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| Monday, July 15 Users: A long way to go |
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Last season was one worth forgetting for fans of the Penguins, as Pittsburgh missed the playoffs for the first time since 1989-90. But we wanted to know if ESPN.com users thought 2001-02 a sign of things to come, or a blip on the radar? So, we asked users for your thoughts on what's ahead for the Penguins. Here is a sampling of your responses:
2002-03 Penguins: no hope. After 2003: less than no hope.
Peter Stanick
The Penguins cannot compete with teams in big markets ... They cannot make moves in the free agency market and will therefore put a mediocre product on the ice year after year until Mario decides to move the team out of Pittsburgh. The fans whine about the team now, and they'll whine when the team leaves. Bye Mario. Bye Penguins.
Steve Curry
As for what they need to improve, I'd say everything. They need more stable scoring depth, they need better defense. A bigger name goalie would help. Too bad they have no money. All in all, it looks to me like the franchise is going down the drain again and this time even Lemieux can't save it.
Nancy Keoughan
The Penguins basically have three good players: Lemieux, Kovalev and Straka. The rest of their team is filled with minor leaguers or young guys who haven't played to their potential ... The Pens can make the playoffs this year if their three superstars stay healthy and play 85 percent of the games, and one or two of their young players step it up and fill the void of losing Robert Lang via free agency.
Sean Byers
The Penguins need a real owner, not a sentimental one. ... Once Mario's ego is out of the way, maybe then the Penguins can set out to rebuild the team through trades and the draft.
Christopher Raczka
I am following the Penguins since the early '90s, and never have I feared so much for my team -- not even during bankruptcy. We need a new arena -- period. Only then will there be star-powered hockey that Penguins fans are used to in Pittsburgh.
Stefan Sprinkart
Don't underestimate Craig Patrick. He always has something up his sleeve. There have been plenty of times in the past people have thought he had lost his mind and it turned out for the best.
Marianne Graham
Some of their young (defensemen) should improve after getting playing time last season, but they lost Kasparaitis and have a lot of unproven youth. There's no defensive leader on the team. They need a veteran who will be a mentor or at least a lead-by-example guy for their young blueliners.
Douglas McKinney
Even if Mario is heathly enough to play 65 games, the lack of anything on the blueline and growing questions in goal will sink the Penguins further in the standings. Trade Kovalev now and let Lemieux retire and start the re-building process sooner rather than later.
Vincent Piperni
Not a lot of things are going right for Pittsburgh right now. And things are going to get worse before it gets better. Asking for Lemieux, Kovalev, and Straka to stay healthy is asking a lot. Johan Hedberg needs to prove himself this year as well.
Dan Heaning
The Penguins will live or die in the future by the plan offered by Pittsburgh's Sports and Exhibition Authority. Their immediate success has always been about the health of the star players. If Lemieux plays in 60-70 games, Pittsburgh has a shot, but the team showed a lack of speed, size, and team defense to consistently battle those bigger, quicker, stronger monsters in the East.
Eric Bowser
While the Penguins did lose Robert Lang and Kasparaitis ... it's a little too quick to be preparing the funeral procession for the team. Last year's debacle was largely the product of a rash of injuries. The Penguins still have a trio of superstar forwards and both Jan Hrdina and Alexsey Morozov had breakout seasons last year. The defense is young but steadily improving, and if Lemieux can play at anywhere near the level he did during the 2000-2001 season, the team has a good chance at sneaking into a bottom playoff spot.
Andrew Kreicher |
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