Pre-Game Talk: Pens at Rangers Pre-Game Talk (Letang/Malkin out, KCN a thing, Despres on top pair!)

Ogrezilla · Jan 3, 2014

How often do the lines change between the skate and the game? Because I really can't shake the feeling that Despres will sit and Engo will play in that spot.

stefanh · Jan 3, 2014

I hate the lines because the forwards on this team is just really bad right now outside of a handful of players

Ogrezilla · Jan 3, 2014

stefanh said:
I hate the lines because the forwards on this team is just really bad right now outside of a handful of players

luckily the handful of good players include a great defense and the best line in the league.

stefanh · Jan 3, 2014

Ogrezilla said:
luckily the handful of good players include a great defense and the best line in the league.

The defense is fine it would be nice to role out more than 1 good line though

Ogrezilla · Jan 3, 2014

stefanh said:
The defense is fine it would be nice to role out more than 1 good line though

obviously. That's why i said its lucky that the one good line we have is the best in the league.

Dipsy Doodle · Jan 3, 2014

stefanh said:
The defense is fine it would be nice to role out more than 1 good line though

You'd be hard-pressed to find any team that would look good or rack up as many wins as we have with the injuries we've sustained.

Chicago's a fantastic team. I don't think they'd look fantastic if you took out Kane, Sharp, Saad, Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, and Oduya (Malkin, Neal, Bennett, Letang, Martin, Scuderi, and Orpik) at the same time.

stefanh · Jan 3, 2014

Rowdy Roddy Peeper said:
You'd be hard-pressed to find any team that would look good or rack up as many wins as we have with the injuries we've sustained.

Chicago's a fantastic team. I don't think they'd look fantastic if you took out Kane, Sharp, Saad, Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, and Oduya (Malkin, Neal, Bennett, Letang, Martin, Scuderi, and Orpik) at the same time.

I'm not arguing really. More tired of injuries as the neverending story of this team

madinsomniac · Jan 3, 2014

BrookswasHere44 said:
Soooo....im in no way singling you out here but when exactly does the hate stop?

It will end when:

A. Lines are matched on a regular basis to maximize their effectiveness

B. We go into one playoff series with a Plan B to effectively counter an opponants likely tactics... and not only try to do that in desperation in the wavering minutes of a sunken series

C. Players are given ice time most befitting their roles and talent level... IE Craig adams skating with a top line should never happen... ever

D. Young guys are not eternally benched for having a single bad game, or single bad play.

E. Veterans are benched for having a reoccuring bad play, or string of bad games

F. We try tactics like screening a goalie when the shot is coming rather than just making the hot goalie excuse every time a guy makes 25 clean and easy saves on us

G. Not concede play in our end at the end of every game with a lead

H. Come up with a regular way to score that doent include Crosby or Malkin on the Ice

Hey if Bylsma wins back to back Stanley Cups without correcting a myriad of flaws, Ill eat crow, but I gave him time to install his system, and time to correct many shortcomings that have appeared, and while he has fixed a few, he still has a good amount that have festered. I am of the opinion Coaches have an expiration date, and i believe disco's has come and gone

Shrimper · Jan 3, 2014

The coach is learning.

Fire Shero* · Jan 3, 2014

Rowdy Roddy Peeper said:
You'd be hard-pressed to find any team that would look good or rack up as many wins as we have with the injuries we've sustained.

Chicago's a fantastic team. I don't think they'd look fantastic if you took out Kane, Sharp, Saad, Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, and Oduya (Malkin, Neal, Bennett, Letang, Martin, Scuderi, and Orpik) at the same time.

Right now, we are down 3 NHL forwards. A 3rd line winger in Dopee, a first line center in Malkin and a prospect who has played in 44 nhl games.

I'm sure Chicago would be fine without Toews, Versteeg and however is comparable to Bennett on their team. They still have Kane, Hossa, Sharp, Shaw, Saad, etc. They could at east ice 2 respectable lines because they have depth. Something we know nothing about.

This is what happens when you have 4 top 6 players and one gets injured. Suddenly you are down to a one line team.

Ogrezilla · Jan 3, 2014

Wingerz said:
Right now, we are down 3 NHL forwards. A 3rd line winger in Dopee, a first line center in Malkin and a prospect who has played in 44 nhl games.

I'm sure Chicago would be fine without Toews, Versteeg and however is comparable to Bennett on their team. They still have Kane, Hossa, Sharp, Shaw, Saad, etc. They could at east ice 2 respectable lines because they have depth. Something we know nothing about.

we are fine right now too, despite the depth problems. Tied for the league lead in wins, and we've won 8 of our last 10.

Fire Shero* · Jan 3, 2014

Ogrezilla said:
we are fine right now too, despite the depth problems. Tied for the league lead in wins, and we've won 8 of our last 10.

