Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are leading the Pittsburgh Penguins on a wild run to the NHL playoffs. Today, another team from the Steel City is making noise, and its characteristics are awfully similar to those running-and-gunning champions of yesteryear.
The Penguins, led by face-of-the-game Crosby, have put themselves in position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2001. With 29 victories, they already have seven more than they posted in 2005-06. Pittsburgh sits tied for fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, second in the Atlantic Division. A 50/1 longshot to win the Stanley Cup in October, the Pens have morphed into a 15/2 medium-shot with less than two months left in the regular season.
Stanley Cup Odds - The Favorites
* Buffalo Sabres: 3/1
* Anaheim Ducks: 5/1
* San Jose Sharks: 6/1
* Nashville Predators: 7/1
* New Jersey Devils: 10/1
* Ottawa Senators:10/1
* Detroit Red Wings: 10/1
Full list of odds to win the 2006-07 Stanley Cup
In fact, Crosby, Malkin, and Eric Staal are the first trio of teammates to score more than 20 goals before their 21st birthday since - well, that's interesting - Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Paul Coffey did it with the 1981-82 Edmonton Oilers. Whether the young Penguins can avoid learning that lesson the way Edmonton did should be interesting and fun to watch at the same time.
The NHL season is entering the playoff stretch. Get all your hockey odds!
The Penguins, led by face-of-the-game Crosby, have put themselves in position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2001. With 29 victories, they already have seven more than they posted in 2005-06. Pittsburgh sits tied for fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, second in the Atlantic Division. A 50/1 longshot to win the Stanley Cup in October, the Pens have morphed into a 15/2 medium-shot with less than two months left in the regular season.
Stanley Cup Odds - The Favorites
* Buffalo Sabres: 3/1
* Anaheim Ducks: 5/1
* San Jose Sharks: 6/1
* Nashville Predators: 7/1
* New Jersey Devils: 10/1
* Ottawa Senators:10/1
* Detroit Red Wings: 10/1
Full list of odds to win the 2006-07 Stanley Cup
In fact, Crosby, Malkin, and Eric Staal are the first trio of teammates to score more than 20 goals before their 21st birthday since - well, that's interesting - Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Paul Coffey did it with the 1981-82 Edmonton Oilers. Whether the young Penguins can avoid learning that lesson the way Edmonton did should be interesting and fun to watch at the same time.
The NHL season is entering the playoff stretch. Get all your hockey odds!
