Expectations and Predictions for 2013. Be as off the wall as you want to be

[Shrimper]

- An "intimate" video of Alyonka is found online.
- Malkin scores 40 goals
- Crosby scores 80 points
- Someone get's a concussion in the first game back
- Win the cup

The one that I'd really want to come true is obviously the last one. (Although the top one wouldn't be bad )

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Dunno if Shero has anything lined up, but Id imagine there's gonna be a flurry of activity in the coming days. With the trade deadline so late, Id prefer to get our moves done ASAP.

He had better have something planned. I know that this is a forward oritented thread, but looking back not signing Semin in hindsight was criminal negligence. If he goes into the season almost $12 million under the cap and could have added an upgrade at wing as Semin for nothing but cap space that is 'Sucko' level malpractice. And people better not give me the whole Parise pursuit thing, the Semin thing was after that fell through.

If he does nothing good with that cap space I am going to be pissed, especially since our tickets went way up again.

 

[Captain Hook]

I definitely think Shero is going to make a huge move at or before the deadline this year. I just think he has to be feeling some pressure after three straight early playoff exits and he has a lot of assets after not trading away much the past few deadlines.

 

[mpp9]

I agree we'll see him be as active as ever. We have our blue line prospect pool built. Cap space. And recent early playoff exits. All signs point to loading up for a Cup run.

 

[Sivek]

Fleury will mislplay a puck and it will lead to a goal, multiple times. After each time, fans will say "Flower's been much improved/a lot better/ looking more confident/etc at handling the puck except for that most recent ****-up."

I swear I see this every time that particular incident occurs.

 

[Antaris]

Don't see it happening.

Nothing. At. All.

And I cry a little, because we're going out in the first round. again.

Please prove me wrong, Shero and DB.




And I also hope that Fleury will be in god-like mode to shut all you damn haters up.

 

[Darth Vitale]

He may make a red panda of us all as soon as today, if McKenzie's theories are right that a bunch of deals are already agreed upon but can't be acted upon until the CBA is officially signed (which should be sometime this afternoon). Not getting my hopes up but it's one of those situations where anything is possible.

 

[Antaris]

I really hope that the team learned from last seasons debacle. McKenzies theory make sense and I hope that there's some substance behind that for the Pens.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

It makes some sense. Typically in an offseason you have teams tweak their teams based on the flaws that they saw in the prior season. That includes FA signings and trades. This was an odd year with the strike though. You had the UFA period, but the typical trade period was delayed for the most part because of uncertainty with the new CBA. The UFA market was effected by that factor as well. Some teams took some real chances there. But in any event most of the normal trade part of the equation never did occur leaving that part to now. I would not be surprised to see 20-30 trades in the next few days. Sadly I would also not be surprised to see Shero enter the season with the team as is. He is notoriously cautious with trades.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

we were 5th last year. this should be a no brainer

On the powerplay??? Really???

I could see our PK abilities being amongst top 5 in the league last year but not our powerplay. Then again it's been so long I can't remember.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

He may make a red panda of us all as soon as today, if McKenzie's theories are right that a bunch of deals are already agreed upon but can't be acted upon until the CBA is officially signed (which should be sometime this afternoon). Not getting my hopes up but it's one of those situations where anything is possible.

What'd McKenzie say???

 

[Antaris]

Basically he said that there were alot of deals done or in the making, just waiting for the MOU so it can be made official.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

On the powerplay??? Really???

I could see our PK abilities being amongst top 5 in the league last year but not our powerplay. Then again it's been so long I can't remember.

I thought that you were kidding and knew.

Our special teams were spectacular. Regular season.

5th PP %, 4th PP goals, 3rd PK %, 2nd PK goals allowed:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/stats/byteam?cat=misc&cut_type=0&sort=447


The Pens scored the most goals in the NHL and it was not even close:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/stats/b...ence=NHL&year=season_2011&cut_type=0&sort=404

Even our defense was only middle of the pack, though 5 on 5 obviously would be worse than these numbers given how stellar the special teams play was. Again regular season.

17th in goals allowed:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/stats/byteam?cat=oppteamstats&conference=NHL&year=season_2011

And all of that was with losing among the most man games in the NHL, including some of the top players in the game for huge chunks of the season. Which brings us to the point of how much one bad week in Philly has skewed perceptions of the Pens to ridiculous proportions. They sucked against Philly in the playoffs. But people seem to forget how truly good they were before that. And the tear that they went on toward the end of the year. Only a couple weeks before people were asking if the playoffs even needed to be played with how the Pens were playing. There is no reason to suspect that the Pens will be any less formidible. The core of the team is barely entering its prme. Crosby and Malkin are only 25 and 26 for instance.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

I thought that you were kidding and knew.

