Brooks Orpik retiring

ZeroPucksGiven

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Feb 28, 2017
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The irony of someone named DeadPuckEra defending Orpik is not lost on me.

That being said. Orpik was an effective player for us until around 2011. From there his play just seemed to handicap us most of the time.

That's a fair assessment of his play

The things that irritate me are terrible players with big mouths. Orpik, Adams and Scuderi were exactly that at the end of their careers here. That's why I don't care for them or look fondly upon their legacies
 

Gurglesons

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That's a fair assessment of his play

The things that irritate me are terrible players with big mouths. Orpik, Adams and Scuderi were exactly that at the end of their careers here. That's why I don't care for them or look fondly upon their legacies

My biggest issue with Orpik is he likely could’ve been traded for a heist in 2013ish and we could have resigned Niskanen for like 5 years at 4 mil.

It is funny how mismanaged our D has been throughout the Crosby / Malkin era.
 

ZeroPucksGiven

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Feb 28, 2017
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My biggest issue with Orpik is he likely could’ve been traded for a heist in 2013ish and we could have resigned Niskanen for like 5 years at 4 mil.

It is funny how mismanaged our D has been throughout the Crosby / Malkin era.

Eh this is where we'll diverge a bit in philosophy. I can never knock Shero or JR for not "selling off expiring assets" during the Geno/Sid years. This team has always had to be all-in and should continue to be in the next few years

While Orpik was not a top 2 guy in 2013, he was still an ok middle pairing defender who brought some positive qualities to the team. I'm just thankful we didn't re-sign him when he became a FA
 

Gurglesons

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Eh this is where we'll diverge a bit in philosophy. I can never knock Shero or JR for not "selling off expiring assets" during the Geno/Sid years. This team has always had to be all-in and should continue to be in the next few years

While Orpik was not a top 2 guy in 2013, he was still an ok middle pairing defender who brought some positive qualities to the team. I'm just thankful we didn't re-sign him when he became a FA

But, we had signed Scuderi and had Despres.

You essentially had..

Scuderi - Letang
Maatta - Niskanen
Despres - Martin

Running into the playoffs in 2013-14.

Selling off Orpik made complete sense. Especially considering the cap we were spending on him and the lack of forwards that year.
 

billybudd

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Feb 1, 2012
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But, we had signed Scuderi and had Despres.

You essentially had..

Scuderi - Letang
Maatta - Niskanen
Despres - Martin

Running into the playoffs in 2013-14.

Selling off Orpik made complete sense. Especially considering the cap we were spending on him and the lack of forwards that year.

He was also bad by then, but his reputation hadn't caught up with his play on the ice, yet.
 
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TheTang58

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Nov 30, 2018
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That's a fair assessment of his play

The things that irritate me are terrible players with big mouths. Orpik, Adams and Scuderi were exactly that at the end of their careers here. That's why I don't care for them or look fondly upon their legacies
What did Scuderi say?
 

Turin

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Feb 27, 2018
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Good for him. The idea of needing to fight to answer for hits is beyond idiotic.

Yes it’s very caveman-ey, unlike throwing hits designed to injure players and not separate the puck, which is a gentleman’s act if there ever was one.
 
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heysmilinstrange

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Nov 10, 2016
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"You can't have 6 Letangs" meaning you need rough and tumble guys like me

Can't find the article or the direct quote, but it was talked much about on this thread:
Post-Game Talk: - Kings 5, Pens 3: Can't Win 'Em All

There are some real gems in that thread. Here's something a Kings fan apparently said on their board after the game: "Every time the Kings face the Penguins, I think back to watching the SCF in 2009 and being so jealous that the fans of the two finalists were so damn lucky to have teams that good. Wondering if we'd ever get there. 6 seasons later and the Penguins couldn't hold the Kings jock and Kopitar and Jeff Carter are out there outplaying Malkin and Crosby head to head. Good times."

Six months later the Kings were out in the first round and the Penguins won the Stanley Cup. The Kings haven't been in the playoffs since and we've won 2 Cups.

Also fun to read the doom and gloom in the thread, considering like 3 weeks later the turnaround would be well under way.
 

Turin

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Feb 27, 2018
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There are some real gems in that thread. Here's something a Kings fan apparently said on their board after the game: "Every time the Kings face the Penguins, I think back to watching the SCF in 2009 and being so jealous that the fans of the two finalists were so damn lucky to have teams that good. Wondering if we'd ever get there. 6 seasons later and the Penguins couldn't hold the Kings jock and Kopitar and Jeff Carter are out there outplaying Malkin and Crosby head to head. Good times."

