2016-17 General NHL Fan Talk - Part the Fourth (News n' Scores n' Stuff) ‎

[maacoshark]

Olli Maatta isn't coming back from a career-threatening injury.

Why would you say that? Because he is outplaying Letang? BTW Letang is a minus 10 this season. 3rd worst in the entire NHL. The 2players below him are playing for Arizona so its understandable but how is an elite defenseman playing for one of the highest scoring teams in the the league 3rd worst in plus/ minus.

 

[twabby]

Because plus minus is a mostly meaningless statistic. Unless you think Jeff +50 Schultz was an elite defender.

 

[maacoshark]

Because plus minus is a mostly meaningless statistic. Unless you think Jeff +50 Schultz was an elite defender.

It is sometimes meaningless because a player will have a high plus minus because he is on a high scoring team or a player will have a low plus minus because the team he is on is so weak. But how do you explain such a weak plus minus for player on a strong team. Its because quite often Letang is a liability in his own end. He takes a lot of chances and gets caught quite often. He is not an elite defenseman.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Why would you say that? Because he is outplaying Letang? BTW Letang is a minus 10 this season. 3rd worst in the entire NHL. The 2players below him are playing for Arizona so its understandable but how is an elite defenseman playing for one of the highest scoring teams in the the league 3rd worst in plus/ minus.

The Penguins got blown out twice, once by Chicago and the other by Tampa. I wouldn't pin this on Letang alone, they had Niemi in net who is arguably the worst goaltender still in the league. Maatta is playing well, but Letang is coming off of a major injury which forced him to cease any activity for 6 months. Give him time and he'll be an elite defender again.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Rangers stink.

 

[maacoshark]

The Penguins got blown out twice, once by Chicago and the other by Tampa. I wouldn't pin this on Letang alone, they had Niemi in net who is arguably the worst goaltender still in the league. Maatta is playing well, but Letang is coming off of a major injury which forced him to cease any activity for 6 months. Give him time and he'll be an elite defender again.

He will not be an elite defender again because he never has been. He has always been mediocre in his own end. I can't believe you think he is elite.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

He will not be an elite defender again because he never has been. He has always been mediocre in his own end. I can't believe you think he is elite.

He makes bone headed plays at times but he's really good defensively when focused and healthy. Very few players skate as well as him, and it allows him to break up a lot of plays. He also uses his speed to rush the puck up the ice. He's a gym rat and he's got great lower body strength for a man of his size. I've seen him knock Ovi and Oshie on their butts. He plays super aggressive and gets under the opponent's skin.

You can hate him but you can't deny he's a great defensemen. When is the last time we had a D who could control the play as well as Letang?

 

[ovikovy817]

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threa...f-with-0-9-seconds-to-win-game-in-ot.2404025/

WOW

 

[maacoshark]

He makes bone headed plays at times but he's really good defensively when focused and healthy. Very few players skate as well as him, and it allows him to break up a lot of plays. He also uses his speed to rush the puck up the ice. He's a gym rat and he's got great lower body strength for a man of his size. I've seen him knock Ovi and Oshie on their butts. He plays super aggressive and gets under the opponent's skin.

You can hate him but you can't deny he's a great defensemen. When is the last time we had a D who could control the play as well as Letang?

I don't hate Letang. I

He makes bone headed plays at times but he's really good defensively when focused and healthy. Very few players skate as well as him, and it allows him to break up a lot of plays. He also uses his speed to rush the puck up the ice. He's a gym rat and he's got great lower body strength for a man of his size. I've seen him knock Ovi and Oshie on their butts. He plays super aggressive and gets under the opponent's skin.

You can hate him but you can't deny he's a great defensemen. When is the last time we had a D who could control the play as well as Letang?

Sorry I just don't consider him an elite defenseman. I wouldn't rank him in the top 10 in the league. Maybe your standards for an elite player is lower than mine. And don't compare him to our defence men. We don't have any elite dmen.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Penguins forget how to play defense this year?

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I don't hate Letang. I

Sorry I just don't consider him an elite defenseman. I wouldn't rank him in the top 10 in the league. Maybe your standards for an elite player is lower than mine. And don't compare him to our defence men. We don't have any elite dmen.

The results and the numbers speak for themselves.

 

[4thTierSport]

Penguins forget how to play defense this year?

They weren't exactly great last year. Think they were bottom half of GA last year.

Eh, they are now officially last in the league for GA with the Jet's 6th goal. People said our D was bad?

 

[Raikkonen]

We tank the year Pens suck? OK.

 

[maacoshark]

The results and the numbers speak for themselves.

I don't think so

 

[maacoshark]

The results and the numbers speak for themselves.

BTW that elite defenseman was a minus 3 again today. He is on the ice for most of the goals against them. Oh and he had 5 give always tonight. Can you say turnover machine. He hadn't played very well this year.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

BTW that elite defenseman was a minus 3 again today. He is on the ice for most of the goals against them. Oh and he had 5 give always tonight. Can you say turnover machine. He hadn't played very well this year.

It doesn't erase everything he's done before. Put it anyway you want but the guy scores at a rate only surpassed by Karlsson and has been by far the ice time leader on a thin Pens defense since Gonchar left. He can play 30 minutes a game, while defending well and scoring at a high rate. That's an elite defenseman.

 

[Corby78]

Penguins will recall some dude we have never heard of, and he will be the next Chris Pronger. They will three peat while we try to figure out how we can replace Carlson with Ness and still win games next year.

 

[strungout]

Vegas is fun to watch.

 

[strungout]

Too bad they are on their 4th string goaltender. Sigh.

 

[maacoshark]

It doesn't erase everything he's done before. Put it anyway you want but the guy scores at a rate only surpassed by Karlsson and has been by far the ice time leader on a thin Pens defense since Gonchar left. He can play 30 minutes a game, while defending well and scoring at a high rate. That's an elite defenseman.

Scoring points doesn't necessarily make a guy an elite defenseman. Schultz scored a lot in that offense last year. And if playing mins make you elite then Carlson would be elite. He has played more minutes than Letang and he has actually played a lot better too. And we all know he isn't elite.

 

[maacoshark]

Too bad they are on their 4th string goaltender. Sigh.

Ya that's pretty bizarre and unfortunate. They are coming down to earth a bit now.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Scoring points doesn't necessarily make a guy an elite defenseman. Schultz scored a lot in that offense last year. And if playing mins make you elite then Carlson would be elite. He has played more minutes than Letang and he has actually played a lot better too. And we all know he isn't elite.

This is an exceptional situation, and Carlson is barely playing better than Letang by now. Letang played 30 minutes per night during the Pens' 2016 Cup run and he should've received more votes for the Conn Smythe.

Anyway, I think we've made our opinions clear here. Let's move on to another debate.

 

[hockeykicker]

Omg

 

[ovikovy817]

It was his first shift.

 

[g00n]

And the only comment is some douche whining about the camera angle. Just to have something to say. The downside of social media right there.

Hope Mojo is OK. Any news, please post