Crashing the Net

• Pittsburgh is spawning hockey talent in droves, while we remember just how close Ovechkin and Crosby came to nearly being teammates. 
• We'll take a look at NHL 2009 and perhaps discuss how badly you will be beaten by "some guy" with the username Pensburgh.
• Afterwards we'll stroll down Crosby St. and look at one guy who got out of Detroit following the Cup win.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review composed a feature on hockey in Pittsburgh, with specific emphasis towards NHLers who hail from the Pitt region.

Unfortunately former-Flyer-turned-Blue Jacket R.J. Umberger is used as a point of reference in the article.  When you consider his ties to Pittsburgh combined with an inane ability to destroy the Penguins every time he plays, it's a good thing he's not a Flyer anymore...

"The goal now for Pittsburgh is you get to a place where kids can develop here and you don't have to leave," Umberger said. "Having junior hockey here would be good. You could go to Robert Morris (University) and continue playing here in Pittsburgh instead of leaving your home at 16 years old. I think that's the next step for Pittsburgh.

Pitt Trib-Review

It's a slight reference on THN's website but a reference none the less that can still evoke images of Ovechkin and Crosby on the same lines.

Sure, the Pens got Malkin with nothing lost and so much more to gain in him.  But THN writes:

It’s easy to forget the Pittsburgh Penguins were the worst team in the NHL in 2003-04 and were poised to take Alex Ovechkin first overall in the 2004 entry draft. But it was the Washington Capitals who won the draft lottery and moved from third pick to first. The Penguins slipped to second pick and got Evgeni Malkin as a consolation prize.

The Hockey News

Easy to forget huh?  Well, they have a point, but I guess they didn't watch many games that year. 

Consider Ovechkin and Crosby on the same line.  Scary, right?  But do you really think Ovechkin would allow himself to play secondhand man to Crosby?  No.  And never mind how the Penguins would have tried to finagle a deal to keep both of them for another five or six years.  That would drain any bank account...

I wouldn't say I'm an avid video gamer, but that's just because I play only a handful of games.  From the hallowed days of NHL 94 on Genesis to NHL two-thousand-whatever on Playstation, I've never missed a year.  So when I saw an NHL 2009 trailer on Fanhouse, I just had to share it:

PS - Sid scores at 1:37

I play on Playstation 2.  Username: Pensburgh

The protect the puck feature looks sick.  The "Be a Pro" mode is going to eat up a lot of my time in real life...I can tell ya that.

Jodie at The Sidney Crosby Show is building a collection of Crosby street signs.  They're not photoshopped...these are really signs.

And finally Scotty Bowman.  Yeah, the former Penguins coach.  He's done with Detroit and went on to a long-time Red Wings rival...

No one's saying that adding Scotty Bowman to the front office puts the Blackhawks on the level of the Red Wings. But adding that level of insider insight will certainly add a bit of intrigue when the two teams meet. It's a great day for Chicago hockey.

Yahoo! Puck Daddy

The Detroit / Chicago rivalry is going to go through the roof this season...