GDT: Game 12| Pittsburgh at Minnesota Sat, Oct. 28th 8:00PM XEC|FS-N, ATTSN-PT|"Everybody Wants Some!!"

[Ugene Magic]

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[ColePens]

I hate that Matt Cullen is not a Penguin.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

I hate that Matt Cullen is not a Penguin.

Keep rooting against the Wild, and he could be again. I'm mostly joking, but how awesome would it be to get Cullen back?

 

[Andy99]

I hate that Matt Cullen is not a Penguin.

I know...our fourth line would be beautiful again.
Nothing personal, Matt, but I hope you play terrible, stay at a -1 with one point until the TDL and show back up in a Pens uni...

 

[Zen Arcade]

Is it already time for the annual early season egg laying against Minnesota?

 

[DegenX]

Awesome GDT as always, UM
Locking this up until closer to game time ...

 

[BladeRunner66]

Here's wishing for a Cullen goal and a Pens' win.

Also wishing for Schultz to get over his concussion asap.

GO PENS!

p.s. Anyone knows the record for consecutive OT game winning goals? (The Phil with 2?)

 

[Pens x]

Go Pens

Here's to hoping that Cullen continues to regret his decision to play in Minnesota over Pittsburgh.

 

[ColePens]

Just wanted to discuss something from the other thread. I hate when people overuse the phrase "Whipping boy" around here. The things people are complaining about for Letang are 100% warranted. The things people are complaining about Kuhn/Reaves for are completely warranted. People wanting Hags to up his production for what he makes is completely warranted.

But at the end of the day, Letang will continue to get better over time. He will knock off his rust and he's a game changer 5 on 5 for this team. And it's Sully's responsibility to put Schultz (when healthy) on PP1. It's not Letang's responsibility. I guarantee that will clear itself up and #58 will be fine.

As for 4th liners. If that's our biggest complaint for the year, we are in good position. And Hags is a luxury at this point, which is nice to have, but he is movable. And most likely I feel he will be moved next year.

But they aren't just whipping boys. The reactions are fine. If people are going above and overreacting, that's the individual poster. It's not a whipping boy.

 

[Shaffer]

If our biggest complaint in our fourth line, then we are fine.

 

[ColePens]

If our biggest complaint in our fourth line, then we are fine.

Exactly. I agree. And we talked about Letang prior to the season. He really struggled last year until he had to shut it down due to injury. So he has not been on his game since the 2016 Cup run where he was terrific. #58 is going to need a good 30+ games to get back to himself.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Just wanted to discuss something from the other thread. I hate when people overuse the phrase "Whipping boy" around here. The things people are complaining about for Letang are 100% warranted. The things people are complaining about Kuhn/Reaves for are completely warranted. People wanting Hags to up his production for what he makes is completely warranted.

But at the end of the day, Letang will continue to get better over time. He will knock off his rust and he's a game changer 5 on 5 for this team. And it's Sully's responsibility to put Schultz (when healthy) on PP1. It's not Letang's responsibility. I guarantee that will clear itself up and #58 will be fine.

As for 4th liners. If that's our biggest complaint for the year, we are in good position. And Hags is a luxury at this point, which is nice to have, but he is movable. And most likely I feel he will be moved next year.

But they aren't just whipping boys. The reactions are fine. If people are going above and overreacting, that's the individual poster. It's not a whipping boy.

Correct. I haven't noticed any this season. Yes, clear complaints of not being up to par, but none that are taking over every single thread.

There is a difference from just nonsense banter just to banter about a player to having legitimate concerns.

Personally, I don't get the Kuhnhackl ones, he does contribute, but none are anywhere near "Whipping Boy" status.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Our biggest issue is team defense, imo. Not necessarily strictly blueliners, though Letang's struggling pretty badly on a nightly basis. As a whole, we're pretty easy to play against once a team gets into the zone. The 4th line is and always was going to be vastly different (see: inferior) after Cullen left, but I don't think it's as big a problem as our team defense as a whole and Letang.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Our biggest issue is team defense, imo. Not necessarily strictly blueliners, though Letang's struggling pretty badly on a nightly basis. As a whole, we're pretty easy to play against once a team gets into the zone. The 4th line is and always was going to be vastly different (see: inferior) after Cullen left, but I don't think it's as big a problem as our team defense as a whole and Letang.

Agreed. I think if the team plays a more sound defensive game, particularly when the puck enters our zone, all these issues about certain personnel won't be as noticeable.

 

[LiquorLicense]

Murray is starting right?

Over under is 6, If Moose starts I'm thinking the under is the best bet... He's been exquisite and we haven't exactly been lighting up the scoreboard ourselves.

 

[Ugene Magic]

The first couple games put the team in a deep hole to start off. Things are moderately better. They are just going to have to out score the other teams. A lot of those teams are getting better and better.

 

[Shaffer]

Exactly. I agree. And we talked about Letang prior to the season. He really struggled last year until he had to shut it down due to injury. So he has not been on his game since the 2016 Cup run where he was terrific. #58 is going to need a good 30+ games to get back to himself.

It would only be a concern if we were losing games but we aren’t. But when Letang is back to himself he needs to be off of the #1 PP.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Murray is starting right?

Over under is 6, If Moose starts I'm thinking the under is the best bet... He's been exquisite and we haven't exactly been lighting up the scoreboard ourselves.

