Oh No, Please, NOT AGAIN!!!

Okay, folks, I don't want to overreact here, but Mark Belko filed this report with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and it has me a little nervous:

If the state Legislature recesses for the summer without approving a bill critical to funding a new arena, the entire project could be in jeopardy, Gov. Ed Rendell and the Penguins said today.

"The money is there but the Penguins have said that if the bill isn't passed in this session it may delay construction for a year and that might put the deal in jeopardy," said Chuck Ardo, Mr. Rendell's spokesman.

[...]

In response to the statements, Penguins President David Morehouse said, "If this legislative session ends without arena funding in place the entire funding structure for the arena and the arena project would be in jeopardy."

WHAT?! Please, SAY IT AIN'T SO! Okay, okay. I need to calm down for a second. [*Breathes Deeply*]

Is the new arena in jeopardy?

All right. Now that I've settled down, I know exactly what's going on here: Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell (henceforth known here as "Fast Eddie") is grandstanding and using the Pittsburgh Penguins fans to create the public pressure he needs in order to get what he wants from Harrisburg. This isn't the least bit surprising. Anyone who lives in PA is used to Fast Eddie. He's a blowhard and we all know it.

What REALLY shocks and bothers me is that the Penguins' officials are helping him do it. After what we went through this year, they know we don't take this kind of talk lightly. By releasing statements like this, they know it will cause an extreme reaction from the fans. They know that we'll write, call, and email our politicians, imploring them to side with Fast Eddie so we can get our arena and keep our beloved Pens. They also know public pressure will force the state legislature to vote for Fast Eddie's version of the budget, so they too are using us to create some noise.

This kind of political bullshit is completely wrong and unfair to us fans. I know the Pens got a new arena deal, but I didn't know they sold their souls to get it. Instead of using public opinion to try to get his way, Fast Eddie SHOULD be in his office negotiating with state senators to come up with a plan that works for everyone.

And, even though I got indigestion from reading that article, I doubt Sid should start packing his bags just yet. In fact, my bet is that there isn't a serious threat to the new arena deal. But be sure to stay tuned; I'm sure the drama is just getting started...

The Penguins are Total Sellouts!

Wasn't it not too long ago that hockey in Pittsburgh was declared 'dead'?

Hmm, it appears that the sport has suddenly come back to life.

Want seasons tickets? Too frickin bad!

From the Pittsburgh Business Times:

The team put out a statement Thursday saying it is approaching the 13,500 mark for sales of season ticket packages that combined, represent season ticket orders for all 43 home games, including two preseason games.

Fed by interest in a new arena and a roster of talented younger players, the Penguins have eclipsed a previous record of 12,350 full-season ticket packages that was set during their Stanley Cup Championship days back in 1992-1993.

Because of the record sales, the team said it is cutting off full and half-season sales and establishing a waiting list for season tickets. Fans who wish to be on the waiting list will be required to lay down a $200 deposit, the team said.

Waiting list? Wow... like Eric over at The NHL Fanhouse, I am blown away at just how hot an item that Penguins tickets appear to be.

And, to think, that some idiots didn't think hockey would ever work in Pittsburgh. HMPH!

Canada > USA

*** DISCLAIMER ***
Please read the entire post before you fire off a nasty email to me or leave an angry comment. If you'll recall, I'm from central PA, and this post actually has nothing to do with either country being better than the other. It's about commercials. I just wanted to do something lighthearted for fun. Well, just read on... You'll see what I mean.

---

Ah HA! Now that I have your attention, allow me to explain:

When professional athletes play, they sweat. And when they sweat, they lose electrolytes. (Do you see where I'm going with this?) Most of them choose to drink the sports drink Gatorade. It is a product most of them use and a few of them endorse - which brings me to my point. Our Canadian friends get to watch Gatorade commerials like this one starring number 87. To my knowledge, it never aired in the U.S. I know it's an old one, but it is, by far, my favorite Sidney commercial. (Here's a link to the newer one, if you want to watch that one. It's pretty good, too.) Consider this Exhibit A:

THAT is a great commercial. Its simplicity is its greatest asset. Sidney isn't portrayed as a superstar. It shows him as a regular person that loves hockey and will play anytime with anyone, anywhere. Additionally, what little kid hasn't dreamt of having his favorite superstar show up and ask to join him in his pickup game? And any commercial that features the Hanson brothers is tops with me.

