If you are a Penguins fan and don’t like Sergei Gonchar then there is something really wrong with you and your brain is not wired right. I remember when the Penguins signed Gonchar a few years back too many people ballyhooed about the acquisition because they knew so little about the skill Sarge brought to the blue line. They remembered he was a Capital and hated him because of it.

But like it or not for the better part of his career in the NHL Sergei Gonchar has been one of elite offense defensemen if not the cream of that crop and the cherry on top too. Especially where the power play was concerned there was no finer player to quarterback the slaughter. His offensive prowess has never been in doubt except to those uninitiated in the finer points of hockey.

This year however things seem different. Perhaps it is age and two grueling seasons on a team who went deep into the playoff playing a demanding offensive style that has taken its toll on Gonch. Perhaps it is just an off year. Perhaps it is just misconceptions about exactly what he has accomplished. But right now, with Sergei Gonchar looking for a new contract things just don’t seem to rosy for one of the top offensive d-men to ever play the game.

In 62 regular season games Gonchar had 11 goals and 39 assists. Unfortunately he was also a -4 but he was tied for third in scoring on the team. And the guy he was tied with, Alex Ponikarovsky did most of his scoring elsewhere before joining the Penguins. In the playoffs Gonchar had 2 goals, 10 assists and was +4 in 13 games. I’ll take that from a defenseman any day of the week and twice on Sunday. So it cannot be his offensive stats that are the problem. What does seems to be the problem is that his offensive output is leading to a defensive lapse. That’s not good even for an offensive defenseman.

Probably though the biggest reason people are down on Gonchar this year is the power play which was pathetic 26th. Gonchar is an easy target considering that he plays most of every power play for the Penguins. But so too do Crosby and Malkin. I think the problems with the man advantage are deeper than Gonchar although he is an easy scapegoat. I still maintain that it is long past time to split up the dynamic duo and have them each run their own unit because it is obvious that both Sid and Geno want to play the same spot on the ice making it very easy to defend. And teams have defended it well. But this is not say that Gonchar is not blameless either.

I like Gonchar. I bought a number 55 jersey when he joined the team. My friend John liked the acquisition of Ziggy Palffy that year better. Good thing he didn’t invest the money in a #33 sweater.

But even though I like him it does not mean that I am interested in giving him the farm to stay. Gonchar made five million this past year. That is a hefty sum and one that he has been worth. But this year, especially with the power play faltering, the Penguins cannot really afford to invest in a multiyear contract for Gonch at that rate. Hate to say it but I think age is catching up to him. He is still a way above average offensive D-man but I do not know that he is the same guy I drafted quickly and often every year in fantasy hockey because of his skills.

Is he worth what Letang just got? I’d say yes for two years. But it would be a pay cut to what Sarge would likely get on the open market.

Honestly I don’t care what Gonchar does. If he wants the money he wants the money. Can’t fault him for that. But what if he takes that money and doesn’t win? I don’t know about you but being a richer loser doesn’t seem like much fun when you can be a slightly less rich winner.

If I were the Penguins the deal would be three years at an average of 2.75 million a year (3 mill this year, 2.75 next and 2.5 in year three). Take it or leave it. Time is not on Sarge’s side. He’s 36 and I think he’s got three good years left in him. Not great years, but good ones. Plus as long as he is on the bench I have a feeling that Letang and Goligoski will never get the ice time they need to develop in the Power Play quarterbacks they can become.

There have been bad bounces a plenty for the Penguins as they now find themselves in a Game 7, winner take all match up with the Montreal Canadiens. Whether it is shots by Penguins players deflecting wide of Halak or clanging off the post, sticks missing pucks by a country mile with a yawning net waiting for the shot or pucks shot by Habs that seem to always find the net things have certainly not bounced the Penguins way. Which is why we are where we are. Forget the “mythical” Jaroslav Halak people keep talking about. The Penguins are beating themselves. Halak is not.

Halak’s weaknesses are well known by now. They are rebounds and the five hole. He is mortal. He bleeds. He can be killed. Get to the rebounds, shoot for the five hole and get a little offense from the defense and the Penguins win. Well, that is if Fleury shows up for Game 7.

Marc-Andre Fleury has played, well, good but not Fleury like in this second round matchup. Yes, most of the goals he has given up have been ones he should have stopped or have been fluke bounces but when push comes to shove tonight on the ice at the Igloo Fleury will have to find a way to end those all too frequent of occurrences. No excuses.

The defense can help by thinking about where they are throwing the puck in the defensive zone and making sure pucks get up ice onto the sticks of other Penguins. The offense can help out by not turning the puck over in the neutral zone and not pussyfooting pucks weakly around the offensive boards and ending any chance of sustained pressure. But in the end Fleury must rise to the occasion and get those flippers and his glove hand working in sync with his brain.

Fleury, and the whole team, must guard the cage he stands in front of like Spartans at the battle of Battle of Thermopylae in the movie 300. Although hopefully, I admit, with a slightly better outcome for the heroes tonight than death at the hands of the ravenous and barbaric enemy from the Great White North.

Fleury must be King Leonidas. He must hold the line. He must make the stand. He must declare that while he lives and breathes that no pucks shall pass. No one else will save this team from an all too early exit from the playoffs. Not Sid. Not Geno. Not even Mad Max Talbot. Not even the legion of 17,132 that will be sitting at the Igloo cheering the Penguins on.

