Post-Game Talk: Bruins beat Penguins 1-0 to sweep the ECF. End? No, the journey doesn't end here.

[Ugene Magic]

I couldn't tell from the 20+ Bruins breakaways... So you think it's our D or our system? Iced... not being a smartass at all just wondering what your thoughts are on how are system seems to have so many breakdowns. It was bad to watch. Just wondering what people think.

The biggest and most detrimental part was not stepping up at the blueline. Second was playing zone and not man on man. It confused them on crossing patterns on who to take. *first goal of the series comes to mind here* Zone defense = Standing around everywhere but where they needed too.*front of the net*

 

[IcedCapp]

You would 7 million for his current play style?
It's been 4 years of this. The only thing he's upgraded in 4 years is points.

7 Million for a DEFENSEMEN who is mediocre at Defense?

as dumb as he is at times, there are a couple of things in my thought process:

1) he is elite offensively. Even his shot is improving.

2) He's physical

3) He's a ***** (i mean that in a good way)

4) I don't need him to be the best defensive player on the team.


There are a lot of problems in his game, but 100% of them are between the ears. You cannot teach his natural abilities. I know that $7MM is a lot, but he won't be $7MM when the cap goes down, he'll be $7MM as the cap starts to rise.

And, btw, if $7MM is going to keep them from retaining Malkin, he can take a hike.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Game #2 still shouldn't be ignored. Easily one of the most painful games I've ever had to endure as a Pens fan. Never seen anything like it.

Game #2 is the only game they were really out of all together and that's just one game. One game they gave up 3 goals, one at 2, and this last one giving up 1 goal.

This series will always be about not scoring goals. The Bruins didn't make the Pens not score goals, the Pens themselves in their own head kept themselves from scoring goals.

 

[Uemoda]

This is all you need to know.


Bylsma better be fired today. That's all I have to say. I will flip if he makes it to next week.

Pat'etic performance. (Props to Vokoun though. I love that man.)

 

[sexyllama]

I don't think systems are ever the problem, per se. Like Jiggy would tell you, those turnovers came from players making bad reads/decisions.

That said, I think it's a combination of players unable to execute the system and coaches unable to get through to the players.

So after 4 years of the system with coaches and players...

I still fail to see why we continually have problems. He was just as bad last year. He was arguably the worst player on the Ice this year. I might add that includes names like Eaton, Engy, etc. ****, even Krug played way more focused than Letang.

4 years of data isn't a fluke. At this point, get rid of him, keep him, it doesn't seem like he's getting better. The data suggest our team is actually getting worse in the Playoffs...

Maybe we need new coaches and some different leadership (although we did that before trade deadline and even that didn't help...****...)

 

[sexyllama]

This is all you need to know.


Bylsma better be fired today. That's all I have to say. I will flip if he makes it to next week.

Pat'etic performance. (Props to Vokoun though. I love that man.)

I'm not going to flip out but I'll take a year off and come back to make fun of RRP and the rest of the DB apologists. There is no way this team changes in the Playoffs next year. Data doesn't add up...

Defense and Team cohesion wins Championships, even now, all I hear is... we didn't score enough goals. Instead of:

"We didn't play well enough as a team: defense, offense, and goaltending"

It sort of gives me some insight into why the Pens are continually Playoff failures. All I hear is "We didn't score ... we didn't score..." and I can see them saying that in Game #2 as they go spastic on the ice and don't play team hockey. Get to our game and score...

 

[IcedCapp]

So after 4 years of the system with coaches and players...

I still fail to see why we continually have problems. He was just as bad last year. He was arguably the worst player on the Ice this year. I might add that includes names like Eaton, Engy, etc. ****, even Krug played way more focused than Letang.

4 years of data isn't a fluke. At this point, get rid of him, keep him, it doesn't seem like he's getting better. The data suggest our team is actually getting worse in the Playoffs...

Maybe we need new coaches and some different leadership (although we did that before trade deadline and even that didn't help...****...)

I would fire the coaches... and I'm not opposed to trading Letang, but it would have to be for monetary reasons.

 

[Crozbar]

The DB era Pens can't win in the playoffs, that's all there is to it. The cup winning team was Therrien's ... with Disco Dan as cheerleader/refreshing new face. The Pens also got to stop with this fascination on what wingers will help Crosby and Malkin win regular season scoring titles and rebuild team defense and team toughness.

The Pens should have been all over Rask. They also should have played that series way more nasty -- beyond hits -- and not been afraid to be as dirty as the Bruins if not dirtier. That's what it takes to beat teams like that... If you can't cycle and get your own rebounds once and a while, you can forget winning anything.

 

[sexyllama]

I would fire the coaches... and I'm not opposed to trading Letang, but it would have to be for monetary reasons.

-Maybe they force two assistants to exit (I think Q got pushed this way last year)
-At this point, glad I'm not Shero, jesus everything imploded again and the Philly series last year. Ouch.
-We've changed leadership, we added captains, and despite the people are these boards being swept isn't a few unlucky bounces.

