Post-Game Talk: Pens 5, Ducks 2: The Despres -2, The Cup is Ours Edition

[Waffle Fries]

But didn't he criticize bylsma after the Olympics?

No, he was the one player on Team USA that actually enjoyed playing for him. Parise and Suter made comments they backtracked from, and Kane made a comment that could have been interpreted as a slight against Bylsma.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

No, he was the one player on Team USA that actually enjoyed playing for him. Parise and Suter made comments they backtracked from, and Kane made a comment that could have been interpreted as a slight against Bylsma.

Heh... I would be lying if I said it didn't factor in on my personal opinion of the guy and is at least a small part of why I was sorta all "pass" on Kesler. If that was his idea of an elite bench boss... well...

And man... it's no wonder Sutter plays a pretty timid game. I wasn't aware that he came close to getting killed on the ice. That was brutal.

 

[IcedCapp]

Say what you want about Sutter, but I do not feel like any team will win anything of significance with him as their 3rd-line center.

If you can't muster an offensive pulse with Winnik / Downie / Bennett, you're just not going to muster an offensive pulse.

If he made half of what he made and was the Pens 4LC/defensive/PK/RHS Face-off specialist, okay, plan the parade. But he is not going to be a difference maker.

(And yes, I know that for 13 games last year, he was above average. I will continue to not throw away HUGE SAMPLE SIZES for a 13-game sample that pleases my no-no spot)

 

[YinzAintBurgh*]

Goc was better then laps but ill hold judgement until playoffs

Why give him that benefit? Nobody else gets that. He sucks now, he sucks forever. Horrible trade and asset management. Perron the friendly ghost as well.

 

[sf expat71]

Why give him that benefit? Nobody else gets that. He sucks now, he sucks forever. Horrible trade and asset management. Perron the friendly ghost as well.

Huh? You don't think the Lovejoy trade was bad asset management but you pan the Lapiere trade and the Perron trade? Tell me you're being facetious. Goc was pretty good for carrying two anchors most of the year, but he was never going to get under the opponents skin like Lappy does. And Perron's gone cold lately, but he is miles better than what our first rounder would've brought for many years.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Sorry to whoever had to clean up this thread last night. I thought I could get at least a little of his sense of humor to come out.

PM me if you want me to do penance. I'll say 10 Simon Despres and a Jim Rutherford, or something.


I forgot to mention last night, I'm very sick of the shorthanded chances that we give up. That is the type of thing that can cost you a series. There's no excuse for it. Not from the players and not from the coaches.

 

[radapex]

The Anaheim announcers said the same thing

that also had a pretty decent discussion about how Crosby and Malkin aren't to blame for the team's playoff failures, since other teams just focus on shutting them down and no one else on the team scores.

I enjoyed listening to the Anaheim crew on Sportsnet last night. Hope we get the Kings ones tonight, and Sharks ones on Monday

 

[MeticulouslyDishevel]

No, he was the one player on Team USA that actually enjoyed playing for him. Parise and Suter made comments they backtracked from, and Kane made a comment that could have been interpreted as a slight against Bylsma.

I'll cut him some slack because he was coached by Tortorella at the time. Bylsma was probably a great improvement.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Sutter can't seem to add weight with strength to his lanky frame to save his life. Just one of those guys really. He's a good positional player and does alot of things right but his lack of strength/muscle really holds him back from being a dominant 3C.

 

[cygnus47]

Sorry to whoever had to clean up this thread last night. I thought I could get at least a little of his sense of humor to come out.

PM me if you want me to do penance. I'll say 10 Simon Despres and a Jim Rutherford, or something.


I forgot to mention last night, I'm very sick of the shorthanded chances that we give up. That is the type of thing that can cost you a series. There's no excuse for it. Not from the players and not from the coaches.

It's those times when we show that we have absolutely zero killer instinct. Its the NHL, go out and score another goal, don't just passively let them take the puck to the net shorthanded...

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

It's those times when we show that we have absolutely zero killer instinct. Its the NHL, go out and score another goal, don't just passively let them take the puck to the net shorthanded...

Yup. You can see it in their body language. It is like they think "ok, they have the puck, so let them get their shot so that we can have the puck back. Need to save energy for the PP"

It disgusts me. I long for the time when our players would hunt the puck like the opposition having it was a personal insult.

 

[jdpitt05]

Do people forget Sutter was our best player in the playoffs last year?

If he shows its a trend by excelling in the playoffs this year, I could care less what he does in the regular season (at his current salary).

 

[IcedCapp]

also, Sutter was good in the playoffs, but this is turning into Bill Braski. He wasn't our best player.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

also, Sutter was good in the playoffs, but this is turning into Bill Braski. He wasn't our best player.

I don't know, I think he was for a few of the games.

Probably had more to do with crap coaching taking its toll on our big guns but it is what it is.

 

[mpp9]

Malkin was the only forward who was better, IMO.

 

[IcedCapp]

I don't know, I think he was for a few of the games.

Probably had more to do with crap coaching taking its toll on our big guns but it is what it is.

there was a rotation of "best player" between Malkin, Fleury, Sutter... and uh, ... one other guy was really good last playoffs. Forget who. Probably not Simon Despres.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

there was a rotation of "best player" between Malkin, Fleury, Sutter... and uh, ... one other guy was really good last playoffs. Forget who. Probably not Simon Despres.

Martin.

 

[Boocock]

Jokinen buried the biscuit a few times during the playoffs too.

 

[YinzAintBurgh*]

Huh? You don't think the Lovejoy trade was bad asset management but you pan the Lapiere trade and the Perron trade? Tell me you're being facetious. Goc was pretty good for carrying two anchors most of the year, but he was never going to get under the opponents skin like Lappy does. And Perron's gone cold lately, but he is miles better than what our first rounder would've brought for many years.

I don't mind the Perron trade because he gives them a chance to win a SC this year but he's been invisible for games and escapes criticism on here. Some are even making excuses. Just calling a spade a spade and showing the agenda on here. Only trade that has shown not to be upgrade so far is Lappy as well.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Martin.

Yup. He's been a beast the last couple of playoffs

 

[cygnus47]

The Goc trade was bad as a player for player trade, but Goc wasn't being used appropriately anyway. His value as a 4th line centre and PKer didn't make use of the (significant) difference in abilities between him and Lapierre (and Sutter). Goc's career numbers suggest he is a better shutdown centre than Sutter, but if he's not used in that role and his linemates are useless his value is limited.

If we're going to play someone for 5 minutes at even strength against the other 4th line, we may as well have someone that makes the defense think twice.

Bad value, but overall not a difference maker.

 

[Zen Arcade]

Goc isn't exactly setting the world on fire in St. Louis either.

I think Lapierre is the better fit for how the team is composed, considering how passive most of the bottom six is.

 

[mpp9]

Goc isn't exactly setting the world on fire in St. Louis either.

I think Lapierre is the better fit for how the team is composed, considering how passive most of the bottom six is.

And he has a history of stepping his game up in the playoffs.

 

[Shrimper]

Goc isn't exactly setting the world on fire in St. Louis either.

I think Lapierre is the better fit for how the team is composed, considering how passive most of the bottom six is.

18 GP 0-2-2 0 +/-

18 GP 0-1-1 -5 +/-

Guess which is which!