Injury Report: Geno Has Knee Surgery

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I don't think Geno has a quit bone in his body. All the dude has ever wanted is to win. He stuck around, probably took less money, and knew he'd always be the 2C in Sid's shadow and get the leftovers when it comes to wingers--all because he knew it'd give him the best chance at the Cup. It's one reason I could see him walking after his deal, or asking to be dealt at the deadline if the team bombs badly this season and it's clear he has no shot at a Cup here anymore. He's a Penguin, but by all accounts he wants to be the only Russian to ever win 4 Cups, and if this team can't afford him that opportunity anymore, I don't think it'd be a reach for him to chase it somewhere else. By no means a sure thing, but the possibility is there far more so than Sid ever wanting out. Even if this team is stripped down to studs and bolts and goes full rebuild, Sid will go down with the ship because this is as much his organization as Mario's now.

On the other hand, I do not think Geno was ready to start the season at all. I don't know if it was a conditioning thing, but his head was absolutely not where it needed to be at the beginning of the year. He had absolutely zero confidence in his game and he looked frustrated as all hell. Don't agree that meant he had quit on the team though.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Lol

Pay this man!

(Side note, I don’t think iron does too well when sitting outdoors for too long).

 

[HandshakeLine]

I don't think Geno has a quit bone in his body. All the dude has ever wanted is to win. He stuck around, probably took less money, and knew he'd always be the 2C in Sid's shadow and get the leftovers when it comes to wingers--all because he knew it'd give him the best chance at the Cup. It's one reason I could see him walking after his deal, or asking to be dealt at the deadline if the team bombs badly this season and it's clear he has no shot at a Cup here anymore. He's a Penguin, but by all accounts he wants to be the only Russian to ever win 4 Cups, and if this team can't afford him that opportunity anymore, I don't think it'd be a reach for him to chase it somewhere else. By no means a sure thing, but the possibility is there far more so than Sid ever wanting out. Even if this team is stripped down to studs and bolts and goes full rebuild, Sid will go down with the ship because this is as much his organization as Mario's now.

On the other hand, I do not think Geno was ready to start the season at all. I don't know if it was a conditioning thing, but his head was absolutely not where it needed to be at the beginning of the year. He had absolutely zero confidence in his game and he looked frustrated as all hell. Don't agree that meant he had quit on the team though.

Hairguy's just mad because his heart can't quit Geno.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Hairguy's just mad because his heart can't quit Geno.

To be fair, I had no idea Hairguy was the convo driver here. He's either a complete nutbag or an Andy Kaufman-esque method actor, neither of which I care to partake in, so I've had him on ignore for a while.

I just kinda half-consciously scanned a few posts and saw people were talking about Geno being a quitter or something.

 

[Richard]

There was a global pandemic. No one had a normal offseason.

Point is he didn't quit on this team. Flat out wrong.

You don't have any idea what the hell you're talking about. Geno is my favorite player but to say he hasn't quit on this team in the past is NUTS.

He has gone through spells with EACH of the penguins coaches where he did Geno things and didn't care. He quit on Mike Johnson less than two months in. By quitting I mean mailing it in and/or ignoring utterly the coach.

Don't give me that shit. Ya Geno can be a playoff warrior and a wild card but he can also be lazy and decide he's done and wants to go to the beach.

That's what makes Geno ... Geno

 

[DesertedPenguin]

You don't have any idea what the hell you're talking about. Geno is my favorite player but to say he hasn't quit on this team in the past is NUTS.

He has gone through spells with EACH of the penguins coaches where he did Geno things and didn't care. He quit on Mike Johnson less than two months in. By quitting I mean mailing it in and/or ignoring utterly the coach.

Don't give me that shit. Ya Geno can be a playoff warrior and a wild card but he can also be lazy and decide he's done and wants to go to the beach.

That's what makes Geno ... Geno

Everyone quit on Mike Johnston.

