Post-Game Talk: Canucks 5, Penguins 2 - Looks Like I Picked The Wrong Week to Quit Drinking

[cheesedanish87]

The pens have so many players in the lineup right now who can't score much

Hags Kuhn Mckegg Rowney Reaves Archi

I got no problem having one or two of those guys in the lineup, Reaves Hags and Archi can help the team in other areas, but when you have half your lineup filled with players who can't score its hard to win.

I know missing Geno is a gigantic blow to the lineup, but everyone else was healthy last night and that lineup was awful.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I don't expect JR to stand pat either. December is usually when he starts to really put his nose to the grindstone too, so I'd expect some changes over the next few weeks or months. Let's just hope the moves work again, and he doesn't swing for the fences and strike out.

He may strike out though, and people need to be prepared for that.

People want the threepeat it seems, without the risks associated with going for something so historical.

It just doesn't work that way and I'll be surprised if he can put together a threepeat worthy roster without making sacrifices that will hurt and could come back to bite him if they don't work out.

The "summer JR witchhunters" just aren't living in the reality of the imposing task JR is facing.

 

[Fatty McLardy]

Team reminds of Johnston era with how bad their ES scoring is. We couldn't score more than 2 goal those years also and holy shit, we might be looking at the new Gladams in Kuhn and Reaves.....i still have nightmares about how awful Gladams were..

 

[Shady Machine]

I think it's misguided to say that's the major problem. The Penguins wouldn't be having issues if Crosby wasn't playing at a 60 point level. If he's playing where he's normally at, that's an extra 10 goals for the Penguins, all of which would be at ES. Crosby playing at his normal level might change that 2-1 loss to Minnesota to a 3-2 Penguins win, or the 2-1 OT loss to Calgary a 3-1 Pittsburgh win. If Crosby was producing where he should be at ES, the Penguins would probably be something like 14-8-1 (or better) right now instead of 11-9-3. That's only swinging 2 OT/SO losses and 1 regulation loss to wins, but that's a difference of 1st in the division and in a wildcard spot.

Okay let me rephrase. The roster is a bigger problem than Rick Tocchet.

 

[Shady Machine]

He may strike out though, and people need to be prepared for that.

People want the threepeat it seems, without the risks associated with going for something so historical.

It just doesn't work that way and I'll be surprised if he can put together a threepeat worthy roster without making sacrifices that will hurt and could come back to bite him if they don't work out.

The "summer JR witchhunters" just aren't living in the reality of the imposing task JR is facing.

This is what I asked yesterday for the "patience" crowd. Is it fair to criticize JR if he fails to deliver an upgrade on last years 3C by the deadline? From this response it sounds like you are suggesting it may not be fair since 3peating is near impossible.

I don't think it's fair to criticize JR if they don't 3peat, but its definitely reasonable to criticize his moves if Sheahan is the only "upgrade" to the offseason roster.

 

[Shady Machine]

From what Mackey said, JR and Sullivan both want Reaves in the lineup, so people need to accept it. Again, hate the league for not protecting their stars, not the GM for taking the only option left available to him.

But ya, each step is part of this year long process of trying to find the perfect mix. You have to mill your farm first before making any big moves, that is simply due diligence.

JR has an almost impossible task ahead of him, one that no GM has been able to figure out in 35 years. I think people would do well to keep that in mind.

However, he's certainly not one to sit on his hands, so be prepared for a trade or two that may make people unhappy.

So because they both want him in the lineup, we have to just accept it and agree? Sure I can blame the league and still disagree with their decision.

It's not the end of the world, but it would sure be nice to be able to try other options there from time to time

 

[Pens x]

He may strike out though, and people need to be prepared for that.

People want the threepeat it seems, without the risks associated with going for something so historical.

It just doesn't work that way and I'll be surprised if he can put together a threepeat worthy roster without making sacrifices that will hurt and could come back to bite him if they don't work out.

The "summer JR witchhunters" just aren't living in the reality of the imposing task JR is facing.

A lot of the challenges he is facing are the result of his poor decisions and are self inflicted.

No one is saying that the Pens have to three peat or this season is a failure. I just want them to ice a competitive team. It is just frustrating watching this team right now when 4 or 5 regulars shouldn’t be playing in every game. We have a lot of changes to still make and Jimmy wasn’t proactive enough this summer or around the draft. This teams’ lack of depth isn’t surprising, you knew this team would struggle after the top 2 lines.

You can’t just say well well he might not make a good trade and well well he might not be able to fix this lineup. Here you are just covering blindly for management for whatever decisions they make.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

This team goes as Sidney Crosby goes. I think the proof is in the pudding. Malkin and Kessel produce regardless of how the team plays, or the results. Crosby's production seems directly linked to team success. And yes, we absolutely seem to have sunk back to the bad level of play we had when Mike Johnston was our head coach. It makes absolutely no sense that we can't buy a goal five on five, except when we consider just how badly Crosby is slumping.

While we await the next trade, and yes there will be deals I am sure (though, like Jiggy said, they may not work out), it seems to me we have the perfect window to call up Sprong. And, the perfect reason: let's see if his enthusiasm and legit scoring ability can get Crosby going. Sid is a complete mess out there right now. Maybe they can help each other...the veteran can help the kid break into the NHL, and the kid can help the veteran get back to his scoring ways. I don't see the harm in trying this out.

I can't watch our third line any longer. I'm completely done with #62. He has the hands of a 10-year NHL enforcer whose been mangled because of punching too many visors and helmets. And Riley Sheahan is an expensive fourth-line center. Ugh.

I think I have changed my mind on Guentzel. Leave him at center when Geno comes back. Try to find the right combinations for three scoring lines. Start weeding out the non-scoring wingers and go get more offensive types. It seems it should be easier to find scoring wingers than two-way centers in this NHL world that we now live in. Galchenyuk, Pacioretty, Spooner, JVR, I don't really care who it is.

How in the world can we be the worst offensive team in the division??? It makes no sense.

 

[Gurglesons]

I think Schultz needs to be called out on his production this year.

He is on pace for 22 pts while hitting 60% ozone starts.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I think Schultz needs to be called out on his production this year.

He is on pace for 22 pts while hitting 60% ozone starts.

To some degree, yes. He has not been very good, but he has been injured and just starting to look like himself again.

That said, he is a power-play QB seeing little time with the big unit. There's only so much he can do on his own.