Kristopher Letang
RIP Nipsey
Great GDT @ImporterExporter I hope they show up like you did, but I won’t bet on it.
I really do not give a flying **** what the lineup is. Get this team to play hockey the way they can. They are young. They have speed. They have absolutely zero desire and the coach is the one that is responsible at the end of the day, whether right or wrong.
Play ****ing hockey the way you know how. Period.
I don't care how young, speedy or skilled you are. If you get outworked most of the night you will lose most nights. And most got flat out outworked in the first game.
Buffalo's forecheck was unreal, even when they had a lead and could have coasted they never stopped. Except for a couple of players you saw nothing like that from the Pens.
I don't care how young, speedy or skilled you are. If you get outworked most of the night you will lose most nights. And most got flat out outworked in the first game.
Buffalo's forecheck was unreal, even when they had a lead and could have coasted they never stopped. Except for a couple of players you saw nothing like that from the Pens.
The effort level, outside of (IMO) Tanev/Geno was baffling. Home opener Game 1 after being swept last year. Laughable. Awful. And I think that culture of the room is getting it. JJ gets a spot. ZAR gets a spot. Doesn't matter how camp went. It doesn't matter than in 2016 the new blood is what infused the Pens to win. They just get spots.
And i think that is really showing up.
One way to remedy inabilty of your d-man to bring the puck is not to have to bring the puck. I think Sully identified that, but somehow he cannot make our forward to succesfully forecheck. The fourth line is awful because it has ZAR who is F2 and is always step slow so the opponent d-man can easily either skate out or pass since our d-man don't know how to hold the blue line...The third line is the same, Hornquist will be a weak link there cause he is also slow to get to the puck. In addition to being slow, the ones with some speed like Blueger or McCann they don't seem to be in position to harass the d-man. The second line has a good chance with Tanev now and Geno dedicated to haunt the puck. Teams will played them fast and try stretch passes, this line needs some good puck handling d-man behind that can stand at the blue line or quickly recover the pucks. Sid and Jake have always been great and with Simon, if they wake up should tilt the ice...
I really think its the matter of playing the right speedy forwards on the fourth line (scratch ZAR and Horny) and somehow make them put their A effort. tonight is a chance against lowly Jackets to show something
If they can’t beat CLB who lost half their team, is playing a backup at goal and is coming off a b2b game, it’s really going to put me in a funk about their chances for the rest of the season...
Really want to see Marino out there as well...
We “tried” to get input from all the guys???
Well then, the problem becomes that if they rearrange the deck chairs in the Titanic and they pull out a few wins here and there and muddle through the rest of the month, nothing will likely change and they’ll just claim that they “need to put it all together” and “stack wins”.The silver lining to a bad start is that things will have to change. No way ownership would stand for it.
IMO the worst thing that could happen is a mediocre start that allows the front office to pretend that everything’s okay.
Jack Johnson = Muk
I think AJ is still hurt, but agreed would like to see he or Lafferty over ZAR on L4. I miss Rusty especially since he looked ready to rock in pre-season. I'm ready to move on from Bjugs. If McCann can 3C (Simon is NOT a center here) trade him with JJ and try to get back a decent young forward.We need Rust back but I certainly would try AJ or Lafferty in place of ZAR...in fact, I prefer it
Team meeting after one game.......? Never heard of that before.
I get that it is a balancing act with superstar players and taking a hard line. However in this case the two biggest superstars are for the most part the hardest working players on the ice. Crosby certainly, and although Geno could be accused of coasting at times, he certainly came into this year and that game with fire in his eyes.
So if your superstars are good with the hammer I just do not get why Sully does not use it much more than he does and take a hard line with performances like we saw with too many last game.
We “tried” to get input from all the guys???
What does this mean?
It boggles my mind how much lack of effort this team has put in the past couple of seasons. Systems, roster composition, all those things are one thing, but effort level is something players can control. I just don't get it.