Are Pens fans worried about GA?

[Crazy Cizikas]

I can’t imagine that pens fans worry about anything. It’ll all work out somehow.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I can’t imagine that pens fans worry about anything. It’ll all work out somehow.

No, we worry.

Accountability was something that we all liked with the current coaching staff, but it's very picky on when it's applied this season and right now, Sullivan has too many 4th line fodder types to play with and with McKegg finally waived for WBS, it means there's 1 less guy for him to play when he shouldn't.

Depth scoring is still an issue.

Defensive lapses are still an issue and it has been for beyond this season, it's just become insanely hard to ignore this year when the team isn't scoring in bunches anymore.

Sure, it will be sorted out, but it's not like we sit there and say "Ah well, we'll be fine in the next month" and then the same happens and we say it again. Bad trends are bad trends even for the best of teams. For an older fan, I also remember 1993, nothing is guaranteed.

The defense has been a huge issue and it's not the defensemen, it's team defense. The support isn't there, it's like the forwards disconnect when it comes to defense. Outside of guys that are solid in their own end like Sheahan, Hagelin, Rust, etc, the others need to pick up the slack and even those guys are prone to some mistakes. Defensemen make stupid stretch passes because the forwards are already waiting near the other team's blueline for that pass and it's become painfully obvious.

Goals Against is a problem.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

I would be worried if the pens didn't look like they were coasting and were still bleeding goals against. The effort has been lackadaisical for much of the season to say the least. When the pens are playing hard there is a ton of forward support coming back to help out the defense.

 

[Nalens Oga]

Have they gotten worse at shot suppression? Outside of Mattaa, who's really good at it on their team now?

 

[Lays]

Apparently you need to watch some more, Maatta has been phenomenal this year.

you legitimately think maata is a 2D? hes a sound 4D. 20 something games doesn’t change my opinion.

 

[DearDiary]

you legitimately think maata is a 2D? hes a sound 4D. 20 something games doesn’t change my opinion.

Maatta was a 2D before all his injuries, so it's not like his current play came out of nowhere. His conditioning has gotten much better and his skating isn't so labored.

 

[Empoleon8771]

you legitimately think maata is a 2D? hes a sound 4D. 20 something games doesn’t change my opinion.

I don't think Maatta is a 2D, but I think calling him a 4D is underrating him a good bit. He's a guy I'd be completely comfortable with anchoring a 2nd pair, which puts him at a #3. He has been a #3D for a vast majority of his career (he was playing like a legit #2 before his injuries in 2014-2015), only last year when he greatly struggled offensively did he not play like a #3.

Not including last year, Maatta is a 30 point defenseman per 82 games who is excellent defensively, has solid possession stats (not terrific, just solid) and plays 19-20 minutes a night. I think that's pretty clearly a good #3, closer to a #2 than a #4.

 

[Lays]

I don't think Maatta is a 2D, but I think calling him a 4D is underrating him a good bit. He's a guy I'd be completely comfortable with anchoring a 2nd pair, which puts him at a #3. He has been a #3D for a vast majority of his career (he was playing like a legit #2 before his injuries in 2014-2015), only last year when he greatly struggled offensively did he not play like a #3.

Not including last year, Maatta is a 30 point defenseman per 82 games who is excellent defensively, has solid possession stats (not terrific, just solid) and plays 19-20 minutes a night. I think that's pretty clearly a good #3, closer to a #2 than a #4.

everyone has different opinions. i’ll watch him more i guess but from what i’ve seen(i watch a lot of hockey) i haven’t liked him too much.