Can we call the Penguins era a disappointment?

[The Grim Reaper*]

They won one, plus, the Penguins always seem to have a freakishly high number of key injuries come playoff time. They seem to never be healthy. Hell, most years either Crosby or Malkin (sometimes both) are injured.

They don't continue to win because of the lack of depth in their system.

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

They won a Cup so they are not a bust.

They really need to start developing their own talent, though, and stop mortgaging their future. Get some cheap ELC players that can compliment Crosby and Malkin especially the forwards. Their D, when healthy, is good.

 

[DesertHombre]

The Penguins have been over hyped since Sidney Crosby was drafted as the saviour in Pittsburgh. Don't get me wrong, Crosby is a great player, but he had the label thrust on him by the NHL public relations department and the NHL media as the "Best Player in the World". That is a label that has most often been despised by the skeptics and realists. Even now, with Crosby's poor showings in the playoffs, the media and many Crosby supporters are reluctant to admit he is not "the best player in the world".
I just hope the media, fans and NHL PR team let Connor McDavid settle in and establish himself as a player and don't label him as "the best".

 

[CertifiedPublicGuin]

Back to back Stanley Cup finals appearances, winning one of the two. No, not a bust. It's great actually.

However, they're on a downward spiral. Crosby,Malkin and Letang are not getting any younger/healthier, they spend a lot on those 3 players already. They have crappy depth, a shallow prospect pool outside of Bennett.

They have to fire Johnston and JR ASAP, find the right people to take over the management. They get rid of the dead weight first (Kunitz, Adams, Lovejoy and Ehrhoff the band aid).

Then, they have 2 options :

1) Improve on the current core's supporting cast.
2) Trade Malkin to form a new core with a legit 1st line winger and some prospects for the future.

The way it is right now, the Pens need to react quickly, or they'll find themselves in the same situation as the Bruins.

Yea that usually works out well. I'd say you definitely want to react quickly rather than think calmly and clearly.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Yea that usually works out well. I'd say you definitely want to react quickly rather than think calmly and clearly.

When I say quickly, it means "Don't wait for Sid and Geno to turn 30 to react".

 

[CertifiedPublicGuin]

As a fan, yea I'd say the last few years have been disappointing. Bust? No. I've seen 3 Cups, one in the last few years here, which is more than most people see in a lifetime.

But yes, it's been disappointing. I won't throw out injuries as an excuse, but it's certainly been frustrating to lose without a full lineup.

 

[Mr Positive]

With two generational players as pillars down the middle I would say that one cup is not enough. More imporantly though, they have been very lackluster in the playoffs in all these years since.

 

[Reality Check]

Not a bust. But at this point, it's absolutely a disappointment.

This franchise was getting compared to the Oilers of the 80's in '08 and even more so when they won in '09.

 

[mrhockey193195]

They won a Cup so they are not a bust.

Winning the cup, no matter what team you are, is the ultimate achievement. Unbelievably difficult, and should never be taken for granted.

But just playing devil's advocate here for the sake of it. If the 80s Oilers won the cup in 84 and then failed to make it back to the finals the rest of the decade, it would certainly be a surprise to most people.

I think "bust" is a strong word that should never be associated with a team that has won a Cup. But it's a fair question to ask if the Penguins have been disappointing since their cup. That being said...Crosby is 27. He's still (in my opinion) the best player in the game. The book isn't finished yet.

 

[CertifiedPublicGuin]

When I say quickly, it means "Don't wait for Sid and Geno to turn 30 to react".

What do you suggest?

Trade the over-aged veterans for immediate top-6 help? Sounds good, Chris Kunitz and the rights to Paul Martin straight up for a young top 6 forward. Then replace Paul Martin with the abundance of free agent defensemen out there this summer, followed by trading injury prone Kris Letang and his $7.5M/year for help as well, then they have lots of cap space.

The fact of the matter is the organization is going to have to be patient now because no quick fix is available to keep them a contender in the short term.

 

[Frank Garrett]

What do you suggest?

Trade the over-aged veterans for immediate top-6 help? Sounds good, Chris Kunitz and the rights to Paul Martin straight up for a young top 6 forward. Then replace Paul Martin with the abundance of free agent defensemen out there this summer, followed by trading injury prone Kris Letang and his $7.5M/year for help as well, then they have lots of cap space.

The fact of the matter is the organization is going to have to be patient now because no quick fix is available to keep them a contender in the short term.

Trade us Ehrhoff and we'll give you the Great Luca Sbisa.

