Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: Flower Power! Pens vs. Caps

[Speaking Moistly]

Going to watch the game tonight after I land, and I'm sitting in the las vegas airport as I write this.

DB does pay attention to matchups, such as putting out certain d-men against certain forwards, but he tends to forget that in today's NHL, defense is played as a 5 man unit. It's nice that he throws out 5 & 44 out there, but the way he uses Adams and Glass like Selke candidates is still a joke.

I'm still of the mindset that the only way we'll get to consistently see our ideal lineup is if RS chooses to get rid of a few of DB's toys.

As horrible as this sounds, imagine Glass and Adams on IR, and start listing your lines. Sweet no?

There was a game awhile ago where the announcers talked about Bylsma checking out the other bench trying to match lines. I wrote it off as him looking for some new old grinders for Shero to get him, but maybe he was doing it.

I think the problem isn't that he can't do matchups or even that he doesn't, it's that he has a stupid philosophy surrounding it. He thinks the 4th line can and should be used against top lines and I think that affects everything. He also has a tendency to expect Crosby and Malkin to break through things, hopefully Boston and the damn slumps did some good there. He can successfully match defense because he actually understands who his shutdown pair is and who they should be against. It's not that he doesn't know defense is a 5 man unit, it's that he thinks Gladams is the best at it.

He equates hits and blocking shots with being good defensively, instead of getting stuck in a position of needing to block shots. It's why he plonked Adams onto the first line against the Ducks, aside from Adams. He's matched lines well this season (IIRC), it's just sporadic to the point of stupidity. I think one of our homers tried to defend it by saying line matching results in too many men on the ice and is therefore evul.


Jokinen - Sutter - Megna
Gibbons - Vitale - Engelland

'tis beautiful.

I would love to know what the **** he thinks Sutter is for.

 

[Freeptop]

-Dupuis had 11:02 EV and 3:25 PK time before the 3rd period even started.
-Adams had 6:11 EV and 2:10 PK time before the 3rd period even started.
-Bennett meanwhile had 6:54 EV and 0:17 PP before the 3rd period started.

I'd like to subscribe to your late shift theory, but the ice time distribution through the first 2 periods was almost a carbon copy of the previous game.

You don't have to take my word for it, go check for yourself: http://www.shiftchart.com/

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I just watched the game this morning. Hmm, 2-0 this week with me watching the game on delay the next morning. Hmm.

I really like the way this team is looking now. Pieces seem to be in their rightful place, for the most part. Oh there are still issues. But I LOVE Maatta-Letang right now. I love the Kunitz-Crosby-Bennett combination. Disco, keep feeding Bennett only 12 minutes of ice. He can still score more in 12 than Dupuis can score in 20 minutes of ice. Eventually, even you will figure this out I suspect. Well, maybe not! And I am a big fan of Brian Gibbons. Such a smart player, I think we may have something with him. He complements Sutter rather well.

Let's keep this train going. Suddenly, I can't wait for Saturday's game here.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Jokinen - Sutter - Megna
Gibbons - Vitale - Engelland

'tis beautiful.

I still like Glass on the roster right now but i agree with the Engelland for Adams swap. Plug him in there and see what he can do over a span of games. You also open up the spot for Bortuzzo who's a better defender and brings that extra toughness and he needs to play right now.

Sill should really be sent back and Megna brought back up.
Megna/Gibbons/Jokinen. Play 2 of these 3 a night and rotate them into the lineup.

 

[Frederick Stanley]

I just watched the game this morning. Hmm, 2-0 this week with me watching the game on delay the next morning. Hmm.

I did the exact same thing this week. Maybe we should stick with it?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

They are also 2-0 and playing well since I started calling blowouts against in the prediction thread.

So obviously this is all my doing. The ol' reverse jinx. But you guys probably helped, too, I guess.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

They are also 2-0 and playing well since I started calling blowouts against in the prediction thread.

So obviously this is all my doing. The ol' reverse jinx. But you guys probably helped, too, I guess.

