The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review is reporting that Staal's deal is four-year at $16 million.
Staal said, "there was no question (he) wanted to stay."
"It wasn't weighing on my mind too much," Staal said. "In my
mind, I was comfortable where I was and happy to be a part of this team.""Jordan made no secret he wanted to remain a Penguin," Krepelka said. "The reason this didn't get done in the summer was he wanted to see where he fit. Now, Jordan has no complaints how he's being used. Once that became clear, that he would be used as more than just a No. 3 center, we wanted to get the deal done."
The Penguins recently announced that they have signed Jordan Staal to a four-year deal which will go into effect at the beginning of the 2009-2010 season and run through 2012-2013.This is GREAT NEWS!! Look at all the talent we've been able to sign so far -- young talent. I believe Ray Shero is solidifying his core and this will be an awesome team that will be growing and getting better together -- HOW AWESOME IS THIS?!!!!
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15 comments:
3 of the 4 Best Centers in the League!!!
Yes, that would be the case if there were only three Centers in the league.
I'll give you that Malkin is 1st, however, Crosby is not #2...maybe #4 or #5. Staal shouldnt even come up in that conversation. There are 120 (give or take) Centers in the league and Staal is most absolutely in the bottom half.
I know all you overexhuberant fans love the Pens players, however, lets get realistic as to their quality of play. Staal in no way deserved a contract for the way he is playing. Dragging ass along the boards, losing pucks, and missing the net is not what I am looking for in my "shut-down" Center.
@Enviro-Rossi
You do like a good argument, don't ya?
Well -- you're talking short-term with the way he's been playing. He's YOUNG!! What happens when he comes into his own? Do you want him on the team or playing elsewhere?
Typical.
I am, as I'm sure Kena is, behind the team good or bad, win or lose -- not like those who seem to find fault in everything about the team when they're down and out (sorry, but that's not a fan and if you want to call us overexhuberant, be my guest).
this is so exciting!
i was in the middle of my anatomy midterm when i got the text alert.
i checked my phone after and almost screamed!!!!
yeah staalsy!
This is really good news.
Honey, Malkin isn't #1 either. In fact #1 isn't even a Penguin.
And yes, Stephanie, they could clear their roster (which I would not agree with) and I would still support the team, even if I thought they made the wrong decision.
And even I've been bitching about Staal being lazy. However if the pens don't sign some potential then the rest of the league will.
@ Stephanie
Short-term? Did you watch last season? Last season was a massive step back and this season is proving no better. He is your "shut-down" Center playing with a minus rating and thats ok with you? He is a dime-a-dozen.
In terms of being a fan or not, I was going to games when they were pulling in 50 point seasons as the X-Generation.
When players arent playing up to snuff, its the Sportswriters and fans obligation to complain about their performance. However, this happens very little in Pittsburgh and I am getting fed up.
I pay a portion of their salaries through merchandising, ticket sales, and over-priced beer and nachos. Damn straight I am going to bitch when they arent playing as much as they are getting paid.
@ life as a red head
He is tops in scoring and is near the top in plus/minus.
I would say that qualifies as #1 Center in the league.
Please tell me who you consider the tops?
@Enviro-Rossi - this could go on forever, so the only thing I'm going to make a point to mention is the fact that I have also been going to games since X-Generation as well and have been a fan since their second Stanley Cup in 1992, so this just comes down to a matter of opinion (and not whether I'm a bandwagoner or not in case that's what you are implying!)!!!
Ah, I can tell by the time stamps, he was waiting for me.
No, I'm not going to tell you whom I consider the best center, in the league. We will not agree, and I do not feel it fair to drag "non topic" items onto a Penguins blog. You're free to email me if you really want to know that bad. I'm sure you know that my email address is on my profile, because I'm sure you've read it.
I will tell you however. That we do agree that Malkin is very near the top. Their is no arguing that fact.
@ Enviro-Rossi
Interesting thoughts but you're in the minority, Staal is still young and growing with the team. He has been overall only an asset and they expect him to develop, so why not lock him in?
exuberant fans or not. the only fans 'complaining' in Pgh are like fans of any other sport in any other city-- those that jump on board when the winning is good and they forget what it's like to go through an entire season of sports ups and downs (read NY Giants fans booing their team!!!!) .
Have the Pens kidnapped Detroit's front office? Or maybe one team is actually learning from the closest thing there is to a dynasty...
I think it's time I step in here and give an assist to my boy Enviro. Let me first start off by saying that everyone is entitled to their opinion. With that being said, it is okay to have your opinion challenged without regressing to the "you're a bandwagon fan if you don't always love everything about our team". It just shows a lack of knowledge and the inability to debate a point effectively.
