Post-mortem on the season

[Riptide]

I have one word for the whole season:

Letang

Too simplistic, and unfortunately not at all accurate. We made way too many unforced errors in this series to really stand a chance. I knew that the moment it went to OT that we were going to lose the game - and honestly, we deserved to based on our play.

 

[Coastal Kev]

First of all, there's nothing wrong with not liking a trade. The majority are free to disagree with you though. Doing the simple math (adding a 2C-caliber forward to play 3C), the trade seemed like a pretty cut and dry gain to me.

You are seriously overrating Gustavsson right now though. He is a prospect, period. He has just as much chance of being a good starting goalie as he does never setting foot in North America depending on his development. When one comes down to earth on Gustavsson and considers that we have Brassard at a discount and for another season, it was a solid deal.

I don't know why the guy didn't bring it during the playoffs and I want to see more, but that was the move I would've made. Adding Grabner and Maroon like the Devils did is certainly interesting, but keep in mind we would still be down an NHL center like we were going into the deadline and would've had to move some money out to make those moves work just like we did with Brassard.

They added Letestu, that was my idea all along. Simply upgrade 4C and add Grabner for wing depth. We still would have had Cole, a first round pick and Gustavsson.

 

[Nadal On Clay]

Too simplistic, and unfortunately not at all accurate. We made way too many unforced errors in this series to really stand a chance. I knew that the moment it went to OT that we were going to lose the game - and honestly, we deserved to based on our play.

The main leader of that shitshow was Kristopher Letang.

 

[Nadal On Clay]

I have 3 words.
What about him?

I guess 3 is lucky...
3rd in points per game for defensmen over the last 5 years. Only Burns and EK rank higher.
3 time Stanley Cup Champion.

Over the last 5 years.... I’m talking about this season.

Btw he did nothing last year to help the Pens win the cup.

 

[Coastal Kev]

The Cole/Sheary situation is pretty disturbing tbh.

+ Sprong and throw in Reaves who JR wanted and Sully never trusted. He over played his top 3 lines the entire season and they simply ran out of gas.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

They added Letestu, that was my idea all along. Simply upgrade 4C and add Grabner for wing depth. We still would have had Cole, a first round pick and Gustavsson.

I can respect that strategy. I don't know if the dollars are working out but maybe I'm missing something.

 

[Riptide]

Unless they're going to use Brassard on the penalty kill next year, I'm afraid I have some bad news.

That was a huge fear of mine since we acquired him (and even in the discussions leading up to the deal). But that never really panned out. RS would start it, and then they'd clear it and change, with Rust and Kuhnhackl/ZAR coming out. Next FO, RS would come out again. Sometimes Crosby, but they usually managed to make it work with just Sheahan.

 

[RizzleMcRib]

The main leader of that ****show was Kristopher Letang.

Win as a team, lose as a team. I'm sure if you asked anyone in that locker room they'd say the same.

 

[Riptide]

They added Letestu, that was my idea all along. Simply upgrade 4C and add Grabner for wing depth. We still would have had Cole, a first round pick and Gustavsson.

Grabner was terrible in NJ for a reason. And for that same reason he would have been brutal here.

 

[Coastal Kev]

I can respect that strategy. I don't know if the dollars are working out but maybe I'm missing something.

I never knew what to make of Brassard and I am not criticizing him as a player. My biggest complaint was even after the trade our 4th line was still trash. That was going to ultimately spell doom for our top players, too much of a load to carry.

 

[RizzleMcRib]

Over the last 5 years.... I’m talking about this season.

Btw he did nothing last year to help the Pens win the cup.

You do realize he just came off of surgery and really had no time to properly train for the season.
I don't know if you missed that part.
That team last year didn't win because they outskilled other teams. Last year we weren't the best team. We were just the hungriest.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Grabner was terrible in NJ for a reason. And for that same reason he would have been brutal here.

We'll never know. I do know Sheary and Kuhnackl played 24 games combined and scored exactly the same goals as Sprong or Grabner for the Pens.

 

[Nadal On Clay]

Win as a team, lose as a team. I'm sure if you asked anyone in that locker room they'd say the same.

Obviously lol. It doesn’t change the fact that Letang made some HUGE mistakes.

 

[Nadal On Clay]

You do realize he just came off of surgery and really had no time to properly train for the season.
I don't know if you missed that part.
That team last year didn't win because they outskilled other teams. Last year we weren't the best team. We were just the hungriest.

Excuses here, excuses there, excuses everywhere.

The last sentence of your reply has nothing to do with my comment.

 

[PensandCaps]

That was a huge fear of mine since we acquired him (and even in the discussions leading up to the deal). But that never really panned out. RS would start it, and then they'd clear it and change, with Rust and Kuhnhackl/ZAR coming out. Next FO, RS would come out again. Sometimes Crosby, but they usually managed to make it work with just Sheahan.

