1st, 2nd, 1st pick last 3 years.

[Grave77digger]

I been reading ALOT of complaints about how the Pens have been "Lucky" enough with top picks and they dont deserve to win the lotto. People saying the Pens had two number 1 picks in 3 years. The facts are that the Pens have lost EVERY lotto before this one, even though they had a statistically better chance of winning. Pittsburgh had to trade up to Draft Fleury, people keep forgetting that Florida won that, NOT the Pens. Then they lost the lotto for Ovechkin.

3rd times the charm, Pens Finally won a lotto, and quite possibly a new arena.

Click to read more...

 

[kolanos]

Yeah, like 2nd overall is a bad thing. The Flames have never been in the top 5, not once in their entire team history (25+ years). There's probably other teams that are much the same way... the Penguins have been in the top five TWELVE times (9 times since 1980).

I guess it's better to be lucky than smart.

 

[LeafErikson]

I been reading ALOT of complaints about how the Pens have been "Lucky" enough with top picks and they dont deserve to win the lotto. People saying the Pens had two number 1 picks in 3 years. The facts are that the Pens have lost EVERY lotto before this one, even though they had a statistically better chance of winning. Pittsburgh had to trade up to Draft Fleury, people keep forgetting that Florida won that, NOT the Pens. Then they lost the lotto for Ovechkin.

3rd times the charm, Pens Finally won a lotto, and quite possibly a new arena.

no more excuses for pittsburgh though, with three top notch potential franchise players, Melkin, Crosby, and Fleury, there should be no reason this team doesn't get a new arena, and no reason that they shouldn't have a team that at the least, challanges for the playoffs. Lucky bastards.

 

[AnThGrt]

Ya umm 3 franchise players on one team thats awesome.... I'm quite afraid East may actually be good in the future with Atlanta and Pens......

 

[salty justice]

The Pens have had 3 times as many top 2 picks in the last 3 years than the Hawks have had in the history of the draft. It's ridiculous that they get bailed out again.

Even though I hate the Ducks more than almost any team I was pulling for them when it was down to 2. Even they deserve it more than Pittsburgh.

It would have also been better for Crosby to go to a Western Conference team. In the last 6 years only 3 out of 18 Top 3 picks were by teams in the West. And now its 4 out of 21. Basically the best and worst teams will be in the East for the next decade. Can that be good for those struggling markets?

 

[john g]

It would have also been better for Crosby to go to a Western Conference team. In the last 6 years only 3 out of 18 Top 3 picks were by teams in the West. And now its 4 out of 21. Basically the best and worst teams will be in the East for the next decade. Can that be good for those struggling markets?

Will it be any worse then the triumverate of Dallas,Detroit,Colorado rolling over every one in the 90's?

The complaints people are coming up with because their team didnt get Crosby are getting ridiculous.

 

[Oilers1*]

Of the last sixteen Art Ross winners, ten have been Penguins.

And yet, hockey in Pittsburgh still needs a saviour.

I honestly couldn't think of a worst destination.

 

[Bacchus]

Pittsburgh had to trade up to Draft Fleury, people keep forgetting that Florida won that, NOT the Pens.

Yeah, and they deadly overpaid for getting that no 1 pick that year.

 

[AnThGrt]

Seriously where to would it of been ok for him to go stop with the complaining there is no team that deserved him more or less

 

[salty justice]

A team that isnt a current powerhouse and one that hasnt had many top picks lately. Some of these teams are:

Anaheim
Minnesota
Montreal
Chicago
Los Angeles
Buffalo
Islanders
Rangers
Phoenix
Nashville
St Louis
Edmonton

Even if you dont like these teams (I hate several of them), atleast they deserve it more than Pittsburgh. I actually like Pittsburgh more than most teams, certainly more than the Ducks, but I still think it's BS that they get another high pick.

 

[rocketpop]

Yeah, like 2nd overall is a bad thing. The Flames have never been in the top 5, not once in their entire team history (25+ years). There's probably other teams that are much the same way... the Penguins have been in the top five TWELVE times (9 times since 1980).

I guess it's better to be lucky than smart.

The Blues have had three top 10 picks in the last 25 years... ' 86' #10, 88' #9, 89' #9. They've never had a #1 in 38 years.

 

[Ric Flair]

Yeah, like 2nd overall is a bad thing. The Flames have never been in the top 5, not once in their entire team history (25+ years). There's probably other teams that are much the same way... the Penguins have been in the top five TWELVE times (9 times since 1980).

I guess it's better to be lucky than smart.

The Flames had Al Coates as general manager for a few years so they were neither lucky or smart.

 

[boredmale]

Will it be any worse then the triumverate of Dallas,Detroit,Colorado rolling over every one in the 90's?

for arguement sake Colorado(Quebec at the time) had a string of three #1s from 89-91(Sundin, Nolan and Lindros).

 

[Ric Flair]

for arguement sake Colorado(Quebec at the time) had a string of three #1s from 89-91(Sundin, Nolan and Sakic).

That's cause they were tanking in order to get those guys. They knew they'd be able to trade one of them for Patrick Roy one day.

 

[boredmale]

That's cause they were tanking in order to get those guys. They knew they'd be able to trade one of them for Patrick Roy one day.

actually Quebec was beyond bad those years, they had like 30 points the year they got Nolan. being an Islanders fan, i sadly remember 89, Islanders were going to finish last but they finished the season up something like 2-1-1 to go one point ahead of the nordiques, sadly we ended up with Dave Chyzowski at #2.

Even worse was the 90 draft, Islanders needed Pittsburg to lose it's last game to make it to the playoffs. Uwe Krupp scores in OT for Buffalo, knocking the penguins out. Islanders lose in first round, get Scott Scissons #6, Jagr goes to the Penguins at #5.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Not sure where this thread is coming from. Craig Patrick played the hand that was dealt him through circumstance, mostly Baldwin being an absolutely pitiful excuse for an owner (who turned down a new arena by the way for a few upgrades but mostly to pocket the cash). Baldwin left the team bankrupt, not from lack of support but by his own mismanagement. Mario was the largest creditor, and Mario who had no money other than what came in from the gate to spend, became the new owner. Not from choice but through no choice of his at all. So we have been the last decade to some extent, last five years especially, a franchise in survival mode and often forced to sell off talent. This despite being at least a middle of the pack franchise in terms of support, and in many ways (local FOX broadcast ratings which are consistently top 3 at least in the american market, perhaps any market, etc etc.) much higher support than almost any franchise, through our history. Finally we are being sold to a guy with money to spend. But you tell me, detractors. How else could Patrick have played the last five years or so? We dived? Please. We survived as we could. And yes, we got lucky too. I am not going to apologize for that. Especially with this last lottery. 6.7% chance. Just a pretty minor bit above even the lowest percentage pickers in this lottery. How anyone can complain about how we ended up with this pick I have no clue. Just pure luck of the draw.