Pre-Game Talk: Boston at Pittsburgh|Wed.10-30-13|8:00PM (Another Winter Has the GDT)

[Richard]

Regardless of outcome, does not erase last spring.

 

[Random Oracle]

Regardless of outcome, does not erase last spring.

That's why the whole regular season feels so pointless. The Metropolitan division is so bad the Pens are all but guaranteed a playoff spot, but it's not until the playoffs that the team (and Fleury) can prove itself.

I guess I mostly watch these games to be entertained, which at the moment is mostly all on Crosby.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Yup... right now it's pretty much tuning in to watch Crosby drag the rest of the roster kicking and screaming through the mire.

Which, I mean... there are still worse things on TV.

 

[mpp9]

After the first line, the rest is just ugly. It's almost like dressing three 4th lines.

Riiiiight. Dupuis isn't the most popular guy on this board, but he's certainly a great top 9 player. Jokinen is our third most creative player at the moment, and is capable of being a stopgap top 6 center. Let Megna build off his previous game.

From there, it is what it is.

 

[Richard]

That's why the whole regular season feels so pointless. The Metropolitan division is so bad the Pens are all but guaranteed a playoff spot, but it's not until the playoffs that the team (and Fleury) can prove itself.

I guess I mostly watch these games to be entertained, which at the moment is mostly all on Crosby.

Agree on all counts. Just not interested this year until Playoffs. Only watch to cheer on Crosby's point totals.

 

[Zero Pucks]

I can't wait to boo that classless jerk, Iginla!

 

[Shady Machine]

All I want from Geno nation is ONE criticism. Incredible to me how everything is everyone else's fault. You have some arguing that he'd score more goals 5 on 5 if he killed penalties.

You're KINDA right (IMO), that the carousel of wingers doesn't help, but you could also look at it the other way and say that the reason they have to keep switching wingers is because of how Geno's playing.

I know a lot of people don't want to admit this, but the fact is that he's had the BEST winger on the team attached to his hip for a while now and his play has been lackluster. Let's not also forget that DB kept Kunitz AND Neal with him in that debacle against Philly, and even though the team scored 99 goals total, Geno barely did anything because the mighty Couturier, a teenager, was enough to shut him down.

I can't disagree with much of this. I tend to give Geno a little more leeway than other players because he's my favorite Pen. There are also people that rag on him too hard so I fire back.

He hasn't sucked, but for one of the best players in the game, he needs to step up. He doesn't really look engaged to me and gets thrown off his game too easily.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I can't disagree with much of this. I tend to give Geno a little more leeway than other players because he's my favorite Pen. There are also people that rag on him too hard so I fire back.

You've just perfectly described that internet logic that I loathe.

FWIW. You thinking people give him a hard time is also a byproduct of him being your favourite, it makes people think everything is an unjustified attack; perspective is everything. As long as there are no caplocks of rage and "people are being meeaaaaan, haterz" this forum is okay. Oh, internet, you so cray cray.


So, currently there are 3 players that if anything happens to them the team is screwed imo. Geno currently isn't one, so ignore, although if Crosby goes down he might become one.

Crosby. The offense.
Martin. The only veteran defensive defenseman since Scuderi went down and if he goes down there's no one to take care of Orpik, so Orpik becomes a massive liability.
Fleury. The whole cluster****.

 

[ByeBye]

I'm probably going to embarrass myself here but are we playing in some weird, new 3rd jerseys tonight?

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I'm probably going to embarrass myself here but are we playing in some weird, new 3rd jerseys tonight?

...no...why?

 

[Old Gregg]

They are wearing the purple jerseys in warmups and they will then be autographed and auctioned off.

 

[ByeBye]

...no...why?

Because Dana Heinze's Twitter account.


EDIT: Ah okay, warmups. Thank god.

 

[Shady Machine]

You've just perfectly described that internet logic that I loathe.

FWIW. You thinking people give him a hard time is also a byproduct of him being your favourite, it makes people think everything is an unjustified attack; perspective is everything. As long as there are no caplocks of rage and "people are being meeaaaaan, haterz" this forum is okay. Oh, internet, you so cray cray.

I'm not exactly sure what you are getting at here. Were you saying you don't like that I am biased towards my favorite player?

Anyway, I feel like I'm a fairly objective individual. The fact that I admitted I tend to have some bias and still criticized geno's play should say something. I am certainly not at KIRK level excuse making (I love your enthusiasm KIRK).

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Because Dana Heinze's Twitter account.