Six months later the Kings were out in the first round and the Penguins won the Stanley Cup. The Kings haven't been in the playoffs since and we've won 2 Cups.

Also fun to read the doom and gloom in the thread, considering like 3 weeks later the turnaround would be well under way.

The Kings beating the Pens in the shootout was one of the greatest moments of my life ;)
 

DeadPuckEra

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Dec 19, 2014
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I've been on the boards since the early 2000s and followed the Pens before that. I also have the credentials to prove anything I know goes beyond message board rumor mongering. But go off I guess.

Without getting too personal, I know who you are from the Pens board in the 00’s and beyond. Your “credentials” may be relevant today - I certainly hope you’re doing well - but spare me the part about having any access to relevant information back then.

Additionally, the media in this town, even with the most “credentials” - can’t be trusted. Absolute fact. 90% the time, they are the source for the horse shit that gets said about players - they just aren’t on the record as saying it.

Furthermore, I don’t care if Brooks Orpik didn’t like Sidney Crosby. Brooks Orpik played his ass off in a Pens Jersey until he couldn’t anymore.
 

DeadPuckEra

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The irony of someone named DeadPuckEra defending Orpik is not lost on me.

That being said. Orpik was an effective player for us until around 2011. From there his play just seemed to handicap us most of the time.

Bruh, you like the Pixies...

Thanks for supporting my point though. Absolutely was effective, and like every other player not named Lemeiux or Crosby (or the 91-92 players; Mario’s friends) - he was turned on and ostracized by a fair weather fan base.

You can absolutely reason that a guy can’t play hockey anymore. You can say the league has passed him by. It’s never that though with this town, there’s always some kind of scandalous gossip that has to be lobbed on the player. It can never be “he’s not a good fit” - or - “he may be done”... rather it’s borderline non-sense fit for the national enquirer. The media is usually the culprit, but yinzer nation is to blame for failing to recognize the pattern time and time again.

Now I’m not accusing you, or anyone in particular of being fair weather, I mean I don’t know you. It’s just that history repeats itself time and time again with this fan base. These players are worshipped until something pops up - then they’re the scum of the earth. Then all of the “stories start making their rounds”. Hell, this dates back to Alexei Kovalev and Robert Lang...

It’s a spoiled fan base. Maybe the most spoiled in pro hockey. Everything is taken for granted and it’s all about what you have done lately - hell - last week. Also, if you don’t cozy up the Pittsburgh media, they’ll go on their downlow PR campaign (rumors) against you until the yinzers start echoing the non-sense and you’re run out of town .

Look what’s already happening to Malkin. Forget the decade plus of brilliance - he hasn’t helped us win a cup in 2 years!! Lazy Russian, doesn’t back check, selfish, isn’t happy playing in Pittsburgh, causing problems with coaches...

And so what if these guys do or say some dumb shit from time to time. Some of you act like these guys aren’t human and are supposed to carry themselves to you, the fan’s liking 365 days a year. I find it “ironic” how someone took offense to my detailing of Crosby’s antics early on in his career - the whining, the nut punching, jumping guys off face offs, the cheap shit... all right in front of everyone’s eyes - and we’re piling on Orpik because of rumors, supposedly getting himself thrown out of a game to avoid being on the ice for an empty net goal, not liking Sid and playing too hard lol

We are calling Orpik to the carpet for not answering the bell to clean hits... but we’re giving Sid passes for spearing guys in the nutts, Bobby Clarke specials... and never answering the bell.

It’s not anything against Sid, I love Sid’s former nasty side. I think he’s turned in to a hell of a leader - but the hypocrisy that runs rampant about players around here is bewildering.


I haven’t read a solid point from any of the vitriol being spewed about Orpik in this thread. It isn’t even so much about Orpik individually as it is the constant character assassination of every player that falls out of favor in these parts.
 
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Gurglesons

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Dec 18, 2009
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last-train-tocool.blogspot.com
Bruh, you like the Pixies...

Thanks for supporting my point though. Absolutely was effective, and like every other player not named Lemeiux or Crosby (or the 91-92 players; Mario’s friends) - he was turned on and ostracized by a fair weather fan base.

You can absolutely reason that a guy can’t play hockey anymore. You can say the league has passed him by. It’s never that though with this town, there’s always some kind of scandalous gossip that has to be lobbed on the player. It can never be “he’s not a good fit” - or - “he may be done”... rather it’s borderline non-sense fit for the national enquirer. The media is usually the culprit, but yinzer nation is to blame for failing to recognize the pattern time and time again.

