I know I make a lot of dumb jokes about wishing Hossa's failure but I will admit that I wanted him to stay and still miss that kind of talent even though it was short lived. It was fun being that offensively scary. I also miss some of the guys personalities, like Ruutu. WWGRD was fun to me, even though it annoyed some people. So there are things I admit I miss, and players with what they brought to the team that I miss....
...but...
You can't look back! So far Shero has been turning a situation of potential lemons into lemonade and I love our new guys. We lost Hossa and Malone but at the same time, our young penguins in the core are older and more developed. There's some intangibles and experience that the players gained despite losing in the finals that they did not have last year. Talent alone does not win Cups so I think our experience is just another piece to the puzzle and we're getting there!
When the Pens first started playing the Red Wings in the finals, they seemed in awe of Detroit and just being in that situation. But even in that series alone they grew in leaps and bounds and I'm seeing it carry over into the season now despite having to deal with a new roster. Crosby has unfinished business and his determination and work ethic is contagious. They all know they are part of something really special, especially with the sick talent we have, and it inspires all the guys to step up.
Only time will tell what this means come springtime but right now I'm more optimistic than I thought I would be. I don't know if, on paper, we're better than what we had in the spring, but there's a lot of things we've gained that do help ease the sting of what we did lose. And who knows what kind of players might join our fold come early spring. It's a great day for hockey, indeed.
