Post-Game Talk: Lightning 5, Penguins 4 - Pens Prevent the Empty Netter

[Ogrezilla]

Definitely with you there. But we need to address our actual issues if we want to make an extended run rather than console ourselves with being a hard out. Bjugstad and McCann might have been decent value (and I have considerable doubts about Bjugstad's contract and fit here), but they don't solve any of our biggest problems. It's just moving deck chairs.

The situation of the entire offense disappearing outside of 1 line and largely playing like crap looks awful familiar this year - and now we have ****ing Jack Johnson to contend with nightly . IMO we either need to add a forward who can jumpstart Malkin or Kessel, or an impact defenseman who can solidify the blueline if we want to avoid a similar outcome. What we have won't get it done, and praying for Malkin and Schultz to come back at full strength to lead us out of the mire seems more like wishful thinking than anything.

Eh, I disagree. The third line looks better with McCann, and the fourth line has looked very good with Blueger. Bring Malkin back and bump someone like Simon to the 4th line and that's a legit dangerous 4th line. The only real concern I have with our forwards is L2. Which admittedly is a legit concern. We need Geno to come back looking like Geno. I'm hoping to see him with Rust or Blueger at LW when he gets back, and I want to see Bjugstad on Sid or Geno's RW.

The defense is the real concern. Without a move we need to hope Schultz comes back in 2017 form by playoff time. We need to ride our top 4, but currently we only have one good pair. I'd love to see JJ sat for Schultz when he's back, but we all know it will be Riikola. That's the biggest place I don't have a lot of hope, but pray to be proven wrong.

Looking at the Pens situation clear-eyed...is there anything in the Pens' play this season that suggests they're legit contenders at this point?

Yes, their play against good teams has actually been pretty damn good. We look like a team that would get routed by Jersey in an embarrassing first round, but could take a series against Tampa, Washington, or Toronto. It doesn't make sense, but it's how this season has gone. Again, I'm not calling us favorites. But I honestly don't think we look much worse than we did in 2017 without Letang. Does that mean we need to rely on everything clicking and going right to win? Yeah, probably. But I've seen it happen before, and our top guys are good enough that I don't think it's a completely unrealistic outcome.

 

[Pancakes]

Our schedule the rest of this month:

@ Phi
vs Edm
vs Cgy
vs Nyr
@ NJD
vs SJS
@ Phi
@ CBJ


Seems pretty damned hard. Philly is always a battle, we struggle vs the Devils, Sharks/Flames are really good. Columbus is always a battle. Edmonton/Nyr seem pretty winnable but Mcdavid is Mcdavid.

I hope this schedule brings out the best in the Pens because it's a huge test.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Didn't watch the game but seems really negative for a one goal loss against the best team in the league on the road. Were we outplayed more than the score or are there just a lot of sky is falling folks on?

And good to see McCann and Pearson scoring. The former is selling me, and the latter needed to get going.

No, it was a pretty evenly played and entertaining game. There were some frustrating elements, for sure, but some people are just being over the top and ridiculous.

I thought McCann and Pearson played good all around games too, not just on the scoreboard.

On the flip side, I thought Phil was bad and I wasn't happy with Simon or Jake either.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Our schedule the rest of this month:

@ Phi
vs Edm
vs Cgy
vs Nyr
@ NJD
vs SJS
@ Phi
@ CBJ


Seems pretty damned hard. Philly is always a battle, we struggle vs the Devils, Sharks/Flames are really good. Columbus is always a battle. Edmonton/Nyr seem pretty winnable but Mcdavid is Mcdavid.

I hope this schedule brings out the best in the Pens because it's a huge test.

What makes our schedule even harder is WE LOSE TO BAD TEAMS TOO OFTEN. So even the so-called "easy" teams on the schedule aren't a guaranteed 2 points.

That's one of the major issues with this team. They could play the 10 worst teams in hockey over the next 10 game stretch, and they're just as likely to come away below .500 than go 10-0.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Eh, I disagree. The third line looks better with McCann, and the fourth line has looked very good with Blueger. Bring Malkin back and bump someone like Simon to the 4th line and that's a legit dangerous 4th line. The only real concern I have with our forwards is L2. Which admittedly is a legit concern. We need Geno to come back looking like Geno. I'm hoping to see him with Rust or Blueger at LW when he gets back, and I want to see Bjugstad on Sid or Geno's RW.

Well, we definitely disagree. I think the middle 6 is in disarray and not nearly good or cohesive enough to seriously compete. And that's not even touching the bottom 2 defense pairings.

Yes, their play against good teams has actually been pretty damn good.

It's been alright. I mean, we're still losing those games fairy frequently and definitively, like on the West Coast road trip.

If this teams window closes partially due to not wanting to look dumb to John Tortarella I’m going to Pittsburgh and then to jail for elder abuse.

I'm gonna burn down both PF Chang's locations and break JR's putter over my knee Bo Jackson style.

Every GM makes mistakes. Bad GMs make signings like the JJ and Reaves trade.

Just total missteps.

Right, but even Stevie Wonder signed Kunitz and Callahan. Everybody gets a few mulligans, and they have to be weighed against the good moves.

 

[Icarium]

What makes our schedule even harder is WE LOSE TO BAD TEAMS TOO OFTEN. So even the so-called "easy" teams on the schedule aren't a guaranteed 2 points.