Now I’m not accusing you, or anyone in particular of being fair weather, I mean I don’t know you. It’s just that history repeats itself time and time again with this fan base. These players are worshipped until something pops up - then they’re the scum of the earth. Then all of the “stories start making their rounds”. Hell, this dates back to Alexei Kovalev and Robert Lang...

It’s a spoiled fan base. Maybe the most spoiled in pro hockey. Everything is taken for granted and it’s all about what you have done lately - hell - last week. Also, if you don’t cozy up the Pittsburgh media, they’ll go on their downlow PR campaign (rumors) against you until the yinzers start echoing the non-sense and you’re run out of town .

Look what’s already happening to Malkin. Forget the decade plus of brilliance - he hasn’t helped us win a cup in 2 years!! Lazy Russian, doesn’t back check, selfish, isn’t happy playing in Pittsburgh, causing problems with coaches...

And so what if these guys do or say some dumb **** from time to time. Some of you act like these guys aren’t human and are supposed to carry themselves to you, the fan’s liking 365 days a year. I find it “ironic” how someone took offense to my detailing of Crosby’s antics early on in his career - the whining, the nut punching, jumping guys off face offs, the cheap ****... all right in front of everyone’s eyes - and we’re piling on Orpik because of rumors, supposedly getting himself thrown out of a game to avoid being on the ice for an empty net goal, not liking Sid and playing too hard lol

We are calling Orpik to the carpet for not answering the bell to clean hits... but we’re giving Sid passes for spearing guys in the nutts, Bobby Clarke specials... and never answering the bell.

It’s not anything against Sid, I love Sid’s former nasty side. I think he’s turned in to a hell of a leader - but the hypocrisy that runs rampant about players around here is bewildering.


I haven’t read a solid point from any of the vitriol being spewed about Orpik in this thread. It isn’t even so much about Orpik individually as it is the constant character assassination of every player that falls out of favor in these parts.

I think the biggest issue with Orpik is he was the type of player to call others out and the team itself in the media, while being a significant issue.

He also wasn’t that great of a player and as @Shady Machine pointed out, his legacy shift here was basically the Red Wings dancing around him without him gaining possession once while throwing hits.

He was a # 4 that was a take it or leave it piece in one championship that was an embodiment of everything wrong with the Shero / Bylsma era. In terms of loyalty towards non-essential cup winners.
 
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Mario_is_BACK!!

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Without getting too personal, I know who you are from the Pens board in the 00’s and beyond. Your “credentials” may be relevant today - I certainly hope you’re doing well - but spare me the part about having any access to relevant information back then.

Additionally, the media in this town, even with the most “credentials” - can’t be trusted. Absolute fact. 90% the time, they are the source for the horse **** that gets said about players - they just aren’t on the record as saying it.

Furthermore, I don’t care if Brooks Orpik didn’t like Sidney Crosby. Brooks Orpik played his ass off in a Pens Jersey until he couldn’t anymore.

Ah yes the “I don’t care about your access and what/who you know and knew, you’re wrong.” Brilliant.

Many people who have been the complete opposite of what you cited have said how much they dislike him but like I said, use your hyperbole and go off.
 

DeadPuckEra

Registered User
Dec 19, 2014
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Ah yes the “I don’t care about your access and what/who you know and knew, you’re wrong.” Brilliant.

Many people who have been the complete opposite of what you cited have said how much they dislike him but like I said, use your hyperbole and go off.

Will do. Thx
 

ZeroPucksGiven

Registered User
Feb 28, 2017
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I haven’t read a solid point from any of the vitriol being spewed about Orpik in this thread. It isn’t even so much about Orpik individually as it is the constant character assassination of every player that falls out of favor in these parts.

How is it character assassination when we have the quotes from Orpik himself calling out his teammates? That's what people don't like here
 

DeadPuckEra

Registered User
Dec 19, 2014
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How is it character assassination when we have the quotes from Orpik himself calling out his teammates? That's what people don't like here

Oh... who cares... likes he’s the first guy to get pissed at a co-worker for not performing and calling it out.

Additionally, let’s see some links for the devastating comments Brooks Orpik made about teammates? Not trying to be a dick, I’m genuinely interested to see what went down.
 

Mario_is_BACK!!

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Nov 29, 2003
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Oh... who cares... likes he’s the first guy to get pissed at a co-worker for not performing and calling it out.

Additionally, let’s see some quotes for the devastating comments Brooks Orpik made about teammates?

Go through any game notes after a loss his last few years here when he would blame anyone but himself for poor performance.
 
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