More from Max About O'Byrne, Sabou's Mask, Boucher, and the Economy

You may recall that Friend of The Show DayWalk3r sent in this video of Montreal Canadien Ryan O'Byrne shooting the puck towards his goalie - after the netminder had been pulled in favor of an extra attacker on a delayed penalty. The puck of course went into the net to tie the game, and the New York Islanders were able to win the game in a shootout. Watch it one more time:



Mad Max Talbot addressed the incident in a post he wrote on Thanksgiving day. (Just a heads up - I tried my own hand at translating this one, so if any of the French speaking Friends visit the original French entry and notice that I'm wrong anywhere, feel free to let me know either in an e-mail or in The Friends' Zone.)

If you don't love this guy already, you will after you read his thoughts on O'Byrne's blunder in this edition of...



Be lenient towards Ryan O' Byrne

While most Americans are gathered to celebrate family time on Thanksgiving watching football and eating turkey, I am resting in my hotel room in Buffalo, an issue to be well rested for the first a small series of two games in two nights starting Friday against the Sabers.

Thanksgiving is a big business in the United States compared to Quebec, but for the Pittsburgh Penguins, it was merely to emphasize a small team in quiet dinner at the hotel restaurant. First, our schedule the next day does not allow us to do anything really crazy ... and secondly it is in Buffalo! Well, this is not a city where there are a thousand and one things to do, then it remains wise.

If all goes well, I should be in uniform to face the Sabres even if I could not finish the game against the Islanders on Wednesday. For those who have not seen the bad luck that struck me, I was hit by a slap shot from Radek Martinek in the middle of the neutral zone. I'm not supposed to reveal the exact nature of the injury, then my official version is that I am wounded in the upper body ... I let you draw your own conclusions if you've seen the game on TV!

The wound is a little frustrating because it occurred in a game a little weird. In fact, I do not really know what Martinek was trying to do because when he used all his strength to clear the puck, it was a good three meters before the red line, so if his shotgun does not hit me in passing, his release was denied [snoop: In other words, it would have been icing]. In any case ...

You know, I know the risks of my job and I am not afraid to take blows. For example, last year, I was injured blocking a shot during our series against the New York Rangers. I can say it is a little more acceptable to be injured in these circumstances than to be hit by a slapshot in the neutral zone!

Let us talk about this game against the Islanders ... The last time you've read my blog, it was after a completely crazy victory against the Detroit Red Wings. On Long Island, we lost 3-1 after two periods, but came back with four goals in the third to save the victory. You may find that a sense of the show, but believe me, we do not intend to make it so exciting.

I think we played a good second half of the game, but there is no doubt that we must work on our consistency. If we could play all full periods, we would be even more dangerous. It's odd: it seems that when we draw from the back, we start to apply more pressure and our defenders are involved more in offensive. I cannot explain that in a scientific way, but what I can say is that we are a team with great character.

I do not agree with those who say they were less well prepared or that the Islanders took it lightly because of their position in the standings. They had won five of their last six games and we knew they played well lately. We were ready, we knew we had a good challenge before us, but it took us time to answer the call.

I think we saw one of the best matches from Evgeni Malkin in the National League. As he does often when you have to climb a slope, Michel Therrien has placed him on the same line as Sidney Crosby and those who listened to the match will agree with me, it was beautiful to see. It still speaks of two of the best players in the world and I can tell you that when they were on the ice Wednesday, the Islanders had their arms full.

From my side, it was beautiful to see, but when you do not have the same uniform they do, you should be a little scared! I consider myself lucky because for the last two or three weeks, I was placed on the same trio [line] that Sidney was on and when we needed a goal, the coach will add Geno often. At that time, my role really does not change. I'm not going to start trying to make passes without looking and and of the impossible kind. I will seek the puck, I am the first in failure before, I make space while keeping it simple. The finish, I leave it in their [Sid and Geno] hands!

[I saw] the blunder while in Pittsburgh

I will return to what occurs to Penguins a little later, but I cannot prevent myself from commenting on the subject of the hour at present in Montreal: the blunder of Ryan O' Byrne.

If you are a regular in my columns, you know already that I equipped my house with a satellite antenna which enables me to collect some chains of television of Quebec, one of which is the Sports Network. I thus saw and re-examined the defender of the Canadiens to send the puck in his own goal and my initial reaction was: "Poor guy!"

In the meantime, I did not see it as an opponent making a blunder; he is something of a colleague and it is clear that there is a kind of solidarity that exists between NHL players when something like this happens. I often say the National League is like a big family. I talked with my good friend Bruno Gervais, who was well positioned to attend the scene, and he saw it the same way.

The second thing I said was that the Canadiens fans were pretty harsh. Already the guy just made a mistake, he feels badly and he wants to disappear under the ice, so he does not need to hear hootings and and people chanting his name.

I do not want a big deal of it, but also listening to comments from various analysts during the post-game and found that one exaggerated a bit. The analyst almost said the incident could jeopardize the rest of O'Byrne's career ... Come on!

The guy made a mistake. He scored in his own net in a regular season game, a game after which the Canadian has still earned a point. He has not lost the Stanley Cup! I can understand that he has not necessarily played like Bobby Orr since the beginning of the season, but still, this is no reason for him to fall on a tomato like that. [snoop: I'm totally stealing that expression!]

We must forget it and move on. If I had advice for Canadiens fans it would be to encourage O'Byrne rather than diminish, because if that player loses his confidence, it will affect his entire team.

If such a thing happen to teammates, one of my friends, I would go see him and I would tell him to laugh, to turn the page. [snoop: Max freaking ROCKS!!!!]

The mask of Sabourin

Dany Sabourin tried a new mask against the Islanders. It was during just half a game, but it looks like it has not gone unnoticed.

Why talk about this mask? Because he painted a frog on each side, a little wink to the fact that Quebecers are sometimes given the nickname of frogs by Anglophones. In fact, everything started from a kind of joke between us. Marc-Andre Fleury often carries a cap with the logo of a frog, but it is only for laughs, it's humor. That has shocked people in our midst but this is not why Dany did that.

I know there will always be people who see the negative everywhere, but please, do not shout for the scandal here! There is no racist connotation here. Furthermore, on his mask, there are also three flags, the flags of Quebec, Canada, and the United States.

I think the result is fairly successful, it is a beautiful mask, but unfortunately I think it will stay in the locker room for awhile. Dany gave up three goals on 14 shots in his first game wearing it and I believe he will return with his former in his next match. You know, the goalies are often very superstitious!

The acquisition of Philippe Boucher

There has been much talk since the beginning of the absence of Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney, two guys without whom our power play is not what it was. To settle part of the problem, the management team decided to look to Philippe Boucher in Dallas and I can tell you it was a very nice addition for us.

