Post-Game Talk: Penguins 3|Kings 0|A Good Defensive game (gasp!)

[Scandale du Jour]

I don't think Stewart and Glencross are upgrades on Dupuis. I think that might be where we disagree.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I don't think Stewart and Glencross are upgrades on Dupuis. I think that might be where we disagree.

its definitely where we disagree. Glencross is just better than Dupuis imo. Stewart adds stuff we are missing. I'd rather Dupuis on my 3rd line. I'd rather Stewart on my 2nd line.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

As I said, then, if Dupuis is a better fit with Sid than he is with Geno, swap Dupuis and Kunitz. We live in a cap world, we will never have an ideal lineup. Ideally, our third line would be Dupuis - Sutter - Bennett, but that won't happen.

Dupuis is fine as a top 6 player even though he isn't ideal. But, as I said, in a cap world, you can't get "ideal" unless it comes in the form of a player on a rookie contract (Kapanen could be that guy next year, hopefully + having Maatta, Harrington, Pouliot and Despres on the big club would help us sign a top-of-the-line winger... but then, the defense, even if full of potential, would be less then ideal).

The way I see it, we have two superstar centers, 3 "third wheel" wingers (Kunitz, Dupuis and Bennett when healthy - he could be more than that though) and ONLY ONE "second best player on the line" winger (Hornqvist). The problem we have is that we lack one guy that could be Geno's "Hornqvist". We don't need lazy ass Chris Stewart. At best, he would be another third wheel. We need someone better than that so we can move Dupuis or Bennett to the third line and have a line of DUpuis/Bennett - Sutter - Comeau.

I mean, I am not crazy, I hope Bennett is good enough to relegate Dupuis to the third line and that we can find a guy that will play Hornqvist's part on Geno's line. However, I can't help but think that most of you are way too hard on Dupuis. He is a quality top 6 player. Might not be ideal with Geno (your oil and water comment), but he doesn't look "out of place" at all. The guy is one of the 20 best 5on5 forwards in the league production wise year after year. He even was when Sid was out, so he is not a product of Crosby. He can be frustrating and he does miss chances, but he is a very good player, we are lucky to have him.

I see Hornqvist as a third wheel type, just as I saw Neal as a third wheel. Hornqvist is going to hopefully score the dirty goals they have lacked in the playoffs and win those important board battles Neal never did. However, he isn't going to buy time and space for Crosby/Malkin.

Malkin and Crosby both need a guy who can dangle the puck and draw players to them. I think BB is going to be one of these guys, although I'm a little worried he may be cursed like Lupul (hurt tripping over a stick in practice now, wth?).

I really think having two skilled puck carriers with both Malkin and Crosby will make a massive difference in how teams can play them.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I see Hornqvist as a third wheel type, just as I saw Neal as a third wheel. Hornqvist is going to hopefully score the dirty goals they have lacked in the playoffs and win those important board battles Neal never did. However, he isn't going to buy time and space for Crosby/Malkin.

Malkin and Crosby both need a guy who can dangle the puck and draw players to them. I think BB is going to be one of these guys, although I'm a little worried he may be cursed like Lupul (hurt tripping over a stick in practice now, wth?).

I really think having two skilled puck carriers with both Malkin and Crosby will make a massive difference in how teams can play them.

ya I'd agree. 3rd wheel isn't so much a quality thing, its a role. Typically a more specialized role, regardless of whether that's fighting in the crease or sniping. The number 2 on a line should be able to carry the play a bit more than a 3rd wheel typically can. That doesn't always mean the number 2 guy is a better player than the 3rd wheel.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I see Hornqvist as a third wheel type, just as I saw Neal as a third wheel. Hornqvist is going to hopefully score the dirty goals they have lacked in the playoffs and win those important board battles Neal never did. However, he isn't going to buy time and space for Crosby/Malkin.

Malkin and Crosby both need a guy who can dangle the puck and draw players to them. I think BB is going to be one of these guys, although I'm a little worried he may be cursed like Lupul (hurt tripping over a stick in practice now, wth?).

I really think having two skilled puck carriers with both Malkin and Crosby will make a massive difference in how teams can play them.

