Speculation: Oh Dat Powerplay.

[Jaded-Fan]

Not really sure you could **** up this version of the Pens' power play even if you tried.

On the right side let me introduce you to our golden diamond.


On the left side, Mr. Everything (with weak wrists):


And abusing the goalie, his horniness himself:


And dropping German bombs from the point:


And finally his flowness himself on the other point, and the first French-German alliance in history:


However this season turns out, that power play is going to be so much fun to watch.

Assuming I have not jinxed them all to one injury after another with this thread.

But just watch those videos and imagine what those five could do together.

Click to read more...

 

[Jaded-Fan]

And you need look no further than the first video to see the difference.

Martin completely whiffs on the shot from the point and lucked out that it dribbled into Malkin's wheelhouse.


It would be comical if not so sad how we have missed having a legit canon on the point to take advantage of the skills of Crosby and Malkin.

I ain't even going to start on how long it has been since we had a net presence, or anyone who would stand within fifty feet of the goalie and screen them in the offensive zone.

 

[tom_servo]

I'm with you on this one. Ehrhoff and Hornqvist, if nothing else, will make a difference here. Too much going on to feel certain about much else, but it shouldn't take Al Arbour to get this PP clicking.

Granted, we can't get much better than a #1 ranked powerplay. Hopefully this time it's #1 by far.

 

[66-30-33]

Hornqvist (Malone) and Ehrhoff (Gonchar) will be pretty solid for this team going forward.

 

[tom_servo]

Hornqvist (Malone) and Ehrhoff (Gonchar) will be pretty solid for this team going forward.

Was looking at the distribution of powerplay points for that 2008 team, and noticed Connor James had a powerplay goal. I was wondering why. I looked up the boxscore, and it occurred on the day of the Marian Hossa trade. Ty Conklin had 50 saves. Jeff Taffe also had a powerplay goal. Chris Minard, a powerplay assist. Tyler Kennedy fought Mike Comrie.

Crazy day.

http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2007020951

 

[Frank Gallagher]

Was looking at the distribution of powerplay points for that 2008 team, and noticed Connor James had a powerplay goal. I was wondering why. I looked up the boxscore, and it occurred on the day of the Marian Hossa trade. Ty Conklin had 50 saves. Jeff Taffe also had a powerplay goal. Chris Minard, a powerplay assist. Tyler Kennedy fought Mike Comrie.

Crazy day.

http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2007020951

My thoughts when reading this... "Who the **** is Connor James?"

 

[Pancakes]

Will be interesting to see how the powerplay time is divied up this year. Does Hornqvist get the front of the net spot on the #1 unit, or is it Kunitz? Or do they split time on it?

 

[Waffle Fries]

Will be interesting to see how the powerplay time is divied up this year. Does Hornqvist get the front of the net spot on the #1 unit, or is it Kunitz? Or do they split time on it?

Kunitz should never see first unit time unless there are injuries. Hornqvist is one of the best net front presences in the league... Kunitz is far from that.

 

[Giskard]

Granted, we can't get much better than a #1 ranked powerplay. Hopefully this time it's #1 by far.

Well, we could be #1 in the play off

 

[Big McLargehuge]

My thoughts when reading this... "Who the **** is Connor James?"

Apparently he's a swimmer.

Or a rugby player.

 

[Pancakes]

Kunitz should never see first unit time unless there are injuries. Hornqvist is one of the best net front presences in the league... Kunitz is far from that.

I'm not really sure that's an accurate assessment of Kunitz. He had 13 powerplay goals last year, good for fifth in the league. The year before that he had 9 in only 48 games.

He's a really good powerplay player, and excellent in front of the net.

That's not to say Hornqvist is bad. He's excellent at that role too.

 

[Waffle Fries]

I'm not really sure that's an accurate assessment of Kunitz. He had 13 powerplay goals last year, good for fifth in the league. The year before that he had 9 in only 48 games.

He's a really good powerplay player, and excellent in front of the net.

That's not to say Hornqvist is bad. He's excellent at that role too.

I disagree with that statement pretty strongly, particularly the second part. It's great that he can put up nice stats playing on a PP with Crosby and Malkin, but I personally believe that he benefits from the other players on the ice at least 3x more than they benefit from him.

 

[clefty]

Was looking at the distribution of powerplay points for that 2008 team, and noticed Connor James had a powerplay goal. I was wondering why. I looked up the boxscore, and it occurred on the day of the Marian Hossa trade. Ty Conklin had 50 saves. Jeff Taffe also had a powerplay goal. Chris Minard, a powerplay assist. Tyler Kennedy fought Mike Comrie.

Crazy day.

http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2007020951

If memory serves, James was called up from Wilkes-Barre that afternoon and didn't arrive until the second period.

Edit: Oh, it mentions that in the recap. I'm decidedly less pleased with myself.

