Post-Game Talk: Capitals 3, Penguins 1 - Rage Rage Against The Dying Of the Light

[canadianguy77]

It would be nice if one of our acquisitions takes his game to another level like other teams seem to get from their acquisitions, instead of them producing less than they did on their previous team.

I was hoping guys like Zucker and Kapanen would have a break out here, like you're seeing with guys like Josh Anderson and Tyler Toffoli for Montreal, or JT Miller last year with Vancouver. Instead, they look like they're not even as good as the players they were prior to the trades.

A lot of the problems would sort themselves out if Sullivan would let the forwards attack the blueline when they’re in their own zone. I’ve seen it firsthand over the last 2 games with the penalty kill. They’ve been unshackled to attack the points for the first time in years, and they were actually creating chances the other way by playing more aggressively. We have the wingers to do it at even strength too, but he’s dead-set on everyone collapsing.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

A lot of the problems would sort themselves out if Sullivan would let the forwards attack the blueline when they’re in their own zone. I’ve seen it firsthand over the last 2 games with the penalty kill. They’ve been unshackled to attack the points for the first time in years, and they were actually creating chances the other way by playing more aggressively. We have the wingers to do it at even strength too, but he’s dead-set on everyone collapsing.

I believe Vellucci is coaching the PK and wants them to be more aggressive. Unless I am remembering that wrong by one of Mears' boring anecdotes.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

People clamoring for Sullivan to be fired are going to be sorely disappointed.

First, a lot harder to fire someone during the pandemic. It took Hextall and Burke a week to be able to be in Pittsburgh, and they're not around the players. You think the Penguins are going to stash someone in a hotel room for 10 days before pulling the trigger? What about assistants? And if you dislike Sullivan, do you really want Reirden or Vellucci taking over?

Even if they do fire, who are you going to get midseason? Gerard Gallant? He's never lasted more than three seasons with a team and has only one season where his team won a playoff series. Hextall's only coaching connections are to Craig Berube and Dave Hakstol. Burke's coaches have been Marc Crawford, Randy Carlyle, Ron Wilson, Bob Hartley and Glen Gulutzan.

So it's not like they have ties to active coaches who they know and could drop in without a serious interview process.

If Sullivan were to get canned, this franchise needs a real coaching search. Only way to do that is in the offseason.

It's far more likely you'll see player movement. Their testing is tracked, and short of a trade with a Canadian team, there won't be as many quarantine issues. My sense is Hextall/Burke are more likely to start remaking the team via the lineup before touching the coaching staff midseason.

The way the games are spread out, you have Reirden & Vellucci taking over coaching for 2 weeks which would be 6 games and Reirden at least was a recent head coach so it's not like it's 2 inexperienced coaches taking over.

At this point if you don't do it soon, you've wasted another season and another year of this core and their words means jack shit.

 

[EliteGoaltending]

Haven't seen a lot of game action, but from what I saw, one of the biggest problems for the 2nd line is an inability to gain puck possession in the first place. They start a lot of shifts on the fly, w/o a puck, can't get it. (I thought Zucker can be a lot better on the forecheck, but he is generally a non-factor.) And when they get the puck, there's little to no connection.

And of course, Sullivan wouldn't change a thing for that line. He never does.

 

[EliteGoaltending]

And I know this place is full of Sid fanboys, that love harp on Malkin (self proclaimed Malkin fangirl here btw), don't you think for a second that maybe 71 isn't a problem and he can't do everything for his line, similar to Sid, if he was put in the same situation. *shrugs*

 

[EliteGoaltending]

Sully and JR never should've made it past the Isles debacle.

Yep.

New assignations at the helm don't give a lot of belief as well.
The problem with this organization lays on a very high level with Morehouse and co. I remember the times when they were interviewing Pierre for a GM job.

 

[madinsomniac]

Huge fan of the aggressive kill. I thought it was a one-off last game, but it’s pretty obvious that Sullivan was told by the new mgmt that they wanted to see a more proactive kill. It creates chances and makes it more difficult for the other team, so I really hope it sticks.

Sully needs to use star offensive talent late on pks...

 

[EightyOne]

+won the first period
-forgot they had two more

 

[HandshakeLine]

I am under no illusion that Sullivan is going to get fired, but at the same time, it's pretty hilarious how often he gets a handjob and a hall pass from the board, so I kind of don't want him to anymore. I just want to see how far your beautiful lunatics will stretch it. Where will the breaking point occur? When do the long knives come for Sully?

 

[TimmyD]

People talking about switching Sid and Malkins wingers realize that has nothing to do with Sully right? Sid wants Jake....plain and simple...and because of that you will never see Zucker with Sid. I want to see it as well because I think it would literally help everyone involved in the top 6...but Sid doesn’t want it so it isn’t happening. It’s a pointless discussion because of that

 

[Krispy]

Blueger 4th in points having 27.3 offensive zone starts and 13 min ATOI.

