Couple of fun Straka facts that add some fun context to things: - That year that Straka ended up on Florida and they went to the Cup, they actually beat the Pens in the ECF in 7, which denied the world an unbelievable Pens-Avs final - Straka was a huge playoff hero, scored a pair of OT winners in that Pens run to the ECF in 2001 which was the year that Mario came back as well
He returned to play for his hometown team HC Plzeň in Extraliga (highest czech league). He also owns that club and is GM since his return in 2008. So as a playing owner and GM he won with them in 2013 being over 40 years old and scoring 20 points in 20 games in playoffs. Retired next year, they havent won since. Tried coaching job in Plzeň and even with national team as assistant. Another czech trivia - last 3 seasons were won by Třinec with Václav Varaďa as their head coach (former Buffalo player) and there are rumors he might try to get assistant job in NHL.
@Axl Warpshaft Where to begin? First of all, like I said, the team has never been for sale under Bob Nutting. He's maintained from Day 1 an insistence that he will leave the team to his children. Second, also alluded to (receipt below), they were within a few years of exploring sale of the Penguins. Who sells the Penguins to buy the Pirates? It makes no fiscal sense. Third, especially if they had no thoughts of selling the Penguins at the time (Why would they after back-to-back Finals, unless they thought the team had blown its window?), the value of the Pirates had risen so much by that point that I question where they'd have gotten enough liquid cash to purchase controlling interest of an MLB team. Fourth, a combination of 1 and 3: The Pirates were committed to a plan (albeit early stages) that was clearly going to deliver the best on-field product in a generation. Think what you will about Nutting, but even if he ever considered selling, he's definitely not going to sell low. Fifth, and most important, if someone's serious about any acquisition of a company, talking about it in the press is the absolute best way to ensure it won't happen. We have seen that repeatedly with Jim Balsillie and the NHL, and I forget the name but there's some other jabberjaw who recently talked about trying to buy or start an NHL franchise and got black-balled. Why? Because unless it's publicly traded and they're trying to inflate the stock price for maximum cashout (when both sides have an agreement in principle already), the company will dislike the press and all that accompanies it. That totally muddles negotiations and causes internal and external headaches throughout the company--everyone wondering what this means for their jobs and how their lives or business could otherwise be disrupted even by the effect of rumors about a sale--let alone serious negotiations. Though I've quibbled with every Pens GM's moves here and there, the Lemieux Group was never going to be stupid enough to jeopardize negotiations like that if they were actually serious about buying. A potential seller never takes kindly to that, especially when the press (right or wrong) is immediately panning the seller even more than the pariah Nutting already was. Nope, not confused one bit. They announced intent to explore selling the team in summer 2015: www.nhl.com/news/penguins-morgan-stanley-to-review-strategic-options/c-769803
Doc Emrick's favorite team is the Pittsburgh Pirates. Huge baseball fan. So if you're going to will a World Series win for the Pirates I'm sure Doc would be thrilled.
Thank you for another interesting video :) I'd be interested to see the aavs for these career videos, would provide an interesting insight into their perceived value as players. Thanks again!
Watching both you and your channel grow has been amazing! You're a class act Shannon and if their is one hockey podcast that stands above the rest, it is yours.
Well I often screw up names for things and persons, if people thought they won the World series it's on them lol. I've only great positive things about Straka, he had a somewhat unusual career and I think Pens let him go too early. I had written him off in 96 and guessed he was on his way to Europe but he proved later he still had a place in NHL. I don't regard him as a big star but 83 and 95 points are respectable no matter how you look at it.
It's not so much that he only produced as a Penguin, he did produce as Jagr's teammate and often linemate, both in Pitts and NYR! That's why Rangers signed tbh, to team him up with his compatriot.
The Stanley Cup is the World Series of Hockey. If it ever happens again, if you can, just roll with it: "The World Series...of hockey, aka the 'STANLEY CUP'..."
He was Jaromir Jagr's wingman. He played his best hockey whenever he was on Jagr's line. If he wasn't with Jagr he couldn't score. That 76 point comeback season in 05-06 was probably thanks to Jagr too because he was also there and scored 123 points that year.
Anyone's going to be better with Jagr, but I think that's overstated. When he played without Jagr in Pittsburgh, they usually had him fill a much more defensive role, which he was also good at.
