Post-Game Talk: Flyers 4, Penguins 3 (OT) - **** **** ****

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

That clip of him on the golf course will be good material in mid-April and May though... granted the Pens may be there with them.

I think that's a foregone conclusion. You just know that at least one of Dumo and Letang are gonna be out a while. Possibly both with this team's injury luck. Crosby has been more than fine this season but that's one guy. Murray is all over the map, the rest of the defense are varying shades of mediocre to flat out horrific and the supporting cast is doing very little outside of like... Guentzel. Who is gonna bail THIS team out at the last second like in years past... the ghost of Evgeni Malkin? Gimmie a break.

They better just hold on to their assets and not do anything stupid. I get that they've parlayed these kinds of funks into huge success in the recent past but... man... it's been a hell of a two years for the suddenly-out-to-lunch FO and what they've chosen to do to the roster. This team doesn't have that in them.

 

[Rossi Rat]

I think that's a foregone conclusion. You just know that at least one of Dumo and Letang are gonna be out a while. Possibly both with this team's injury luck. Crosby has been more than fine this season but that's one guy. Murray is all over the map the rest of the defense is varying shades of mediocre to flat out horrific and the supporting cast is doing very little outside of like... Guentzel. Who is gonna bail THIS team out at the last second like in years past... the ghost of Evgeni Malkin? Gimmie a break.

They better just hold on to their assets and not do anything stupid. I get that they've parlayed these kinds of funks into huge success in the recent past but... man... it's been a hell of a two years for the suddenly-out-to-lunch FO and what they've chosen to do to the roster. This team doesn't have that in them.

It’s crazy that the last season they missed the playoffs was what, Crosby’s rookie year? Feel like we’re spoiled by that and take even making the playoffs for granted at times.

Yeah - they kinda limped in those back to back years the Rangers took them out in the first round. But still, even the year both Malkin and Crosby were hurt... they should’ve beat Tampa.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I think that's a foregone conclusion. You just know that at least one of Dumo and Letang are gonna be out a while. Possibly both with this team's injury luck. Crosby has been more than fine this season but that's one guy. Murray is all over the map the rest of the defense is varying shades of mediocre to flat out horrific and the supporting cast is doing very little outside of like... Guentzel. Who is gonna bail THIS team out at the last second like in years past... the ghost of Evgeni Malkin? Gimmie a break.

They better just hold on to their assets and not do anything stupid. I get that they've parlayed these kinds of funks into huge success in the recent past but... man... it's been a hell of a two years for the suddenly-out-to-lunch FO and what they've chosen to do to the roster. This team doesn't have that in them.

I'd still do things, add guys who'll be here moving forward. They never have real luck at UFA July 1st. They are much better at on the fly adjustments since that's when things come up, and you don't pass on times where what you need is sitting there, but not later.

The Pens need D-men in a bad way now. 3 of the top 4 are out at the moment.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

It’s crazy that the last season they missed the playoffs was what, Crosby’s rookie year? Feel like we’re spoiled by that and take even making the playoffs for granted at times.

Yeah - they kinda limped in those back to back years the Rangers took them out in the first round. But still, even the year both Malkin and Crosby were hurt... they should’ve beat Tampa.

Yeah it's been a pretty incredible run. This core has already done more than enough. I'm just pissed they seem hellbent on cutting their window shorter than necessary.

The Pens need D-men in a bad way now. 3 of the top 4 are out at the moment.

Yeah and they weren't exactly playing terrific hockey before they lost those two.

 

[Rossi Rat]

I don't hate Gritty the mascot, he's a pawn in all of this.

I hate the league allows teams/players to act on their level.

Oh right after we talk about this - the NHL twitter account tweets out a picture of Gritty “streaking” with the caption “This deserves to be in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. ”

...ok

 

[Gurglesons]

Yeah it's been a pretty incredible run. This core has already done more than enough. I'm just pissed they seem hellbent on cutting their window shorter than necessary.



Yeah and they weren't exactly playing terrific hockey before they lost those two.

I don’t see our window being cut short.

We’ve done great work to bring in Pettersson and McCann who are young players with good potential. ZAR has proved be is an NHLer. Teddy showed good flashes.

JR just has to be smart this summer and we very easily could be the next San Jose.

Move Kessel and Maatta. Kessel for a solid young return 1st + prospect. Maatta for a roster player that is a LW.

It is why I’d be targeting Colin Miller. Exactly what we need on our bottom pairing.

 

[MrBrightside]

They are 25-14-4 since November 21, a 103-point pace that would probably win the division this year. They just eliminated all margin for error the way they played before that and are now really in trouble given how competitive the East looks to be at the top.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Oh right after we talk about this - the NHL twitter account tweets out a picture of Gritty “streaking” with the caption “This deserves to be in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. ”

...ok

"Playing to the demographic"

Is Okay.

