Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: Geno dusts off the old g-mode and puts on a 3rd period show

[LOGiK]

League update, Flyers win 3-1 in DET. 6 points behind penguins, equal gp.

 

[LOGiK]

Malkin 18 goals this season, Tom Wilson, 15. *BARF*

 

[TheTang58]

Put Riikola back in over Ruhwedel, keep ZAR with Malkin and make the 2nd pair Pettersson-Schultz. I'd like this team's chances a lot more with those moves.

Why scratch Riikola or anyone else for that matter over Johnson?

 

[Hobodrifter]

Tighten up team defense. Win playoffs. It's that or bust. They score enough, especially if Geno is back. If GMJR adds a winger, it better be a defensive specialist.

 

[KIRK]

Then he should be fired, forreal.

Spoiler: If JR is Fired

Guerin is the heir apparent

 

[Hobodrifter]

Why scratch Riikola or anyone else for that matter over Johnson?

Because they want even pairings hand wise. Plus, JJ will be allowed to maul people in the playoffs, it's NHL officiating.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Spoiler: If JR is Fired

Guerin is the heir apparent

I'd legitimately rather let 48-year-old Guerin play 4 minutes a night on our 4th line than handle GM duties.

 

[ownal]

Malkin 18 goals this season, Tom Wilson, 15. *BARF*

He will finish with 30+.

 

[LOGiK]

He will finish with 30+.

OV just got 40. *BARFFFFFFFFF*

 

[ChaosAgent]

OV just got 40. *BARFFFFFFFFF*

This has been a really bad year for Malkin, but I'd be very happy if it ended well. I think when you combine playing in front of not-Letang/Dumo, the fact that he and Phil don't actually work anymore, and our sloppy team structure...that is a lot of the issue.

Unpopular opinion: I do wonder if his best position soon might be wing, for either Sid or a new 2C (let's be honest JR loves Duchene and is going to make a play between now and August). Late-career Malkin would still be a top 5-10 winger in this league and I think him and Sid could dominate together. Having fewer defensive responsibilities would really help...I think back to the game he played with Riley Sheahan of all people and he looked superb.

 

[EightyOne]

I agree, Geno should shift to wing if it's possible.

Him+Sid=Pens sun setting, that's not a good idea for success...one line team.

 

[KIRK]

This has been a really bad year for Malkin, but I'd be very happy if it ended well. I think when you combine playing in front of not-Letang/Dumo, the fact that he and Phil don't actually work anymore, and our sloppy team structure...that is a lot of the issue.

Unpopular opinion: I do wonder if his best position soon might be wing, for either Sid or a new 2C (let's be honest JR loves Duchene and is going to make a play between now and August). Late-career Malkin would still be a top 5-10 winger in this league and I think him and Sid could dominate together. Having fewer defensive responsibilities would really help...I think back to the game he played with Riley Sheahan of all people and he looked superb.

More Unpopular Opinion: Much as we've all enjoyed the 'Malkin on the wing' stints over the years, I wonder if we might have a GM who could surround Malkin with players designed to complement him and a coach with the willingness to actually use those players with Malkin.

EDIT: For example, maybe a GM who moves up Sheary and Hunwick to free up 5 million could try something more constructive than doubling down on another year at 2M for Riley Sheahan and a contract for Jack Johnson that might not end until after I'm dead.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I agree, Geno should shift to wing if it's possible.

Him+Sid=Pens sun setting, that's not a good idea for success...one line team.

Watching McDavid and Drai this week, I wonder if a team like that is doomed to being a 1-liner or if smarter management would have figured out how to make a decent second line. Maybe the issue is that RNH is such a meh player for a 1OA.

If we still had Jake + an impact 2C in play, I'd think there'd be enough there to not be a 1-line team?

 

[EightyOne]

More Unpopular Opinion: Much as we've all enjoyed the 'Malkin on the wing' stints over the years, I wonder if we might have a GM who could surround Malkin with players designed to complement him and a coach with the willingness to actually use those players with Malkin.

It'd be neat to get wingers who aren't left over garbage or from Sid who didn't like them...

 

[ChaosAgent]

More Unpopular Opinion: Much as we've all enjoyed the 'Malkin on the wing' stints over the years, I wonder if we might have a GM who could surround Malkin with players designed to complement him and a coach with the willingness to actually use those players with Malkin.

Malkin could still be "complimented" as a winger no?

 

[KIRK]

Malkin could still be "complimented" as a winger no?

No.

He's not a winger.

It'd be neat to get wingers who aren't left over garbage or from Sid who didn't like them...

On a good day, it's been sloppy seconds for Geno. On a bad day, his linemates are chosen after the third line also is constructed.

 

[Gurglesons]

Watching McDavid and Drai this week, I wonder if a team like that is doomed to being a 1-liner or if smarter management would have figured out how to make a decent second line. Maybe the issue is that RNH is such a meh player for a 1OA.

If we still had Jake + an impact 2C in play, I'd think there'd be enough there to not be a 1-line team?

RNH has been on pace for 60+ points this year and last?

 

[ChaosAgent]

No.

He's not a winger.

He's a mega-talented offensive player, first and foremost. Mega-talented offensive players can play anywhere. Jake was a center and he is now our best winger. Geno would be even better. As he ages I want him to have a little bit less defensive responsibility for his line.

