Pens are flying

[Claxton]

How about those Ducks though...

 

[Empoleon8771]

Penguins 2016 run: NYR, Tampa Bay and Washington combined for 318 points, Washington had 120 points that year and the Rangers-Lightning was the ECF matchup for each of the 2 previous years, with each team winning 1
Penguins 2017 run: Columbus, Washington and Ottawa combined for 324 points, Washington, Pittsburgh and Columbus were 3 of the top-4 teams in the league that year

But yeah, oNlY 1 gOoD tEaM!!!!!!

 

[BB88]

They didn't ****ing do that last time

Seriously, this is just getting dumb at this point. You're either overrating Toronto and Washington or underrating teams like Columbus in 2017 (4th best team in hockey) and NYR in 2016 (9th best team in hockey). You're clinging to a cinderella run by a weaker 2 seed in a weak division to say that the Penguins somehow had an easy run to the finals, yet the 2 teams they played in the first 2 rounds combined for 226 points that season.

I'm sorry but none of them were like Tampa this year(Columbus/Rangers). Not even ....ng close.
Might as well tell about the awesome superstar power those teams had.

The point is Toronto was rebuildin when you were winning, I would argue that they have improved quite a bit since then.
Washington is an elite team that's finally won.
Tampa has kept improving.
Boston was re-tooling las time you were winning and with 1 top6 additiong can be right there again as well.

The elite talent in the East is better today than few years ago, and just elite offense won't ne enough.
Again you're not the only team with elite offense.

 

[Fatty McLardy]

Beating 1 high end/elite team is awhole lot easier than beating 2-3 in the playoffs, you won't face Ottawa in the Eastern finals if you somehow manage to get through Washington, and Tampa has gone past 1st round in the playoffs.
They are build to win with experienced core players.

I would advise you to look 2017 pens cup run. In round 1 they faced a Columbus team who was 4th overall in league in points, then in round 2 they faced a team in the Caps who many believed was probably the best team on paper in a long time and they proved it during regular season walking away with the Presidents trophy with ease, you could seriously argue they were just as good as this year's Tampa or even better. Then in 3rd round, probably our easiest round on paper but it turned out to be the hardest round on ice with how good ottawa was playing as they took the pens to game 7 2OT. This was all by the way without their number 1 d-man in Letang.

 

[The Shovel Penguin]

Honestly when people talk about ANY cup winning team not having it that hard, it just comes across as pure salt. There's no clear cut way to always tell who's going to win it and it's not played or won on paper. All the teams left by May and June are pretty good and whoever is left you just have to hope for good health and happen to be playing their best at the right time.

 

[Ovie's Neighbor]

I'm sorry but none of them were like Tampa this year(Columbus/Rangers). Not even ....ng close.
Might as well tell about the awesome superstar power those teams had.

The point is Toronto was rebuildin when you were winning, I would argue that they have improved quite a bit since then.
Washington is an elite team that's finally won.
Tampa has kept improving.
Boston was re-tooling las time you were winning and with 1 top6 additiong can be right there again as well.

The elite talent in the East is better today than few years ago, and just elite offense won't ne enough.
Again you're not the only team with elite offense.

That’s what makes winning the cup so different than other sports though. It’s not really about talent like other sports. Luck plays such a bigger role. If caps don’t get a lucky bounce in OT of game 3 then they lose in the first round. If Pens don’t get lucky in game 7 against Ottawa they lose that series. So Tampa may be great but if they don’t get the bounces they can easily lose.

 

[BB88]

I would advise you to look 2017 pens cup run. In round 1 they faced a Columbus team who was 4th overall in league in points, then in round 2 they faced a team in the Caps who many believed was probably the best team on paper in a long time and they proved it during regular season walking away with the Presidents trophy with ease, you could seriously argue they were just as good as this year's Tampa or even better. Then in 3rd round, probably our easiest round on paper but it turned out to be the hardest round on ice with how good ottawa was playing as they took the pens to game 7 2OT. This was all by the way without their number 1 d-man in Letang.

Hahhahh, tell me about the superstar talent on that Columbus roster.
They were build nothing like Tampa.

Some of the Pens fans have seemed to be able to ignore completely that there are teams in the East with some of the best players in the game and some of the best depth in the league.
Not just either high end talent or depth, but both, with better defense.

 

[Fatty McLardy]

Hahhahh, tell me about the superstar talent on that Columbus roster.
They were build nothing like Tampa.

Some of the Pens fans have seemed to be able to ignore completely that there are teams in the East with some of the best players in the game and some of the best depth in the league.
Not just either high end talent or depth, but both, with better defense.

And you seemed to ignore the fact that the pens beat the presidents trophy winning team with ovechkin n Co. And then next round beat TB team with kucherov, Hedman, drouin and co. Then proceeded to beat the San Jose sharks who were just mowing down teams in the west. You keep doing gymnastics when people throw facts & stats at you. No point in arguing with you anymore.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Hahhahh, tell me about the superstar talent on that Columbus roster.
They were build nothing like Tampa.