Which is amazing. The lack of depth will eventually bite us in the ass, whether is now or in the postseason. One of Cosby Neal Malkin or Kunitz will get injured in the playoffs and we will be down to one line. That might fly again Columbus but it will be a huge problem in the playoffs against a respectable team.

WayneSid9987 · Jan 3, 2014

Very odd how Engo was practicing today on the wing up front.

I'm just happy DB is willing to change things up finally after seeing things not work for some time instead of forever. See Bennett on Sid's wing and the defensive shuffle now.

Fire Shero* · Jan 3, 2014

SidTheKid8787 said:
Very odd how Engo was practicing today on the wing up front.

I'm just happy DB is willing to change things up finally after seeing things not work for some time instead of forever. See Bennett on Sid's wing and the defensive shuffle now.

Hopefully Bennett doesn't trip over his shoelaces breaking multiple bones walking into consol

WayneSid9987 · Jan 3, 2014

Wingerz said:
Hopefully Bennett doesn't trip over his shoelaces breaking multiple bones walking into consol

Indeed.

I have to imagine Jacques Martin saying to DB "dude. why are you playing your best defenseman on the 3rd pairing?"

Then BOOM! Despres paired with Orpik and Engo's back to forward spot duty.

Tasty Biscuits · Jan 3, 2014

And so the true Despres showcase begins. Wonder who's watching :sarcasm:

IcedCapp · Jan 3, 2014

tasty biscuits said:
and so the true despres showcase begins. Wonder who's watching

i am

madinsomniac · Jan 3, 2014

Wingerz said:
Right now, we are down 3 NHL forwards. A 3rd line winger in Dopee, a first line center in Malkin and a prospect who has played in 44 nhl games.

I'm sure Chicago would be fine without Toews, Versteeg and however is comparable to Bennett on their team. They still have Kane, Hossa, Sharp, Shaw, Saad, etc. They could at east ice 2 respectable lines because they have depth. Something we know nothing about.

This is what happens when you have 4 top 6 players and one gets injured. Suddenly you are down to a one line team.

While duper is likely best served as a 3rd liner, there is no doubt that Bennet-Malkin-Duper would be a fine second line on any team, probably a first on many... we are skating with the equivalent of two mediocre fourth lines, an OK third and a superb first line...

Speaking Moistly · Jan 3, 2014

... Bylsma is doing things that make sense? Sound the alarm!

Ally22 · Jan 3, 2014

The apocalypse is nigh

KCN AND Despres??!?!

cheesedanish87 · Jan 3, 2014

Tasty Biscuits said:
And so the true Despres showcase begins. Wonder who's watching

When i first saw the d pairings this is the first thing i thought of.

BTW guess who the pens next opponent is

AjaxTelamon · Jan 3, 2014

Wingerz said:
Right now, we are down 3 NHL forwards. A 3rd line winger in Dopee, a first line center in Malkin and a prospect who has played in 44 nhl games.

I'm sure Chicago would be fine without Toews, Versteeg and however is comparable to Bennett on their team. They still have Kane, Hossa, Sharp, Shaw, Saad, etc. They could at east ice 2 respectable lines because they have depth. Something we know nothing about.

This is what happens when you have 4 top 6 players and one gets injured. Suddenly you are down to a one line team.

Since Malkin went down, we have scored 26 goals in 8 games, or 3.25 a game. We have given up 22 goals, 2.75 a game, which is exactly the league average of goals scored per game.

So our offense has actually been 1/2 goal above average, and our D average, even with the mass of injuries.

I am not sure what else you want from this team.

Kakko · Jan 3, 2014

Kreider-Stepan-Nash
Zuccarello-Richards-Callahan
Hagelin-Brassard-Pouliot
Boyle-Moore-Dorsett

McDonagh-Girardi
Staal-Allen
Moore-Stralman

The defense shifts around a lot, and it looks like Lundqvist is starting

Ogelthorpe · Jan 3, 2014

Wingerz said:
Hopefully Bennett doesn't trip over his shoelaces breaking multiple bones walking into consol

Wingers has such an optimistic zest for life. That household must by nothing but sunshine and roses.....Utopia!

Frederick Stanley · Jan 3, 2014

GDT up.

Pre-Game Talk: Pens at Rangers Pre-Game Talk (Letang/Malkin out, KCN a thing, Despres on top pair!)

Nerf Herder

Registered User

Nerf Herder

Registered User

Nerf Herder

Rent A Barn

Registered User

Registered User

Trick or ruddy treat

Fire Shero*

Guest

Nerf Herder

Fire Shero*

Guest

Registered User

Fire Shero*

Guest

Registered User

with fancy sauce

Registered User

Registered User

What a terrible image.

Registered User

Registered User

Registered User

Formerly Chytil

Who do you play for?

MSF

Ad

Ad

Ad