Speculation: Coaching Thread (poll included)

[Dipsy Doodle]

Pray, do tell, what WAS it about then?

Proof's in the pudding.

And the Pens pudding looks like one I just dropped after enchilada night.

 

[Gurglesons]

Pray, do tell, what WAS it about then?

To keep Malkin happy? He obviously is not. To win a playoff series? Obviously we did not. To keep sullivan happy? Why?

The Kessel trade was exactly what everyone has clamored for us to do since Sid and Malkin signed. It was moving an overpaid assets for long term cap security. Kessel has 38 points this year. The player that took his spot had 56 points in less games and cost us 3.5 mil.

Kahun was about NHL depth because we didn’t have hindsight that the post season was starting in August not April.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

The Kessel trade was exactly what everyone has clamored for us to do since Sid and Malkin signed. It was moving an overpaid assets for long term cap security. Kessel has 38 points this year. The player that took his spot had 56 points in less games and cost us 3.5 mil.

Kahun was about NHL depth because we didn’t have hindsight that the post season was starting in August not April.

Both rationales were ill-conceived and the team suffered for it.

The PP looks like a dog humping a doorknob and Kahun was just the sort of productive young plug-and-play type we could use on any line...if the coaching staff had a clue.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist
Kahun-Malkin-Rust
Tanev-McCann-Kessel
ZAR-Blueger-Lafferty

Could've been the playoff line-up.

Malkin having time to establish chemistry with his LW? Check.
Skilled wing for McCann for scoring depth beyond the top 2 lines? Check.
RH shot for the PP? Check.

 

[Gurglesons]

Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist
Kahun-Malkin-Rust
Tanev-McCann-Kessel
ZAR-Blueger-Lafferty

Could've been the playoff line-up.

Malkin having time to establish chemistry with his LW? Check.
Skilled wing for McCann for scoring depth beyond the top 2 lines? Check.
RH shot for the PP? Check.

No it couldn’t.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

No it couldn’t.

Why

 

[Gurglesons]

Why

Couldn’t have afforded Tanev with the D cap to start the season.

 

[Pancakes]

I liked Kahun a lot and am not a fan of that trade. I don't know what the Pens had against him because he was playing pretty well here.

 

[Peat]

Both rationales were ill-conceived and the team suffered for it.

The PP looks like a dog humping a doorknob and Kahun was just the sort of productive young plug-and-play type we could use on any line...if the coaching staff had a clue.

And the team suffered with Kessel. The PP looked like a colander. 13 shots and 1 goal in 20 minutes of PP time last playoffs makes the effort vs Montreal look fantastic.

So if the team suffers with him, and without him, we might as well have his cap space to try and find a solution.

 

[Gurglesons]

I liked Kahun a lot and am not a fan of that trade. I don't know what the Pens had against him because he was playing pretty well here.

The issue is we likely lose Kahun this offseason anyway.

Wish we would’ve got a better piece than Erod added to that in terms of long term usage. But once again the deal was to add NHL depth which frankly looked really good following the trade.

 

[Pancakes]

The issue is we likely lose Kahun this offseason anyway.

Wish we would’ve got a better piece than Erod added to that in terms of long term usage. But once again the deal was to add NHL depth which frankly looked really good following the trade.

Eh, I never felt like forward depth was an issue before the trade. Also Kahun is an RFA. We would have been able to get some value for him even if we couldn't afford him in the off season.

 

[Gurglesons]

Eh, I never felt like forward depth was an issue before the trade. Also Kahun is an RFA. We would have been able to get some value for him even if we couldn't afford him in the off season.

Heading into the deadline we had all of Agozzino, Angelo and Lafferty in the line up and we were on the verge of falling out of the playoffs.

So, you must’ve not been watching the team.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Couldn’t have afforded Tanev with the D cap to start the season.

Fair. If JJ were gone like he should've been it would have worked, but the org thought better.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Seeing Kessel bust his ass and create scoring chance after scoring chance.... and on the other end Cole blocking shots and making sharp, crisp outlet passes......

way to go JR.

Oh wait Galy is gonna score 40 with Malkin
!!!!!!

Wait, it's JR's fault Kessel had issues with Sullivan?
It's JR's fault Cole had issues with Sullivan?

 

[Gurglesons]

Fair. If JJ were gone like he should've been it would have worked, but the org thought better.

They tried to move Jack Johnson. No dice. They moved Gudbranson but lucked into it because of massive injuries to ANA.

Moving Kessel was the smart move and likely will prove to be so. He has has two powerplay points in seven games. Not sure what that does for us that Zucker didn’t in our series.

Holding on to Kessel would’ve seen us be an extremely top heavy team, likely seen Kessel’s production plummet as it had already started to in the end of his time here and then we would’ve been stuck with multiple albatross contracts ala Chicago. Luckily we only have JJ and Hornqvist depending on how you feel about that. Adding in Kessel and having a flat cap would’ve seriously f***ed this team.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

And the team suffered with Kessel. The PP looked like a colander. 13 shots and 1 goal in 20 minutes of PP time last playoffs makes the effort vs Montreal look fantastic.

So if the team suffers with him, and without him, we might as well have his cap space to try and find a solution.

