It pisses me off that Simon did more tonight than Kuhn has all season. WHY DID WE GO AWAY FROM SPEED AND SKILL?? We've wasted 30 games of Kuhn and Reaves doing nothing. Tell me a 4th line of Hags-Rowney-Simon is not significantly better...
Win 2 cups with an identity, then immediately change it. yeppp.
Also, I kind of got the feeling that the reason Bones wasn't re-signed was he didn't fit our system - you know, our speed and skill identity. And I was pretty content with the move. Then we go and get Sheahan. Who doesn't fit the team identity! He's a slow center that has a good shot and that's it. (Keyword on SLOW - same as Bones) Why did we go after him?? (he's fine as a 4c for the record) Why did we go away from everything that worked???
Why does Hornqvist get demoted to third line when he's been our 2nd best winger all year???
Why do you keep promoting Rust when it's clear he's the most comfortable and best at being 'the guy' on the third line?? He finds a way to be invisible when in the top 6, yet night in and night amongst the best on the ice when he's playing on the third line.
I have to totally disagree here, there is speed on this team. They didn't change it (the identity) they were forced into letting go guys who balanced the team out. They kept the team together last year because they knew what they had and depth is always what will win out. They lost that depth because they couldn't afford to keep it longer.
It's called balance they no longer have. You lost 3 guys who helped keep the team's balance anchored. Injuries had a hand in some of their woes. When that happens depth is depleted on a team with depleted depth to begin with.
Just because one guy looks good in one particular game shouldn't mean everything changed. Reaves is probably the only player I'd say is a miscast in identity considering they had nobody like him to play for either cup run. One of the guys who helped with both is being vilified because the team couldn't keep the keystone part of his line.
There's nothing wrong with Kuhnhackl, Rowney, Simon either. Who's the guy that is going to be the one doing what Cullen did? None of them even with Hagelin, Rowney, simon.
I have more issue with having all three players trying to win a board battle on line one because they they are all small and it takes Sid to be the one having to help his wingers so much. That's a dead shift because it takes too much effort and they have to chase off quicker. Other than Sid, there's really no one to win those board battles because they just can't, and is why Hornqvist works there because he refuses to give up and willing to play much bigger than he is. The others bounce off/fall down, a lot.
The Pens are in a lot of one and done chances against good teams.
At the end of the day, the 4th line worked so well before because they had 3 lines that could send teams into a confusing rage on who to take and limit. That's not the case anymore. Shifting guys around still has at least one of the top 3 lines lacking. It's not line #2 as often as it is line #1 and #3. The 4th line is only effective when those above are consistent. They simply don't play enough 5 on 5 to be the issue.
Kuhnhackl's role is different than say Simon's is who played on the 3rd.