Now, contrast that with this travesty of a commercial that Gatorade has begun airing here in America, otherwise known as Exhibit B:

Excuse me, but can anyone tell me what the hell just happened?! Why is Harvey Keitel on the field? What does he have to do with baseball? Is he supposed to be like the devil on Derek Jeter's shoulder? WTF?! (Seriously, if anyone out there can interpret this and clear things up for me, leave a comment or send me an email. I'd really appreciate it!) Maybe it's just me, but I think Sid's Gatorade commercials are sooooo much better than this confusing piece of crap!

And now my friends, you know why Canada > USA. Canadians get to watch Sidney Crosby hawk sports beverages in stylish advertisements that make sense to the average viewer, and we don't.

One More Reason ESPN Sucks

I don't know exactly when the nominees for this year's ESPY Awards were announced, but I just learned of this unbelievable snub just this morning:

Just take a wild guess who DIDN'T make the list of nominees for Best Male Athlete... Yeah, I am stunned right now. Can someone out there please tell me how you can win the awards for league MVP and top point scorer of the NHL, be voted the most outstanding player by your peers, and be named the youngest captain in NHL history - all in one season - yet NOT be a consideration for male athlete of the year?!

"I'm not nominated for Athlete of the Year?! Come ON!!!"

I'm not saying Sidney would be a shoo-in to win athlete of the year; I don't know enough about any of the other nominees to make that claim. All I'm saying is I don't understand how he wasn't even a nominee, considering all he's achieved this season. It is a slap in the face for the all of hockey. We all know the brass at ESPN and the brass at the NHL don't exactly love each other, but for the ESPY Select Nominating Committee to snub an athlete as deserving as Sid is outrageous. Would ESPN do this to an athlete from the NBA, NFL, or MLB if circumstances were similar? Doubtful.

All is not lost, though. Sidney does make an appearance as a nominee for Best NHL Player. (Imagine that!) You can vote for him at ESPN.com to at least help make sure they get this particular award right. Just scroll down to find the NHL award - there are no other hockey nominees in any other categories.

And since I'm complaining about the lack of any real NHL presence on the list ESPY nominees, I've got one more issue. I can't believe the moment when Mario stepped out onto the ice at the Mellon Arena on March 13, 2007 and announced to the world that our Penguins would remain OUR Penguins didn't get a nomination for Best Sports Moment. For me, that wasn't just the best sports moment of the year, that was the best sports moment of the decade.

Thanks again, Mario!!! You truly are Le Magnifique.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T! Find Out What It Means To Sid

For regular readers, by now it is obvious that I am a big Gary Roberts fan. It turns out, so is Sidney - so much so that Sid called Gary, as well as the Penguin's other resident veteran, Mark Recchi, to make sure they would approve of his captaincy:

Everyone makes a big deal of the leadership Roberts provides to a young team, and rightfully so. Sidney Crosby thought so much of him and Recchi that he called both last month to make sure they were OK with him becoming, at 19, the youngest captain in NHL history. That's respect.

It's hard to imagine a better role model for young players than Roberts. His workout regime is legendary, to the degree that many of the Penguins made sure to get his cell phone number at the end of the season so they could make arrangements to join him this summer to train. Crosby spent a couple of days with him in Toronto earlier this month.