 

[Gurglesons]

I disagree with that statement pretty strongly, particularly the second part. It's great that he can put up nice stats playing on a PP with Crosby and Malkin, but I personally believe that he benefits from the other players on the ice at least 3x more than they benefit from him.

As if Horny won't? I imagine they will be rotated in based on ice time.

Also, I love that Waffle and Pancakes are arguing.

 

[canadianguy77]

I'd like to see a PP where we outnumber the PKer's along the half-walls and end-boards/behind the net.

It's all situational of course in the regular n season. I get that.

In a 7 game series, I just don't don't want to see anymore 3 against 4 below the face-off circles, with our d-men rendered totally useless along the blueline.

My expectations are so low, it's almost comical. Thanks for that Dan.

 

[Tender Rip]

I'm not really sure that's an accurate assessment of Kunitz. He had 13 powerplay goals last year, good for fifth in the league. The year before that he had 9 in only 48 games.

He's a really good powerplay player, and excellent in front of the net.

That's not to say Hornqvist is bad. He's excellent at that role too.

Kunitz does a lot og things well on the PP but his production suggest he is a lot better there than he is, which is a product of being on the Pens PP. Everyone getting that much first unit time in that position would get lots of points there.
Hornqvist is much better at battling for position and screening goalies. It is not even close. But what is more, his RH shot should open up a number of new lanes to exploit for a PP that has been for years isolationg itself to too few options due to having no one timer threats on that side. Will also be much easier for Horny to profit from Sid/Geno plays behind the net.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I'm not really sure that's an accurate assessment of Kunitz. He had 13 powerplay goals last year, good for fifth in the league. The year before that he had 9 in only 48 games.

He's a really good powerplay player, and excellent in front of the net.

That's not to say Hornqvist is bad. He's excellent at that role too.

Hornqvist is much much better than Kunitz in the goal crease. Its not even close. Kunitz is a mediocre net front guy who has had the benefit of being the best option for that spot on a team with Crosby, Malkin and Neal.

 

[Jjbuck]

Kunitz does a lot og things well on the PP but his production suggest he is a lot better there than he is, which is a product of being on the Pens PP. Everyone getting that much first unit time in that position would get lots of points there.
Hornqvist is much better at battling for position and screening goalies. It is not even close. But what is more, his RH shot should open up a number of new lanes to exploit for a PP that has been for years isolationg itself to too few options due to having no one timer threats on that side. Will also be much easier for Horny to profit from Sid/Geno plays behind the net.

I love how a players actual production means less than their perceived production, which is based on their spot in the line up.

Broken down .... the theory here is Kunitz sucks because he plays with Sid.

Somehow, his actual real world production, is not his actual real world production. Didn't happen.


Only on the internet ...

 

[Tender Rip]

I love how a players actual production means less than their perceived production, which is based on their spot in the line up.

Broken down .... the theory here is Kunitz sucks because he plays with Sid.

Somehow, his actual real world production, is not his actual real world production. Didn't happen.


Only on the internet ...

Broken down, you evidently cannot read. Check the first line of the post you quoted.
There is a very big difference between arguing why Hornqvist is a superior fit for us and saying Kunitz sucks.

 

[Fordy]

I'm not really sure that's an accurate assessment of Kunitz. He had 13 powerplay goals last year, good for fifth in the league. The year before that he had 9 in only 48 games.

He's a really good powerplay player, and excellent in front of the net.

That's not to say Hornqvist is bad. He's excellent at that role too.

Pens fans are unbelievable.

 

[Captain Hook]

I get the logic behind the Neal for Hornqvist and Spaling but the trade still scares the hell out of me. I agree that the one clear benefit of the off-season moves is the power-play pieces now fit perfectly.

Hornqvist = Right-handed net front guy.
Ehroff = PP QB and huge point shot.
Letang is no longer miscast as a PP QB when he's out there. Hopefully he can just be more of a rover.
Malkin is finally off the point.
Crosby can hopefully take advantage of all the better fitting pieces now.

 

[Get To Our Game]

If memory serves, James was called up from Wilkes-Barre that afternoon and didn't arrive until the second period.

Edit: Oh, it mentions that in the recap. I'm decidedly less pleased with myself.

Wasn't he the one that was in a grocery store when he got called up?

 

[Shady Machine]

All I have to say is if Kunitz is still on the top PP and Hornqvist is sitting on the bench, then it was a waste of a trade.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

All I have to say is if Kunitz is still on the top PP and Hornqvist is sitting on the bench, then it was a waste of a trade.

I'd be shocked if that happens. Tocchet knows the value of a Simmonds-like guy on the PP, and Hornqvist will be that guy.

 

[pistolpete11]

They will both see time and whoever plays better will see more time. It doesn’t have to be written in stone in July who will be on the 1st PP unit. Let it play out.