Post-Game Talk: Laffing Stock - The call-ups get it done in Winnipeg (Pens win 7-2)

[Mr Jiggyfly]

If Sully can somehow manage to bring this all together, even though its a small sample size; but, with that said, I feel this team could make some noise in the East.

I think it’s pretty clear by now for even the most dense minded people, that if you give Sullivan what he needs... speed and puck movers on the back, he is extremely tough to beat.

And the analogy I will continue to make is that when you give him spam and twinkies and expect miracles at the dinner table like JR has done... well... you get the last two seasons.

From what I’ve discovered, JR basically picks the ingredients and Sullivan has to cook with them...

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

Lafferty is ready, im sure there will be ebbs and flows but he is an NHLer, i think Johnson is more borderline but i wont shed a tear either way.

The two most important questions are...

Which D Man gets moved

Is McCann a viable 3C. So far im very meh on the idea. I think hes a much better winger.

 

[ColePens]

I know it is unpopular to compliment a coach around here, but how about Mike Sullivan being the first star for the entire weekend?

I don't know.... I'm torn. Part of me agrees. Part of me disagrees.

There were a ton of us in the preseason discussions gushing all over Laff, Marino, and AJ. We thought that maybe Sully should have sent the message that "earning" a spot actually means something. I don't think Laff should have been sent back. I think he earned a spot and yet he still had to wait his turn. And then you see how they come out in Game 1 and then you see the effort AJ/Laff are giving. Hell even Blender is doing well. And then it sparked ZAR to pick his game up because now he wants to stay in. See how different it is when you have that type of culture? Why didn't he do it straight from camp?

And i can point to 2 goals that we have been needing so bad for the past 2 years. The negated icing by AJ on Saturday. The Laff goal on Sunday from the missed shot my Blandisi. Those are hustle goals. They are out hustling the defenders and making something out of absolutely nothing. That has been missing since the 2016 crop came up and did it.

And then also mad credit to Tanev who is hustling down everything, too. The guy is drawing PPs left/right for the team. It's incredible.

 

[pokey10]

I think it’s pretty clear by now for even the most dense minded people, that if you give Sullivan what he needs... speed and puck movers on the back, he is extremely tough to beat.

And the analogy I will continue to make is that when you give him spam and twinkies and expect miracles at the dinner table like JR has done... well... you get the last two seasons.

From what I’ve discovered, JR basically picks the ingredients and Sullivan has to cook with them...

And @HandshakeLin is Gordon Ramsey in this dynamic.

 

[pokey10]

I don't know.... I'm torn. Part of me agrees. Part of me disagrees.

There were a ton of us in the preseason discussions gushing all over Laff, Marino, and AJ. We thought that maybe Sully should have sent the message that "earning" a spot actually means something. I don't think Laff should have been sent back. I think he earned a spot and yet he still had to wait his turn. And then you see how they come out in Game 1 and then you see the effort AJ/Laff are giving. Hell even Blender is doing well. And then it sparked ZAR to pick his game up because now he wants to stay in. See how different it is when you have that type of culture? Why didn't he do it straight from camp?

And i can point to 2 goals that we have been needing so bad for the past 2 years. The negated icing by AJ on Saturday. The Laff goal on Sunday from the missed shot my Blandisi. Those are hustle goals. They are out hustling the defenders and making something out of absolutely nothing. That has been missing since the 2016 crop came up and did it.

And then also mad credit to Tanev who is hustling down everything, too. The guy is drawing PPs left/right for the team. It's incredible.

I never used to give these ideas credence, but what i've seen these past three games and to relate it to '16, its very evident how true this is.

 

[Ms Maggie]

I know it is unpopular to compliment a coach around here, but how about Mike Sullivan being the first star for the entire weekend?

Nononono.

HF rule is coaches are only responsible for the bad, never the good. Illogical you say? Sorry, that's how she goes.

 

[ColePens]

I never used to give these ideas credence, but what i've seen these past three games and to relate it to '16, its very evident how true this is.

I look at ZAR specifically last night. Man... he was unlike anything from his preseason games and the start of the season. I wonder why. 3 AHLers are up here producing and then it just so happens ZAR goes out and has a great game. And it wasn't even his goal. I thought he was really playing urgent hockey. He was taking away shooting lanes as if it were playoff hockey.

