Post-Game Talk: Avs 3, Pens 1 3/4/2015

[Richard]

Why isn't Malkin playing the half boards on the powerplay? He is the best in the world at that position. Baffling.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

Why isn't Malkin playing the half boards on the powerplay? He is the best in the world at that position. Baffling.

He didn't play there all the time early on when they were kicking ass on the PP but he should be a lot of the time no doubt. Anything to keep from going back to Disco's five statue method on the PP. When it's fluid and they're moving and changing spots is when it's best.

 

[Til the End of Time]

Why isn't Malkin playing the half boards on the powerplay? He is the best in the world at that position. Baffling.

I totally agree. Johnston needs to put his foot down and put Malkin at the half boards. There is no doubt Malkin is better there.

Anytime I think Johnston is starting to get this team in order, I see the power play setup and I realize he just doesn't get it.

This team is not good enough to still be successful while conciously handicapping themselves on the power play.

Also pretty embarrassing how tocchet basically lobbied for this job of handling the pens pp, then got the job because he is Mario's friend, and now can't do squat with the pp.

That's the pens way. Get the job because of who you know, not because you earned it.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

I totally agree. Johnston needs to put his foot down and put Malkin at the half boards. There is no doubt Malkin is better there.

Anytime I think Johnston is starting to get this team in order, I see the power play setup and I realize he just doesn't get it.

This team is not good enough to still be successful while conciously handicapping themselves on the power play.

Also pretty embarrassing how tocchet basically lobbied for this job of handling the pens pp, then got the job because he is Mario's friend, and now can't do squat with the pp.

That's the pens way. Get the job because of who you know, not because you earned it.

Yeah I know it sounds crazy but sometimes I wonder if they gave Tocchet that job because Madden pimped the idea constantly. "It's 'just' an assistant job, and the fans will love it!". I mean their PR is bat **** crazy devoted to the casual fan, and they could've hired any one of a thousand guys.......

 

[AquaticBirdman]

I totally agree. Johnston needs to put his foot down and put Malkin at the half boards. There is no doubt Malkin is better there.

Anytime I think Johnston is starting to get this team in order, I see the power play setup and I realize he just doesn't get it.

This team is not good enough to still be successful while conciously handicapping themselves on the power play.

Also pretty embarrassing how tocchet basically lobbied for this job of handling the pens pp, then got the job because he is Mario's friend, and now can't do squat with the pp.

That's the pens way. Get the job because of who you know, not because you earned it.

Maybe they feel that placing Sid at the half-wall allows him to have more space and options in terms of cycling around the zone (back of the net, front of the net, etc.)? Of course, it's not like SId really does much to make the most of this space or these options either...

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

the concussion didn't change him, the broken face on Orpik's shot did

I absolutely believe that. It was the straw that broke his back.

 

[cygnus47]

I had a dream that Sid realised that guys knew all his moves so he decided that this year, stats and wins be damned, he was going to play possum. Pretending all year that he doesn't have anything working, not showing off any fancy passes, barely using his feet, not getting involved in the play; all of it an act so that when the playoffs come around he can shock guys for the first time in a few years. If only.....

 

[Owtahear]

I hope you're right but that doesn't explain his lack of acceleration almost this entire year.

That's exactly it. People keep on pointing to his wrist, but he isn't blowing by people anymore, he isn't driving the net, he isn't doing much except taking the puck, curling back and looking for trailers. That is his entire game.

He doesn't want to handle the puck. He gives it up way too soon. There were times were he could have come out from the corner or behind the net and created something, but he preferred some blind, 100 foot cross ice pass.

Amazing Geno can stickhandle through guys, Landesburg can, but Sid, he is as easy to strip off the puck as Beau Bennett.

Does he even want to play?

 

[robopigeon]

He's always been praised for his hockey IQ, so he could also see the issues with the team that we all see. He also probably is tired of having his face caved in -- Despres was the only one to stand up for him in that Columbus game, and look how that turned out.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

That's exactly it. People keep on pointing to his wrist, but he isn't blowing by people anymore, he isn't driving the net, he isn't doing much except taking the puck, curling back and looking for trailers. That is his entire game.

He doesn't want to handle the puck. He gives it up way too soon. There were times were he could have come out from the corner or behind the net and created something, but he preferred some blind, 100 foot cross ice pass.

Amazing Geno can stickhandle through guys, Landesburg can, but Sid, he is as easy to strip off the puck as Beau Bennett.

Does he even want to play?

He does a mean interview on TSN's Off The Record, but I've never seen him stickhandle through guys.