Series Talk: (POLL) Do you think the Pens will qualify for the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs?

[ArcticFox]

I mean, Sully is our coach.

Is everyone really pretending we have a great team? We have an aged core, with "veterans" added that while good aren't exactly the future (Zucker, Carter, Petry, etc.). I do like Guentz, Rakell and Rust but they are not good enough to be our core players.
The d-core is a sad read, our goaltending is a mess.

Listen, I aint even mad or sad: this is just how it goes. We have had a fairytale period since 2007 led by Sid, Geno, Letang and Flower with the cups to show for it. We knew it would end one day and we are in the middle of it. Sully is a decent coach, but this is not a team that can do better than a first round exit.

Hopefully in the future some good drafting and UFA's and we can see a nice rebuild.... but then again I just remembered who the GM is.

 

[BusinessGoose]

Is everyone really pretending we have a great team? We have an aged core, with "veterans" added that while good aren't exactly the future (Zucker, Carter, Petry, etc.). I do like Guentz, Rakell and Rust but they are not good enough to be our core players.
The d-core is a sad read, our goaltending is a mess.

Listen, I aint even mad or sad: this is just how it goes. We have had a fairytale period since 2007 led by Sid, Geno, Letang and Flower with the cups to show for it. We knew it would end one day and we are in the middle of it. Sully is a decent coach, but this is not a team that can do better than a first round exit.

Hopefully in the future some good drafting and UFA's and we can see a nice rebuild.... but then again I just remembered who the GM is.

It's not like they should be a bottom half of league team.

You see these other rosters, right?

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

A lot will depend on how they are playing than just if they make it. The worst case scenario is if they are playing really well down the stretch, but don't make it .

Hobbling into the playoffs at whatever position means another 1st round exit. Can't sugarcoat that.

They need to sort this out, and the sad fact, the aging core isn't the problem.

 

[Zap Rowsdower]

I think they'll make it, they always go on a big win streak. I wish they wouldn't though, would rather have a slim chance at Bedard rather than another 1st round exit.

 

[Andy99]

This is from another poster after last night’s wins by the Isles, Rags and NJD…yikes…we better wildly improve our win-lose rate this month…

“Penguins, 49 games played, 57 points, 4-3-3 in last 10
Isles, 53 games played, 57 points, 4-4-2 in last 10
Buffalo, 50 games played, 56 points, 6-2-2 in last 10
Florida, 53 games played, 56 points, 6-2-2 in last 10

If all 4 teams have the same trend over their next set of 10 games:

Penguins, 59 games played, 68 points
Isles, 63 games played, 67 points
Buffalo, 60 games played, 70 points
Florida, 63 games played, 70 points”

 

[orby]

I have a feeling they will sneak in and get bounced early...again.

 

[Andy99]

I have a feeling they will sneak in and get bounced early...again.

Yeah, well getting a WC berth means playing Carolina or Boston…ain’t gonna win either series even with health and Jarry in net….

 

[Gurglesons]

This is from another poster after last night’s wins by the Isles, Rags and NJD…yikes…we better wildly improve our win-lose rate this month…

“Penguins, 49 games played, 57 points, 4-3-3 in last 10
Isles, 53 games played, 57 points, 4-4-2 in last 10
Buffalo, 50 games played, 56 points, 6-2-2 in last 10
Florida, 53 games played, 56 points, 6-2-2 in last 10

If all 4 teams have the same trend over their next set of 10 games:

Penguins, 59 games played, 68 points
Isles, 63 games played, 67 points
Buffalo, 60 games played, 70 points
Florida, 63 games played, 70 points”

So we would make the playoffs or miss by one point.

 

[Andy99]

So we would make the playoffs

Depends what they do with their games in hand…if you assume all the contenders for the WC spots win/gets points at the same rate they have in the last 10 games, then we will because Sabres, Florida, Isles haven’t been playing much better than the Pens…but TDL and Horvat trade could change that…also as noted above, Sabres and Florida will pass the Pens in points…

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

This is from another poster after last night’s wins by the Isles, Rags and NJD…yikes…we better wildly improve our win-lose rate this month…

“Penguins, 49 games played, 57 points, 4-3-3 in last 10
Isles, 53 games played, 57 points, 4-4-2 in last 10
Buffalo, 50 games played, 56 points, 6-2-2 in last 10
Florida, 53 games played, 56 points, 6-2-2 in last 10

If all 4 teams have the same trend over their next set of 10 games:

Penguins, 59 games played, 68 points
Isles, 63 games played, 67 points
Buffalo, 60 games played, 70 points
Florida, 63 games played, 70 points”

Trends aren't really indicative of where it ends up. Considering we are a streaky team, we may rattle off 10 in a row, then lose 10 in a row. BTW I'm not confident about our chances tonight .

Apparently Sully's big change tonight is to swap Rust and Rackell. How's that for thinking outside the box? Sarcasm intended :\.

The year St. Louis won the cup, they had an amazing 2nd half.

My big question is, do we have the personnel to make the playoffs? Yes.
Do we have the personnel to do damage in the playoffs? Yes, IF we fix the 3rd line AND Jarry stays healthy AND if Sully develops more than 1 way to play. First 2 Hexy said he wants to address, so let's see. About Sully..it's unlikely, so it's sink or swim.

Of course this all assumes our big 3 stay healthy.

 

[Coastal Kev]

It's a hard no if the status quo stands.