Can we talk about Geno?

UnderratedBrooks44

Registered User
Sep 13, 2005
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I'm on the fence on this topic, but I do know one thing: $9.5 mil is superstar money and I think he needs to have more of an impact game by game, regardless of the stat sheet. He needed to bury one of those 1st period chances last night, that's just what players do that are within his pay grade. It doesn't have to be a goal necessarily, that's just a single game example there, but there's just too many games where he wasn't even a threat to score.

The linemates are an issue, and it can't be overstated even though it seems like an excuse because it's repeated so often. His linemates have been about 75% garbage throughout his entire career though and there's no getting around it.

All in all though I think Malkin has to gut it out a little bit and make more of a difference night in, night out. Last night notwithstanding, it really scares me how infrequently he shoots sometimes. I also don't think his shot, as good as it is, has improved much if at all since he came into the league. The other thing is that literally everyone has caught on to the one timer he likes on the PP and no one we have can dish it like Gonch anyways.

He's got to find ways to be engaged every game. I understand he's not always going to be able to make open space for himself with these linemates, but the fact of the matter is he takes up way too much cap space to be a non-factor some games and possibly not hit 90 points. You can say points don't matter, but I'm sorry they do. They matter a great deal when you make $9.5 million and you're the second biggest piece of a team's plan to win Cups.
 

Shady Machine

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Aug 6, 2010
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Did you watch the game last night instead of watching the McCarthy trials?

:laugh: Exactly

I'm so tired of the absurd generalizations thrown at Russian hockey players. Is there a Swedish mentality, a Canadian mentality, etc? It's total ********.

Geno has struggled this year but he was awesome last night. He just needs to keep that fire and get his confidence up. You can tell he is struggling with doubt.
 

vodeni

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Oct 27, 2010
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There is an underlining but constant campaign from PGH media to make Geno look as bas as possible, They haven't had a chance a whole a lot through his career but whenever he would go through minor slumps they would be all over it (remember the infamous "minus 4 game" after whicj he went on to tear the league. Yesterday I was listening Madden's interview with Bruins' play-by-play in which he wanted oh so badly to get out of the guy that Geno is not an elite NHLer, the guy was incrediuolus, like what do you mean, oh OK if you think so why don't you send him over to Boston,
In his case I see that he sees a constant threat that someone can like Geno as equal as Sid and that is unacceptable
This has been a ten game skid for him there is no question about it, don't get into why plenty of posters on this board already responded, don't care, he needs to hit 100 mark each season that is what you get when you carry this kind of talent. And he will.
The way he played last night, I am sorry that was just a well played game and it will get only better from now on.
 

Captain Hook

Registered User
Jul 12, 2007
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Geno's effort was fantastic last night. He's just struggling with confidence and consequently isn't finishing that well right now. He probably misses the real deal too. No offense to the other guys he's played with. It's looked a little better the past couple games with Megna.
 

Jag68Sid87

Sullivan gots to go!
Oct 1, 2003
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I liked his game last night, but we're fooling ourselves if we don't see that there's a big problem here.

Malkin's points-per-game is simply unacceptable. Three goals in 13 games is unacceptable, and James Neal won't help him much there. And the whole Neal excuse is a crutch. Geno should be able to produce a point per game with ANYBODY.

He's 27 years old. This is his prime. I just shake my head at his lack of production.
 

Shady Machine

Registered User
Aug 6, 2010
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I liked his game last night, but we're fooling ourselves if we don't see that there's a big problem here.

Malkin's points-per-game is simply unacceptable. Three goals in 13 games is unacceptable, and James Neal won't help him much there. And the whole Neal excuse is a crutch. Geno should be able to produce a point per game with ANYBODY.

He's 27 years old. This is his prime. I just shake my head at his lack of production.

He's in a slump. Geno is a player whose confidence comes and goes. It's his main crutch. You could see the effort, the drive, the will last night but you can see how missing big opportunities gets him down.

He needs to be better, but if he keeps playing like last night, it will come. He will get a 3 or 4 point game at some point and be back up over a PPG. I have no doubt he finishes with 90+ points.
 

vodeni

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Oct 27, 2010
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He's in a slump. Geno is a player whose confidence comes and goes. It's his main crutch. You could see the effort, the drive, the will last night but you can see how missing big opportunities gets him down.

He needs to be better, but if he keeps playing like last night, it will come. He will get a 3 or 4 point game at some point and be back up over a PPG. I have no doubt he finishes with 90+ points.

he needs to go 1.3 points per game to get to 100 mark. anyone wants to take a bet here?
 

BlindWillyMcHurt

ti kallisti
May 31, 2004
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I'm very tempted. But I'm sure you have something awful cooked up for the loser.

I don't think there is any way he touches 100 points, this season.
 