And I'm not talking about Geno's past actions or his tendency to be mercurial in nature. I'm talking about this season, including the start of the year when Malkin was struggling. Rutherford left and you took that opportunity to say that Evgeni Malkin had quit on the team.

That's simply false. We have ample evidence that he takes his offseason training seriously, especially the last four or five years. The guy struggled to train properly amidst a global pandemic. It happens. Maybe he could've found another way to get things done, but he fell short.

That's not quitting on the team.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Shit, I'd quit on my beloved father if he was Mike Johnston.

Also, man, if we want to talk about stretches of lackluster and checked out play, what up with Sid?

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Shit, I'd quit on my beloved father if he was Mike Johnston.

Also, man, if we want to talk about stretches of lackluster and checked out play, what up with Sid?

Ninja edited, but I noticed you didn't even remember or bother to spell it Johnston. And that's entirely fair and understandable. That dude was just... Extremely forgettable.

(Agree on Sid, btw)

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Mike Johnston was that college football coach who does well enough to have pro teams look into him and give him a shot, only to realize he's wholly inept and incapable of matching wits against coaches at this level, so he makes his team play prevent defense for 60 minutes despite have a roster full of offensive stars.

What a mess. All because we f***ing drafted Pouliot, and he was coached by Johnston. That goddamn pick, man!

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

"Geno things" lol

This guy attracts some truly bizarre opinions, for sure.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Yeah, guilty as charged @Big Friggin Dummy. I honestly care so little about XHCMJ that I often forget what his name actually is. I guess we should be happy I remembered his first name was Matt.

For the record, I'm not saying Sid's quitting on the team either, just that Geno gets some insane scrutiny while Sid gets a pass on equally terrible play. f***ing Yinzeritis, someone should do a telethon for it because by the time I get it, I want a cure.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I get the feeling that sometimes Malkin's biggest sin is that he *gasp* shows some emotion out on the ice. And plays often with his heart on his sleeve. How terrible. We get to see some personality. The horror.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I'd go so far as to say Sid has absolutely coasted through shifts and sleepwalked through long stretches, more frequently in recent years. I'm not saying he's quitting on the team either, but like, the dude looks absolutely awful at times. Instead of marching him to the proverbial gallows after yet another miserable performance offensively in the playoffs, we get full thesis written about how he's the best 200ft player in NHL history, and he's adjusting to that style to help the team or something.

Nah, the dude sucked shit in the playoffs. Again. Maybe it's age, maybe it's linemates, maybe it's coaching, but the results have been nowhere near what you need from your 1C making $9 million a year. If we're gonna rake players over coals and hold big names to a higher standard, Sid shouldn't be exempt.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

 

[Gurglesons]

Everyone quit on Mike Johnston.

And I'm not talking about Geno's past actions or his tendency to be mercurial in nature. I'm talking about this season, including the start of the year when Malkin was struggling. Rutherford left and you took that opportunity to say that Evgeni Malkin had quit on the team.

That's simply false. We have ample evidence that he takes his offseason training seriously, especially the last four or five years. The guy struggled to train properly amidst a global pandemic. It happens. Maybe he could've found another way to get things done, but he fell short.

That's not quitting on the team.

Don't even bother arguing with Richard. He thinks he is some kind of insider when he knows jack shit.

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

You don't have any idea what the hell you're talking about. Geno is my favorite player but to say he hasn't quit on this team in the past is NUTS.

He has gone through spells with EACH of the penguins coaches where he did Geno things and didn't care. He quit on Mike Johnson less than two months in. By quitting I mean mailing it in and/or ignoring utterly the coach.

Don't give me that shit. Ya Geno can be a playoff warrior and a wild card but he can also be lazy and decide he's done and wants to go to the beach.

That's what makes Geno ... Geno

You say other posters have no idea what they’re talking about then you pull a bunch a shit out of your ass. Malkin ignored Mike Johnston’s system because it was stupid and was killing the team. He called the team and himself out in November 2015 and went on a complete tear that December and kept this team afloat. He carried the team, he didn’t quit on them.

