Hope for a better day?? Morehouse speaks
- Thread starter Coastal Kev
- Start date
NewAgeOutlaw
Belie Dat!
The Penguins have had injury troubles for years and have not collapsed like they did this year. The way this organization revels in mediocrity makes me physically ill.
Injuries didn't force Johnston to keep Kunitz in the top 6 all year.
Injuries didn't force JR to trade Despres for Lovejoy.
They considered Scuderi a valuable asset before the injuries. They thought he was making Despres look good when the opposite was true.
They were having trouble scoring before the injuries.
The only organization in the World where the team nearly misses the playoffs in what would have been one of the biggest collapses of all time and higher ups come out saying, "everybody did a great job".
I've seen more accountability on intramural sports teams in college. **** everyone responsible for making this team the laughingstock of the nhl.
Injuries didn't force Johnston to keep Kunitz in the top 6 all year.
Injuries didn't force JR to trade Despres for Lovejoy.
They considered Scuderi a valuable asset before the injuries. They thought he was making Despres look good when the opposite was true.
They were having trouble scoring before the injuries.
The only organization in the World where the team nearly misses the playoffs in what would have been one of the biggest collapses of all time and higher ups come out saying, "everybody did a great job".
I've seen more accountability on intramural sports teams in college. **** everyone responsible for making this team the laughingstock of the nhl.
Zero Pucks
Size matters
- May 17, 2009
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After watching a fair few of the St Louis games the last couple of months - Robert Bortuzzo is gaining god like status over there with his physical play on the blue line and his ability to stand up for his team mates , oh and another player who has seemingly flourished elseware after leaving the Pens - Zbynek Michalek, is this all just coincidence? Looks like the only hope players have of a betetr day is after they get traded
Zero Pucks
Size matters
- May 17, 2009
- 4,589
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This circus is never going to end until we a whole new front office, I think. We got a new GM and a new coach, and what has changed? Nothing and we continue to play like we give less and less of a crap each game. The whole injury excuse is ********, we had great defensive depth, we've dealt with injuries every year, we've lost Crosby and Malkin for the rest of a season and still continued to win. We were playing like ass long before some of those injuries came about.
We had what? A 20 point lead to get into the playoffs, and we barely got made it in? There's just no ****ing excuse for that.
We had what? A 20 point lead to get into the playoffs, and we barely got made it in? There's just no ****ing excuse for that.
bradshaw06
Registered User
Zero Pucks
Size matters
- May 17, 2009
- 4,589
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NewAgeOutlaw
Belie Dat!
No he shouldn't have said that but making excuses and giving everybody a pat on the back after a horrible regular season isn't the way to go either.
Zen Arcade
Bigger than Kiss
Pretty much this, no organization is going to say "everyone is terrible, we're going to get massacred!" heading into a series.
shureshot66
Registered User
- Aug 2, 2005
- 11,031
- 35
Jaded-Fan
Registered User
That is like asking the kid with his hand in the cookie job who was responsible.
You are asking one of the guys who has deserved to get fired for some time now who should get fired.
Anyone else see the stupidity in that? Or at least the stupidity in expecting the right answer.
You are asking one of the guys who has deserved to get fired for some time now who should get fired.
Anyone else see the stupidity in that? Or at least the stupidity in expecting the right answer.
tinkezione
Butcher's Dog
I might be reaching here, but I have a feeling that playing without your top-2 D + Pouliot would hurt any team, let alone playing your D undermanned. The injuries we've had in the past have mainly concerned forwards, which I'd think would be much easier to play around.
Not going to excuse HCMJ, though, his usage of pretty much anything at any situation is even more atrocious than Disco Dan's.
cygnus47
Registered User
- Sep 14, 2013
- 7,574
- 2,668
The only thing I don't like is that he is perfect for a 3rd pairing role and hopefully a Niskanen like resurgence. Pouliot, Harrington and Dumoulin would also ideally be in a consistent 3rd pairing and improving over the year. Lovejoy is barely passable with a great partner (that we wont have) in the top 4 and Scuderi is Scuderi. Our mix next year is terrible and we're at risk of having rookies being either overplayed or underplayed and playing out of position on top of that plus fading veterans being overplayed and blocking their progression.
