Post-Game Talk: Pens 5, Habs 3 - The Atleast We're Better Than Montreal Edition

[Ryder71]

Just as the ripple effect of losing Letang last year changed the mix. The trade of Cole also has changed the mix. He was the most flexible in that he could play and play well with Schultz, Oleksiak and probably Ruhwedel. The facts are GMJR underestimated his warrior worth with Sullivan's BS playing Hunwick over him. Recall it was Cole who was on the ice on the 5-3 last year in the cup final game. Not Olli, not Dumo and not Schultz. Yet he is Bylsmad out of here. Costly and stupid.

Absofreakinlutely! That was a huge mistake. Cole gets his hands dirty, blocks shots, kills penalties, throws hits and has better offensive acumen then he gets credit for. And we really don't have an adequate replacement for him. Cole and Oleksiak were a solid and consistent bottom pair that played well beyond their respective skillsets. I still cannot believe they ripped that apart. This didn't need to happen. Because our defense currently is a mess!

 

[ncm7772]

Absofreakinlutely! That was a huge mistake. Cole gets his hands dirty, blocks shots, kills penalties, throws hits and has better offensive acumen then he gets credit for. And we really don't have an adequate replacement for him. Cole and Oleksiak were a solid and consistent bottom pair that played well beyond their respective skillsets. I still cannot believe they ripped that apart. This didn't need to happen. Because our defense currently is a mess!

Dude, I think you just need to chill about losing Cole. I agree with what you're saying, but it seems like it bothers you too much. There's nothing we can do about it!

I mean no disrespect, I'm just saying man, we gotta move on.

 

[LOGiK]

Dude, I think you just need to chill about losing Cole. I agree with what you're saying, but it seems like it bothers you too much. There's nothing we can do about it!

I mean no disrespect, I'm just saying man, we gotta move on.

When people say, 'with all due respect' or 'no disrespect' before saying something, they then proceed to say something disrespectful.

 

[Turin]

Totally agree that this year has been hard to get invested in. The players are barely invested. The schedule was horrible. We will have no game for 4-5 days and then back to back, which is too much. No steady pace.

But can you believe we are almost in the playoffs again? Where the heck does time go?

It’s been an extremely fast season. I think part of the reason is the investment aspect, like once the game is over you move on regardless of what happened. I also don’t think there have been that many memorable games this year. It has just been weird.

It’s a big reason why I’m not concerned at all about the playoff opponent, just give me meaningful games where I can be enetertained. I’m sure the team feels similarly.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Absofreakinlutely! That was a huge mistake. Cole gets his hands dirty, blocks shots, kills penalties, throws hits and has better offensive acumen then he gets credit for. And we really don't have an adequate replacement for him. Cole and Oleksiak were a solid and consistent bottom pair that played well beyond their respective skillsets. I still cannot believe they ripped that apart. This didn't need to happen. Because our defense currently is a mess!

You have some points but I think you over exaggerate things a bit. It’s more of a team thing for us in terms of how we play D.

When Cole was scratched we gave up the least amount of goals on average all season and were still maintaining our offense. We did it against some really good heavier hitting teams too.

Cole was good for us but that trade made us a better team.

 

[Ryder71]

Dude, I think you just need to chill about losing Cole. I agree with what you're saying, but it seems like it bothers you too much. There's nothing we can do about it!

I mean no disrespect, I'm just saying man, we gotta move on.

You know how some people have A.D.D? I'm somewhat the opposite. I stay on the same thing longer than most people. It's been great the last two years because we won the cup and I felt like I was reliving it each of the last two summers as in all summer long. Those victories stayed with me probably a lot longer than most people. I savored such things and watched highlights time and time again till mid sept. Two of the best summers of my life, and most of that can be attributed to us winning the cup! The flip side of that is when we do something stupid, that also tends to linger. Particularly something that was avoidable.

 

[ncm7772]

When people say, 'with all due respect' or 'no disrespect' before saying something, they then proceed to say something disrespectful.

What did I say that was disrespectful??!!

Nothing remotely rude in my post!

 

[Ryder71]

You have some points but I think you over exaggerate things a bit. It’s more of a team thing for us in terms of how we play D.

When Cole was scratched we gave up the least amount of goals on average all season and were still maintaining our offense. We did it against some really good heavier hitting teams too.

Cole was good for us but that trade made us a better team.

I guess we're gonna find out aren't we? Don't get me wrong, I wanted Brassard, I just thought giving up Cole was asinine, and even more so the fact that we didn't get anyone to fill that void period.

I'm not sure what numbers there are in regards to PK and goals against, but I'd be curious as to what they were with Cole and Oleksiak as a tandem. If I remember correctly their underlying numbers were excellent.

 

[LOGiK]

What did I say that was disrespectful??!!

Nothing remotely rude in my post!

I'm just saying, that's how you usually hear those lines in the military or in movies.
'No disrespect sir, but you're an *******.'

 

[Andy99]

I guess we're gonna find out aren't we? Don't get me wrong, I wanted Brassard, I just thought giving up Cole was asinine, and even more so the fact that we didn't get anyone to fill that void period.

I'm not sure what numbers there are in regards to PK and goals against, but I'd be curious as to what they were with Cole and Oleksiak as a tandem. If I remember correctly their underlying numbers were excellent.

I love the pining for Cole...so silly. Do people really understand why our "defense" sucks right now? It's because the forwards are being so aggressive offensively that they're not getting back deep enough (some effort issues) to assist the D or to provide an option to get the puck out of our end consistently. Our D has always made a ton of mistakes, especially Letang. We did in 2015-16. But during that run our forwards backchecked the **** out of everything and pressured the puck and provided outlets and forced TOs. Our D is exposed because they're not helping this way consistently...and Cole would be exposed too if he was still here....