@@closethockeyfan5284 Anyone accept the Washington Capitals with Jagr. Its too bad it didn't work out for Jagr in washington. Imagine if he stuck around there and played on a line with Ovechkin? If he stayed a couple more years we could have seen it.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have the second longest championship drought in baseball, having last won in 1979. The Cleveland "Guardians" have the longest having last won in 1948
Maybe you should just buy the Pirates. I doubt you could truly be worse than Nutting, probably only just as bad in a different way... (for what it's worth, I cheer for the Pens but not truly for the Pirates, but mainly because baseball doesn't interest me that much, especially compared to football and hockey. Even when they were good a few years ago, I barely watched any of their games.) Also, I loved the Robo-Penguin logo, albeit partly because my first piece of Pens merch was an old (non-hooded) sweatshirt given to my dad by relatives, then handed down to me. It had that logo on it. I don't wear it very often at all, though, partly to preserve it and partly because it doesn't quite fit. (I bought a Skating Penguin hoodie for gamedays)
Given the (appreciated!) disclaimer of not knowing baseball, please don't perpetuate the yinzerism that Nutting is the problem. No matter what some billionaire looking for an easy PR move (punching the Pirates while they're down) will tell you, they're not seriously interested in owning the team and wouldn't run it any better--because they too would prioritize profit over wins. The real problem is that MLB's economics blatantly favor large markets at the expense of small ones. Just look at the LCS participants of the 21st century. Occasionally there's a Tampa Bay or a Kansas City, but the vast majority have been the large markets.
@Atheos B. Sapien This is more accurate. People often don't realize he actually didn't play on the same line as Jagr very much. He was most often with Kovalev and Lang.
Couple of fun Straka facts that add some fun context to things:
- That year that Straka ended up on Florida and they went to the Cup, they actually beat the Pens in the ECF in 7, which denied the world an unbelievable Pens-Avs final
- Straka was a huge playoff hero, scored a pair of OT winners in that Pens run to the ECF in 2001 which was the year that Mario came back as well
👍
Straka was a class act. When I was very young, Marty carried me into the locker room so I could get Johan Hedberg’s autograph.
Straka is one of my favorite players. The Lang straka kovelev line was amazing.
amen
I used to use this man all the time in NHL Hitz 2002. I can still hear the announcer yelling his name when you select him.
I remember asking for a Straka video years ago. Thank you! Big fan of him as a kid
Your dedication to your job is inspiring. One screw up and you're redoing an entire 10 minute video. That's why you're The Hockey Guy.
He returned to play for his hometown team HC Plzeň in Extraliga (highest czech league). He also owns that club and is GM since his return in 2008. So as a playing owner and GM he won with them in 2013 being over 40 years old and scoring 20 points in 20 games in playoffs. Retired next year, they havent won since. Tried coaching job in Plzeň and even with national team as assistant.
Another czech trivia - last 3 seasons were won by Třinec with Václav Varaďa as their head coach (former Buffalo player) and there are rumors he might try to get assistant job in NHL.
cmon shannon dont take it so seriously your s is best hockey podcast -it was funny to hear your mistake -they are soo rare!
I concur.
Should’ve just kept it. In an alternate universe the penguins won both the Stanley cup and the World Series in the same year.
@Axl Warpshaft which was purely a PR stunt--they knew the Pirates weren't for sale and ended up announcing the Pens were for sale a few years later.
@Axl Warpshaft Where to begin?
First of all, like I said, the team has never been for sale under Bob Nutting. He's maintained from Day 1 an insistence that he will leave the team to his children.
Second, also alluded to (receipt below), they were within a few years of exploring sale of the Penguins. Who sells the Penguins to buy the Pirates? It makes no fiscal sense.
Third, especially if they had no thoughts of selling the Penguins at the time (Why would they after back-to-back Finals, unless they thought the team had blown its window?), the value of the Pirates had risen so much by that point that I question where they'd have gotten enough liquid cash to purchase controlling interest of an MLB team.
Fourth, a combination of 1 and 3: The Pirates were committed to a plan (albeit early stages) that was clearly going to deliver the best on-field product in a generation. Think what you will about Nutting, but even if he ever considered selling, he's definitely not going to sell low.
Fifth, and most important, if someone's serious about any acquisition of a company, talking about it in the press is the absolute best way to ensure it won't happen. We have seen that repeatedly with Jim Balsillie and the NHL, and I forget the name but there's some other jabberjaw who recently talked about trying to buy or start an NHL franchise and got black-balled. Why? Because unless it's publicly traded and they're trying to inflate the stock price for maximum cashout (when both sides have an agreement in principle already), the company will dislike the press and all that accompanies it. That totally muddles negotiations and causes internal and external headaches throughout the company--everyone wondering what this means for their jobs and how their lives or business could otherwise be disrupted even by the effect of rumors about a sale--let alone serious negotiations. Though I've quibbled with every Pens GM's moves here and there, the Lemieux Group was never going to be stupid enough to jeopardize negotiations like that if they were actually serious about buying. A potential seller never takes kindly to that, especially when the press (right or wrong) is immediately panning the seller even more than the pariah Nutting already was.
