Pre-Game Talk: Game 7 | Pens vs. Stars #HockeyFightsCancer

[Joejosh999]

The Pens and their media partners are a very powerful propaganda machine.
There are not enough knowledgable fans out there to provide resistance.

It is what it is.

DKs site is actually a great example. It was much smaller when part of Trib, fewer commenters, more who actually knew a little bit. I didn't mind going there and commenting.

Now it is literally Pravda.

A real shame.

 

[WhatsaMaatta]

Sprong missed 2 days of practices and only gets 9 games up here. I'd rather see him play at max potential (ignoring lines) than after not practicing for all of those 9

That would be a reasonable point if we weren't taking into account how this organization historically treats Dupuis vs players like Sprong.

 

[Joejosh999]

Oh, except for your comments of course, B!

 

[madinsomniac]

Duper is a high end bottom 6 guy, always has been. when we were stuck with slower less effective wingers, he is fine as a top 6 guy. he doesnt really have the scoring touch of a real top 6 guy, but he makes up for it with effort and speed.

Like I said... if we ran

---------_Crosby_--------
Sprong-_______-Kessel
---------_Malkin_--------
Perron-_______-Hornqvist

Plotnikov-Bonino-Bennett

------- __Fehr__----------
Duper-________-Kunitz
---------_Crosby_--------

Where crosby took shifts with the 4th line, malkin took shifts with the Kessel line, and Fehr took shifts with the 3rd line at times, i'd be ok with that. Double shift Crosby and malkin...

 

[Joejosh999]

Switch Kessel and Hornquist

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Sprong sitting?

I'm sure MJ's practices are just so enlightening that missing one has made him a lesser player. Maybe we should scratch him for a few weeks so Tocchet can tutor him on what he's missed.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

That's a pretty flawed jump in logic. They demoted Hornqvist to the 2nd PP unit because the top unit was struggling and they view Kunitz and Hornqvist as interchangeable in terms of being net front guys. They have never said or done anything to remotely suggest they think Dupuis is on the same level as Hornqvist like they think with Kunitz, so I really don't see any way Horny is demoted for Dupuis.

That's just another reason why the original argument was flawed, Hornqvist getting demoted on the PP doesn't mean they'll demote him at ES.

I think we are lined up to see the following...

Dupuis-Crosby-Kessel
Kunitz-Malkin-Hornqvist

This way, Kunitz gets to play the sniper role with an actual complementary winger on the other side. Basically, this setup is with Kunitz and Kunitz alone in mind, which is why I totally expect it to come to fruition.

That said, would anyone really be surprised if at some point Johnsuck would go with...

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Hornqvist-Malkin-Kessel

The fact he is saying Dupuis will be moved all over should be freaking everybody out right now, because the mad scientist is going to work.

Since MJ said Dupuis will be on different lines tonight, dare I hope that that means he'll bump Kunitz off of the top line at least a few times tonight?

It probably will happen, at the expense of more talented players no doubt. In this case, Perron.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

So is it logical to assume they may not keep Sprong up? If they had decided already they wouldn't be worried about burning his 9 games. I guess you could say he's young and they want him to be in the loop practicing, but I don't feel great about it still.

 

[Empoleon8771]

That said, would anyone really be surprised if at some point Johnsuck would go with...

Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Hornqvist-Malkin-Kessel

The fact he is saying Dupuis will be moved all over should be freaking everybody out right now, because the mad scientist is going to work..

Yes, I would be very surprised to see this, because the Pens have been adamant that Hornqvist is only a RW. KCD isn't going to happen unless Kessel gets hurt. It's that simple. Seeing how they have solely used Dupuis on LW, him moving around probably means he'll be moving around between Sid's LW and the 3rd and 4th line LWs. KCD ain't happening.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

So is it logical to assume they may not keep Sprong up? If they had decided already they wouldn't be worried about burning his 9 games. I guess you could say he's young and they want him to be in the loop practicing, but I don't feel great about it still.