42

Registered User
Sep 8, 2013
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Toronto Nebula
Only 13 games. Small, small sample size. Consider: even in years where he's hit over 100, Geno has had periods of a dozen games or so where he's under-performed. In 2008, he went for a stretch of 11 points in 14 games. This year, the "slump" happens to be at the start of the season. Wait until the 25 game mark before you start concluding that Malkin won't hit 100.
 

Fordy

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May 28, 2008
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Malkin is lacking confidence. He wants it bad but on those two breakaways he didn't have the confidence to make that one last move we've seen him make.

It'll come.
 

wolffy66

Registered User
Dec 16, 2009
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Geno's goal scoring is down right now but his playmaking has been top notch. He still plays with the puck too much in dangerous spots but that's always been the case.

Funny how he has his best games with someone who has a tiny bit of offensive skill on his line.
 

#66

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Dec 30, 2003
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I actually like the JJ-Malkin duo but I think that 3rd wheel needs to be a Kunitz type player. A more well rounded type player than another scorer like Neal. I'm actually hoping for...

Neal-Crosby-Bennett
Kunitz-Malkin-Jokinen
Dupuis-Sutter-Kobasew

Crosby really needs to have running bets going with Malkin. 1st to 100pts, more goals, more points... Do something for charity?

My only problem with Malkin is he's way to comfortable playing 2nd fiddle to Sid and he needs a kick in the butt every once in a while. Last night was a nice way to start breaking out of a slump.
 

Darth Vitale

Dark Matter
Aug 21, 2003
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Jesus... this again? Do we really need to explain why moving Neal off Geno's RW is a bad idea (for the 12000th time)? Juice is just fine on the LW / plays either wing equally well. Juice - Geno - Neal would be great. Not as ideal as Kunitz - Geno - Neal from a couple years ago, but still a very solid line. Anyway Bylsma is never breaking up KCD, so just get past that idea. The coach is married to it.


Let me continue this further

Madden Hates Geno and a lot of Madden followers hate Geno by association.

Most Geno Haters always say I LOVE GENO but " ".

Last night was a great game by Geno, if he continues like that Goals are going to follow.


And to take that even further, anyone who uses "information" from that yammering spittle bag as a basis for their opinions about a specific player or the team, is someone who should be ignored, basically. You're not going to get any intelligent debate or conversation from Madden or his numbskull followers. The sports version of a political radio host with lots of dumb conspiracies that have no basis in reality, and all of the people who call in to further the hosts opinions, are about as far down the IQ food chain as you'll find. Something about radio that draws in the morons. Not sure what it is, but it's a well-known phenomenon. :laugh:
 

DegenX

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Aug 14, 2011
14,622
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I actually like the JJ-Malkin duo but I think that 3rd wheel needs to be a Kunitz type player. A more well rounded type player than another scorer like Neal. I'm actually hoping for...

Neal-Crosby-Bennett
Kunitz-Malkin-Jokinen
Dupuis-Sutter-Kobasew

Crosby really needs to have running bets going with Malkin. 1st to 100pts, more goals, more points... Do something for charity?

My only problem with Malkin is he's way to comfortable playing 2nd fiddle to Sid and he needs a kick in the butt every once in a while. Last night was a nice way to start breaking out of a slump.

So you do that by taking away the only consistent winger he's had? And after seeing how he's struggled without Neal?
 

Shady Machine

Registered User
Aug 6, 2010
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He biffed two breakaways, last night?!?

Geez.

Not exactly. One he created the play with his speed to the outside. He beat Krug and cut in front. The other dman was there so he couldn't make a move. It wasn't a breakaway. The second one was a breakaway with a guy chasing from the left. Geno shot on both plays and Rask was way out of his net. I wanted to see Geno bull the net on the first one and make a move on the second.
 

madinsomniac

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Jul 3, 2012
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Wasn't Crosby having the slow start last season and everyone was harping on it?... 13 games does not make a bad season. heck if we learned anything last year its that you can get hot for the last 30 games or so and win an MVP award, even as a Russian, lol... right?....
 

#66

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Dec 30, 2003
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So you do that by taking away the only consistent winger he's had? And after seeing how he's struggled without Neal?
That's on Malkin. He's played well with Jussi, Sykora, Malone, MO and Staal on his wings. Him playing better is on him.

Then add in Kunitz' "puck get", passing and defensive play to help Malkin out more. IMO putting a Kunitz type on that line lets Malkin lean towards offense more. Neals game is swayed towards offense, even though he isn't bad defensively, so BB and Sid could get pucks and feed his elite shot.
 

cygnus47

Registered User
Sep 14, 2013
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He looked to have his attitude back last night. Very impressed he finally seems to have fixed his faceoffs. Crosby has the lowest percentage of our top 4 centres haha.
 

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