Post-Game Talk: Bruins 4, Penguins 3 - Roster is Fine, They Just Need to Do More and Try Harder

[KIRK]

I do think it's a better lineup than what we rolled out today.

I like the third line. It gives us three NHL lines. Instead of just two.

Two of them are 3rd lines.

 

[canadianguy77]

Would loooove to see this defense without Letang.

Me too.

 

[FreeBobbyFarnham]

I hope they send Kuhn down to WBS, but knowing Sully it's most likely not happening. If anything he'll end up on the 2nd line tomorrow and on the 2nd PP unit.

 

[PensandCaps]

Sheahan was pretty good today imo.

But the 3rd and 4th line. My god.
We could waive Mckegg, Kuhnhackl and Rowney and replace with WBS players and look better. I would include Hagelin and Reaves, but theres no way we will put them on waivers.

Hags is not waiver bad.

 

[PensPlz]

If our eventual goal is a threepeat, looking back on the past two seasons, then it seems like we're right on track to do so.

 

[larueskee]

With Letang I figured it would be about 20-25 games for him to get going again. It’s been 24 games and I’m giving him until ~40 games until I really get worried but he’s a problem. I think the coaching staff botched his return and still aren’t helping the problem but he’s not innocent in this. Treat him like a ****ing bottom pairing defenseman for awhile and send him to a psychologist.

I think some of the issues could be resolved just by experimenting with the defensive minutes. Firstly by reducing the amount of ice Letang and Dumo get...by a lot.

 

[ColePens]

Fundamentally we're just not sharp. We either over pursue and get caught out of position, or we're a step behind. In either case we just look out of sorts for large segments of games.

As I said, this part is beyond my imagination. The players/coaches talk about it, acknowledge it, etc. Then they cannot focus long enough and pay enough attention to the details. I figured that would be 10-15 games MAX this season. It's coming up on 30. Blows my mind. That's the one disappointing thing.

I knew we'd have issues with our bottom 6 and we'd be far from a playoff ready team. I did not expect the team focus to drag out this long. Especially under Sully.

 

[KIRK]

With Letang I figured it would be about 20-25 games for him to get going again. It’s been 24 games and I’m giving him until ~40 games until I really get worried but he’s a problem. I think the coaching staff botched his return and still aren’t helping the problem but he’s not innocent in this. Treat him like a ****ing bottom pairing defenseman for awhile and send him to a psychologist.

One would think Fleury's old one is available.

 

[cheesedanish87]

The ball is in JR's court. It's not a proposition without risks, given how ugly things look, but you're not changing coaches and Sid (even if he were more engaged like the 3rd today) and Geno (when healthy) only can do so much right now.

I mean its not always easy to make trades to change your team, but it is very easy to call up a player or two(sprong) to try and help your team.

I haven't watched any baby pens games this year, but i know they have to have some players down their that are better then what we are seeing from the pens bottom 6 right now.

 

[KIRK]

As I said, this part is beyond my imagination. The players/coaches talk about it, acknowledge it, etc. Then they cannot focus long enough and pay enough attention to the details. I figured that would be 10-15 games MAX this season. It's coming up on 30. Blows my mind. That's the one disappointing thing.

I knew we'd have issues with our bottom 6 and we'd be far from a playoff ready team. I did not expect the team focus to drag out this long. Especially under Sully.

The big concern there is that there's no cause for optimism. If anything, things are getting worse, not better.

 

[PensandCaps]

Two of them are 3rd lines.

Yep. I'd rather have the depth and have two third lines. Than rely on Just two lines.

The bottom six today was just 5 guys skating around until Sids line was ready to go.

 

[KIRK]

I mean its not always easy to make trades to change your team, but it is very easy to call up a player or two(sprong) to try and help your team.

I haven't watched any baby pens games this year, but i know they have to have some players down their that are better then what we are seeing from the pens bottom 6 right now.

I suspect the guys that they'll call up first will not include the one name many people would assume.

And, yes, it's not easy to make a trade right now. Only question is how much JR is going to press and what names he'll make available, because, as I keep saying, he won't sit on this.

 

[ColePens]

The big concern there is that there's no cause for optimism. If anything, things are getting worse, not better.

Meh.. I don't know. Sprong needs to come up. Period. They need to just go with what works. 4 lines - skill/speed. No more PK specialists. No more hitters. No more fighters. Let's try to score and play our game. That's all we can do. If anything, this screams that our identity should never have been changed in that bottom 6.

