GDT: Game 15 | Pens vs Yotes | 11.10 7PM EST | Let's Go Pens!

[Gurglesons]

Tanger has been not all that great since that injury

Letang has been amazing to great to good every game.

 

[ColePens]

That's not really a good argument (in Sullivan's case) for sitting Oleksiak though. If three defensemen are playing bad defensively, but only one of them is contributing offensively, you don't sit *that* guy and play the other two who are just as bad defensively but bring zero offense.

Honestly, some of Sullivan's decision making is pissing me off at this point.

Oh amen. I'll sound like a broken record all season if Sully keeps this up. What separates good coaches from great coaches is the ability to adapt. Sully is panicking and trying to rely on past help. It's a new season and he's refusing to adapt. It's a new NHL, created by the Pens, and he's refusing to adapt.

It's still early, but I'm very disappointed in Sully. He's falling into the trap so many coaches across professional sports do. He's sinking back into a comfort zone and refusing to adapt. When that happens - it's as good as gone.

 

[ColePens]

Agree with points 2 and 3 but why scratch Maatta for Riikola. Maatta was a good D man last season. One of our best in the playoffs. Sure Riikola played well in the pre season. It’s still the pre season against lower competition.

Scratching a top 4 D for a guy who played well in some pre season games seems like something no coach would do.

If you are talking about right now that’s completely fair but not going into the season.

New season. New team. You send a message right away. The best players will play, no matter what. Earn your spot.

If you coach like that, you will see motivated guys.

 

[vodeni]

Oh I agree about Sully. To me, it's the early stages of internal panic. Actions >>> words. Here are some things Sully is doing this year that make no sense:

1) Started the season with Riikola on the sideline after a great preseason in favor of Maatta. This showed his hand early on not playing the best, but sticking with what he is comfortable with. As stated before - exactly what Bowman said not to do.

2) Sticking with Rust over and over and over again instead of using a guy like Sprong for a couple games. If you want to bring ZAR up, make it a point to sit Rust for a game. He got his contract, ****s the bed, and it's a good time to prove a point. Sit him for a game and play the youngsters. Once again - Sully sticking to his comfort players as opposed to playing the best players.

3) Powerplay - The split PP works for one shift and he immediately goes back to what worked years ago. I mean what the hell? Stop going back to what worked. Sully even quoted that from Bowman. Stop going back to what worked. It's a new season.

IMO he's panicking. And it's showing/hurting the team.

I'll take a ifferent spin. I don't think he is panicking. He is doing what he has been doing all along. Its just those things worked in the past, sometimes not because of him, but because geno or Sid or Phil or our goalies would carry the load. We won the secons cup agains teh conventionalk wisdom. no coach designed the game on rediculous PDO and greatest goaltending. We have been playing awful system for now couple of years, our NZ is basically free pass to all, our players, Anythinh he has done last two years to juggle lines with no particular thoughts, more like just throwing stuff at see whatever sticks (which I will emphasize will work only because we have Sid and Geno who maybe are heavily underated players in NHL, people don't understand what kind of garbage they had to carry on their backs for all these years)

 

[vodeni]

Letang has been amazing to great to good every game.

no, he has been OK, by far still our best d-man, but not how he played first 7-8 games,

 

[Gurglesons]

no, he has been OK, by far still our best d-man, but not how he played first 7-8 games,

...Okay. He’s clearly the MVP of this team right now.

 

[ColePens]

Yeah team MVP right now is 100% Letang. I think he's the most consistent player by a wide margin.

 

[vodeni]

...Okay. He’s clearly the MVP of this team right now.

Agree

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I hope this team keeps getting curb stomped until Sullivan smartens the f*** up with these lineup decisions. Idiocy doesn't deserve being rewarded.

 

[Peat]

New season. New team. You send a message right away. The best players will play, no matter what. Earn your spot.

If you coach like that, you will see motivated guys.

He didn't do it the first game, but he did the second. Scratched Maatta for Riikola just like that. How often do you see long time successful team players with big long contracts HSed for rookies? Then he did it with Oleksiak. Then he effectively scratched Murray for DeSmith vs Toronto and is doing so tonight... like, how many HSs of vets for rookies are we looking for before guys get motivated?

 

[Tom Hanks]

New season. New team. You send a message right away. The best players will play, no matter what. Earn your spot.

If you coach like that, you will see motivated guys.

Maatta was in our best 6 D going into the season. If your concerned about motivation wouldn’t sitting him for Riikola be demotivating too (on that I’m all for self motivation over anything anyways).

There were a bunch of WBS guys who did well in the preseason. Doesn’t mean they should start game 1. Let it play out.

I’m sure they spoke to Riikola and said he did well and they called him up and he has gotten some chances.

 

[vodeni]

Riikola and maatta is outright scary pairing...I'd rather see Maatta and Ruh and play Riiko with Dumo

 

[Andy99]

you mean those scary Devils that lost 9 out of last 10

Yet somehow we manage to vomit all over ourselves when we have to play them....

 

[K Fleur]

Oleksiak out but JJ gets on the top pairing. Sully...

 

[Andy99]

Olek is like half our offense the last 5 games...can’t believe he’s sitting....

I wonder if there’s an imminent trade involving Olek and Sprong....

 

[Empoleon8771]

Lol

 

[ColePens]

The fact they have to defend this guy so much tells the real story. I cannot believe JR made this signing. f***ing insane.

 

[WayneSid9987]

I don't mind inserting Riiko for someone at all...but for Big Rig? Dat ain't it chief.

One could say Rig may be on the trade market(highly doubtful) OR they're trying to showcase the ones that actually are(Olli, Riiko, Ruh).

Dunno.

ETA: They've actually found a spot for JJ. Until he drags Letang down, i won't be complaining about him.

 

[Tom Hanks]

I don't mind inserting Riiko for someone at all...but for Big Rig? Dat ain't it chief.

One could say Rig may be on the trade market(highly doubtful) OR they're trying to showcase the ones that actually are(Olli, Riiko, Ruh).

Dunno.

ETA: They've actually found a spot for JJ. Until he drags Letang down, i won't be complaining about him.

Not sure if they actually “showcase” players at least not anymore. There’s plenty of video to look at although that doesn’t give you the whole ice view which is what coaches would want to see more of.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Riiko Fata

 

[Gurglesons]

Lol

God, JR. It’s okay to shut your mouth.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

You can tel JJ is suspect because they've been pushing the "lol you fans are dumb and JJ is awesome. leave the thinking to us. lol" narrative since just about day 1.

 

[vodeni]

JJ on the first pair is actually the only possible move. I like it. considering we have three right handers (Letang Ruh and Riikola (can play right), the only plays that coach can hide JJ and ensure that those millions tied up in him are actually not bleeding minuses, is with Letang. So short of trading him please accept that this is his best position. That leaves Dumo to carry second worst right hander and that should be Riikola

 

[Empoleon8771]

You can tel JJ is suspect because they've been pushing the "lol you fans are dumb and JJ is awesome. leave the thinking to us. lol" narrative since just about day 1.

I think it's a little bit of both, where fans abuse advanced stats and think they know more than they do, and the GM is defending an asinine contract he gave out. I don't disagree, it does seem like the Penguins executives have had a "you guys are idiots" stance towards fans about the JJ contract. I just think they're not entirely wrong

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I think it's a little bit of both, where fans abuse advanced stats and think they know more than they do, and the GM is defending an asinine contract he gave out.

That's fair. I get a little hyperbolic when I talk about this team's propaganda arm... er... media coverage.