Thanks BWMH! lol

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I still like Glass on the roster right now but i agree with the Engelland for Adams swap. Plug him in there and see what he can do over a span of games. You also open up the spot for Bortuzzo who's a better defender and brings that extra toughness and he needs to play right now.

Sill should really be sent back and Megna brought back up.
Megna/Gibbons/Jokinen. Play 2 of these 3 a night and rotate them into the lineup.

I like Glass right now (he's a good Glass) but I think those players would still be better. Getting Engelland back on the 4th line would do a world of good and there would be an emergency defensemen ready to go.

 

[stardog]

I don't get it. I know that this board has a love affair with Vitale but honestly, he is a typical 4th liner. Great on faceoffs which is a bonus but doesn't kill penalties and has very little offensive skill. I had a post that somehow was deleted for some odd reason saying this, but I don't see why at this point there is complaining about his EVTOI as it really falls in line with all of the other 4th liners the team has used this season. Glass and Adams get 35 to 40 more seconds of ice time even strength than Vitale. The major difference in ice comes on the PK.

I like Vitale, don't get me wrong, but some people go overboard with their love affair with him as if he is an essential component. This board certainly has its favorites and its least favorites. This teams fortunes certainly aren't reliant on Vitales comparative TOI verses Adams and Glass.

 

[mpp9]

I don't get it. I know that this board has a love affair with Vitale but honestly, he is a typical 4th liner. Great on faceoffs which is a bonus but doesn't kill penalties and has very little offensive skill. I had a post that somehow was deleted for some odd reason saying this, but I don't see why at this point there is complaining about his EVTOI as it really falls in line with all of the other 4th liners the team has used this season. Glass and Adams get 35 to 40 more seconds of ice time even strength than Vitale. The major difference in ice comes on the PK.

I like Vitale, don't get me wrong, but some people go overboard with their love affair with him as if he is an essential component. This board certainly has its favorites and its least favorites. This teams fortunes certainly aren't reliant on Vitales comparative TOI verses Adams and Glass.

'Vitale's strengths are best showcased when paired with other speedsters like Dupes. He can burn defenders to the outside and set guys up going to the net.

I'd bet on him to get us a big goal in the postseason over Glass or Adams.

My frustration with Glass and Adams stems from the coach viewing them as guys who can match up with top lines. That's gonna bite us sooner or later. And the DB lovers on here will gloss over it.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I agree that Vitale maybe gets his tires pumped a bit too much. He is in a lot of ways a very typical fourth liner. Or what one should be. That's probably why he gets all the love -- because he actually plays that energy role very, very well in comparison to what we're used to seeing. Vitale also has enough ability and flat out speed to make things happen occasionally in the offensive zone.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I don't get it. I know that this board has a love affair with Vitale but honestly, he is a typical 4th liner. Great on faceoffs which is a bonus but doesn't kill penalties and has very little offensive skill. I had a post that somehow was deleted for some odd reason saying this, but I don't see why at this point there is complaining about his EVTOI as it really falls in line with all of the other 4th liners the team has used this season. Glass and Adams get 35 to 40 more seconds of ice time even strength than Vitale. The major difference in ice comes on the PK.

I like Vitale, don't get me wrong, but some people go overboard with their love affair with him as if he is an essential component. This board certainly has its favorites and its least favorites. This teams fortunes certainly aren't reliant on Vitales comparative TOI verses Adams and Glass.

I don't think Vitale is any great shakes, either. HOWEVER, Vitale is just an obvious example of how we don't use players properly. I mean, he's 28 and still treated like a 'young' player. And, when you have a Vitale, you don't need an Adams on the same team. Vitale SHOULD be killing penalties (after Crosby and Malkin, of course). But there's STILL no room because we STILL have Craig Adams on this roster. And I don't think Vitale takes nearly as many stupid penalties as either Glass or Adams, but neither guy ever gets punished in any way, shape or form for continuing to put the team behind the 8-ball.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Rossi posted a blog. I found this both hilarious and odd.



http://blog.triblive.com/chipped-ic...puis-greeting-from-malkin-mistake-in-buffalo/


....so Dupuis is telling Beau not to practice? Is that some sort of sabotage to get his spot back?