In return of a guy who almost did not play any more, Darryl Sydor, we obtained a smart defender who coaches give a lot of ice time since his arrival. His experience and cannonball [shot] are welcome here, was welcomed with open arms. I was acquainted with Philippe before his arrival, and I can say that we got our hands on a damned good guy.

Moreover, and I do not want to speak for him, but I think he is very excited to be with us in Pittsburgh. He told me that people in his entourage called to congratulate him when they learned of his trade. It says a lot about the situation he was living in Dallas and the one in which he finds himself today.

The crisis is not felt

A major economic crisis currently plaguing the United States and the world of sport is already suffering the consequences. Some athletes have lost sponsors and ticket offices have lost sales, some teams are beginning to realize that times are hard for Americans.

In Pittsburgh, on the other hand, the negative effects of the crisis are still not felt. We have played to sold out crowds for about two and a half years here, the Mellon Arena is always full since the beginning of the season and I do not think it is about to slow down. The souvenir shops seem to make excellent bargains, it is really a frenzy. [snoop: He's not kidding. I saw this first hand when we visited PensStation on 11-15-08. We, as we usually do, waited until the end of the game to venture into the shop. I mean it very literally when I say that it was wall to wall packed with people. My husband and I got separated because it was every man for himself if there was something that caught your eye. I've seen it packed before, but that was pure chaos. I picked out a t-shirt to get with my birthday money and waited more than 15 minutes in line to pay for it.]

In other cities such as Detroit, it seems that a lot less true. Without wishing to criticize Detroit, on the other hand, I remember having played even before the crisis began and there were still a number of good tickets available. Even at the last finals of the Stanley Cup, we could see Hockeytown benches empty ...

You are now officially caught up on the Musings of Mad Max Talbot. I will do my best to keep as up-to-date with these translations as I possibly can. I love Max's RDS blog because he is uninhibited with the truth. He's a straight shooter and his honesty is refreshing. I've got a few game day photos and some Roaming Penguins in the works for tomorrow's post.

GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!

Dining Out With Marian and Other Stories from Max

I promised this post to you earlier this week. In this post, Superstar talks about the 7-6 victory over Detroit, a dinner date with Marian Hossa, Hockey to the Max, and much more. So now without further ado, it's time for another installment of...



A crazy match and my columnist TV

What a crazy game, our victory of 7 to 6 against the Red Wings gave quite a show Tuesday night in Detroit.

It was truly a part of hockey, comparable to the intensity found in series. I would venture to say that this is one of the best regular season games in which I had the chance to participate. We went from behind 4-2 after the second period before starting a rebound en route to the win of 7-6 in overtime.

Such a game could seduce anyone who does not have a passion for hockey, it was a very catchy.

The game was so intense that even after the game and this morning, I had ached everywhere. One would have thought it was a match series in November and it remains rare to see these matches at this time of the season. This victory is even more enjoyable because we have never given up. This confidence was manifested and Jordan Staal played the hero with three goals in the third to carry the game in overtime.

On the whole, we played much better and this has become a question of character. I remember a game during which we lost by four goals in the third period facing the Senators and we started playing good hockey. Obviously, we bring these games.

After our victory against the Wings, we celebrated in the locker room and there was a special atmosphere. Okay, I would not say that it removes the pain of having lost the Stanley Cup facing them. However, it remains that this particular comeback occurs facing them.

Of course, this match became the first rendezvous against Marian Hossa in his Wings uniform. Unsurprisingly the media have created a great excitement around this story. It should be noted that the Penguins fans have not yet forgiven the decision. On the side of players, we have no choice but to accept his decision. We remain satisfied that he was not a big factor in the game even if one of the best players in the NHL.

We must not make a big story

The day before our team faced the Red Wings, some of my teammates went to dinner with Marian Hossa and this story was circulated in the media. For me, this is an acceptable phenomenon regular season, but I do not see it as such a good thing during the playoff series.

Indeed, I went to dinner with my good friend Bruno Gervais when we faced the Islanders. The scenario is similar to the brothers Jordan and Marc Staal who go to a restaurant together when the Rangers and Penguins clash.

But I assure you that I can still give a strong blow to Bruno’s shoulder when I find myself in the corner of the rink with him. I believe that all these stories are a part of the sport.

Max, columnist TV!

It makes me happy to slip a few words about an experience that I am lucky to live once a week with the television network FSN (Fox Sports Net) which broadcasts our games. Each week, I have the opportunity to participate in a Sports Show where I'll talk hockey for about ten minutes, a segment called Hockey to the Max. In large part, I tell what is happening in the areas of the Penguins. Wednesday, for my weekly visit, we talked a lot about the electrifying part of the deal with the Wings.

Everything takes place in a relaxed atmosphere and I think it's good for our sport. Moreover, the supporters appreciate these chronicles and they learn different things because of our environment.

For me, this is a great experience and I developed a good relationship with this television network since my arrival with the Penguins. They seem to appreciate my rather extroverted personality. [snoop: I think we all do, Max! :)]

Like I do with my chronicles at RDS.ca, I will stop at [some places in the] series to get the maximum amount of focus. But during the season, we have time for such activities and it is nothing too serious.

Everything is going well for me on the first trio [line]

For four games, I have had the chance to complete the first trio with Sidney Crosby and Miroslav Satan and I am very pleased that the experience works. I was able to collect three goals and one assist during these four games. I cannot hide that it is good to participate in scoring and that is always nice to produce offensively. That said, I love filling my role when I am employed on a third trio, but I appreciate every moment with Sid and Satan.

I do not know if this experiment will last for a long period, but we won our last four games so I hope that will happen. However, that decision remains that of the coaches.

At the moment everything is going well and we have good chemistry. I contribute a lot by giving the puck, but I often get it as well. My earlier failure will always remain one of my strengths and I want to recover their washers and pass. On the other hand, Satan brings a lot with his natural size.

It looks like an interesting deal with the Flyers

Our next test takes place when we face the Flyers with whom we have a great rivalry. At every turn, these clashes become special games for both teams and the crowd inevitably [enjoys it]. These appointments become a war on the ice and we [thrive] on this type of encounter. The season is so long, we need these moments of emotion.

My parents are also en route to Pittsburgh for a few days and they will have the chance to attend this particular game.

Before (the Flyers), we have an eye on the Rangers.