Evgeni Malkin is probably single-handedly responsible for extending the tenures of Therrien and Bylsma with his absolutely superb play in 2008-09 as Therrien’s time wound down, and with Bylsma for every year he played.

Malkin has never quit on this team. Take that trash out and dump it.

 

[Gurglesons]

You say other posters have no idea what they’re talking about then you pull a bunch a shit out of your ass. Malkin ignored Mike Johnston’s system because it was stupid and was killing the team. He called the team and himself out in November 2015 and went on a complete tear that December and kept this team afloat. He carried the team, he didn’t quit on them.

Evgeni Malkin is probably single-handedly responsible for extending the tenures of Therrien and Bylsma with his absolutely superb play in 2008-09 as Therrien’s time wound down, and with Bylsma for every year he played.

Malkin has never quit on this team. Take that trash out and dump it.

Malkin never quit on Johnston as you alluded to. That was Sid.

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

Malkin never quit on Johnston as you alluded to. That was Sid.

He didn’t quit, he just took matters into his own hands on the ice. 180 degrees the opposite of what that poster said.

And yes, Sid looked just as uninspired at the end of the Johnston era as he did at the end of the Bylsma and Therrien eras. I love Sid, but it’s truth. Malkin carried the team in those times. Does anybody remember Malkin putting money down on a comeback in February 09 then scoring the overtime winner?

 

[HandshakeLine]

Don't even bother arguing with Richard. He thinks he is some kind of insider when he knows jack shit.

So, wait, his uncle DOESN'T work at Nintendo?

 

[Gurglesons]

He didn’t quit, he just took matters into his own hands on the ice. 180 degrees the opposite of what that poster said.

And yes, Sid looked just as uninspired at the end of the Johnston era as he did at the end of the Bylsma and Therrien eras. I love Sid, but it’s truth. Malkin carried the team in those times. Does anybody remember Malkin putting money down on a comeback in February 09 then scoring the overtime winner?

I remember Malkin bitching out the Pens in November of 2015 and then scoring that ridiculous goal and 3 more points against the Wild the next night.

Dude is the heartbeat of this team.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I remember Malkin bitching out the Pens in November of 2015 and then scoring that ridiculous goal and 3 more points against the Wild the next night.

Dude is the heartbeat of this team.

One of his most underrated goals ever.

I mean holy shit... would ya just LOOK at it?!?

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Sid liked Johnston's approach to hockey so much that he revisits it every spring come playoff time.

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

It's odd listening to these media shows and podcasts with these reporters and guys like even Molinari. They have no real sources in the organization and not a single one in the Letang or Malkin camps. They have no idea what's going on, what is being discussed, what any party wants. With Malkin's case, it's been this way for 15 years. How are they reporters? Aren't you supposed to establish relationships and gain access?

 

[dogthateats]

It's odd listening to these media shows and podcasts with these reporters and guys like even Molinari. They have no real sources in the organization and not a single one in the Letang or Malkin camps. They have no idea what's going on, what is being discussed, what any party wants. With Malkin's case, it's been this way for 15 years. How are they reporters? Aren't you supposed to establish relationships and gain access?

We are spoiled with Inside Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Hockey NOW, and DK Pittsburgh Sports

 

[ronduguayshair]

I'd give him 3 years so his deal ends up exactly on line with Crosby's deal.

What "young talent" are the Penguins getting? You can't just sign young talent in UFA. You either have to trade for it or develop it. Just saying "get younger!" doesn't mean a thing if you literally can't get younger. The Penguins don't have the assets to make use of the potential cap savings with letting Malkin walk.

Sure you can. I understand the cupboard is bare as far assets and prospects but you can sign second contract guys. Those are always high risk but I feel Malkin's next contract is more high risk.

Plus maybe you use the money you were going to use to sign Malkin for a goalie. I feel the few prospects we have need to play in the lineup out of training camp so we know what we have before making decisions on the expiring contracts.


What we have going isn't working. Its time for a change.