Post-Game Talk: Pens 1, Ruiners of Hockey 0

[Honour Over Glory]

Spaling doesn't do anything good or bad, but he did look solid with Crosby, so I don't really know what to make of him. I don't know if I like him as a winger, I feel as though if he were to be moved back to being a Center, he'd show more "intangibles" that people are clamoring about.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Turned the game off because I had more exhilarating things to do. Like darning some socks and re-sorting my 500+ record collection by date instead of artist.

Good to hear Megna got better as the game went along. I don't want to put off the impression that I don't like the guy. Trust me, I'm crossing my fingers that somebody... anybody... can step up from the farm.

Sucks that Bort might face some league discipline. Because he was a standout for the portion of the game I watched. Hope Jagr is alright.

 

[Shady Machine]

No, the thing is, you don't just make a deal if you're getting a bad price in December. If the deal is there, you make it. But there's no evidence there's a good deal there, that JR's turned down.

There's almost never any evidence that a good deal is there that a GM turns down. We aren't privy to that information and the vast majority of the rumors are just speculation.

 

[IcedCapp]

I just think, for the most part, people are too hung up on 'winning' and 'losing' deals.

If you're moving James Neal? Okay, maximize value. Crosby, Malkin, Letang? Maximize value.

Rob Scuderi? Pascal Dupuis (back before he became untradeable again), the Ghost of Brooks Orpik last year?

It's okay to not maximize value.

Your first round pick? Maximize.

It's a fluid, case-by-case basis.

Moving Scuderi (and probably Martin), makes this team better in the long run (and, in Scuderi's case, maybe the short run). Don't get caught up in squeezing every last drop out of them.

 

[ColePens]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11


Ehrhoff - 24:06 (19:42)
Maatta - 22:51 (17:32)
Martin - 20:53 (16:24)
Despres - 18:28 (15:05)
Scuderi - 17:44 (13:41)
Bortuzzo - 16:01 (13:45)


itshappening.gif

Despres with more time than Scuds. AWESOME. Well deserved, too. He played so steady yesterday.

Pumped about how Ehrhoff played last night, too. He finally looked like a great deal.

 

[ColePens]

Turned the game off because I had more exhilarating things to do. Like darning some socks and re-sorting my 500+ record collection by date instead of artist.

Good to hear Megna got better as the game went along. I don't want to put off the impression that I don't like the guy. Trust me, I'm crossing my fingers that somebody... anybody... can step up from the farm.

Sucks that Bort might face some league discipline. Because he was a standout for the portion of the game I watched. Hope Jagr is alright.

Your analysis was spot on early about Megna. He was frustrating. He was hesitating and terrible. He did pick it up as the game went on. Especially from a defensive zone standpoint.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I just think, for the most part, people are too hung up on 'winning' and 'losing' deals.

If you're moving James Neal? Okay, maximize value. Crosby, Malkin, Letang? Maximize value.

Rob Scuderi? Pascal Dupuis (back before he became untradeable again), the Ghost of Brooks Orpik last year?

It's okay to not maximize value.

Your first round pick? Maximize.

It's a fluid, case-by-case basis.

Moving Scuderi (and probably Martin), makes this team better in the long run (and, in Scuderi's case, maybe the short run). Don't get caught up in squeezing every last drop out of them.

I've always maintained that I'd keep Scuderi around as a No. 7 D-man. Use him when needed, and have him help mentor the prized kids we have. I believe Scuderi is going to make a great coach one day. He's been through it all. He has plenty of experience to help a young defender with. Yes it's a VERY expensive cap hit for a mentor but it is what it is...and a lot of our young defensemen won't start making real money for a few years, so perhaps we can afford it.

That all said, if the coach (the second straight coach) refuses to sit Scuderi and keep BOTH Despres and Bortuzzo in the lineup, then JR needs to make a move A S A P. Deal Scuderi for whatever you can get, retain as little salary as possible. But the important thing is to move him out IF Johnston refuses to sit him out.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

 

[cheesedanish87]

+ Geno Hes playing great hockey and hes elevating his line mates now, hes making Comeau look like a top 6 guy.