[LATE EDIT: A big thank you goes out to Friend of The Show Bobby T. (who is also the one who coined the acronym IFHSA™ for The Show) for pointing out that the title contained a typo. That is why it did not translate properly. He provided what is (in all likelihood) the correct title in English in The Friends' Zone. :)]

Our beautiful sequence allows us to be brought up to the Rangers and the top of the Atlantic Division, even though we have not seen our best start of the season. The Rangers [only have a few points on us] and we have games in hand on them. This is a great accomplishment especially since our two best defenders are injured.

In the absence of Ryan Whitney and Sergei Gonchar, Alex Goligoski [laced up]. He offers very good hockey and is gaining confidence. Alex proves to everyone that he is playing at this level since his first year. We did not know exactly what to expect from him, but he has proved his worth. This also provides more ice time for Kristopher Letang. Still, it is impossible to replace players like Gonchar and Whitney.

Many thanks to Friend of The Show Alyse for providing the translation. :) Come back later tonight - I've got Max's latest post, which he wrote on Thanksgiving, scheduled to go live in a few hours. :)

Max Talks About Semin and IFHSA™

We've got three Friends to thank for today's translations of Superstar's French RDS blog: Jessica, Alyse, and Rose. Today's installment comes from his November 4^th entry. In it, he discusses my two least favorite players in the NHL:


I think Semin Is Jealous of Sidney

Our little trip of 4 games, that wasn’t started last time we talked, didn’t go as good as planned, but it did finish well.

It looked like we were to start the trip with a win against the Rangers. We had a 2 goals lead after 2 periods, we were really into it, but for a reason I don’t know, we started to slow down and let them catch us with only 8 seconds left in the 3rd period and then we lost in a shootout. It’s disappointing because we made the same mistake earlier in the season against Washington Capitals.

We then went in West America. In San Jose, we lost with only 11 shots on goal. Honestly, it wasn’t a good game from us. It was frustrating to watch the game from the Press gallery, I had to sit out this game because of a groin injury I got in New York.

It wasn’t a major injury and I was back with the team 2 days later in Phoenix. The fact that I was on the ice didn’t change anything and we lost for the 3rd time in a row. Honestly, I’m wondering how we weren’t good in those 2 games and I can’t seem to find an answer.

Before the last game of the trip, Michel Therrien told us to change the page in our head as well as on the calendar. October was finished and even if our statistics weren’t awful, we were still lucky to have a winning record, it was the time to start anew and keep up the good work.

His message came through and we finished the trip magnificently. We started being intense and our offensive line unfroze.

Our coach let us know that according to him, the last games were hard on our confidence, but I didn’t agree with him. Like I said, we still had a winning record and the guys kept their heads up. Remember we were on the same path last year. At Christmas, we were playing ,500 and it didn’t keep us from going to the Stanley cup finals. Let’s not panic.

I’m not the only one who came back with some minor injuries. Some of my teammates had to sit out some for a game or two because of that and some may think that what happen last year will happen again, but not me. For me, the past is the past and I’m not worried at all about the health of the guys. In a hockey team, everyone knows that the 22 guys may not be able to play all of the 82 games.

The infamous words of Alexander Semin

Alexander Semin shocked people will his recent comments about Sidney Crosby. According to him, Crosby is only a good player among others and he doesn’t understand why people give him more attention than any other famous players.

Want to know what I think? I think that Semin suffers from a lack of attention and that he is a little jealous of Sidney. [snoop: BOOYAH! So do I!!] It makes me laugh to think of Sidney’s talent won’t last or anything. I already talked about it. I practice with him every morning and to me, he is the best player in the world. I can compare him with any other player against whom I played: No one is that impressive.

I know the story got out here and there in the media, but here it’s not as big as you may think. After all, we’re in Pittsburgh, not in Montréal! We haven’t even talked about it in the locker room. Even Sidney didn’t react, I swear. I’m not surprised: Sidney is better than that, and he doesn’t have time to lose into those kinds of things.

In another team, it may be a reason to motivate the team, but I don’t think it’d be the case with us the next time we face the Capitals. With the duals between Crosby and Ovechkin, and the way Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin fought last time, we don’t need more motivation.

I don’t know what Semin wanted with those comments. I’m not talking about his hockey skills, because he’s very good, but if he really meant what he said, we don’t see things the same way.

It’s not the end of the world in New Jersey

I learned at the time of my visit at RDS.ca that Martin Brodeur won’t play for 3 to 4 months.

It’s a hard time for the Devils even if I should enjoy that because it’s a team I play against, but I can’t take pleasure in it. I think it’s really sad for Martin, especially with the records he was looking for this season.

On the other hand, for those who think it’s the end of the Devils for this season, you’re wrong. The fact that Martin’s not there doesn’t mean they have nothing left. Ok it’s a big lost, because he is one of the best goalies in the league, but it doesn’t mean it’s the end for the team. They will fight and stay in the road for the playoffs.

Some think they won’t have a choice and will have to look for another number 1 goaltender somewhere in the league, but I don’t think like that. Look at us last year, we had to use our 3rd goalie, Ty Conklin, for a month and a half, and we still made it. It those kind of situation we have to let the others shine and hope they will. Sometimes, it’s the break an athlete needs to be back stronger.

I have no respect for Sean Avery

Just like me, you may have seen the latest misbehaviour of Sean Avery, last weekend against Boston. Not brilliant...

If only this guy could concentrate on playing hockey. I don’t have anything against what he’s there for and I know he’s not a bad hockey player. He can goal, he’s a good skater, he can fight and he can disturb the opponent. But it’s the vibe around him, the character he created for himself that makes me have no respect for him.

There are many reasons to hate this guy. Only this year, we saw him refusing to do an interview on camera with TSN (I’m sure you can find that on YouTube.com). [snoop: I actually looked for this clip on YouTube and could not find it. I found the link to the clip on TSN.ca, but the file has been removed. Please e-mail me or leave a tip in the comments if you know where to find it. :) Thanks!] He also said uncalled for things about Jarome Iginla, things that, I swear, made him the laughing stock of the league.

The NHL is like a big family and if you ask, a lot of players will tell you that Avery is not a part of this family. [snoop: Does this seriously shock anyone?!]

This guy is really a bad reputation. Even his teammates don’t like him! He always wants to be the centre of attention, it doesn’t matter how, and I have no respect for a person like that.

Last season, we played against him 8 times when he was with the Rangers and it’s obvious I have stories about him to tell. In the work-out before a game, he talks to you; he will say anything to make you less into it. Personally, I don’t talk to him when he talks to me.

I appreciated the fact the Mike Modano said out loud what we all thought. I talked about it with Darryl Sydor, who played with Modano in Dallas and still talks with his old teammates. [snoop: Um, yeeeaaahhh, I guess I've had this translation for a while... ;) ] When a guy like Modano takes the times to talk to the media about that, it’s because he’s had enough. I’m sure he thought about that before actually saying it.

