Pre-Game Talk: All Purpose Off Day Thread

[Gurglesons]

Yeah, my big complaint with ZAR has been his consistency more than anything. When he plays well, I definitely see a guy who can be an asset in the Penguins top-6. His games against Boston (2 goals and 3 points, 9 hits and 5 shots) and St. Louis (1 goal, 5 hits, 2 shots and a fight) are glimpses of what he can do, he just needs to do that more than once every 9 games.

He has picked it up a lot since the start of December, he has 3 goals and 7 points in 15 games with 31 shots (shots in 13 of 15 games) and 66 hits (5+ hits in 8 of 15 games, but only 1 in last 6). He needs to be continuing to do something like that overall while smoothing out his highs and lows. In that 15 game sample size I was talking about, he had 53 of those 66 hits and 21 of those 31 shots in the first 9 games. You obviously can't expect him to be throwing 6 hits a night because that's absurd, but he needs to do more than be vanilla for 10 games and then go insane with the physicality for 10 games.

I guess. If he’s on the 4th line I have no problems with his game to be honest and when ever he is moved up he has a tendency to produce.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I guess. If he’s on the 4th line I have no problems with his game to be honest and when ever he is moved up he has a tendency to produce.

Yeah, I don't think you can reasonably expect much better from him on a 4th line role seeing who he's playing with. If you're getting better than 25 points/82 games from your 4th liners, it likely means they're 3rd liners and are going to get big raises. I would still like to see more consistency from him, I don't care about the production as much as I care about the consistency at which he plays physical.

 

[Peat]

Yeah, I don't think you can reasonably expect much better from him on a 4th line role seeing who he's playing with. If you're getting better than 25 points/82 games from your 4th liners, it likely means they're 3rd liners and are going to get big raises. I would still like to see more consistency from him, I don't care about the production as much as I care about the consistency at which he plays physical.

Kinda yeah. The ZAR I was sold in the initial journos' reports wouldn't need production to justify his existence on a hockey team, because he's be a board battlin' hit makin' space creatin' tough sonuvagun. Him being that player more often would be a lot more interested in him - and probably result in more production anyway.

 

[Coach Travis]

So early on in the season the Pens D were hilariously bad in the home plate area. And even though it doesn't take a lick of skill to do it and, as an NHL Defenceman you'd think that's a prerequisite, we sucked at because we just weren't committing to it. Now we are. For all the heaps of praise the goaltending is getting for our low GA and high Sv%, I'd attribute 4/5 of that to our D, just as I attributed 4/5 of our bad GA & Sv% to our D. Unfortunately, where we haven't improved (and it may just be beyond their skillset) is effectively moving the puck to the forwards. If Letang is on the ice, whatever forward line he's out there with thrives. When he's not, it's a struggle to make clean exits and clean entries.

We're a one-line team with a great powerplay.

My hunch is that we need our centres coming back more on re-groups, play deeper in our end and committing to an overload type breakout with the winger feeding the centre from below rather than one that depends too heavily on long passes. I keep seeing plays where JJ & MP are on the regroup passing back and forth and backing up, backing up, backing up and there's not a single forward on the screen. That's a recipe for disaster. Not only are neither of those two great passers but even Letang doesn't try those passes. He'll skate it up until he attracts a forechecker or he'll just skate it all the way. If Maatta, Riikola, JJ or MP can't do that, they need a forward dropping back to take a shorter pass in flight. Oleksiak is actually one of the few D who can rush the puck. He doesn't have the acceleration but once he gets to top speed with that size and reach, he's very good at it. Riikola probably actually could as well, they should tell him to call his own number now and then. But yeah, any forward line out there with Maatta & Riikola or JJ & MP (let's face it, Geno's line and Brassard's line), that centre needs to drop back and play more like Letang on the rush.

 

[PensandCaps]

Our main problem is our Dmen not hitting players in stride in the NZ aside from Letang or Dumo.

Too many chip ins.

 

[Peat]

If Letang is on the ice, whatever forward line he's out there with thrives. When he's not, it's a struggle to make clean exits and clean entries.

