How does this team stack up?

[JimmyTwoTimes]

I'll break it down a bit, but overall I'm very intrigued.

Forwards: I'm very interested in the offense. They finally have an "identity" of a nice mix of youth, star power, and some tenacity/speed. So i'm very happy with the forwards.

Defense: No. Not there yet. We desperately need a skating dman. Not just a puck moving dman, we need a skating dman. Someone like Daley who could skate the puck to pressure for us and then make a subtle dish. All of our defense, except Tangers and Riikola, sit back and look to bomb passes. Some can get away with it and some cannot. Our defense is in desperate need of that Scuds/Daley trade or Riikola really stepping forward in a big way.

Goalies: Yeah... if Muzz plays the way we know he can, we are solid.


Overall - very pleased with how the team looks and the direction it is going. Get JJ out and a miracle in a 1 year signing of Gardiner and this team is LEGIT. I would write them in as a cup contender, but paper contenders don't mean a damn thing. We've seen that w/ Tampa. It's got to all come together AND luck is needed.

Agree with this one.

 

[Turin]

Ask me when we actually know what the team will be

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Ask me when we actually know what the team will be

Oh we know...we know

 

[Peat]

On paper this is a much better team that last year. Yes they lost Kessel but for anyone who watched him just stand around and do nothing on the power play except for fumble the puck, they seemingly lost him by the second half of the year anyways.

Four lines, much more speed, youth, and most of all players who are possession demons. That is a recipe for winning playoff hockey. The other team can not score if they do not have the puck.

The Pens defense, while ugly at times, did have one of the better GAA in the league by the end of the year. It was getting the job done.

A true PMD as Cole pointed out would make them a lot less ugly. But on paper this team has me excited for the first time in a couple of years. For the first time they once more have an actual identity and do not seem to be pulled in two diametrically opposed directions.

Who are you and what did you do with Jaded-Fan?

 

[DesertPenguin]

This could really go either way. I don't expect the Pens to be a 1st place team because even in their cup years they were streaky and not consistently good all season. If everything falls right this team could be a 4 line juggernaut that rolls to the Cup. if everything falls wrong we could miss the playoffs and be in the market for a new GM/Coach. Go figure.

 

[66-30-33]

1st place obviously.

We're Number 1!
We're Number 1!
We're Number 1!

 

[UnrealMachine]

The team is a lot better than most seem to be giving credit to. It's worth remembering how much turnover there was between the beginning of the season and how much better the team was in the 2nd half of the season.

Gone are Hags, Sprong, Grant, Wilson and Sheahan. They combine for 156 games at an 82g rate of 6 goals and 15 points. Then you had supposed top 9ish players in Pearson and Brassard who combined for 84g at a rate of 18 goals and 28 points. And we haven't seen a full season of McCann, Bjukstad and Bleuger, who combined for 92g at a rate of 23 goals and 37 points.

Yes, there is a PPG void in Kessel, but with the addition of Galchenyuk, Kahun, Tanev and the roster turnover above, the team is significantly deeper than last season with the potential to both score more goals and surrender less (improved PK, fewer SHG against, better team D) as well.

 

[tom_servo]

Not really impressed by many other teams, so... #1 baby.

Just fix the D.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

For all of the talk of buying in and bouncing back, one thing I'll be curious to see is what tactical lessons Sullivan takes from last season into this season (I'll also be curious to see how interested he is in making adjustments).

Do you think he'll insist on defensemen skating the puck out?

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

For all of the talk of buying in and bouncing back, one thing I'll be curious to see is what tactical lessons Sullivan takes from last season into this season (I'll also be curious to see how interested he is in making adjustments).

Do you think he'll insist on the defense skating the puck out?

 

[pistolpete11]

Ask me when we actually know what the team will be

This.

I voted 'they could do something' with the assumption/hope that they find a way to dump JMFJ and that's it. But I'd downgrade them if it costs them Rust or worse, Bjugstad....and even further down if it costs them Rust/Bjugstad and JMFJ is still on the team.

 

[kladorf2005]

I'd be shocked if they miss the playoffs. I'd also be shocked if they end up coming out of the East. Feels like 2nd or 3rd place finish in the Metro, followed by a second round exit, +/- 1 round.

Aside from an unexpected cup, what I would like to see the most is:

• McCann continue to get better and maybe turn into Jake 2.0
• Bluegs become a legit 3C that every other team wishes their 2C were as good as
• JMFJ either gets traded, or plays an entire season on his strong side where he maybe he shocks us all? No? A guy can dream? Ah well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad!

 

[Ugene Magic]

On paper this is a much better team that last year. Yes they lost Kessel but for anyone who watched him just stand around and do nothing on the power play except for fumble the puck, they seemingly lost him by the second half of the year anyways.

Four lines, much more speed, youth, and most of all players who are possession demons. That is a recipe for winning playoff hockey. The other team can not score if they do not have the puck.

The Pens defense, while ugly at times, did have one of the better GAA in the league by the end of the year. It was getting the job done.

A true PMD as Cole pointed out would make them a lot less ugly. But on paper this team has me excited for the first time in a couple of years. For the first time they once more have an actual identity and do not seem to be pulled in two diametrically opposed directions.

How many times have we heard this.

How's this team stacking up?

It's like playing, Jenga. Keep pulling out pieces and eventually it's gonna crash down.