Here is a fact anyone can look up: Jordan Staal is not a Top 10 center in the league. Based on statistics, there are 57 centers ahead of him in scoring:
Evgeni Malkin, PIT
Sidney Crosby, PIT
Marc Savard, BOS
Ryan Getzlaf, ANH
Joe Thornton, SJ
Pavel Datsyuk, DET
N. Backstrom, WAS
Jeff Carter, PHI
Patrick Marleau, SJ
Mike Richards, PHI
David Krejci, BOS
Derek Roy, BUF
Mikko Koivu, MIN
Henrik Sedin, VAN
H. Zetterberg, DET
Todd White, ATL
V. Lecavalier, TB
Brad Richards, DAL
Mike Ribeiro, DAL
Bryan Little, ATL
Jason Spezza, OTT
Daymond Langkow, CGY
Jonathan Toews, CHI
Doug Weight, NYI
Daymond Langkow, CGY
Jonathan Toews, CHI
Doug Weight, NYI
Eric Staal, CAR
Paul Stastny, COL
Robert Lang, MON
Anze Kopitar, LA
Matt Stajan, TOR
Shawn Horcoff, EDM
Olli Jokinen, PHO
Chris Drury, NYR
Travis Zajac, NJ
Scott Gomez, NYR
Keith Tkachuk, STL
Mike Modano, DAL
Joe Pavelski, SJ
Rod Brind'Amour, CAR
Stephen Weiss, FLA
Patrik Berglund, STL
Derick Brassard, CLS
Jason Arnott, NSH
Dainius Zubrus, NJ
Peter Mueller, PHO
M. Grabovski, TOR
Vaclav Prospal, TB
Dave Bolland, CHI
Craig Conroy, CGY
Brooks Laich, WAS
Ryan Kesler, VAN
Saku Koivu, MON
Brandon Dubinsky, NYR
All of those guys have more points than Staal. I'm not saying they are better than him, and I will be honest, I don't know who some of them are, but any reasonable person can see Staal does not rank among the best.
@Stephanie - While Staal is young, I think he was rushed to the team too soon. Yes, he played remarkable his first season, but he really should have been returned to his junior team. He played terrible last year and while only slightly better this year, his play did not warrant a $4 million contract. Given the opportunity, would you have kept Ruutu at $2 million over Staal at $4 million, knowing you could get someone like Mike Zigomanis to replace Staal? That's two for one. Seriously think about that. What Enviro and I are saying is Staal is not worth $4 million, especially when they weren't willing to pay Malone that money in the offseason.
@Life_As_A_Redhead - I'm sure you think a Dallas Star is the best center in the game but that is understandable. If someone were to ask me who is the best LW in the game I would say Fedotenko because I like him and he plays for my team. I'm not an idiot and realize Ovechkin is the best LW in the game but since I hate him I wouldn't say it was him. Malkin is the best player in the league, and there are many non-partisan sportswriters who would say the same thing, but it's okay if you don't think that to be true.
To conclude, please stop using the 'oh you guys are bandwagoners' as a comeback. I personally have been watching the Pens since 1985. I still remember watching them play against the Los Angeles Kings in their horrible purple and yellow uniforms. I watched Ron Hextall chase Rob Brown after a goal in the 1989 playoffs and their eventual loss to backup Ken Wreggett. I celebrated both Cups and nearly cried when David Volek ended a chance for a three-peat the next year. I did cry when Lemieux was diagnosed with cancer. We've been to more games over the years than probably everyone posting replies combined so don't tell me that we're bandwagoners because we don't like the current direction of this team.
@Hept-Rossi - thanks for the insults, but I don't think I ever called Enviro-Rossi or anyone for that matter a bandwagoner fan (fickle, yes; bandwagoner, no) and I actually think that he was the one implying that about me/us which is why I brought up the fact that I've been a fan for as long as I have (but you win - a fan since 1985? Thats impressive!).
And how admirable of you to step in for your friend who ran out of things to comeback at us with (and that he had to resort to finding someone to defend him).
Quite honestly, I think it's amusing that you (and recently he) only choose to leave negative comments on my blog; yes, everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, but why bother if you're going to be insulting right off the bat (your friend was the one who started with calling us overexhuberant fans). Just as everyone has a right to his/her opinion, he/she also has a right to be a fan in whatever manner they choose - don't insult them for it!
And please stop using my blog comments as a place to sound off. I could be more tolerant if 1) you regularly posted comments both positive and negative that contributed to friendly discussion among fans (sort of like I've seen you do on other blogs), 2) that you didn't pick and choose what to leave comments about based on what kind of reaction you would get (funny that you guys were here around the same time Ruutu was suspended again -- what a coincidence); and 3) your comments were limited to the normal 1-5 sentences, but it takes both of you a novel to make your point; that's not what my blog is for (listing 100 other players that have more points than Staal? That's really intelligent and a little bit of a waste of time since I could've went to nhl.com stats if I wanted to know that).
PS - THIS ISN'T A FREE-FOR-ALL!!
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