Then it just comes down to everyone who is still on the roster to step the eff up.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Just a simple Sprong promotion and you can run:

Jake-Sid-Sheary
Hags/Rust-G-Phil
Hags/Rust-Sheahan-Horny/Sprong
McKegg/Archie-Rowney-Horny/Sprong

Just a simple ZAR/DiPauli/Bleuger promotion and:

Jake-Sid-Sheary
Hags/Rust-G-Phil
Hags/Rust-Sheahan-Horny
ZAR/DiPauli/Bleuger-Rowney-Reaves/Archie

Gimme me a little somethin' JR.

 

[Gurglesons]

With Letang I figured it would be about 20-25 games for him to get going again. It’s been 24 games and I’m giving him until ~40 games until I really get worried but he’s a problem. I think the coaching staff botched his return and still aren’t helping the problem but he’s not innocent in this. Treat him like a ****ing bottom pairing defenseman for awhile and send him to a psychologist.

What exactly is this gaffe that Letang did tonight?

He shot a puck which was blocked and set up a breakaway. That is how people score in the NHL. Taking advantage of plays like that.

Letang has more points than any of our forwards not name Crosby, Malkin, or Kessel.

What do you think happens if you trade that?

 

[FreeBobbyFarnham]

We're 25th in the NHL in Pts Pct. So we're up there with Arizona, Montreal and Edmonton. Dahlin here we come.

 

[PensandCaps]

I'd definitely call up Sprong and Di Pauli right now, insert Archi in the lineup and waive Reaves,Kuhn and Rowney.

 

[KIRK]

Meh.. I don't know. Sprong needs to come up. Period. They need to just go with what works. 4 lines - skill/speed. No more PK specialists. No more hitters. No more fighters. Let's try to score and play our game. That's all we can do. If anything, this screams that our identity should never have been changed in that bottom 6.

Then it just comes down to everyone who is still on the roster to step the eff up.

You're preaching to the choir about who SHOULD be in the starting 12 up front.

And, yes, people stepping up would help.

But, this team will need more than employing an internally available less flawed roster and some guys stepping up.

They need a true glavanizing moment, and I don't see that coming without JR doing something.

As I keep saying, you're not firing the coach and Sid and to a lesser extent Geno will step up but it's too much to ask them to will things to happen like they did last year, especially after what last year took out of them and with this more flawed roster.

No, even with what you said happening, the ball will be in JR's court.

 

[deakka]

We cant even cakl someone up before they 1. Put Malkin on IR
Or 2. Get rid of one of our passengers (Kuhn, Rowney, Mckegg, Archibald)

Will they even get claimed if we waived them? And if they were, would it really hurt us?

We look so stale its sad. We really need some WBS players to come up and bring some adrenaline

 

[Night Shift]

Meh.. I don't know. Sprong needs to come up. Period.

What do you think is holding them back?

 

[Ryder71]

As I said, this part is beyond my imagination. The players/coaches talk about it, acknowledge it, etc. Then they cannot focus long enough and pay enough attention to the details. I figured that would be 10-15 games MAX this season. It's coming up on 30. Blows my mind. That's the one disappointing thing.

I knew we'd have issues with our bottom 6 and we'd be far from a playoff ready team. I did not expect the team focus to drag out this long. Especially under Sully.

I have the utmost confidence in our coach, as I'm sure you'd agree winning back to back cups affords you a little more room/time to right the ship. That being said it's a little curious as to why we seem to lack detail and focus five on five. Also, we're the two time defending champs, we're gonna get the best the opposition can throw out against us the vast majority of time. Chicago for example, I've seen them play quite a bit. And arguably two of their top performances came against us. And that's a team that might not even make the playoffs.

 

[KIRK]

I'd definitely call up Sprong and Di Pauli right now, insert Archi in the lineup and waive Reaves,Kuhn and Rowney.

I'm not sure Sprong would be among the first 3 forwards they recall. Should be? Sure. Would be? Not sure.

 

[ImporterExporter]

We need a 3C badly. We need an actual productive vet #2 G that can start more than once every two weeks. We need a WBS player or two to inject some life into the winger positions in the bottom 6.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Well, I'd take anything that has a Pens contract and a heartbeat: Wilson, Simon, DiPauli, Johnson, ZAR, DiPauli, Tiffels, Bleuger, Sprong, Dea.
Try me.

You're lucky Smith & Sestito are on AHL deals.

 

[Ryder71]

What do you think is holding them back?

They want him to be better away from the puck. They also might be wanting to make a move via a trade and then find him a top six spot.