It's not like they are forcing this into a Pittsburgh Museum.

 

[Gurglesons]

I’m sure the gritty thing was awesome in person.

Honestly it was a great game for neutral fans.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I don’t see our window being cut short.

We’ve done great work to bring in Pettersson and McCann who are young players with good potential. ZAR has proved be is an NHLer. Teddy showed good flashes.

JR just has to be smart this summer and we very easily could be the next San Jose.

Move Kessel and Maatta. Kessel for a solid young return 1st + prospect. Maatta for a roster player that is a LW.

It is why I’d be targeting Colin Miller. Exactly what we need on our bottom pairing.

I find that to be a very optimistic take with Rutherford suddenly reverting back to his Carolina ways. His quotes on JJ alone make me want to puke.

But I won't say you are wrong. Those moves, on paper at least, would go a long way towards helping things. I feel this year is a wash, though. The on-the-fly retool MUST be expertly done and implemented. Which...

 

[Angrrus]

So you’re saying he should be an elite performer with a bottom 10 defense.

The Penguins are a high event team. They have an elite offense that cannot possess the puck because their transition sucks and average goaltending. They are probably top 3 in goals top 10 in possession and middling when it comes to defense under competenent circumstances, ie if Johnson was a good player and Schultz was healthy or replaced. Instead they are top 10 in GF%, top 5 in HDCF, bottom half in possession, and bottom 10 in HDCA.

I’m saying he can’t let in softies regardless of what kind of defense is in front of him. And he’s allowed a lot of those in the last 20 months and cost us many games.

I’m saying he played elite during Cup runs, and he’s played at mediocre level, or rather even below that, ever since.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Yeah it's been a pretty incredible run. This core has already done more than enough. I'm just pissed they seem hellbent on cutting their window shorter than necessary.

To be fair, this team is way worse on the ice than they should be based on who they have on their team. If you had everyone playing to their capabilities, this team would be great. Instead, they're collapsing regularly and have 5 or so players every game that are just having terrible games.

I do agree that Rutherford seems to be reverting back into his Carolina days, though. I'm not confident in JR making the moves this team needs to make anymore.

 

[Gurglesons]

I find that to be a very optimistic take with Rutherford suddenly reverting back to his Carolina ways. His quotes on JJ alone make me want to puke.

But I won't say you are wrong. Those moves, on paper at least, would go a long way towards helping things. I feel this year is a wash, though. The on-the-fly retool MUST be expertly done and implemented. Which...

The issue with JJ is honestly that we had Maatta and Oleksiak on the D.

JJ shouldn’t be enough to torpedo us. (Key word: shouldn’t)

Moving forward you have

Jake - Crosby - X
X - Malkin - X
X - McCann - Rust
ZAR - Teddy - X

With players like Hornqvist, Bjugstad, Pearson, Simon, etc that can fill those roles as we adjust the roster and get more impact in there.

That’s basically what we had going into 2016.

In terms of D

Dumo - Letang
Pettersson - X
X - X

With Schultz, Riikola, and JJ for now.

I think we’re in a fine position especially once Tampa and Toronto hit their cap hells in two or three years.

 

[trader997]

Just watched the game, the game was rigged with Cullen's penalty to create a 4 on 3 with 3 minutes left, what a bullshit call just to make things more interesting. f*** this league...

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

To be fair, this team is way worse on the ice than they should be based on who they have on their team. If you had everyone playing to their capabilities, this team would be great. Instead, they're collapsing regularly and have 5 or so players every game that are just having terrible games.

I do agree that Rutherford seems to be reverting back into his Carolina days, though. I'm not confident in JR making the moves this team needs to make anymore.

This defense and his "vintage" Carolina defenses seem pretty similar, to me. Which is to say an afterthought with little thought put towards the team philosophy/identity... whatever the hell that is, these days. Except JR has the benefit of Letang, here. I'm just waiting for Tequila Joe Corvo to make an appearance in the organization in some capacity.

I've maintained for a while that this team has some nice names on paper. But the mix is allllll wrong. It doesn't help that oftentimes Sullivan himself seems unsure about what his own players need to be successful.

 

[Ugene Magic]

To be fair, this team is way worse on the ice than they should be based on who they have on their team. If you had everyone playing to their capabilities, this team would be great. Instead, they're collapsing regularly and have 5 or so players every game that are just having terrible games.

I do agree that Rutherford seems to be reverting back into his Carolina days, though. I'm not confident in JR making the moves this team needs to make anymore.

Up to this point until the 3 D injuries the team was depth away from competing, maybe 2/3 pieces, or just the 2. Maatta was to be back in March, but the latest injuries could force more depth needed if they still want to push for a spot. They have no leeway being the TDL is tomorrow.

They are probably working on overtime now if they were not before.

