Penguins All-Star Memories

Most Penguins fans are familiar with the All-Star exploits of Steel City superstars like Mario Lemieux. Indeed, those of us who are old enough will never forget Mario’s breathtaking four-goal effort before an adoring throng at the 1990 All-Star Game—the first ever hosted in Pittsburgh.

However, No. 66 isn’t the only Penguins player to shine in All-Star competition. On the contrary, in the days before the Fantasy Draft, Super Skills Competition, and double-digit scores local skaters snatched the spotlight with stunning regularity.

The first Penguin to make a splash at the All-Star Game was left wing Greg Polis. Picked seventh overall in the 1970 Amateur Draft, the husky 6’0” 195-pounder could skate like the wind and possessed a blistering shot. One of the few players of his day to make the jump directly from junior hockey to the NHL, Polis scored 30 goals for the Pens in only his second season.

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I Will be Standing Up Cheering Jaromir Jagr Tonight

What if we tried to make Pittsburgh not look stupid & petty tonight for the HBO 24/7 camera’s and national TV?  Lemieux once got a standing ovation in Philadelphia when he showed up.

Today all I see and hear is reporters all over the radio, news print and social media telling me about how I should boo Jaromir Jagr tonight.  I will not.  Here is the truth…  Jaromir Jagr was dying alive in Pittsburgh.  Pittsburgh was trading every player around Jagr who made more than league minimum and was keeping Jagr around to sell tickets.

I’ve always been one that gets confused about how Heroes and Villains work in the Pittsburgh sports world.  Jaromir Jagr didn’t say a word when the team was ...

Penguins-Flyers Rivalry Part 5: Eric Lindros and the Legion of Doom (1994-2005)

Following a sorry sixth-place finish in 1991-92, the Flyers acquired the rights to phenom Eric Lindros from Quebec during the summer. Slowly but surely “the Next One” began to restore the Flyers to their former glory while centering the imposing “Legion of Doom” line for John LeClair and Mikael Renberg.

The Penguins were no patsies, either. Loaded with big-name stars like Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, and Ron Francis, the Steel City sextet remained on the short list of Stanley Cup contenders throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.

The cross-state rivals presented an intriguing contrast of styles. While the Pens embraced a more skilled approach, the Flyers returned to their body-banging roots. Philadelphia’s hard-boiled fans took special delight in whistling at the mullet-topped Jagr in a faux wolf call.

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Penguins-Flyers Rivalry Part 4: Super Mario and “the Streak” (1984-1994)

The Penguins were on life support when they drafted Mario Lemieux with the first overall pick in the 1984 Entry Draft. Although No. 66 would eventually lead the team to two Stanley Cups, it didn’t alter the nature of the Pens-Flyers rivalry—at least not right away. Paced by burly 50-goal man Tim Kerr, Hall-of-Fame defenseman Mark Howe, truculent Rick Tocchet, and All-Star goalie Ron Hextall (the son of former Pen Bryan Hextall), the Flyers kept on winning.

When the two teams met, talk invariably turned to “the Streak.” As incredible as it seemed, the Pens had not won a game in “the City of Brotherly Shove” since January 20, 1974.

“I graduated from high school, graduated from college, got a job, got married, got divorced, moved to San Diego, moved back to Pittsburgh, and the Penguins still hadn’t beaten the Flyers in Philadelphia,” Penguins vice president Tom McMillan said.

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Penguins-Flyers Rivalry Part 1: Roots (1925-1967)

Have you ever wondered how the bitter rivalry between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers got started? If so, you’re in luck. To prime the pump for the upcoming matchup between the Penguins and Flyers at CONSOL Energy Center on December 29, PenguinPoop is running a special six-part series on the history of the feud. Each day leading up to game day we’ll post a new part. So stay tuned!

Separated by only 300 miles of rolling Pennsylvania hills and grasslands, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are worlds apart in terms of culture. Situated along the Delaware River, Philadelphia’s origins are deeply rooted in the American Revolution. The “City of Brotherly of Love” boasts of iconic symbols of freedom like Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. At the western end of the state, Pittsburgh forged a grittier reputation from iron and steel. In earlier times it was known as “the Smoky City” and “the Arsenal of Democracy.”

Accordingly, few rivalries have sparked such unbridled hatred as the Penguins and the Flyers. For Pens supporters, it’s a clear-cut case of good versus evil: Syl Apps versus Bobby Clarke; Mario Lemieux versus Eric Lindros; Sidney Crosby versus Mike Richards.

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Matt Cooke, Todd Bertuzzi & the Mistake that is the NHL.

I wrote this piece just after the Matt Cooke suspension was assessed.  Unfortunately, my day jobs sometimes get in the way, I didn’t finish in a pertinent time frame.  Well, Todd Bertuzzi has opened the door for me to submit my thoughts again.

The punishment that Matt Cooke got for his flagrant violation is appropriate.  What Matt Cooke did was completely unacceptable.  You can try and justify it anyway you want.  You can say he tried to pull up at the last second,but you’re wrong.  This action is a complete lack of respect for other players, the NHL and the Penguins.  I like Matt Cooke as a player when he plays his game within the confines of acceptable play.  Certainly, he plays right on the edge of that fine line on a daily basis.  That is what he needs to do to be successful.  Blatantly elbowing a helpless player to the head is way over that fine line.  Add to it, that this is something that Cooke has done repeatedly and this becomes flat out disrespect.

In his actions, he disregarded the leagues attempts to eliminate hits to the head and he showed a lack of regard for his own team.  By his actions, he opened the door for the Rangers to come back and win the game.  Cooke is a valuable player.  When he does these things, he takes himself out of the line-up which lessens the teams overall effectiveness.  His actions do, also, make Lemeiux and his stance on cleaning up the league look hypocritical.  If Lemieux is serious about changing things in the NHL, he needs to start with his own team. ...

Vandelay’s Coffee Talk with Bernie Nicholls

It’s not often you get to talk to a guy who has scored over 70 goals in one season in the NHL, after all there are only eight that have accomplished that feat.  It is not often you get to talk to a guy who has scored at least 150 points in one season in the NHL, only 5 have done that. Recently I caught up with the great Bernie Nicholls.   Bernie and I talked about his hockey career, McDonalds and a few other things.  I was a bit thrown back when he said Mario Lemieux was a better goal scorer than Wayne Gretzky,  considering Bernie played on a line with Gretzky in LA…

Coffee Talk with Art Vandelay

Art Vandelay:  How is life treating you these days?  What are you up to?
Bernie Nicholls: “I play a lot of golf. I like to hunt, in Canada. Some of the things I like to hunt are moose, and white tail deer.  Anything I get I take to my brother that is a taxidermist.”

Art Vandelay: The Hockey News rated your “Pumper-Nicholl” number 5 on their Top 10 All-time goal celebrations. What are your thoughts on the recognition?  Can you still do the “Pumper Nicholl”?
Bernie Nicholls: “I had no idea about the recognition. I had so much fun playing the game. I always laughing and always had a smile on my face when I played. People who watched me accused me of ...