I betWatching the Ducks vs Seattle game, and boy do I miss Tanev
Rakell is terrible.
Graves is worse.
I betWatching the Ducks vs Seattle game, and boy do I miss Tanev
One step forward, two steps back. Two steps forward, one step back. If there's one thing they're consistent with, it's being inconsistent.Team teases you but is forever mid so long as these coaches are still calling the shots
One step forward, two steps back. Two steps forward, one step back. If there's one thing they're consistent with, it's being inconsistent.
I just wish there was someone whose job it was to get them to play consistently. I guess they don't have that position for the Pens like every other sport (or the 31 other NHL teams apparently do).
Bright spot: Puustinen.
Every single one of his shifts were a net positive.
Passing, shooting, puck possession, board work... he did something good every time he was on the ice.
I mean he's just come back and I'm going to cut him some slack, this team is coached like shit so I generally don't hate on most of the players since it's not their fault they're being used the way they are.4 more years of Rakel.
Oof
The zone entries on the PP are once again terrible.
Puustinen, Malkin, Karlsson regularly make idiotic decisions. The goal is to establish possession in the opponent's zone. They seem to have lost their minds. It looks like the most difficult task in the world.
++DOC, Rakell
What I'm seeing with Geno is natural regression for a guy who's 6'3" and 195lbs. Those are the kind of guys who will fall off a cliff at some point.
I want L2 to be better than average, which hasn't happened since pre-COVID. That means outscoring their opponents.
The bloom is off the Reilly Smith rose, but Geno just doesn't create anything out there. He's hoping to be the second man in and get the puck in space, but he is not able to beat defenders at all. He's just mooching out there, but his linemates aren't good enough to create for him.
In other news...
My Boy Blue seems to have shaken off the Sullivan bs. 12pts in 20 games, that's a good lad.
What I'm seeing with Geno is natural regression for a guy who's 6'3" and 195lbs. Those are the kind of guys who will fall off a cliff at some point.
Sully wanted a 3c for years and when Blue showed signs of being one he beat him down with the worst usage imaginable and his production tanked hard. Then he leaves and seemingly bounces back.Bottom six forwards producing when they get away from Mike Sullivan?
Never! Our rosters just suck!
I think what's forgotten is his injuries. He's had two major knee surgeries and an issue with his arm that was pretty bad. He needs more support on his line given that. Sid gets Jake and so they produce and Geno is still being utilized like he can elevate players on his own and that just isn't right or fair. He needs his "Jake" as it were, in terms of vision on the ice as a linemate.
Sully wanted a 3c for years and when Blue showed signs of being one he beat him down with the worst usage imaginable and his production tanked hard. Then he leaves and seemingly bounces back.
Always funny to me how these hockey writers have nothing to say about it.
Vegas used Blueger the same way the Pens did. His zone start splits were the same and his xGF% was even lower in Vegas last year.Sully wanted a 3c for years and when Blue showed signs of being one he beat him down with the worst usage imaginable and his production tanked hard. Then he leaves and seemingly bounces back.
Always funny to me how these hockey writers have nothing to say about it.
Vegas used Blueger the same way the Pens did. His zone start splits were the same and his xGF% was even lower in Vegas last year.
But Vancouver is not. Besides giving Blueger third line minutes right now, Tocchet has also relaxed Blueger's usage. Blueger has gone from 17% and 19% offensive zone start percentage with the Pens and Vegas last year to 40% with Vancouver. That is by far the highest percentage of his career.
Now, he's also shooting 14.3%, which would match the highest full-season total of his career.
So, yeah, usage definitely is a big part of that. But I think that's also why it's important to acquire players who fit the role you need rather than force guys into a role. Blueger showed for a while that he could still produce while eating those heavy minutes, but he wore down.
Exactly.Malkin is what he is. A 37 year old producing at a 70ish point pace ain’t that bad.
Especially given how Sullivan and Dubas have set him up for failure.
Vegas got him for what he was at that point in time vs what Tocchet knew of his potential and uses him as such. Sullivan had him in his final season playing 87% dz starts and the thing is he uses a lot of the bottom 6 just like that (not as drastic but still very hard usage) and it's always suffered and he can't figure out why, lol.Vegas used Blueger the same way the Pens did. His zone start splits were the same and his xGF% was even lower in Vegas last year.
But Vancouver is not. Besides giving Blueger third line minutes right now, Tocchet has also relaxed Blueger's usage. Blueger has gone from 17% and 19% offensive zone start percentage with the Pens and Vegas last year to 40% with Vancouver. That is by far the highest percentage of his career.
Now, he's also shooting 14.3%, which would match the highest full-season total of his career.
So, yeah, usage definitely is a big part of that. But I think that's also why it's important to acquire players who fit the role you need rather than force guys into a role. Blueger showed for a while that he could still produce while eating those heavy minutes, but he wore down.
It amazes me that some folks still can't admit that how Sullivan utilizes the bottom six is ridiculous.How we use our bottom six is a big issue.
It amazes me that some folks still can't admit that how Sullivan utilizes the bottom six is ridiculous.
Amazing how every bottom six player produces fine before joining the Pens and after they leave, but suddenly "suck offensively" when they're here.
But nah, nothing wrong with how Sullivan uses the lines.
Bad bounces, etc.getting a point wasn’t a good outcome…Caps got a point, NJD won, Isles won…teams ahead of us putting up points…we’re still 5 back and have been that way for a month…how long is Dubas gonna dawdle? Either fire the coaching staff or start selling off players…ample evidence already this team isn’t good enough…
Bad bounces, etc.
I was being sarcastic you lunatic.Weird how the coach isn’t responsible for playing Jeff Carter in OT, watching him lose two faceoffs, and then having the Sens score off the possession from that faceoff.
I was being sarcastic you lunatic.
I'm just resigned to the idea that Sully's gonna be coaching this team forever. Dogshit ownership.Oh I know.
It’s just absurd that our front office watches tonight and doesn’t do anything with the staff lol.