He's Still a Penguin to Me, Damnit - Max Talbot

I just picked up this fantastic rookie jersey card of one of my favorite (former) Penguins, Max Talbot. Even though he plays for the Flyers now, his game 7 heroics in 2009 will, in my opinion, always make him an important part of the Penguins franchise.

Talbot had a decent season in 2008-09, but he really shined during the playoffs. He ended up the cup-winning campaing with eight goals and five assists in 24 games, which isn't bad for an eighth round (234th overall) draft pick. Two of those goals, by the way, were Pittsburgh's only two goals in their 2-1 Game 7 win over the Detroit Red Wings to capture the franchise's third Stanley Cup.

During the 2011 off season, Talbot signed a five-year $8.75 million contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. While I wasn't too thrilled that he went with THAT team, I figured with what he contributed in 2009 to earn the Cup, if he can cash in, then good for him. It ended up working out well for him, too, as he had his best season statistically, scoring 19 goals and 15 assists in 81 games.

Yes, he now plays for the rivals, and yes, he did plenty of damage to the Penguins in the 2011 playoffs, but with as much as he contributed to the Penguins during his time in Pittsburgh, he'll always be a Penguin to me.