On Friday, the Pittsburgh Penguins organization announced that they would be holding auditions for a skating “ice crew” at the end of the month .

According to the Penguins‘ website, the ice crew will be “a team of energetic girls and guys who will help clean the ice, interact with fans and take part in other promotional activities.”

A recent growing trend in the NHL has been the ice girls—essentially cheerleaders on ice skates. Some of the teams’ ice girls also dedicate time to charity or other good causes in the community.

These ice girls have been a hit in many NHL markets. A look at the photograph of a Chicago Blackhawks ice girl above is all the explanation necessary.

I’m going to come out and say that I don’t like the idea of ice girls, but I can begrudgingly understand the concept in some markets. But when I saw the announcement on the Penguins’ main website that they would adopt a similar concept, I was not happy.

The crew is meant to be a step above the Pens Patrol, a group of girls who tossed t-shirts into the crowd during games, interacted with fans in the concourse, and were in charge of on-ice and jumbotron contests.

I don’t have a problem with the Penguins hiring girls to do some promotion work for the team, but it sounds like that’s not going to be the case.

I checked out the online application and saw that required dress code included midriff bearing tops (crop/bra tops) and yoga/dance pants for the ladies. There were even specific nail color/design requirements.

The crew would also sign autographs.

Hello? Are we in the NHL or have we stepped into Hollywood?

I will reiterate that I understand the use of these girls in some markets, but not Pittsburgh, a city built on a blue-collar, low-key mentality. Even the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t have cheerleaders, one of seven NFL teams to make that claim.

Why?

Because it doesn’t fit with what Pittsburgh represents, at all. It’s showy and fake.

Girls skating around in tight and revealing clothing cheapens what Penguins hockey is about: hard-work, grit, and creativity.

Not only that, the ice girls were started in weak hockey markets to boost sales and fan interaction.

Last I checked, the Pens didn’t have a problem with either. Adding them to the organization makes us look like a franchise desperate for attention, something I believe we have too much of because of Sidney Crosby.

Whether the Penguins mean to do this or not, an ice crew will give off the “sex sells” vibe. Whether you agree with that concept or not, does anyone actually think that message represents Pittsburgh in the slightest?

No way.

I was in Pittsburgh for the Fourth of July weekend and when I was walking around the Strip District and Station Square, I was reminded of how real Pittsburgh is. It isn’t showy or gimmicky, almost the opposite of what we see in places like Los Angeles, Las Vegas, or New York.

The people of Pittsburgh are a no-bullshit crowd who love their Steelers, Penguins, and yes, even Pirates. When they attend those team’s games, they’re there to watch the game. Everything else is considered pointless and in the way of what really matters.

While I know many guys will disagree with me, Pittsburgh isn’t the place to be flashing this sexy image.

Fellow Penguins Featured Columnist Alison Myers pointed out to me that the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins used to have ice girls, but the complaints from fans were so overwhelming that the organization got rid of them.

I would hope that the Penguins organization opens their eyes and realizes that adding this “ice crew” is the equivalent of placing a hillbilly in the middle of Fashion Week.

It just doesn’t work.

If I know the city of Pittsburgh as well as I think I do, the complaints will rain down from season ticket holders if this ice crew resembles anything of the ice girls in Carolina or Chicago.

Please, Pittsburgh, there’s no need to be like the other franchises in the NHL.

Let’s keep it real.

EDIT

According to Pensblog writers who spoke with Penguins representatives, the “ice crew” will be wearing sweat suits while cleaning the ice.

Good to hear, however it still doesn’t address the reason why they want girls to be auditioning in crop tops and yoga pants. If these girls were going to be covered up, there would be no reason to have such a dress code.

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Once again, Ray Shero doesn’t disappoint. 

Despite entering this year’s free agency frenzy with a lot of question marks, Shero made the biggest splash on July 1st by revamping the Penguins defense into one of, if not the, deepest blue line units in the league. 

By adding Paul Martin and Zbynek Michalek, the Penguins have a group of defensemen who are both offensively capable and defensively sound, and who can play the uptempo puck-pressure game that Dan Bylsma implemented when he arrived in February 2009. 

To quote ESPN observer Pierre LeBrun, the Pens “can start printing Stanley Cup Final tickets for the new arena.” 

In a second bold move, Shero has laid the groundwork for the promotion of Jordan Staal to the second line, and shifted Evgeni Malkin from center to wing where he belongs.  Freed up from the extra defensive duties, Malkin should return to his Conn Smythe form this year.  Coupled with the pairing of Chris Kunitz and Sidney Crosby, the move gives the Pens as good a top four forward group as anyone in the league. 

While it remains to be seen who fills the other spots, there are plenty of in-house options such as Pascal Dupuis, Max Talbot and Eric Tangradi.

Now that the overhaul is complete, the only job remaining is to round out the roster with either a third line center or another winger, and herein lies the question for Shero, what do the Pens need more?