Some thought his reaction was uncalled for, that he should have talked to him about it, but there are a lot of things we don’t know. We’re not in the locker room; we are not a part of the Stars. Maybe Modano tried to talk to him about that before and it didn’t work. On the outside, the fans don’t know everything that’s going on in a hockey team.

Merci beaucoup again to Jessica, Alyse, and Rose for their efforts. :) I've got Max's newest post ready to go for tomorrow.

More Musings From Mad Max Talbot (part 3)

The posts in part three presented a challenge to Alyse:

...the translation is a bit rough in some patches. I have inserted (?) behind words/sentences where I could not find a good translation for so some of it doesn't make the most sense... but it's close haha!

Believe me, Ali. The effort is appreciated even if a few things get lost in translation. :) In the final installment for this weekend, Max opines about Bob Gainey's proposal to limit shot blocking, the possibility of another team for Toronto, and the saga of Mats Sundin. Enjoy!


I do not agree with Bob Gainey

I did not know any of the ideas of Bob Gainey wanting to limit the ways for a player on defense, block a shot or intercept a pass me before we spoke today (?). I do not know can not be the case in depth, but if you want my first reaction, here it is: I think it's a completely stupid idea.

I wonder why the leaders of the League are always looking for ways to promote the offensive aspect of our sport. It seems they will not abandon this until the games do not end up 8-7. Is this really what the fans want? Does it really make the product more attractive? It is fine to seek ways to improve the show - it is very good - but I doubt that the idea of Gainey is a good solution.
I know some will say that I preach to my parish because the game is a little defensive my bread and my butter, but not only that.

Since I’ve played hockey, I was always taught that it was as good of a goal of flying to the opponent or to go slow. It makes me [feel] strange to see Gainey, a man who had a very successful career as a specialist in defensive play, tell me that this is no longer true.

Last year, when we met the New York Rangers in one series, I broke my foot blocking a shot. I missed the following three games, but I may have saved a goal for my team. If I were to [do it] again, I would not even hesitate.
Some people may support the proposal, saying worry about the health of players in wanting to reduce the risk of injury, but I do not think it would change much. Look at Braydon Coburn last season. He was right (?) as an oak tree when he received a shot deflected right in the face.

I also think of the referees. It seems to me that it would be difficult to establish a specific regulation to prevent slipping. Will we really punish all players who lay on the floor? In any case, I am perhaps not sufficiently informed on the subject, but it seems to me that officials already have enough to monitor.

Some want to abolish the battles, then we want to prevent players from blocking shots ... I wonder: when the ban on slapshots?

A goal which relieves

To return to our sheep, I was really relieved after scoring my first goal of the season Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes. I know I'm not supposed to have ten at this time of the season, but still. Last season, I had four goals after five games and there, I look forward to unfreezing it.


As against, it is not only my goal to me is good (?). I was really happy with my game as a whole. I felt that I had been a complete player and had contributed in several ways to victory. Over the past week, the trio that I play with, Miroslav Satan and Tyler Kennedy, is on a Roll, like the rest of the team elsewhere. We won our last three matches and the timing is perfect to go on the road.

Our trip of four games begins Saturday in New York, where the Rangers will represent a test for us. Then, towards California and Arizona. Let's say I will not need my winter coat!

Two teams in Toronto: good idea

To return to the news of the National League, I know that Toronto newspapers this week have spoken of the possibility of having a distant second team in the Queen City eventually. Personally, I think it would be feasible.

Look at cities like Chicago or New York, for example, they support two teams of baseball without any difficulty. Well, you tell me that they are much more populous cities than Toronto and you're right. But I think people in Toronto are also big hockey fans just as the people of New York and Chicago love baseball.

I think the biggest winners if the idea was realized, would be lovers [of the sport]. In the bottom two teams in the same city is twice as likely to have tickets and it is also likely that these tickets were more affordable. I have several friends in Montreal who would like to see the Canadiens more often, but they are unable to find tickets. With a second team in the region, the problem would arise less.

This is sure if you ask me my opinion, I see 100 times better sending a team back to Quebec than to see a second in Toronto, obviously. Perhaps we should also give a chance to another market before thinking of adding a team in a city that already has a team.

I am against the strategy of Sundin, but ...

The season is a few weeks old and already the name of Mats Sundin has started to make headlines. If you want my opinion, I am against guys who decide to delay their return until the season has started.

I understand that Sundin is not getting younger and that in essence he has the right to do what he wants with his life. Nothing prevents him from doing what he does at this time. But I put myself in the shoes of a player who battled for his post since the start of training camp, who earns his place with the team and who gets screwed from the very first game of the season, everything to settle when a guy like Sundin decides that it is trying to play him. I think that it is simply not fair for everyone.

That said, a player is always happy to see his team improve and I am convinced that Pittsburgh would not oppose the arrival of Sundin with the Penguins. I know the guys in our locker room and I know that nobody would think to its small person (?) if management found a way to improve the club.

A HUGE THANK YOU to Friend Alyse for continuing to provide these translations for us!!! The Pens are going to face the Rangers in less than an hour.

GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More Musings From Mad Max Talbot (part 2)

In part 2, Max offers up some thoughts on the firing of Denis Savard, his new teammate Eric Godard, and the tragic death of Alexei Cherepanov:


The Hawks have acted very quickly

I just learn about the dismissal of Denis Savard and in my opinion, the Blackhawks showed him the door rather quickly.

Moreover, I have only heard good reviews about [him]. Fire a coach after only four games, it's very fast ...

In comparison, I cite the example of our team. Over recent years we have had regular hotel (?) which led to some criticism of our coach Michel Therrien. But we are still in force and income and it proves to give the chance to everyone. I would say simply that it is not early in the season that a team wins the Stanley Cup.

It seems obvious that Savard has bailed because expectations are very high in Chicago. This organization has put the package together this summer with the acquisitions of Brian Campbell and Cristobal Huet. I would not hesitate to compare their development with that of our team.

The Hawks rely on several good young players and they decided to set the sights high for this season.

But this dismissal remains difficult to explain because the news is so fresh.

First chapter of our rivalry deal with Capitals

Thursday evening, we welcome the Washington Capitals, a team with which we have developed a nice rivalry. Even if the Caps are not in our division, our players are always explosive against them.

Obviously, a duel Capitals / Penguins rhymes with a clash between Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin. But last season, the intensity had reached a level of interest between Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin during the injury to Sid. We have not forgotten the failure Ovechkin had tried to apply to Malkin.

In short, the meetings between our teams always produce excellent matches very physical or for failure are many.