The only thing I want is Malkin locked up... the only other fix should be DB but maybe firing his staff is the compromise for Shero.

I guess we'll see...

 

[nhindian]

-Maybe they force two assistants to exit (I think Q got pushed this way last year)
-At this point, glad I'm not Shero, jesus everything imploded again and the Philly series last year. Ouch.
-We've changed leadership, we added captains, and despite the people are these boards being swept isn't a few unlucky bounces.

The only thing I want is Malkin locked up... the only other fix should be DB but maybe firing his staff is the compromise for Shero.

I guess we'll see...

Does Shero pick DB's assistants or does DB?

 

[Waffle Fries]

Does Shero pick DB's assistants or does DB?

Dan does

 

[bigkam]

Have we heard anything about injuries? Because if players like Kunitz or Crosby don't have an excuse for how poorly they played, color me concerned going forward.

Sincerely hope we have seen the last of Fleury and Letang as well. Get rid of them both now while a team might still give us something in return--although in Fleury's case, it's likely only to be a bag of pucks.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Does Shero pick DB's assistants or does DB?

Dan picks em, Shero sends em packing.

 

[sexyllama]

Dan picks em, Shero sends em packing.

Yeah, I was thinking Shero may compromise and fire some of the staff and have a say on who DB replaces them with. i.e. Shero sends this group packing. DB picks now ones. Personally, I don't think it will work and next year will be a failure if we keep DB... because...

The Blackhawks were the #NHL's best defensive team. The old adage lives on - defence wins championships.

I was listening to how the Pens all sight their offensive shortage as the problem. In fact, I know they will fail because our whole system is based off OFFENSE, OFFENSE, OFFENSE and we need more balance to play responsible OFFENSE.

Playoffs are a different animal and we are just not built to win.

 

[insomniac34]

I've had a little less than 24 hours to think about this, so here are my more organized thoughts on the Pens future:

My thoughts on some popular opinions:

1.) Anybody who thinks we should get rid of Crosby, the best forward in the world, Evgeni Malkin, the 2nd best forward in the world, a top 5 offensive defenseman in Letang, or an elite offensive winger in Neal are insane. Truly insane. You make Byslma look cool, calm and rational. With this core, and even half-decent team building around them, the Pens are Cup contenders every year barring injuries.

2.) Especially Malkin. The thought of this man leaving the Pens makes me sick, and you are a terrible fan for wishing this. You have no idea how lucky we are to have Sid and Malkin.



My thoughts on the direction of the team, if I was in Shero's shoes:

1.) First and foremost, we make sure that everybody in the Big 4 (Malkin, Letang, Neal, Crosby) are happy. You pay them whatever they want, when they want. They are your future, and make sure they know that.

2.) You get rid of the entire coaching staff. Just simply gut it, and replace it with a far more defensively-oriented one.

3.) You overpay for NO ONE outside of the Big 4.

4.) Buy out Fleury. Whatever it takes.

5.) You aggressively go after defensive-oriented players to suit your new coaching staff, to achieve a team of "Crosby, Malkin, Neal, Letang, anybody else who wants to stick around, and a bunch of big physical dudes." You aggressively go after defensively-sound FAs.

6.) You tell Vokoun he is the starter going into next season, but push hard to find a solid backup.

Finally, the team going into next year will be the Big 4, plus any vets who want to stick around, preferably Martin, Dupuis, Cooke, etc..., our young talents in Bennet and Despres, and several defensively oriented, gritty acqusitions. Combined with a fresh defensive coaching style and a new attitude, the team will look completely different, but be more dangerous then ever.

 

[Alicat]

Just wanted to come by to say you had a hell of a season and also send my condolences to Craig Adams and his family on the loss of his father in law late this afternoon of ALS.

How he played through those emotions is something else.

 

[Waffle Fries]

Josh Yohe @JoshYohe_Trib
Pens locker room getaway day tomorrow at noon. Bylsma will talk afterward.


Looking forward to hearing from everyone tomorrow. It's always interesting.

 

[sexyllama]

I've had a little less than 24 hours to think about this, so here are my more organized thoughts on the Pens future:

My thoughts on some popular opinions:

1.) Anybody who thinks we should get rid of Crosby, the best forward in the world, Evgeni Malkin, the 2nd best forward in the world, a top 5 offensive defenseman in Letang, or an elite offensive winger in Neal are insane. Truly insane. You make Byslma look cool, calm and rational. With this core, and even half-decent team building around them, the Pens are Cup contenders every year barring injuries.

2.) Especially Malkin. The thought of this man leaving the Pens makes me sick, and you are a terrible fan for wishing this. You have no idea how lucky we are to have Sid and Malkin.



My thoughts on the direction of the team, if I was in Shero's shoes:

1.) First and foremost, we make sure that everybody in the Big 4 (Malkin, Letang, Neal, Crosby) are happy. You pay them whatever they want, when they want. They are your future, and make sure they know that.

