Post-Game Talk: Penguins 5, Senators 3 - Jugs and Canns . . . and Puppies!

[Empoleon8771]

So funny! The short video on their Instagram is great too. You can tell how excited they were/are.

Inside Scoop: Bjugstad and McCann's whirlwind day

This part is crazy to me:

They landed on the tarmac at 6:18 p.m., where it took just three minutes for Bjugstad and McCann to get off the plane, meet the team staffers there to greet them and load their luggage and gear into the waiting cars. They were on the road by 6:21 p.m., with a police escort leading them into the city and director of communications Jason Seidling sending text updates about their progress.

Being able to get out of the airport in 3 minutes is something I wish I could do

 

[dogthateats]

I didn’t notice McCann too much last night, but Bjugstad stood out in a good way. They were obviously playing under tough circumstances. I am going to try to focus in on McCann more tonight.

 

[Peat]

I think it's completely possible to see that D pair, that was their original plan for Johnson IIRC. I still think Schultz just slides in for Riikola, though. I don't see a reason to expect they'll do something different than that.

The press noise was that Johnson-Schultz was the original plan. They tried both in pre-season.

I'd probably expect Schultz in for Riikola too but I don't see it as a definite so I will expect the possibility of something different until we hear otherwise.

I don’t know why Pettersson has been more successful with the anchor, tbh. I don’t think he’s a better player than Schultz or anyone else who has been dragged down. I think the pairing got propped up and looked better than it is for awhile, though. What I do know is that there is a predictable outcome with Schultz-Johnson. Getting hemmed in their own zone, both getting turned around once hemmed in for an extended period of time, Schultz having to watch out for bizarre pinches and overall possession problems.

If JR’s offseason **** up is ignored I think they’d be able to roll a better D group when healthy.

Dumoulin-Letang
Maatta/Pettersson-Schultz/Riikola
Maatta/Pettersson-Schultz/Riikola

I expect more of gottamakethiswork to force them to keep Johnson in and Pettersson for whatever reason has been the best at making JR look less bad.

Life without Johnson would make more sense to me too, but he's here and I just don't see why Schultz is more likely to get done in by the problems than Petterson. But I guess we'll see should it happen.

 

[NMK11]

Yes, but why not Pettersson Schultz and Maatta Riikola...imo those would be our best combo of bottom pairings...

I agree, but...

Because you're not scratching Johnson so a discussion of a Johnson-less D group is a waste of time.

I think it's completely possible to see that D pair, that was their original plan for Johnson IIRC. I still think Schultz just slides in for Riikola, though. I don't see a reason to expect they'll do something different than that.

Was that the plan though? I thought the original pairings were Maatta with Schultz and then JJ with Schultz. Don't remember much of a Maatta-JJ pairing. I mean, I guess it could theoretically work if they play back and not get caught up ice, but that's just an expensive pairing to have to constantly shelter and hold them back offensively.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Was that the plan though? I thought the original pairings were Maatta with Schultz and then JJ with Schultz. Don't remember much of a Maatta-JJ pairing. I mean, I guess it could theoretically work if they play back and not get caught up ice, but that's just an expensive pairing to have to constantly shelter and hold them back offensively.

I think acquiring Pettersson changes things, because it looks like the team only views him as a LD. I don't think they'd have to "constantly shelter" Maatta-Johnson either, in fact they'd probably give that pair heavy defensive deployments in the first place. They'd use that pair as a shutdown pair and give offensive minutes to Pettersson-Schultz, which I'm actually fine with doing. That's probably the ideal way that I want the D to be set up at this point, have the Maatta-Johnson pair eat as many defensive minutes as you can give it and give Schultz as many offensive minutes as you can give him.

I consider Johnson more of an Orpik type of physical defenseman at this point, a lot of the problems that come from him deal with bad decisions he makes in the offensive zone or bad decisions he makes with the puck. If he's just playing physical in the defensive zone or playing 1 on 1 against forwards, he does well a vast majority of the time. Having him eating heavy defensive minutes, which allows both the 1st pair and 2nd pair to get more offensive opportunities, seems like a great way to use him.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

The press noise was that Johnson-Schultz was the original plan. They tried both in pre-season.

