Although they will cringe at the sight of Jaromir Jagr in a Washington Capitals jersey, many Pittsburgh Penguins fans supported GM Craig Patrick's decision to trade the NHL's leading scorer. Without Jagr, the Pens may dip into the trade market for an All-Star like Brett Hull, or re-sign a plethora of players, including Alexei Kovalev and Martin Straka. Mario Lemieux will lead Pittsburgh once again in 2001-02, but the overachieving Penguins are probably several key market moves away from the Stanley Cup.
Here are your thoughts on what the Penguins need for next season:
Jagr trade clears way for key signings
I look for the Pens to have another stellar season. The Jaromir Jagr trade was a good one because it will enable them to sign their important restricted free agents (Martin Straka, Robert Lang, etc.) The potential acquistion of Brett Hull is imperative to their success. They could also use another blueliner and another strong season from their young goalie. Losing Jagr wasn't really a bad thing, especially when you consider how he performed (or didn't perform) in the playoffs. Having a cancer in the clubhouse is not a good thing. Take it from me, I'm a Flyers fan.
Keith
Marlton, N.J.
Jagr never came through in the clutch
I know this will sound farfetched to some, but I think the Pens are a better team without Jaromir Jagr. With him, they were a great collection of individuals with great skill and talent. But when things got tough, there was a lot of pressure on the league's top goal-scorer, and it was at those times when he always failed to produce and lead. After the trade, less focus on Jagr meant more focus on the team. So without him, the Penguins will be a better team, and that is what counts when things aren't going the way they hoped they would in the conference finals. With the likes of Milan Kraft on the horizon, and if Johan Hedberg proves to be more than a flash in the pan, the only question mark left is defense.
Rich
Newport News, Va.
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Having a cancer in the clubhouse is not a good thing. Take it from me, I'm a Flyers fan. ” |
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— Keith, Marlton, N.J. |
Bright future for Pens
Why is it that everyone is so concerned about the Pens after the loss of Jaromir Jagr? Wasn't this the team that went to the conference finals with an ineffective Jagr? Many people have looked at the Jagr trade as a big loss for the Pens, but Craig Patrick doesn't make trades just to make trades. He knows what is best for this team, and signing the KLS line (Alexei Kovalev, Robert Lang and Martin Straka) and Darius Kasparaitis rank a lot higher than a moody and distracting Jagr. With those players signed, a rested and healthy Mario Lemieux, hopefully a still strong Johan Hedberg and a possible free agent signing or two, the Pens will still be one of the top teams in the East.
Michael
Pittsburgh
Pens should have put Jagr in business
The Penguins owed it to their fans, particularly their young fans, to keep Jaromir Jagr. A lot of people identified the Penguins and Jagr as the same animal. They made the playoffs every year because of Jagr and they should have found a way to keep him. Mario Lemieux deferred his salary all those years. That's how he became the owner. Mario should have been creative enough to do the same thing with Jags and made him his business partner down the road. The Penguins and Lemieux get the boo of the year for the way they traded Jagr away. They will struggle to make the playoffs this year.
Doug
Manalapan, N.J.
Shaky Pens need to re-sign veterans
The Penguins are obviously a team with question marks hanging over their heads. That'll be the case for the entire offseason and throughout the 2001-2002 season as well, considering all the uncertainties. The 2000-2001 season was a breath of fresh air for the Penguins fans, realizing that their team truly did have a shot after the unexpected return of Mario Lemieux. Mario truly lived up to all his expectations, and despite cooling off in the playoffs, he was the primary reason that Pittsburgh got that far in the first place. The Pens' success in the 2001-2002 season is not as certain. Yes, Mario will be playing with the team for a full season, but who knows how long he will last? He doesn't have someone of Jaromir Jagr's talent to play with, which is why Craig Patrick must make all the signings he possibly can. The two most important signings in my opinion are Alexei Kovalev and Darius Kasparaitis, who give the Pens an unparalleled amount of toughness. I believe that next season could truly go either way, and with the new rumors of Brett Hull joining the Pens' ranks, they will be fun to watch.
