Penguins defenseman Darryl Sydor has enjoyed a very respectable NHL career. He’s approaching his 20th season, and he has been a top four blueliner for two different Stanley Cup teams. He has acted very professionally since he’s been in the NHL, and he has always exhibited pure class.
Unfortunately, Sydor’s otherwise solid tenure in the greatest hockey league on earth has taken on a pretty serious turn for the worst.
Since he put pen to paper on a two year, 2.5 million dollar contract with the Penguins before the 2007-2008 season, Sydor has often been criticized for lack of offensive output and a general tendency to not make big plays for his team.
This past off-season, trade rumors swirled around Sydor constantly, with the Los Angeles Kings being frequently mentioned as a possible destination.
However, those rumors have yet to be validated in any way, as Darryl was not traded, and he still sits on the Penguins roster.
Sydor cannot be too thrilled about his situation at the moment. He’s so far in Michel Therrien’s doghouse that Therrien moved him to the fourth line left wing spot for Saturday’s tilt with New Jersey. “I’ll keep my thoughts to myself and just be professional,” said Sydor about the situation.
This is an established veteran we’re talking about here! He has almost never played forward since reaching the NHL. To make him start now, at the tender age of 36, is not fair to Sydor in any way.
It’s not that Alex Goligoski shouldn’t be taking Sydor’s spot. After all, Alex is much better offensively than Sydor, and the Pens desperately need offensive defensemen in the absence of Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney.
Still, it’s just not right that Sydor has been reduced to this, and it seems only fair that Ray Shero trade him immediately to a place where he’ll get a shot to contribute.
It could be for a bag of pucks, a draft pick, or an average prospect, but Sydor must be dealt. Surely, some will be reluctant to give up defensive depth right now, but so what? Danny Richmond is ready and waiting to be a 7th or 8th defenseman if the Penguins really need it.
Sydor is a professional, and it is detrimental to both parties if he remains on this roster. There is no need to pay the man 2.5 million dollars against the salary cap to sit in the press box or play left wing.
#5 deserves better, and so do the Pens.
Written by me, for the Factor.
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