Nope, not confused one bit. They announced intent to explore selling the team in summer 2015: www.nhl.com/news/penguins-morgan-stanley-to-review-strategic-options/c-769803
I remember that walk off homerun Straka got in the World Series
crazy, best NFL game ever
@@surbloh his3 point shooting was the difference
Straka was awesome with Nylander and Jagr
in 05 with NYR out of the lockout
Nice jersey!! They need to bring those back
Doc Emrick's favorite team is the Pittsburgh Pirates. Huge baseball fan. So if you're going to will a World Series win for the Pirates I'm sure Doc would be thrilled.
what😂 That was so fun hearing that mistake. Pretty much never happens. Cheers!
straka was electric, great player
Thank you for another interesting video :) I'd be interested to see the aavs for these career videos, would provide an interesting insight into their perceived value as players. Thanks again!
Legit guy! He was a good player for sure!
Watching both you and your channel grow has been amazing! You're a class act Shannon and if their is one hockey podcast that stands above the rest, it is yours.
I felt his success with the Rangers was due to being reunited with Jagr.
Well I often screw up names for things and persons, if people thought they won the World series it's on them lol. I've only great positive things about Straka, he had a somewhat unusual career and I think Pens let him go too early. I had written him off in 96 and guessed he was on his way to Europe but he proved later he still had a place in NHL. I don't regard him as a big star but 83 and 95 points are respectable no matter how you look at it.
Especially given where scoring was in the NHL the season he hit 95.
It's not so much that he only produced as a Penguin, he did produce as Jagr's teammate and often linemate, both in Pitts and NYR! That's why Rangers signed tbh, to team him up with his compatriot.
Thanks, Martin Straka is one of the best czech player of all time
It’s….shall we say….difficult…to be a Pirates fan. I keep believing every year. It’s like Charlie Brown with kicking the football.
Only because it's an extremely difficult league for small markets. The Pirates are likely to see the window open in 2024, maybe surprise in 2023.
The jersey i still wear to pens games is my Straka robopen jersey. Love that jersey
Straka also won the Olympics in 1998.
One of my all time favourite players
One of my all time favorite Pens.
I subscribed to only one sports channel-the Hockey guy.Never disappoints.
Talk about a roller coaster career sheesh!
The Stanley Cup is the World Series of Hockey. If it ever happens again, if you can, just roll with it: "The World Series...of hockey, aka the 'STANLEY CUP'..."
He was Jaromir Jagr's wingman. He played his best hockey whenever he was on Jagr's line. If he wasn't with Jagr he couldn't score. That 76 point comeback season in 05-06 was probably thanks to Jagr too because he was also there and scored 123 points that year.
Anyone's going to be better with Jagr, but I think that's overstated. When he played without Jagr in Pittsburgh, they usually had him fill a much more defensive role, which he was also good at.
@@closethockeyfan5284 Anyone accept the Washington Capitals with Jagr. Its too bad it didn't work out for Jagr in washington. Imagine if he stuck around there and played on a line with Ovechkin? If he stayed a couple more years we could have seen it.
Surprised you havent made one for Jyrki Lumme yet
Damn, my comment pointing out your mistake was going crazy too😂
The Pittsburgh Pirates have the second longest championship drought in baseball, having last won in 1979. The Cleveland "Guardians" have the longest having last won in 1948
Weird how he made a couple pit stops with the Islanders and Sens.
You didn't have to take down and re-do the video, it was actually funnier with the World Series left in!
You should do Robert Svehla. :)
Thank you for saying Redblacks is a terrible name
Anyone know what he has done since he stopped playing in the NHL? Would be interesting if you could add that to career videos.
DeBrincat to the Senators for not enough
I thought he was ok
Shannon, any chance we could get a career video on Gilles Meloche? (I hear the laughter but yes, I'm serious. 😃😆.)
Maybe you should just buy the Pirates. I doubt you could truly be worse than Nutting, probably only just as bad in a different way...
(for what it's worth, I cheer for the Pens but not truly for the Pirates, but mainly because baseball doesn't interest me that much, especially compared to football and hockey. Even when they were good a few years ago, I barely watched any of their games.)
Also, I loved the Robo-Penguin logo, albeit partly because my first piece of Pens merch was an old (non-hooded) sweatshirt given to my dad by relatives, then handed down to me. It had that logo on it. I don't wear it very often at all, though, partly to preserve it and partly because it doesn't quite fit. (I bought a Skating Penguin hoodie for gamedays)
Given the (appreciated!) disclaimer of not knowing baseball, please don't perpetuate the yinzerism that Nutting is the problem. No matter what some billionaire looking for an easy PR move (punching the Pirates while they're down) will tell you, they're not seriously interested in owning the team and wouldn't run it any better--because they too would prioritize profit over wins.
The real problem is that MLB's economics blatantly favor large markets at the expense of small ones. Just look at the LCS participants of the 21st century. Occasionally there's a Tampa Bay or a Kansas City, but the vast majority have been the large markets.
He needed to play with Jagr, it's the only time he does well lmao
@Atheos B. Sapien This is more accurate. People often don't realize he actually didn't play on the same line as Jagr very much. He was most often with Kovalev and Lang.
Isles fan. Always hated Straka. He put in zero effort, clearly didn't want to be there and tried to get traded. Total jerk