And Simon. Guy didn't score a goal for the longest time. Had an up/down preseason. Guys like Kahun are on his tail and playing decent. And I thought Simon looked INCREDIBLE last night. Their cycle game was out of control good. He separated himself from Kahun and others.

And then I look at the Marino situation. Gudbranson sat one night. JJ sat the other. That's 7.5m while Marino gets a spot because he earned it. It's just a very healthy competition and I think it makes everyone better. It makes everyone just a tad hungrier. It doesn't let anyone become complacent.

 

[UnrealMachine]

Man that set play on Goal #6. Sid/Simon both with EXCELLENT screens that open up Jake. Almost like a football rub route. Incredible patience by Tangers. What a very well set play.

Glad to see Simon get rewarded for a heck of a lot of gruntwork on L1. Not sure how people can complain about a guy making what he makes and who can keep up with Sid.

For every perceived flaw of Simon's, real or imagined, he has 3 or 4 other strengths that generally go unnoticed. But if a renowned Simon BULLY (of the high school variety) like @ColePens can change, then I'm optimistic that others will also start to catch on.

 

[EightyOne]

Sullivan did nothing.

Injuries forced players in. Other players started hustling. They even started scoring.

Big f***ing deal.

They still bleed shots. They're still rando in the defensive end.

He didn't change up lines to anything new. Just plugged holes.

 

[ColePens]

For every perceived flaw of Simon's, real or imagined, he has 3 or 4 other strengths that generally go unnoticed. But if a renowned Simon BULLY (of the high school variety) like @ColePens can change, then I'm optimistic that others will also start to catch on.

I know where you live and do your crazy workouts. I'm coming for you. The first ever HFWF REAL match! @Scandale du Jour @KIRK @M.C.G. 31

 

[UnrealMachine]

I know where you live and do your crazy workouts. I'm coming for you. The first ever HFWF REAL match! @Scandale du Jour @KIRK @M.C.G. 31

Your gym or mine? Bring it! Just wear a shirt that easily tears off, please...

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

And @HandshakeLin is Gordon Ramsey in this dynamic.

Use a cocktail stick!

 

[Tender Rip]

Cole, its hard not to agree with you in principle.

But it is also hard not to look at the management realities when you have players signed to NHL contracts. Lafferty deserved a spot based on camp, absolutely. I think JR and Sully would agree.
But how to give him (and other deservants) that spot, when it would mean exposing another assets to waivers? When you had Crosby, Malkin, Bjugstad, Teddy down the middle and a number of other guys who can play C?

Ruhwedel, OK. But in the ideal scenario where we deal one of the expensive third pairing guys, he comes to make sense as an 8th.

Now, much more interesting what happens when we get injured guys back, because this Lafferty you cannot send down if he keeps up something just approaching how he looks now. Then it would be a bad sign. At the start of the season... ah, that's what every team would do.

Again, it is the saving grace of injuries in a commie league such as this. It affords opportunity to reassess.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Sullivan did nothing.

Injuries forced players in. Other players started hustling. They even started scoring.

Big ****ing deal.

They still bleed shots. They're still rando in the defensive end.

He didn't change up lines to anything new. Just plugged holes.

He put Marino in over JRs two albatross contracts. He is the one giving Marino and Lafferty important minutes. He is the one that has instilled discipline again and eliminated the odd man rushes that plagued this team.

This board has no idea what they have in Sullivan. It's such a f***ing shame man.

 

[pokey10]

I look at ZAR specifically last night. Man... he was unlike anything from his preseason games and the start of the season. I wonder why. 3 AHLers are up here producing and then it just so happens ZAR goes out and has a great game. And it wasn't even his goal. I thought he was really playing urgent hockey. He was taking away shooting lanes as if it were playoff hockey.

And Simon. Guy didn't score a goal for the longest time. Had an up/down preseason. Guys like Kahun are on his tail and playing decent. And I thought Simon looked INCREDIBLE last night. Their cycle game was out of control good. He separated himself from Kahun and others.

And then I look at the Marino situation. Gudbranson sat one night. JJ sat the other. That's 7.5m while Marino gets a spot because he earned it. It's just a very healthy competition and I think it makes everyone better. It makes everyone just a tad hungrier. It doesn't let anyone become complacent.

And Sully is due credit. These are the missed opportunities that Byslma and Johnson could have seized when Malkin and Crosby were playing the best hockey of their careers.