 

[Jesse]

I mentioned this to @KIRK recently but I miss the version of Mike Sullivan that cussed a lot and showed a good bit of passion behind the bench. I think people listened to that version more. Maybe it's confirmation bias. I also miss the version that would change systems in the middle of a seven game series just because what he was doing wasn't working.

 

[ColePens]

I've been working through them now, getting a head start on the next days days work. It's helping me out tremendously actually.

Yeah I can 1000% remember when I stopped watching football all day on Sundays and man was it great. We all invest our personal time into this hobby. Last night's game is one of those moments where I would like my 2 hours back.

 

[ColePens]

Blueger 4th in points having 27.3 offensive zone starts and 13 min ATOI.

There were two stats that sorta blew my mind going into last night's game.

1) Jake had like 6 points in 3 games. That dude produces. If you would have asked me how many points he had, I would have said like 1 or 2 in those 3 games.

2) TB has something like 7 points in 11 games? I kinda forget the stat but he was producing more than I would have imagined and it was over the Matt Cullen 2016 pace.

 

[pistolpete11]

I checked out after it was 3-0, but knew it was over after 1-0. Missed too many chances in the 1st and then Sheary scores? Game over.

 

[Turin]

People talking about switching Sid and Malkins wingers realize that has nothing to do with Sully right? Sid wants Jake....plain and simple...and because of that you will never see Zucker with Sid. I want to see it as well because I think it would literally help everyone involved in the top 6...but Sid doesn’t want it so it isn’t happening. It’s a pointless discussion because of that

The coach giving deference to his favourite stars is a toxic mix. Just look at the Jets. Wheeler and Scheifele get whatever they want. There’s a certain amount of deference you have to give Crosby, but it’s not who he plays with night in and night out.

 

[Turin]

I honestly believe that Malkin's problem is playing without a crowd. A lot of players thrive off of that energy.

I think that’s a problem for a lot of players.

Also, when you’ve been to 4 Cup Finals and you’re getting up there in age, and look around at the relative joke the season looks like without fans and constant quarantines and tests and BS divisions- are you not tempted to ask yourself “Should I really go all out this year if I only have so much energy left to give?”

 

[Krispy]

There were two stats that sorta blew my mind going into last night's game.

1) Jake had like 6 points in 3 games. That dude produces. If you would have asked me how many points he had, I would have said like 1 or 2 in those 3 games.

2) TB has something like 7 points in 11 games? I kinda forget the stat but he was producing more than I would have imagined and it was over the Matt Cullen 2016 pace.

Okay, now I know about Jake too, didn't realise that aswell.

 

[vikingGoalie]

The issue with firing Sully is who do you replace him with? Because none of the options are good.

Gallant

 

[Pens x]

The issue with firing Sully is who do you replace him with? Because none of the options are good.

Gallant. Are you telling me there isn’t one NHL caliber coach out there?

I hate the reasoning that we should keep sully because someone else might fail too. We have nothing to lose by firing Sully at this point. This team has played like crap for several years now, this isn’t simply a bad stretch.

At some point being good at your job four years ago shouldn’t be enough to justify keeping your job, especially in sports.

 

[vikingGoalie]

Thing is, does Malkin have more to give? We all think and hope so. But the dude is 34, and he is a player that depends on his physical gifts more then his brain to produce. The biggest thing that needs to happen is he needs to change his game some. KK is trying on that line but he can't carry a line. There were a few times he used his speed to retrieve the puck, one of those times was a pass right to malkin in the slot and malkin just couldn't handle the pass.

So should I be happy or sad that POJ in his first few games in the NHL on the top defensive pairing looks better then our #1 defensemen?

Hopefully. Jarry can build on this performance as he was pretty good in this game. First time this year we get really decent goal tending, and of course we lose.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Remember, Sully is also an NHL caliber coach.

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

The coach giving deference to his favourite stars is a toxic mix. Just look at the Jets. Wheeler and Scheifele get whatever they want. There’s a certain amount of deference you have to give Crosby, but it’s not who he plays with night in and night out.

Sullivan wasn't an ass kisser in the beginning. Crosby holds too much power. He's not the coach and doesn't have the bigger picture.

 

[TimmyD]

The coach giving deference to his favourite stars is a toxic mix. Just look at the Jets. Wheeler and Scheifele get whatever they want. There’s a certain amount of deference you have to give Crosby, but it’s not who he plays with night in and night out.

Every coach that has been here eventually defers to Sid for his line mates. It might not happen right away but eventually it comes into play. That’s the exact reason Hornqvist would only see spurts on Sid’s line the last few seasons before they moved him.

 

[Darren McCord]

Every coach that has been here eventually defers to Sid for his line mates. It might not happen right away but eventually it comes into play. That’s the exact reason Hornqvist would only see spurts on Sid’s line the last few seasons before they moved him.

Which is why if they truly want one more shot, it won’t be with Sully behind the bench.