Post-Game Talk: Devils 6, Penguins 3 - Penguins Hate On @ScandaleduJour on His Birthday

[Pancakes]

It completely depends on what is put on the table.

If its a bunch of futures and a solid top prospect? Sure, I table that until the off season and let Kessel hopefully have a decent playoffs (however long that lasts) and keep his value up, but if a team comes to us with solid pieces that are ready to help us now?

I mean this isn't just about Kessel, it can be anyone that isn't deemed "core pieces that they shouldn't move."

It would have to knock my socks off to move Kessel now.

Here's the problem. Only a contender would want Kessel. And all eastern teams that are contenders don't want to help us, nor do we wanna help them. That leaves the West, but what contender would give up impact roster players for Phil now? I don't see a way to make it work mid season. After? Sure. Teams are more willing to do those deals then.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I may have said it a few hundred times to aggravate @pixiesfanyo and especially Mr 'Leave My Krissy Alone' himself, @Scandale du Jour.

Hahaha, well of course...naturally.

Even @Scandale du Jour can't salvage his fellow francophone Brassard, but he'll always have Tanger.

 

[KIRK]

There's also the fact that JR has been firm about never wanting to do it, and Mario loves Geno as well. So does Sid.

So unless Geno himself wants out, it ain't happening. If he ages and starts to be less effective I think they'll just deal with it and hope for the best.

And this is why I don't see Sully demoting ONLY Geno off the top PP. Phil AND Geno? Maybe. Only Phil? Sure. Only Geno? The only question there is how much downside there is for Sully, and I'm guessing he knows it.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

There's also the fact that JR has been firm about never wanting to do it, and Mario loves Geno as well. So does Sid.

So unless Geno himself wants out, it ain't happening. If he ages and starts to be less effective I think they'll just deal with it and hope for the best.

I think Geno is getting closer to the point where he's not so shy to vocalize his displeasure to the team. But yeah, it can definitely blow up and end very badly if it isn't sorted and the fact that it's even dragged on this long is frustrating to see.

Geno went from being cold and off his game to openly talking about needing to be better, changing his equipment and trying everything thinking it's also just him. A bad funk is what Rust had, what Geno has right now? I'd be very worried if I am JR.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

And this is why I don't see Sully demoting ONLY Geno off the top PP. Phil AND Geno? Maybe. Only Phil? Sure. Only Geno? The only question there is how much downside there is for Sully, and I'm guessing he knows it.

It's funny. He talks a big game about accountability and what not, but will make examples out of guys he knows he has more power over, but if he does that to Geno, the reverberations of that action could be so f***ing bad.

 

[KIRK]

I think Geno is getting closer to the point where he's not so shy to vocalize his displeasure to the team. But yeah, it can definitely blow up and end very badly if it isn't sorted and the fact that it's even dragged on this long is frustrating to see.

Geno went from being cold and off his game to openly talking about needing to be better, changing his equipment and trying everything thinking it's also just him. A bad funk is what Rust had, what Geno has right now? I'd be very worried if I am JR.

He should have been worried 2 months ago. As I've written, we could survive wirh a crap 3C. We could survive with a Maatta-Schultz 2nd pairing. We're toast with this Geno, period. Heck, we're toast with the Geno of mid November.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

It would have to knock my socks off to move Kessel now.

Here's the problem. Only a contender would want Kessel. And all eastern teams that are contenders don't want to help us, nor do we wanna help them. That leaves the West, but what contender would give up impact roster players for Phil now? I don't see a way to make it work mid season. After? Sure. Teams are more willing to do those deals then.

Nashville hasn't been shy about wanting Kessel or even making big moves.

A team like Nashville would give up more knowing it's not just a rental as well and Kessel also comes in at a sweet cap hit with a bit on the Leafs tab.

Preds have a lot to offer in a deal that would whet the fat man's appetite.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

He should have been worried 2 months ago. As I've written, we could survive wirh a crap 3C. We could survive with a Maatta-Schultz 2nd pairing. We're toast with this Geno, period. Heck, we're toast with the Geno of mid November.

Yup, you're 100% correct on that.

Crosby & Jake can't keep scoring and when they go cold or are held in check, teams know, the Pens are a mess after that line, makes it easy to dominate us knowing that if you get chippy with Geno right now, he's going to sink his own team.

 

[Pancakes]

I still maintain a lot of this is in Geno's head. He's taking awful shots, not skating, mishandling pucks. He didn't turn 40 this year. He's friggin 32 or whatever. He's not suddenly ass. It's in his head. Just like Sid wasn't suddenly awful under Mike Johnston.

