Post-Game Talk: Flames 2, Penguins 1 - Jarry Deserved Better

[Dipsy Doodle]

I personally would love to hear his answer because the guy is a freaking genius when it comes to hockey. He lives the sport. For every single minute I've studied the game, he's put in probably double the time/work and his mind is so brilliant for the game. Sometimes it's too brilliant as nobody else is on the same level.

So ultimately I would kill to hear his reasoning and what he sees. I know he freaking HATES dump-ins. I've seen some mic'd up spots where he keeps telling Horny not to dump it in. But it would be terrible to see Horny try to skate it in at the gray areas.

I doubt he'd ever explain, but I bet you if he gave a 10 minute talk on it, we'd all probably understand his perspective a little more.

An explanation would be great, but yeah, not likely forthcoming. I'm trying to wrap my head around Sid apparently loving a limited-skill grinder with a non-stop motor like Dupes on his wing but disliking a limited-skill grinder with a non-stop motor like Horny there. It seems to me that both did/do their share of dump-and-chase, but I might be misremembering.

Maybe Horny just has to work on streaking down the wing and firing a slapshot as soon as he crosses the blueline.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I think it's less about that potential and more about the lack of creativity, foot-speed, or ability to create on his own with regard to his shot/pass. That's why Sid gets frustrated with Hornqvist, I'd imagine.

Dupes only really had 1 of those 3, and he was nowhere near as good around the net. That's what baffles me.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I don't mind the idea of trying Kuhn on Geno's wing because I like his defense, work ethic, and hockey IQ, but the only way it could conceivably work is if there was some legit skill on the other side, like Kessel.

He and Rust together are just too much elbow grease and too little talent.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

An explanation would be great, but yeah, not likely forthcoming. I'm trying to wrap my head around Sid apparently loving a limited-skill grinder with a non-stop motor like Dupes on his wing but disliking a limited-skill grinder with a non-stop motor like Horny there.

Dupuis was fast. End of story.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Dupuis was fast. End of story.

Could be as simple as that. Which would be awful haha.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Reading past a shake up just to get guys going is a waste of time.

 

[Empoleon8771]

As an aside, I find it funny how people are acting like the Penguins have had some horrid start to the year so far, yet they're still projected to finish 1st in the league with points based on projections at this point.

 

[billybudd]

An explanation would be great, but yeah, not likely forthcoming. I'm trying to wrap my head around Sid apparently loving a limited-skill grinder with a non-stop motor like Dupes on his wing but disliking a limited-skill grinder with a non-stop motor like Horny there. It seems to me that both did/do their share of dump-and-chase, but I might be misremembering.

Maybe Horny just has to work on streaking down the wing and firing a slapshot as soon as he crosses the blueline.

Dupuis was a lot more useful in transition/defensively and supported Crosby away from the puck a lot better in all three zones. Frankly, he may have been our consistently best forward without the puck for the short time between the beginning of Staal's contract year and #9 blowing his knee out. He also read off of both Crosby and Kunitz flawlessly (execution is another matter).

Having said that, Hornqvist does other stuff that Sid should be able to take advantage of. He's pretty good on the forecheck, draws a Hell of a lot of coverage and disrupts the other team as well as any player in the league. He doesn't skate fast, but he does play fast. The triangle plays with Dupuis mostly dummying or setting a pick aren't there with Hornqvist--but he's a much better finisher and a massive distraction to both D and goalies. I'd think that basically playing 4 on 4 with the goalie distracted would appeal to 87, but he's not seeing it that way for some reason.

I get why 87 would like being on the ice with Dupuis better than Hornqvist, but I don't understand at all why he'd rather play with Rust.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

I think your assessment of 81/71 is fair. I agree there. But I think the reality is that Sully values Kuhn a lot more than people should. He's not putting Kuhn there because he wants to see G do more. He seriously thinks Kuhn is the best option at this point while giving Kessel his own line to spread out scoring.

Sully definitely values Kuhn more than he should. All the evidence we need of that is the fact that Archie hasn't played over him once. It made some sense when the refs were handing out PP's left and right but now that it has settled down, there's really no excuse.

But if you look at it in terms of the big picture, to balance the 4 lines, a 4th liner needs bumped up to play LW. You can't bump up a C and Reaves only plays RW, which is full in the top 9. In a vacuum I'd probably prefer Jake with Geno and Rust. But that leaves a bad 3rd line and probably doesn't help Jake get out of his rut. So, given the roster he's icing, Kuhn is pretty much the only option for what Sully is trying to do.



On a side note, in a few games I'd like to see this.
Sharey Sid Horny
Jake Geno Rust
Archie Sheahan Phil
Hags Kegger Reaves

ZAR being NHL ready would have been a huge boost.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

I get why 87 would like being on the ice with Dupuis better than Hornqvist, but I don't understand at all why he'd rather play with Rust.

Rust is fast.

 

[Peat]

Rust is fast.

Yup. I think Sid prefers guys who can race down the ice with him. Or race down the ice then pull it back for him.

Just as long as they're racing.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

It's not necessarily only about speed. It's rather likely that the chemistry between Sid and Horny is not where it should be. Maybe Crosby expects Hornqvist to be in a certain spot in a certain situation, and Hornqvist's natural tendency is to be somewhere else. Sometimes, it's something as simple as that.

I understand what Sullivan has done with the lines...it's for defensive purposes. It's to get the team's attention, defensively.

That said, we need to get the offense going because that is how WE win.

The way the lines are currently constructed, we have to hope for special teams, defense and goaltending to get us points.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I think it's the opposite actually. Sully's trying to get more OZ time. Sid/the kids lineup ='ed lots of time in our own zone. Lots of one and dones. So Sully put guys that can keep pucks in the other end on each line. Horny went with Sid. He tried Kuhn with G cuz he can muck up pucks in the OZ(in theory), giving G, other winger time to swoop in and keep OZ possession. and Hags to the 4th line.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I think it's the opposite actually. Sully's trying to get more OZ time. Sid/the kids lineup ='ed lots of time in our own zone. Lots of one and dones. So Sully put guys that can keep pucks in the other end on each line. Horny went with Sid. He tried Kuhn with G cuz he can muck up pucks in the OZ(in theory), giving G, other winger time to swoop in and keep OZ possession. and Hags to the 4th line.

Kuhn can't even keep possession in a fourth line role agt weaker competition. Putting him with Malkin was probably the dumbest decision he has made since he's become the Pens coach. Every coach makes mistakes so whatever, but again, this was obvious how it was going to turn out.

Kuhn has an Adams effect on every line he skates on. We are literally reliving the Adams era again with him and his select fans using defense and shot blocking as excuses to keep him in the lineup.

 

[ncm7772]

I get why 87 would like being on the ice with Dupuis better than Hornqvist, but I don't understand at all why he'd rather play with Rust.

Agree with most of your post. Especially that last part.

 

[Coastal Kev]

I have always wondered why we won't give Hags and Kessel a long look with Sid, especially Hags.

Hags is our fastest skater, I could see him being a Dupuis ++ player with Sid.