Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: Pens vs. Cats - If you give a moose a muffin

[CrosbyMalkin]

I hated losing Hagelin but Pearson has accorded himself nicely. Very solid and most of the time on the right side of the puck. Consistent and steady performances from him thus far.

I agree, you can definitely see the overall game that made him average 40 points a year over the past 3 years. He is 26 so no reason not to expect that type of production. I think he has shown some good things and could see him take off and produce like a 40 point player the rest of the season including playoffs.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Even if it's not this year, the fact the media is picking up on it is good news.

Sid deserves some more hardware individually after missing his prime scoring title years.

I hope he wins it this year, I really do.

For him to win a rocket, art ross, hart, smythe, and then the selke...like at that point, he should just convert to defense and win the norris and finally, his dream...be a goalie and win the vezina.

You gotta think big man, go big or go home!

 

[CrosbyMalkin]

You’ll appreciate this @Empoleon8771

Crazy stats! He is lookinf better by the week. Sometimes it is hard to remember he is a rookie. He plays like a veteran of many years. Leads all rookies with +15 and has as many points as Sprong since the deal. JR made an unbelievably good deal. Some scout needs a raise.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

You’ll appreciate this @Empoleon8771

We got a f***ing solid player, I don't know why they need these "hey guys, look look..." type of tweets about him.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Great album

Maef Murray The Wael?

Kids these days, make no sense.

You mean Grant?

Wilson & Grant incoming...

 

[LOGiK]

Entertaining game.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Whoever called Pettersson our Kjell Samuelsson was bang on. The way he plays is just damn solid and his stick game is so frustrating like Kjell used to do.

Awesome comparison. Really happy with this trade.

 

[CrosbyMalkin]

Great album

Murray healthy and focused is amazing. This is the guy that won back to back Cups. He makes it look so easy. Murray reads the plays so well. This is why I said if Murray was in net we win that Blackhawks game. Nothing against DeSmith but even at his best he is no place near Murray on his game. No shame in that because I don’t think any goaltender is. 8-0 1.24 save% .963 GAA. That is just not fair.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I wouldn’t mind seeing a Pearson-Malkin-Simon 2nd line. I dont know who the 3LW would be. Grant?

I assume this is pretty possible if Horny can't go.

Jake-Sid-Rust
Pearson-G-Simon
Grant/Sheahan-Brass-Phil
Sheahan/Grant-Cullen-Wilson/Dea

 

[LOGiK]

Cullen really has been a useful player for us. I was skeptical given his age, but he's given us some offense on that 4th line, and will be a valuable asset in the playoffs as always.

Good signing by JR.

Yeah he still impresses me. To play in the NHL at his age, he was born lucky to have a durable body, but most importantly is his determination to stay in game ready shape. Not easy playing against 18 yo kids.
I played in a roller hockey league in the summer a few years back and I was in my mid late 20s and in decent shape... these 18 year kids had legs for days man..... not easy going against deterioration (age)

 

[LOGiK]

The world of the interwebz wants things defined immediately. Let it play out. Kessel grabbed us 2 Cups. We can definitively say THAT deserves in the discussion of top trade ever for the Pens right up there with the ones CP pulled. We are like 20 games in or whatever. Let it alllllll play out. We will have plenty of time to define it.

Brassard sucks. Is it finally enough time to define that one?

 

[WayneSid9987]

Thing with Rust was i was worried his prior injuries had slowed him down but a week or 2 ago during an interview in game he said "i remembered i gotta get my feet moving."
He was either dinged up and healthy now or remembered what got him to the dance.

 

[Tom Hanks]

We got a ****ing solid player, I don't know why they need these "hey guys, look look..." type of tweets about him.

I don’t think it’s anything other than really appreciating how he’s playing right now. I don’t think anyone would have forseen the impact he is having right now.

That’s not the Pens Twitter account.

 

[LOGiK]

Should have started Murray against the Hawks...would have won 10 in a row after tonight and finally ending that losing streak to them.

CDS has been good and got the Pens back in it, but Murray is back and the #1. CDS should be playing on a second of back to back games. Or at least not against the Hawks, a team we havent beaten in 4 years

I agree man. That is a little conspiracy going on there. Just a weird thing to have smitty in there and yuck it up like that like it was just over.
Too convenient especially given the anti-win streak.

