Organization Speak and the Result

[ColePens]

As we know the famous interview with DK, Lemieux, and Burkle. I want to bring up some points 1 year ago from that interview for discussion. Link to interview: http://blog.triblive.com/dejan-kovacevic/2014/05/16/exclusive-interview-mario-lemieux-ron-burkle/

DK: Is this roster too old?

Burkle: That’s part of what we’re talking about right now with the younger guys. You can look at the draft and say what we did or didn’t do, but we’ve got forwards and D-men who we have drafted and didn’t always take advantage of them or done a lot with them. So we have ended up with an older team. When we do see our younger guys, we see a lot more energy, a lot more of what we’d like to see in our game. So maybe those guys at the Garden were playing a little bit ahead of their ability. They made up with their energy.

DK: We saw some of that in Columbus, too, right? It wasn’t just about the city’s excitement. They had Ryan Johansen, a lot of other young players, all who were really amped up just to be there.

Lemieux: They had that nice mix of older and younger players that you need in the playoffs. A lot of fresh legs.

Burkle: Frankly, the salary cap situation is going to drive that anyway. With a cap system, you can’t just have a bunch of senior people on the team. You can’t afford to.

DK: On that note, this team has been guilty, at least in my estimation of not giving its younger players a chance. I’m not going to paint Simon Despres as Bobby Orr, but he didn’t get a chance. It’s the regular season, you’re on your way to 51 wins, and no one ever found about the kid, you know?

Lemieux: Yeah.

Burkle: Agree with that 100 percent.

(when asked about players such as Letestu, Lovejoy, Despres,etc.)

Burkle: On and on and on. So we haven’t given those younger guys a chance. We haven’t gotten that right mix on the ice.

We’re a team that’s been talking about finding forwards for Sidney all this time. We haven’t been drafting those forwards, and we’ve given up some younger players along the way. That has to change.

It's something that needs a thread of it's own. We have had a year to live up to words. Is it time to blame ownership? Do you think they've done a good job? What sey you?

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[Asuna]

Ownership must not care too much that management has gone against what they said last summer. The team only got older, and consequently, got worse.

 

[mpp9]

If Mario doesn't clean house of the management group, it's time to blame him.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

As we know the famous interview with DK, Lemieux, and Burkle. I want to bring up some points 1 year ago from that interview for discussion. Link to interview: http://blog.triblive.com/dejan-kovacevic/2014/05/16/exclusive-interview-mario-lemieux-ron-burkle/

(when asked about players such as Letestu, Lovejoy, Despres,etc.)

It's something that needs a thread of it's own. We have had a year to live up to words. Is it time to blame ownership? Do you think they've done a good job? What sey you?

It's Groundhogs day with this org.

Many of us have been pointing out their inability to develop young guys, the importance of this development for a healthy team mix and healthy cap, then the owners finally admit it.... and.... Nothing changes.

Hard to find hope where there is only incompetence to be found.

 

[Til the End of Time]

this is a crap organization and a crap team that has been propped up by two generational stars for the past half decade.

nothing will change until this organization stops valuing familiarity over merit.

 

[cassius]

Mario values chummy friendships and golf buddies vs. actual competent individuals.

This is true for both the front office personnel and the on-ice personnel.

This team is going nowhere unless that changes somehow.

It's like a company that hires all friends/family members vs. the most skilled job applicants. There's certainly a trade off there.

 

[wej20]

Well they certainly have to take some of the blame, they were the ones who hired JR and his band of merry men and they haven't really followed through on much of what was said in that interview.
We have the 3rd oldest NHL roster and Maatta is the only player under 25 making a top 4/top6/starter level contribution. Compare that to the Rags (5th oldest roster); Stepan, Kreider and Hayes are all under 25, McDonagh and Hagelin are 25.

 

[ColePens]

wej.. that's a good way to look at it, too. Where, in the line up, are the youngsters getting playing time. The fact that it's not in our major star players, it's a concern.

I just don't get how 1 year later we could have been worse with that interview.

 

[wej20]

If we'd stayed the course we could have had Maatta and Despres ready for top 4 level and Bennett for top 9 plus one of the other young dmen being brought along and maybe a young forward in the bottom 6. As is, Pouliot and Dumoulin will both be in the NHL next year but not in a top 4 role, Bennett, the organisation has no clue what they're doing with him and then maybe Sundqvist will get a bottom 6 role if we're lucky.

 

[JQR]

What can you say to this, really? They're full of ****, and there is no way to backpedal out of this. It's crystal clear, in black and white. They knew exactly what needed to be done, and did the opposite.

The Penguins organization won't see another dime from me until they make some serious efforts to fix this **** heap.

 

[IcedCapp]

They don't view their youth as worthy. They didn't like Despres and Bennett, and Pouliot and Maatta were injured.

After that, who is there? Dumo and Harrington? Dumo looks like a 3rd pairing guy to me and Harrington... I don't know.

It's a two-part issue: their "youth" is nearly nonexistent and the youth hey do have, well, are they judging it properly?

I don't know. I don't think so. I think part of the issue will be fixed when the season ends.

 

[Terrapin]

I just reread that interview, twice. From then till now, the difference in this team is.... nothing. Not one damn thing has changed. Actually, you could make the case that everything Mario and Burkle babbled about, the opposite has happened.

1. This team is slower than last year.
2. This team is softer than last year.
3. This team is older than last year.
4. Sid still looks disinterested.
5. Sid and Geno still don't have adequate wingers.
6. There is absolutely zero youth in this lineup.

At least last year, guys like Despres and Sill were ignored and scratched. This year we flat out traded them away for scraps.

