Post-Game Talk: Caps - 3, Pens - 2

[Will Hunting]

Phil Kessel is really beginning to annoy me.

He´s "producing" since January though Seriously, the game can´t get much more emotional and much more important in the regular season than last night. Playoff type atmosphere, opponent playing playoff type hockey.. And Phil Kessel looked like he wanted to be somewhere else, completely disconnected from the hockey game. I don´t get it. At least pretend that you care, Phil.

 

[billybudd]

Acquiring a critical mass of size, strength and snarl to be able to play with the bigger teams is doable, provided you're willing to commit five years to it and not draft or trade for snowflakes and china dolls during this time.

Time to make that decision was 3 years ago or earlier. 2 years ago at the latest. We're already off the "size isn't important" cliff. Pining for a change in strategy during the Crosby/Malkin era is pointless now.

Yeah, you guys are right. If we'd have drafted Lowry instead of Harrington, Hayes instead of Bennett, Jenner or Saad instead of Morrow, Yakimov instead of Guentzel, Trouba instead of Pouliot, had a D of Maatta/Letang/Dumoulin/Despres/Trouba/anyone, had flipped Kunitz for Hartnell, drafted Larrson instead of trading for the horrible David Perron and if we'd have pulled off that Sutter + a 3rd for Kesler deal instead of acquiring Kessel, there's a good chance we'd be right near the top of our division. But we didn't do that. We continued to get smaller. Continued to get softer. And drafted basically just for hockey sense and nothing else.

Know what we can do to fix this before Geno or Sid washes up? Nothing.

There's a 5 year lead time on any sort of organizational strategy. This die was cast at the draft table in 2010. If we buy a new set of dice, expect the dividends to start coming in the winter of 2021.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

Acquiring a critical mass of size, strength and snarl to be able to play with the bigger teams is doable, provided you're willing to commit five years to it and not draft or trade for snowflakes and china dolls during this time.

Time to make that decision was 3 years ago or earlier. 2 years ago at the latest. We're already off the "size isn't important" cliff. Pining for a change in strategy during the Crosby/Malkin era is pointless now.

Yeah, you guys are right. If we'd have drafted Lowry instead of Harrington, Hayes instead of Bennett, Jenner or Saad instead of Morrow, Yakimov instead of Guentzel, Trouba instead of Pouliot, had a D of Maatta/Letang/Dumoulin/Despres/Trouba/anyone, had flipped Kunitz for Hartnell and if we'd have pulled off that Sutter and a 3rd for Kesler deal and not the Kessel one, there's a good chance we'd be right near the top of our division.

Know what we can do to fix this before Geno or Sid washes up? Nothing.

There's a 5 year lead time on any sort of organizational strategy. This die was cast at the draft table in 2010. If we buy a new set of dice, expect the dividends to start coming in the winter of 2021.

I mean, a smaller and faster team can beat a bigger team, but it requires toughness and discipline. Think PH in temperament here. Sadly, not Sid or Geno most of the time.

I love our stars, but they are guys you really need to insulate with size and toughness. Geno can't be the meanest guy in your top 6.

This is really all on Shero, as above, as he seemed to have zero organizational strategy except "I'm going to draft PMD after PMD and then I can get anything I want later". JR is doing what he always does, making myopic moves that sometimes work, and sometimes don't.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I mean... yeah... that's pretty much... yeah. I wish I could argue that.

It doesn't really matter much so far as debating about what turns this group into a Cup competing team. That's... well... back there in the past. Just try to enjoy what's left, basically.

 

[billybudd]

I mean, a smaller and faster team can beat a bigger team, but it requires toughness and discipline. Think PH in temperament here...

This is really all on Shero, as above, as he seemed to have zero organizational strategy except "I'm going to draft PMD after PMD and then I can get anything I want later". JR is doing what he always does, making myopic moves that sometimes work, and sometimes don't.

I completely agree. We could have been doing something else but we're not. We're where we are now.

The prudent thing to do -now- is to figure out how to best leverage what we do have.

From where I am, I think trying to just play as fast as possible is the best approach going forward with what we got. It's what we have, may as well just build off our strengths.

I don't think it will win a championship, but it'll work better than a mismatched hodgepodge of guys and approaches.

 

[BiggestLeafsFanEVER*]

When they had value? When has their value been higher than it is now?

You would think right now but Letang is injury prone and shell of his older self. Fleury still has the great in regular season but caves when it matters/playoffs label and none of us see that changing this year.

