Post-Game Talk: Flyers 4, Penguins 2 - And The Beat Goes On

[PensandCaps]

I wouldn’t call him middling, he’d instantly be the teams number 2. Big hole though without Kessel.

Is Kessel a big hole though? His production is kind of PP reliant. With Crosby and Malkin, do you need Kessel? Kessel was dreadful last playoffs. just saying, may be time to move him, team needs a shakeup.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Come on Empo. Even you have to know you are the king of knee jerks.

Riikola had a decent game. He also fumbles pucks regularly and often gets lost in coverage.

I have not noticed either of these to be common problems with Riikola. This isn't me being a knee-jerk with respect to Riikola, I just don't notice those to be problems with him. To me, he looks like Maatta if Maatta could skate well.

 

[Gurglesons]

I have not noticed either of these to be common problems with Riikola. This isn't me being a knee-jerk with respect to Riikola, I just don't notice those to be problems with him. To me, he looks like Maatta if Maatta could skate well.

Hm. Watch him and Maatta harder. There were multiple times near the boards and the blue line tonight they both were doing it and throwing floppy ass passes.

I like Riikola. But, he’s not going to be anything above a 5. He could possibly be a solid Kempny type if you pair him with Letang.

 

[PensandCaps]

I have not noticed either of these to be common problems with Riikola. This isn't me being a knee-jerk with respect to Riikola, I just don't notice those to be problems with him. To me, he looks like Maatta if Maatta could skate well.

Come on. He's decent but expecting a rookie Dman to be your #3 and play well is insane.

Riikola and especially Maatta can't be your #3 and #4.

Maatta just sucks this year for some reason and I'm a fan of his, though, he looks better of late. And he has shown he can be very good in the past.

Now, can the Pens weather the storm until. Schultz returns with

Riikola
Oleksiak
Johnson
Maatta


I say no. None of them are playing like Top 4 D.

I've also noticed Riikola's puck handling issues. But that's expected with a rookie. He's still better than anyone not named Dumo and Letang.

 

[PensandCaps]

If you can get a legit top3 guy to pair with Schultz by trading Kessel.

A bottom pair of

Maatta-Riikola would be very good.



Buuut if that happened, we know Damn well they won't scratch JJ and will just sit Riikola.

 

[DegenX]

You all remember that Schultz had a 4 month recovery window, so he's not expected back until around the middle of February, right?

 

[PensandCaps]

You all remember that Schultz had a 4 month recovery window, so he's not expected back until around the middle of February, right?

Well. We are doomed.

 

[Turin]

I’m good with Riikola-Maatta if JJ and Oleksiak are shot into space, sure.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Is Kessel a big hole though? His production is kind of PP reliant. With Crosby and Malkin, do you need Kessel? Kessel was dreadful last playoffs. just saying, may be time to move him, team needs a shakeup.

Yes. It's a huge hole, and you would be deferring to next season moving him. It's still early enough to make the right changes and push into the playoffs.

You are shaking the wrong tree.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

It's Sprongs fault!
No wait..
The bottom 6 can't score!
Oh wait..
We ran into a hot team!
Nah that isn't it..

DeSmith should have been better, the defense is capable of playing better, the issue is far less the players (which is an issue) right now than it is the coach.

Lol, get Sulky the f*** out. Change the guard. Should have waited on that 3yr extension on JR too. Given this cores age, wasting even this year after last year closes the window even more.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I think they need to rebuild what they can (JR.) and put it in their lap this is it, make it work. Just like 2015/16, but it won't be as pretty.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Come on Empo. Even you have to know you are the king of knee jerks.

Riikola had a decent game. He also fumbles pucks regularly and often gets lost in coverage.

WTF is this? No? Coverage has been his greatest strength???

His weakness has been transitioning the puck and clearing the zone. Also, he's not producing enough offense. Just like the majority of our D.

Despite all this though, we still profit from playing him more than we do Maatta, often Oleksiak and about half the time Johnson. He defends well. Judging by what we saw from Letang in recent games, we could use some responsible play right now.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I think they need to rebuild what they can (JR.) and put it in their lap this is it, make it work. Just like 2015/16, but it won't be as pretty.

The roster isn't the only thing that needs to evolve. To make the roster do it you have to move players. But the coach had all summer and the team looks like it evolved from mediocre last year to full on shit this year.

You can move so many guys out and if you still suck, you can't reverse those trades and then you're firing a coach, losing a year again and have to make moves to suit the new coaches style.

JR does not want to make the hard choice here. He's had a year and 1/4 of this shit and still thinks it's gonna get better with that staff?

Jokes on him.

 

[ronduguayshair]

Letang was the worst Penguin tonight followed by terrible games both by Kessel and Malkin.

Malkin needs to be a better 5 on 5 center. He just doesn’t do thing little things right like having his stick on the right side of the puck in the defensive zone or forcing a pass on a two on one.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

At least Sully was able to get his new favorite toy 17 minutes of action tonight! That's probably more important than the 2 points.

