Post-Game Talk: Penguins are the Penguins

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

"The process" is the team feeding people PR bullshit mediaspeak while doing the equivalent of jiggling the mouse as their boss walks by so their monitor's screen saver isn't on.

I've said it before, but if Karlsson hadn't landed gift-wrapped into this team's lap this past summer--holy f***, would this team be miserable. I mean, they're already pretty miserable, but yikes.

This team has even found a way to neuter Karlsson in record time. It would kind of be impressive if it weren't so depressing.

 

[Gurglesons]

This team has even found a way to neuter Karlsson in record time. It would kind of be impressive if it weren't so depressing.

Once again one of those Sullivan decisions of we will have success if you play our game versus let’s add what you do well to our game to have success.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

This team has even found a way to neuter Karlsson in record time. It would kind of be impressive if it weren't so depressing.

I was hopeful that Karlsson would make an increasingly unwatchable team end up being more than background noise on a laptop or TV quality, but as soon as Sullivan started saying some dumb bullshit about wanting to "help Karlsson round out his game and be a better player for us", I immediately knew my hopes were misguided.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Once again one of those Sullivan decisions of we will have success if you play our game versus let’s add what you do well to our game to have success.

HE DOESN'T EVEN PK!

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Between Karlsson miraculously ending up on this team for essentially zero valuable pieces going the other way, and Dubas' off season pretty much being "Okay Mike, I'm new, so just point to names and I'll get 'em for you so I have time to settle in and evaluate"--if/when this season tips over the edge and goes into free fall, there's zero, legitimately zero excuse not to fire Sullivan. I don't care if some billionaire f***bags don't want to waste the cash they invested into him. They already spent a billion dollars on a franchise with about three breaths of air left in its lungs before an ugly rebuild. They should be entirely comfortable wasting their money at this point.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Between Karlsson miraculously ending up on this team for essentially zero valuable pieces going the other way, and Dubas' off season pretty much being "Okay Mike, I'm new, so just point to names and I'll get 'em for you so I have time to settle in and evaluate"--if/when this season tips over the edge and goes into free fall, there's zero, legitimately zero excuse not to fire Sullivan. I don't care if some billionaire f***bags don't want to waste the cash they invested into him. They already spent a billion dollars on a franchise with about three breaths of air left in its lungs before an ugly rebuild. They should be entirely comfortable wasting their money at this point.

The long and the short of it is that along with roster mismanagement from the last two GMs and the inevitable aging of the core that was going to lead to issues... the team made the huge blunder of trying to outsmart some very common sense and long-held conventional league wisdom - you don't get married to a coach.

 

[Ulf5]

It's extremely bizarre to watch a team say "trust the process" when "the process" hasn't won them shit for a long, long time. It's not like this is a one season fluke thing where you can realistically tell yourself that they just didn't get the breaks. They have been also-rans for like six seasons, now.

If only one of the local media puppets had a pair...."Mike, the process hasn't gotten you anywhere in many years...."

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

If only one of the local media puppets had a pair...."Mike, the process hasn't gotten you anywhere in many years...."

These are the same bozos that were singing the praises of Disco Dan up until the day he was fired.

They'll carry water for anyone in a position of authority on this team as long as humanly possible. Because "muh access!" Unless you are Ron Hextall, I guess.

 

[Rakell67]

O'Connor Crosby Rust
Guentzel Malkin Smith
Rakell Eller Zohorna

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Let's all just agree to let this DOC fascination die already. The dude f***ing sucks.

 

[The Old Master]

O'Connor Crosby Rust
Guentzel Malkin Smith
Rakell Eller Zohorna

so, you're wanting him to look like he's putting some effort into it.

 

[BusinessGoose]

The amount of talent they have shouldn't even need coaching.

Funny enough

I'm pretty sure this is the exact thing the coaching staff thinks, also

 

[Empoleon8771]

The Penguins top-9 is fine as it is, that's not the reason why they're struggling out of the gate. Their major issues are the powerplay and goaltending. If the Penguins would have as good of a powerplay as they should have plus were getting good goaltending, they'd probably be like 6-2 right now.

The Penguins are 7th in the NHL in 5v5 goals and 5v5 goals/60. The 4th line is the only line that isn't producing, but they're at least not getting scored on either. Their issues are in net and on special teams.