Wow. That says a lot. Sid could have simply accepted the captaincy without consulting anyone. Actually, he could have added the C to his uniform following the All Star game weekend in late January. But it says something of his maturity that he waited a few months, consulted both Roberts and Recchi, and talked it over with his parents before saying yes - even though he was already the "unofficial" leader of the Penguins. Obviously, Sid got the thumbs up from the vets (and Mom & Dad!). Now, with the C on his chest, I'm sure Sid will prove to the naysayers that he is indeed mature enough to be captain. Who knows? Maybe he'll even tone down the on-ice complaining a bit... ;)

Sidney, shown in Mr. Roberts' Neighborhood

Referring back to my post from 06-22-07, I will better explain my point: resigning Roberts was the best thing that could have happened to this team. In the few short months he wore the Penguins sweater, his attitude and work ethic have obviously had a significant impact on the team. Don't get me wrong - the guy is an awesome talent (even at his advanced age), but what really matters is that these young Penguins want to be like Gary when they grow up. That will be what makes it worth every penny paid to keep him around for next season.

A Captain Calls

In all the excitement following a weekend that had the Penguins drafting yet another potential superstar as well as a pair of right handed defensemen AND snagging Gary Roberts for an entire season, I forgot to mention one more trade in my last post. The Pens traded Wilkes-Barre / Scranton staple Stephen Dixon for fellow center Tim Brent from Anaheim. Now you know.

Moving on to today's edition of news about our FAVORITE center, it seems the young captain is pleased with the Penguins' 2007 first round draft choice:

Shortly before he met the media after the Penguins made him their first-round pick, Esposito took a call from Crosby, the team's newly minted captain. The conversation was brief, but it might have explained why Esposito appeared generally pleased to land with Pittsburgh despite having slipped from the consensus top prospect at the start of this past season.

"(Esposito) was very happy to get that call," general manager Ray Shero said. "Sid did the same thing last year when we drafted Jordan (Staal). You know, Sidney is the captain of this team, so it is very nice for our top pick to hear from him."

the ultimate welcome wagon

It's also worth noting that, while in Columbus, Penguins officials toured the Nationwide Arena. Apparently, they have (smartly) been touring modern arenas ever since they got word the Pens would get a new home, and it is believed that the Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota is the building which the Penguins will use as a model for the new arena in Pittsburgh.

Next up on the agenda for the Penguins' brass: the free agency period, which begins on July 1. Incidentally, this will also be the day when the Pens can begin negotiations to renew Sir Sidney's contract:

"He's our franchise player and a guy we want to be here the rest of his career," Shero said. "Once we can start talking to him on July 1, hopefully we have some common ground here."

Crosby anticipates the negotiations going well."We want to make sure everything goes right and it's the way everyone wants it," Crosby said. "It's part of the business side of things, but I'm more than confident that everyone's going to be happy with it."

Sidney Crosby = Penguin for Life? I can hardly wait to see what happens...

2007 Draft Day Surprise

Wow! What a weekend! With the signing of Gary Roberts and Mark Recchi to secure them for another season and the absolute STEAL at the draft, it was indeed a great weekend to be a Pens fan. But still, the 2007 draft doesn't top this one:

(aaaahh... the good old days.)

Following this weekend's draft, Sid's got a slew of new teammates - and, yes friends, we got two RIGHT HANDED DEFENSEMEN (Bortuzzo and Grant). Beautiful. It also looks like the Penguins decided to add some beef to their roster. There are some BIG boys in this year's list of Pens picks. (Were they thinking of bigger size = better protection for Sid?)

The night's big news: Angelo Esposito is now a Penguin. Outstanding. Drafting this kid is like buying stock in Microsoft in the early 80's: he's a high risk to be sure, but expect HIGH RETURNS if things go well. He's got loads of talent and tons of potential. Only a few months ago, it was widely thought that he would be the first overall draft pick this year, but his stock fell dramatically amid accusations that he lacked the commitment and passion necessary to succeed in the NHL. Still, NO ONE thought he'd remain undrafted 19 choices in. (It was so unexpected that Ray Shero & company didn't even have a nameplate made for the jersey they presented to Esposito, even though he was one of the first picks on the Pens' wishlist!) I think Espo will be a great addition to the Penguins. Being around Sid, Gary Roberts, Jordan Staal, Evgeni Malkin, et al. should help him rekindle his love of the game, if he's actually lost it.

