Dropping The Gloves
Pens Announcer Paul Steigerward

PSR Editor Tony DeFazio and Penguins TV Announcer Paul Steigerwald talked about the Penguins at a recent morning skate.

TD: When the national media starting predicting this Penguins team was a Stanley Cup contender this season, what were your thoughts?

Steigy: I thought they were overstating it a little. It's a little early yet. The USA Today predicted the Penguins to win the Cup and I thought that was a little premature. They haven't won a playoff series yet. We saw the difference between the elite status of the Senators and this team last spring, and I thought it was a glaring difference. But, at the same time, the reason I don't like it generally is that I just don't like making predictions about where you're going to finish before you even start. It's just too early to make those kind of assessments with a team like this. Now with a team like the Ducks or the Senators, a team that you know has a track record of success and seems to be on the precipace of doing something. So I am generally in the mode of, "can we play the games first and enjoy it a little bit before we start worrying about how far they'll get?" I was driving back from work one day, and I was at a stoplight, and the guy next to me noticed me, and got my attention. So I roll down the window and he asks, "How far are we gonna go?" And I thought, "Man, we haven't even started yet. Let them play a game first." But that's what fans are interested in.

TD: In your opinion, what's preventing them from being among the elite?

Steigy: One thing that stands out is depth on defense. I think you really need nine (defenseman) and this team has been going with seven, so I just think that's a big spot that stands out. And when I say depth on defense, I don't mean star players, but veterans who you can count on in their own end. Losing (Mark) Eaton is really a blow to a defense that wasn't deep to begin with. So that, and maybe another goal scorer to skate with Sid. So if you think you are close and that can put you over the top, then maybe you pull the trigger.

But I don't think (GM) Ray (Shero) is going to deviate a whole lot from his master plan, which is that this is a work in progress. The core of what they ultimately need is already here. But still, if you think you are close then maybe you do go fishing - you look to a team that is out of the playoff race and see if you can some help from someone like that. But you have to pay for quality, so you have to be careful not to give too much away.

TD: The many talented young players on this team have been compared to the Penguins' teams of the late 80's and the Edmonton teams of the early 80's, in that something special may not be too far away. Are those valid comparisons?

Steigy: Yeah, I think it's a valid comparison. The difference, to me, is that the Penguins of the late 80's didn't develop into a great team, a Stanley Cup-caliber team, until they made that deal (the trade that brought Hall of Famer Ron Francis and defensemen Ulf Samuelsson and Grant Jennings to Pittsburgh in exchange for John Cullen, Zarley Zalapski and Jeff Parker). This team may not need to do something like that to get all the pieces in order; in that way they may be more like the Edmonton teams of the 80's.