Maybe the Pens Comparisons to the 80s Oilers Will Soon Stop

Lemieux was quoted the other day as per the below:

“It would be nice to follow what Edmonton did, for sure,” said Penguins owner Mario Lemieux, a Hall of Fame player and two-time Cup champion with Pittsburgh. “Similar type of team with the core guys that we have, you know, Gretz and Messier. Of course we have Malkin and Sid. Pretty much similar to the two teams the way they played.”

Look, Mario was undeniably an incredible player and a class act, but he's going a little far with this comparison.  The only comparison is that Gretzky and Messier were two Hall of Fame talents and Crosby and Malkin are headed that way.  However, where he is wrong is where he says similar type of team "with the core guys we have." 

You need more of a "core" than Crosby and Malkin (and put in Fleury) to be the 80s Oilers.  Those guys one year had the THREE top point getters in the NHL - - Gretzky, Messier AND Kurri.  They had Glenn Anderson, too.  AND Paul Coffey.  That guys had over a hundred points THREE times as a defenseman for Edmonton.  And they had a hall of fame goalie in Grant Fuhr. 

Pittsburgh has no one beyond Crosby and Malkin to compare to Kurri, Anderson, and Coffey.  No one.

The only comparison is we are seeing a rematch in the finals between a veteran team and a young team for the first time in 25 years. 

That's where the comparison should begin and end because there is no compari... [More]