Anyhoo, here's the scoop from the entire affair (which was already broken down nicely by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette):

• Angelo Esposito, a 6-1, 180-pound center from Montreal (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League).
• Keven Veilleux, a 6-foot-4, 202-pound center from Victoriaville (QMJHL).
• Robert Bortuzzo, a 6-3, 196-pound defenseman from Kitchener (Ontario Hockey League).
• Casey Pierro-Zabotel, a 6-1 205-pound center from Merritt (British Columbia Junior Hockey League).
• Luca Caputi, a 6-2, 184-pound left winger from Mississauga (OHL).
• Alex Grant, a 6-2, 185-pound defenseman from Saint John (QMJHL).
• Jake Muzzin, a 6-2, 206-pound defenseman from Sault Ste. Marie (OHL).
• Dustin Jeffrey, a 6-1, 205-pound center from Sault Ste. Marie (OHL).

Finally, Chris Thorburn was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers for a 3rd round draft pick. It's not an earth shattering announcement. He was neither terrible nor notable during his time with the Pens. It will be sad to see him go, but only because he was a member of the club that made this season so magical. If it matters, I wish him well in Atlanta... Not "a-Stanley-Cup-Winning-Season well", but "well" nonetheless. ;)

FANTASTIC FRIDAY

I'll keep this brief since I've already posted once today, but I REALLY need to share this with you:

GARY ROBERTS (and Mark Recchi) SIGNED A ONE YEAR DEAL WITH THE PENGUINS!!!!!!

Listen... Can you hear that? That, my friends, is the sound of all of Pittsburgh letting out a collective sigh of RELIEF!!! This is the best news I've heard since Sid swept the NHL awards. If you weren't impressed with the Penguins this past season (are you frickin' KIDDING ME?) - just wait until next season...

It is great that the Pens will keep Mark Recchi, but it is OUTSTANDING that they get to have Roberts for an entire season. That guy is 41 years old and plays with more tenacity than most of the 20 year olds in the NHL. Sidney will benefit exponentially from having both of these veterans around for another year.

I Wonder What He Wished For...

Ugh!!! There hasn't been much Sidney news in the days since the NHL awards. I suppose I could ramble on editorial-style like Jonathan Kay of the National Post...

Until now, he was been known by the nicknames Sid the Kid and The Next One, references to his youth — Sidney Crosby is still only 19 — and to the expectation that he will be the next Wayne Gretzky, the next Great One. Yet after Thursday’s NHL award ceremonies, Crosby can no longer be considered a kid, and the “next” is now.

At a ceremony in Toronto, Crosby captured the league’s Triple Crown for forwards — the Hart Trophy for MVP, the Art Ross Trophy for leading scorer and the Lester Pearson award for best player as chosen by his peers. Crosby is already the best player in his sport. The only question now is how far can he go? How many of Gretzky’s more than 90 individual records will he surpass?

*Yawn* ...but I'd rather not repeat what's been said more than a million times already. So for today's post, I submit to you a video I found that shows Sid and Alexander Ovechkin presenting a cake to Brendan Shanahan for his 38th birthday, which coincided with this year's All Star Games in Dallas:



Lighting the candles with a BLOWTORCH?! Fantastic. I just love it that both Sid and Alex look like star struck kids when they give that cake to Shanahan! With how talented and famous these guys are, it's easy to forget how young they really are and that their now-coworkers are guys they idolized while they were growing up. I've got a couple more of these gems that I found (thank God for YouTube), so look for them in the coming days. Hopefully, I won't be using repeats from earlier posts, but even if I do - it's the offseason. What else are we going to do, right?

