Orpik's Inevitable Re-sign (Now with 100% Less Nathan Horton)

[Darth Vitale]

At this point I think I agree with you TEOT. I'd like to hold out hope that he'd be reinvigorated by a new short-term deal but it's unlikely. His injury stuff and the contract stuff is ultimately just an excuse. He should be playing at his best intensity level more games than not, and it's not happening.

 

[Darth Vitale]

This place is ******* unbearable!

Normally I can sympathize with you but here I think people's negativity is more or less warranted. Orpik has been on a steady decline the last couple years and he's showing more of the crappy play that warranted him criticism last year. The bottom line is he's holding back. While he's never going to be 2009 Orpik again, he could play better than he's playing and for whatever reason... it's not happening most games.

You could say "it's early" and all that but I guarantee you end of November we'll be having the same conversations if he's still here getting top 4 minutes (likely). For my part I'm not harshing on the guy to harsh on him. I think he's just slowing down and losing some of his fire. Time to move on. Nothing lasts forever.

Might be good not only for Bortuzzo and the Pens but for Orpik too.

(My best attempt at "righteous and hopeful" )

 

[Ogrezilla]

Coaching and tenure. Bylsma does not trust Bortuzzo enough yet to give him Orpik's spot full-time (that's my guess). And beyond that you can't take a guy like Orpik (with his identity on this team) and throw him onto the 3rd pairing. IMO that would cause more problems (i.e. resentment, etc). If they're at the point of putting him on the 3rd pairing better to just trade him now and go with the rookies.

really though, if he's not able to play like a top 4 d-man what grounds does he have to be upset if he isn't played as a top 4 d-man?

 

[Crafton]

i think the consensus from the last ten Orpik threads is that he is in decline.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/search.php?searchid=22885571

he does seem to get some colorfully titled threads...

 

[Darth Vitale]

really though, if he's not able to play like a top 4 d-man what grounds does he have to be upset if he isn't played as a top 4 d-man?

"Deserve's got nothin' to do with it."

Doesn't matter if he has grounds for it, only that he'll react badly to it (and IMO he will -- his pride and traditional role on this team will ensure he ends up with a chip on his shoulder).

 

[wgknestrick]

He looked to be on the ice for almost every goal against last night.

He's been on the ice for 7 goals against so far.

Nisky 1
Maaaatttttttaaaa 2
Scuderi 4

 

[Speaking Moistly]

really though, if he's not able to play like a top 4 d-man what grounds does he have to be upset if he isn't played as a top 4 d-man?

He's paid his dues or something. I can just see him, "telling it like it is," if he isn't in the top 4.

 

[Ogrezilla]

"Deserve's got nothin' to do with it."

Doesn't matter if he has grounds for it, only that he'll react badly to it (and IMO he will).

and yet he'd be the first guy in that room to call someone out for not giving it their all. If he's supposed to be a leader in that room then I either want him playing his best or putting himself in a position to hurt the team less. If this is him playing his best, then get rid of him because he sucks. If this is him dogging it, then demote him to the third pairing or get rid of him because he is a hypocrite and he is setting a bad precedent for the kids we have coming up through the system.

 

[wgknestrick]

This place is ******* unbearable!

Calls em like I seez them. I may cry when Olli gets sent packing.

 

[Darth Vitale]

You guys are preaching to the choir. Of course he'll start "telling it like it is" if he gets bumped down to the 3rd pairing and his replacement makes mistakes, or other people screw up. That's what I'm saying. You're better off either leaving him where he is, or trading him. Moving him to the 3rd pairing would make things worse, whether it's logical or not, or whether a leader should "understand" or not. He won't understand. Simple as that.

 

[Ogrezilla]

You guys are preaching to the choir. Of course he'll start "telling it like it is" if he gets bumped down to the 3rd pairing and his replacement makes mistakes, or other people screw up. That's what I'm saying. You're better off either leaving him where he is, or trading him. Moving him to the 3rd pairing would make things worse, whether it's logical or not, or whether a leader should "understand" or not. He won't understand. Simple as that.

then we agree. trade his ass.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Hold on, I'll see if I can get a hold of Joe. He's got Shero on speed-dial. I'll recommend that Joe demands an Orpik trade before Xmas.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Hold on, I'll see if I can get a hold of Joe. He's got Shero on speed-dial. I'll recommend that Joe demands an Orpik trade before Xmas.