I wouldn't go that far. The 1st unit had the same amount of goals in the playoffs this year, and struggled to produce all regular season to boot.

Now if the Pens had made it a priority to replace Kessel's positives without his defensive drawbacks, I'd have been fine with it. But they didn't. They got another LH shot who fit their speed heavy/skill deprived mold, and now the team's so one-note that they cant generate much of anything.

They either dont know what the problem is or think they're clever enough to compensate for it on the cheap.

 

[Peat]

Eh, I never felt like forward depth was an issue before the trade. Also Kahun is an RFA. We would have been able to get some value for him even if we couldn't afford him in the off season.

You said in the Kahun trade thread that it was pushing the AHLers out of the lineup, which doesn't exactly sound like you didn't think forward depth wasn't an issue.

Which I accept is somewhat of a cheap shot but I don't see a better way of reminding people of just how broken down our forward corps was at the time heading to a post-season where we expected no Guentzel. There's a lot of 20-20 hindsight going around about Rutherford looking to add forward depth at the deadline.

 

[Gurglesons]

You said in the Kahun trade thread that it was pushing the AHLers out of the lineup, which doesn't exactly sound like you didn't think forward depth wasn't an issue.

Which I accept is somewhat of a cheap shot but I don't see a better way of reminding people of just how broken down our forward corps was at the time heading to a post-season where we expected no Guentzel. There's a lot of 20-20 hindsight going around about Rutherford looking to add forward depth at the deadline.

Yeah, I think even myself who doesn’t really have a problem with the deal thinks it is awful in hindsight, but due to the injuries and what the team needed the move was decent enough.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

They tried to move Jack Johnson. No dice. They moved Gudbranson but lucked into it because of massive injuries to ANA.

Moving Kessel was the smart move and likely will prove to be so. He has has two powerplay points in seven games. Not sure what that does for us that Zucker didn’t in our series.

Holding on to Kessel would’ve seen us be an extremely top heavy team, likely seen Kessel’s production plummet as it had already started to in the end of his time here and then we would’ve been stuck with multiple albatross contracts ala Chicago. Luckily we only have JJ and Hornqvist depending on how you feel about that. Adding in Kessel and having a flat cap would’ve seriously f***ed this team.

Kessel has been playing for the Coyotes against the Avalanche in the 2nd round. Zucker was playing for the Penguins against the Canadiens.

Slight discrepancy there in opportunity and opponent.

I'll also add the JR gets no points for "trying" to trade JJ. He's the one that shat the bed with that signing. He either fixes that mistake or he doesn't.

 

[Gurglesons]

I wouldn't go that far. The 1st unit had the same amount of goals in the playoffs this year, and struggled to produce all regular season to boot.

Now if the Pens had made it a priority to replace Kessel's positives without his defensive drawbacks, I'd have been fine with it. But they didn't. They got another LH shot who fit their speed heavy/skill deprived mold, and now the team's so one-note that they cant generate much of anything.

They either dont know what the problem is or think they're clever enough to compensate for it on the cheap.

I don’t think it is clever to think three of the best powerplay producers in the league over the past ten years could make a powerplay work.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

You said in the Kahun trade thread that it was pushing the AHLers out of the lineup, which doesn't exactly sound like you didn't think forward depth wasn't an issue.

Which I accept is somewhat of a cheap shot but I don't see a better way of reminding people of just how broken down our forward corps was at the time heading to a post-season where we expected no Guentzel. There's a lot of 20-20 hindsight going around about Rutherford looking to add forward depth at the deadline.

Hating the Kahun trade doesn't require hindsight.

 

[Gurglesons]

Kessel has been playing for the Coyotes against the Avalanche in the 2nd round. Zucker was playing for the Penguins against the Canadiens.

Slight discrepancy there in opportunity and opponent.

I'll also add the JR gets no points for "trying" to trade JJ. He's the one that shat the bed with that signing. He either fixes that mistake or he doesn't.

Canadiens were one of the best 5v5 teams in the regular season and had a PK comparable to the Avs in the regular season.

Why are we keeping a player that is struggling against a contender when we have aspirations to be a contender?

Kessel was horrible this year. I have no idea why people want him back despite the fact they are blinded by his performance a few seasons ago.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I don’t think it is clever to think three of the best powerplay producers in the league over the past ten years could make a powerplay work.

If the brass thought they could do it without a key element that made them so successful - their best PP producer over the last few years who opened up the ice for them to operate - they were clearly mistaken.

Hopefully these playoffs can teach them a lesson. Knowing how bullheaded they can be, I have serious doubts. They still think JJ's a good defenseman.

 

[66-30-33]

Seeing Kessel bust his ass and create scoring chance after scoring chance.... and on the other end Cole blocking shots and making sharp, crisp outlet passes......

way to go JR.

Oh wait Galy is gonna score 40 with Malkin
!!!!!!

I miss 2016...we used to block all the shots and were super fast and created non stop. I am guessing the 2 cups is the last time we will do anything in the Crosby/Malkin era.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Why are we keeping a player that is struggling against a contender when we have aspirations to be a contender?

Because he has a lot less to work with in Arizona, and we just got our asses handed to us by the 24th seed.