I Really Liked What Bucky Gleason Wrote in Today's Newspaper

Let's never speak of it again.

Okay, seriously, I do think it was a good article. I know Evgeni Malkin is playing like a dog right now but come on, people, it's not like he's trying to play that way. He's clearly frustrated and clearly trying to not screw up so much. He has that first half Thomas Vanek "Did I just do that? I can't believe I just did that!" look about him. He's a baby, he's a second year player, and he's trying. Granted, I'm not a Pens fan and I'm full-on rooting for the Wings so it's easy for me to say, "Oh, well, at least he looks upset with himself. That's something, right?" If Vanek had a great second half, looked great in most of the first few rounds, and then completely disappeared in the Stanley Cup Finals except for when he was screwing something up, I'd probably be griping about him. It's definitely easier to be more c'est la vie about a guy who isn't yours.

I do think Bucky skimmed awfully quickly over "The Penguins will be good for a long time if management can keep everyone together" because that's going to be quite a task and I don't see it happening but I know that wasn't really the point of the article. I am pretty curious to see what happens with the Penguins over the next couple of seasons though regardless of how things end for them this season.

See? I can be totally reasonable about Bucky Gleason. So there!

For the record, while I was not happy about the outcome of Game Five, it was an awesome game, much more in line with what people were hoping the series was going to be like, I think. (Although I would like to point out that Ryan Malone didn't have to take that puck off his face. He could've been wearing a visor instead. Might not have hurt as much that way.) There's nothing in sports like overtime playoff hockey especially with the Stanley Cup on the line for one of the teams. I could do without a Game Seven though. If it comes to that, the Wings, as cool as they seem, would have to be feeling some serious pressure. Although... hockey is hockey. Tonight's just an off night and I feel lost. Not sure what I'm going to do when the season is over.

I didn't hear it but I guess Darcy Regier said on WGR that the Sabres aren't planning on making Dmitri Kalinin an offer. It's for the best on both sides, I think, but still I'm a little bummed. I hope Darcy is planning on picking up a d-man somewhere. I don't know if he's noticed but even with all these prospects we're looking a little short on the blueline. By my count we have 34 forwards, 3 and a half defensemen, and 2 goalies. I'm not sure that's going to work.