That I agree with 100%. That's why I would wet my pants if we were to get Eberle.

 

[mpp9]

I think with how MJ has hinted at a bottom six of Downie-Sutter-Bennett and Spaling-Goc-Comeau, bringing massive upgrades to the top 6 isn't a requirement for a Cup anymore.

Goc is going to take alot of the difficult minutes against top end players in the D-zone. And Sutter's line can produce its fair share of offense while not having to be protected either. Crosby and Malkin won't be the only sources for offense. And Sid won't have to start so many shifts in his own end anymore.

I'd say one guy who can make some plays on his own and another guy to replace Dupuis on Malkin's line would be necessary. Or one dynamic player who can bump Kunitz off of Sid's line and rotate players on Malkin's RW.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I think with how MJ has hinted at a bottom six of Downie-Sutter-Bennett and Spaling-Goc-Comeau, bringing massive upgrades to the top 6 isn't a requirement for a Cup anymore.

Goc is going to take alot of the difficult minutes against top end players in the D-zone. And Sutter's line can produce its fair share of offense while not having to be protected either. Crosby and Malkin won't be the only sources for offense. And Sid won't have to start so many shifts in his own end anymore.

I'd say one guy who can make some plays on his own and another guy to replace Dupuis on Malkin's line would be necessary. Or one dynamic player who can bump Kunitz off of Sid's line and rotate players on Malkin's RW.

Right, my two ideal situations would be to add either one great player or two pretty good players.

 

[JTG]

If Stewart plays to his capabilities, and yes that's a big IF, he could really add a nice dimension of skill and a bit of physicality to our top six. After seeing the Kings antics a guy like Stewart is all the more attractive. A Guy who can put up points but also can mix it up a bit if need be. I'm sure Geno would appreciate such a player. And because he's gonna be a UFA I'm sure he may put forth that extra effort to secure a better contract.

I have always seen Stewart as a guy who needs some sort of motivation. When he was a younger player, his motivation was to stick in the NHL and carve out a nice for himself - he was a beast. I loved watching him. I think putting him next to one of the best centers in the league, giving him a role, and just letting him go out there and play...he'd be an inspired hockey player again because his role will be to protect Geno, run guys through the boards, and to shoot the puck. I haven't seen inspired hockey from the guy since he was in Colorado, and that could really be because he was playing for a coach in STL he didn't mesh with (and no young players typically do), and Buffalo just flat out sucks, and that wears on a player.

Buffalo ruined Ehrhoff, I'm pretty sure. This guy looks like he plays for the Sabres right now. I've been pretty disappointed in his play. I'm hoping he comes out of it.

 

[mpp9]

I have always seen Stewart as a guy who needs some sort of motivation. When he was a younger player, his motivation was to stick in the NHL and carve out a nice for himself - he was a beast. I loved watching him. I think putting him next to one of the best centers in the league, giving him a role, and just letting him go out there and play...he'd be an inspired hockey player again because his role will be to protect Geno, run guys through the boards, and to shoot the puck. I haven't seen inspired hockey from the guy since he was in Colorado, and that could really be because he was playing for a coach in STL he didn't mesh with (and no young players typically do), and Buffalo just flat out sucks, and that wears on a player.

Buffalo ruined Ehrhoff, I'm pretty sure. This guy looks like he plays for the Sabres right now. I've been pretty disappointed in his play. I'm hoping he comes out of it.

I think he's Neal with a worse shot and better wheels. He can put up numbers here, but I don't think he's ever going to be a power forward. I know some were touting Neal as a power forward when he came over in the trade, but he really was just a trigger man who had some size and occasionally used it. Stewart is the same way, IMO. Maybe a bit better around the net. And obviously a better fighter.

It takes a certain kind of mindset to be the player you're talking about. Hornqvist has it, for example.

As for Ehrhoff. Way too early to judge. If you look at his advanced statistics, he's actually doing pretty well. He just hasn't been as dynamic with the puck as we all hoped, so far. I haven't had any issues with his defensive play recently. Before that, every D-man but Maatta was varying degrees of trash.

 

[ColePens]

New game time and we are quite off topic