Mr. Roberts' Neighborhood Isn't Pittsburgh Anymore

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

What Would Gary Roberts Do?

Move on, apparently.

Rick Curran, who represents Roberts -- a veritable folk hero in his season-plus with the Penguins -- said yesterday that Roberts will continue playing, but not in Pittsburgh.

"He very much enjoyed his time there," Curran said. "But he understands that Ray [Shero, the Penguins' general manager] has a number of items on his agenda that would take priority."


Curran added that Roberts, 42, "most definitely" intends to continue his career and will decide where after reaching unrestricted free agency next Tuesday.

UGH!!! Pens fans with ThePensblog.com WWGRD wristbands = STUNNED. It was a good run, though, and I think what Robs taught our young Pens (specifically the Saint) in the time he spent here was invaluable beyond measure. He is legendary for his diet and workout regimens, and his passion for the game at age 42 showed the youngsters what commitment really means.

Thanks for everything, Gary. You will be missed.
(Photo courtesy of Friend of The Show Lexie101.)

Thanks to Friends of The Show Lexie101 for the picture and Stephanie S. for sending in the link.

Pens v Flyers (3:00pm start) BREAKING NEWS: Sid out of lineup

Word just came out of Philadelphia that Sidney Crosby will NOT be playing in this afternoon's game. The move is a likely result of the nasty game against the Flyers last Wednesday. With the playoffs literally right around the corner, it was definitely a smart move by Coach Therrien to prevent the superstar from getting hurt again, as well as give him a chance to rest his already injured ankle in preparation for the playoffs.

Additionally, GARY ROBERTS IS BACK IN THE LINEUP TODAY!!!! Look for a recap here after the game.

GO PENS!!!!!!!!

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.

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.

Gary Roberts: Crosby's Motivator?

The secret of Crosby's success: Confidence, freak-of-nature physical ability, and Gary Roberts?

Kevin Mcgran of the Toronto Star looks at Sidney's turnaround:

We just we gained a lot of confidence," star Sidney Crosby said yesterday. "You win five, six in a row, you beat good teams, you gain confidence.

"For a while it seemed like we couldn't lose. We were just finding ways to win, whether it was getting huge saves or coming back and winning the shootout. We couldn't lose."

While others in the Eastern Conference, like the Leafs, treaded water by winning a few, then losing a few, the Penguins went on a tear. They went 14-0-2 from mid-January to mid-February. A team loaded with teenaged talent, and players in their young 20s, wasn't thinking about the future. They were thinking about this year.

Adding Roberts in a deal with Florida and getting Laraque from Phoenix in trade-deadline deals simply made sense.

At 6-foot-3, 243 pounds, Laraque gives Pittsburgh an intimidating presence.

"His presence has been felt since his first game," says Crosby. "He's a great guy in the room, he's a great guy to have around. On the ice, he creates space, he can play. For a big guy, he can make plays, he's got great hands, he can really protect the puck."

Roberts, as Leaf fans may be aware, is an influence on and off the ice. He has four goals and six assists since coming to the Penguins.

"His experience is something that we definitely welcome," says Crosby. "He just leads by example out there and anybody can't help but follow the way he plays, especially this time of year. He shows a lot of grit, he's definitely helped us a lot."

At 40, Roberts is able to remind the young guns of the Penguins that youth is fleeting but a commitment to fitness and healthy eating can prolong and enhance a career.

"Guys are working a little bit more," says Crosby. "He makes you feel bad, when you're 19, 20 and I think he's 40 and he's hitting the weights twice as hard as anybody else.

"He's a great role model. You couldn't get a better guy."

Gary Roberts = Sidney's Saviour?

This article is more about Gary Roberts than Sidney Crosby, but the author relates the trade for Roberts as a great thing for Sid, personally.

From FOX Sports:

While Sidney Crosby has been finding all the holes on the ice during the regular season, that can all change for the youngster in the blink of an eye in the postseason, when teams clamp down on the opposition and the scoring chances are few and far between.

This is where Gary Roberts is going to be worth his weight in gold and black to Crosby and the Penguins this April in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The gritty Roberts, who has scored 20 or more goals 12 times in his career, was brought over from the Florida Panthers to play on the No. 1 line with Crosby, hoping the aging superstar could open up some room for the 19-year old and his linemate, Mark Recchi.
"I can't believe I'm playing with those slugs," joked Roberts, who had 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) with the Panthers this season. "It will be OK. I'm thrilled to be able to play with a kid like Crosby and obviously Recchi. I've known him for years and know the competitor that he is, so I'm really excited about the opportunity. Hopefully I can help them out a bit."

While secondary scoring is important in the playoffs, the biggest stars really have to do it for themselves. Forsberg, Sakic, Gretzky, and Lemieux (Mario and Claude) all performed exceeding well under the playoff pressure. Acquiring Roberts may help the Pens with some grit, but it's not exactly going to make Crosby all that much better.

Given Sidney's assertive style, my only worry is that he tries to do too much. Sidney has been trying to shoot himself out of his current slump, and has stopped using his teammates as much as he usually does.

Penguins Acquire Gary Roberts

A bit of a switch today as we'll focus on the Trade Deadline and some of Sidney Crosby's new teammates.

From TSN.ca

Gary Roberts has waived his no-trade clause with the Florida Panthers and has been traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenceman Noah Welch.

"He waived the no-trade portion of his contract, he waived that last night," Roberts' agent Richard Curran confirmed.

Roberts is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

The Panther forward was told by General Manager Jacques Martin on Monday morning after practice that the club had found a trade it deemed acceptable and all that was required to consummate the transaction was Roberts waiving his no-trade clause.

Roberts had made it abundantly clear that he would only waive his no-trade clause for a trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs or Ottawa Senators.

Well, I guess the chance to play for Sid and a true playoff contender changed his mind, eh?

Welch, 24, had 2 points in 22 games this year. He was a 2nd round pick of the Pens a few years back.

Roberts? He has 29 points in 50 games this season. He might be 40, but he's also the ultimate playoff warrior. For a Pens team needing some grit and experience, he'll be a good pickup.