 

[pistolpete11]

I don’t see our window being cut short.

We’ve done great work to bring in Pettersson and McCann who are young players with good potential. ZAR has proved be is an NHLer. Teddy showed good flashes.

JR just has to be smart this summer and we very easily could be the next San Jose.

Move Kessel and Maatta. Kessel for a solid young return 1st + prospect. Maatta for a roster player that is a LW.

It is why I’d be targeting Colin Miller. Exactly what we need on our bottom pairing.

If Colin Miller has fallen out of favor in Vegas, I wonder if there is a change of scenery possibility involving Johnson for Miller. It probably won't happen now since the Pens will probably be looking to add to the defense without taking anything away, but...

Dumo-Letang
Maatta-Schultz
Petterson-Miller

I could live with that defense. You could look at upgrading Maatta, but I'd be OK keeping him, too. I think he missed Schultz quite a bit this year.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

The issue with JJ is honestly that we had Maatta and Oleksiak on the D.

JJ shouldn’t be enough to torpedo us. (Key word: shouldn’t)

Moving forward you have

Jake - Crosby - X
X - Malkin - X
X - McCann - Rust
ZAR - Teddy - X

With players like Hornqvist, Bjugstad, Pearson, Simon, etc that can fill those roles as we adjust the roster and get more impact in there.

That’s basically what we had going into 2016.

In terms of D

Dumo - Letang
Pettersson - X
X - X

With Schultz, Riikola, and JJ for now.

I think we’re in a fine position especially once Tampa and Toronto hit their cap hells in two or three years.

I mean... you don't have an overall bad vision here. I suspect that we'd do a few things differently but clearly you understand where the dead wood is and what needs attention.

HOWEVER... we have to rely on a doddering old fool mumbling about who hid his favorite trade deadline putter from him. Not you.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Up to this point until the 3 D injuries the team was depth away from competing, maybe 2/3 pieces, or just the 2. Maatta was to be back in March, but the latest injuries could force more depth needed if they still want to push for a spot. They have no leeway being the TDL is tomorrow.

They are probably working on overtime now if they were not before.

That's underrating the problems with this team, they're a good 4 moves and some prayers away from being a legit contender. You need to deal with Johnson, Maatta (wouldn't be until the off-season) and Kessel (Kessel's problems outweigh his positives at this point). You need to add a replacement top-6 winger, a 2nd pair LD and a 3rd pair RD. Beyond that, you need to pray the team actually starts giving an effort, Letang isn't dead and Murray plays well.

 

[Gurglesons]

I mean... you don't have an overall bad vision here. I suspect that we'd do a few things differently but clearly you understand where the dead wood is and what needs attention.

HOWEVER... we have to rely on a doddering old fool mumbling about who hid his favorite trade deadline putter from him. Not you.

While I agree I think this team is in 1st in the Metro with Schultz healthy this year.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

While I agree I think this team is in 1st in the Metro with Schultz healthy this year.

I hear you. But I refuse to chalk this miserable season up to one injury. Though once you really start to break down the ripple effect throughout the roster of that injury you can fully understand how you put that near the top of the list in the post-mortem.

 

[Chuck Norris Trophy]

PGA Tours haven't seen the amount holes Murray has.

 

[Slaaapshuter]

PGA Tours haven't seen the amount holes Murray has.

Oooh golf reference burn, I approve.

Didn't watch the game but I'll reiterate what others have said, Murray isn't the main problem why we are loosing games. If anything he needs more starts.

But he can definitely loose individual games.

And can we please ban the name Fleury from these boards, it's getting old. It's over, let it go.

 

[Ugene Magic]

That's underrating the problems with this team, they're a good 4 moves and some prayers away from being a legit contender. You need to deal with Johnson, Maatta (wouldn't be until the off-season) and Kessel (Kessel's problems outweigh his positives at this point). You need to add a replacement top-6 winger, a 2nd pair LD and a 3rd pair RD. Beyond that, you need to pray the team actually starts giving an effort, Letang isn't dead and Murray plays well.

They were a glue guy or two to make sense of the roster away.

The Pens have gone into playoffs with way worse. The team playing just as bad leading up to the playoffs and making adjustments and then moving forward.

It comes down to do they make that impact trade and depth moves or not.

Last year they didn't and it cost them.

 

[Angrrus]

2 of those goals should’ve been stopped by Murray.

You’re not really arguing that Sid is a problem right now, are you?

I’m talking bigger picture, not just this one game.

Someone here posted our top players’ stats of on ice GF/GA on the season. Sid was smth like +3. It means his line scores roughly as much as they are scored upon.

That means: square one. His production doesn’t help the team win games.

Many fans are mislead by superficially looking at point totals, and disregarding the bigger picture.

I’m saying every single player is a part of a problem, and the higher his cap hit is - the bigger part of the problem he is.