Honour Over Glory
Fire Sully
- Jan 30, 2012
- 77,316
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To be fair, the pens got lucky when they kept winning with so many injuries the previous years. This year, they had to lean on some of those guys a lot more and sometimes, your luck runs out (Boston, LA...no injury excuse and they are out...so let's calm ourselves with the crazy talk at least a little bit).
The Pens have had some serious injury issues this year with guys like Dupuis and Maatta done for the year early, then Letang and his devastating rash of injuries and Ehrhoff basically battling through one injury after another, erasing just how good he really was to start the year.
It also didn't help that some players hit massive slumps or tried to play through injuries either, guys like Comeau, Sid, Malkin, Hornqvist, Bennett, etc. So many guys playing way more than they were ever used to and some handle it well (pens usually have a lot of vets to roll through the line-up so people don't get worn out, this year, that was gone).
While I think some heads should definitely roll, that's not how it works. We won't see a Toronto Maple Leafs style of house cleaning.
But then again, a part of me thinks the Pens have been playing possum a little here and there and when the Rangers series start, we'll see a different team.
Honour Over Glory
Fire Sully
- Jan 30, 2012
- 77,316
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Usually, there's a brief period the Pens are missing their top 4 on Defense, I remember that one year the team lost Orpik, Martin, Letang, etc and Niskanen was leading the charge and it did well for like a few weeks to a month.
But Letang suffering his 2nd concussion this year, Ehrhoff basically being healthy for what, 15 games? Then the loss of Maatta and yeah, the minutes...it all poured down on guys that don't handle it as well as Martin has, the only guy out side of the trio out, that is equipped to take on those minutes.
I hate using that as an excuse, but if you were ever looking for one, you couldn't find a better one I think. Just looking at the Pens roster...
80+ Games: Scuderi, Spaling, and Sutter
70+ Games: Crosby, Kunitz, Martin, Downie, and Adams
60+ Games: Letang, Malkin, Horqnvist, and Comeau.
Yeesh.
http://www.mangameslost.com/nhl-man-games-lost-and-tmitt-metric-april-11-2015/
The Pens are 5th worst for man games lost, but the quality of man games lost is key here.
I mean the Pens blueline for the playoffs is likely having 3 rookies on it. That's going to be a gong-show.
Dumoulin, Pouliot, and Harrington - All have under 40 games in the NHL.
Honour Over Glory
Fire Sully
- Jan 30, 2012
- 77,316
- 42,447
Let's be honest here...
From the firings until the rash of injuries hit - Everyone was happy for the most part, the Pens were playing a puck possession game, the powerplay was un-freaking-real and all was right.
Then the injuries hit and it wasn't all at once, but sporadic and some lengthy and I think that's A LOT for any rookie NHL coach to take on.
Also, the Penguins are a team that have far too many cooks in the kitchen and they feel this is how it should be run.
It's rare to see a Team President, Gm, Coaching staff all get fired in one sitting. I think that's something that hasn't happened ever I think.
Ugene Magic
EVIL LAUGH
Adding. I'll bet nobody remembers Kunitz having a broken foot he probably has been playing on not fully healed.
The injuries started flowing 16 games in.
What do some expect them to do? They played youth, they added wingers, but none of them were able to escape its claws but Spaling and Scuderi. 2 out of how many players that's been through this team this year?
The call-ups were piling on, on top of it all.
tinkezione
Butcher's Dog
Thanks. I think that TMITT stat in your link (albeit being an artificial factor) reflects to this quality of man-games lost. Pens rank 2nd in the league, and 5 of our top contributors to this are Ehrhoff, Määttä, Hörnqvist, Letang and Comeau, which all rank in top 60 in the whole league regarding this stat.
If we're not getting even Ehrhoff back, that will mean roughly 65 minutes of ice time for three D-men, that the existing vets have to overcompensate to some extent so that the AHL folks don't get immediately killed. That really is a terrifying thought.
Bennett Brauer
Registered User
I'm sorry but as frustrated as we all are, I always believed it was unrealistic for these guys to get fired.
People don't want to hear the injury "excuse" but it's more of a reason than an excuse.
