News Article: Forbes' Hockey Analysis: It's not for us. To be revisited.

[Al Smith]

I admire this article's courage and incisive analysis. It's willing to go WAY out on a limb and predict the Pens won't win the Stanley Cup, contrary to the myriad experts and Penguin insiders who have all publicly opined that the Pens are the heavy odds-on favorite now that they have Kessel. It also cited the lack of depth as being a problem, but didn't fall into the trap of suggesting that Kessel's signing helps that issue.

Sign me up for a paid subscription.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

The question mark with this team lies in the fact it will have 4 blueliners on it who are in their mid to early 20's. I'm completely confident in the forwards at this point.

Ducks had three blueliners 24 and under on their top four and four total that were 24 and under in their top six.

They made it to the WCF.

It's just not something I'm worried about. I'm make concerned with Scuds and Lovejoy being in a top four role.

 

[mpp9]

Ducks had three blueliners 24 and under on their top four and four total that were 24 and under in their top six.

They made it to the WCF.

It's just not something I'm worried about. I'm make concerned with Scuds and Lovejoy being in a top four role.

I know you mentioned Dumoulin in the other thread. If he could become a secondary option as a shutdown defender with his reach, like a shorter Hal Gill, I like our chances.

DP will still be raw, but if he can be given minutes on the PP to make an impact and sheltered a bit at ES, he'll be a major net plus for this team.

 

[madinsomniac]

Chicago had Kane and Towes, yet felt the need to go out and spend a fortune on Hossa, because no matter how good a player is, without players who can be a threat without the stars input, the stars themselves can be contained or even shut down.

6 years of third liners masquerading as top 6 guys and yet producing when it didn't count have made this lie plausible... much like the idea that the pens D before the injuries and stupid trade was bad last year... these are just myths that have been ingrained into the current knowledge base... The pens needed multiple top 6 options moreso than anything else... last year should have shown that to the world, instead the old school guys more worried about strong bottom 6 guys always win this debate.

 

[Gurglesons]

We don't need Kessel to "bring us a cup". We needed an elite goal scorer in the same age group
as Crosby and Malkin. We have one.

 

[Deutschland Dangler]

Another thing I don't get about the criticism that's pouring in now from the media and other fans is the fixation on the upcoming season. It seems like if we don't win in 2015-2016, we'll never have a chance again even when the whole point about bringing in someone like Kessel and Perron (who I'm optimistic can be resigned) was that they are long-term solutions rather than just the typical rentals.

 

[mpp9]

JR made our top 6 better than a dynasty team's in one year. If he can do that, I trust that he can acquire the necessary depth pieces to build a contender the next few years.

Third line centers are not difficult to find if Sundqvist doesn't pan out. Free agency has gems nowadays where you can rebuild your entire 4th line on the fly.

He may be guilty of being shortsighted at times, but after what he's been able to accomplish, I'll give him a couple mulligans.

 

[Penguinator]

Another thing I don't get about the criticism that's pouring in now from the media and other fans is the fixation on the upcoming season. It seems like if we don't win in 2015-2016, we'll never have a chance again even when the whole point about bringing in someone like Kessel and Perron (who I'm optimistic can be resigned) was that they are long-term solutions rather than just the typical rentals.

Agreed 100%, there's a few years left of hotness & beast mode from our generational talents. I have a feeling Perron is going to to rock so much that he'll cost us a little too much though. For those who didn't know or remember (or pretended not to) Perron couldn't train before last season due to injury, worth repeating.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Because FORBES magazine... known exclusively for financial and business insights, is a great evaluator of hockey talent, team chemistry, coaching and other factors that go into winning a Cup.

I have no idea why we're talking about this dumbshit article. We might win it we might not but Forbes is in no way, shape, or form qualified to analyze or comment on a hockey team's makeup unless the topic is finances.

Get a hobby, folks. The summer is officially boring from here on out. Go catch some fish or read a book or something.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Because FORBES magazine... known exclusively for financial and business insights, is a great evaluator of hockey talent, team chemistry, coaching and other factors that go into winning a Cup.

I have no idea why we're talking about this dumbshit article. We might win it we might not but Forbes is in no way, shape, or form qualified to analyze or comment on a hockey team's makeup unless the topic is finances.

Get a hobby, folks. The summer is officially boring from here on out. Go catch some fish or read a book or something.

To be fair the writers for magazines and newspapers known for sports, and specifically hockey, also have moronic opinions, especially regarding the Pens, more often than not.

 

[Kristopher Letang]

Because FORBES magazine... known exclusively for financial and business insights, is a great evaluator of hockey talent, team chemistry, coaching and other factors that go into winning a Cup.

I have no idea why we're talking about this dumbshit article. We might win it we might not but Forbes is in no way, shape, or form qualified to analyze or comment on a hockey team's makeup unless the topic is finances.

Get a hobby, folks. The summer is officially boring from here on out. Go catch some fish or read a book or something.

Why do you always have to say the truth?

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Get a hobby, folks. The summer is officially boring from here on out. Go catch some fish or read a book or something.

But this is my hobby.


Reading Forbes and discussing the articles is a way of life.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

But this is my hobby.


Reading Forbes and discussing the articles is a way of life.

Don't you have monocles to polish?

 

[eXile59]

His evidence isn't very convincing. His graph shows two stanley cup winners around the same cap usage.

It feels like more of an opinion with some examples.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Don't you have monocles to polish?

Monocles are so passé and nouveau riche. Besides, that is what the help is for.

 

[plaidchuck]

Meanwhile the hawks trading away a star not even in his prime yet is ignored.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Meanwhile the hawks trading away a star not even in his prime yet is ignored.

