Series Talk: Pens vs Habs Round 1 Best of Five - Episode 5: Camme toé

[Peat]

Why put him with two shooters then?

Because every other line was set and McCann got the leftovers in the hope it'd come together.

 

[Gurglesons]

Well i guess it's the only option they had vs putting Marleau @ C which i'm not opposed to.
PIT just isn't at the point where FLA was at where McCann moved to permanent LW.

McCann never played LW there. He has always been a center. TBH, I think the reality is you put Tanev and Hornqvist with McCann and let Bleuger deal with Marleau and ZAR.

 

[Gurglesons]

Because every other line was set and McCann got the leftovers in the hope it'd come together.

Which is what I mean about Sully getting too cute with BART. I think that is going to be our true downfall forward wise this post season.

 

[WayneSid9987]

McCann never played LW there. He has always been a center. TBH, I think the reality is you put Tanev and Hornqvist with McCann and let Bleuger deal with Marleau and ZAR.

You know i could be wrong and it was actually Bjugs who they finally considered a winger vs a center after exhausting efforts with him @ C.

Either way McCann is not a playmaker and should be a winger too.

 

[66-30-33]

McCann's not a playmaker. He's a shooter.
Why he never worked out at C for FLA.

I will say this about the game going on right now. PHI's trap is much better than MTL's with better D behind it. And of course better F's with PHI too.

If we beat Habs we meet those Flyers again in round 1. We need to take these playoffs seriously after that joke last playoffs.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Thought Dumo was...ok today.

I will say that i prefer McCann at 3/4C vs Bjugstad.

 

[Gurglesons]

You know i could be wrong and it was actually Bjugs who they finally considered a winger vs a center after exhausting efforts with him @ C.

Either way McCann is not a playmaker and should be a winger too.

Yeah. Bjugstad got moved to wing and McCann essentially was moved to 4C fury.

 

[Andy99]

Well i guess it's the only option they had vs putting Marleau @ C which i'm not opposed to.
PIT just isn't at the point where FLA was at where McCann moved to permanent LW.

I don’t think he’s good enough at wing either...he doesn’t think the game well enough offensively to get in position to use his shot...if he’s best as a bottom 6 wing, he’s not worth paying imo for the Pens...we have ERod and Lafferty and Poulin who could play there for cheaper, not to mention Simon...McCann’s value is in his scoring goals if he’s not a center, and if he can’t do that well enough compared to those others, then there’s no reason to sink money into him

 

[Peat]

Which is what I mean about Sully getting too cute with BART. I think that is going to be our true downfall forward wise this post season.

You might be right but I'm not sure I see much of a solution. Blueger's the only real playmaker there and while McCann-Blueger-Hornqvist is an intriguing line it just transfers the problem. Don't agree that giving McCann Tanev would make things better. Tanev might be more willing to circle the net and hold the puck but it still boils down to a line that'll create most of its chances from turnovers and going straight to the net. Just hope that they're very good at it.

 

[Gurglesons]

You might be right but I'm not sure I see much of a solution. Blueger's the only real playmaker there and while McCann-Blueger-Hornqvist is an intriguing line it just transfers the problem. Don't agree that giving McCann Tanev would make things better. Tanev might be more willing to circle the net and hold the puck but it still boils down to a line that'll create most of its chances from turnovers and going straight to the net. Just hope that they're very good at it.

I think weighing down our fastest center with our least agile wingers is certainly odd.

 

[SEALBound]

It was a mistake to trade for Patrick Marleau.

Even worse than the price we paid, is knowing that because he's a vet, he will be gifted a spot in the lineup that should go to someone else. My wonder is now how much that will help or hurt us. Probably not much hurt...but that doesn't make it right.

 

[WayneSid9987]

It was a mistake to trade for Patrick Marleau.

Even worse than the price we paid, is knowing that because he's a vet, he will be gifted a spot in the lineup that should go to someone else. My wonder is now how much that will help or hurt us. Probably not much hurt...but that doesn't make it right.

Certainly a case to be made of having he or Lafferty in the lineup right now.
I would've:

McCann-Lafferty-Horny'ed

it.
Think you'd see some jam from that line and Lafferty was always making things happen in the scrimmages with who ever he played with(played both W and C).

 

[Peat]

I think weighing down our fastest center with our least agile wingers is certainly odd.

Marleau's considerably more agile than ZAR. In any case, I think there's a reasonable balance of sorts there on the line, with Hornqvist and Marleau adding some board play and around the net presence McCann doesn't do so much of, and prefer spreading around the fast players.

I don’t think he’s good enough at wing either...he doesn’t think the game well enough offensively to get in position to use his shot...if he’s best as a bottom 6 wing, he’s not worth paying imo for the Pens...we have ERod and Lafferty and Poulin who could play there for cheaper, not to mention Simon...McCann’s value is in his scoring goals if he’s not a center, and if he can’t do that well enough compared to those others, then there’s no reason to sink money into him

Thing about McCann is he flashes ability at both. He's got all the tools but not much of a toolbox. Sticking him with a guy who covers for that (Kahun) or finally building the full toolbox would result in a great player, one we'd struggle to get elsewise. I've suggested moving him and I wouldn't be mad about it, but equally if the team want to believe in that final step of development, that's fine by me. The Dread Pirate Rutherford can always trade him in the morning.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

McCann never played LW there. He has always been a center. TBH, I think the reality is you put Tanev and Hornqvist with McCann and let Bleuger deal with Marleau and ZAR.

