(Hypothetical). Pittsburgh chooses Fleury over Murray. whats the current bracket look like?

[ncm7772]

We have no idea what MAF would of provided. He could of **** the bed vs. Philly or put up a Smyth performance.

That's been his MO most of his career. Has been great in this year's and last year's playoffs, was absolutely abysmal in 2010-2013, and crapped the bed the one chance he was given in 2016. Was solid in '14 (although a gaff vs Columbus cost them a game) and '15. Just never knew what you'd get.

 

[66871]

Meh. He looked off throughout the postseason. I think we all under estimated the impact of his Dad passing.

I didn't. I wouldn't say I was expecting a second round exit. But I'm not surprised in the least that he's not fully back on his game.

 

[PuckSeparator]

I think people are confusing having a forgettable playoffs appearance with having absolute nuclear meltdowns where the letters "SHOOK" are written on your face very clearly.

Every goalie can have a sub-standard playoffs appearance, MAF on the other hand needed to have reinforcements brought in just because it was known he wasn't able to cope with the pressure of the POs( Vokoun) and even he looked to be OK with that fact.

 

[ziggyjoe212]

MAF would never have been this good on the Pens. Vegas plays a better defensive style. I think the past 13 seasons have shown what MAF is capable of as a Penguin.

 

[CupInSIX]

My Opinion is that Vegas loses in the first round as a lower seeded wild card team and the Penguins are in the Conference Finals.

I think that's fair to say given how bad Murray looked in game 5.

 

[DearDiary]

The Penguins defense is better than it was last year.

You must be blind then. The defense this year was worse at every aspect of hockey.

 

[puckpilot]

Results would probably been the same. Pens gave it a good go, but three-peat mountain is a tough one to conquer.

Had a feeling it'd go this way once Ovi managed to score after hitting the post in game three. In other years, that post would have been the game changer.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

Well, the Penguins kept Murray thinking not only about this season but about future seasons. Obviously, considering the start to his career, the hope was that Murray would be one of the best goalies in the NHL for like the next 10 years.

 

[Newsworthy]

I don't see Murray as a top goalie. I think MAF is better but he seems shaky at times.
This year MAF has taken his game to a new level.

 

[PensPlz]

MAF is the more talented goalie and can make those athletic individual saves. Murray is just a much more consistent when he has a competent team in front of him.

We did not have a competent team in front of Murray this year.

Fleury maybe gets us past Washington, again, but we get smoked by Tampa no matter who is in net. So whatever.

 

[nbonaddio]

You must be blind then. The defense this year was worse at every aspect of hockey.

It's telling to me that a lot of Pens fans are willing to chalk up Murray's average performance this year as being on the defense (or, even more bizarrely IMO, the passing of his Dad five months ago), but destroy MAF for Bylsma's system. Difference of a one-season sample size vs. three or four, but still notable.

Anyway, before I get into a dumb troll thread that extends on infinitely, Murray was like, #10 of the Penguins 10 problems. He's also got two rings. He deserves the benefit of the doubt many, many times over.

 

[JackFrost]

No, it wasn't. And you should be banned for typing that.

Last years defense had Hainsey playing key minutes. just lol. Goaltending saved them last year and showed the value of having a hot goaltender in the playoffs. the 17 Pens were a very weak Stanley cup champion because of how bad the defense was. Unlike The 16 Pens which had elite goaltending AND Letang. they were extremely dominant and worlds better than anyone else.

in b4 constant harping on the one or two Letang plays and acting like the postseason exit is entirely is fault despite him getting the only goal in Game 6. you can find blunders with prettymuch any defenseman not named Hedman if you go through an entire postseasons worth of tape.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

With MAF the pens threepeat, and without him Vegas drafts Dhalin.

 

[KingPuckChoo]

when Fleury played for Pittsburgh, everyone stated that he was their weakest link
now when we talk of Fleury, he's some kind of God
this is funny to me

 

[kerrabria]

You must be blind then. The defense this year was worse at every aspect of hockey.

Is this true?

17-18 Maatta > 16-17 Maatta
17-18 Dumouolin = 16-17 Dumoulin
17-18 Schultz < 16-17 Schultz
Oleksiask > Hainsey
17-18 Letang ? Daley
Ruhwedal < Cole

Looks to me like the diff is between Daley, a 4D, and Letang, who was apocalyptic this past year on the defensive side of the puck, but his usual self on offense.

Either way, I don't see how you can say there was this overwhelming difference.

 

[DearDiary]

Is this true?

17-18 Maatta > 16-17 Maatta
17-18 Dumouolin = 16-17 Dumoulin
17-18 Schultz < 16-17 Schultz
Oleksiask > Hainsey
17-18 Letang ? Daley
Ruhwedal < Cole

Looks to me like the diff is between Daley, a 4D, and Letang, who was apocalyptic this past year on the defensive side of the puck, but his usual self on offense.

Either way, I don't see how you can say there was this overwhelming difference.