 

[CrosbyMalkin]

Dumo actually came over in the Staal trade, so credit for that one goes to Shero but your point still stands. It's really hard to know which of Jimmy's moves have been the best. For me it's

1A. Daley, because Scuderi was a wreck of a corpse of a player at that point and it kick started our season that ended on top. That was a miracle and daylight robbery of a dying franchise

1B. Horny trade. I know many still love Neal but the change in attude after that one was badly needed and immediately felt. Meanwhile 72 turns into a legend in his first five years as a Pen

2. Kessel. Holy smokes, given the player and what he's accomplished here, it's insane that this isn't first every time

3. Hagelin. Because JR had big stones to undo one of his trade mistakes in Perron by "downgrading" in skill, but massively upgrading in a fit for the team

4. Schultz. One of the best cases of "buy low" I can remember

5. Bonino. Because Sutter was as vanilla as it gets and Bonino eventually gelled like no other

6. Cole. He cost us very little and served us really well


Pettersson trade has a ways to go yet but damn does it look like Jimmy hit the jackpot again.

On another note I know it's old hat to talk about what-ifs with the 2012, but good god, if Staal had netted us Dumo, the return piece for Bonino AND we had drafted Filip Forsberg (while still picking up Olli in that draft) that one would be top five in NHL history.

Edit: lousy, stinkin autocorrect

Many great ones but Kessel deal is by far the #1 trade of JR’s time hear. After that deal the Pens win the next 2 Cups and Kessel puts up almost the same amount of points as Malkin and Crosby. Also since Kessel arrival the PP is much better. PP pre-Kessel was so predictable that no team respected half the ice. Having that threat on the other side has really made a difference. We don’t win 2 Cups without that deal.

All those other trades also are great deals in themselves. Some GM’s go their whole career not making as many good deals as this. Also not many deals you could say are terrible either. Even ones we thought like Lovejoy turned out to be good. JR said he wanted a solid veteran for the playoffs and Lovejoy ended up playing top 4 minutes in that 2nd Cup of the back to backs. Everything he touches turns to gold, ha ha.

 

[LOGiK]

I agree.

I think Horny and the Cullen signing were huge in terms of the culture shift.

Shame Cullen thought he would hang it up after one season at home... could have so really definitely used him last season.

 

[Ryder71]

Whoever called Pettersson our Kjell Samuelsson was bang on. The way he plays is just damn solid and his stick game is so frustrating like Kjell used to do.

Awesome comparison. Really happy with this trade.

I think Pettersson has a bit more offensive acumen and upside than Kjell did, but generally speaking I agree. Still early on in the process but the signs are encouraging.

 

[CrosbyMalkin]

Shame Cullen thought he would hang it up after one season at home... could have so really definitely used him last season.

I agree but all we needed was a healthy focused Murray on his game and we would of beat the Caps. Murray was average in that series and we still lost some nail biters including the OT game 6. If Murray is on we are a hard out.

 

[LOGiK]

I just saw that injury to Hornqvist...

Who wants to meet up at a central location and pay a visit to Pysyk?

Out of the shadows, he'll be back.

 

[LOGiK]

I agree but all we needed was a healthy focused Murray on his game and we would of beat the Caps. Murray was average in that series and we still lost some nail biters including the OT game 6. If Murray is on we are a hard out.

Eh, Penguins gave up soooooooo many break aways. I don't know whether to credit the capitals or whut. I wish I had the strategic view overhead camera angle to watch these games. But sure as shit fire, Wilson tripped, the infamous cheapshot, Maata to spring the game winning goal.

 

[Empoleon8771]

You’ll appreciate this @Empoleon8771

Those look like the numbers of a legit top-4 D to me, idk about anyone else

 

[Crosbyfan]

Stop changing in front of the window or at least put your blinds down and people might keep their eyes on the road. You *****.

...and for God's sake stop "those" celebrations...

 

[LOGiK]

I bet it smells...what, does detergent ruin a superstition?

Washing your hands is actually a superstition. Who knew.

 

[LOGiK]

We got a ****ing solid player, I don't know why they need these "hey guys, look look..." type of tweets about him.

I swear this was the 'rat faced guy' me and a few other posters last post season were hating on. Really, it's funny how things work out.

 

[LOGiK]

Reeves just dropped his Ranger foe.