Sidney Crosby Hype, Robbie Brown, Pens Previews & Photos from PNC Park
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CTV News out of Canada posted "The Sidney Crosby Breaking News Story of the Day” on its website regarding Sidney Crosby’s health status Monday. Here’s the
link.
Crosby’s agent, Pat Brisson, immediately responded to the article with the following statement, per the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
"Sidney hasn't been shut down by anyone. He has simply adjusted his summer program according to the different needs for the appropriate recovery.
"Training camp is three weeks from now. It is too premature to speculate all kinds of deliberate information at this point.
"Sidney will address the media at the appropriate time in order to give everyone an update. As far as I know training camp hasn't started yet."
Pens GM Ray Shero acknowledged that Crosby continues to experience symptoms during high intensity workouts a week ago. There’s really no news from the television outlet. It’s the summertime and there’s not much hockey to report, I suppose.
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Craig Adams underwent laproscopic appendectomy surgery Friday. He’s expected to be ready for training camp, according to the
Penguins’ Web site. Adams signed a two-year deal worth $1.35 million in the summer.
Adams is known to be a great penalty killer, but he’s also one of the leaders in hits per 60 minutes. The forward finished 41th in the NHL with 12.90 hits/60 minutes, according to
TSN.
Do you know which franchise drafted Adams and how the Pens picked him up? Answers at the end of article.
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In an article entitled “Some of the Most Unlikely Seasons in the NHL,” on
NHL.com, former Penguins forward Robbie Brown is recognized for his work in a Penguins sweater. Brown potted 49 goals and 115 points in 1988-89. Pens fans might remember that Brown missed on a breakaway feed from Mario Lemieux that not only would’ve given Brown his 50th goal but also Lemieux’s 200th point. Mario scored 85 goals and 199 points in ’88-89.
After Brown’s big season, his NHL career faded downhill to the point where he bounced between the NHL and minor league hockey. The story doesn’t touch upon his second go-around with Pittsburgh, where he virtually remade his game into a grinder’s role from 1997 to 2000.
Another big memory of Robbie Brown is his being chased around the ice during the ‘88-89 playoffs by Flyers goalie, Ron Hextall (and his stick), after netting a goal against the Philadelphia netminder.
Brown’s career stats can be found
here, courtesy of hockeydb.com.
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For the past eight seasons, I've had the pleasure to serve as Rotowire's beat writer for the Pittsburgh Penguins. One of my responsibilities is to produce fantasy outlooks for all of the Penguins players. I just started the project this morning and thought I'd share some of my work with you. I'll continue to post the outlooks as I work my way through the team, alphabetically. Feel free to offer feedback -- it is certainly welcomed. You get to see everything unedited, freshly typed. Can't wait for the Pens and fantasy hockey to start back up.
Nick Petersen
Petersen, a fourth-round pick in 2009, scored 24 goals and 57 points in 40 games for ECHL Wheeling in 2010-11. He's a proven scorer from his days in the QMJHL, where he totaled 37 and 39 goals, respectively, in the past two seasons. The 21-year-old winger looks to spend the majority of 2011-12 with the Wilkes-Barre Baby Penguins as he gains experience in his second professional season. Another strong campaign will put him firmly in the prospect camp.
Alexandre Picard
Picard is expected to provide competition within the defensive corps after signing a one-year, two-way deal in the offseason. He has 236 career games worth of NHL experience, including 43 appearances with Montreal in 2010-11. However, the 26-year-old defenseman collected only eight points (3 G, 5 A) between those contests, though he did have 55 hits and 59 blocked shots. There's little reason to anticipate any sort of breakout from Picard in 2011-12.
Casey Pierro-Zabotel
Pierro-Zabotel split time between two ECHL teams in 2010-11 - the Wheeling Nailers and the Cincinnati Cyclones. The 22-year-old winger produced big numbers in WHL play, but strung together a so-so 54 points in 67 games last year. Pierro-Zabotel faces a possible make-or-break season in 2011-12.
Philip Samuelsson
Samuelsson is expected to begin his professional career in the fall after playing defense for Boston College the last two years. He picked up 30 points and 108 penalty minutes in 81 games at Boston College, where he was part of a team that won an NCAA title in his freshman season. The Penguins are looking for Samuelsson to bring an aggressive, physical style to the table, much the way his father, Ulf, once did for Pittsburgh. Still, he's likely several seasons away from making a significant contribution at the NHL level.
Carl Sneep
Sneep is one of a handful of promising defensemen within Pittsburgh's organization. He got his feet wet in the AHL last year, scoring four goals and 17 points in 61 games for the Baby Penguins. He saw improvement during his time with Boston College, collecting 11 goals and 28 points in 42 games as a senior in 2009-10. Sneep will be 24 years of age in November and needs to play well to make it to Pittsburgh in the winter.
Jordan Staal
Staal made his 2010-11 debut in the Winter Classic last year after suffering a foot infection and a broken wrist. When he returned, the big center scored 11 goals and picked up 19 helpers in 42 contests, representing his highest scoring rate in five NHL seasons. There remains debate as to whether Staal is a top-six player or a strong No. 3 center at this stage of his career, but the Pens may experiment with Staal alongside Evgeni Malkin in 2011-12. The team wanted to pair up the two last year, but injuries to both players prevented such a development. It's hard to believe that Staal is still only 22 years of age, but that youthfulness could mean there is still room for improvement.
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The “Free Hockey For Kids” Penguins preseason game will take place Sept. 24 against the Minnesota Wild. The organization will hand out 18,000 tickets to kids from age 5 to 21. For more details, click
here.
For the rest of us older “kids,” preseason tickets go on sale Wednesday morning, according to the
Penguins’ Web site.
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Took my first day off from PNC Park on Sunday afternoon and attended game as fan. Here are a few of the photos I took.
PNC Park looks good from any
vantage point.
Andrew McCutchen reacts to a golf-shot homer by Garrett Jones.
Pirates manager
Clint Hurdle debates the merits Allegheny County real estate taxes with umpire Brian Knight.
Pittsburgh native
Neil Walker exhorts his teammates to do well from third base during Sunday’s game.
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Trivia Answers: Craig Adams was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the ninth round of the 1996 draft and was claimed by the Pens on waivers from the Chicago Blackhawks.
Have a great Tuesday!
JT
Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger • 
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