 

[Ryder71]

I love the pining for Cole...so silly. Do people really understand why our "defense" sucks right now? It's because the forwards are being so aggressive offensively that they're not getting back deep enough (some effort issues) to assist the D or to provide an option to get the puck out of our end consistently. Our D has always made a ton of mistakes, especially Letang. We did in 2015-16. But during that run our forwards backchecked the **** out of everything and pressured the puck and provided outlets and forced TOs. Our D is exposed because they're not helping this way consistently...and Cole would be exposed too if he was still here....

But you have to have different components and dimensions on the blue line. And Cole brought a dynamic to this team that we really don't currently have. You need to task different players with different responsibilities. Cole was one of our best PKers. He was solid in his positioning, he would block shots, throw hits, be difficult to match up with physically, yet could still contribute a bit offensively. We lost Scuderi and it changed the complexion of our blue line after our 09 cup. He wasn't a great player, far from it, but he filled a dimension and need for this team. I see Cole similarly (but more talented).

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I love the pining for Cole...so silly. Do people really understand why our "defense" sucks right now? It's because the forwards are being so aggressive offensively that they're not getting back deep enough (some effort issues) to assist the D or to provide an option to get the puck out of our end consistently. Our D has always made a ton of mistakes, especially Letang. We did in 2015-16. But during that run our forwards backchecked the **** out of everything and pressured the puck and provided outlets and forced TOs. Our D is exposed because they're not helping this way consistently...and Cole would be exposed too if he was still here....

I think people are just putting things together that CLB is on a big winning streak since the deadline and the Pens have been up and down, so it’s all the Cole effect naturally.

I remember Armageddon last season almost exactly around this time when the Pens went something like 3-6 and even lost four in a row... got hammered for like 10 goals in the last two agt Chi and Philly... it was all over... Pens were getting cooked in the first round... were sure to be swept in three...

 

[AjaxTelamon]

If those are your main issues, why mention the play of Sheahan/the third line? We're getting nearly a point a game from our bottom 6 centres - something very few teams can say - and Kessel is running hot at ES. It would be nice to get even more but also quite unrealistic.

And that combination of Brassard/Sheahan vs. Sheahan/whoever is what the difference is to our team, not Brassard vs Sheahan. Incidentally, if you're regretting moving Cole, I doubt that someone is Pleks as you first suggested, because if they moved Cole to accommodate the cap hit of one 3m centre who do you think they'd have moved to accommodate the cap hit of a different 3m centre?

If you don't like the trade because it meant losing Cole, then fair enough. I'm not sure where I'm on that, not least because Brassard will be here next year and Cole never would have been.

But saying our bottom 6 is worse now, that we're not getting contributions from the players? It doesn't add up.

I did not say that. My point is that I am not sure we are a better team now than prior to the TDL, and I'm not sure that the delta between Sheahan and Brass at 3C is worth what we sent out.

The team I see out there playing since the TDL is not as good as the team that was playing in January or February.

None of this is complicated, I'm not sure why you're trying to make it into an inquisition to prove someone is right or wrong.

It is what it is. I hope they get their crap together, and god forbid we get an injury on D, then we have Ruh and Hunwick both in the lineup.

 

[KIRK]

I think people are just putting things together that CLB is on a big winning streak since the deadline and the Pens have been up and down, so it’s all the Cole effect naturally.

I remember Armageddon last season almost exactly around this time when the Pens went something like 3-6 and even lost four in a row... got hammered for like 10 goals in the last two agt Chi and Philly... it was all over... Pens were getting cooked in the first round... were sure to be swept in three...

Malkin was out after 3/15. You're right about the 2 losses, but knowing Geno would be back and had been playing awesome when healthy AND knowing Sid played awesome all year last year made for a big difference. We also thought at this time last year that Letang would be back for the playoffs.

Sorry, the comparison doesn't hold . . .

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Malkin was out after 3/15. You're right about the 2 losses, but knowing Geno would be back and had been playing awesome when healthy AND knowing Sid played awesome all year last year made for a big difference. We also thought at this time last year that Letang would be back for the playoffs.

Sorry, the comparison doesn't hold . . .

Yep, Malkin was out and right after they won three in a row, had lost two previous to that, hit the four game skid, rumors of Letang not coming back were rampant, the board was in a panic, as usual...

Just like Oct-Dec this past year... just like Oct-Dec in 2015...

Same pattern. Same people being hit by shards of sky.

Dangerous living in that world...

Gotta wear a special helmet I suppose.

 

[KIRK]

Yep, Malkin was out and right after they won three in a row, had lost two previous to that, hit the four game skid, rumors of Letang not coming back were rampant, the board was in a panic, as usual...

Just like Oct-Dec this past year... just like Oct-Dec in 2015...

Same pattern. Same people being hit by shards of sky.

Dangerous living in that world...

Gotta wear a special helmet I suppose.

True . . .

I guess what I'm saying is that last year, someone like me could look at it and say (a) Geno would be back, (b) Sid was killing it, and (c) Letang would be back.

This year . . . Sid hasn't been comfortable with any combo for more than a few games all season, Letang is playing like a guy as likely to help us lose a playoff series as he is to help us win, and the mix on defense overall is scary.

Honestly, for as negative as I always am and notwithstanding any in game drama, at this time last year, I figured the Pens would be fine going into the playoffs.

I think this year is different . . .

 

[imouttahereEdWinger]

But are they trying to flip the switch now and failing? Or are they coasting until the playoffs and then will try and flip the switch? That's my point. We don't know and we most likely won't know until the playoffs.

What makes you think they have any intention of trying to flip any switch at all? Maybe they're fat cats satisfied with two in a row.

 

[DegenX]

Seems like we've moved past discussing the game. Let's move back to the all-purpose thread. Thanks!