Remember, if you find an interesting clip of Sid on YouTube or if you see any news about what Sid's been up to during the offseason, feel free to send it my way: snoopyjode@gmail.com. Thanks! ~ Jodie

Stanley's Upcoming Trip to Cole Harbour

Okay Sidney fans, the draft starts tomorrow, and the Penguins don't make an appearance until the 20th pick!!! What a difference a year makes, no? First up on the shopping list should be a right handed defenseman. The Pens' defensive roster has nine southpaws - a couple more righties would come in very handy. I know - they've got Kris Letang and Jonathan D'Aversa, but those two may end up spending most of their time in Wilkes-Barre. But then again, there was a time when a lot of people thought Jordan Staal should have been sent back to Peterborough...

Let's get to the news. First up: there doesn't appear to be an instant superstar like Sir Sidney in this year's draft, and Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette found out that Jay Heinbuck doesn't exactly have lofty expectations for the type of player that the Penguins can get this year.

...it wouldn't matter much to the Penguins because, after selecting first or second in four consecutive drafts, they won't choose until 20th this time. Even in years when the quality and depth of the talent available border on legendary, the superstars-in-waiting aren't stacked 20-deep.

No matter, though. The Penguins, after all, already have a stable of rarefied young talent and having the No. 20 pick hardly dooms them to getting a guy who will be manning a drive-through window before the decade is over. Consider that in recent years, Alexander Frolov of Los Angeles, Buffalo's Daniel Paille, Travis Zajac of New Jersey and Minnesota's Brent Burns are among the players who have gone 20th overall.

"There are a lot of guys [selected] at 20 who are playing in the league," said Jay Heinbuck, the Penguins' director of amateur scouting. "There are a lot of guys who aren't playing, too. We just hope we get one who does."

Well, that's not exactly a pep rally, now is it? Oh well, maybe the Pens will score a couple of good ones with the free agents (say it with me now - Roberts! Roberts!!! ROBERTS!!!!!!).

Moving on, the NHL Board of Governors has changed some of the rules for next season. None of the changes are particularly earth shattering.

And finally, since this is Sidney Crosby's show, I figured I should include a little something about him in this post. ;) I found this article from Canada.com detailing Sid's plans for the big day when Joe DiPenta brings Lord Stanley's cup to Cole Harbour:

He says he's not upset that he won't be the first player from his Nova Scotia community to return home with the Stanley Cup. Anaheim defenceman Joe DiPenta will get first crack at that now that the Ducks are NHL champions. He'll get his day with the Cup. Arrangements haven't been finalized.

"I don't think I'll be around when the Cup is around," said Crosby. "I'll stay away while that's going on. But it's great for him, and it's great for the kids there. A lot of kids, hopefully, will get the opportunity to see it up close."

Good for DiPenta, Crosby added. "I'm sure there are a lot of people there who coached him or helped him get to where he is," said Crosby. "It's a great way for him to come back and say thanks."

Something tells me if the kids miss seeing hockey's Holy Grail when it visits Cole Habour this year, they'll have more than a few opportunities to see it in the coming years. :)

Video of the Day: Crosby Gets a Hart

Here is the video from the NHL Awards show where Sidney gets the big prize...after listening to Gordie Howe babble on for an hour...zzz.

A (Not So) New Penguin

The off season must be getting to everyone. I was listening to Jim Tatti and Phil Esposito on my drive home from work today (they host the show In The Slot on XM Radio's Home Ice channel 204), and they were talking about the difference between the salary Espo earned back in the day versus the much larger salaries players earn today. I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but it morphed into this strange rant about the growing gap between the rich and the poor and how the American middle class was going to disappear. WTF?! I don't know which was more bizarre: the economics discussion on hockey talk radio or the fact that I listened to the entire thing. (Fantastic. There's an hour of my life I can't get back. I thought I was done with economics when I graduated from college last year.) Only two more days until the draft starts - maybe then Tatti and Espo will have something better to talk about...

Anyhoo, Sidney's got a new teammate. (Can I get a "WHAT WHAT" for a right handed defenseman?) Well, okay, Connor James played for the Baby Pens last season so technically he's not new to the Penguins organization, and technically this "news" happened yesterday. But I'm new here, so I have an excuse. ;)

Finally, I found this article from Halifax's The Daily News:

Funk and Wagnalls' dictionary describes dignity as "stateliness and nobility of manner," which pretty much sums up Sidney Crosby's commanding presence at the NHL Awards ceremony in Toronto on Thursday night.

