Michelle Sturino "Pittsburgh won't three peat and won't be top of standings"

[Chandrashekhar Limit]

Don't see a team with a better chance than them to be honest.

Is Letang expected to return this year? Not sure what his status is.

 

[dahrougem2]

A bunch of literally whos except O'Sullivan who is a literally why.

That's the point and that's what is so maddening about NHL Network radio. Other sports channels have top-of-the-line personalities, or at least very recognizable personalities. NHL Network has done an awful job in that regard.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

My first thoughts like many here is, who? Who is she?

And yeah, the Pens will have a hard time thee-peating, but hey they definitely are not as bad off as people think. We'll find out when the next season starts.

 

[Beville]

wow she's really got the fishing line out with this one

 

[Doctor Coffin]

Terrible contracts is what happened to the hawks and kings. Pens don't have any, and have a steady stream of elc talent providing high value relative to cap hit. Fatigue was supposed to kick in this past year too we were told. Truth be told we don't know what will happen, this is uncharted territory in the past 20 years.

Fatigue absolutely has been a factor with Chicago, as much as have been some of the astonishing contracts. Don't think that it hasn't. And there were multiple times in the last three series this year that it appeared to be affecting the Penguins, too, but they valiantly battled through it. However, the Penguins do appear to be just as strong with Letang back, and thankfully there are no International Figure Skating tournaments to further fatigue the players this offseason or upcoming NHL season.

 

[Ail]

Someone who speaks in hyperboles on NHL Radio.

By far THE worst radio "analyst" on SiriusXM, horrific and that's considering guys like Patrick O'Sullivan, Nick Alberga and Jonathan Davis. She talks out of her ass 95% of the time and is probably a poster here because I don't know how else she would come up with half of the crap that falls out of her head.

 

[Ail]

NHL Network Radio in all honesty has arguably the worst lineup of on-air personalities.

Boomer Gordon, Scott Laughlin, Patrick O'Sullivan, Michelle Sturino, Jake Hahn, Tyler Materasz, Nick Alberga. They are all so, so bad. They're cringe worthy to listen to.

Boomer, Jake, and Scott aren't awful. Scott has some pretty ancient views on the game, but he is at least entertaining. Boomer is kinda in the middle, sometimes I completely agree with him and other times I feel like he is overreacting. Jake Hahn might be their best "analyst." He is at least somewhat progressive thinking and a lot of what he says comes from a standpoint that is seemingly rational.

Power Play is the only show I can listen to and not want to punch the radio, and that's only the first hour. The only thing worse than the horrible talking points from some of these clowns is the player/coach/GM interviews. Yikes.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Don't see a team with a better chance than them to be honest.

Is Letang expected to return this year? Not sure what his status is.

He could miss some time at the start of the season, but he's expected to return. If he's healthy come playoff time, his addition will outweigh every free agent we lost this year.

That said, obviously a threepeat is unlikely. The repeat was also unlikely. It's really hard to win the Stanley Cup.

 

[Steve Durbano]

My first thoughts like many here is, who? Who is she?

And yeah, the Pens will have a hard time thee-peating, but hey they definitely are not as bad off as people think. We'll find out when the next season starts.

I actually think that they might have a better chance next year than they did this year. They were decimated by injuries and still won, having to pick up re-tread defensemen at the deadline and playing an AHL player like Rowney heavy minutes.

What if....they don't get hit by the injury bug next year? There are always injuries, but this past year had to be an outlier. That coupled with the infusion of youth with Sprong and ZAR, just might make them better.

 

[RangerBlues]

They will three-peat and make it look easy.

 

[chethejet]

Pens not bring back the band like last year. GMJR and Sully know just how spent the team was. Letang will be a big addition to the back end. Replacing Bonino is the priority but getting younger and depth is the goal. No Kunitz, Daley, Hainsey, Cullen, a beat up Bonino and full season with Jake gives them a good shot.

 

[lawrence]

Didn't they say same thing when it was said that letang was out for the season?

They weren't even suppose to win the 2016 cup lol.

 

[Voight]

Welp, Sid & co. might as well stay home and get some house chores done.

In all seriousness, they're getting Letang back, any new forward(s) will be an upgrade over Bonino and Kunitz, and they still have guys close to contributing (Sprong, Simon, Blueger).

"We lost player x, so his replacement will undoubtedly be better"

 

[Volica]

Team is more or less intact.
The only thing they should be a bit scared about is Murray missing some time again. Niemi is no MAF.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Team is more or less intact.
The only thing they should be a bit scared about is Murray missing some time again. Niemi is no MAF.

And the Penguins have another great young goalie in the AHL in Tristan Jarry, so Murray missing time wouldn't be that big of a deal in the regular season.

 

[hagelin1381]

"We lost player x, so his replacement will undoubtedly be better"

Yep. Cullen and Bonino were very important to this team, and they're both not returning. It'll be interesting to see who replaces them. For the love of God I hope it's not Carter Rowney, I wouldn't be able to handle 82 games of him in the lineup

 

[Legionnaire11]

You can predict "no cup" for any of the 31 teams each year and be correct nearly every single time.

But honestly, a team with Crosby, Malkin, Kessel, Letang and Murray is always a possibility to win their division and the Cup.

 

[dahrougem2]

Boomer, Jake, and Scott aren't awful. Scott has some pretty ancient views on the game, but he is at least entertaining. Boomer is kinda in the middle, sometimes I completely agree with him and other times I feel like he is overreacting. Jake Hahn might be their best "analyst." He is at least somewhat progressive thinking and a lot of what he says comes from a standpoint that is seemingly rational.

Power Play is the only show I can listen to and not want to punch the radio, and that's only the first hour. The only thing worse than the horrible talking points from some of these clowns is the player/coach/GM interviews. Yikes.

Sometimes I wonder if even Scott knows what he's talking about. The guy just agrees with everything Patrick O'Sullivan says because "omg ex NHL-er", it's maddening.

I'll agree with you on Boomer. Sometimes he goes full Don Cherry but other times he seems like he's embracing the new NHL.

I can't stand the player/coach/GM interviews but the thing I hate most is the ex-GM interviews. The people who come on like Barry Melrose, Bill Watters, Mike Milbury etc. Bill Watters is by far the worst of the bunch. The guy is so stuck in the 70's and 80's it's unbelievable.

 

[Legionnaire]

Well damn, I guess the Penguins should not even show up this season then. No sense in wasting their time because whats the point? Some unknown wannabe said they wont do well this year. So Sid and the guys can use it to recover.

And WTF is Michelle Sturino??

Apparently she's a goaltender.

 

[Novak Djokovic]

Eight of Pittsburgh's Top 9 on the offense are returning, and so is their main D core (+ Letang coming back).

They probably won't three peat. But it won't be because of Bonino.