Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: End the road trip right!

[Sidney the Kidney]

Also, Derrick Pouliot still looks like the defenseman I remember from his Penguins days. Meh offensively and out of position a lot defensively.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Going forward, JR should be focusing on moving forwards for either picks or straight up hockey trade for dmen. We have plenty of forwards close to being ready. Need to play in the reg season to up their value.

Also need to make room for our high end guys like Bellerive and Hallander. If those two reach their potential this team will be even better. Bellerive could be a much better version of Rust. Maybe even stay at center. Hallander could be Hornqvist. Allows us to not only trade others to get assets down the road or add to the D.

Time to look ahead to extend this window. Some keep thinking its only a couple more years but Sid/Geno will still be great in their mid to late 30s IMO. Dont even have to be the best players in the game at that point if there are others surrounding them. Good example is the Sharks with Thornton and Marleau. Got older and thought that team was gonna fall off but surrounded them with more talent.

Should be able to sneak in another cup late in their careers. I say 5 total. Not far fetched at all.

I get what you are saying but you are jumping the gun on this one. None of our guys off the roster can come close to replacing some of our better forwards.

Right now is our best chance to win a cup. I wouldn’t gamble that away because we can hang around in the playoffs and maybe compete in 5 years time.

I think taking it a year at a time is the best way to go and keep trying to get some good draft steals while being genuine cup contenders. Slow roster changes.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

 

[EightyOne]

I get what you are saying but you are jumping the gun on this one. None of our guys off the roster can come close to replacing some of our better forwards.

Right now is our best chance to win a cup. I wouldn’t gamble that away because we can hang around in the playoffs and maybe compete in 5 years time.

I think taking it a year at a time is the best way to go and keep trying to get some good draft steals while being genuine cup contenders. Slow roster changes.

Totally!

Unless Letang ends up out for four months also, there is no reason to waste players on d-men trades or PICKS!!!

No reason at all. What happens next month when 3 forwards end up hurt? Those draft picks aren't gonna score a goal.

Defensively, the team really needs to just get the forwards to support the breakout passes and backcheck/positioning in d-zone more. That's all.

 

[Tom Hanks]

The only problem I can see there is the issue of a LW'er playing RW especially when we have such weak LW'ers after Guentzel, offensively.

I am curious about Sprong on the left side though with Brass and Rust.

I get that but at least with Simon his game is probably affected the least by switching sides out of our wingers.

It does turn into a slight problem in the bottom 6 though but if it helps L1 out more then you probably deal with it in the short term.

Lines will move around a bit except for L2 for the time being.

 

[66-30-33]

I watched that...loved the game but was disappointed with the movie.

Mostly like it for the fight scenes. The games are fun though, I play the new one on PC.

 

[66-30-33]

Some day when RDRD2 finishes downloading, I too will be gaming.

Wish there was a PC release.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Wish there was a PC release.

I enjoy it on console more. So I'm cool with it.

 

[The GM]

Was at the game, I know now why grant is playing for the league minimum

 

[EightyOne]

Was at the game, I know now why grant is playing for the league minimum

But what about that Boeser guy!?

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

The only problem I can see there is the issue of a LW'er playing RW especially when we have such weak LW'ers after Guentzel, offensively.

I am curious about Sprong on the left side though with Brass and Rust.

Just put Rust on LW. Not like he's doing anything on RW anyway.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

I get what you are saying but you are jumping the gun on this one. None of our guys off the roster can come close to replacing some of our better forwards.

Right now is our best chance to win a cup. I wouldn’t gamble that away because we can hang around in the playoffs and maybe compete in 5 years time.

I think taking it a year at a time is the best way to go and keep trying to get some good draft steals while being genuine cup contenders. Slow roster changes.

Definitely jumping the gun. Looking down the road for sure to try to give us better odds when our starts are 37-38 or whatever. If surrounded by top talent they could sneak in another cup. That wont happen with guys like Sheary and Rust for example who our top guys make better. But more Guentzel types. And trading Brassard wouldnt prevent us from winning it all. We won back to back without him.

Agree we have to focus on each season right now...but we dont have to go overboard. I loved getting Brassard at the deadline..but at the same time I had a bad feeling it was overkill...reminded me of the Iginla addition(i know diff situations ). With our stars at the top of their games we dont really " need" to make that kind of trade. Just have to make sure we have the depth to overcome injuries(still say thats why we lost to caps) and improve the D. I want to add a top name for the defense..not offense. We got so fixated on having that elite 3C. Wasnt reallt necessary imo. Sheahan at 3C was fine. .A quality 4C addition and a top dman at the deadline is what I would have done.

