I don't Recognize this Malkin

Luigi Lemieux

Registered User
Sep 26, 2003
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I don't think he all of a sudden got old in the past month. He was playing absolutely incredible hockey for the first 4 weeks of the season.
 
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vodeni

Registered User
Oct 27, 2010
30,045
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Pittsburgh
Honestly I think Malkin's biggest problem has always been that he isn't Sid. He goes through more slumps, he loses his composure more often, and he doesn't have the consistency. Sid is just even more of a machine, and it often gets thrown on Malkin.

As far as the here and now, first take a look at the scoring leaders. Sid, Malkin, and Phil are all about the same, and nowhere near the lead. AO and Backstrom are the only guys in that age range that can even see the top of the scoring race from where they're sitting, and they're not close either. The league is going through the changing of the guard it always goes through every decade or so. Nothing is going to stop that no matter how much we root for the guys that we like (or complain about them).

In terms of Malkin himself, he looks like he's lost that extra gear to me, which can happen at age 32. He still does everything well, but when he tries to take on two Dmen there's just nothing there. I think he split them once a few games ago after trying about 4 times a game all year. He just doesn't have the speed he used to have to perform individual feats. Thankfully, he's still very good.

Things change. Players get older. He's not Mario and not quite Sid. That basically sums it up.
This is true, one on two or one on one he just skates now around and waiting for a trailer..his pass will always be there. Nothing wrong with that with age, he can still anchor a great line for 5 years but he needs now different type of players on hi wings, he needs elite player that can do somewhat of a dirty work, and a good third wheel that can skate...I said this before, his future could be a better verion of Joe Thornton, no agressive crazy plays, less shots more set ups...However one thing people have wrong here is that he does not care, or his defense, thats lazy watching, he spends most of his minutes in our zone, on the wall trying to fish the puck out, out of 20 shifts probably half of them he just goes for a change after the puck is finally won in our zone and just dumped, only half of his shifts he is really working in OZ.
 
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vodeni

Registered User
Oct 27, 2010
30,045
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Pittsburgh
I see a complete lack of confidence. That's what I see. He fumbles the puck a lot. He passes up shots. He overpasses. He has no clue where his mates are. He's just struggling. That's all.
This is also true. Just watch him: right after Rust tied 2;2 he came out flying for 4-5 shifts, stealing the puck, moving the play, etc...and the he got penalty and his whole composure changes...he has always been like that...do you ever remember a game where he played well and we lost, unlike Sid who rarely has those kind of deliberate slumps...
 

mpp9

Registered User
Dec 5, 2010
32,613
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He's gotta learn how to contain the suckitude when he goes through stretches like this. He's forcing things and guessing.

If he'd just calm down and not hurt the team with penalties and turnovers, we likely win a couple more games and his lack of production is a side note.
 
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UnderratedBrooks44

Registered User
Sep 13, 2005
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Miranda's house
This is true, one on two or one on one he just skates now around and waiting for a trailer..his pass will always be there. Nothing wrong with that with age, he can still anchor a great line for 5 years but he needs now different type of players on hi wings, he needs elite player that can do somewhat of a dirty work, and a good third wheel that can skate...I said this before, his future could be a better verion of Joe Thornton, no agressive crazy plays, less shots more set ups...However one thing people have wrong here is that he does not care, or his defense, thats lazy watching, he spends most of his minutes in our zone, on the wall trying to fish the puck out, out of 20 shifts probably half of them he just goes for a change after the puck is finally won in our zone and just dumped, only half of his shifts he is really working in OZ.

Yeah people have said that about him since almost day one. Then you turn on the game later that night, and he's below his own goal line putting in work. It's funny how after he rips a sexy one-timer into the net no one seems to call him lazy for awhile.
 
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IcedCapp

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Aug 7, 2009
35,854
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Years past we have all seen Malkin not play to his level. A lot of times we find out that he has been playing through an injury which had been 85% of the reason in the past. He started the year Ok almost where he left off last season with his 98 points play.. But this Malkin in the last 10 games is a very slow looking heavy Malkin. Defensive game is way below his actual level and just doesn't pick up speed or control the game. Prior years and even last year Malkin top notch version or not he would control the game, specially on the power play. Which is and was the beauty about having him and Crosby. But this is not good at all. Is this the decline version of Malkin we are seeing? Years past, when either Crosby or Malkin were sort of slumping, coaches would have them play together for a little bit just so they can find their game back.

My question is, what needs to happen with him. Do you guys think he will get out of this terrible state?
he just needs you and a few others from this board to join hands and do the care bear stare, and maybe get some family members to do the care cousin's call. Malkin can only survive if you love him enough, talk about him enough, OBSESS OVER HIM ENOUGH. Please, make sure he's having regular movements.

Also, please support Mario's attempt to have the team renamed to the Pittsburgh Malkin's. He thought it was fitting, seeing as Malkin is literally the only person to ever live, breath, play, exist in Pittsburgh.
 

pistolpete11

Registered User
Apr 27, 2013
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10,401
Hopefully it´s just one of those threads. And hopefully more of those threads are about to come in the future. But there will be a time when one of those threads will not be the same as those previous threads.
Yeah, if you say it every year, eventually it is going to be true. But based on how he played last year and in October of this year, I think it's a little bit panicky to say now is that time. Father Time is undefeated, but I doubt he closes the gap over the course of a month and a half.
 

