[emo17]

What first caught my attention regarding the Pens is that they have somehow conveniently always gotten a top draft pick during the right year. I wouldn't be surprised if they finished at the bottom of the standings next year (despite already having Crosby and Malkin) so they can pick up John Tavares in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

But that's just pure speculation. Here's what really bothers me:
Over the last 20 years, the Penguins have drafted four of the five biggest name players in the NHL (Ovechkin being the exception).

Awhile back they drafted both Jaromir Jagr AND Mario Lemieux, and now more recently they've drafted (one after another) Sidney Crosby AND Evgeni Malkin with back to back first overall picks (convenient how they get those when Crosby and Malkin are coming into the league).

Regardless of whether they lost intentionally or not, or organized their team so that they would have off years when these great players became draft eligible, it's still extremely unfair that Pittsburgh always drafts these players. But, I suppose you can't prove it's cheating.

But then I found this (on wikipedia) regarding the 2003 NHL Entry Draft:

"Draft Day Trades

The Florida Panthers trade the 1st pick (Marc-Andre Fleury) and 73rd pick (Daniel Carcillo) to the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 3rd pick (Nathan Horton), the 55th pick (Stefan Meyer) and Mikael Samuelsson."

Luckily the Penguins made a mistake in not drafting Eric Staal (or they would be even more unfairly stacked in terms of talent), but still, why would any team trade the first overall pick and change in exchange for pretty much equivilent change, AND Mikael Samuelsson. It makes no sense. The Panthers could have Eric Staal right now instead of Horton.

So my question is - why in the world did Florida make that trade? I don't see how it makes any sense unless there was bribery or sexual favors involved.

Anyway - the way Pittsburgh stacks their team is unfair to the rest of the teams in the league. They should have to make good trades and have solid developmental facilities just like every other team instead of getting the high picks at the perfect times and then dominating everyone else.

And PS. No I'm not a bitter Sens fan; I'm a Sharks fan. I just noticed this though and I think it's evident that there is foul play involved on the Penguins part.

What do the rest of you think?

[Garb]

Take a look back at the Wings in the late 80s/early 90s.

[MaCabe]

Originally Posted by emo17

Awhile back they drafted both Jaromir Jagr AND Mario Lemieux, and now more recently they've drafted (one after another) Sidney Crosby AND Evgeni Malkin with back to back first overall picks (convenient how they get those when Crosby and Malkin are coming into the league).

Actually Malkin was a second overall pick behind Ovechkin. As for the conspiracy theory I think that it doesn't make much sense for the league to allow a small market team with not too much potential to be hoard all the youth undeservedly, so I find it very difficult to believe that there is something sinister going on.

[gordfish]

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the Penguins tanked to draft Lemieux and Crosby. And there is also no question IMO that the NHL fixed the 05 draft lottery to get Crosby in Pittsburgh to keep the Pens there and force the City of Pittsburgh to finally help get a new building in place. Is it really a big surprise that one of Bettman's best buds ended up with pick number 2? Or that Burkie junior went from 23rd to 10th? Or that another of their cronies in Doug McLean ended up with the 5th or 6th pick?

Just look at the way the NHL has meddled with the Nashville situation.

But this is the reason I've always said that the Penguins should be moved to a real hockey market. Without a superstar on that team, no one really cares about them and the team plummets into financial crisis. What happens when Crosby and Malkin have moved on? Do you spit all over the rules for them a third time?

Pittsburgh is football country and that's it.

[CrAcK_N_CoKe]

They dont deserve what they had and have thats for sure.

Worst bandwagon franchise of the history of sports.

Mario Lemieux should have been in Montreal , he was born here and we deserved a guy like him.

But life isn't fair.

[Canucks fan 1141]

i dont really see how their cheating. I didnt even think that it was possible to cheat in the nhl other than using steroids.The only reason that they got such good picks was that they were horrible for a few years. I really dont think that their cheating.

[PensRule]

Im not going to address most of the comments as it seems to be pretty anti-Pittsburgh in this thread. But I will say that if the league could chose a place for Crosby I think he would be wearing a Rangers jersey right about now or another one of the bigger markets.

[Pens6615]

Originally Posted by PensRule

Im not going to address most of the comments as it seems to be pretty anti-Pittsburgh in this thread. But I will say that if the league could chose a place for Crosby I think he would be wearing a Rangers jersey right about now or another one of the bigger markets.

Im just going to take pleasure in the fact that other fans in the NHL are once again jealous of the team in Pittsburgh, are Pittsburgh fans as "die hard" as fans in say Vancouver probably not, but Pittsburgh's team is in the playoffs, Vancouver is playing golf....boy, being a "die hard" fan really helps!

[Shinedown]

The Florida/Pittsburgh trade has to be the most one-sided I've ever seen.

[CrAcK_N_CoKe]

Originally Posted by Pens6615

boy, being a "die hard" fan really helps!

Personally , I liked Pittsburgh way back because Mario Lenmieux and Jaromri Jagr are 2 of my biggest idol , but there's something you don't understand here.

1st , your team was going to disappear before you drafted arguably the greatest player of all-time ( IMO he is but whatever its not the debate here ) in Mario Lemieux.
After that , you drafted Jaromir Jagr and all those great players won you 2 cups.
So you had the 2 greatest 1985 - 2000 players so of course your franchise survived.

Then , you had a bunch of good players like Kovalev ect...but one day the pens had no money anymore so they just gave Jagr , Kovalev ect...for a bunch of peanuts.
In those days , Mario Lemieux was buying the team to have his money back and save the franchise.
He return to the game but was alone in his team and he was getting older.
The franchise was in danger despise Lemieux efforts.

The team was sucking big time and you drafted Evgeni Malkin 2nd overall.But then again everything was lookign bad for the penguins and the team wasi n danger to move.
And then finally the big luck , you drafted the hype guy , Sidney Crosby.People were starting to jump on the bandwagon again not realising they already had drafted a franchise center in Malkin but they didnt give a F.They had CROSBY !!!And Lemieux once again realised the impossible by keeping the penguins in Pittsburgh.

Great story , really.
You got Malkin , that should be enough.
Then you got Crosby , wow the penguins are on fire.

But let me tell you something , if you drafted someone like Jason Spezza and Patrick Kane ( just examples ) theres no way the franchise is staying in Pittsburgh , those are good players , but those arent Malkin or Crosby ( I used a 2nd overall and a 1st overall as my examples )
My point in this paragraph is:

I know maybe you're gonna laugh , but one day , Crosby is gonna retire and Malkin 2 , and when your team is gonna sucks once again , I highly doubt you'll be lucky like that again.You can't be lucky like that 3 times , and this days , in what? 16-20 years? The penguins are gonna GTFO.
Your gonna say , YOU ARE AN IDIOT , WHO CARES ABOUT IN 20 YEARS , well I do.I dotn want my habs to disappear in 20 years cause im probably gonna be alive and with a lot of years ahead of me.

Thats the problem in Pittsburgh , they are buying time.
No way the fans are gonna follow the team if they dont have a GREAT GREAT GREAT player in 20 years.They will be following a team with GREAT GREAT GREAT players for 40 years.

Lemieux Jagr Malkin Crosby...and then what?
Enjoy my friend , please enjoy.