Post-Game Talk: Pens beat Oilers 3-1. I Blue myself.

[The Old Master]

I feel like he’d be nasty on Malkin’s LW, but at the same time I want to ride him at 3C because he’s strong there.

he does give us a righty at center, that in it self is a plus.
edit; if he can mesh with geno he could help him out in that area too

 

[Al Smith]

Is it just me or the way Sullivan talks about Blueger it sounds like he still sees him more as an energy player rather than an actual offensive threat? I hope he doesnt get shoehorned in a position and forced to lose his creativity for "grit"

As a rule, NHL coaches do their best to suppress or eliminate a player’s creativity, but if TB continues to score 3 goals every 7 games or anything close to it, Sully might allow an exception.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

no, we need a 3c that can mesh with kessel. imo

Or they could play one of the best wingers of his era in the top six and stop trying to live in the past.

 

[The Old Master]

Or they could play one of the best wingers of his era in the top six and stop trying to live in the past.

not sure sid or geno want to play with him.....need to keep them happy too. not living in the past just trying to put guys where they fit the best...… good is the enemy of best!

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

not sure sid or geno want to play with him.....need to keep them happy too.

Malkin needs all the help he can get right now, and the Bju Kessel combo looked promising.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Or they could play one of the best wingers of his era in the top six and stop trying to live in the past.

NO!

We can't NOT go find an expensive 3rd line center who has about the same percentage chance of panning out as a minor league guy because of stuff that happened for a brief window of time years and years ago! We like saying "3 first lines!" with a smug look on our face far, far too much.

 

[The Old Master]

Malkin needs all the help he can get right now, and the Bju Kessel combo looked promising.

true. but if your best right wing wants to run the offense instead of letting it run through geno. there will always be problems.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

There is this weird section of Penguin fans who think Cullen sucks because they just look at his corsi, tottaly ignoring context of why his Corsi is bad. It really bugs me that these fancy stat smug people think Cullen sucks. When infact he's been great.

Well earlier in the year, Cullen did in fact suck. Prior to his injury he was flat out terrible.
Seems to have found new life the past couple months.

 

[Peat]

Phil has never maintained chemistry with his C here long term. The sanest answer is logically that Kessels ideal deployment is dependent on circumstances and locking ourselves into any one model is a poor decision.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

That's the opposite of the problem when it comes to those two... they defer to each other too much.

Though it's still a little confusing to see people attempt 40 different ways and millions more in contracts simply to keep the two off the same line... including the coach and GM, it seems. When the reality is they tend to produce more often than not. I don't understand why the question being asked hasn't simply been "what can we put on their left to help round out that combination?" Maybe Bjooger is that guy.

 

[The Old Master]

That's the opposite of the problem when it comes to those two... they defer to each other too much.

Though it's still a little confusing to see people attempt 40 different ways and millions more in contracts simply to keep the two off the same line... including the coach and GM, it seems. When the reality is they tend to produce more often than not. I don't understand why the question being asked hasn't simply been "what can we put on their left to help round out that combination?" Maybe Bjooger is that guy.

maybe you should try to coach against a team that can roll 3 very good offensive lines. it's a matchup nightmare.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

true. but if your best right wing wants to run the offense instead of letting it run through geno. there will always be problems.

I once watched Francis Lemieux and Jagr piss all over the league together and they all were used to being the focal point of their respective lines.

Kessel and Malkin most definitely should be together. Finding the right guy for their line is the issue.

maybe you should try to coach against a team that can roll 3 very good offensive lines. it's a matchup nightmare.

The Pens haven’t been able to do that except for a 3.5 month stretch in 2016.

TB is the only pivot on the roster who has the playmaking to handle that third line slot with Kessel, but it’s not gonna happen so...

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Yes. That's what everyone keeps parroting. But there are plenty of ways to win and always will be. If the team finds itself organically in the position where they can run three competent offensive lines (maybe by partaking in some of that "develop your own players and actually use them" voodoo) at the same time then by all means. But I think it's pretty obvious at this point that running around in free agency and the TDL actively pursuing it is dumb.

 

[NMK11]

When you have the right personnel and everyone is clicking, yeah, running three lines with a different elite player on each is damn near impossible to match up against.

Buuuuuuut, we've been trying that for so long without success. At this point just play them together unless McCann and him quickly develop some crazy chemistry. We have skill to put in the bottom 6 even if Kessel isn't there.