 

[The Old Master]

I'll break it down a bit, but overall I'm very intrigued.

Forwards: I'm very interested in the offense. They finally have an "identity" of a nice mix of youth, star power, and some tenacity/speed. So i'm very happy with the forwards.

they look good on paper. and we have lots, so we should be able to find the right mix.

Defense: No. Not there yet. We desperately need a skating dman. Not just a puck moving dman, we need a skating dman. Someone like Daley who could skate the puck to pressure for us and then make a subtle dish. All of our defense, except Tangers and Riikola, sit back and look to bomb passes. Some can get away with it and some cannot. Our defense is in desperate need of that Scuds/Daley trade or Riikola really stepping forward in a big way.

yep! need to move some out and move some in (can be done, but will if?)

Goalies: Yeah... if Muzz plays the way we know he can, we are solid.

we are loaded at goal....could move one to help the "d"

Overall - very pleased with how the team looks and the direction it is going. Get JJ out and a miracle in a 1 year signing of Gardiner and this team is LEGIT. I would write them in as a cup contender, but paper contenders don't mean a damn thing. We've seen that w/ Tampa. It's got to all come together AND luck is needed.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

JJ is abysmal. We know that. Being on this roster, particularly if he plays all season, is a huge problem.

Galchenyuk could be phenomenal with Geno, or he could putter out. It's as good a spot as he'll ever be in to succeed, and this is a contract year. I'm cautiously optimistic.

I love the mix of guys like Kahun, McCann, Rust, Jake and Galchenyuk on the wings. I'm hopeful Tanev finds another gear and fills that Hagelin void. At forward, I'm pretty damn happy with our mix, particularly in the top-9.

I'm really worried about the blueline though. JJ is going to kill the effectiveness of whatever players he's on the ice with, both forward and defense. Then you have to decide where to play him, if he's on the team in October--do you neuter a Schultz that's already been playing well below his potential? Do you put him with Gudbranson on the bottom pairing and hope each of your top-4 can play like 25 minutes a night?

 

[Night Shift]

Given how the roster looks today, id say making it to the 2nd round would be a successful season. The D obviously is the issue but if Murray can't stay healthy, he's then starting to become a question mark going forward too. Hopefully we can surprise some people and make a good run.

 

[mpp9]

Add dynamic skating D-man, you fix transition game. Fix transition game, you fix the Malkin line. Fix the Malkin line, we back to contending.

 

[Night Shift]

Add dynamic skating D-man, you fix transition game. Fix transition game, you fix the Malkin line. Fix the Malkin line, we back to contending.

Easy: Just have Ruhwedel skate it out

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Probably the hardest year in a long time to predict. So many unknowns...Malkin, the new wingers, Riikola, Gudbranson, Schultz. Will JJ even be here? Is this coaching staff still capable of motivating these guys to the appropriate level?

That being said, I don't see anyone who's better than us on paper, apart from Washington perhaps. Tentatively taking 2nd place. Expecting a reduced goals against and a more productive/responsible bottom 6 in the early stages of the season compared to last year.

I got Philly in 3rd, with them having fixed their goaltending and coach. Vigneault's got a hell of a resume in the regular season.

Will take a stab at it:

Washington
Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
NYI
Carolina
New Jersey
NYR
Columbus

 

[Tender Rip]

We have the best roster in the division, and a top 5 such leaguewide.

Whether we play like it.... whether there is chemistry, some break-outs from Young guys, luck with injuries etc... is all to be seen.

Contender? Sure.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

How many times have we heard this.

How's this team stacking up?

It's like playing, Jenga. Keep pulling out pieces and eventually it's gonna crash down.

With the attitude this team had for a large part of last season, I have absolutely nothing against an infusion of fresh blood. We desperately needed some young, fast players who are excited to be here. Galchenyuk for example is really amped. He knows this is the opportunity of a lifetime. In a contract year to boot.

With last year's team, I saw a squad who was trying to carry out Sullivan's X's and O's, without the adequate personnel or passion to do it. They looked tired and slow. Often weren't ready at the start of games.
10 of our forwards are between 23 and 27 now. 6 of them have never played a full season with us. It's realistic to expect a better morale and work ethic next season.

 

[Jacob]

Top 4 if Gooch clicks with someone, team defense tightens up a tad and Murray is adequate or better. 7-9 in east if those things don’t happen.

 

[Turin]

A move on D involving JJ and decent health probably means top 4 in the East.

 

[cygnus47]

I think the forwards are good on paper, but it doesn't matter how good your forwards are if they never get the puck in good positions. That comes down to D and the system we play. If Matt Murray stays healthy he's one of the best in the league. I think the most important things apart from health in order are:

1) Not playing passive (which we've done most of the time for the last 3 seasons)
2) Petterson improving
3) Improving JJ's roster spot
4) Schultz playing to his ability

If we get all of those we have a chance to have a run. If we don't get all of them we're out early in the playoffs again. If we don't get any we miss the playoffs.

 

[Deas]

Philadelphia - Maybe Hart will repeat what he did last season? Still a team built with 3rd liners everywhere.
Carolina - Lost their #1 goalie and replaced him with Reimer! LOL
NYR - Added a scoring winger but don't have any depth other than first line, Lundqvist is well into his decline, Kakko isn't getting them 12 wins

As a fellow Pens fans I think you're a homer in your assessment of these three rivals. They all look very exciting in my opinion.