Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: SHORTY AVALANCHES A WIN!!

[Dipsy Doodle]

Tanev is 4th in hits with 30, 1st in penalties drawn with 9 in 7 games, Penguins are 6th in PP goals even though they rank 13th in PP%, and he has ZERO penalty minutes.

That kind of player makes a difference in Wins and Losses. I don't care if Tanev and Horny appear to be overpaid and mostly play in the bottom six. If we are under the cap, and still afford talent like Sid and Geno, you cares - you need role players that make a difference. Net front presence and relentless motors win games, and surely win playoff games. There is a premium to pay for those players as well and so be it.

Fair to say Tanev has been as good as we could've expected in a best-case scenario. If he can keep this up nobody will have any reason to criticize his contract.

 

[BHD]

 

[TooManyHumans]

Fair to say Tanev has been as good as we could've expected in a best-case scenario. If he can keep this up nobody will have any reason to criticize his contract.

I am thrilled to say that to this point I was wrong that signing him to that contract was a horrible idea. I still think the term was absurd but if what we have gotten so far is indicative of Tanev the player then he is worth what he is getting paid.

 

[TooManyHumans]

Btw, I have already enjoyed this season more than I expected to after the first couple of games. It is amazing what injecting some youthful energy has done to this team. They are a ton of fun to watch right now.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

The Dominik Simon™

 

[Doogle]

Some thoughts from the game in person:
1. Damn Tanev is fast. He's our new Hagelin. People crapped on the term but players like him are difference makers in the playoffs.
2. Jake's got some slick mitts
3. Marino plays a really sound game. His outlet passes are so smooth and subtle. Someone compared him to Paul Martin, but honestly I've never seen Martin take the body and separate someone from the puck like Marino was doing. I think that he's going to be special, and ultimately I think he's going to be the biggest reason Schultz won't be resigned.
4. The beer selection was better for the Modest Mouse/Black Keys concert. Spiked Arnold palmer, blue moon, or Coors lite? Blah. I'm not looking for all these hipster ipas or anything but come on, can't I get like a Sam Adams or something? Same venue, different selection. Maybe I just looked in the wrong place
5. I got spoiled at t mobile arena last year. Ppg needs an outdoor smoking section so I can hit my vape cart between periods.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

Tanev is 4th in hits with 30, 1st in penalties drawn with 9 in 7 games, Penguins are 6th in PP goals even though they rank 13th in PP%, and he has ZERO penalty minutes.

That kind of player makes a difference in Wins and Losses. I don't care if Tanev and Horny appear to be overpaid and mostly play in the bottom six. If we are under the cap, and still afford talent like Sid and Geno, you cares - you need role players that make a difference. Net front presence and relentless motors win games, and surely win playoff games. There is a premium to pay for those players as well and so be it.

Precisely put. Tanev and Horny do a ton of things that don't end up on the score sheet.

Now you can't have a whole mess of those guys, but foot soldiers like them (and Hags) are what win championships.

 

[Gurglesons]

Letang's "highlights" for that series speak for themselves. It was the same thing that happened yesterday multiplied and amplified to the nth degree, and he admitted how at fault he was. I can provide the link if you like.



Yes. He also regularly makes easily avoidable mistakes in critical situations that other defensemen of his calibre don't.

This isn't a black-or-white, "rein him in" or "let him run wild" choice. In 2-on-1s, simply trust your goalie to worry about the shooter and make sure the pass doesn't get through. This is entry-level defensive knowhow here and doesn't require Letang to do anything beyond the most basic things they teach you in the sport.

Funny how Letang and Dumo kept one of the best centers in the game to one goal going head to head all night and we focus on a Letang misplay rather than the fact a defensive breakdown resulted in a 2 on 1.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Funny how Letang and Dumo kept one of the best centers in the game to one goal going head to head all night and we focus on a Letang misplay rather than the fact a defensive breakdown resulted in a 2 on 1.

I'm not making criticisms of Letang overall here. He's been great this season. But the avoidable mistakes are cringe-worthy.

 

[Andy99]

It was a tight game where Sid went up against one of the most dynamic lines in hockey. It went to OT. We played a 4th line of a 7th D and two AHL'ers. We had almost our entire middle 6 out injured.

Sid played 2½ minutes more than usual.
If you have an issue with this... it is... about you, not Sully, IMO.

Sid played 23 minutes in the previous game too...we'll have an issue with it in April if they don't start coming down soon...

 

[Peat]

Sid played 23 minutes in the previous game too...we'll have an issue with it in April if they don't start coming down soon...

Get through Geno's injury without derailing the season and go from there.

 

[Beauner]

Sid played 23 minutes in the previous game too...we'll have an issue with it in April if they don't start coming down soon...

Sid played 18:24 against Winnipeg? He's averaged a little over 21 minutes per game so far, which probably isn't ideal, but I doubt that keeps up all year.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

I dunno if he's been mentioned in the thread, but a word for Blandisi.

We kind of picked him up off the trash pile, but he caught my eye as a rookie in NJ and he's brought speed and grit in his own right. Usually makes the smart play too. He can be my 4th line call-up any time.

Looks a lot better this year than he did last year during his stint with the team.

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

That's like the kiss of death man. You know Mario once fist bumped Hoffa?

 

[Gurglesons]

I'm not making criticisms of Letang overall here. He's been great this season. But the avoidable mistakes are cringe-worthy.

Yes. He also regularly makes easily avoidable mistakes in critical situations that other defensemen of his calibre don't.