I'd probably expect Schultz in for Riikola too but I don't see it as a definite so I will expect the possibility of something different until we hear otherwise.



Life without Johnson would make more sense to me too, but he's here and I just don't see why Schultz is more likely to get done in by the problems than Petterson. But I guess we'll see should it happen.

I think it buries Schultz’s strengths more. He’s the risk taking offensive defenseman. You shouldn’t force him to be the responsible one and you don’t want him getting stuck in his own zone or being the defensively better D. Doing it coming back from a long term leg injury seems insane.

Whatever the reason, I really expect serious problems with those two. They’ll suck, randomly have one good game, return to sucking and then Sullivan will jerk defensemen around trying to make it work with Johnson playing. One day they’ll stop with Johnson.

 

[JTG]

Are you seriously saying our Letang-less 2017 cup-winning crew was better than what we have now? With Schultz coming back?

We had better goal tending then. Our forwards dictated play more... but the actual defense is clearly better today.
If Schultz plays like he can when he is back, our D is on par even with 2016. Individually.

It’s the rest of the league that has caught up pace wise. Also, the D on those cup teams, particularly the 2017 one, played much better D in the playoffs than they did in the regular season. As a team, goalies, defense and forwards, we will have to do that again to have any chance at post-season success. Fortunately , that’s more or less been Sully’s MO here.

I do think that the blueline without Letang was a more solid defensive blueline...yes. Overall skill wasn't there but there were 6 guys who could pretty well play 20 mins of solid hockey a night. With this team you have an elite top pair. After that you have Schultz who is coming off of a broken leg, Maatta who is a 4-5 defenseman, Petterson who is a 4-5 defenseman, Riikola who is a 5-6 defenseman, Johnson should be benched, Ruhwedel is a 7. We really need to bring in a #2-3 ideally, but we could fill some gaps with some vets...like Bouwmeester or a Kronwall.

I have limited confidence in our defense right now outside of our top pair...which is top 5 in the league.

I haven’t felt good about the Pens blueline in any cup year. Even as a kid I knew their blueline was questionable the first couple cups.

Rookie pairing the first cup year, second cup was a little more stable but still had worrisome depth, third cup Gill and Scuderi gave me nightmares, fourth cup Schultz and Cole were huge question marks, fifth cup no Letang so uh ya.

Only time I thought the Pens had a stacked blueline was when they got Martin and Michalek and we all know how that went.

I still am hoping for a legit offensive blueliner to be brought in because I’m not a big Schultz fan, and he’s coming off a tough injury so... he’s never going to be my idea of a knight on a white horse.

I think we really need a top pairing. There is a huge gap between our top pair and the rest of the unit.

 

[BHD]

The Maatta-Schultz pair is my only concern. Dumo-Letang are a facto top pair while Petterrson-Johnson are a decent bottom pair (albeit expensive).

 

[DegenX]

 

[Tom Hanks]

The Maatta-Schultz pair is my only concern. Dumo-Letang are a facto top pair while Petterrson-Johnson are a decent bottom pair (albeit expensive).

They were good together last season and excellent in the playoffs. Obviously dependant how Schultz comes back.

 

[BHD]

They were good together last season and excellent in the playoffs. Obviously dependant how Schultz comes back.

Then yeah, I think the whole defense is kind of overblown. Maatta and Johnson - the two weak links - can be covered up by Schultz and Pettersson. Team defense, specifically a commitment to it, is a bigger issue than the players themselves.

 

[Freedom]

Can be Bjugstad Kessel's new Tyler Bozak? We will see... but still I like Malkin and Kessel together in few shifts if we losing in third period.

 

[Gurglesons]

I think I very easily could see this staff scratching Johnson in a playoff series if he plays like he did last night.

 

[DegenX]

I think I very easily could see this staff scratching Johnson in a playoff series if he plays like he did last night.

 

[Gurglesons]

They’ve scratched Daley, Maatta, Hunwick, Lovejoy and Cole. I don’t think they are in love with JJ.