 

[TKalltheTime]

Remember when M.S. had control & the pulse of this team where you wouldn’t catch one player getting baited into the constant scrum / hack & wack BS that took place all game long and let the Flyers get under their skin.

Sullivan has lot this team AND it’s is full of a bunch of limp dick garbage players. It is a full on shit-show.

I can’t even believe Letang took his garbage play to new lows tonight and Malkin has been playing some of the worst hockey I have ever seen. This team is a top to bottom MESS.

 

[ronduguayshair]

This loss is 100% on the players not the coaching. Our top players sucked.

The fire Sullivan posts are really going to get old.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

This loss is 100% on the players not the coaching. Our top players sucked.

The fire Sullivan posts are really going to get old.

When this is posted pretty much every PGT, maybe it's time to look at the coach?

 

[zero8771]

You know my schtick, but in all seriousness I'm trying to figure out how Sully is part of the solution. I haven't heard a good explanation for that one.

And, to your last point, they are less so than they've been, but I was under the impression that there was no reason or inside evidence, as Sid was returning from injury, to think that Sully's job was in jeopardy.

Because he's a good coach and has earned that title. When players slump is it always the coaches fault? What about when the right players aren't in the room?

 

[zero8771]

I am not saying Blueger, DiPauli, or Johnson are going to set the world on fire, but if the identity and the idea is speed... why are we still going with these grind lines? It baffles me. I understand it against the Jets. Sure. That's a team that it makes a bit of sense. ZAR's playing time is beyond me. Fair point he did have a decent game, but it's his piss poor execution at the NHL level that does not earn 15-17 minutes a night.

But if you really wanted to focus on culture and shake it up a bit, that's the move that costs nothing.

Zar may have been the best player on his line tonight...

 

[ronduguayshair]

I think the answer lies in trading kessel for two younger players.

 

[EightyOne]

Solution to the Pens problems:

Because he's a good coach and has earned that title. When players slump is it always the coaches fault? What about when the right players aren't in the room?

A slump is like a ten game stretch. This is like game 120 in the slump. With like 40% different players from day 1 compared to day 120.

The only constant, outside of 6 players, is the coaching staff.

So...uh...

 

[BmxHockey]

Need a hard reset. Might need to sacrifice this year and truly rebuild the bottom depth.

 

[Hockey Freak 7]

When this is posted pretty much every PGT, maybe it's time to look at the coach?

Hello!
@Sidney the Kidney

Mike Sullivan and Mark Reechi !!!!

Point Blank Period.
I understand it questions and some criticism against JR.
Go back to last season and this season. Put it together and analyze it. Red flags questionable things going on . It easy to blame players.

Mike Sullivan is a huge Problem!!!! He’s one dimensional coach. Good coach . Nothing more, nothing less. Nothing elite and not great. He’s has short shelf life. Great elite coaches adapt and evolve to get the best out their players every season. Elite or not. If they are third liner, they play on the third line unless barring injuries to be promoted.

Time to move on. Not time to hurt rest of Sid& Malkin more great elite left. It happen years ago.

How the team is going. It’s the reflection of Mike Sullivan.

He’s infallible to criticism. He get a pass due to b2b stanley cups that’s far behind In the dust.
His inability to adapt, to do better systemic changes, get the the best out players on this ice, his stubbornness/ ego/ favoritism, not holding right players accountable, not playing players where they belong.. brutal line combos list goes on and on..

Sacrificing the 4 line with grinders with out speed and grit etc..
Adam Johnson and Angello can help you.
He’s one of Pittsburgh Penguins biggest issues.

Whether people like or hate Rick Tocchet. ( I love him. He’s truly missed.

You do not lose to a teams that are desperate to get points and losing throw a big crucial break down in their organization.
Against the AVs and Flyers Mike Sullivan had a chance to load up on top lines to win and shortening the bench. Better in game in adjustments. Hold players accountable. Etc..
Take a timeout or something.
He’s lost .When it’s time to do so.. He do not do it .

What have you done for me lately? Mike Sullivan.
I won’t buy nothing Sully is saying. It’s old and tiring.

Rutherford needs to stop deferring to Mik Sullivan and put him on the hot seat. He has been somewhat insubordinate.

Bring back speed, grit, heart etc..
Better supporting cast .. other than Kessel, Hornqvist, Guentzel.

Kessel isn’t the problem on this team. Very least of Penguins problems.

Brassard Trade hurt this team.
Revamped/ retool the defense corp

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Because he's a good coach and has earned that title. When players slump is it always the coaches fault? What about when the right players aren't in the room?

The Pens have looked like this for the majority of this season. They looked disorganized for a lot of last season, too. Calling this a "slump" seems to be using the wrong word to describe something that's lasted this many games.