He’s played LW here. McCann-crosby-Guentzel least happened. I think it’s a consistency problem with him more than anything and there’s a bit of the Sutter problem. People can say he’s more of a winger because he’s not a playmaker and his shot is great, but they’ll also see him on the wing and say he’s a centre because he needs to dictate things. He’s a bit of an in betweener and wildly inconsistent. Unless something clicks I’m not sure there’s much to be done.

Marleau needs to be the primary playmaker on that line, though. McCann won’t do it consistently.

 

[Andy99]

Marleau's considerably more agile than ZAR. In any case, I think there's a reasonable balance of sorts there on the line, with Hornqvist and Marleau adding some board play and around the net presence McCann doesn't do so much of, and prefer spreading around the fast players.



Thing about McCann is he flashes ability at both. He's got all the tools but not much of a toolbox. Sticking him with a guy who covers for that (Kahun) or finally building the full toolbox would result in a great player, one we'd struggle to get elsewise. I've suggested moving him and I wouldn't be mad about it, but equally if the team want to believe in that final step of development, that's fine by me. The Dread Pirate Rutherford can always trade him in the morning.

right now, that toolbox hasn't really brought what we need to win a Cup...if I’m Sully, I’d seriously think hard about playing ERod for him...that line with Horny and Marleau (and we know neither of them are going anywhere) might be better with ERod on it...that or move Blueger up to 3C

 

[Gurglesons]

He’s played LW here. McCann-crosby-Guentzel least happened. I think it’s a consistency problem with him more than anything and there’s a bit of the Sutter problem. People can say he’s more of a winger because he’s not a playmaker and his shot is great, but they’ll also see him on the wing and say he’s a centre because he needs to dictate things. He’s a bit of an in betweener and wildly inconsistent. Unless something clicks I’m not sure there’s much to be done.

Marleau needs to be the primary playmaker on that line, though. McCann won’t do it consistently.

And he wasn’t very good at wing

 

[Speaking Moistly]

And he wasn’t very good at wing

Sutter or McCann?

 

[66-30-33]

It was a mistake to trade for Patrick Marleau.

Even worse than the price we paid, is knowing that because he's a vet, he will be gifted a spot in the lineup that should go to someone else. My wonder is now how much that will help or hurt us. Probably not much hurt...but that doesn't make it right.

He should be one of the hardest working just for the fact he's never won a cup before and here is his 1 and probably last chance.

 

[Peat]

right now, that toolbox hasn't really brought what we need to win a Cup...if I’m Sully, I’d seriously think hard about playing ERod for him...that line with Horny and Marleau (and we know neither of them are going anywhere) might be better with ERod on it...that or move Blueger up to 3C

Tbh I'm not sure Rodrigues particularly moves the needle, particularly as you have to rebuild the chemistry all over again, and who knows when McCann saves us by ripping one from range that most of our guys wouldn't have got?

To me this seems a bit hyper-critical. I'm not in love with either player or line but a bit more time doesn't seem unjustified, neither seems a complete barrier to success if they're a little quiet, and the options aren't that compelling either.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Neat little thing i noticed. Each half of the ice boards are donned with what each team has in their home buildings.
Like today i noticed the PPG Paints ad and UPMC i think it was.
Same thing tonight with MTL and TOR.

 

[Gurglesons]

Tbh I'm not sure Rodrigues particularly moves the needle, particularly as you have to rebuild the chemistry all over again, and who knows when McCann saves us by ripping one from range that most of our guys wouldn't have got?

To me this seems a bit hyper-critical. I'm not in love with either player or line but a bit more time doesn't seem unjustified, neither seems a complete barrier to success if they're a little quiet, and the options aren't that compelling either.

I think McCann is also a better PK center over Rodrigues.

TBH I don’t think the issue today was the McCann line. It was the BART being what it was for nearly a month plus to end the season, but being used like it is some sort of Swiss Army knife.

It’s L4. Stop getting cute.

 

[Kristopher Letang]

The Habs are still trash, that’s cool.

 

[Andy99]

This was from Vensel’s article in the PG about the game...and it’s the concerning part for sure (besides the PP)...

“The Flyers may lack the kind of cannons the Penguins can wheel out there, but they looked like the team more ready for playoff hockey. They flustered the Penguins blue-liners without an all-out forecheck. They clogged the middle of the ice. And when the Flyers had the puck, they didn’t mind lobbing it deep.
That was the kind of stuff the Penguins did in November and December and early January, when they were one of the NHL’s best and most mentally tough teams despite injuries. But they got away from that after the All-Star break and were doing some serious soul-searching when the season halted March 12.”

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Hard to blame Recchi for them not being able to make simple zone entries and accurate passes.
It's not like he's controlling them with a joystick.

That being said, he's not a good PP coach and never has been.

 

[StroShow]

Carey Price 3 goals on 17 shots through 2 periods.

-As for the Penguins, I have been a huge Matt Murray supporter but the team should go with Tristan Jarry G1.