That is exactly the type of game that we need to get back in the bath at the beginning of the season.

We will be ready for this confrontation since we tasted a game similar with the Flyers on Tuesday. Pascal Dupuis enabled us to win with one goal in overtime.

For now, Sid has not yet touched the bottom of the net while Malkin has collected a goal and two assists. From our side, you know that it will be very interesting when they release. We still managed to beat the Flyers without their offensive contributions.

In fact, during the last three seasons Sid did not tend to hear beautiful hotel (?). But you know very well that he is an outstanding competitor and I'm really not worried about him.

Ah yes, a little message for fans who have selected him in their pool: don’t worry, it will bounce back very quickly.

Godard has shown what he can do

To return to our game against the Flyers, our new strong man, Eric Godard threw gloves facing Riley Cote in the early minutes. I think that this fight has helped us to find our rhythm. It was not a surprise that he lays the glove side by side. I remember Georges Laraque had stated in the media that Cote is one of the toughest fighters of the League after a battle against him.

Godard is not the most imposing player, but it is surprising how it can be hard. Really, as we were impressed as players on the bench. Godard and Cote have been able to collect heavy blows, it was a duel.

Faced with the Caps, we will count on another strong man, Paul Bissonnette. He is really good, his history is very special. Last year, he played much of the season in Wheeling in the League of the East Coast.

This year, he came here with a great attitude and is a guy with an interesting personality and is able to cope on the ice. In my opinion, they will keep an eye on him.

To close the topic on strong men, I have obviously seen the first fighter Georges Laraque in the uniform of a Canadian. He gave an overview of what he can offer.

Not a false deal with Devils

I do not know if you've got wind of our performance facing the Devils last Saturday. We lost in overtime, but we did not really deserve this game. We got only 15 shots on the net to Martin Brodeur.

The very next day, Michel Therrien had prepared a training focused on the bases and fighting against a one. Honestly, it was expected that it would be such a scenario. All our players deserved it.

The death of Cherepanov

I discussed with Evgeni Malkin the death of Alexei Cherepanov and he told me he had already played against him, but he did not know him personally.

Hockey players are a big family and it affects us to see one of us die in this way at such a young age.

This story reminds me of one of my former teammates in Wilkes-Barre in the AHL. Darcy Robinson lost his life on the ice last year to 26 years after a heart problem. He played for Asiago HC in Italy and he had just gotten engaged.
It is always shocking to hear such stories and it makes me realize how fragile life is and you must consider yourself lucky to do what you love in life.

Like many of my colleagues, I find it disturbing that the team Avangard Omsk was not really ready for such an event. Although this is not the NHL, we are talking about professional hockey. I do not think we could see such negligence in the NHL.
In my opinion, a medical team should always be ready. I consider myself lucky to [be working] for organizations demanding on this side.

(There's still one more post of translations of Max's blog to come...)

More Musings From Mad Max Talbot (part 1)

Friend of The Show Alyse has been regularly sending me translations of posts from Mad Max Talbot's French RDS blog. Because this has turned into a chaotic month for me, I've got a TON of them for you now, so I decided that I'm going to break them up into three-part series. In part one, Max talks about the Swedish trip, coming home, and the Penguins' slow starting power play. Enjoy!


A Very Nice Trip to Stockholm

I consider myself very lucky to be part of one of the teams that have been sent to foreign soil to begin their season this year. I was absolutely charmed by the city of Stockholm, and the experience that I have experienced in recent days.

For players Penguins, this short but memorable stay proved the perfect opportunity to spend time together and to refine the team. Even though we did not really need this kind of travel opportunity since we formed a team, already very tight knit.

We arrived in Sweden early last Sunday, almost a week before our first game against the Senators. We were given a small book with a package of advice to facilitate our acclimatization, especially jet lag. An excellent idea from the organization.

During the first three days we spent much time as a team. We trained in the morni ng and it took all afternoon. A good day, we had the chance to get acquainted with the city of Stockholm with a fairly original.

The team had engaged the services of a company that organizes a kind of scavenger hunt for tourists. We were divided into six groups and followed a path that lead us to different places in the city and take pictures. We visited the Town Hall, castles, a zoo ... We often had to take the boat as water and bridges are ubiquitous in Stockholm. It is a bit like the Venice of Sweden.

There has been much marketing in the city and we were also given tickets to take the bus. We also enjoyed all kinds of food and had to guess what was Swedish and what was not. Even if it was not a huge culture shock, we really could learn a lot about the place.

In the evening we all met to announce the winning team and we watched all the photos the boys had taken. It was a good laugh.

I was impressed by the beauty of the city, its cleanliness. People were very friendly. We had no difficulty in understanding, since everyone must learn English in school there. It was great.

Stockholm hosted us like kings, but one should not forget that there was going to be work. Indeed, last weekend, we started our regular season competing in a double header against the Senators.

There are no Swedes in our alignment whilst Daniel Alfredsson carries the colors of Ottawa. For this reason, I think I felt that the crowd had a slight bias for the Senators, but very light. The biggest ovation was Mats Sundin, who received it when he made [the puck drop] Thursday in the protocol before the first match.

People love hockey there and know their business. It was a game played outside competition in Helsinki and the tickets went in 28 minutes. The atmosphere at the parties was truly electrifying. It was different to America precisely because the proponents did not support a team in particular. They applauded and reacted when both teams were making a big Thursday (I couldn’t find the appropriate translation for the end of this sentence… so I’m not entirely sure what he meant)

It was not my first experience at an international level. In juniors, I was part of Team Canada when the world championship was held in Helsinki. I had also been in the Czech Republic for the under 18 tournament, and had participated in a charity activity in England about three years ago.

Home Sweet Home

We returned to Pittsburgh late Monday night and even though our season officially started in the last few days, now that it starts for real.

I love the way the NHL has organized our schedule. We do not play before Saturday and our next four games are at home. It is more likely that the Ducks the past year, who had to immediately return to the road on their return from Europe. It seems that the League has learned from its mistakes.

All the players are eager to compete in our first game in the Igloo, we feel a special excitement in the city of Pittsburgh over the next season. It's still two years ago that plays sold out already last year, we felt a extra excitement to our club. This fall, at the training camp, it was not uncommon to see dozens of supporters expecting the players to exit the arena to be photographed and get autographs.

We feel that people are anxious for [the season] to start. Before, we did for the Steelers here, but things have changed. I can tell you that last year in the series, they did not talk too much football in town! Local media have noticed the winds of change and everyone is aware that the Steelers must now share the attention of sports fans in the city with the Penguins. Moreover, it is not uncommon to see several Steelers players at our games. Coach Mike Tomlin is without a doubt one of our biggest fans.