 

[pokey10]

Sullivan did nothing.

Injuries forced players in. Other players started hustling. They even started scoring.

Big ****ing deal.

They still bleed shots. They're still rando in the defensive end.

He didn't change up lines to anything new. Just plugged holes.

Sully made the calls to sit one of the two boat anchors on D and slot in a rookie both nights of a b2b on the road.

 

[HandshakeLine]

And @HandshakeLin is Gordon Ramsey in this dynamic.

 

[BHD]

I think @Jesse is not giving enough credit to Simon/Sid. This is a 100000% set play. Sid/Simon are purposely throwing picks to confuse the defense and get Jake open.

I didn't look at it from that angle. Good point.

 

[BHD]

Those are hustle goals. They are out hustling the defenders and making something out of absolutely nothing. That has been missing since the 2016 crop came up and did it.

Abso-f***ing-lutely

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I look at ZAR specifically last night. Man... he was unlike anything from his preseason games and the start of the season. I wonder why. 3 AHLers are up here producing and then it just so happens ZAR goes out and has a great game. And it wasn't even his goal. I thought he was really playing urgent hockey. He was taking away shooting lanes as if it were playoff hockey.

This is the cycle of ZAR. Competition is good but he does this. Bad/meh, good, great and then hurt or back to being invisible before gettng hurt again. The competition might be motivating him but he's done it without competition before. I suspect his body simply can't handle what they want from him at the NHL level so you get that cycle because he starts slowly.

 

[Peat]

I don't know.... I'm torn. Part of me agrees. Part of me disagrees.

There were a ton of us in the preseason discussions gushing all over Laff, Marino, and AJ. We thought that maybe Sully should have sent the message that "earning" a spot actually means something. I don't think Laff should have been sent back. I think he earned a spot and yet he still had to wait his turn. And then you see how they come out in Game 1 and then you see the effort AJ/Laff are giving. Hell even Blender is doing well. And then it sparked ZAR to pick his game up because now he wants to stay in. See how different it is when you have that type of culture? Why didn't he do it straight from camp?

And i can point to 2 goals that we have been needing so bad for the past 2 years. The negated icing by AJ on Saturday. The Laff goal on Sunday from the missed shot my Blandisi. Those are hustle goals. They are out hustling the defenders and making something out of absolutely nothing. That has been missing since the 2016 crop came up and did it.

And then also mad credit to Tanev who is hustling down everything, too. The guy is drawing PPs left/right for the team. It's incredible.

23 man rosters/waivers/culture that prizes loyalty to established players/GMs that don't like seeing asset value pissed up the wall is a harsh mistress and I'm going to guess you can count the number of NHL HCs who've already sat 3m+ guys for rookies this campaign simply because the rookie was better on the fingers of a blind butcher. Judgments need to be made taking into account the circumstances.

I also think that while we can debate the rights and wrongs of that, teams missing 20m+ of good forward shouldn't be rolling around with a .667 points rate, not even against teams with some struggles. A lot of credit should be given to the guys off the ice for that.

I really love Tanev though.

Also, Lafferty's averaged over 13 minutes a night over his first 4 games and I just can't think of a forward Sully's instantly trusted like this. Maybe Jake. Maybe.

 

[Tender Rip]

Before we say we know all there is to know about ZAR, lets remember that he has played a grand total of 65 regular season games. In those, most often with bottom 6 duties, his pertinent line is: 14/13/27 +16.

His most significant injury - and subsequent drop in production - coming from a pretty nasty Wilson induced concussion.

I might be a dreamer here, but if he were to keep up such production, while providing solid defensive play and PK'ing, I can live with him being what he is, while being paid 1 million per.

Of course there is also the odd chance that he will be more consistently "Good ZAR" and increase his value to the team. Not unheard of from just turned 25 year olds, after all.

 

[SotasicA]

Some say he murdered the Devil. Some say he punched God. Others say he was born in a lab.

Others on the team do pushups. Sam Lafferty is so strong he does earthdowns.

Sam Lafferty doesn't wear condoms, because nothing can protect from Sam Lafferty.

Facts.

 

[Malkinstheman]

 

[Malkinstheman]

Wow, I didnt even realize Lafferty had the most pk time with 5 mins. Thats crazy, looks like Sully really trusts him.