Anyway point was, while we should be trying to win each year...should also have the future in mind. I dont think its a 3 year window then done. Not if handled right. Especially with new lottery rules. If we can find ways to add 1st round picks and that team misses the playoffs..who knows.

That would mean we have to stop trading our first rounders tho and add to our prospect pool. We have alot of forwards who could pan out. Allowing us to trade someone we arent planning on re-signing.

Only thing is...I have no idea whats going to happen once JR hangs em up.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Just put Rust on LW. Not like he's doing anything on RW anyway.

I'd be 100% ok with that, we just gotta hope Sully is.

Guentzel, Crosby, Simon
Hagelin, Malkin, Kessel
Rust, Brassard, Sprong
Sheahan, Cullen, Hornqvist

It kills me to see Horny on the 4th line, but also, if the less minutes mean he can go his usual ape shit in the playoffs with his energy and the beating he's going to take, then I can live with that.

 

[cygnus47]

I'd be 100% ok with that, we just gotta hope Sully is.

Guentzel, Crosby, Simon
Hagelin, Malkin, Kessel
Rust, Brassard, Sprong
Sheahan, Cullen, Hornqvist

It kills me to see Horny on the 4th line, but also, if the less minutes mean he can go his usual ape **** in the playoffs with his energy and the beating he's going to take, then I can live with that.

You can still have him as Crosby's right winger for some shifts during the game. He'll get his chances.

Sprong is definitely super nervy and made a few mistakes in the defensive zone, but you can see how natural the game comes to him in the offensive zone. He needs more time with competent players to take the pressure off him and give him more chances to show off his strengths. This was his best game so far for sure.

+++ Malkin
++ Letang / Dumo
+ Simon

 

[Honour Over Glory]

You can still have him as Crosby's right winger for some shifts during the game. He'll get his chances.

Sprong is definitely super nervy and made a few mistakes in the defensive zone, but you can see how natural the game comes to him in the offensive zone. He needs more time with competent players to take the pressure off him and give him more chances to show off his strengths. This was his best game so far for sure.

+++ Malkin
++ Letang / Dumo
+ Simon

I think the issue with Sprong is that he's so afraid of making mistakes, he then plays stiff and nervous in his own end and it totally shows. He doesn't know when to take the body or when to just go 1 on 1 coverage and block a passing lane or the boards, he gets into the offensive zone and he makes proper pinches along the boards and handles the puck better.

He just needs a few good games in a row and it'll start to flow better for him. He's still just far too nervous. But today in the offensive zone, that Geno assist and then the last sequence before the end of the game where he's handling the puck on the right side...he looked smooth af.

 

[Peat]

so we're now tied for first in goal differential at +14, and I am too tired to do the math but I think first for standings points per game.

This is correct. Also Geno leads the NHL for ppg right now.

I think they see a vanilla guy, which isn't a bad thing for an injury fill-in.

Yeah. Reliable defensively with some attacking potential. I see some people calling for Bluegers, but I'm happier to have him playing regularly with Grant at 13F.

I think it was ColePens on rentals not even working out well recently. I would say, if you are actually serious in contending, you will find that rentals do not work and haven't for about a decade+.

Rentals are desperate attempts by bubble teams to lose what talent they have for no gain.

Testify!

Going forward, JR should be focusing on moving forwards for either picks or straight up hockey trade for dmen. We have plenty of forwards close to being ready. Need to play in the reg season to up their value.

Also need to make room for our high end guys like Bellerive and Hallander. If those two reach their potential this team will be even better. Bellerive could be a much better version of Rust. Maybe even stay at center. Hallander could be Hornqvist. Allows us to not only trade others to get assets down the road or add to the D.

Time to look ahead to extend this window. Some keep thinking its only a couple more years but Sid/Geno will still be great in their mid to late 30s IMO. Dont even have to be the best players in the game at that point if there are others surrounding them. Good example is the Sharks with Thornton and Marleau. Got older and thought that team was gonna fall off but surrounded them with more talent.

Should be able to sneak in another cup late in their careers. I say 5 total. Not far fetched at all.

You want to build for the last runs of the the two-headed monster, you do that by giving the young talent we currently have plenty of time to develop rather than hoping to push through a bunch of draft picks 2-3 years now. I love the potential of guys like Bellerive and Hallander, but we should only count on them once they've arrived.

 

[Tom Hanks]

I think the issue with Sprong is that he's so afraid of making mistakes, he then plays stiff and nervous in his own end and it totally shows. He doesn't know when to take the body or when to just go 1 on 1 coverage and block a passing lane or the boards, he gets into the offensive zone and he makes proper pinches along the boards and handles the puck better.