Listen, this was a transition year with a new regime, the job was started by not re-signing most of the free agents and bringing in an almost brand new team. Now whatever happens this spring, they can go into the summer to address the rest of the team. Like I mentioned before, nobody saw Kunitz falling off as much as he did, Beau (while arguably not given a proper chance) has not proven anything.
We can debate on what JR did right and wrong, but I know we all agree Despres for Lovejoy was wrong, but that trade should not cost him his job.
Also, nobody had a problem with the Penguins for the first 3 months of the season when they were 22-6-4 (or something like that), they hit hard times, mumps, long term injuries, etc and never bounced back. Remember how excited everyone was about MJ and how his system is "tailor made for this team"?
I'd give them another chance with a chance ti improve the roster and HOPEFULLY stay healthy.
People don't want to hear the injury "excuse" but it's more of a reason than an excuse.
Listen, this was a transition year with a new regime, the job was started by not re-signing most of the free agents and bringing in an almost brand new team. Now whatever happens this spring, they can go into the summer to address the rest of the team. Like I mentioned before, nobody saw Kunitz falling off as much as he did, Beau (while arguably not given a proper chance) has not proven anything.
We can debate on what JR did right and wrong, but I know we all agree Despres for Lovejoy was wrong, but that trade should not cost him his job.
Also, nobody had a problem with the Penguins for the first 3 months of the season when they were 22-6-4 (or something like that), they hit hard times, mumps, long term injuries, etc and never bounced back. Remember how excited everyone was about MJ and how his system is "tailor made for this team"?
I'd give them another chance with a chance ti improve the roster and HOPEFULLY stay healthy.
Waffle Fries
Registered User
- Mar 7, 2013
- 18,086
- 2
Exactly.
I'm still not sure why some posters here seem to have an expectation that members of the organization (players, management, etc.) are going to say the types of things posted on this board to the media.
ObsessedCreative*
Registered User
I said it before and got laughed at and I will say it again he is the number ONE reason that this franchise is in the shambles it is in now, it starts from the top and this **** sandwich has trickled down and soiled everything penguins.
Until this clown is fired nothing will truly change, it will all be lip service and smoke and mirror PR spins.
Until this clown is fired nothing will truly change, it will all be lip service and smoke and mirror PR spins.
Terrapin
Registered User
- Mar 6, 2007
- 9,361
- 1,382
Nobody can deny the effect that injuries had on this team.
However, we have more injuries than practically everybody, every year. The question is why?
Sure, a large portion of them are flukes (blood clots, strokes, mumps, etc). But, a lot of them are a result of physical hits, as well as what appears to be a completely incompetent medical staff.
If my 4 year old was inserted into the Pens lineup, there's a pretty good chance he's going to get hurt. When the Pens continue to have a roster of small, soft, and old players, they're probably going to get hurt more than big, physical, young players. I'm amazed Scuderi and Kunitz made it through the year. Which is yet another reason why trading Despres (a big, young, physical player) for Lovejoy (an old, soft player) makes no sense. When Lovejoy inevitably gets a concussion or separated shoulder, the Pens brass will sit around, scratch their heads, and wonder why we have such 'bad luck'.
However, we have more injuries than practically everybody, every year. The question is why?
Sure, a large portion of them are flukes (blood clots, strokes, mumps, etc). But, a lot of them are a result of physical hits, as well as what appears to be a completely incompetent medical staff.
If my 4 year old was inserted into the Pens lineup, there's a pretty good chance he's going to get hurt. When the Pens continue to have a roster of small, soft, and old players, they're probably going to get hurt more than big, physical, young players. I'm amazed Scuderi and Kunitz made it through the year. Which is yet another reason why trading Despres (a big, young, physical player) for Lovejoy (an old, soft player) makes no sense. When Lovejoy inevitably gets a concussion or separated shoulder, the Pens brass will sit around, scratch their heads, and wonder why we have such 'bad luck'.
IcedCapp
Registered User
- Aug 7, 2009
- 35,933
- 11,544
what's funny is the mix was bad BEFORE the TDL, and they somehow made it worse. Un-****ing-believable.
Shady Machine
Registered User
- Aug 6, 2010
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