Geno needs that moment like Sid had where Sid went home for Christmas and talked to his parents and remembered he's Sidney friggin Crosby and came back post break like a bat out of hell and went on an unholy offensive tear. Geno is fully capable of the same, he just needs to find it. And the way to start that is by giving him the right linemates. Guys who will get him the puck and work. Phil ain't that. Rust on LW aint that.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I still maintain a lot of this is in Geno's head. He's taking awful shots, not skating, mishandling pucks. He didn't turn 40 this year. He's friggin 32 or whatever. He's not suddenly ass. It's in his head. Just like Sid wasn't suddenly awful under Mike Johnston.

Geno needs that moment like Sid had where Sid went home for Christmas and talked to his parents and remembered he's Sidney friggin Crosby and came back post break like a bat out of hell and went on an unholy offensive tear. Geno is fully capable of the same, he just needs to find it. And the way to start that is by giving him the right linemates. Guys who will get him the puck and work. Phil ain't that. Rust on LW aint that.

The thing is, Geno has been in funks before, he's found a way out of it. It's not like we're talking about a 3-4yr NHL pro, like if Jake goes on this kind of funk, you just hope he figures it out soon. But with Malkin, he's been in enough of these and found himself out enough times that when it goes on this long...it's definitely something the team should not ignore and shouldn't have ignored as long as it has.

Geno has had a bad stretch of a couple of weeks to a month max, but over 2 months now, that's alarming. I think it's going well beyond his own head because even a guy like Kessel looks horrible on his wing. Something isn't right.

Edit: Crosby is a notorious slow starter, around the time he tears it up, he does it every year like clock work. That's just Sid, dude is weird like that but he's a freak of nature as well.

 

[Pancakes]

The thing is, Geno has been in funks before, he's found a way out of it. It's not like we're talking about a 3-4yr NHL pro, like if Jake goes on this kind of funk, you just hope he figures it out soon. But with Malkin, he's been in enough of these and found himself out enough times that when it goes on this long...it's definitely something the team should not ignore and shouldn't have ignored as long as it has.

Geno has had a bad stretch of a couple of weeks to a month max, but over 2 months now, that's alarming. I think it's going well beyond his own head because even a guy like Kessel looks horrible on his wing. Something isn't right.

It's weird because I thought he was turning the corner in Anaheim. He made some nice plays that game. But he's been kinda bad again since.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

It's weird because I thought he was turning the corner in Anaheim. He made some nice plays that game. But he's been kinda bad again since.

He's definitely had shifts where you're on the edge of your seat like "Oh ok, here it comes, the Geno-Beast mode!" and then it never happens because it loses its steam. I don't really know what it is, physically he looks fine, he's not favoring anything but he's now not shooting as much, he's taking shots off the heel of his blade, he's not setting up for his own shots properly, really doesn't want to shoot much if at all anymore and his frustrations aren't even the same. Usually when Geno is frustrated, he'll even pick a fight and go nuts like that, but his body language right now feels like there's way too much going on his head.

 

[Pancakes]

He's definitely had shifts where you're on the edge of your seat like "Oh ok, here it comes, the Geno-Beast mode!" and then it never happens because it loses its steam. I don't really know what it is, physically he looks fine, he's not favoring anything but he's now not shooting as much, he's taking shots off the heel of his blade, he's not setting up for his own shots properly, really doesn't want to shoot much if at all anymore and his frustrations aren't even the same. Usually when Geno is frustrated, he'll even pick a fight and go nuts like that, but his body language right now feels like there's way too much going on his head.

Seems like a prime time for Gonchar to talk him off the ledge. Or Sid.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Rust on the LW with Kessel on the RW was hilarious to me.

Like they're literally just reading their own notes and thinking what used to work might again. That worked against the Jackets a few years back in the playoffs. It hasn't since then. But hey, why not!

Jeez.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Seems like a prime time for Gonchar to talk him off the ledge. Or Sid.

I was honestly hoping Geno getting time to just be Geno at home as a Dad would let him refocus and get back on track. It is game 1 since the break, we'll see if it has, but seeing this game, not promising.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

It was beyond predictable that the Pens would suck against the Devils. Why even bother with the game? Pens should have just forfeit the game and saved us the trouble.

So idiotic at this point how this team plays against crappy clubs.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Rust on the LW with Kessel on the RW was hilarious to me.

Like they're literally just reading their own notes and thinking what used to work might again. That worked against the Jackets a few years back in the playoffs. It hasn't since then. But hey, why not!

Jeez.

I don’t think we have the right 2 wing complements for Malkin so stuff gets moved around.

It doesn’t seem to help that from the outside that Sid seem likes he only wants Simon or Rust on the RW for anything longer term. If Sid would be happy with Hornqvist then you could have Rust or Simon on Geno’s RW and it’d have to be Pearson as the best option on the LW (which we can try to improve on).
Then Phil is with the new 3C and either Pearson, new LW, ZAR or Simon (if he’s not on L2).