EDIT: Ah okay, warmups. Thank god.

Ah yeah, I'm so used to singlue-use practice jerseys in October that they don't even phase me anymore

I'm sure the Baby Pens will have something equally horrifying for actual game use, though.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Probably something involving camouflage for, like... the sixth time in the last eight years.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Last year WBS had these horrific orange psychedelic jerseys they often wore for warmups. I can't remember 100% if they were ever used in a game, but if they were, the gods wept.

I did like their Christmas themed uniforms and the Pittsburgh Hornets tribute alternate (even if it was basically a Red Wings sweater with a fancy P).

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Oh yeah... I remember seeing a picture of one of those.

I immediately started having bad flashbacks.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I'm not exactly sure what you are getting at here. Were you saying you don't like that I am biased towards my favorite player?

Anyway, I feel like I'm a fairly objective individual. The fact that I admitted I tend to have some bias and still criticized geno's play should say something. I am certainly not at KIRK level excuse making (I love your enthusiasm KIRK).

Not you specifically, just the thought process that seems to pop up online a lot, you described it well. What you described amps up and becomes insanity. There's a bias, which everyone has, and then there are the people who freak out at any perceived insult, the internet damn well breeds them.

 

[Zen Arcade]

WBS' Christmas Jerseys intentionally looked like hideous sweaters. I think that's hilarious.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

WBS' Christmas Jerseys intentionally looked like hideous sweaters. I think that's hilarious.

My thoughts exactly. I'd never want to see that in the NHL, but in the minors that's great.

Anyway, back to the big boys.

Those warm-up jerseys are hideous, but they're just warm-up jerseys that'll get auctioned away for a good cause...so I have no issue. Now if the NHL ever adopts the NFL's plan to pinkify everything in October and pocket 97% of the profits I'd throw a fit.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Hmm, that's not the one I'm thinking of...they had another one that was more tasteful. (Though I love goofball minor league gimmicks, too.) I can't find a good picture right now, which is odd because they wore it a lot.

 

[Freeptop]

All I want from Geno nation is ONE criticism. Incredible to me how everything is everyone else's fault. You have some arguing that he'd score more goals 5 on 5 if he killed penalties.

You're KINDA right (IMO), that the carousel of wingers doesn't help, but you could also look at it the other way and say that the reason they have to keep switching wingers is because of how Geno's playing.

I know a lot of people don't want to admit this, but the fact is that he's had the BEST winger on the team attached to his hip for a while now and his play has been lackluster. Let's not also forget that DB kept Kunitz AND Neal with him in that debacle against Philly, and even though the team scored 99 goals total, Geno barely did anything because the mighty Couturier, a teenager, was enough to shut him down.

Not to take away from your main point, but the bolded part isn't accurate. Malkin's wingers keep changing because they keep getting injured. He started with Jokinen and Neal. Then Neal got injured and Bennett moved up. Then Bennett got injured and Kobasew moved up. Now Kobasew's injured and D'Agostini was the next one in line...

At the rate things are going, I expect Jokinen will get injured next, just to prove that the hockey gods are playing a cruel prank...

EDIT: when I say it isn't accurate, that isn't to say that Malkin's play hasn't been substandard for him, I'm just saying that the reason his wingers keep changing is due to injuries to his wings piling up.

 

[Shady Machine]

Not you specifically, just the thought process that seems to pop up online a lot, you described it well. What you described amps up and becomes insanity. There's a bias, which everyone has, and then there are the people who freak out at any perceived insult, the internet damn well breeds them.

Oh okay. Yup I agree with that.

 

[Penguinzilla*]

I hope the Penguins play Bruins hockey and the Bruins play Penguins hockey tonight

 

[Shady Machine]

Not to take away from your main point, but the bolded part isn't accurate. Malkin's wingers keep changing because they keep getting injured. He started with Jokinen and Neal. Then Neal got injured and Bennett moved up. Then Bennett got injured and Kobasew moved up. Now Kobasew's injured and D'Agostini was the next one in line...

At the rate things are going, I expect Jokinen will get injured next, just to prove that the hockey gods are playing a cruel prank...

EDIT: when I say it isn't accurate, that isn't to say that Malkin's play hasn't been substandard for him, I'm just saying that the reason his wingers keep changing is due to injuries to his wings piling up.

He's not talking about this season specifically, but rather throughout his career. He would still be wrong though since playing him with the likes of Mike Comrie, Eric Tangradi, Arron Asham, Matt Cooke, etc wasn't really to get him going. It was because we had awful wingers.