 

[DegenX]

They’ve scratched Daley, Maatta, Hunwick, Lovejoy and Cole. I don’t think they are in love with JJ.

They didn't basically mock any of those guys former coaches for scratching them either. Pride is a helluva drug.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Then yeah, I think the whole defense is kind of overblown. Maatta and Johnson - the two weak links - can be covered up by Schultz and Pettersson. Team defense, specifically a commitment to it, is a bigger issue than the players themselves.

Definitely team defense. We are set up to maximise our forwards so if they are helping out and being smart on D it generally works out well.

If its going bad in the playoffs Sully will change things around. An upgrade would be great if it’s there though.

We’re so deep on our forward group and pretty interchangeable as well. Just got to click.

 

[Gurglesons]

They didn't basically mock any of those guys former coaches for scratching them either. Pride is a helluva drug.

I don’t think Sullivan gives a shit about that and probably was annoyed with JR give his relationship with Torts.

JJ and Maatta were our least played D last night and only ahead of Riikola in the Tampa game.

 

[Tom Hanks]

They didn't basically mock any of those guys former coaches for scratching them either. Pride is a helluva drug.

The Stanley Cup is a stronger drug though. I don’t think Sully would hesitate if that’s what he though best.

 

[DegenX]

I don’t think Sullivan gives a **** about that and probably was annoyed with JR give his relationship with Torts.

JJ and Maatta were our least played D last night and only ahead of Riikola in the Tampa game.

The Stanley Cup is a stronger drug though. I don’t think Sully would hesitate if that’s what he though best.

We'll see. I'd like to see both JJ and Maatta traded, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Gurglesons]

We'll see. I'd like to see both JJ and Maatta traded, but I'm not holding my breath.

I don’t think we see Maatta move until the draft.

But, it is starting to get out there that they might move him.

 

[Empoleon8771]

We'll see. I'd like to see both JJ and Maatta traded, but I'm not holding my breath.

I don't think they should trade Maatta, I don't see much of a reason to move him unless you're bringing in a better version of him. If I could call the shots, I'd move Johnson, bring in a short term veteran RD to battle with Riikola for the #6 spot and run with:

Dumoulin-Letang
Pettersson-Schultz
Maatta-Riikola/Veteran RD
Veteran RD/Riikola

 

[DegenX]

I don't think they should trade Maatta, I don't see much of a reason to move him unless you're bringing in a better version of him. If I could call the shots, I'd move Johnson, bring in a short term veteran RD to battle with Riikola for the #6 spot and run with:

Dumoulin-Letang
Pettersson-Schultz
Maatta-Riikola/Veteran RD
Veteran RD/Riikola

Well, obviously it would be for an upgrade. Preferably a righty. Idealy Montour

 

[JTG]

Then yeah, I think the whole defense is kind of overblown. Maatta and Johnson - the two weak links - can be covered up by Schultz and Pettersson. Team defense, specifically a commitment to it, is a bigger issue than the players themselves.

I think there is a very real possibility that JR seeks an upgrade on Maatta. I'm not sure what kind of upgrade is out there though. I have heard Winnipeg was listening to offers for Trouba, but that is a move that would kill us assets wise and we would have to get real creative with the cap next season.

Can be Bjugstad Kessel's new Tyler Bozak? We will see... but still I like Malkin and Kessel together in few shifts if we losing in third period.

Some of the things I have seen analyzing this trade, many believe he would be best on the RW with Sid and Jake. I thought he would be a better 3C. That's the nice thing about those two is there is some flexibility there.

I think I very easily could see this staff scratching Johnson in a playoff series if he plays like he did last night.

I was at the game and I can assure you television didn't capture how awful he was.

I'm not a guy who piles on players. I don't find it constructive and believe when that sort of mentality infects the board it drastically reduces the quality of content and readability here. That being said...Jack Johnson is f***ing brutal. I have been a fan of Jack his whole career, but at this point, he can't get away from this team fast enough.

 

[Chuck Norris Trophy]

Crosby had a phenomenal game, he was all over the f***ing ice, maybe wanted to show the new guys what it is to be the best hockey player.