Crosby may not yet be accepted as the greatest player in the world by his few remaining critics - whose most vociferous spokesman, Donald S. Cherry, was conspicuously absent from the Elgin Theatre - but few can argue that the young man from Cole Harbour isn't the classiest professional star athlete extant.

Three things:

1. Do they even print Funk and Wagnalls dictionaries anymore?
2. Geez, I'm a big fan of Sidney's, believe me, but this article made it seem like the author sees a freakin' halo hovering above Sidney's helmet. The whole thing sounded like a family Christmas letter written by Sid's doting grampa. (Do you think Connolly may be biased because Sid's a local boy?) Okay, I think the Kid is an unparalleled talent, and I agree - he absolutely is a gracious young man, but it seems like the media is putting a ridiculous amount of pressure on him to be perfect. After all, he's not even legally able to buy a beer (here in the States, anyways!), and I think it is a bit much for someone his age.
3. As an American hockey fan, I've only recently had the displeasure of meeting "Grapes" when he appeared on NBC during the Stanley Cup finals, but I simply can't imagine that Sid's losing any sleep because this guy doesn't like him.

Nice to Meet You / Using Sidney

Hello, my fellow Croz addicts! Jes has a full schedule and has commissioned me to provide some help with running The Sidney Crosby Show. My name is Jodie, I've been a die hard Pittsburgh Penguins fan for about 10 years now, and I am a HUGE fan of Sidney's. I'm from central PA, so I get to go to a few Pens games every season. I look forward to sharing some of next season's games with you. Until then, I'll be scouring the web for stories to pass the time during the offseason. Feel free to send me links to stories on the web about Sidney. So without further ado...

---

After a sweeping win at the NHL awards last week, Sidney's face has been pretty much everywhere. And since it is Sid's mug that is widely recognized as the "Face of the NHL," Ray Slover of The Sporting News has some advice for the suits at the NHL on how they should capitalize on the recent exposure:

From MSNBC.com:

This is a genuine guy, this Sid the Kid. He should be the centerpiece of the NHL's marketing campaign. Certainly that campaign will continue to include Alexander Ovechkin, who has an electric smile and winning personality.

But Crosby is more what North American hockey fans want, and a man lukewarm fans can embrace. Handsome, articulate and, above all, a nonpareil talent. He can fill highlight reels, scraps of which will be used in NHL promos. Let me repeat that so the NHL marketing geniuses get it. Sidney Crosby will be the face of NHL marketing and promotion...

...This is the dawn of a new era for the NHL. Distractions must be avoided, a time of labor peace is mandatory and most of all, NHL players must avoid inflicting damage on their reputations. No more Dany Heatley crashes; no black marks from drug or alcohol incidents, or highly publicized domestic crises.

Don't limit the push to NHL markets. The league must leverage its publicity by looping in the AHL and ECHL, its primary farm system for talent. All three leagues will benefit.

And it certainly doesn't need any more television trouble. Technical difficulties prevented Versus from showing the awards show. The TV issue continues to be the most contentious matter for U.S. fans.

Give Crosby and his young cohorts a say in creating buzz. After all, Crosby is the young star and can better relate to his generation than any old guys on the Board of Governors or in NHL headquarters.

One more thing: Don't force it. Creating buzz for the NHL isn't a matter of loading a cannon and spraying puck pieces across the atmosphere. Fans don't want anything crammed down their throats.
Sidney Crosby is the next one. The next step is up to the NHL.

I am mostly on board with Slover, especially about the problems with the American television broadcasts and the no more Dany Heatley thing (wait, he meant no more scandals not "no more Dany Heatley..." so nevermind then), but he claims Ovechkin has "an electric smile and winning personality"?! Wow. Maybe it's just me, but I must have missed those qualities in him. All I can see when I look at him is a dirty hitter.