Our special teams were spectacular. Regular season.

5th PP %, 4th PP goals, 3rd PK %, 2nd PK goals allowed:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/stats/byteam?cat=misc&cut_type=0&sort=447


The Pens scored the most goals in the NHL and it was not even close:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/stats/b...ence=NHL&year=season_2011&cut_type=0&sort=404

Even our defense was only middle of the pack, though 5 on 5 obviously would be worse than these numbers given how stellar the special teams play was. Again regular season.

17th in goals allowed:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/stats/byteam?cat=oppteamstats&conference=NHL&year=season_2011

And all of that was with losing among the most man games in the NHL, including some of the top players in the game for huge chunks of the season. Which brings us to the point of how much one bad week in Philly has skewed perceptions of the Pens to ridiculous proportions. They sucked against Philly in the playoffs. But people seem to forget how truly good they were before that. And the tear that they went on toward the end of the year. Only a couple weeks before people were asking if the playoffs even needed to be played with how the Pens were playing. There is no reason to suspect that the Pens will be any less formidible. The core of the team is barely entering its prme. Crosby and Malkin are only 25 and 26 for instance.

Neat stats to read. Thanks for sharing.

I probably did know of our PP and PK successes last year, but that seems like ages ago. Plus I drank alot during the lockout so...

 

[ColePens]

I'm not going to hold Shero accountable as some of you are for not having the winger thing tied up immediately. We went after Suter and Parise, obviously, and it didn't work out. That happens. He went for it and it didn't work. Oh well.

Shero has been solid at filling holes and I think he will do the same this season. Can't harp on him because certain guys didn't pan out in our system (Michalek/Martin).

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

In Shero I still trust.

Just sayin'.

 

[rmartin65]

I'm not going to hold Shero accountable as some of you are for not having the winger thing tied up immediately. We went after Suter and Parise, obviously, and it didn't work out. That happens. He went for it and it didn't work. Oh well.

Shero has been solid at filling holes and I think he will do the same this season. Can't harp on him because certain guys didn't pan out in our system (Michalek/Martin).

I get not laying into Shero because guys signed elsewhere. That's fine. But it is the GM's job to find talent that fits the system.

 

[MonsterSurge]

"Pittsburgh trades Craig Adams and Ben Lovejoy to Toronto for Colton Orr and Dion Phaneuf."

^ Please?

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Just a thought though. The Pens accomplished all of those stats I listed above basically without Crosby for all but a handful of games last year (not to mention among the most man games lost overall in the NHL). You would be an idiot to not give Shero some credit for the depth of the team he assembled. The proof is in the pudding.

 

[Sh00terMcGavin]

Paul Martin turns it around and becomes a very steady top 4 d-man. Worth the money he's being paid? Nope, but becomes someone you can trust against other team's top lines.

 

[ColePens]

If Martin can play the way he did for NJ and the first year or so in Pittsburgh, he's a damn good player. Last year was just pathetic. I was so disappointed in him and Tyler Kennedy for having the stage to shine on...and completely pissing it away.

Those 2 are on the hottest of hot seats. And it looks like Bylsma might get my MT treatment this year. So I apologize in advance if I try to break down schematic flaws all season.

 

[mrzeigler]

* Dustin Jeffrey posts 33 points in this shortened season.

* Pascal Dupuis ends the season with more points that Zach Parise.

* As James Neal loses his hair, Alex Goligoski miraculously regrows his. And, damn, is it beautiful.

 

[mrzeigler]

Oh, and the Pouliot draft thread will average at least 3 posts a week through midJune.

 

[BeauKnows19]

Oh, and the Pouliot draft thread will average at least 3 posts a week through midJune.

Then, we will draft another defenseman

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

He had better have something planned. I know that this is a forward oritented thread, but looking back not signing Semin in hindsight was criminal negligence. If he goes into the season almost $12 million under the cap and could have added an upgrade at wing as Semin for nothing but cap space that is 'Sucko' level malpractice. And people better not give me the whole Parise pursuit thing, the Semin thing was after that fell through.

If he does nothing good with that cap space I am going to be pissed, especially since our tickets went way up again.

this.

people kept saying "wait til the season starts when shero has all this cap room..." well here we are.