Where Do They Get These Writers?!

A new article by Mike Toth of sportsnet.ca had the blog world buzzing yesterday. Here's a paragraph of the article in question (which, coincidentally, was written about the Penguins):

8. With all the garbage I've been eating this summer, I shouldn't be trusting my gut. But something tells me the Pittsburgh Penguins are headed for a huge fall. The darlings of the NHL last year when they gave Detroit all it could handle in the Cup final, the Pens go into the new season missing some key pieces to the puzzle. Marian Hossa and Ryan Malone are gone and key defenceman Ryan Whitney will miss the first three to five months with a knee problem. To make up for their missing offence, the Penguins are counting on getting some big minutes and big goals out of the mercurial Miroslav Satan, who lit the lamp just 15 times for the Islanders last season. Sure, the Penguins still boast the one-two punch of Crosby and Malkin. However, Tampa Bay finished in the cellar last year despite sending Lecavalier and St. Louis over the boards every night. Prediction? Coach Michel Therrien doesn't last the season and the Penguins shock the NHL by struggling just to make the playoffs.

There are several things wrong with this paragraph of the article (which is titled "Pass the Puck - Part II" and is about the writer's predictions and team analysis of the NHL's 2008-2009 season; not just about the Pens). Most apparent is his reference to Ryan Whitney's foot surgery as "knee problems" - wrong body part, guy (good thing Toth wasn't the surgeon for Whitney)! Another thing a little less obvious, but was pointed out by The Sweater Ted blog, Whitney will be missing 3-5 months from the surgery; not from the start of the season, so instead of the possibility of Whitney being out through January or March according to Toth (a Pulitzer Prize-winning candidate, no doubt!) he will actually sit out through November or January - that's quite a difference in terms of a hockey season!!

And lastly, the other thing wrong with this article, in my own humble opinion, is his prediction that "Michel Therrien doesn't last the season and the Penguins will shock the NHL by struggling just to make the playoffs." First off, didn't Pittsburgh just sign Therrien to a 3-year extension during this offseason? I realize this isn't a guarantee for anything and it could be possible that Therrien won't finish the season (since I've learned never to say never), but I'd say the organization is pretty confident in him as the Penguins' coach or else they wouldn't have decided to sign him to another contract in the first place - didn't we already cover this issue before?!

As to the Penguins struggling to make the playoffs, the team may have to start the season by, once again, overcoming diversity. But isn't that something they successfully dealt with last year in order to make the playoffs (even fell only ONE GAME short of winning the Stanley Cup)?! I'd say they're getting pretty good at dealing with diversity at this point. Honestly, I think losing Sidney to a high ankle sprain late in the season for a few months is far more of a blow than not having Hossa and Whitney. The Penguins still have enough depth with a number of talented players to step-up! Malkin did it last season when Crosby was out and I'm looking for players like Letang, Staal, perhaps Goligoski to show us what they got this season. Maybe I'm wrong, but we'll see, won't we?!!