Hope so. As I put a $101,071 Sportsbook bet on under 6.

 

[ColePens]

Our biggest issue is team defense, imo. Not necessarily strictly blueliners, though Letang's struggling pretty badly on a nightly basis. As a whole, we're pretty easy to play against once a team gets into the zone. The 4th line is and always was going to be vastly different (see: inferior) after Cullen left, but I don't think it's as big a problem as our team defense as a whole and Letang.

In terms of philosophy, I actually 100% agree with Sullivan on a few things.

1) The team is at it's best running 4 skilled lines. Run 4 and teams cannot keep up with us. Right now we cannot do that.

2) The best defense is staying in the offensive zone. And that's my argument for that 4th line. Kuhn/Reaves cannot possess the puck and Kuhn's best attributes are exactly what the team doesn't want to get into for an identity - playing defense. So the Pens are at their best when they are attacking and then flying back on transition defense. That makes the opposition dump the puck, change, and we go back at it.

 

[BladeRunner66]

But when Letang is back to himself he needs to be off of the #1 PP.

This is getting old, hopefully Schultz wins that spot sooner than later.

As for the EV Letang i'm not worried the least, like some have already stated, he'll eventually get his game back.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Murray is starting right?

Over under is 6, If Moose starts I'm thinking the under is the best bet... He's been exquisite and we haven't exactly been lighting up the scoreboard ourselves.

The way he finished his pre-game interview he said, "We're gonna take tonight's game "first" to win tonight and we're gonna try and win tonight's game. Then make decisions accordingly."

I think he'll start.

 

[ColePens]

This is getting old, hopefully Schultz wins that spot sooner than later.

As for the EV Letang i'm not worried the least, like some have already stated, he'll eventually get his game back.

He can't win it while concussed.

 

[BladeRunner66]

He can't win it while concussed.

I know, already wished Schultz to get over that asap. Hope it isn't a deterrent to his game although i do expect him to be a tad more prudent at first.

A part of me tends to want to trade Letang when things are going bad for him but then his trade value just isn't there, especially considering his contract. Then Letang gets it going again and i don't want the wreckless man to be traded anymore. Meh.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

In terms of philosophy, I actually 100% agree with Sullivan on a few things.

1) The team is at it's best running 4 skilled lines. Run 4 and teams cannot keep up with us. Right now we cannot do that.

2) The best defense is staying in the offensive zone. And that's my argument for that 4th line. Kuhn/Reaves cannot possess the puck and Kuhn's best attributes are exactly what the team doesn't want to get into for an identity - playing defense. So the Pens are at their best when they are attacking and then flying back on transition defense. That makes the opposition dump the puck, change, and we go back at it.

I don't disagree, but I'd say Letang's struggles have way more of an effect on our possession and attack time than Reaves/Kuhn/Rowney/etc sorta doing whatever they do for their 8-10 minutes a game. Letang's coming back from a real serious injury and surgery, so I know there's gonna be an adjustment period and a ton of rust, but he's gotta kick it into gear sooner than later. I touched on it in another thread, but I'm pretty interested in how much of Letang's struggles are rust/timing-based as opposed to him trying to overthink everything because of what Sully and the coaching staff have said to him this summer or asked him to work on with regard to playing a more controlled, safe game. Letang, for his entire career, has struggled mightily with calculated play and doing anything besides playing on pure instinct and athleticism. Once he starts to think about stuff out there, he falls apart. You can see it on the power play--he second-guesses his decisions, he double pumps his passes/shots as he questions himself, he waits a second too long and allows the PKer to get into his lane and fires off a shot right into the guy's shin pads. As much as Letang needs to be healthy and needs to not put himself in desperate, dangerous situations, he also loses a big part of what makes him successful and such an effective player once he starts to overthink things and alters his game. There's no real middle ground for Letang, I think. It's either balls to the wall, reckless abandon or a complete mess, lacking any sort of confidence or flow to his game.

Sheary's a shit-show defensively, and it really f***s with Sid's line. Sheary's got some really nice skill and speed, and he has been showing it, but whenever he's asked to do anything without the puck on his blade it's rough. Puts way more pressure on Sid and Jake to do "too much" so to speak. Geno and Kessel have struggled defensively as well, particularly Phil--though he made a great play to break up the pass and go the other way for his 2nd OT goal the other night. The third line is gonna be touch-and-go for a while until we sort of figure out what Sheahan is capable of and how he's gonna fit, but I've been pleasantly surprised with his play and the way the line has performed so far. The fourth line is a pretty big mess for reasons you, I and a dozen other people have outlined many times. Kuhn's a solid 13th forward, but probably shouldn't see every day time. Reaves is playing a lot more like the guy we hoped he wouldn't be as opposed to the guy several people said he would be. But again, losing Cullen decimates that line and it's effectiveness, and there's really no way to replace that dynamic.

 

[ColePens]

I know, already wished Schultz to get over that asap. Hope it isn't a deterrent to his game although i do expect him to be a tad more prudent at first.

A part of me tends to want to trade Letang when things are going bad for him but then his trade value just isn't there, especially considering his contract. Then Letang gets it going again and i don't want the wreckless man to be traded anymore. Meh.

At the couple games I was at this season, when Letang went out on PP1, Schultz stands up the entire time basically with a leg about to go over the bench. So he's typically the first guy to get to go, but he should be THE guy. We paid him to be THE guy. He should get the nod.