Here's whats frustrating, to me least - last nights game you saw an Avs team all revved up to take on the champs and get the season sweep. They know they aren't going to the playoffs. They know they are not a cup contender. They know they are going to be bad for awhile before they get better. So minor morale boosters like this mean a heck of a lot more to them than us. They wanted that game on a level that we have a tough time getting to right now. Why that is, I have no idea because we are now a borderline playoff team. They had motivation and they outskated us the entire game.
Now, that said, we had the ability to win that game. Easily. We can bitch about the roster and 99% of the time, it's a solid, well founded argument. But all the roster changes in the world wouldn't have won that game last night. Malkin looked like he was out for a nice Sunday skate, Letang looked like he was playing hungover, and it seemed like the last thing Sidney flipping Crosby wanted to do was shoot a puck into their net. The only line that looked like they gave a rat's poo was the 4th line...and that's embarrassing. We aren't winning games if that's the case no matter who our 3C is or who our LWs are.
What I'm seeing from Sid and Geno and Letang right now is what I saw from Ovechkin during his slumping years. Ovie got very accustomed to bringing the puck down the left side, entering the zone, cutting to the middle, and ripping off a shot. Over and over and over and over and over again. Finally, dmen figured it out, goalies figured it out, and it became 1000% ineffective. All three of our stars are making the same plays, the same mistakes, and it's getting worn out. How many times has Sid pulled up and gone to the point only to have NOTHING materialize from it? How many times have all three passed up a clean shot for a low percentage cross ice pass that 99.9999% of the time materializes into NOTHING? What made them great was "here are guys that can beat you in several ways so they are tough to play against". Now it's much more of "okay, we know Sid will pull up and defer to a trailing dman. Everyone good with letting Maatta, Rudwedel, or Cole taking a 60ft shot on the net over Sidney Crosby in closer? Good."
All the roster moves in the world aren't gonna change things if this is how our stars are choosing the play.
One extremely pleasant surprise is Sheahan's faceoff percentage. Almost 60 percent the last time that I looked. Something that the Pens had been desperate for, a reliable guy to take key faceoffs.
Rocky start for him here but I think he's become exactly what he needs to be here. Would be nice to get more production sure but he's become a very good 3C for us. Maybe the not the exact 3C we need right now but he's proved his worth. At this point, if you're ragging on Sheahan, you're doing it just to do it or you're still throwing a tantrum about JR not bringing in the guy you wanted. Period.
Do you think Sheahan is better than either Cullen or Bones, let alone both of them? Because that's the downgrade we've had here, and at a time when our superstars could use more help, not less.
Sid and Geno can obviously be better, but I don't think it should be controversial to say that they could probably use more help this year than previous years because of how much hockey they've played the last couple seasons.
I think Sheahan is on par with at least Bonino given Bonino's regular season play. When people think Bonino, they think playoff Bonino who was a warrior. No one wants to admit that outside of two months in early 2016, Bonino was a dud in the regular season. Apples to apples, Sheahan has been no better or no worse at this point. If Sheahan is the 3C come playoff time, we'll see how he does and we can adjust our evaluations. Cullen brought a lot more to the table than just points so, to me, its hard to compare. No, Sheahan does not replace Cullen. Perhaps that's a better way to put it.
But we all know, or at least we should all know, that JR wants(ed) a better 3C. He's out there looking. He knows. We know. That doesn't discount Sheahan's more than acceptable play lately.
Sheary and Hornqvist would work on the 3rd line together. That leaves Sid without a RW that fits. We could trade for a stronger one (like the LW for Phil/Geno) That would put Rust on the 4th line (which isn’t a bad thing). We do need a better 4C too.
Guentzel-Crosby-Trade
Trade-Malkin-Kessel
Sheary-Sheahan-Hornqvist
Hags(if cap fits)/Archie-Trade-Rust
If we get a 3C and bump Sheahan to the 4C, that would be ideal. Now that HAS to come with a philosophical change in the 4th line. Kuhn-Sheahan-Reaves...and you're just spinning your tires. There will be no difference between Rowney and Sheahan if you're determined to jam square Reaves into the round 4th line wing hole. If that's what they want, they may as well trade Sheahan and get the cap space and get a winger than can add wing depth to the 4th line. Nothing is going to change until they change Reaves to a selective usage player. Sid or no Sid, good guy or no good guy, at some point you have to take an objective look at what's not working.
Cap space it’d probably need a Hags flip for L2 LW (Or he becomes good again, doesn’t look like it). They wouldn’t need to be a traditional top 6’er but good in the skills Phil/Geno need.