That's because he's not a star now that he's not a Hawk. His star status with the media became much much harder to reach now that he's in Columbus. He'd get more credit and attention from the media for a 55 point season in Chicago than he would for a 70 point season in Columbus.

If they weren't in our division, I'd be hoping for them to get more attention and whatnot, but they are, so **** them

 

[plaidchuck]

That's because he's not a star now that he's not a Hawk. His star status with the media became much much harder to reach now that he's in Columbus. He'd get more credit and attention from the media for a 55 point season in Chicago than he would for a 70 point season in Columbus.

If they weren't in our division, I'd be hoping for them to get more attention and whatnot, but they are, so **** them

Indeed, I've long since moved away from Pittsburgh and frequently criticize it, but you never can grow out of the hate for Ohio

 

[Beaninfritz]

Wow this team has taken a beating for the trade overall. I'm guessing it's still the influence of the Canadian hate machine with kessel?

Leafs fan here. The media in Toronto is just insane. They behave like a bunch of catty highschool girls. Just waiting for an excuse to rip on a player.

I mean, yeah. Kessel did go cold halfway though last season, but so did the entire team. As usual, it was all about Kessel and Phaneuf as far as the media was concerned.

I still can't believe the trade actually happened. I mean, I had a feeling he was going to be traded, but honestly, you guys made out like bandits on that deal.

There were questions about Kessel being unable to score against the bruins during the playoffs of that shortened season. He put up 6 points in 7 games. He made Tyler Bozak look like a legit top 6 player.

I honestly don't know why the media keeps ripping on him. He's proven time and time again that he's elite.

Hope you guys prove them wrong and win a cup soon.

 

[BADoglick]

We have maxed out our salary cap almost every year. We have spent on more balanced teams. We had Orpik, Michalek, Niskanen, Erhoff, Scuderi, and Martin along with Letang taking up big chunks of our cap space, and all of it on the back end. When we paid those guys a lot of money, we had a balanced cap, and how did that work out? We could have not made the trade, and then sign a bunch of bottom six players with the cap space like Shawn Matthias, Joel Ward, and Blake Comeau. Which of these would you pick?

Perron-Crosby-Hornqvist
Kunitz-Malkin-Plotnikov
Dupuis-Sutter-Ward
Spaling-Matthias-Comeau

or

Plotnikov-Malkin-Kessel
Perron-Crosby-Hornqvist
Kunitz-Sutter-Dupuis
Wilson-Sundqvist-Rust

The third line is pretty solid either way, and the fourth line is remarkably better in the first scenario. But having one of the top ten players in the league, right next to one of the top five players in the league on the top line, being able to bump the best center in the world to a second line, and bumping Kunitz to a third line role makes our top nine so much better.

Or, what would probably have been even more likely, ditch Ward from that last scenario, and instead they resign Martin. And in that scenario, we're still complaining about Kunitz in a top six role, with an aging Martin signed until he's 39 years old, so we're literally making the same mistake we made with Kunitz, Scuderi, and Dupuis all over again. The Kessel trade ensured that didn't happen.

Is balance really that good a thing? Make the team top heavy, force them to play young, cheap guys. It's literally the best thing for them right now.

 

[Penguinator]

Leafs fan here. The media in Toronto is just insane. They behave like a bunch of catty highschool girls. Just waiting for an excuse to rip on a player.

I mean, yeah. Kessel did go cold halfway though last season, but so did the entire team. As usual, it was all about Kessel and Phaneuf as far as the media was concerned.

I still can't believe the trade actually happened. I mean, I had a feeling he was going to be traded, but honestly, you guys made out like bandits on that deal.

There were questions about Kessel being unable to score against the bruins during the playoffs of that shortened season. He put up 6 points in 7 games. He made Tyler Bozak look like a legit top 6 player.

I honestly don't know why the media keeps ripping on him. He's proven time and time again that he's elite.

Hope you guys prove them wrong and win a cup soon.

Thanks & you know what? About a dozen Leafs fans came here since the trade & only one was annoying so maybe you dig sportsmanship after all. I guess the Congo Toronto media jungle circus made you sound worst than you are.

 

[Son Goku]

JR made our top 6 better than a dynasty team's in one year. If he can do that, I trust that he can acquire the necessary depth pieces to build a contender the next few years.

Third line centers are not difficult to find if Sundqvist doesn't pan out. Free agency has gems nowadays where you can rebuild your entire 4th line on the fly.

He may be guilty of being shortsighted at times, but after what he's been able to accomplish, I'll give him a couple mulligans.

Yep exactly. I have a lot more trust in JR now than I used to. As long as he fixes our defense the rest will work out.

 

[cygnus47]

I think the idea that we are unbalanced this year is fair though. We have a weak D corps. The good thing is that the top 6 solutions are genuine, permanent solutions and while the D are average to below average, the older guys are the useless ones instead of the younger goes so we should expect to see improvement over the next season or two. I would still like to see a real #3D brought in because I think it is doable without losing anything and will improve our team, but that doesn't take away from what HAS been done.

 

[Penguinator]

I think the idea that we are unbalanced this year is fair though. We have a weak D corps. The good thing is that the top 6 solutions are genuine, permanent solutions and while the D are average to below average, the older guys are the useless ones instead of the younger goes so we should expect to see improvement over the next season or two. I would still like to see a real #3D brought in because I think it is doable without losing anything and will improve our team, but that doesn't take away from what HAS been done.

Cool but Letang & Määtta aren't exactly average.

 

[cygnus47]

Cool but Letang & Määtta aren't exactly average.

Basically every team has one top 4 pairing. One great pairing doesn't win you championships, see: Nashville, Minnesota etc