This isn't a black-or-white, "rein him in" or "let him run wild" choice. In 2-on-1s, simply trust your goalie to worry about the shooter and make sure the pass doesn't get through. This is entry-level defensive knowhow here and doesn't require Letang to do anything beyond the most basic things they teach you in the sport.

What is the above then?

Letang tried to play the way you said in 17-18 and it resulted in yourself question how and why we would want him back. He’s playing his game. The overcommitments are 100% part of that. It didn’t work once on a top three center in the league last night. It worked multiple times following that goal.

 

[Pens17]

Fair to say Tanev has been as good as we could've expected in a best-case scenario. If he can keep this up nobody will have any reason to criticize his contract.

Correct in theory but most assuredly one and likely more of the faithful will have negative comments regarding Tenev’s contract and GMJR's signing of a very solid hockey player.

 

[ziggyjoe212]

The 2nd assist should be abolished from hockey. It is nothing more than blind stat padding.

 

[DesertPenguin]

I think this team needs to move at least 2 players, because the young guys are showing they deserve to be playing right now and they can't even be up in the NHL with a healthy roster. The Penguins have almost no roster flexibility, they have 21 skaters who require waivers in the NHL and the Penguins don't usually waive NHLers. You need to move a few of those guys so you have roster spots/expanded roles for guys like Lafferty, Marino, Simon and ZAR.

When healthy, the Penguins appear to have something like this right now:

Guentzel-Crosby-Simon
Galchenyuk-Malkin-Rust
McCann-Bjugstad-Hornqvist
ZAR-Blueger-Tanev
Kahun-Lafferty

Dumoulin-Letang
Pettersson-Schultz
Johnson-Marino
Riikola-Gudbranson
Ruhwedel

You only need a little bit of cap space, so moving Gudbranson is probably more than enough for what you need. However, you still need to move 1 extra player to become roster compliant and you need to move a regular forward to get Lafferty in the lineup (if you want him in the lineup). That plus the fact that you're going to have to move Bjugstad eventually are the big arguments for moving Bjugstad IMO. Moving Ruhwedel in addition to Gudbranson is probably the smartest roster move, but I'd be a little concerned with taking that much away from their RD depth and Lafferty isn't in the starting lineup with those moves.

Edit: I'd also throw out the idea of moving Kahun and Gudbranson for no long-term cap back. I think you can move Gudbranson right now, but you probably only can move him in a money for money swap. However, I think Kahun may be an enticing enough addition to be able to move Gudbranson for rentals and draft picks, similar to the McCann/Bjugstad trade. Even with his struggles this year, he's still on an ELC and had a solid rookie year last year.

You need to move one of JJ or Guds. Riikola - Gudbranson or JJ-Marino should both be manageable for a 3rd pair. Since Marino is looking good, odds are Guds is out. Then again, if you can't re-sign Schultz in the offseason, going Letang - Marino - Guds down the right would be just fine. I don't think you can keep both Schultz and Guds though. Its Letang, Marino and one of Schultz/Guds.

Rather than trading Ruh I think you just send him or Riikola down until you need them. Riikola can still pass waivers (I think) and I doubt Ruh gets claimed. Sucks for one of them, but it maintains depth in WBS for inevitable injuries when they happen.

Lafferty has a place on the big team, but those penciling him in as an every day 3C might want to pump the brakes a little bit. Lets see how he holds up over a whole season. Can he maintain this level of play or does he break down due to fatigue or injury? Is he riding the high of his first callup but will cool off?

I think at worst he ends up being a poor man's Brian Rust, which at his salary vs Rusty's probably just makes Rust more expendable.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Hard disagree. Tanev’s ten times the player Talbot was, but that kind of goes without saying.

Tanev is Hagelin's speed with Hornqvist's tenacity. I love it. That was the most Tanev goal possible. Beat guys with speed and hustle while shorthanded, create chaos and the puck somehow goes in.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

The 2nd assist should be abolished from hockey. It is nothing more than blind stat padding.

Can't tell if serious....

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

What is the above then?

Letang tried to play the way you said in 17-18 and it resulted in yourself question how and why we would want him back. He’s playing his game. The overcommitments are 100% part of that. It didn’t work once on a top three center in the league last night. It worked multiple times following that goal.

I never said he had to play safe when it comes to generating offense. He simply needs to make defensive plays on odd-man rushes that any midget player would already have ingrained. That doesn't require him to make any drastic change in his overall approach.

For the record, Letang overcommitting to a player is what led to 2 goals against last night.

 

[heysmilinstrange]

Can't tell if serious....

Midnight Judges hacked his account.

 

[Will Hunting]

Tanev reminds me a bit of good Hagelin and a bit of Dupuis too. Those are compliments. He is superfast and all heart. Gonna be very consistent and a playoff warrior too for us. Long story short.. he is a very very solid player.

That was beautiful hockey. That was smart hockey. That was a damn effective hockey. They NEED to play like that. Absolutely NEED. And its much easier to do it when Phil kessel is not here. I think you can accomodate Malkin for this system but not kessel and certainly not both. Thats the main reason why I wanted kessel out. The games like this one. Very proud of them.

 

[billybudd]

Great win last night. Pens are already a lot crisper than they were at any point last year.

Totally disagree on the heat Letang is getting. There was no good way to play that. He probably wasn't in a position to take away the pass when the turnover happened. About the only better thing he could have done is hauled the puck carrier down, but that's a 20/20 hindsight thing he couldn't have known when it was happening.

 

[USMC607]

Bro, Tanev has his own action figure...

Winnnnnnerrr