Anton Volchenkov,.........aka Scuderi

That's him! and say what you want but he's shutdown.

Stone wasn't drafted until 2010 by the Senators.

Turris was drafted that summer, by the Coyotes.

Volchenkov wasn't part of the team in 2013.

Trade could have been done in like 2012 or 2013. Volchenkov was a FA, I really wanted the Pens to pick him up and nothing. They could have done the trade without him in it. But like you said a lot of hindsight.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

I completely agree. We could have been doing something else but we're not. We're where we are now.

The prudent thing to do -now- is to figure out how to best leverage what we do have.

From where I am, I think trying to just play as fast as possible is the best approach going forward with what we got. It's what we have, may as well just build off our strengths.

I don't think it will win a championship, but it'll work better than a mismatched hodgepodge of guys and approaches.

My only hope for the Sid and Geno era is a few more [lucky] moves that work, a few of our Shero guys to over-achieve, and for Sid, Geno and Letang to grow up and stop complaining and whining and attacking (in the case of Geno) when guys get in their grill. That's one reason I like Kuhnhackl, he's real even keeled, he gets right up on the goaltender, then just skates away when the scrum ensues.

 

[IcedCapp]

Could always trade Kessel and give his money to Lucic!

 

[chethejet]

In two moves GMJR has already maxed the cap for next year with Maatta and Hagelin. Incredible. Shero saddles GMJR with bad contracts and a tight cap. GMJR has handcuffed the franchise with amazingly stupid decisions from there. I just not sure what the plan is but this is how franchises who continue to run with little flexibility have problems.

 

[Ogrezilla]

In two moves GMJR has already maxed the cap for next year with Maatta and Hagelin. Incredible. Shero saddles GMJR with bad contracts and a tight cap. GMJR has handcuffed the franchise with amazingly stupid decisions from there. I just not sure what the plan is but this is how franchises who continue to run with little flexibility have problems.

so we move Kunitz and Cole and play our cheap guys in the bottom 6. Bingo bongo.

 

[Terrapin]

Could always trade Kessel and give his money to Lucic!

I would have done that in a minute. Imagine him and Horny in front of the net on the PP.

Even if JR and co wouldn't have went nuts in the last 13 months, we could be sitting here with:

Despres instead of Lovejoy
Borts instead of Cole
Farnham instead of Porter/Sheary

 

[Coastal Kev]

I completely agree. We could have been doing something else but we're not. We're where we are now.

The prudent thing to do -now- is to figure out how to best leverage what we do have.

From where I am, I think trying to just play as fast as possible is the best approach going forward with what we got. It's what we have, may as well just build off our strengths.

I don't think it will win a championship, but it'll work better than a mismatched hodgepodge of guys and approaches.

I agree with both of your last posts, but your points only make me question GMJR more. If they wanted to go the balls out speed route they should have traded Horny, Kunitz and Bonino.

 

[Terrapin]

I agree with both of your last posts, but your points only make me question GMJR more. If they wanted to go the balls out speed route they should have traded Horny, Kunitz and Bonino.

Obviously they can't trade everyone, but as much as I like him, giving Maata a long contract doesn't really fit either. neither did bringing in Lovejoy or Fehr.

It really seems to me they come up with a new 'plan' about every year. A few years ago it was skill. That didn't work, so they decided to bring in some 'playoff' guys (Comeau, Winnik, Downie, etc). That didn't work, so now it's small and speedy. I'll bet the deed to my house that it won't work, so who knows what it'll be next year. I guess the notion of a well-balanced team that can beat you in any style of play (like the Cup teams) never crossed their minds.

 

[Malkinstheman]

After our eventual flame out in the playoffs im hoping the team finally makes a full culture change. **** kunitz, go hard after a Lw and for once utilize our advantage. Its like the people charged with handling this team are working for the rest of the league and do their best to neutralize sid/geno.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Obviously they can't trade everyone, but as much as I like him, giving Maata a long contract doesn't really fit either. neither did bringing in Lovejoy or Fehr.

It really seems to me they come up with a new 'plan' about every year. A few years ago it was skill. That didn't work, so they decided to bring in some 'playoff' guys (Comeau, Winnik, Downie, etc). That didn't work, so now it's small and speedy. I'll bet the deed to my house that it won't work, so who knows what it'll be next year. I guess the notion of a well-balanced team that can beat you in any style of play (like the Cup teams) never crossed their minds.