They spent a lot of time talking about bad drafts. This year we traded all our picks away. Problem solved!

They talked about wanting a team that's difficult to play against, and guys that could 'help' when Sid takes abuse. This year they trade away literally their only two big, physical defenseman, because they're just 'fighters'.

All of this points to absolute incompetence by ownership. Whether it's hiring the wrong people, poor communication, or just plain idiocy, something is seriously wrong with this organization. Either that or that whole interview was just one big lying propaganda piece that was nothing but complete ********.

 

[wej20]

They don't view their youth as worthy. They didn't like Despres and Bennett, and Pouliot and Maatta were injured.

After that, who is there? Dumo and Harrington? Dumo looks like a 3rd pairing guy to me and Harrington... I don't know.

It's a two-part issue: their "youth" is nearly nonexistent and the youth hey do have, well, are they judging it properly?

I don't know. I don't think so. I think part of the issue will be fixed when the season ends.

With the way a lot of the vets are playing they'd be better off giving the youth we do have a chance, even if they struggle we're still saving money.

 

[Asuna]

Either that or that whole interview was just one big lying propaganda piece that was nothing but complete ********.

That's what I'm starting to think...just more BS to spin the firing of Shero/Bylsma.

 

[Terrapin]

That's what I'm starting to think...just more BS to spin the firing of Shero/Bylsma.

Maybe. I just think that they got a pulse of the fanbase frustration, and told us what we wanted to hear. The same exact things politicians do all the time. Oh wait, wasn't Morehouse in that interview also.......?

 

[cheesedanish87]

Shero was fired because there was a power struggle between Shero and Morehouse that Morehouse ultimately won.

Everything Mario and Burkle said at that time was just a bunch of BS.

 

[TNT87]

BS like this really pisses me off. I don't believe anything this organization says.

 

[The Old Master]

we've been Obamaed!........

 

[ColePens]

BS like this really pisses me off. I don't believe anything this organization says.

I cannot believe the media isn't bringing it up. Blows my mind. These are words out of ownerships mouth.

 

[Asuna]

Maybe. I just think that they got a pulse of the fanbase frustration, and told us what we wanted to hear. The same exact things politicians do all the time. Oh wait, wasn't Morehouse in that interview also.......?

He was indeed.

 

[DegenX]

That interview was basically throwing Shero under the bus and putting all the ills of the team onto him, with a little re-branding thrown in for good measure. And yet, the same method of operations are still in effect, even though he's gone.

What has come to fruition from that interview? Nothing.

They talk about youth in that interview. We've gotten older. They talk about speed. We've gotten slower. They talk about grit. We've gotten softer. They talk about character. Well, we do have some guys who are good for sound bites. Too bad most of them suck as hockey players.

They say they never said to put together a squeeky clean team, yet every player who has shown any kind of an edge or willingness to drop the gloves is gone, except for Downie. Bort? Gone. Despres? Gone. Sill? Gone. Farnham? Relegated to the baby Pens. And I have no doubt they would have moved Downs, too if they could have.

They talk about developing our players. That's nearly a laugh. The hydra babbled about KK making the team out of camp, but then filled the team with vets so there wasn't a spot for him or anyone else to earn. This should have been the year we transitioned some of our young D to the bigs. Instead we signed Ehrhoff and kept Scuderi ... who we could have moved. Maybe it would have cost us a pick, but they throw them away anyway, so what's the dif?

And having some low cost talent could have really helped this team on a number of levels. Butterbean has been massaging the cap all season. Remember all the weirdness that started the season? Who here was surprised that we ended it so close to the cap that we were forced to play with 5D? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

How about when GMJR was hired, remember his comments about the fourth line? We all thought that meant Adams was gone. Instead it was Vitale who walked, Goc was re-signed and Adams is only just now being sat.

The only real skill the hydra seems to posses is the ability to talk out of both sides of their mouth.

Man, now I have a sad

::EDIT::
And what these guys said :

Maybe. I just think that they got a pulse of the fanbase frustration, and told us what we wanted to hear. The same exact things politicians do all the time. Oh wait, wasn't Morehouse in that interview also.......?

Shero was fired because there was a power struggle between Shero and Morehouse that Morehouse ultimately won.

Everything Mario and Burkle said at that time was just a bunch of BS.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

The thing about this organization is that even if it were confronted with this obvious failure to follow through on Lemieux and Burkle's stated objectives, it wouldn't do anything but offer up limp rationalizations and attempt to pass the buck.

Just look at Rutherford's recent response to the Despres trade. At this point I'm convinced that the 9 man think tank only exists for individuals to spread around the blame.

When JR gave that cowardly answer, somebody should have asked him if anybody is ultimately responsible for the decisions this team makes, because it sure as hell doesn't seem like it.

 

[WVP]

The Despres trade is pretty much a nuclear bomb to whatever they said in that interview.

Moving a 6'4" physical 23 year old for a 31 year old who should ideally be on the 3rd pairing. When a team is already anchored with an old overpaid bottom pairing D and is need of more physical play, not less.

The Bennett handling is another huge issue. Yes he was injured often but if he's not moved this summer we're going into yet another training camp not knowing if he's a fit for the top 6.

 

[Pens1566]

"Yeah, but injuries"


That'll be the chorus.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

"Yeah, but injuries"


That'll be the chorus.

When that happens it'd be great if someone reminded them that we endured worse injury problems pretty much every year for the last half-decade, fared better, and ownership judged the results unacceptable.

And injuries or not, we lost using the exact same vet-centric philosophy that Burkle and Lemieux said was a thing of the past.