Some of the Pens fans have seemed to be able to ignore completely that there are teams in the East with some of the best players in the game and some of the best depth in the league.
Not just either high end talent or depth, but both, with better defense.

Nah, it isn’t Pens fans ignoring the other good teams, its just that you are mumbling off tired cliches and using zero proof.

Who are these teams in the East with way better bluelines than the Pens?

Pens have an elite first pairing, a very good third pair with the addition of Pettersson who’s been a gem, and Schultz is on his way back.

The only real question mark on their blueline is Maatta, and they won b2b cups with him playing his exact role he’s in now. I’d love to see him replaced with a 2016 Daley type and that would give the Pens a great blueline, but those players are difficult to acquire.

There are some very good teams in the East and it’s no doubt going to be a hard path for the eventual ECF winner, but saying the Pens defense is a weakness simply means you aren’t paying attention to reality.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

& How was their playoff success at that point, now they've won the Cup finally.

Again, ....ng Ottawa in the Eastern finals, and took 7 games to beat them.

Dude, Toronto has won jack, Tampa has won jack, and Pittsburgh has beaten Washington 2 of the past 3 years (Caps were presidents trophy winners both years). Toronto of all teams lol... the caps teams the pens beat are much better than Toronto.

 

[Nadal On Clay]

Hahhahh, tell me about the superstar talent on that Columbus roster.
They were build nothing like Tampa.

Some of the Pens fans have seemed to be able to ignore completely that there are teams in the East with some of the best players in the game and some of the best depth in the league.
Not just either high end talent or depth, but both, with better defense.

This is just getting bad. You’re doing a piss poor trolling job.

 

[tom_servo]

Those teams weren't dominant because they lost, ya see?

Pure revisionist history.

Great Caps teams ('16-current) aside, go back and read how the Sharks were gonna mangle the Pens. Or check the Blue Jackets regular season record. Or the Preds with the best D-core in the league.

 

[Sword]

It's just too bad that they won't be facing the Hawks in the playoffs.

 

[K Fleur]

9 playoff series wins in a row and only one was against a good team.

Thanks Uncle Gary.

 

[bobholly39]

To answer the OP - Pens will be very, very dangerous come playoff time.

Washington won last year but Pitt beat them 2 out of 3 times in past 3 years. If nothing drastic changes between now and playoffs - i'd have Pitt the favorites in that matchup.

Pittsburgh to me based on past 3 years is by far the least likely team to stumble in round 1 of the playoffs. In contrast I could see Tampa or Washington being upset early (not saying its likely - i just think it's more likely than Pitt).

Tampa.....is scary. On paper it might be the most dominating team in the league in a long time. And it's not like they're just a paper champion. They may not have won the cup but they made it to the finals or ECF i think 3 of the past 4 years or something like that. They do well in playoffs too.

I think the likeliest matchup between Pit and Tampa in playoffs would come in round 3 (doubt Pitt ends up a WC and faces them in round 1 or 2). Who i consider favorites would depend largely on how well each team has played in rounds 1 and 2. But if both Crosby and Malkin are going full steam - i'd consider them the favorites easily. if either of Crosby or Malkin aren't doing so hot in playoffs - i see myself picking Tampa.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

I predicted this a long time ago when some people were writing off the Pens.
No one wants to meet either the Pens or Caps in the playoffs. Proven winners with top end talent.
I’d go Tampa, Pens and Caps in the East with no particular order. All three teams could potentially win it all.

 

[BB88]

Dude, Toronto has won jack, Tampa has won jack, and Pittsburgh has beaten Washington 2 of the past 3 years (Caps were presidents trophy winners both years). Toronto of all teams lol... the caps teams the pens beat are much better than Toronto.

East is a helluva lot more dangerous today than the last time you won.
The Columbus& Rangers examples are a great example of that.

There are teams with elite players, and depth, not just the Pens.

 

[PensandCaps]

Hahhahh, tell me about the superstar talent on that Columbus roster.
They were build nothing like Tampa.

Some of the Pens fans have seemed to be able to ignore completely that there are teams in the East with some of the best players in the game and some of the best depth in the league.
Not just either high end talent or depth, but both, with better defense.

You're a pats fan. You would know something about easy paths to championships.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

East is a helluva lot more dangerous today than the last time you won.
The Columbus& Rangers examples are a great example of that.

There are teams with elite players, and depth, not just the Pens.

No one is saying otherwise. East is better than a few years ago sure, but a team like Toronto is still unproven. They haven't even won a single round. Using them as an example of a type of team pens didnt have to beat to win cups is ridiculous. Pens have beaten much better teams. No one has won more playoff series than Pittsburgh over the past few years (and entire cap era really).

Tampa is the likely favorite, and pitt/wash will be squaring up in the second round for the fourth year in a row. Other than Tampa being stronger than years past it's business as usual.

