The Kids Are Alright

Most of you know I have been a Pittsburgh Penguin fan for years. Since their inception in fact. It has not always been easy since they have had some very lean years, especially the last 4 or 5. However, all those low finishes and high draft picks are starting to pay off.

The Penguins have four teenagers starting for them. Yep, four players only a couple years older than Ben are not only playing but playing very well. And the 20 year old rookie they have, Evgeni Malkin, has scored a goal in his each of the first 6 games of his career. That has never been done before in the NHL. Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fluery and Jordan Staal, who aren't close to 20 yet, are arguably among the best 10 or 12 young players in the league.

Now I know the season has just begun and just because the Pens are on top of their division for the first time since Emma was still living in Indiana I should curb my enthusiasm a bit. But, when a team is this young and this good I think it bodes well for the future. These guys have the potential to give the teams of Lemieux, Jagr, Francis and Barrasso a run for their money. And with the diluted talent pool which is today's NHL any group this strong could dominate for years. Should be fun to watch.

Now if the Orioles could find an owner.....