I agree with this post 100%. They are making it up as they go. I firmly believe they simply want to make the playoffs, have a decent showing and then have a season ending PC about how close the are.

All which makes me want to root for them to miss the playoffs.

 

[BeautiPhil]

Didn't play against us, had left Ottawa by 2012-13 for HC Vitkovice.

We've played Ottawa in the playoffs like 4 times since '07. Volchenkov was on a couple of those Sens teams, and it's before he fell off a cliff (which was shortly after he signed in NJ).

 

[66-30-33]

Could always trade Kessel and give his money to Lucic!

I'd do that trade if we can have a re-signed Lucic. If you mean a 1 for 1 swap? or you meaning trade Kessel to some team and sign Lucic in UFA? Kessel for Edler+, trade Kunitz/Cole for cap space, sign Lucic. Profit?

 

[Terrapin]

I agree with this post 100%. They are making it up as they go. I firmly believe they simply want to make the playoffs, have a decent showing and then have a season ending PC about how close the are.

All which makes me want to root for them to miss the playoffs.

I just want them to sell the team and completely clean house once and for all. I don't know if them winning a few rounds would make the franchise more enticing for a buyer, or missing the playoffs would lower the price enough to get more buyers interested. I'm guessing they'll squeak into the playoffs, lose a 'heartbreaker', and it'll be business as usual next year. Maybe they'll bring in a few more assistant GMs.

 

[hooverdam]

Boston, one of the slowest teams in the league, traded Lucic in no small part because of how slow he is. Also, he's like a season or two away from developing Kunitz hands. And also again, I think IC was being sarcastic.

Lucic would be more hated than Neal or Kessel could ever be here. When he's not scoring, which happens every so often, he is doing absolutely nothing but handing out cheapshots and pissing off the goons on the other team.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Lucic is not very good anymore. He can do alright in LA where they just don't play with any sort of speed. He'd just be behind every play here.

 

[Nakawick]

Could always trade Kessel and give his money to Lucic!

Tyler Toffoli

 

[mpp9]

One of DP/Schultz should be able to replace Daley by the end of next season.

Murray should be able to replace Fleury in 2-3 years.

Sundqvist should be able to replace one of Bonino/Fehr by next season. Cullen can likely be re-signed for half of what Bonino/Fehr make as insurance.

Sprong gives you an impact forward on his ELC within two seasons. Could potentially make Kessel available for help on LW.

That's a **** ton of money we can free up. But it must be done properly. Whether you flip your ELC players for other ELC players or dump your higher paid players, slot in your younger guys and use the cap savings in free agency, we have 5 years max of a window left.

 

[canadianguy77]

It's hard to believe that some of you want to big, bruising team with how this team is already called by the refs. We'd for sure be setting some records, namely most PIM's by a team in a single season.

 

[Rufus]

You would think right now but Letang is injury prone and shell of his older self. Fleury still has the great in regular season but caves when it matters/playoffs label and none of us see that changing this year.



That's him! and say what you want but he's shutdown.



Trade could have been done in like 2012 or 2013. Volchenkov was a FA, I really wanted the Pens to pick him up and nothing. They could have done the trade without him in it. But like you said a lot of hindsight.

I could not disagree more with your sentiment about Fleury and Letang. Fleury has been decent to good in the last two playoff runs. Most of us on here believe that he's last those playoff yips. If you think Letang is a shell of his former self then you must not watch him play now. He's playing some of the best hockey of his career.

Also, Volchenkov? Really? He was no good after 2012-13. Would have been an absolute waste to trade for him

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

I agree with this post 100%. They are making it up as they go. I firmly believe they simply want to make the playoffs, have a decent showing and then have a season ending PC about how close the are.

All which makes me want to root for them to miss the playoffs.

In fairness to Rutherford, the train was already moving full speed when he came on board. He kinda has to play a little fast and loose. If he's too patient this era simply fizzles out and ends. He made one horrible deal, which really sucks. With that in mind I don't mind the rest of what he did.

As my dad said when they made the Perron/Hagelin deal, "He just keeps kicking the can down the road." I think that's a great way to put it. There's definitely a vibe of throwing **** at the wall to see what sticks. I think there's sound reasoning behind it though. The league is getting too young and too fast, and it's happening fast as well. Gotta try something.

As far as your comment about a season ending press conference, what would you have them do really? They're not Cup contenders this year, and they're a couple of solid moves away from making a discernible improvement next year. I don't think that would be an inaccurate statement to say they feel they're close.