Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.38 - Ft. Brandon Burlon

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Well if there was ever any doubt about whether Nicklas Lidstrom and friends could find away to slow or perhaps even contain the powerful Pittsburgh Penguins offensive attack, those doubts were quickly dashed after a commanding Red Wings victory in game one of the Stanley Cup Finals. The Red Wings not only slowed and contained the Penguins big guns like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marian Hossa, they completely extinguished them holding Pittsburgh to just nineteen shots. In what was another example of experience prevailing over youth, for the first time in the 2008 playoffs, Pittsburgh looked significantly overmatched as they stumbled out of the gate, literally…just ask Marc-Andre Fleury.

Losing only two games en route to the Cup Finals, the Penguins rolled over their Eastern Conference competition. The Red Wings were not as quick in their march to the finals dropping four games through the first three rounds but keep in mind they faced much tougher competition in a stronger Western Conference. To put things in perspective, Pittsburgh appeared in game one against Detroit on Saturday night as they did in game one against the Ottawa Senators during the 2007 playoffs when they were easily dispatched in five games.

The Stanley Cup Finals, unlike the first three rounds of the playoffs, represent a whole new level of hockey that requires a whole different type of experience to be successful just as the games in those first three rounds are far different than the first eighty two games that come during the regular season. To be so close to the big prize is exciting but that excitement can easily paralyze a team rendering them ineffective as we saw the Penguins in game one. Detroit and their twenty three Stanley Cup rings of experience simply played mistake-free hockey cutting the Penguins down to size and putting themselves one step closer to Lord Stanley’s Mug. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.37 Ft. Nick D'Agostino

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"It's a pathetic performance. Half of the team doesn't care. That defensive squad - I am really starting to believe their goal is to be the worst defensive squad in the league. They turn the puck over. They have no vision. They are soft. I have never seen a bunch of defensemen as soft as this."

Legendary words from Pittsburgh Penguins Head Coach Michel Therrien just two and a half seasons ago. Hearing those words without context today, one might be inclined to think of the Toronto Maple Leafs but certainly not about the Penguins.

In such a short period of time, the Pittsburgh Penguins have gone from one end of the spectrum to the other: laughing stock to powerhouse. Of course having Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, two of the NHL’s top five players virtually handed to them through the draft helped but this season, Pittsburgh’s dominance is about so much more than just Crosby and Malkin.

Ryan Malone has taken the next step in his career, providing consistent secondary scoring along with a rugged physical presence. Ray Shero became the first general manager to understand that Marian Hossa cannot play the go-to-guy but surrounded by other great players that take some of his pressure away, Hossa can be dynamite. Jordan Staal, still just nineteen, continues to score timely goals while growing into one of the most reliable defensive players and penalty killers in the game. Somewhere between Toronto and Pittsburgh, Hal Gill became a consistently solid defenseman. Their fourth line plays seven to ten effective minutes per game, chipping in with important goals while keeping their opponents off the scoreboard and Marc-Andre Fleury seems to have finally allowed his last soft goal, maybe it had something to do with getting rid of those horrendous canary yellow pads.

Mix in all those ingredients and then top it off with two franchise players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and that’s where total dominance comes from. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.36

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So does anybody really think the Brian Burke to Toronto scenario is over and done with? It seemed that way two weeks ago when Burke himself came out and said he will be serving out the duration of his contract as general manager of the Anaheim Ducks. But even after that statement, the rumors just won’t seem to go away.

It seems logical that from a personal standpoint Burke would welcome a move to Toronto to take over the Maple Leafs. He has children currently living in Boston, a long trek from Anaheim but far less daunting from Toronto. Of course, as previously discussed in this segment on Episode 3.34, Burke’s wife, who works occasionally as a broadcaster in Vancouver would likely be able to find employment in Toronto while being closer to husband.

When stories surfaced last week about the Leafs interest in former Canucks GM Dave Nonis, it only added more fuel to the Burke speculation. With Burke being denied permission to get out of his contract, Nonis could keep the GM seat warm for a year until Burke’s contract with the Ducks runs out, at which time Burke could come in to take over the hockey operations department of the Maple Leafs and rework the front office as he sees fit.

However at this point, the Maple Leaf Board of Governors insistence that they are not meddling in the process of hockey decisions seems somewhat hard to believe, especially after the curious timing of the Paul Maurice firing and Richard Peddie’s lip syncing of Cliff Fletcher’s introduction speech back in January. The Leafs will never win if Peddie et al. continue to play armchair general manager. The good news for Leaf fans is that if Brian Burke does eventually take the Leaf general managers position, this meddling from upper management will have come to an end. And if it hasn’t, don’t expect Burke to be around too long. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.

Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.35 Ft Jennifer Hedger

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As the very rarely seen but much talked about Fabian Brunnstrom continues his barnstorming tour of NHL clubs speaking with various representatives before he and agent JP Barry decide which team will suit him best, one has to wonder if the newest Swedish sensation will follow in the well chosen footsteps of his fellow countrymen who have come before him. When Brunnstrom finally chooses a suitor and skates onto NHL ice, he will do so, in large part due to enormous media speculation, under stunningly high expectations. Anything short of failing to take the league by storm and he will be labeled a failure and a disappointment even if he proves to be a good player but not a great player.

With this possibility in mind, why not chose an organization that has almost become Team Sweden’s North American annex. The Detroit Red Wings have had tremendous success finding numerous Swedish players passed over by most every other team and developing them into not just serviceable NHLers but front line talent. Kind of sounds a bit like Brunnstrom’s situation doesn’t it. Six of Detroit’s top nine playoff scorers hold Swedish passports and just one of those six, Niklas Kronwall, was selected higher than the third round of the entry draft.

In an organization unable to foster and nurture his talent, it will be easy for Brunnstrom to go the way of the dodo bird if he doesn’t, oh I don’t know, win the Hart Trophy next year. Ridiculous expectations you say? Hey I’m just judging from speculation we’ve heard. If you’ve seen him play, tell me different. In Detroit though, surrounded by fellow Swedes in an organization that constantly develops winners, Brunnstrom would have the best chance at success even if he only turns out to be as good as, let’s say Johan Franzen. And hey right now, playing like Franzen isn’t a bad thing at all. If Detroit shows interest, Fabian should listen. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.