Tomorrow night the Pens will host the Dallas Stars. The Stars have been on of the hottest teams in the NHL season having just beaten the Caps the other not. In case you haven't heard Sidney Crosby won't play. This will be the Pens first game in about 84 years. Last season after Crosby and Malkin went down with injuries General Manager Ray Shero pulled off a trade sending Defensman Alex Goligoski to Dallas in exchange for Forward James Neal, and Defensman Matt Niskanen. Today we are going to take a look at that trade since the Pens haven't played in 8 decades and we need something to post. So here we go.
ALEX GOLIGOSKI
Last season in 23 games with Dallas Goligoski tallied 5 goals and 10 assists. He also tallied 3 power play goals. 2 more than the Pens scored in the playoffs. This season with Dallas in 14 games Goligoski has 2 goals and 4 assists.
Goligoski was a smooth skater who could also move the puck fairly well. He wasn't a big strong d-man but held his own on the blue line. Goligoski had a ton of offensive talent but his defense was questionable at times. Last season with the emergence of defensmen Deryk Engelland and Ben Lovjoy as well as up and coming d man Simon Despres, made it easier to move Goligoski.
JAMES NEAL
Last season James Neal didn't get off to the start he wanted to with his new team. In 20 games with the Pens last season Neal only tallied 1 goal and 5 assists in the regular season, and 1 goal and 1 assist in the playoffs. It didn't help him much that he was playing with Mark Letestu and maybe one of the laziest players of all time Alexi Kovalev. But what a difference an off season makes. This year in 15 games with the Pens he's tallied 9 goals and 5 assists. Neal is finally getting to play with an elite center in Evgeni Malkin and solid verteran Steve Sullivan who has also been a bright spot for the Pens this season. The Malkin, Neal, Sullivan line has been spectacular and it shows in Neal's production this season.
MATT NISKANEN
In 18 games last season with the Pens Niskanen tallied 1 goal and 3 assists. This season in 14 games, Niskanen has exactly the same numbers. Last season Niskanen was...well, awful. He looked lost on defense most of the time and every time he was on the ice we held our breath.
When we think of Matt Niskanen last season we either see that. Or we see this:
The first video happens way to many times last season especially in the playoffs.
But as was the case with James Neal the off season has done wonders for Matt Niskanen. He isn't as big of a defensive liability as he was last season. For as much as we jobbed him last season Niskanen has been as solid as anyone this season. He was playing some outstanding hockey until getting hurt recently in a game against San Jose.
Plus he's a Penguin so we have to like him. Right fan police?
Pens/Stars tomorrow at 7.
Finally back at it. No long break between games for a while now. Should be a good one tomorrow night.
Go Pens
The first video happens way to many times last season especially in the playoffs.
But as was the case with James Neal the off season has done wonders for Matt Niskanen. He isn't as big of a defensive liability as he was last season. For as much as we jobbed him last season Niskanen has been as solid as anyone this season. He was playing some outstanding hockey until getting hurt recently in a game against San Jose.
Plus he's a Penguin so we have to like him. Right fan police?
Pens/Stars tomorrow at 7.
Finally back at it. No long break between games for a while now. Should be a good one tomorrow night.
Go Pens
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