10 minutes later

Pens Alert: The Pittsburgh Penguins have put Joe Vitale on waivers.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Well that would be the risk Joe takes, acting on advice from his alter-ego on the dark side. Some people have devils standing on their shoulder, telling them to do things they're not sure if they should do. Joe has a sith lord... can be dangerous.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Well that would be the risk Joe takes, acting on advice from his alter-ego on the dark side.

and thus, he sacrificed himself for us

 

[Darth Vitale]

...and became more powerful than we can possibly imagine.

Joe Kenobi never dies, he only gets stronger.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Help us JoeVi Wan Kenobi, you're our only hope.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Normally I can sympathize with you but here I think people's negativity is more or less warranted. Orpik has been on a steady decline the last couple years and he's showing more of the crappy play that warranted him criticism last year. The bottom line is he's holding back. While he's never going to be 2009 Orpik again, he could play better than he's playing and for whatever reason... it's not happening most games.

You could say "it's early" and all that but I guarantee you end of November we'll be having the same conversations if he's still here getting top 4 minutes (likely). For my part I'm not harshing on the guy to harsh on him. I think he's just slowing down and losing some of his fire. Time to move on. Nothing lasts forever.

Might be good not only for Bortuzzo and the Pens but for Orpik too.

(My best attempt at "righteous and hopeful" )

I don't see it that way, and my post is mainly for almost every thread here while they're still 4-1 with their best players still in the lineup. Save Letang.

The doomandgloom tactics are wearing the armor down.

Brooksie and PM are eating some serious minutes here as their top defensive unit 20:00-25:00+ and 24:00-28:00+, that's just about half a game, on back to back nights and young season.

You could put those other guys in there, but I don't see it as an improvement, more like work yourself to better times la...ter on. Sacrificing now for the future, except, everyone wants everything now. You can't have it both ways, unless....you go out and get a better asset than the one you got because, you don't have that right now for your next game, the game after that and so on, and so on.


Here's my solution that fixes everything: Stop turning the puck over so much.

Bad things happen when everyone is going north but the puck and the oposition.

Every thread is about putting them under the microscope, and is crapping about them not enough in the GDT's and PGT's, no......we must have mor....e.

Instead of venting and moving on.

We're hardly in the position like a NYR board or the like. In a young season no less.

We just don't have to try so hard at this part, really.

 

[eXile59]

The embarrassment that was known as the Philly series was the worst I've seen him play & was brought back in the same role. He's not going anywhere no matter how bad he plays which is depressing.

 

[Nightwing]

I would be very surprised if he's contract isn't extended before free agency.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I would be very surprised if he's contract isn't extended before free agency.

I would be very surprised if his contract is extended here at all.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I would be very surprised if he's contract isn't extended before free agency.

I would be very surprised if his contract is extended here at all.

Neither would surprise me, tbh.

 

[wgknestrick]

Neither would surprise me, tbh.

I agree. We'll see if the Pen's logic coin lands on heads or not. They are equally stupid as they are smart.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

If you put him on a lower pairing, on the road he will get eaten alive, not to mention potentially ruin a few budding careers down there. Go look at the Corsi and stats from the time he's spent without Martin the last few years. It is absolutely ugly, not just ugly.

So you need him with Martin, but in that position he plays too much.

There is literally no way to make Orpik a functional defenseman on our team, and he needs to be traded before his value (and Martin's body and nerves) are completely destroyed.

You don't even need to burn a year of Maatta's ELC to get rid of Orpik. But then you definitely have Niskanen in your top 4, even though Depres should be given the chance to work his way up this year.

Scuderi Letang
Martin Niskanen
Depres Bortuzzo

Dumo

 

[Nietzsche Zone Play]

actually, the corsi last night for Orpik and Martin was a +28. Stamkos was a -7. that's a pretty great job if we're looking at chances generated.