Conversely, I myself become a very big fan of football. It started last year when I went to see a Jets game in New York with my friend Bruno Gervais. Plus, the more I'm here and I’m sure the Steelers are my team. Whenever I have the chance to go to Heinz Field, I go running. I have made friends among the Steelers players, including kicker Jeff Reid, who lives near us and I [talk to] once in a while.

Patience with the Power play

In light of our first two games, some observers believe that we are already in trouble with the absence of our two pillars on the blue line, Ryan Whitney and Sergei Gonchar. It does not worry me too much.

I like our depth. All that it will take is a little time for guys like Kristopher Letang and Alex Goligoski to take out insurance. I can also tell you that Goligoski is a hockey player and he will probably be one of those who will take hard at the beginning of the season. However, I believe that coaches will be careful not to burn the steps with him, just as with Kristopher this year.

The season is still young and we will have the opportunity to refine our game power during training. Credit must also be given to the Senators, who have done very well with numerical disadvantage. We will make the necessary adjustments and even if the loss of Ryan and Sergei hurts, we will be able to overcome that.

Anyway, why panic? There are two of the best players in the league and they are supported by a lo t of guys who are able to find the bottom of the net.

The new [guys], Satan, Fedotenko and Cooke, were very well adapted to the group. They are already part of our team as if they were there last year. That's the beauty of the Penguins. Any player who comes here is able to smoothly adjust to his new environment. We saw the deadline transactions last season: Dupuis, Hossa and Gill, it has not taken more than a day and they were part of the gang.

This is not a big trauma for the Pittsburgh Penguins and it will be nice to see when things will start to stick.

(In part two, Max discusses the Pens' rivalry with the Capitals...)

A New Season of The Musings of Mad Max Talbot

Longtime readers will recall that last season Mad Max Talbot kept a blog in French on RDS.ca. Well, a new season's about to start, and Max is at it again. That means it's time for another edition of


Date: 9-25-08

Attack For The New Season

Hello dear Internet users at RDS.ca, I am happy to be back for another season in order to inform you of what's happening at the Pittsburgh Penguins.

After a summer, quite short, because of our presence in the final of the Stanley Cup, the Penguins camp began, and I must admit that the guys are feverish with the idea of starting a new season. A season will begin soon since it remains a preparatory match, Friday in Toronto.

Mad Max goes up against Matt Carle of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the preseason game on September 22.

All players arrived in great shape and it seems they are still hungry. The last Cup Final left us our appetite, but we are very confident to bounce back this year and win the precious trophy.

However, we have learned one very important lesson: the importance of ice advantage in the playoffs. We want to avoid starting the season slowly as was the case in past years. Therefore, we will do everything to win the first game, which I believe are crucial than the latter.

A Better Team Than In September 2007

If you look at the size of this year compared to the lot of players who came to camp last year, I can immediately say that we are superior. Why? First because the team looks better on paper, but especially because we have almost all walked together. The players have one more year in the body and in addition they all have the craze of what the Stanley Cup is.

Siddo and Max

Better yet. Our core players remained the same, Michel Therrien is back; are two reasons why we are also confident.

High Expectations

Again, expectations are high for us in Pittsburgh and throughout the NHL. However, it did some years it is likely that we are ready for the challenge.

Our team is young and dynamic, among us two of the best offensive players in the league in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Geno, Sid, Max, and Ty Conklin watch a replay in a game against the Canucks last December.

If you do not put unnecessary pressure on the shoulders and if we do what we have to do, I can’t see how we could not meet the expectations.

Coping With Adversity

Some setbacks occurred recently at the blue line, including the loss of two defenders leading Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney.

However, what I like about our team is our ability to cope with adversity. Last year when we lost the services of Sidney Crosby, Malkin had taken over admirably. Same thing when Marc-Andre Fleury was injured, Ty Conklin had been a tremendous acquisition.

Mad Max is shown here at the World Series of Poker.

This time, I think that young defenders like Kristopher Letang and Alex Goligoski are ready to take over. They will get more ice time so therefore, they will acquire more confidence. These new responsibilities are necessary for their development.

New Faces

The Pittsburgh Penguins are known to be a team for whom it is fun to play. When a new player comes in close to the team, he has no difficulty adjusting.

This was the case for Ruslan Fedotenko, Miroslav Satan, Eric Godard and Matt Cooke. They have adapted very quickly to the team, it is as if they were with us last year. The system calls for the Penguins is perfect for them because it communicates and helps everyone.

Max and Fedotenko celebrate Talbot's first period goal in the preseason game on September 22.

We lost the toughest guy of the League in Georges Laraque, but not detract from his role, I think George is replaceable. Eric Godard is able to play hockey and he did not cold eyes. It is more difficult to replace a guy like Hossa than a guy like Georges.

Moreover, one should not expect to see recruits in the Pittsburgh Penguins this year. Simply put, this was not the best camp to be invited; the team was already composed in advance.

A Trip Expected In Europe

We leave Saturday for Stockholm where we face the Ottawa Senators, on the 4th and 5th of October. At present, I am doing my final shopping and I must confess that I am very excited about the opportunity to go to Europe.

Pascal Dupuis and Max smile for Dan Potash's camera on their flight to Sweden.

No player sees it is a chore to go there. We will spend nine days together and everyone is aware that this experience will shape our team at the start of season.

Last year, it is true that the Ducks and Kings experienced a difficult return, but it must be said that their timing was not profitable. The Ducks played on the road on their return.

For our part, the NHL and the Penguins have made great efforts to accommodate us, when we return we will leave for six days and four matches will be contested at home.

Without lying, I look forward to it beginning.

(Many, many thanks to Friend of The Show Alyse for providing the translations!!!)

A Look Back by Mad Max

Longtime readers of The Show will remember that periodically TSCS has featured an English translation of the blog that Mad Max Talbot has been keeping in French on RDS.ca since the beginning of this season. Well, today it's time for this season's final edition of:

THANK YOU FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL SEASON

I still can not find words to express what I feel 48 hours after our defeat to the Detroit Red Wings.

I will not hide from you that this is far from easy to recover from a setback in the finals of the Stanley Cup. We worked so hard and we were so close to the Stanley Cup that the impact is demoralizing.

While the Red Wings were celebrating their conquest of the Stanley Cup on the ice, I assure you it was very quiet in our dressing room, especially as all the players were exhausted.

There was a palpable sense of great dissatisfaction in the room. No player took to the floor to make a speech. I would say that we were trying more to understand what happened. Don't forget that we were conscious that some players will not return next season, and it's never pleasant to think about this idea. But on the other hand, we must keep in mind the positive of our journey.