+ Ehrhoff it took him a while, but hes finally starting to play some good hockey, hopefully it continues.

 

[JTG]

Glad to hear Comeau and Megna had a good game with Geno. I figured that'd be the case.

Here's a fun stat about Fleury. Since Bales (Pens goalie coach) was hired, Fleury has 10 shutouts in 83 games. From 2008-2013, Fleury had 12 shutouts in 294 games. Fleury has 5 shutouts in 19 games so far this year. His highest amount of shutouts in a season was 5 in 64 last year and 5 in 67 in 06-07.

Also, as crazy as it sounds, Comeau may have cemented himself as a top-6 solution. I wouldn't mind for JR to go all in for 1 legit guy and put Comeau on the 2nd line. Him and Geno seem to work well together.

Meloche was a joke of a coach, and using hindsight, he should have been **** canned years before he was as Fleury's "advisor" or whatever the hell they were calling him. How an organization brings in a young goaltender and it takes them a decade to get him a legitimate coach who is always there for him is a move that doesn't make a whole lot of sense now.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Meloche was a joke of a coach, and using hindsight, he should have been **** canned years before he was as Fleury's "advisor" or whatever the hell they were calling him. How an organization brings in a young goaltender and it takes them a decade to get him a legitimate coach who is always there for him is a move that doesn't make a whole lot of sense now.

This was one of the biggest mistakes the Penguins made, in recent years. Disco fiasco included. You don't draft a guy first overall, put all of that weight on his shoulders and have him mentored by a dinosaur who never even played the butterfly and handwaves everything away by attributing blatant failures to "bad puck luck."

Ugh.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Meloche was a joke of a coach, and using hindsight, he should have been **** canned years before he was as Fleury's "advisor" or whatever the hell they were calling him. How an organization brings in a young goaltender and it takes them a decade to get him a legitimate coach who is always there for him is a move that doesn't make a whole lot of sense now.

This is definitely a case of a player being left to flounder for years but they messed up before that and seemingly left him to his own devices for most of his career. It's actually kind of baffling how they came to the conclusion it was okay to dick around with MAF for so long. Then there's not making him see a shrink for so long... they're not a cash strapped franchise now ffs.

So much comes down to Philly 2012, it should have been that undeniable turning point. **** should have changed then with Fleury's whole problem and Bylsma should have been fired. But we all know what happened there.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

+ Geno Hes playing great hockey and hes elevating his line mates now, hes making Comeau look like a top 6 guy.

+ Ehrhoff it took him a while, but hes finally starting to play some good hockey, hopefully it continues.

I think Comeau is the one helping Malkin, not vice versa. His speed and ability to hold the puck and dance a little is creating some space for Malkin.

That line did some nice things last night.

I think Megna's speed alone will open up even more space for Malkin. The deciding factor is if Megna ever learns to think the game at NHL speed. Every season Megna got better in the A. He just seems like a guy that takes giant leaps the more familiar he gets with his situation.

He's been one of the hardest prospects I've ever seen in this org to figure out.

 

[MrBurghundy]

I think Comeau is the one helping Malkin, not vice versa. His speed and ability to hold the puck and dance a little is creating some space for Malkin.

That line did some nice things last night.

I think Megna's speed alone will open up even more space for Malkin. The deciding factor is if Megna ever learns to think the game at NHL speed. Every season Megna got better in the A. He just seems like a guy that takes giant leaps the more familiar he gets with his situation.

He's been one of the hardest prospects I've ever seen in this org to figure out.

I just liked that he got stronger as the game went along. After he tried that Devils player (shorthanded?) and drove the net, I think that got him going. That's how he'll need to play to stick in the NHL.

He's going to get a great opportunity though to show what he's got. Kunitz is going to be out a few weeks, as well as Bennett. There aren't any better options than him on that 2nd line right now.

 

[cheesedanish87]

I think Comeau is the one helping Malkin, not vice versa. His speed and ability to hold the puck and dance a little is creating some space for Malkin.

That line did some nice things last night.

I think Megna's speed alone will open up even more space for Malkin. The deciding factor is if Megna ever learns to think the game at NHL speed. Every season Megna got better in the A. He just seems like a guy that takes giant leaps the more familiar he gets with his situation.