Given the names still available; Rob Niedermeyer, Jeff Halpern and John Madden at center and Bill Guerin, Paul Kariya and Max Afinoganov at wing, among others, I would do the following:

1) Look in-house for someone to fill the third line center role. 

Talbot, having begun his career in that role, could easily assume that spot.  Although Penguins’ fans have been spoiled with Jordan Staal in that role for the past few years, we need to remember that Talbot-types traditionally fill that role such as in the case of Kris Draper, Stu Barnes, and Bryan Trottier in his later years with the Penguins. 

If the Pens choose to move Talbot back to his spot alongside Malkin on the second line, either Craig Adams and Mark Letestu could easily fill that role.

2) Find a way to get Tangradi out of Scranton. 

Tangradi is the heir apparent to be the Penguins power forward, but is approaching the point where keeping him in the AHL will only delay his development.  While he doesn’t have to play top-six minutes, Tangradi needs to get more than an audition in Pittsburgh this year.

3) Bring in a veteran winger on a short-term, low-risk contract. 

I have to admit that I am surprised that Afinogenov has not been more of a target for the Penguins to this point.  He has great speed, is a proven scorer, and brings some Russian chemistry to the Penguins to replace the lost mentorship that Sergei Gonchar provided to Malkin. In addition, he may only command a small raise from his 1 year/800K deal with Atlanta.

While Kariya might seem like a great pick-up, I can’t see how he would be that much of an upgrade at this point in his career. 

By comparison, Dupuis has great speed and work ethic and scored as many goals (18) in a third and fourth line role as Kariya scored in top line minutes.  What’s more, Dupuis brings a lot more versatility to the table than Kariya. 

While there are other options like Alexei Ponikarovsky or Niedermeyer, they will probably demand a multi-year deal or more money than the Penguins can or should afford. 

That leaves the player who I feel gives the Pens the biggest upside for the least amount of money, Bill Guerin.  While he will turn 40 this year, there are reasons other than sentimentality or loyalty for the Pens to bring him back for another year. 

First of all, like it or not, Guerin led all Penguin wingers in goals with 21 goals in the regular season and scored nine points in 11 games in the playoffs.  Even if you disregard his on and off-ice leadership, players who are 20+ goal scorers and contribute almost a point a game in the playoffs are hard to find, especially ones who are willing to grant a hometown discount. 

That’s why I hope that Shero is able to bring Guerin back for on a one-year deal for around $1.25M to $1.5M, which would leave enough cap room for a trade or possibly another UFA pickup on the cheap (Marek Svatos for example). 

The fact remains that Guerin is the best viable option for the Pens, given his production and intangibles and his stated desire to perhaps finish his career in the new arena and  his hometown. 

That being said, I’m sure Shero will continue to push the right buttons and have this team back on top.

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According to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, the Penguins are in search of a third line center so that Jordan Staal can move up to one of the top two lines. If they are indeed successful in signing one, it would free up Staal to showcase his offensive abilities, something all Penguins fans have been waiting for.

The Gazette states that the Penguins could be interested in Rob Niedermayer, former Penguin Dominic Moore, Jeff Halpern, John Madden, or Ryan Johnson. Niedermayer or Madden would make the most sense as they both provide the defensive prowess Staal has show during his tenure as arguably the best third line center in the NHL.

Madden, though, is an unlikely signing considering he made just under $3 million with Chicago last season. I would love to see Niedermayer in a Penguin uniform.

Assuming a signing occurs, the Penguins must decide if Staal should move up to the first line, forcing him to move to the wing, or have Staal center the second line and move Malkin to the wing.

Both have their benefits, but to me, there is only one logical answer.

The right move, in my opinion, is to have Staal play between Malkin and Dupuis. While a line of Crosby, Staal, and Kunitz is enticing, having Malkin move to the wing solves two important problems that have plagued the Penguins for a few seasons.

First, it makes them markedly better on faceoffs. Malkin, whose four year average on draws is 41 percent, is a liability in the faceoff circle. Compare that with Staal, who won 48 percent of his faceoff. Also, it gives them a decent option with a natural center should Staal get kicked out.

Secondly, the Penguins get the scoring winger they have long sought after. With the probable departure of Bill Guerin, unless he takes a pay cut if they actually sign a center, the Pens need to find another top six forward. Moving Staal up provides a long term answer to a problem the Penguins have been trying to fix for three seasons. 

Furthermore, Crosby, like Lemieux, makes whoever he plays with better. I don’t think Malkin does the same thing. Malkin reminds me so much of Jaromir Jagr: a player who is extremely talented but faded away from time to time and was barely noticeable. Malkin has a tendency to do the same. Adding Staal to that line increases the likelihood that Malkin will keep his head in the game, and when he does that, he is a Hart Trophy candidate.

Going into the offseason, I, along with most Pens fans I’m assuming, did not think they would target a center via free agency, but after looking at the options, it makes perfect sense.

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