Let The Drive Begin!

   After slipping for a two week span, the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves back atop of the league where the believe they belong. The whole slippage started when GM Bennett made some moves to help the team compete but bring in younger talent for the future. The moves at the start seemed like they would not work out, however just above the halfway point of the season it seems as if the team is starting to gel again, going on a role to climb back into first in the East.

   However the climb wasn't easy. After starting off the season hot, then plummeting then back to hot again there has been many deals along the way. Ilya Kovalchuk was shipped out of town to help the defense, clear up cap and bring in bluechipper Cody Eakin. Joe Pavelski was also shipped out of town, seeing checking centre Rich Peverly come in along as the highly touted Russian prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov. Don't forget, Carey Price was also brough in, as well as Tim Brent for a checking role.

   Following the moves, the Penguins started to fall but as previously stated the team rose again. "The main reason we believe the team started to come back together was our headcoach Mr. Robinson decided to play a much more defensive game taking advantage of our excellent d corpse," Bennett said while at a Skate-A-Thon at the Penguins training facility.

   Despite success, the GM wasn't done tinkering with his club. Out of nowhere, the league was tooken by surprise when a deal was struck between division rivals the Rangers and the Penguins. It saw the likes of Colton Orr, Kurt Sauer, and Jordan Tootoo coming to the Pens for a 5th rounder. Many GM's were outraged to find the price so low for depth nhlers but having cap problems, the Rangers were willing to do it. "It's always a pleasure negotiating with the Rangers GM. Always easy to get stuff done, and even when you have the deal done theres always the possibility it can get bigger."

   Now that the depth on the left side was shored up, Bennett purseued the other forward spots for the club. However, when he heard Paul Kariya was available he just couldn't turn the chance down. After some aggressive negotiating, a deal was finalized seeing Kariya brought to the Penguins for prospect Jay Barriball. "Bringing in Kariya adds tremendous experience to our club that is pushing towards the playoffs, as well as filling the 2nd line with a quality winger we sorely lacked."

   While bringing in Kariya, things seemed to die down in the land of the ice of the Penguins. Known for always trying to better his club, Bennett decided to lay low for a while working the phones quietly before something big happened. Just today that something big did infact happen.

   Taking the league off guard, Joe Thornton and Marian Gaborik would be leaving the city that never sleeps without getting a chance to pack there bags. The two would be coming to Pittsburgh in return for Rich Peverley, Dmirty Kulikov, a 1st in 2012, Kris Versteeg, and stalwart prospect Ryan Johansen.

   "Honestly, this was a deal that just happened today. No talks had happened before today but once I heard rumours of Big Joe wanting out of NYC you just had to go for it. I'm not going to lie, the deal struck for Joe happened rather quick. Having the deal done so quick, we inquired about Gaborik and seeing the price we decided to pull the trigger to build us for the playoffs. The race is officially on," announced at a press conference in Pittsburgh. Many fans were excited with the news as chants of "We Want Stanley" occurred at the last pens game.

   With the deal, the Penguins however do give up a lot but Bennett has reasoning that will ease the thoughts of Penguins fans.

   "In our books we believe we win the deal and in GM Grotes books he wins the deal. We bring in a #1 center even with Sidney Crosby that gives us much more depth and we bulk up our wings tremendously with bringing in Gaborik making us that much more of a faster team already having Gagne, Bozak, Kessel, Kulemin, Crosby etc. That being said, we believe giving up Johansen won't hurt much due to the depth at centre. The only thing that hurts is Kulikov, but with out depth at defense we decided to take the risk. Having Myers, Weber, Vlasic and Komisarek back there allowed us to make this deal."

   This all being said, the race is infact on for Lord Stanley. Many believing the Penguins are now the frontrunners to hoist it again.

   In other news, tournaments and friendly bets have been going on between the Penguins GM and Florida GM in NHL 11. Rumours say the two GM's casually get together every other weekend, set up teams in NHL 11 to look like there teams and the two duke it out for supremacy.

   "Well I will be honest, it has happened and as of now the Panthers have yet to beat us in a battle for the stanley cup more or in exhibition. It's sad to say too because with this trade does it not only help out chance for a cup, but it makes our NHL 11 team that much better," Bennett laughed as he was caught off guard with the question.

   GM Wilson of the Florida Panthers has no comment at this time and is in some trouble for punching a reporter when asked about the friendly games in NHL 11.