 

[tom_servo]

East is a helluva lot more dangerous today than the last time you won.
The Columbus& Rangers examples are a great example of that.

There are teams with elite players, and depth, not just the Pens.

Unwise to make certain claims around game ~45 out of 82.

For comparison, the Rangers were above the Pens in the standings till about the last month in '16, and beat them the previous two playoffs. Columbus flirted with the consecutive wins record in '17. But it's a long season.

 

[Pancakes]

That’s what makes winning the cup so different than other sports though. It’s not really about talent like other sports. Luck plays such a bigger role. If caps don’t get a lucky bounce in OT of game 3 then they lose in the first round. If Pens don’t get lucky in game 7 against Ottawa they lose that series. So Tampa may be great but if they don’t get the bounces they can easily lose.

Yes and no. You have to be a very good team just to make the playoffs, and you have to be even better to win the Cup.

If I'm not mistaken prior to the Kings winning the Cup as an 8th seed no team below the 5th seed had ever won a Cup. And that Kings team was a juggernaut when they got hot.

This "anyone can win" thing in the playoffs...not sure I buy it. Anyone can win a series or two, sure. But the whole thing? The team that wins is usually really damned good and has earned it.

 

[BB88]

No one is saying otherwise. East is better than a few years ago sure, but a team like Toronto is still unproven. They haven't even won a single round. Using them as an example of a type of team pens didnt have to beat to win cups is ridiculous. Pens have beaten much better teams. No one has won more playoff series than Pittsburgh over the past few years (and entire cap era really).

Tampa is the likely favorite, and pitt/wash will be squaring up in the second round for the fourth year in a row. Other than Tampa being stronger than years past it's business as usual.

I haven't said that the Toronto are the favourites, but they are part of a challenge and would be stupid to think one can just walk over them.
Toronto can match up Pens offensively and they aren't the top contender in the East, and so neither are the Pens. Even with the elite offense they are challengers. That's how good the high end of East is.

There are multiple elite teams rigth now, and 1 or 2 more with the right deadline additions.

At worst this year you have to go through 3 elite teams just to get to the finals.

Neither Columbus or Rangers were build on superstar talent with crazy depth. I would gladly take those teams over the path Bruins are looking at this season, Toronto, Tampa, Pens/Washington.

So excuse me for not being scared the most by the Pens.

Unwise to make certain claims around game ~45 out of 82.

For comparison, the Rangers were above the Pens in the standings till about the last month in '16, and beat them the previous two playoffs. Columbus flirted with the consecutive wins record in '17. But it's a long season.

I don't give a damm about their regular season, explain how they had the superstar power and depth of these current top teams in the East?, Florida won the Atlantic some years ago, were they elite?
No.

You can't just trust your elite offense to be enough this time, there are teams who can match up offensively, and teams who can match up offensively with different level depth on defense.

 

[daver]

I haven't said that the Toronto are the favourites, but they are part of a challenge and would be stupid to think one can just walk over them.
Toronto can match up Pens offensively and they aren't the top contender in the East, and so neither are the Pens. Even with the elite offense they are challengers. That's how good the high end of East is.

There are multiple elite teams rigth now, and 1 or 2 more with the right deadline additions.

At worst this year you have to go through 3 elite teams just to get to the finals.

Neither Columbus or Rangers were build on superstar talent with crazy depth. I would gladly take those teams over the path Bruins are looking at this season, Toronto, Tampa, Pens/Washington.

So excuse me for not being scared the most by the Pens.



I don't give a damm about their regular season, explain how they had the superstar power and depth of these current top teams in the East?, Florida won the Atlantic some years ago, were they elite?
No.

The point is you can't just trust your elite offense to be enough this time, there are teams who can match up offensively, and teams who can match up offensively with different level depth on defense.

It would be nice if you didn't blatantly contradict yourself.

You don't give a damn about the regular season yet somehow this season sees a ton more elite teams in the East based on their, wait for it, regular season performances.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Oh BB88 with every post, your credibility sinks further and further.

Youre not firing on all cylinders. Just sit down and have a snickers.

 

[BB88]

It would be nice if you didn't blatantly contradict yourself.

You don't give a damn about the regular season yet somehow this season sees a ton more elite teams in the East based on their, wait for it, regular season performances.

Didn't give a damm about their regular season, Florida won the Atlantic few seasons ago, were they top contenders? No.

Just explain to me how was that Rangers team anything like todays Tampa team, how were they build anything similar?
How were they build to match up the superstar forwards of the Pens.

Pens, Crosby/Malkin/Kessell
Tampa, Kucherov/Point/Stamkos
Washington, Ovy/Kuz/Backstrom
Toronto, Matthews/Tavares/Marner
Rangers?
Columbus?
Not to mention all those teams have one of the best depths in the league to go with franchise players, on top of it Tampa has Hedman+ McDonagh on defense.

Who the hell would try to argue the East was better when Florida won the Atlantic than it is today.