It's dumb, it's just beyond dumb. You don't send a guy back to junior until HE shows you with his play that that is where he belongs. You don't scratch a kid because of a visa problem, the guy's mindset right now is probably like a lot of us here..."oh ****, I'm heading back to the 'Q' aren't I?"

Johnston tells the media Sprong can't play because he didn't practice two days, meanwhile Dupuis is basically declaring himself fit and putting himself back in the lineup without so much as a skate this week. How does young Daniel feel after that?

The inmates run the asylum.

 

[Malkin112*]

If they are leading in tight game they will go KSD thats for sure

 

[ColePens]

I'm surprised there is so much uproar when a decision like this is made. How are we all not just numb to it?

 

[WhatsaMaatta]

I'm surprised there is so much uproar when a decision like this is made. How are we all not just numb to it?

It's expected that Kunitz and Dupuis get preferential treatment. Why does Sprong get the shaft over guys like Rust(who has played well) and Porter, though? It just makes no sense. If I'm a player on the outside looking in, I want no part of this organization.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

 

[Joejosh999]

How do we know Duper did not skate this week?

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Maybe he would've loved it here after all.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Maybe he would've loved it here after all.

It turns out that he was a Pens fan all along.

 

[EVGENIMERLIN]

I'm surprised there is so much uproar when a decision like this is made. How are we all not just numb to it?

It's a great question, Cole. I guess the biggest issue is that this team actually has the right pieces for once it's just refusing to use them or even experiment.

When DB left there was a sense of relief. Then JR went out and made some great trades this off season to bolster to Forward group and they got lucky with the Sprong pick. Once again we head into a season full of optimism only to be corrupted by idiocy.

Something's gotta give at some point. Will we just stop watching before that happens?

 

[Empoleon8771]

I just saw an argument that Sprong is sitting tonight because he was going through personal **** (personal **** as in the visa issue), and he's stressed because if the visa wouldn't get extended, he'd be sent back to Europe. There are so many things wrong with that, I don't even know where to start.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

How do we know Duper did not skate this week?

He wasn't doing any line rushes at practice, right? That's what I meant. He may have skated on his own. For all we know, Sprong skated in Montreal waiting for his Visa.

It's a great question, Cole. I guess the biggest issue is that this team actually has the right pieces for once it's just refusing to use them or even experiment.

When DB left there was a sense of relief. Then JR went out and made some great trades this off season to bolster to Forward group and they got lucky with the Sprong pick. Once again we head into a season full of optimism only to be corrupted by idiocy.

Something's gotta give at some point. Will we just stop watching before that happens?

This is exactly right. Excellent post.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I just saw an argument that Sprong is sitting tonight because he was going through personal **** (personal **** as in the visa issue), and he's stressed because if the visa wouldn't get extended, he'd be sent back to Europe. There are so many things wrong with that, I don't even know where to start.

Let's start with, perhaps if it was stressful sitting in a press box won't help him much.

 

[ETA]

Rookie Daniel Sprong also returned this morning with his work-visa issues worked out, but Johnston said he won’t play tonight because he’s missed the last couple of days of practice.

I have to admit I was freaking out whenI heard Sprong was out but this at least makes some sense.

I'll put away my pitchforks and torches for now, at least until I see Kunitz is still in the top 6...

 

[madinsomniac]

I just saw an argument that Sprong is sitting tonight because he was going through personal **** (personal **** as in the visa issue), and he's stressed because if the visa wouldn't get extended, he'd be sent back to Europe. There are so many things wrong with that, I don't even know where to start.

He lived in Canada since he was 7... I dont think that would be true at all... having to return to canada, maybe, but they dont export you after that long back to your birthplace...lol

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

I'm surprised there is so much uproar when a decision like this is made. How are we all not just numb to it?

Even though I've come to expect the idiocy I don't think I'll ever be numb to these levels of stupidity. Wrong is wrong.

In a few hours it will be announced that Clendening is sitting again and I'll still be outraged.

 

[Fordy]

this is the same **** bylsma tried to do with iginla. then when jarome *****ed him out and played anyway he moved him to lw