I do think Malkin traditionally works best in a Neal-Malkin-Kunitz (11-12) type of scenario, but to your point we haven't surrounded him with that. I guess HGH worked pretty well for a brief stint last year. Kunitz 11-12 was a really good player - yet another example of a guy I'd move Phil for.

 

[ChaosAgent]

RNH has been on pace for 60+ points this year and last?

He is not impactful. You could see it when we played.

I'm not saying he's a bust, but if you're picking 1-1 you're certainly hoping for better than RNH.

 

[Gurglesons]

He is not impactful. You could see it when we played.

I'm not saying he's a bust, but if you're picking 1-1 you're certainly hoping for better than RNH.

I guess, he’s a solid player. They should be running McD, Drai, RNH down the gut. Issue is the only wingers they have are Drai and RNH lol.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I guess, he’s a solid player. They should be running McD, Drai, RNH down the gut. Issue is the only wingers they have are Drai and RNH lol.

I feel you man. But when we bottom out in 2023-2025, I hope the year that Uncle Gary rigs the lottery for us we get a McDavid, McKinnon or Matthews.

 

[LOGiK]

This has been a really bad year for Malkin, but I'd be very happy if it ended well. I think when you combine playing in front of not-Letang/Dumo, the fact that he and Phil don't actually work anymore, and our sloppy team structure...that is a lot of the issue.

Unpopular opinion: I do wonder if his best position soon might be wing, for either Sid or a new 2C (let's be honest JR loves Duchene and is going to make a play between now and August). Late-career Malkin would still be a top 5-10 winger in this league and I think him and Sid could dominate together. Having fewer defensive responsibilities would really help...I think back to the game he played with Riley Sheahan of all people and he looked superb.

It's not unpopular at all, it is what is going to happen. Not yet, but it will.
We have another 2-3 years before I think though.

 

[KIRK]

He's a mega-talented offensive player, first and foremost. Mega-talented offensive players can play anywhere. Jake was a center and he is now our best winger. Geno would be even better. As he ages I want him to have a little bit less defensive responsibility for his line.

I do think Malkin traditionally works best in a Neal-Malkin-Kunitz (11-12) type of scenario, but to your point we haven't surrounded him with that. I guess HGH worked pretty well for a brief stint last year. Kunitz 11-12 was a really good player - yet another example of a guy I'd move Phil for.

1. HGH worked last year because Geno went god mode and Hags went on one of his 'oh, I have hands' streaks. Not unlike what happened during the 2009 playoffs with Talbot (and Feds playing the Horny role).

2. Frankly, for as good as Kunitz was with Geno in 2011-12, I still prefer Malone circa 2007-2008. A little better on the boards and at going to the net in a way that Geno could trail with the puck and get off his wrist shot with a screen.

3. Yes, mega talented players CAN play anywhere. Why, Sid CAN play wing. BUT, there's a difference between CAN and SHOULD. And to suggest Geno needs 'a little less defensive responsibility' demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of his game. For example, under a year ago, with HGH, Geno was getting the toughest matchups Sully ever gave him, and Geno thrived from that.

Honestly, 'well, the GM has screwed up, so let's move Geno to wing' just doesn't ring true for me.

 

[Jacob]

Not only does the team defense need work from a structural or systematic standpoint but even just from a fundamental perspective it seems like *nobody* has been willing to take the body, rub someone out on the boards during a cycle, or put someone on their ass in front of the net before they get a 2nd or 3rd wack at a loose puck. We're not built to be a punishing team that is like, basic stuff that should be ingrained into the D-men, if not the collapsing forwards too.

 

[ChaosAgent]

1. HGH worked last year because Geno went god mode and Hags went on one of his 'oh, I have hands' streaks. Not unlike what happened during the 2009 playoffs with Talbot (and Feds playing the Horny role).

2. Frankly, for as good as Kunitz was with Geno in 2011-12, I still prefer Malone circa 2007-2008. A little better on the boards and at going to the net in a way that Geno could trail with the puck and get off his wrist shot with a screen.

3. Yes, mega talented players CAN play anywhere. Why, Sid CAN play wing. BUT, there's a difference between CAN and SHOULD. And to suggest Geno needs 'a little less defensive responsibility' demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of his game. For example, under a year ago, with HGH, Geno was getting the toughest matchups Sully ever gave him, and Geno thrived from that.

Honestly, 'well, the GM has screwed up, so let's move Geno to wing' just doesn't ring true for me.

Nice post here, I agree with many of your points.

On point #2, I think the game has changed over the last few years to where a guy like Malone '07-'08 isn't quite as effective. Malone '07-'08 was a very good player at that time, but I don't know how good he'd be now. The game moved slower then. Kunitz '11-'12...really Kunitz up until '14-'15 would be a great piece for either Sid or Geno today.

Point #3, I get it. But I'm not talking about 24 year old Malkin or 27 year old Malkin or even last year's 31 year old Malkin. I'm talking about Malkin heading into his graceful decline (now that I've seen his last 5 games, I'm off the ledge that it won't be graceful) at age 33+. So it changes my calculation on his position.

But frankly, we know there will be an incredible amount of line-juggling so nothing would be permanent, either way.