Pittsburgh1776
Registered User
- Aug 9, 2010
- 5,274
- 4,638
So would the argument then be: Sid and Malkin pulled their weight they way they were expected do and depth/support let us down? I would highly disagree with that premise.
Fact is, like in any other seasons past, this team will live and die on Sid and Geno and based on the support they get. If they lay an egg, the team lays an egg. We have a cast that supports those two. We don't have a case that can carry the load in spite of them.
If they aren't engaged and giving 110%, were aren't getting anywhere.
Effectiveness and passion don't always have anything to do with eachother. Malkin was peppering the net with shots against Montreal and Crosby wasn't a slug either; were they effective the way we need them to be? No. But they aren't the players they were; they can't put this team on their backs and singlehandedly win playoff series. And their past greatness should never have been an excuse for the management and coaches to put together the kinds of teams you saw too often after the 2009 Cup win. We have relied on them a lot and rightly so but it takes all cylinders running to win a Cup.
At their age a bad line hampers them far more than it used to. And I'm sorry but those were bad lines last year, and the fit was never right. And Sullivan never adjusted. Crosby and Malkin's care had nothing to do with it and I don't think it ever has. They've laid it on the line pretty much their whole careers, so while I might doubt their effectiveness sometimes I just don't see the justification to doubt how much they care.
I'm much more concerned about bad roster decisions and bad line combinations sinking our chances this year. We have a deep team and a lot of character but we've seen Sullivan stick with lines that don't work. This year is all about Sullivan IMO.