Not quite true. Letang and Dump spent most of the Wild game with L3, with L4 and L2 runners up, with Sid's line left to fend for itself. L3 and L4 did not thrive. Now, granted, this was part of Letang matching up against Minnesota's top 6 while getting buried in our zone... but Letang alone can't do it. Although Sid and Geno did do good when they had Letang on for that game.

 

[Gurglesons]

Not quite true. Letang and Dump spent most of the Wild game with L3, with L4 and L2 runners up, with Sid's line left to fend for itself. L3 and L4 did not thrive. Now, granted, this was part of Letang matching up against Minnesota's top 6 while getting buried in our zone... but Letang alone can't do it. Although Sid and Geno did do good when they had Letang on for that game.

Dump is Dumo’s new nick name.

 

[td_ice]

Dump is Dumo’s new nick name.

If we can change his number to #2, sure.

 

[Gurglesons]

If we can change his number to #2, sure.

Best joke of 2019. Disappointed for the rest of the year now.

 

[IcedCapp]

Best joke of 2019. Disappointed for the rest of the year now.

you haven't seen the Pens play yet this year.

 

[Gurglesons]

you haven't seen the Pens play yet this year.

Too busy watching Laval.

 

[IcedCapp]

Too busy watching Laval.

2pts and 4 PIMs in 5 games, dudes a fantasy B.E.A.S.T.

 

[ncm7772]

I mean, ZAR should be on the 4th line because he's not one of their 9 best forwards, but I don't really see the point of this comment. He was obviously going to the 4th line once Rust got healthy, he was only a placeholder in the top-9 for Rust. He also has done pretty well overall in his career with Crosby and Malkin, despite what the hive mind of this board wants to tell you.

Eh, just don't really think he's that good. And I think the 4th line with he, Sheahan and Cullen have worked well together.

 

[dogthateats]

 

[EightyOne]

I'm mostly envious. Some dude talks shit and gets a signed stick???? I'd do almost illegal things for a free signed 87 stick.

 

[DegenX]

Welcome back, Oleksiak ...

 

[Gurglesons]

Welcome back, Oleksiak ...

I really hope we lose, because the obsession with Oleksiak needs to stop.

 

[EightyOne]

Re: Pens staff

 

[canadianguy77]

Welcome back, Oleksiak ...

If I had any sort of confidence in this coaching staff, I'd bet that they'll finally see that Maatta looks horrible away from Riikola.

But I don't. So I fully expect another losing streak to follow, with Riikola sitting a bunch of games. And it's so stupid. They have a chance to give themselves a little bit of a cushion in regards to playoff standings, but in a week or 2 we'll be battling for a WC spot.

 

[DegenX]

I really hope we lose, because the obsession with Oleksiak needs to stop.

And what makes you think this time will be any different? Let's just tell ourselves that we have to play him to trade him, yeah?

 

[EightyOne]

Olek just has to play against big meanies in WPG

 

[canadianguy77]

Olek just has to play against big meanies in WPG

The funny thing is that Riikloa is the better hitter. And is it a good idea for Oleksiak to potentially be fighting after the concussion from Wilson a few weeks ago?

 

[MrBurghundy]

Welcome back, Oleksiak ...

8 game winning streak on the line, and we aren't giving up a lot of goals. Lets f*** with the defense and put together a pairing that sucked ass and was a main factor in us losing so many games this season. Brilliant.

 

[Tom Hanks]

8 game winning streak on the line, and we aren't giving up a lot of goals. Lets **** with the defense and put together a pairing that sucked ass and was a main factor in us losing so many games this season. Brilliant.

Not that I want Oleksiak in the side but to be fair Riikola is on the ice for a majority of those goals through this streak.

 

[Shady Machine]

Why can't we keep nice things?

Best hope is Big Rig sits when Schultz come back and Maatta-Schultz sticks.

Pretty obvious they are playing who they think are the best 6 dmen, fit be damned.

I actually like Big Rig, but the combo of him and Maatta is puke worthy.