After this bitter defeat, I spent the evening with my parents, my two brothers, and one of my cousins who had come to Pittsburgh. Although I was very happy to be with them, I assure you that this evening was not "the most fun in the world."

My parents have been with me from the third part of the final. For them too, it was an extraordinary experience, but there is not much to say in such a situation.

It's so frustrating and summer promises to be long; it might make me say very often that we passed very close [to the Cup]. For an athlete like me, this is never too pleasant to hear. Those who know me know very well know that I am not satisfied “to pass close to the goal”.


However, the message of the leaders of the organization was very clear: they are proud of the long way we have come in recent years, and they have reminded us to be pleased with this progress.

Personally, when I think of this past season, I remember immediately the injury that I suffered an ankle and matches that I had missed. But I believe that I can be happy with my season and my performance in the series.

I learned a lot this season and Michel Therrien congratulated me for having done my part. It does not matter if I was the left wing on the second line or the center of the fourth line, I think I've given everything I had on the ice. It is obvious that I am disappointed with the outcome, but I cannot say that I could have given more.

During the final I had the chance to make the goal that saved our team from elimination when there were still only 35 seconds to go in the fifth match. But I am unable to rejoice greatly. Even if I am proud to have succeeded this goal, we did not win the series and therefore this goal loses its value. If we had won a Stanley Cup, it would be even more special to me.

For what it's worth, we still think it was a special goal, Max.

Before the finale, media stressed heavily on the experience of the Red Wings, but I must say that I was also impressed by the discipline of this team. It's even easier for me to tell you about this aspect of their game since my role was just to disturb. I succeeded on a few occasions, but most of the time they were imperturbable. The Wings players had a specific goal in mind, and I accept that they form a hockey machine, which put on a good system.

THE CRITICISM OF MICHEL THERRIEN

Obviously, I had heard criticism voiced towards our coach Michel Therrien.

I am not embarrassed to say that several people seem jealous in this case. Without the good work of Michel Therrien behind the bench of our team, we would not have reached the Stanley Cup finals. During the season, he made several decisions beneficial to our team and often they were not obvious decisions to be taken. It's so easy to criticize, but Michel is an excellent coach and he proved it with the many young people we have.


A journalist for the Toronto Sun has even claimed that Brooks Orpik would not want to come back with the Penguins next season if Michel Therrien retains his post. The same article suggests that Jordan Staal has a poor relationship with our coach.

In fact, I find these assertions rather strange. We just had a team dinner Thursday evening. Both players were present and I did not feel anything telling. I really do not know where the author unearthed that story and it would astonish me if he has talked to any players of our team to write that article. You really have to take and leave with journalists…

MY PLANS FOR THIS SUMMER

I will be back in Montreal on Saturday to enjoy this summer that could move very quickly. When the season is long like this, I cannot wait to return to Quebec to see my family and friends.

I will remain in Montreal with my good friend Bruno Gervais of the New York Islanders.

For now, I have no specific projects for my vacation. Surely I would take a week to travel, but I do not know yet where. I'll try to take three weeks off to decompress as much as possible.


But no doubt, summer will be very busy and I do not like planning my schedule in advance. I will probably receive invitations to several golf tournaments.

By the way, we will hold the first edition of the Open Golf Gervais-Talbot this summer and it looks like it will be a major event.

In closing, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate my good friend Jean-Michel Daoust who won the championship East Coast League and also I offer my congratulations to Olympic of Gatineau for their conquest of the President Cup and their participation in the cup Memorial.

THANK YOU FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL SEASON

Since this is my last column of the season, I want to tell you that I greatly appreciate your support and your comments.

I am always impressed to see how much you like the Penguins, a team so far from Quebec. Even if we count on several Québécois players, I find it really beautiful to see that people love our team so much.


I greet you and wish you a beautiful summer, it was a pleasure to share with you these chronicles.

Thanks to Friend of The Show Alyse for help with the translation. :)

The Creature, Fights, and Celine Dion

These are some of the things Mad Max Talbot discusses in this next video that good Friend of The Show (and part-time TSCS translator) Lisa-Marie W. sent in for us:

Thanks for sending that in, Lis! :)

(Note: That video was also on Empty Netters a few days ago. I told you before, Seth is the freakin' man! Anyhoo, since I read EN during my lunch break at work, I don't generally watch the videos Seth posts - mostly because we don't have speakers on our computers there, haha!)

Speaking of Creature, I found this article from the Beaver County Times & Allegheny Times Online. In it, writer Chris Bradford discusses tomorrow's 3:00pm Eastern trade deadline, as well as why Sid is the best player in the world. (yes, I know we already addressed this issue, but I wouldn't be doing my job as a Sidney Crosby blogger if I didn't bring this to your attention):

There has been some debate recently as to who is the “best player in the NHL.” The names of Russian stars Evgeni Malkin, Crosby’s Penguins teammate, and Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin are the two most frequently mentioned. And rightfully so. They are tied with 82 points each in the Art Ross Trophy race as the NHL’s scoring leader, an award won last season by Crosby.

Ovechkin already has 48 goals, eight more than fellow Russian Ilya Kovalchuk of Atlanta, who is second.

And though Malkin was shut out a second straight game in Sunday’s 2-1 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks, he and goalie Ty Conklin are the main reasons why the Penguins have even kept in playoff contention — let alone have them just two points from the top of the Eastern Conference — during the time that Fleury (two months) and Crosby (five weeks) have now missed because of high ankle sprains.

SOON.

So, yes, Malkin and Ovechkin are the two best players in the NHL … when Crosby is not playing. Need a refresher course?

Crosby, who has been out since Jan. 18, was leading the league in scoring at the time with 63 points. By the way, that number is just 19 points fewer than Malkin and Ovechkin. It still ranks Crosby tied for 12^th in the league despite having played in 17 fewer games than Malkin or Ovechkin.

As I mentioned earlier, I already talked about this matter, but I have to say that Bradford makes a good point. No matter what you think about Sid, you simply cannot deny it - the fact that Sid has been out of commission for more than a month yet remains tied for 12^th in scoring is damn remarkable!!!

Tomorrow.
Islanders.
GO.
PENS.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! :)

The Musings of Mad Max Talbot (pt. 2)

A Coach's View

I had time for a lot of thinking during my absence and I worked hard on the mental aspect of my game. It's strange to say, but in taking a different view of the games, you can still continue to improve. I studied the various situations in which players can find themselves, and took notes. I observed what others were doing well, and not so well, and filed it all away.

I don't know if this made me a better player, but I know I didn't lose much by it.