Julian
Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.
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A lot of people identified the Penguins and Jagr as the same animal. They made the playoffs every year because of Jagr and they should have found a way to keep him. ” |
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— Doug, Manalapan, N.J. |
Jagr won't be missed
Jagr who? OK, not exactly, but that's the attitude the Penguins have to take in order to forget about the scoring prowess of No. 68. The trade was bound to happen sometime, but it is a great relief that Penguins GM Craig Patrick was able to deal off Jaromir Jagr early, instead of having to rush at the beginning of next season. The Penguins are loaded with offense. Even with Jagr gone, the "then" second line of Martin Straka, Robert Lang, and Alexei Kovalev, along with Mario Lemieux (still can't get over seeing his name on the Penguins' roster), Jan Hrdina,and Kevin Stevens. CP will have a tough time signing all of his free agents, but it's looking pretty good with the money received/saved from the Jagr trade. The Pens' defense looks mediocre, but with the additions of Mike Wilson and the inspired play of Andy Ference, the blue line has a pretty good chance of improving. Johan Hedberg was a great pickup at last year's trade deadline, and he can only improve from his wonderful playoff performance. I am so excited about the Pens' future. The strength on the farm system is uncanny, and with the additions of Kris Beech, Michal Sivek and Ross Lupaschuk, the Pens' future is only brighter.
Mike
Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Pens may be left out of playoffs
The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Only the Rangers defy that logic. Although I don't think Jaromir Jagr is "the best hockey player in the world," he is a top player, and losing him will cost the Penguins. They should have deferred Jagr's compensation into team equity, like with Mario. Boston and the Isles are suddenly playoff teams. The Maple Leafs, Phily, Buffalo, and New Jersey are perennials. Add to that the resurgent Capitals and the dynamic duo in Florida, and that leaves no room for the Pens.
Shaz
New York
'D' is key for Pens
I think the Penguins need to sit down and seriously work on their defensive problems. The loss of Frantisek Kucera is no big deal in my mind. He played a limited number of games and was not a big threat. But more than helping out their defensive needs, the Pens need to sign most of their free agents. This includes Alexei Kovalev, Robert Lang, Martin Straka, Darius Kasparaitis, Ian Moran, Hans Jonsson, Jean-Sebastien Aubin, Johan Hedberg and even Mario Lemieux. So the Penguins need to see what they have to work with after the signings and make any necessary trades. It is all a matter of who they sign and what they can do on defense to make the team much better. They have to move up from 26th in goals against to the top 10 if they want to win the Stanley Cup next season.
Adam
Pittsburgh
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Many people have looked at the Jagr trade as a big loss for the Pens, but Craig Patrick doesn't make trades just to make trades. He knows what is best for this team ... ” |
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— Michael, Pittsburgh |
Penguins kept few secrets
The Penguins have gone out of their way to explain to the fans the financial situation they were in. In black and white, they were able to convince Pittsburgh sports fans that trading Jaromir Jagr was the sensible move. With Jagr, the Penguins were one or two key players away from the Stanley Cup -- without him they will still be one or two players away from the Stanley Cup. They will be a playoff bound team with a decent record, but not a legitimate contender. The fans will be satisfied.
Brian
Scotch Plains, N.J.
In Craig we trust
The name of the game for Pittsburgh fans right now is "patience." This means having faith in Craig Patrick to pull all the parts together, but not expecting it to happen overnight. The Pens are an easy target for criticism right now, after the recent signings by division rivals and the Jaromir Jagr trade. But Patrick isn't being inducted into the Hall of Fame for nothing. Supposing that he's able to sign all of the Pens' free agents, which is far more possible now than a week ago, the Pens will enter the season with nearly the same team that went to the conference finals last year. There's still a long summer ahead and many moons for Patrick to work before the trading deadline. Pittsburgh will be a contender again. They're bound to be a team with new leadership -- with a captain who will actually behave like one (no matter who it is). This year and last year could actually be seen as rebuilding years for the Penguins. Not bad when you can make the playoffs during "rebuilding years," eh?
Nate
Pittsburgh
