Hockey Season Begins

So my beloved Pittsburgh Penguins start the hockey season tonight at home against the Los Angeles Kings. Mario Lemieux is on the roster, and it also looks like we’re pretty deep with talent both young and experienced at center, so the team’s fortunes won’t hinge so dramatically on his health. Martin Straka continues, and continues to play well.

It’s a young team, but with veterans like Lemieux, Straka and Marc Bergevin there is still leadership. The most striking thing to me is their new coach: fellow Chicagoan [Ed.-hey! Aren’t you from Pittsburgh? Yeah, but I claim both as home now.] and former Penguin forward Eddie Olczyk. His skill, his energy, his experience, and his combined Pittsburgh/Chicago connection commend him to me, and I really, really hope that he and the Penguins succeed.

You can imagine what tonight will be like chez Kiesling: if I’m in luck and the Penguins game is on ESPN, it’s flippin’ between baseball and hockey.

Go Cubs! Go Pens!