This gives me the opportunity to reply right away to a question from a netizen that, in reading my last chronicle, was suprised to see that, even at our level, there are still things to be learned about hockey.

Personally, I can guarantee you that I'm learning something new every day. There's nothing complicated about it: every morning, I'm out on the rink with the best player in the world, who also happens to play the same position as I do. I keep my eyes open, I listen, and I try to pick things up.

I very much hope to continue to improve until the end of my career, and when I no longer have what it takes to play in the NHL, my greatest wish would be to pass on my knowledge to younger players. I hope that it doesn't happen tomorrow, but I would love to be a coach after my playing days. I wouldn't start right away at any level lower than junior hockey, because I think that I would make a pretty tough coach.

With the Gatineau Olympiques, I had as a role model Benoit Groulx, who I consider to be the best coach at the junior level. I'm not ashamed to admit that I would never have become the player I am today without him. There's not one day that goes by without my remembering a piece of advice he gave me.

It's also him that brought out the leader in me. Benoit always found a way to test how I would react in different situations. We had a great player/coach relationship. It was very clear that we were not 'best buddies', but after my last junior game, in the Memorial Cup tournament in Kelowna, our relationship has grown into a form of friendship.

When I was a player, I was his player, and he was tough on me. He demanded the maximum effort from me every day. Afterwards, he came to be like a big brother to me. He's always continued to give me his advice.

I still talk with him regularly, maybe once every two weeks, at least once a month. I'm keen to see him make it to the professional level. Because don't doubt it for a second: that man is a true coach and I'm certain that he will be even better when it comes to coaching men.

---

The Case Of Mark Recchi

I'd like to warn you as well, you won't read any juicy anecdotes here about the departure of Mark Recchi, who was put on waivers this week. In fact, I would rather not dwell on the subject.

His departure didn't surprise anyone, though you'd perhaps have expected a trade rather than he be released. For me, the organization's decision was surprising, since I think that this is a guy who is still able to play in the NHL. I'm not worried for him, he will be helping another team before the end of the season.

For me, Mark Recchi is a legend and I wish him the best of luck.

Maxime Talbot, Mark Recchi, and Ryan Malone celebrate a goal last season.

snoop: Earlier today The Recchin' Ball was claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Thrashers:

Penguins coach Michel Therrien said this week that the Penguins' younger players deserved more ice time than Recchi, who will turn 40 in February. Recchi was scratched for six consecutive games before being waived.

"We believe we gave him an opportunity," Therrien said. "It didn't work out."

Recchi is a class act who contributed a lot to the Pens over the years. If it matters, TSCS wishes him well, too. Once again, thanks are going out to Friend of The Show Mike H. for translating Talbot's French blog for us. The Pens face the Vancouver Canucks tonight at 10:00pm Eastern. Stop back here for a recap just after the game. GO PENS!!!

The Musings of Mad Max Talbot (pt. 1)

Remember that Maxime Talbot is writing a blog in French? Previously, we were lucky enough to have Friend of The Show Lisa-Marie W. send us in some translations. Yesterday another good Friend, Mike H., sent us in a few more.

As a one-off, I thought I'd try translating the full article for you, since he covers a lot of topics that might interest readers of TSCS. As much as possible, I tried to preserve Max's own expressions and writing style (Max certainly doesn't lack for confidence!). Maybe your French-speaking readership can take turns in the future?

He was kind enough to send us translations for 4 of Max's blog entries. (You Francophones out there can read the original entries in French here.) Since there is no Mad Max blog (that I am aware of!), I'm temporarily turning TSCS into...

A Real Media Circus Out West

I couldn't have imagined a better scenario for my return to playing. One goal, many good scoring chances, a first star, and, above all, a win.

And even better, the game against the Coyotes, my first in two weeks after suffering an ankle injury, was broadcast on RDS. I won't hide from you that there's always a little bit of extra motivation when I know my friends and family are watching me in Quebec. That makes my good performance of last Monday even more satisfying.

The last two weeks had been quite frustrating for me. I'm happy, since my injury had healed very well during the three days before my return to playing, but I must confess that I took a bit of a chance in getting back on skates. Call it a calculated risk. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel any pain - I still need a heavy bandaging before putting on my skates - but it was just too much for me. I was too anxious to return to playing and help the team.

I watched the game against Toronto from the stands last Saturday, and that really bothered me. The Leafs more-or-less dominated us, and I could see that our side was lacking in spirit and energy. That's exactly what I can bring to the team and I was able to do it against Phoenix. Not only did I score a goal, my sixth of the season, but I missed two good chances in the third period. Each time, Bryzgalov didn't even know that he had made the save. On one hand it's frustrating, but it's still good to know that I haven't lost my timing.

As I said before, my efforts were rewarded with the game's first star selection. If I'm not mistaken, it's the first time that I've been honoured in this way. Quite frankly, players don't give it much importance, but it's still fun. It's flattering, and it makes my mother very happy!

---

Madness In Edmonton

We arrived in Edmonton on Tuesday, our first trip to western Canada since I joined the Penguins, and I can tell you that I've never seen a media circus like this.

Don't worry, I know very well that all these cameras are not here for me!

It's that it's also the first time that Sidney Crosby will step on a rink in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver, and the people here have been waiting for this moment for a long time. It's completely crazy, I think I've never seen so many reporters in a hockey dressing room. It started with our arrival at the airport, and continued at the hotel... It's surprising, I wasn't expecting this. I thought I'd seen it all in Montreal and Toronto, but here too it's pretty unbelievable.

It's an exciting trip for the whole team, because in addition to all the buzz that surrounds Sidney, there are several players with roots in western Canada who are very well known to hockey fans. Georges Laraque was practically a rock star during his stay in Edmonton. Petr Sykora played there as well. Erik Christensen grew up in Edmonton, Colby Armstrong is a native of Saskatoon.

For all players, it's nice to visit different arenas, and everyone has heard of the ambience of these places. The only other thing we could want is a win.

This leads me to say a few words about the new schedule adopted by the NHL, a development which I find very positive. Finally, people from all across the League will have the opportunity to see Maxime Talbot! (I'm joking, of course!) All kidding aside, the League made this decision for the fans, and I think they are the big winners here.

The players too were very enthusiastic when they heard the news. We want to see other teams as well, and to compete more often against the best players from the West. Eight games against the teams of our own division was too much. I believe that the rivalries will not fade with only six encounters per year.

It's also a good thing to be able to see every team at least once per year. This way, there will be fewer surprises in the Stanley Cup finals. The teams will know each other a bit better, and not just from studying video.

Watch for part 2 sometime tomorrow afternoon. Big, BIG THANKS going out to Mike for taking the time to translate these blog entries for us!!! :)