That said Hornqvist could work with Malkin but not with any winger we currently have.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I don’t think we have the right 2 wing complements for Malkin so stuff gets moved around.

It doesn’t seem to help that from the outside that Sid seem likes he only wants Simon or Rust on the RW for anything longer term. If Sid would be happy with Hornqvist then you could have Rust or Simon on Geno’s RW and it’d have to be Pearson as the best option on the LW (which we can try to improve on).
Then Phil is with the new 3C and either Pearson, new LW, ZAR or Simon (if he’s not on L2).

That said Hornqvist could work with Malkin but not with any winger we currently have.

If they are going to commit to Horny as his RW, I think a guy like Dzingel is the ideal fit. If it's to keep Kessel there, Ferland.

 

[Tom Hanks]

If they are going to commit to Horny as his RW, I think a guy like Dzingel is the ideal fit. If it's to keep Kessel there, Ferland.

I’d bet Sully's preference is Phil on L3. Things don’t always work out that way though. It wouldn’t be easy to coach this team but the rewards are great though when it comes off.

Nothing will ever be perfect and the players just have to play but 1 top 6 winger would make the lines better and easier to construct,

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I’d bet Sully's preference is Phil on L3. Things don’t always work out that way though. It wouldn’t be easy to coach this team but the rewards are great though when it comes off.

Nothing will ever be perfect and the players just have to play but 1 top 6 winger would make the lines better and easier to construct,

I've been pumping Dzingel and Ferland's name like I was their agent working off 100% commission. I think Dzingel is a perfect fit in the sense that he's got the wheels we need more of and he's a gritty guy that has good hands as well, Ferland is a physical player that is a solid player but he's going to be coming at a premium cost and I think I am leaning more towards Dzingel hoping he works and is retained after the season as well.

 

[Tom Hanks]

I've been pumping Dzingel and Ferland's name like I was their agent working off 100% commission. I think Dzingel is a perfect fit in the sense that he's got the wheels we need more of and he's a gritty guy that has good hands as well, Ferland is a physical player that is a solid player but he's going to be coming at a premium cost and I think I am leaning more towards Dzingel hoping he works and is retained after the season as well.

I don’t know much about Dzingel but sounds good. Yeah Ferland is going to cost more and likely a rental unless he worked really really well with Malkin and wanted to stay (we’d probably be moving Pearson out in the summer then).

 

[KIRK]

I still maintain a lot of this is in Geno's head. He's taking awful shots, not skating, mishandling pucks. He didn't turn 40 this year. He's friggin 32 or whatever. He's not suddenly ass. It's in his head. Just like Sid wasn't suddenly awful under Mike Johnston.

Geno needs that moment like Sid had where Sid went home for Christmas and talked to his parents and remembered he's Sidney friggin Crosby and came back post break like a bat out of hell and went on an unholy offensive tear. Geno is fully capable of the same, he just needs to find it. And the way to start that is by giving him the right linemates. Guys who will get him the puck and work. Phil ain't that. Rust on LW aint that.

The only thing that rescued Sid from his Mike Johnston rut was firing the coach.

 

[EightyOne]

Lolpens

What CAN you do?

 

[KIRK]

Rust on the LW with Kessel on the RW was hilarious to me.

Like they're literally just reading their own notes and thinking what used to work might again. That worked against the Jackets a few years back in the playoffs. It hasn't since then. But hey, why not!

Jeez.

Actually it hadn't been used since game 1 of the following round, so Im not sure your point holds.

That said, I've always said Rust is so much better on Geno's RW than his LW and that he's probably a better option for Geno's RW than Phil or Horny.

Unfortunately, we're also at the point where Rust is the best available option for Geno's LW.

 

[KIRK]

The thing is, Geno has been in funks before, he's found a way out of it. It's not like we're talking about a 3-4yr NHL pro, like if Jake goes on this kind of funk, you just hope he figures it out soon. But with Malkin, he's been in enough of these and found himself out enough times that when it goes on this long...it's definitely something the team should not ignore and shouldn't have ignored as long as it has.

Geno has had a bad stretch of a couple of weeks to a month max, but over 2 months now, that's alarming. I think it's going well beyond his own head because even a guy like Kessel looks horrible on his wing. Something isn't right.

Edit: Crosby is a notorious slow starter, around the time he tears it up, he does it every year like clock work. That's just Sid, dude is weird like that but he's a freak of nature as well.

It's actually 3 months now.

And, much as addimg Ferland or Dzingel would help Geno, the RW absolutely needs to be Rust.

It won't be.