Line Combos: Is Rust The Problem?

[Buddy Bizarre]

It's not difficult, it's just the fact this coach plays favorites. It's moronic at this point and honestly it's no coincidence that L1 has gone ice cold since Sullivan put Rust back up there.

Jake/Sid/Rakell
Zucker/Geno/Granlund

That should be tried as the top six going forward. The fact that Rust absolutely, positively always has to play on one of those two lines is beyond stupid.

I know it'd never happen, but I'd be curious to try Jake/Geno/Rust again. But again the coach has to play favorites and he'd never let that happen to poor Sid Crosby

 

[Andy99]

Rust is A problem, not THE problem…lol…here’s another one

Mikael Granlund was never the right fit for the Penguins

It is going worse than we could have ever imagined.

www.pensburgh.com

 

[Khelandros]

I know it'd never happen, but I'd be curious to try Jake/Geno/Rust again. But again the coach has to play favorites and he'd never let that happen to poor Sid Crosby

Zucker/Malkin are just out of control right now that there is no justifiable reason for them to be split up. Since Feb 1:

 

[Gurglesons]

Rust is A problem, not THE problem…lol…here’s another one

Mikael Granlund was never the right fit for the Penguins

It is going worse than we could have ever imagined.

www.pensburgh.com

Everything is Hextall’s fault from a prominent PIT writer. I’m shocked!

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Zucker/Malkin are just out of control right now that there is no justifiable reason for them to be split up. Since Feb 1:

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This was the same argument for GCRust a couple years ago: well this line is killing it, so you can't break them up!

But when the team is losing, there may be a better way to spread the wealth. I mean it's super cool that 1/4 of your puzzle looks amazing, but the remainder of it looks like a 3 year old put it together ruining the overall picture

 

[bigdaddyk88]

This was the same argument for GCRust a couple years ago: well this line is killing it, so you can't break them up!

But when the team is losing, there may be a better way to spread the wealth. I mean it's super cool that 1/4 of your puzzle looks amazing, but the remainder of it looks like a 3 year old put it together ruining the overall picture

But why mess with jake/crosby and Zucker/Malkin
The best thing for this team is balance scoring so rust needs to carry the 3rd mine or be traded. Rakell can play on either of the top 2 lines rust has to have the puck to be effective he doesn’t crash the net

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

But why mess with jake/crosby and Zucker/Malkin
The best thing for this team is balance scoring so rust needs to carry the 3rd mine or be traded. Rakell can play on either of the top 2 lines rust has to have the puck to be effective he doesn’t crash the net

Because Jake and Sid are sucking at the moment. Ergo the lines aren't "balanced"

My proposal was in hopes to rekindle that magic where Jake/Geno/Rust were curb stomping the entire league before Sully broke them up when Sid returned from injury

That would solve the "where do we put Rust?" conundrum that's a big problem for this team.
But barring that, I agree that it should be Rust who gets sent to the 3rd line. And we know that won't happen

 

[Pem]

Sid


It’s weird because he looked great on L2.

I honestly am flabbergasted by the reluctance to go back to what was winning us games.

Why change in the first place? If lines are working why shake things up?

While the goalies are not the main issue, it would be nice if one of them stole a game or two. Jarry has been awful. DeSmith was solid on the last road trip but he's been inconsistent.

When's the last time the team played like crap but a Penguins goalie stood on his head and pulled out the win?

They are not highly motivated or truly dedicated.

 

[TNT87]

That was about as bad of a game as I've ever seen Rust play last night. To top it off he commits a penalty, which he always whines about, that cost them the game. Of course it's Sully who continues to trot him out on the first line when every f***ing stat shows it's not working.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I know it'd never happen, but I'd be curious to try Jake/Geno/Rust again. But again the coach has to play favorites and he'd never let that happen to poor Sid Crosby

Personally don't want to see Rust rewarded right now. Rust's play is "demote this guy because he's been trash" levels of bad, and I think playing him with either Sid or Geno at the moment is giving Rust a free pass.

Plus, Geno and Zucker seem to be doing well with each other. Add a guy like Granlund to the line (another playmaker, former chemistry with Zucker) and see what you have.

Basically, f*** Rust. Can't stand what he's become as a player.

 

[Pancakes]

There's no good way to do the lines when Rust is playing like this. Any line you take Rakell off will suffer and any line you put Rust on will suffer.

 

[Pens x]

Everything is Hextall’s fault from a prominent PIT writer. I’m shocked!

Regardless of who wrote the article, the guy is right.

“It is almost impressive how Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ron Hextall has been on the losing end of almost every roster transaction he has made over the past two years.

Like he is some sort of bizarro world hockey version King Midas where, instead of having everything he touches turn to gold, it all just turns into a steaming pile of garbage that has been rotting under a hot sun for six weeks.“

Facts

I think your hatred of Sullivan is fooling you into thinking Hextall isn’t as bad as he really is. Both need to be shot into the sun.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

There's no good way to do the lines when Rust is playing like this. Any line you take Rakell off will suffer and any line you put Rust on will suffer.

Common sense would suggest you'd rather your 3rd line "suffer" and not your 1st line. One line gets 20 minutes per night, the other gets 14-15 per night. So it makes sense that you'd make sure the line that plays the most (and against the other team's top defenses) isn't the one that's suffering.

The problem is our idiot coach doesn't even see Rust's play as being bad. So he doesn't even see it as a situation that needs fixing.

 

[PensandCaps]

Thing is, Rust can actually create by himself in the bottom 6 and give us depth scoring. He plays nothing like the player that got him payed nowadays. Make him play a grinders game again and his play will do a 180.

 

[Gurglesons]

Regardless of who wrote the article, the guy is right.

“It is almost impressive how Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ron Hextall has been on the losing end of almost every roster transaction he has made over the past two years.

Like he is some sort of bizarro world hockey version King Midas where, instead of having everything he touches turn to gold, it all just turns into a steaming pile of garbage that has been rotting under a hot sun for six weeks.“

Facts

I think your hatred of Sullivan is fooling you into thinking Hextall isn’t as bad as he really is. Both need to be shot into the sun.

When your coach sabotages every single possible thing on the team it’s hard to justify anything else.

 

[ColePens]

Rust does nothing like he used to. He used to win battles. Now he floats and is lazy.