What do you get the team that's won two straight Stanley Cups?
A third, of course.
That's still to be decided in the weeks ahead. But this week in practice, I asked a bunch of Penguins one simple question: What would a championship mean to you?
Predictably, some of the best answers came from players who have yet to lift the big silver mug:
ZACH ASTON-REESE
“That would be incredible. Something you dream about as a kid. All the commercials you see. Words can’t really describe it. But for the longest time you fantasize about what you’d do if you had the Cup for the day. You know, eating Cinnamon Toast Crunch out of it, bringing it to the golf course. It would be pretty cool.”
DERICK BRASSARD
“It would mean everything. That’s what you play hockey for. Every player in the league that’s in the playoffs right now wants to win it. It’s going to be competitive. We’ll take it one game at a time and go from there. I like our chances.”
SIDNEY CROSBY
"That would be great. We’re such a long ways from it. It’s something that, you bring it up, it’s great to think about, but we’re a long way from it. I think for some guys that’s the case. But really, regardless of how many you’ve won or how recent it was, it’s about finding a way to win this year. There’s a lot of guys in here who haven’t played a ton of playoff games. You’ve got to keep it under wraps as far as what your expectations are, as far as looking ahead. For us, it’s focus on this game. It’s great to think about the other stuff, but Wednesday night is our focus.”
CASEY DeSMITH
“Ever hockey player’s dream. It’s something I truly never thought I’d have a chance to do. I guess I’m somewhat of a realist. Growing up you look at the minuscule amount of players who make it to the NHL and then of that percentage, how many get the chance to win the Stanley Cup, even make the playoffs. Growing up, always wanted to win the Stanley Cup. Never thought I would. Two years ago I was in Wheeling and never thought I’d sniff the NHL. Just to be up here is exciting.”
JAKE GUENTZEL
“Can’t even put it into words what it would mean. To do something special with this group, with what they’ve done the last two years. It would truly be an honor.”
PATRIC HORNQVIST
"Everything. We can do something really great here. We know it’s a long road ahead but at least now we know we’re in the playoffs and can make it happen. We take one game as it comes and try and build every game and learn from the game we played. Even if we lose or win, try and get better.”
KRIS LETANG
“I don’t know. It means everything. We work every day just for that. It would be special.”
OLLI MAATTA
“I think that’s a goal and that’s what motivates. But at the same time you have that big picture. When the game starts, all you’re thinking about is the game itself. I think everybody says it a lot: Take it one game at time, one shift at a time. But in playoffs, stuff happens. You can give up a goal, score goal, it doesn’t matter. You just have to go out there and play the game the same way, the right way. You might win a game or lose a game. It doesn’t matter. It’s about the next game. … It’s, I think you realize the last couple of years, how much fun it is to be part of something like this, a good team like this. And just being a part of that run that we’re working toward is something bigger than us. You just have to take every moment in and enjoy the journey.”
MATT MURRAY
“That’s what we’re here for is to win. Obviously, that’s the goal but we can’t win today, we can’t win tomorrow. That’s the reason why I always say one game at a time because that really is what we do.”
JAMIE OLEKSIAK
"You always think about it as a kid growing up . It’s something you don’t want to really think too far ahead about. It’s a long way to get there. It’s been a long season and a long way to go. It’s just kind of taking it a day at a time. But as a kid you play NHL on Xbox or whatever and kind of goofing around with your friends and playing mini-sticks and that’s always the big win, the Stanley Cup or championships. So, obviously, it’s a dream come true. Any guy would say that, but it’s a tough process.”
BRYAN RUST
“It would probably mean a lot more bumps and bruises (laughs). But it’s something that as a team and an organization, that not a lot of teams can say that, and that’s something that’s definitely fueling us.”
RILEY SHEAHAN
“It’s cliche, but it’s what you play for, what you dreamt about since you were young. You work your whole life to be in the playoffs and put yourself in the position. There’s a lot of good teams that don’t make the playoffs and a lot of guys, good players in the league, that wish they were in your position. I think you get that opportunity and try and run with it. You think of all the people who wish to be in your shoes, and go from there.”
MIKE SULLIVAN
“I haven’t really given that a lot of thought, quite honestly. I think every team, when they set out to training camp, every team in this league’s goal is to win the Stanley Cup. At least I would hope that’s what it would be. That’s certainly our goal when we set up at training camp each and every year. We believe that we have a group that's capable and we’ve shown that we have an ability to have success in a high-stakes environment. Certainly, the expectation within our room is that we have the ability to compete and we know that it’s hard and we know that we’ve got to go out and earn it each and every day, earn it each and every game. That’s where our mindset is. I don’t think any of us is trying to reflect on where this team stands. I think there’s a time and place for all that. You guys talk about it all the time. But I know our coaches and our players are focused more on the short term and that’s the game in front of us and we’re trying to have success. And so we’re so locked into the process every day of being the best team that we can be. That’s where everybody’s mindset is within the dressing room.”
All photos by Matt Sunday of DKPittsburghSports.com.