.

The Pens, over four years, drafted first overall twice (Crosby and Fleury) and second overall twice (Malkin and Staal.)  Crosby is a generational talent.  We may not see another like him.  Malkin is "just" a superstar.  Fleury is good, he might even become great, but his name doesn't ring out with Roy, Brodeur, and Hasek - and probably never will.  Jordan Staal is Jordan Staal, sort of a unique entity at this point with no parallels I can come up with.  Is he overpaid?  Under-appreciated?    Limited by his role?

To get all that, the Pens went through 4 miserable years, seeing one superstar, one star, and one legend leave the team or even the game.

Should we, as Oilers fans, be in a panic over our scenario?  What were Pittsburgh fans thinking in January of 2006?