Let's do it by role on the team

18 Letang < 17 Hainsey
18 Dumoulin < 17 Dumoulin

18 Maatta < 17 Schultz
18 Schultz < 17 Cole

18 Ruhwedel < 17 Maatta
18 Olesiak < 17 Daley


Last years defense was better ainec, you have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[kerrabria]

Let's do it by role on the team

18 Letang < 17 Hainsey
18 Dumoulin < 17 Dumoulin

18 Maatta < 17 Schultz
18 Schultz < 17 Cole

18 Ruhwedel < 17 Maatta
18 Olesiak < 17 Daley


Last years defense was better ainec, you have no idea what you're talking about.

I have no idea what I'm talking about? Your post makes no sense.

How do you figure that Hainsey played Letang's role of the more mobile, offensive partner on the tap pair? How do you figure that Maatta played the role of the more offensive minded guy on the second pair, and that Schultz somehow played a different role than that of his own self (offensive 4D and PPQB). How the hell does Schultz have any comparison to Cole's role as the shot blocking, PKing, tough guy on the back end?

 

[Pens x]

Fleury has single handedly cost us playoff series for years prior to 2016. This was Murray’s first poor playoff performance but he didn’t even come close to some of Fleury’s epic playoff collapses. It is almost like Pens fans can’t remember Fleury before 2016.
But what should I expect from a fan base that largely would rather have a guy that smiles a lot, that signed their knock-off Marshall’s Penguins jersey outside of the Cheesecake Factory for a big night out, over another player that is more reserved? He talked to me while I stood in line to get a table!!!

 

[JackFrost]

Is this true?

17-18 Maatta > 16-17 Maatta
17-18 Dumouolin = 16-17 Dumoulin
17-18 Schultz < 16-17 Schultz
Oleksiask > Hainsey
17-18 Letang ? Daley
Ruhwedal < Cole

Looks to me like the diff is between Daley, a 4D, and Letang, who was apocalyptic this past year on the defensive side of the puck, but his usual self on offense.

Either way, I don't see how you can say there was this overwhelming difference.

about right. Daley was out for some games too and the team ran Mark Streit(lol).

Every dman that was on both teams was better in 2018 than in 2017. Adding Letang allows these guys to move down a role where they are comparatively better suited.

Their 2018 third line (Oleksiak-Ruhwedal) played about as good as you could've asked for a third pairing. and Oleksiak was clearly the most mistake prone defenseman per minute. Just lmao @ that one guy saying Hainsey is better than Letang. Almost spit out my drink.

 

[DearDiary]

I have no idea what I'm talking about? Your post makes no sense.

How do you figure that Hainsey played Letang's role of the more mobile, offensive partner on the tap pair? How do you figure that Maatta played the role of the more offensive minded guy on the second pair, and that Schultz somehow played a different role than that of his own self (offensive 4D and PPQB). How the hell does Schultz have any comparison to Cole's role as the shot blocking, PKing, tough guy on the back end?

By role I meant pairings, that would be obvious the 2nd you looked at it if you actually watched both years. Why do you think they're split in 2's?

 

[Burn]

Murray was the #1 one responsible for the Pens loss. He let in many weak goals. The first one last night was the latest example. Defense aside, which sucked, 5 levels down from last 2 years....the Netminder is paid to stop it. If it goes in it's all his fault. Remember these words, they are most important!!

He made a lot of great saves too. Especially in the Flyers series.

It was a collective effort of capture.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Is this true?

17-18 Maatta > 16-17 Maatta
17-18 Dumouolin = 16-17 Dumoulin
17-18 Schultz < 16-17 Schultz
Oleksiask > Hainsey
17-18 Letang ? Daley
Ruhwedal < Cole

Looks to me like the diff is between Daley, a 4D, and Letang, who was apocalyptic this past year on the defensive side of the puck, but his usual self on offense.

Either way, I don't see how you can say there was this overwhelming difference.

I think you could make the argument that some of the defensemen were individually better (Määttä for sure), but on the whole the team defense was most definitely worse this year. Last year's defense was mediocre as could be on paper, but played their roles to perfection. That was not the case this year.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Probably exactly the same, to be honest.

 

[Shoofyou10]

It's so funny to me that last year at the trade deadline there were threads about possible MAF trades (knowing that the Pens were going to keep Murray once the expansion draft rolled around) and it was so crazy how many Dallas and Calgary fans told me that MAF was old and washed up and not an upgrade over what they had. I had to argue that MAF was still a top goalie and fans of those teams werent willing to give up much for him and didn't have interest. It's amazing how much the perception has changed since then.

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

No. MAF had his chance for years with the Pens. Who knows, being the favorite with expectations is what he couldn't handle.

I'm happy with however things turned out, and honestly ecstatic for him! No second guessing!

Besides, we have other goalies in the pipe should Murray falter years from now, but let's be realistic here and not pin the entire loss on Murray.