2.) You get rid of the entire coaching staff. Just simply gut it, and replace it with a far more defensively-oriented one.

3.) You overpay for NO ONE outside of the Big 4.

4.) Buy out Fleury. Whatever it takes.

5.) You aggressively go after defensive-oriented players to suit your new coaching staff, to achieve a team of "Crosby, Malkin, Neal, Letang, anybody else who wants to stick around, and a bunch of big physical dudes." You aggressively go after defensively-sound FAs.

6.) You tell Vokoun he is the starter going into next season, but push hard to find a solid backup.

Finally, the team going into next year will be the Big 4, plus any vets who want to stick around, preferably Martin, Dupuis, Cooke, etc..., our young talents in Bennet and Despres, and several defensively oriented, gritty acqusitions. Combined with a fresh defensive coaching style and a new attitude, the team will look completely different, but be more dangerous then ever.

I like a lot of this except Letang. He is not worth anything he wants. He was horrible vs. Philly and vs. Bruins he was the worst player on the ice. You really think he is a Shea Weber, R. Sutter, OEL, type 1A?

 

[Crafton]

now we know how Dallas was unable to achieve anything over the last few years.

Richards, Riberio, Neal, Morrow, Niskanen, Grossmann and Ott all played in the east this year. all the later two played in the playoffs.

Richards 10GP 1-0-1
Riberio 7GP 1-1-2
Morrow 14GP 2-2-4
Neal 13GP 6-4-10
Niskanen 15 0-2-2

 

[Terrapin]

I've had a little less than 24 hours to think about this, so here are my more organized thoughts on the Pens future:

My thoughts on some popular opinions:

1.) Anybody who thinks we should get rid of Crosby, the best forward in the world, Evgeni Malkin, the 2nd best forward in the world, a top 5 offensive defenseman in Letang, or an elite offensive winger in Neal are insane. Truly insane. You make Byslma look cool, calm and rational. With this core, and even half-decent team building around them, the Pens are Cup contenders every year barring injuries.

2.) Especially Malkin. The thought of this man leaving the Pens makes me sick, and you are a terrible fan for wishing this. You have no idea how lucky we are to have Sid and Malkin.



My thoughts on the direction of the team, if I was in Shero's shoes:

1.) First and foremost, we make sure that everybody in the Big 4 (Malkin, Letang, Neal, Crosby) are happy. You pay them whatever they want, when they want. They are your future, and make sure they know that.

2.) You get rid of the entire coaching staff. Just simply gut it, and replace it with a far more defensively-oriented one.

3.) You overpay for NO ONE outside of the Big 4.

4.) Buy out Fleury. Whatever it takes.

5.) You aggressively go after defensive-oriented players to suit your new coaching staff, to achieve a team of "Crosby, Malkin, Neal, Letang, anybody else who wants to stick around, and a bunch of big physical dudes." You aggressively go after defensively-sound FAs.

6.) You tell Vokoun he is the starter going into next season, but push hard to find a solid backup.

Finally, the team going into next year will be the Big 4, plus any vets who want to stick around, preferably Martin, Dupuis, Cooke, etc..., our young talents in Bennet and Despres, and several defensively oriented, gritty acqusitions. Combined with a fresh defensive coaching style and a new attitude, the team will look completely different, but be more dangerous then ever.

Nice post. Agree, although I wouldn't lose sleep if Letang goes

 

[GaryT]

I've had a little less than 24 hours to think about this, so here are my more organized thoughts on the Pens future:

My thoughts on some popular opinions:

1.) Anybody who thinks we should get rid of Crosby, the best forward in the world, Evgeni Malkin, the 2nd best forward in the world, a top 5 offensive defenseman in Letang, or an elite offensive winger in Neal are insane. Truly insane. You make Byslma look cool, calm and rational. With this core, and even half-decent team building around them, the Pens are Cup contenders every year barring injuries.

I was thinking the same thing too, but I just thought people were overreacting because of the loss. It can make people think crazy things

 

[td_ice]

http://www.timesonline.com/columnis...1e2-b5b8-0019bb30f31a.html#.UbPylJMYt10.email

Article by Madden....similar to what many here have said about our PP.

 

[shizno*]

*snip*

1.) First and foremost, we make sure that everybody in the Big 4 (Malkin, Letang, Neal, Crosby) are happy. You pay them whatever they want, when they want. They are your future, and make sure they know that.
*snip*

Notice that our "core player" list gets smaller and smaller each season. A bit worrying, especially if some people around here get what they want, or the players give up on Pittsburgh.

 

[Waffle Fries]

Notice that our "core player" list gets smaller and smaller each season. A bit worrying, especially if some people around here get what they want, or the players give up on Pittsburgh.

Well who was there before that isn't now? Staal, MAF? I don't find either of those players being left off the list all that worrying considering the reasons they are no longer there.

 

[vjcsmoke]

Well it's over now. But who will you be rooting for in the finals - the Bruins or Blackhawks? How many are of the, root for the guys that beat us cos that proves we were a pretty good team mindset?