 

[Turin]

The Penguins top-9 is fine as it is, that's not the reason why they're struggling out of the gate. Their major issues are the powerplay and goaltending. If the Penguins would have as good of a powerplay as they should have plus were getting good goaltending, they'd probably be like 6-2 right now.

The Penguins are 7th in the NHL in 5v5 goals and 5v5 goals/60. The 4th line is the only line that isn't producing, but they're at least not getting scored on either. Their issues are in net and on special teams.

They would have made the playoffs last year of their special teams could do anything too. If they don’t radically improve they WILL miss again.

 

[Icarium]

Sully: Trust the process.

Said process leads to exactly the same kind of embarrassing losses week after week, year after year.

Me: You know what, Mike. I think I am all out of trust. Also, this ain't a religion, it's a result oriented business. If you aren't getting results year after year even when pretty much everything else changes in the team, your process is worthless, period.

 

[Super Duper]

O'Connor Crosby Rust
Guentzel Malkin Smith
Rakell Eller Zohorna

Z probably deserves a shot on top line with Sid over DOC, but rakell moving to third would be interesting to see. Also while we're at it, Carter can be placed in the retirement home.

Top PP unit should include Smith over guentzel preferably, or rust.

Sully: Trust the process.

Said process leads to exactly the same kind of embarrassing losses week after week, year after year.

Me: You know what, Mike. I think I am all out of trust. Also, this ain't a religion, it's a result oriented business. If you aren't getting results year after year even when pretty much everything else changes in the team, your process is worthless, period.

But he won us 2 cups 6 years ago

/s

 

[ChaosAgent]

Rakell wasn't exactly lighting the world on fire when the Pens landed him. I think it's more likely that last season was a bit of an anomaly and he's just kinda a guy who doesn't suck at anything, but isn't all that great at anything either. He's smart, he doesn't hurt you when he's on the ice, but he's not exactly a production driver and doesn't bring a whole lotta anything away from the puck. /shrug

The Rakell love affair was mostly folks just looking to shit on Rust.
In reality the two players are very close together. Average top 6 RWs. Run hot and cold, have good games and bad games.
Rakell doesn't look all that different than before, he's just not scoring now.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I was hopeful that Karlsson would make an increasingly unwatchable team end up being more than background noise on a laptop or TV quality, but as soon as Sullivan started saying some dumb bullshit about wanting to "help Karlsson round out his game and be a better player for us", I immediately knew my hopes were misguided.

Literally boiled my blood seeing Sullivan say that.

Like f*** OFF, you arrogant jerk. Stop trying to "fix" players who have a long history of elite play to fit some idiotic vision of what YOU think a player should be.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Call Sam Poulin up and put him on the power play.

 

[66-30-33]

Just think if Pens did not get 2 PP goals against the Caps we would be at 0% on the PP. Not even last seasons Pens PP was that bad...and they were bad.

 

[Ugene Magic]

They would have made the playoffs last year of their special teams could do anything too. If they don’t radically improve they WILL miss again.

You know, if they would be more proficient on the PP they could also still be 100 point players. Especially since the league is far more offensive.

Call Sam Poulin up and put him on the power play.

Do you really expect him to take Sid's spot?

 

[LOGiK]

Just think if Pens did not get 2 PP goals against the Caps we would be at 0% on the PP. Not even last seasons Pens PP was that bad...and they were bad.

 

[ZorkEnchanter]

Call Sam Poulin up and put him on the power play.

I don't understand... none of that video showcases his east to west passing skills needed for this PP?

 

[Angrrus]

Losers.

Absolute f***ing losers, especially Jarry.

This team actually has only two problems.
Their "stars" are s...t.
Their goaltending is s...t.
That's it.

 

[Headshot77]

I am intrigued to see Dubas' approach to the rest of this season if things continue as they are.

I don't think that Kyle will pull a Hextall and throw his hands up about things. I expect that he has a plan in mind for what to do if the team sucks.

The last time he had this kind of situation was when the Leafs were mid as f***, this was the 19-20 season right before the stoppage. After they lost to a 42 YEAR OLD ZAMBONI DRIVER, WHO WORKS FOR THE TEAM! Dubas decided he wasn't adding shit and just let the team ride into the TDL. So if it gets really bad he might do exactly that.