And we all know how much Duper knows about helping Crosby out offensively

Duper is telling a 21 year old kid who is getting 12 minutes a game not to practice to conserve his energy?



Nice try Duper

 

[Houston Penguin]

I do believe Dupuis was talking about cutting back on EXTRA practice to conserve energy to play with Crosby .....

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

There's never anything wrong with putting in some extra practice. Ever. With anything. It's terrible advice.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Next up: Pascal Dupuis talks to Pedro Alvarez about trying to make more consistent contact with the puck, er I mean ball.

 

[djt153]

the way writers talk about 'leadership' in sports is so idiotic

 

[WayneSid9987]

Settle down Dupes.
You were a 4th liner on a Cup winning team who got lucky to play with Sid for a couple years.
Leave Bennett alone dude.

 

[Shady Machine]

I don't get it. I know that this board has a love affair with Vitale but honestly, he is a typical 4th liner. Great on faceoffs which is a bonus but doesn't kill penalties and has very little offensive skill. I had a post that somehow was deleted for some odd reason saying this, but I don't see why at this point there is complaining about his EVTOI as it really falls in line with all of the other 4th liners the team has used this season. Glass and Adams get 35 to 40 more seconds of ice time even strength than Vitale. The major difference in ice comes on the PK.

I like Vitale, don't get me wrong, but some people go overboard with their love affair with him as if he is an essential component. This board certainly has its favorites and its least favorites. This teams fortunes certainly aren't reliant on Vitales comparative TOI verses Adams and Glass.

It really boils down to him being better at hockey than Adams and Glass. He CAN kill penalties. He just doesn't bc of Bylsma's love affair.

 

[stardog]

'Vitale's strengths are best showcased when paired with other speedsters like Dupes. He can burn defenders to the outside and set guys up going to the net.

I'd bet on him to get us a big goal in the postseason over Glass or Adams.

My frustration with Glass and Adams stems from the coach viewing them as guys who can match up with top lines. That's gonna bite us sooner or later. And the DB lovers on here will gloss over it.

This has been discussed before. I don't like how much Adams is relied on although I think Glass has been much better this season over last season. Still don't think he is great by any means but it seemg the anger towards how Glass and Adams are being used is evenly split between the two and Bylsma when all the anger should fall squarely on Bylsma's shoulders. It isn't like they can refuse to take the ice when Bylsma orders them over the boards. And I agree that they are being misused... Add that to a long list of guys who fall into that category under this regime.

 

[Fordy]

Dupuis thinks he's a legit first liner and top six player that should be giving advice to young top six players.

 

[malks7171*]

he's right though. how can a guy who spends time practicing have the energy to keep up with sidney crosby, who never practices

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

There's never anything wrong with putting in some extra practice. Ever. With anything. It's terrible advice.

It's ridiculous. I can't believe what I just read. Dupuis is just dumb, I guess.

 

[Waffle Fries]

God love him, but Dupes could use a little less energy and a little more practice.

That quote explains a lot.

It really does. I mean maybe the conserving energy thing is more true for Dupuis, but I'm fairly certain someone over a decade younger than him might have a bit more energy.

There's never anything wrong with putting in some extra practice. Ever. With anything. It's terrible advice.

Exactly. It's pretty common knowledge that oftentimes Sid/Geno/Letang stay out on the ice after practice for extra work, I wonder if Dupuis tells them that's a bad idea too.

 

[djt153]

i have no problem with any veteran regardless of what line they play on helping a younger player learn how to be a pro, but telling a younger player not to practice extra and having a hack journo label it 'what leaders do' is ludicrous. i have to wonder if dupuis was messing with rossi.