With all the buzz swirling around about the Pittsburgh Penguins “possibly” building a state-of-the-art training, practice and sports medicine facility in Cranberry Township, the biggest question that remains is:

When can we start?

The idea that the Pittsburgh area would have something like this is amazing. The benefits would be overwhelming from a hockey standpoint, as well as a medical one.

First, from a playing perspective, it would be great to have the Penguins practicing here as opposed to their old home at Southpointe in Washington County. Fans could take in an open practice or have players circulating at a nearby restaurant or in the community would be a sight to see.

Players from youth leagues up to adult, plus public skates would likely get to use the ice, plus hosting camps and tournaments in the area would be a big shot in the arm for nearby hotels, motels and restaurants.

If the proposed 155,000 square-foot facility is going to leave a lasting mark, it will be on the medical side.

The idea of the Penguins, along with UPMC, wanting to include some aspect of treating and prevention of injuries — particularly geared toward hockey, but not exclusively — is laudable.

Since the days of Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh has become a hotbed for hockey. Pittsburgh has almost become a face for hockey, not just in the United States, but Canada and the world, as well.

With Lemieux came Jagr and a pair of Stanley Cup championships. Pittsburgh was a serious threat to win the Cup throughout the 1990s, then after a bit of a lull — and almost leaving — Lemieux helped keep the team here.

From there, Sidney Crosby came and the team was again among the favorites to win the Cup, which they did four years ago. But when Crosby suffered a concussion in early 2011, that sent the Penguins’ chances into a spiral.

Players such as Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal and James Neal helped fill in for star power, but it wasn’t quite the same when the best player in the world was out.

Crosby’s injury proved to be a big deal as the focus of concussions put a spotlight on Pittsburgh. Doctors were interviewed on Crosby’s progress and how the Penguins handled the situation.

The Penguins planned to err on the side of caution, not sending Crosby back until they felt he was ready. Even the NFL, which was having its own issues on concussions and player safety, was keeping an eye on how athletes should be dealt with when it came to injuries and concussions.

Crosby is back, signing a nice 10-year, $102 million contract, and the Pens are the center of the hockey universe again.

The new facility will continue to keep Pittsburgh there, especially as the city continues to excel as a health and medical mecca.

It seems only a natural fit that Pittsburgh would be the site — and even better in our own backyard.

Sam Tallarico is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.