Pittsburgh’s native son proved to be the deciding factor in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup, five-holing in the eventual game-winner for the Blackhawks to even the series 2-2.
Chicago coach Joel Quenneville heaped praises on Brandon Saad after the game, saying “Great power move to the net. Gives us speed. Use him in all situations. He’s fast, he’s big, he’s strong, he’s dangerous. Very good performance.”
Teammate Patrick Sharp said the 22-year-old looks like a “grown man” on the ice. While Blackhawks forward Andrew Desjardins called him the “total package.” Penguin fans are understandably salty.
Saad grew up in Gibsonia, roughly 15 miles away from downtown Pittsburgh, but the franchise passed over him during the 2011 draft—a decision that haunts Pens fans to this very day.
However, the influence of his hometown is not lost on Saad. He attributes his passion for the game to growing up watching the Penguins.
Unfortunately, the Blackhawks don’t seem too keen on splitting with their rising star. Hawks GM Stan Bowman directly talked to the Chicago Tribune about the future of Saad as the franchise’s “featured guy,” adding “we’ll get him signed.”
Saad will be a restricted free agent after this season and the Penguins are in pursuit. ESPN NHL writer Pierre Lebrun said a source told him the Pens are a team to watch to make a run at Saad during the offseason.
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