He just needs a few good games in a row and it'll start to flow better for him. He's still just far too nervous. But today in the offensive zone, that Geno assist and then the last sequence before the end of the game where he's handling the puck on the right side...he looked smooth af.

He’s finding out the NHL is much harder than the AHL too. Can’t do/get away with the same things. That takes time to adjust as well.

He’s got time. He doesn’t have to be lights out. Still a development year for him. If he can not bleed goals and chip in offensively that’d be great. Then he will get chances to play up the lines more at different stages. He just has to wait it out on this roster.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

He’s finding out the NHL is much harder than the AHL too. Can’t do/get away with the same things. That takes time to adjust as well.

He’s got time. He doesn’t have to be lights out. Still a development year for him. If he can not bleed goals and chip in offensively that’d be great. Then he will get chances to play up the lines more at different stages. He just has to wait it out on this roster.

He's struggling and is at a .50ppg

It's good problems. The effort and drive is there, that's the most important thing, we know his talent...it'll align.

 

[Peat]

What clicked was a shift with Geno.

Watch how they read each other.

Watching in a crowded bar, I thought that was Kessel.

I don't want to get high on Sprong after a good game any more than I wanted to get low about him after the bad ones, but that was a really nice play.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Superstars played like superstars, we got reliable goaltending, and the kids actually saw a little daylight.

Excellent game.

 

[StroShow]

Was at the game tonight , Simon was excellent all game. Sprong was a treat to watch in that 3rd period. I think Sully moving him up to Sid's line for a couple of shifts did alot for his confidence. A confident Daniel Sprong is a huge boost for this team.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

You probably made the right choice selling these tickets for this game man... hahaha

 

[Son Goku]

Was at the game tonight , Simon was excellent all game. Sprong was a treat to watch in that 3rd period. I think Sully moving him up to Sid's line for a couple of shifts did alot for his confidence. A confident Daniel Sprong is a huge boost for this team.

Absolutely. The vigor and drive of the young guys balanced out with the calmness and experience of the veterans can never be understated.

 

[Riptide]

++++ Simon/Sprong: FINALLY. The two stepped up! What a blessing for the Pens. IF those 2 can play like that.... we are freaking set. Let's go! Really happy for both guys. And the good thing is... their strengths came through. It wasn't just luck. I'm not asking for the complete dominance, but consistency will keep these guys in the lineup.

This is what myself and others have been talking about with regards to Sprong. Not even the production, just his overall game. I didn't like his 1st period at all (other than him looking lost/out of position, the only time I really remember him doing anything is when he was taken out by the linesman), but his 2nd period was good - good enough to get more shifts in the 3rd, and more importantly, shifts with Crosby and Malkin. And even better, was him taking advantage there. This is what we've needed to see from him - but like you say he needs to be more consistent there, but hopefully he can build off of this game. And hopefully Sullivan will continue to give him looks with the big boys - but Sprong (and Simon) need to continue to earn those looks, because we have enough talent that nothing will be handed to them.

 

[Riptide]

Out scored Western Canada 20-6 during the 3 game road trip.

Don't forget the Toronto game.... sure it's not 'Western Canada", but it's still part of the same road trip. 23-6 in goals, with 19 coming at ES in 4 games. What a performance by the team - and with MANY different guys stepping up.

8. JMFJ looks less bad with Ruh. Maatta-Oleksiak still scares the **** out of me.

Ruhwedel is extremely under appreciated here. The guy does nothing spectacular. He's not super mobile (aka Letang), offensive, physical, or even great defensively... but he's a lot better then some (many?) give him credit for, and he plays a very simple game and more importantly plays to his strengths extremely well while having all the basic skills that we need out of our blueliners (mobile, not bad defensively, can handle the puck). Someone is going to give this guy a regular spot next season as a 3rd pairing D, and by the end of the season he will have moved up the depth chart like Stralman did with NYR/TB to the point that they'll be asking why we let him go and where did he come from. It won't be that dramatic (6/7 to top 3), but he's going to open some eyes next season when someone with a thinner blueline really gives him a chance.

Malkin is 32, like 4 or 5 years past his traditional prime, and still absolutely clowning guys on a nightly basis.

He's going to go down as one of the most underrated players in NHL history. Amazing.

But not "top 100" worthy. What a utter joke. I went looking for the picture of Malkin posing with the cup in the 2016 parade with someone holding a "top 101 NHL players" sign, but couldn't find it.