Sidney Secures the Award Trifecta

What a night for Sidney Crosby

Already having won the Art Ross, Crosby went 2-for-2 by winning both the Lester B. Pearson (NHLPA MVP) and Hart Trophy (regular MVP) awards at the annual gala.

From TSN.ca:

The 19-year-old native of Cole Harbour, N.S., got 91 first-place votes and 1,225 points in a poll of Professional Hockey Writers' Association members.

Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo was second with 25 first-place votes and 801 points, and New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur was third with 21 first-place votes and 763 points.

Crosby became the youngest player in NHL history to win the Art Ross Trophy as scoring champion after amassing 120 points during the regular season.

The night began with his NHL Players' Association peers giving him the Lester Pearson Award as most outstanding player.

He's only the seventh player in league history to pull off the Ross-Pearson-Hart triple.

Hockey Hall of Famer Gordie Howe handed Crosby the Hart, which Howe won six times. Howe recalled meeting Crosby when he was a boy.

"Don't change," Howe told the kid. "He looked up at me and took in every word like a sponge."

Crosby's next goal is to win the Stanley Cup, but he'll savour his big night of awards.

"There's something above and beyond this I want to achieve but these are great honours," he said.

Crosby was also named to the NHL's First All-Star team, making him the youngest to achieve that honour. Just imagine how many more of these he'll win over his career!

Sidney Crosby, for teh winz!!!

EA Screws Sid out of NHL 08 Cover

EA Sports, maker of the NHL series of games, made their announcement as to whom would grace the cover of NHL 2008.

The NHL's leading scorer and best player? Nope.
The NHL's Conn Smythe winner? Nope.
Somebody from the NHL finals? Nope.
Alexander Ovechkin, again? Hell, no!

Instead of having Sidney Crosby market the product, EA decided to go with the NHL's 40th (!!!) leading scorer: ERIC STAAL!

WTF?

Carolina Hurricanes centre Eric Staal will be the cover boy for Electronic Arts' "NHL 08" video game.

"I am a huge fan of the NHL franchise and played 'NHL 07' fanatically," Staal said in a statement.

Staal won the Stanley Cup with Carolina last year and was part of the Canadian team that won the IIHF World Hockey Championship in May.

NHL 08 is the 16th version of the EA NHL hockey franchise, and is being developed by the company's Vancouver studio. It will be released in September.

Would Sidney have been cursed with this honour?

Over at The NHL Fanhouse, JP runs through the list of previous cover boys, and shows that there is no real curse to speak of.

Perhaps EA did this to save money. Hopefully, they'll take this extra money and make the game NOT SUCK! Perhaps a little realism to the defensive play? Maybe AI that doesn't run around like headless chickens? Is that too much to ask?

Video of the Day: Sidney Crosby, High School Project

Some kid decided to make a Sidney Crosby vid for his pal's high school project.

I wish my homework was this fun when I was a kid...

Crosby Receives his Art Ross

The NHL decided to showcase its biggest stars when it awarded the Art Ross trophy to Sidney Crosby and other awards to the stats leaders during the leadup to Game Three.

From Newsobserver.com:

What a week for Sid the Kid.

First, Sidney Crosby was chosen Pittsburgh Penguins captain. Then he got to meet members of the Montreal Canadiens' teams that won five straight Stanley Cup titles in the 1950s. And on Saturday, former Canadiens star Henri Richard presented Crosby with the Art Ross Trophy for leading the NHL in scoring with 120 points.

As nice as the award was, Crosby was struck by meeting the Montreal greats, especially considering he grew up rooting for the Canadiens.

"Here I am talking about trying to win one Stanley Cup, and those guys have 10 or 11," Crosby said. "It doesn't seem fair."

The NHL presented three other awards during a luncheon held before Game 3 of the Cup finals.

This is nice, but we know Sidney really wants the MVP and, more importantly, the Stanley Cup.

Just consider this another stepping stone.

And, great move by the NHL to make this a special occassion.