He's been one of the hardest prospects I've ever seen in this org to figure out.

Comeau has been good, hes looked like he belongs with geno, but i don't expect that to last, hes still a bottom 6 player IMO.

I actually thought Megna has been garbage since being called up til last night's game, and i'm not really sure how to even judge Megna's game last night, he did do some good things, but he missed on some great scoring chances that you expect an NHL player to finish.

 

[Penguinzilla*]

Spaling not working at all with the 1st line. He's holding Sid back. They gotta put kunitz back up there with Hornq

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

Fleury played well and I don't think we should be belittling that.

That said, I don't need anything Fleury-related shoved in my face before the playoffs.

Well when you have guys like Nick who decide to bash MAF after his league leading 5th shutout of the season, it's easy to see why MAF get's "shoved in your face".

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I just liked that he got stronger as the game went along. After he tried that Devils player (shorthanded?) and drove the net, I think that got him going. That's how he'll need to play to stick in the NHL.

He's going to get a great opportunity though to show what he's got. Kunitz is going to be out a few weeks, as well as Bennett. There aren't any better options than him on that 2nd line right now.

He will need to play as consistently as he did in the third to stick around, no doubt.

Comeau has been good, hes looked like he belongs with geno, but i don't expect that to last, hes still a bottom 6 player IMO.

I actually thought Megna has been garbage since being called up til last night's game, and i'm not really sure how to even judge Megna's game last night, he did do some good things, but he missed on some great scoring chances that you expect an NHL player to finish.

We thought Dupuis was a temporary solution with Crosby at first to. The difference is Comeau at least is a self starter that can create things without any help. He isn't a puck magician, but I doubt we see any Comeau "No Hands" memes going around.

Megna looked like ass over easy the first game, then had small flashes after that, but looked off still. Again, he just seems to be a guy that starts slowly, then comes on.

Last night he shanked an easy goal in the slot and was up and down until the third. In the third, he really came on and was winning puck battles and made 3-4 nice passes. His passing is what will hold him back in the end, IMHO. So if he can make plays like I saw in the third last night consistently, he may turn out ok.

 

[DegenX]

Goc is practicing with the team today:

#Pens lines at practice:
Spaling-Crosby-Hornqvist
Megna-Malkin-Comeau
Ebbett-Sutter-Downie
Sill-Goc-Adams @penguins

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Oh thank god about Goc. There seems to have been some drama about Maatta but it was nothing.

 

[penguins2946*]

Goc is practicing with the team today:

Anything new on Wilson? It sucks that it took him a period and a half to get hurt.

 

[Freeptop]

i think don't think you're finding Hossa+ in the next 5 months. We're just trying to get through the rest of the season with neither Sid nor Geno committing sudoku.

Clearly some moves need to be made, but I don't think they're getting elite wingers any time soon

You don't want them playing games involving simple math?

I think the word you were looking for is seppuku. Sorry for being pedantic, but the difference in meaning between the two was just far too amusing!

 

[DegenX]

Anything new on Wilson? It sucks that it took him a period and a half to get hurt.

Not yet. HCMJ will probably speak to the media after practice, which should be fairly soon.

 

[ColePens]

Remember that time we were all scared of Adams being on L3. Pheeewww!

 

[Penguins23]

Despres with more time than Scuds. AWESOME. Well deserved, too. He played so steady yesterday.

Pumped about how Ehrhoff played last night, too. He finally looked like a great deal.

4 d-men stepped foot on the ice in the last minute of play with a 1 goal lead, not one of them wore number 4. That to me was awesome. Bylsma would have thrown Scuderi out there no matter what. They had Bort/Martin out there when the faceoff was to Fleury's left. At first I was like wtf but then realized it's because Bort's a right handed shot so that was fine even if it almost screwed them over when he failed to clear the puck. Next whistle they put Ehrhoff/Maata for the final stand.

 

[IcedCapp]

You don't want them playing games involving simple math?

I think the word you were looking for is seppuku. Sorry for being pedantic, but the difference in meaning between the two was just far too amusing!

it's a common internet joke to swap the two for comedic effect