 

[Chicken Chaser]

Chi-town's best player is a two way player who when needed is just as happy to shut down your team's best player(s) as he is to score clutch goals. Pittsburgh's best are two offensive weapons who take easy minutes and tail ends of penalty kills, once their veteran leadership, and their shut down center in Staal departed they have been a mere shell of a "team" since then

 

[CertifiedPublicGuin]

The Penguins have been over hyped since Sidney Crosby was drafted as the saviour in Pittsburgh. Don't get me wrong, Crosby is a great player, but he had the label thrust on him by the NHL public relations department and the NHL media as the "Best Player in the World". That is a label that has most often been despised by the skeptics and realists. Even now, with Crosby's poor showings in the playoffs, the media and many Crosby supporters are reluctant to admit he is not "the best player in the world".
I just hope the media, fans and NHL PR team let Connor McDavid settle in and establish himself as a player and don't label him as "the best".

It just boggles my mind how people let media sway their opinion one way or another. It sickens me how closely people have to follow the media. Constant stimuli to survive.... ****, make your own opinion.

 

[HanSolo]

Idk. I think everyone saw this coming.

 

[PALE PWNR]

Bigger bust then Daigle

 

[Halladay]

Potentially. They have lost 3 game 7's at home to teams they should be beating in series they were a game away from advancing.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

What do you suggest?

Trade the over-aged veterans for immediate top-6 help? Sounds good, Chris Kunitz and the rights to Paul Martin straight up for a young top 6 forward. Then replace Paul Martin with the abundance of free agent defensemen out there this summer, followed by trading injury prone Kris Letang and his $7.5M/year for help as well, then they have lots of cap space.

The fact of the matter is the organization is going to have to be patient now because no quick fix is available to keep them a contender in the short term.

My suggestion is to unload the dead cap space tied up in the aging vets such as Kunitz, Martin, Ehrhoff... to get some prospects to keep the contender status in the long run.
The Pens need to prepare themselves to the post Crosby era.

In short, do what the Wings did. They constantly look for young talent through the draft or acquire it through trades. By doing so, they have been a playoff team for the past 24 years.

Enough of mortgaging the team's future by trading 1st round picks for temporary help (Perron).

 

[CertifiedPublicGuin]

My suggestion is to unload the dead cap space tied up in the aging vets such as Kunitz, Martin, Ehrhoff... to get some prospects to keep the contender status in the long run.
The Pens need to prepare themselves to the post Crosby era.

In short, do what the Wings did. They constantly look for young talent through the draft or acquire it through trades. By doing so, they have been a playoff team for the past 24 years.

Enough of mortgaging the team's future by trading 1st round picks for temporary help (Perron).

That sounds like the opposite of react quickly. That sounds like prepare for 5-10 years down the road.

And if you think fans get any enjoyment out of imbecile managers trading away draft picks year after year, you're crazy. But everybody says it -- "you've arguably got the two best players in the world".... so it's always going to be Win Now.

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

This is why people shouldn't blindly hate Edmonton.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Absolutely. When you have two top five players in the NHL, and they are both still in their mid 20's, you expect a lot more than 1st and 2nd round exits. There is also the issue of how they have been losing, which makes it even more embarrassing.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

Bust? No. They've won a cup.

But they've now lost 7 straight playoff OT games?
There's clearly something missing.

 

[tntkid]

The Crosby era is over.

He can't carry the whole team on his back any more.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

That sounds like the opposite of react quickly. That sounds like prepare for 5-10 years down the road.

And if you think fans get any enjoyment out of imbecile managers trading away draft picks year after year, you're crazy. But everybody says it -- "you've arguably got the two best players in the world".... so it's always going to be Win Now.

The preparation starts now, while the current players still have a trade value. It's not a rebuild, it's a retooling that the Pens need.

Yes, the Pens have 2 of the best players in the world, but one of the two spends too much time at the infirmary for minor injuries. I suggest trading Geno for a king's ransom, to get the skilled winger Crosby always needed and to get back those draft picks previously traded away.
It takes some balls to trade a superstar like Malkin, but even the best player of all time could be traded.

 

[Trottier]

This franchise was getting compared to the Oilers of the 80's in '08 and even more so when they won in '09.

By fools, perhaps.

"Disappointment" is fair, though I wouldn't use that term, since I consider winning the Cup to be an exceptional accomplishment.

But when one (not you) sets ridiculous expectations and likewise makes absurd comparisons/projections - as in comparing the '09 Pens to a five time Cup dynasty and the greatest offensive team EVER - they are bound to be let down.

 

[mrhockey193195]

The funny thing is, I thought this was their year to get "back on track". It really was injuries that derailed them. Fleury was playing his best hockey, they have a good defensive core with Maatta, Martin, Ehrhoff, Letang, Pouliot. Decent depth around Crosby and Malkin in Kunitz, Dupuis, Hornqvist, Sutter. Good bottom six players in Comeau, Downie, Goc/Lapierre.

Really tough for the organization and the fans, it's another disappointing year but it could have been a long playoff run for them had everything gone right.