On the bright side, this actually makes this schedule looks easier than it would be for your average team fighting for the 8th spot. We just need to convince ourselves that Philly isn't a lottery team any more and voila!

 

[Gurglesons]

No, it was a pretty evenly played and entertaining game. There were some frustrating elements, for sure, but some people are just being over the top and ridiculous.

I thought McCann and Pearson played good all around games too, not just on the scoreboard.

On the flip side, I thought Phil was bad and I wasn't happy with Simon or Jake either.

I honesty wouldn’t be surprised to see Simon scratched when Malkin is back.

Jake - Crosby - Hornqvist
Pearson - Malkin - Bjugstad
Rust - McCann - Kessel
TB - Cullen - ZAR

 

[Gurglesons]

Well, we definitely disagree. I think the middle 6 is in disarray and not nearly good or cohesive enough to seriously compete. And that's not even touching the bottom 2 defense pairings.



It's been alright. I mean, we're still losing those games fairy frequently and definitively, like on the West Coast road trip.



I'm gonna burn down both PF Chang's locations and break JR's putter over my knee Bo Jackson style.



Right, but even Stevie Wonder signed Kunitz and Callahan. Everybody gets a few mulligans, and they have to be weighed against the good moves.

Traded for Callahan then signed for him, but he was a pretty good forward at that time and Kunitz was a decent depth signing with litte term.

 

[zero8771]

What makes our schedule even harder is WE LOSE TO BAD TEAMS TOO OFTEN. So even the so-called "easy" teams on the schedule aren't a guaranteed 2 points.

That's one of the major issues with this team. They could play the 10 worst teams in hockey over the next 10 game stretch, and they're just as likely to come away below .500 than go 10-0.

I mean if you assume that the pens will lose to bad teams and also lose to good teams then what schedule is easy. Pens need to play well and I dont think this schedule is that difficult

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Traded for Callahan and Kunitz was a decent depth signing with litte term.

They did trade for Callahan, but then they signed him to that zany deal: Lightning re-sign Ryan Callahan to 6-year deal | CBC Sports

As for Kunitz...we'll have to agree to disagree. His playoff performance with the Lightning says about all that needs to be said. But we can also add Coburn to the bad contract list.

Basically, every GM is going to have some blemishes. JR just needs to fix his mistakes - especially since he's had his share recently.

 

[Gurglesons]

They did trade for Callahan, but then they signed him to that zany deal: Lightning re-sign Ryan Callahan to 6-year deal | CBC Sports

As for Kunitz...we'll have to agree to disagree. His playoff performance with the Lightning says about all that needs to be said. But we can also add Coburn to the bad contract list.

Basically, every GM is going to have some blemishes. JR just needs to fix his mistakes - especially since he's had his share recently.

I was adding in the fact they also traded for Cally if you want to consider that a bad addition.

Coburn and Callahan were solid players at the time of the contracts though. JJ was coming off being a healthy scratch on a team with a worse defense than us. CBJ has Murray, Jones and Werenski and a bunch of whatever.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I was adding in the fact they also traded for Cally if you want to consider that a bad addition.

Coburn and Callahan were solid players at the time of the contracts though. JJ was coming off being a healthy scratch on a team with a worse defense than us. CBJ has Murray, Jones and Werenski and a bunch of whatever.

Yeah, that does make it worse. Someone said JR thought he was the smartest guy in the room and saw something that other teams didn't see. Turns out he was wrong. He needs to make it right especially because he went against all conventional wisdom by signing a player like that to a long-term deal.

 

[Gurglesons]

Yeah, that does make it worse. Someone said JR thought he was the smartest guy in the room and saw something that other teams didn't see. Turns out he was wrong. He needs to make it right especially because he went against all conventional wisdom by signing a player like that to a long-term deal.

Just one of the dumbest deals I’ve ever seen. No chance another team was offering that.

I was with @Empoleon8771 on trying him as a cheap depth signing so.. I would have been fine with like a 3 mil x 2 years deal.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I mean, the Lightning signed Girardi to a multi-year deal worth $3 million a year after he was bought out by the Rangers. Girardi in 2016-2017 was even worse than Johnson was last year, yet the Lightning still signed him to a multi year deal. Pretty much every GM makes bad decisions.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Just one of the dumbest deals I’ve ever seen. No chance another team was offering that.

I was with @Empoleon8771 on trying him as a cheap depth signing so.. I would have been fine with like a 3 mil x 2 years deal.

That would have at least been manageable.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Just one of the dumbest deals I’ve ever seen. No chance another team was offering that.

I was with @Empoleon8771 on trying him as a cheap depth signing so.. I would have been fine with like a 3 mil x 2 years deal.

My max was 3 years at $3 million, so needless to say, I wasn't too pleased about the 5 years part. I don't even understand the point of signing him to a 5 year deal, just why even do it? There is no upside to signing a guy like Johnson for that long unless he suddenly becomes something he's not.

 

[ronduguayshair]

I feel like people here are really putting a lot of pressure on Shultz to save the season when he’s coming back off a broken leg. It’s asking a lot!

 

[DegenX]

Seems we've moved past last night's game. Please take your conversations to the appropriate threads.