Welcome back my friends to the blog that never ends (except for the summer). It was an awful offseason for the hockey family. We lost Derek Boogard, Rick Rypien, Wade Belak, and the entire team and staff of Yaroslavl Lokomotiv from the KHL. I dedicate this innaugural post of the 2011-2012 season to each of their memories. Hockey has often been an escape for me, and I'm sure many other people feel that way as well. Each of those gone will be remembered for the memories they created on the ice. My sincerest condolences to those closest to these deaths.
With that said, we move forward to what will hopefully be another great season on the ice. Last season did not end anywhere close to how Pens fans would have liked, but that did not make the playoffs any less incredible. The action was intense from the start of the playoffs until the last fire was extinguished in Vancouver. After the smoke cleared (literally), the Boston Bruins and former Penguin Mark Recchi were the Stanley Cup Champions.
Locally, the season was filled with incredible highs with the opening of the Consol Energy Center and a Winter Classic that all the rain in the world couldn't dampen. Unfortunately, shortly after the Winter Classic we got a big dose of lows with injuries to Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and just about anyone else that could wear a Pens sweater and skate backwards.
If you know what a hockey puck is, chances are you know about the Sid saga...I won't be recapping that here. All you need to know if that the team is back and looking good and Sid will be at some point as well. I decided against doing team previews this year because there are plenty of great ones out there (go to Puck Daddy or The Pensblog for example) and I am too excited for the puck to drop to comb over the offseason.
We'll cover the minute details here from here on out, so if you keep coming back there will be more content than a season preview every could give you.
The Penguins start the season in Vancouver Thursday, October 6th. My personal excitement level is immeasurable and I just have one question for you...
I will be attempting to Tweet during most Penguins games. You can check that out @shootinthepuck but there MAY be some strong language.
Special thanks to Shaquille O'Neal for being awesome enough to be Shaq. Even though this is a hockey blog, he will be missed beyond words (he retired if you do not follow basketball).
*"Preview" should not be not taken literally. The term is used only to avoid litigation from the hockey bloggers guild.
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