Welcome Aboard: Penguins, League Hope Crosby Worth The Wait

Lemieux (r) Believes Crosby (c) Will Bring Back Fans After Lockout

Penguins Owner & C Mario Lemieux said that Sidney Crosby, who was selected No. 1 overall by the team in Saturday’s NHL Entry Draft, is “going to help us bring back the fans and build the game,” according to Chuck Finder of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. Lemieux: “He’s going to create a lot of excitement around the league, around hockey and especially in Pittsburgh” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 7/30). Lemieux added ticket sales are “booming in Pittsburgh” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/31). Penguins VP/Communications Tom McMillan said, “The phones haven’t stopped ringing since [the draft lottery July 22]. We’ve even had calls from Australia asking about tickets” (TORONTO SUN, 7/30). Penguins President Ken Sawyer said, “Go back 21 years and see what (Lemieux) did for the Penguins. It’s déjà vu” (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 7/30). The Penguins have received calls about Crosby from “The Tonight Show” and HBO concerning interviews or appearances (Scott Burnside, ESPN.com, 7/30).

YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: In a separate piece, Finder wrote Crosby is also a “key marketing prong in the NHL’s relaunch” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 7/31). In Toronto, Roy MacGregor writes Crosby was also the first choice “of the league itself, so desperately in need of a saleable, likeable, approachable North American star to try to capture a dwindling sports attention span.” Crosby answered questions at the draft in both English and French “in that somewhat charming aw-shucks, nothing-very-quotable style that has been the trademark of the game’s greatest ambassadors, from Gordie Howe to Bobby Orr to [Wayne] Gretzky” (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 8/1).

TOO MUCH, TOO SOON? In Ft. Lauderdale, Dave Joseph wrote Crosby is “going to make you forget about the lockout. He’s going to make you want to watch the game on television. He’s going to sell out buildings. ... [Crosby is] the perfect spokesman for a league looking for a shot of excitement. But can anyone live up to such expectations at such a young age?” (Ft. Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 7/30). Coyotes Senior Exec VP/Hockey Operations Cliff Fletcher said, “I think it’s great that we have a player like Crosby coming into the league at this particular time. But it’s quite unfortunate to have so much anticipation and tremendous pressure that there seems to be on someone 17 years old” (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 7/31).

Many Feel NHL Missed Marketing Opportunity With Draft

WRONG FIRST STEPS: In Toronto, Damien Cox wrote if the draft was “supposed to provide a vibrant sense that the league was finally reopening its doors for business and plotting an exciting new future with young, talented hockey players, it was a thoroughly abysmal effort.” The NHL’s decision to keep fans from attending the draft “didn’t help, as without anybody on hand to cheer or boo, the day took on the flavour of a book fair” (TORONTO STAR, 7/31). In Ottawa, Megan Gillis wrote, “Many fans felt kicked out, disappointed that the traditionally public draft was replaced by a backroom event amid tight security” (OTTAWA SUN, 7/31). Meanwhile, in N.Y., Larry Brooks wrote the NHL “failed its first re-launch marketing test” by not having Penguins-Devils begin the season October 4 as the national opener instead of being one of 15 games played on October 5 (N.Y. POST, 7/31).

NO YOUTH MOVEMENT: In Edmonton, Jim Matheson wrote teams “won’t be playing 18-year-olds unless they’re exceptional,” due to the new free-agency rules that allow players to become unrestricted free agents after eight years of NHL service. Matheson: “Why burn a year of free-agency on some teen on an NHL roster if he might only play eight shifts a game?” Mighty Ducks GM Brian Burke said, “You’re going to have to swallow hard to keep an 18-year-old on an NHL team now. That’s the biggest adjustment in thinking that we’re facing. The number of 18-year-olds that stay with the big club now, you’ll be able to count them on your thumbs” (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 7/31).