Time to rise up Fleury. Time to be great. Time to become a legend.

Last week, like thousands of other season ticket holders, I got my yearly invoice asking for my deposit on next year’s season tickets. Of course the most annoying thing is that they ask me for my deposit BEFORE they tell me what the price of tickets for my two seats in D-7 will be once the move to the new arena is complete. Still waiting for that info!

Last year for my two tickets I paid a deposit of $769.70. This year the deposit was $840. I am not sure if this is a harbinger of a ticket price increase or not. But the 9.1% increase would be inline, but high, with what we have recently seen. It would also mean that the total cost of my tickets will be over $4,000 this year if true.

Of course with a season ticket waiting list the Penguins certainly probably feel confident that they can raise prices. It is simply supply and demand after all.

What I don’t like is the Penguins asking me for money before telling me what the total bill will be. I think it is sort of underhanded if you really want my opinion.

I have been holding my tongue the past few weeks because the Penguins have gone from contender to joke in the East. They have accomplished this stunning feat because of several things from poor defensive unit play to shoddy goal tending by Marc-Andre Fluery who seems to be looking ahead to the Olympics more than keeping his mind on what he is doing in net on any given night. But as poor as those things have been the number one reason this team is faltering is because of the power play.

I’ve talked about it before and I think it just might be time for Coach Bylsma and some of the other so-called “experts” to maybe take a listen rather than mock the ideas that I have put forth in the past. Namely that it is time to split the Malkin/Crosby unit into two distinct ones.

Oh I know the excuses. The players claim they are getting their chances and that there is nothing major wrong. The pundits claim that it would be insane to not put your three best offensive threats on the ice together (Crosby/Malkin/Gonchar). But get down out of the clouds for a second!

For the better part of two years the Penguins preferred PP unit has struggled. It is far worse this year but be honest, last year was not all that great either considering the talent level on the ice. Moving Malkin to the point hasn’t worked either and I honestly do not see how putting Malkin back in the circle and moving Crosby to the point would help much despite what some people have said.

I know the inevitable complaint too! Oh how can you tell one of the Pen’s superstar centers that they are not good enough to be on the number one unit? Uh, hello, Earth to space cadets! They play on separate lines most of the game and are deemed affectionately 1 and 1A! You seriously expect me to believe that doing the same with the power play would hurt their egos any worse than this?

Some of you out there are just too enamoured with having one super unit. But that super unit is playing 1:45 out of a two minute PP and not scoring! And let’s face facts here; no one fears the #2 unit!

Suck it up. Let’s try something different!

PP #1 (starts the PP if Malkin is on the ice when penalty call is made)
Crosby
Cooke
Rupp
Gonchar
Kennedy (Point)

And before someone complains about Kennedy on the point, have you seen the way this guy can skate with the puck? Have you seen the way that he puts pucks on the net for rebounds?

PP #2 (starts the PP if Crosby is on the ice when the penalty is called)
Malkin
Staal
Fedotenko
Gonchar/Letang
Goligoski (point)

Yes, Go Go has struggled but this is a guy that the Pens have invested in. Time for his trial by fire! Either sink or swim time.

So what do you say Coach? Wanna give it a try?

I know, Heaven forbid some bozo like me with a blog might actually be right huh?  But I will tell you this, what you are doing is not working.  And doing it over and over despite it not working is leading me to believe that you are insane!

Quickly approaching the halfway point of the 2009-10 NHL season and the main problem for the Pittsburgh Penguins remains. That problem is an anemic power play.

Ok, since Malkin moved to the left point a few games back there have been signs of a pulse for a unit ranked dead last in the NHL despite having more talent than most teams have on their entire roster. Last night against New Jersey however the Penguins power play was once again a liability going 0-5 and giving teams no reason to fear the unit and not take penalties.

Scoring on just one or two of those man advantages might have turned what ultimately was an embarrassing blowout into an actual contest. But no. Instead Penguins fans were once again left to watch Malkin, Crosby and Gonchar struggle for no apparent reason.

This is getting ridiculous and something serious needs to be done soon. Otherwise, mark my words, the Penguins will end up loosing a round in the play offs if their power play is not corrected.

I think moving Malkin to the point is a good change. But I still think a better change is getting Sid and Geno on separate units altogether. Because as bad as the first unit has been with them both on it, the second unit has been even worse and even less of a threat to opponents.

Hard to believe that the Penguins have been as banged up on the blue line as they have considering that they are sitting atop the Atlantic Division. It is almost like the loss of Gonchar, Letang, Goligoski and McKee, each for several weeks and at the same time, did not matter as players like (Dr.) Ben Lovejoy, and Deryk Engelland have filled in nicely and kept the defense sound.

Well, this morning it was announced that Lovejoy and Engelland are heading back to Wilkes-Barre and that means that unless some combination of Letang, Goligoski and McKee are ready to return to the lineup the Penguins would be short handed on defense heading into tonight’s important divisional match up against the Rangers.

Each of the three injured regulars, according to reports, are cleared to play which means the Penguins should for all intents and purposes be back to full strength this evening.

Now, about that struggling power play …