Dipsy Doodle

Rent A Barn
May 28, 2006
76,529
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He was used to Hags carrying him. :sarcasm:

I know this is a joke, but I think Malkin's missing Hag's speed, defense, and puck retrieval right now. He can obviously play without him, but he's had the benefit of Hagelin doing the lion's share of thankless jobs for some time, which opened him up to do what he does best. It's a bit of an adjustment.
 

pistolpete11

Registered User
Apr 27, 2013
11,592
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I know this is a joke, but I think Malkin's missing Hag's speed, defense, and puck retrieval right now. He can obviously play without him, but he's had the benefit of Hagelin doing the lion's share of thankless jobs for some time, which opened him up to do what he does best. It's a bit of an adjustment.
Maybe put Rust with him now if Rust has snapped out of it? Rust has always been kind of streaky, he's played well with Malkin in the past, and he provides a lot of what Hagelin did.
 

Honour Over Glory

Fire Sully
Jan 30, 2012
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He looks 100% like Crosby did when Mike Johnston was our HC, take that however you want. Malkin looks like he's 100% done with the shit right now.
 

Dipsy Doodle

Rent A Barn
May 28, 2006
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21,072
Maybe put Rust with him now if Rust has snapped out of it? Rust has always been kind of streaky, he's played well with Malkin in the past, and he provides a lot of what Hagelin did.

Good idea in theory, but I'd be hesitant to put Rust anywhere other than where he is right now.
 

Honour Over Glory

Fire Sully
Jan 30, 2012
77,316
42,447
Good idea in theory, but I'd be hesitant to put Rust anywhere other than where he is right now.

See I think Malkin should be moved to wing for a week or two, just to get him in that "scoring first" mindset and take some of that defensive pressure off of his plate to get him producing again. That CAN be accomplished.

Guetnzel, Crosby, Kessel
Pearson, Brassard, Malkin
Aston-Reese, Sheahan, Rust
Cullen, Grant, Dea

They've done it with Brassard, Sheahan, and countless other players that can play W/C. But they haven't with Geno. I get it, he's a center, no shit right? But he's also not producing and he just looks off, he has to put the fun back into his game and I think that can be accomplished with him as a winger.

Even if you rotated Kessel and Geno on the RW on the top 6 with Sid & Brass, it'd be worth a shot.

Guentzel, Crosby, Malkin/Kessel
Pearson, Brassard, Kessel/Malkin
 

Ryder71

Registered User
Nov 24, 2017
22,831
11,036
Save a couple games over the last few weeks Geno's not as quick to the puck as he usually is. In the couple games he played well he was much quicker in getting in on the opposition and taking away their time and space. That really helped Horny in his effort for the hat trick against the AV's here in PIT. He caused turnovers and disrupted the AV's breakout. He's just not playing on his toes like that. I don't think it's a confidence issue at all because he did demonstrate he's capable even in the midst of this debacle. I think it's an effort issue, a lack of focus or possibly a nagging injury that got re-aggravated.
 

Strakanator

Registered User
Sep 21, 2007
276
222
Malkin’s linemates have been garbage. When you make 10 gorgeous passes a game and your linemates do nothing with them, you eventually stop trying as hard. Malkin should go into ‘do everything yourself’ mode and start shooting like crazy. He just hasn’t gotten motivated to do that lately. Crosby often has the same problem with not shooting for weeks at a time.

Smart hockey players want to use their brains/skills to make plays, not smash everything at the net and look for rebounds. It’s the nature of most talented players.
 
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Sidney the Kidney

One last time
Jun 29, 2009
55,518
46,235
I think the problem is Malkin (and Crosby) aren't able to consistently drag around dead weight like they could when they were in their 20s, but the organization still seems to surround them with "complimentary" wingers in the hopes that they can. Thus, when he (they) aren't at the top of his (their) game, the entire line looks bad.

I just think that the team lacks overall offensive creativity outside of like 3 or 4 guys (I'm still not sure whether Jake's a guy who can drive a line or is just a high-end complimentary guy on a line with a line driver), and when those guys are 30+ and not able to drive a line every single night, it hurts the team.
 

Turin

Registered User
Feb 27, 2018
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Guy misses 20 games a year and suddenly looks like crap when the Pens need him badly. Do the math.
 

Andy99

Registered User
Jun 26, 2017
50,019
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He just needs to get laid and play some pump up music....



Either that or he needs a drink and a quick decision — Daryl Hall
 
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LOGiK

Registered User
Nov 14, 2007
18,295
9,023
So his last 5 games are combined -3 with 3 pts, 1 g 2a. The last night game was the big ding at -4. So I mean what does it take to get the trade/sell/murder/bench talk going on... that he doesn't score every single game or what? Yah he looks pretty rough, but I find it pretty unrealistic to expect the guy to score every single night and just be a super star every single game. These guys are human beings.
 

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