I really don't see why he can't PK. He's good on draws and is good with his stick at getting in passing lanes.

But as you said, they seemed to make it work with just Sheahan, anyway.

 

[Riptide]

We'll never know. I do know Sheary and Kuhnackl played 24 games combined and scored exactly the same goals as Sprong or Grabner for the Pens.

And Brassard and Kessel had the same amount of goals as Sheahan and Oleksiak and Dumoulin, and less goals then Hagelin and Rust. There's lots of blame to go around... but that doesn't change the fact that Grabner would be an abysmal fit here - just like he was in NJ.

We'll never know.

You don't need to see him here to know he would be terrible. Stop looking at his stats, and look at how he actually plays the game. Look at his lack of hockey sense, inability to win a board battle, inability to get his center the puck, inability to get open for his center, and his inability to cycle the puck... This guy is a depth player who can PK and that's about it. UNLESS you tailor your offense solely to suit him - which is what NY did. But the moment you do that, you're shooting yourself in the foot when you have the talent and skill that we do up front.

Fortunately we won't have to worry about him coming here, because some other GM will look at his ES goals the past 2 seasons and offer him way too much money. This makes me very very happy.

 

[Nakawick]

The team was gassed and looked lethargic for most of the year. They had a nice stretch to start 2018.

I thought they lost lots of experience and character, especially losing Cole and Reaves at the deadline. They needed an emotional boost and never got it.

 

[RizzleMcRib]

Obviously lol. It doesn’t change the fact that Letang made some HUGE mistakes.

As did majority of the TEAM

Team = a GROUP of players forming one side in a competitive game or sport.

 

[Nadal On Clay]

As did majority of the TEAM

Team = a GROUP of players forming one side in a competitive game or sport.

Continue to ignore my point....

 

[SouthGeorge]

Series in a nutshell

 

[RizzleMcRib]

Excuses here, excuses there, excuses everywhere.

The last sentence of your reply has nothing to do with my comment.

That last sentence meant you if you think we would win the cup more times that not without Letang or that he doesn't make us a better team, you're living in a dreamworld.

I don't see any excuses. But hey, preach on man.
I'll just sit over here and enjoy back to back cups

 

[RizzleMcRib]

Continue to ignore my point....

What am I ignoring? That you want to pin the series on Letang when it was a group effort?

 

[turd]

I have a tough time getting on GMJR for what transpired since last June. The Reaves ordeal was bad, I’ll concede that much. But the other stuff? It’s just so hard to say without knowing the details. I don’t think anyone was too broken up about Kunitz leaving. Cullen was 50/50 to return but ultimately picked his hometown team. I think the fan base was pretty split over Bonino. I still think 4x4 for him was too much for too long. And their hands were really tied with Fleury.

To the players they did acquire, I was overall very pleased with how Sheahan and Oleksiak turned out. I think they can be solid contributors moving forward, and they were cheap. Hunwick was a failure, but I don’t know how much of that can be pinned on GMJR vs the player. He wasn’t THIS bad on Toronto and I thought he could provide decent enough depth to replace Hainsey/Daley. Wasn’t to be. Perhaps he busts out next year a la Paul Martin back in the second year of his deal with the Pens. Or maybe they just cut their losses.

The Brassard trade is business. You move out an expiring contract for a contract with a bit of length and a reasonable cap hit. You also trade a first rounder, an unknown goalie prospect, and take your medicine with Reaves. All in the spirit of trying to threepeat. For whatever reason, immediate results weren’t recognized, but if it was due to injury (which is likely) I think it’s fair to hold off on the final grade for that move.

TLDR - Without knowing the full story, it’s hard for me to blame GMJR. It’s not NHL18 where you just sign and trade whoever you want whenever you want. Sometimes things work, sometimes they don’t. He chose the path that he thought could bring a third straight Cup. Given his recent history, he’s been way more right than wrong. Some things just didn’t go according to plan. That’s life. Whatever.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

As for the series, it's not that we lost, it's how we lost. Failure to finish chances, stupid/lazy penalties that shift momentum and constantly put their lethal power play on the ice, and Letang with his handful of gifted chances and/or goals against per game.

You do realize he just came off of surgery and really had no time to properly train for the season.
I don't know if you missed that part.
That team last year didn't win because they outskilled other teams. Last year we weren't the best team. We were just the hungriest.

He had surgery in April. He was in the gym and training like a demon by July. He had plenty of time to recover and train.

 

[Nadal On Clay]

That last sentence meant you if you think we would win the cup more times that not without Letang or that he doesn't make us a better team, you're living in a dreamworld.

I don't see any excuses. But hey, preach on man.
I'll just sit over here and enjoy back to back cups

That’s not what I meant at all. I don’t know if Kris is your brother, but he SUCKED from head to toes this season. Ive never said we would have had more chances without him than with him last year. I was just pointing out that he didn’t participate at all in the last Cup run.

Keep putting words in my mouth, pal.