 

[The Old Master]

Yes. That's what everyone keeps parroting. But there are plenty of ways to win and always will be. If the team finds itself organically in the position where they can run three competent offensive lines (maybe by partaking in some of that "develop your own players and actually use them" voodoo) at the same time then by all means. But I think it's pretty obvious at this point that running around in free agency and the TDL actively pursuing it is dumb.

we agree on that. if we don't have the players to do it ….then don't. but then sid or geno wont be happy

 

[Shockmaster]

Woah! They won a game with greatest winger ever Simon! How is that possible!? All the fancy charts say Crosby doesn't remember how to play hockey without him!

 

[pistolpete11]

true. but if your best right wing wants to run the offense instead of letting it run through geno. there will always be problems.

Is there any evidence that Kessel wants to run the offense, though? I feel like he'd be perfectly fine kind of floating around and trying to rack up points.

Geno, I get he wants to run the offense. You can tell by the fact that he steals the puck off of his teammates

 

[The Old Master]

Is there any evidence that Kessel wants to run the offense, though? I feel like he'd be perfectly fine kind of floating around and trying to rack up points.

Geno, I get he wants to run the offense. You can tell by the fact that he steals the puck off of his teammates

from his time with the leafs, there talks (putting it nicely) on the bench not feeding the puck to geno in the neutral zone, and how well he's done in the past, yes and its the same reason sid doesent want to play with him. imo

 

[Randy Butternubs]

I once watched Francis Lemieux and Jagr piss all over the league together and they all were used to being the focal point of their respective lines.

Kessel and Malkin most definitely should be together. Finding the right guy for their line is the issue.

I read that as "...Francois Leroux and Jagr..." and was so confused.

 

[ChaosAgent]

+Letang/Dumo. I'm not going to give Letang a hard time on that pinch. That issue was the forwards failing to cover back.
+Sid's line playing McDavid and Drai to a draw
++++++Murray
+Ruh coming in cold and doing well
+McCann/Bleuger/Rust/Cullen

-Bjugstad
--Pearson
---"Phil can and should carry his own line" lol. Come on. Stop the delusion.
-JJ

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

Delete

 

[MartinS82]

Every single team would take him with that contract. I don’t think $12.5 mill is that bad for him in today’s game.

And it's not like Edmonton would spend their "savings" wisely. They traded for Brandon Manning and signed their equivilent of Casey DeSmith for $4+ per year.

 

[vodeni]

I once watched Francis Lemieux and Jagr piss all over the league together and they all were used to being the focal point of their respective lines.

Kessel and Malkin most definitely should be together. Finding the right guy for their line is the issue.



The Pens haven’t been able to do that except for a 3.5 month stretch in 2016.

TB is the only pivot on the roster who has the playmaking to handle that third line slot with Kessel, but it’s not gonna happen so...

This is the key, that must be the guy that can fly, the guy that can put the pressure on the opposing d-manto slow down their transition, that has to be a guy who can win the wall battles occasionally, that has to be a guy who can keep the puck on his stick for a second....geno and Phil are most of the nights fly-byers and unless the play is jammed the puck moves easily past them through NZ into outr teritory..Whats the point of having Geno and Phil's talent together if they don't have puck...so yes finding the third wheel is extra important...(imagine younger Kunitz.....) Is Bjugs that guy? jury is still out and time is ticking...

 

[ncm7772]

Definitely not worse than Sheahan. He has an NHL shot.. but boy is hustle is about 20% of what I remember in LA. And he's not even old. He is playing like a 35 year old out there. I don't get it. That guy was all over the ice in LA. Whatever injuries he had, really are hindering him. He is so vanilla and that is not the Pearson I saw play in LA.

Nonetheless for me:

Out: Simon/Wilson/Pearson

IN: Blueger/Speed/Speed.

Last night was a start with Simon being scratched. Man, he's been lately.

Glad I'm not the only one who thought Pearson would have been better than he has been. He likely averaged 40 pts in the last 3 or so seasons with the Kings, but was having a brutal year this year before getting traded. Maybe he's in a slump, he's been bounced around the lineup. Lets' just hope he starts clicking, or that an opportunity presents itself.

He showed some flashes early on, but he has been disappointing. Think he needs to have consistent linemates.

I also have to say, it's pretty hilarious that Blueger is putting up this performance right now after the Penguins traded for McCann and Bjugstad. They dealt with the stinking trash that was Brassard and Sheahan for like 45 games, but as soon as they trade those guys for other centers, a center prospect starts having an excellent performance for you. I just find it a little funny.

Funny reading quotes from Brassard and Sheahan since they were traded. Brassard talking about how essentially, the only reason he struggled was because he didn't get more minutes, and Sheahan whining about the Cullen signing which "hurt his confidence." Give me a damn break.

Really liking Mccann too. And when Murray plays like this, we can win even when we play badly, which is nice.

True, but depending on your goalie to have a .977 save % in order to win isn't a great formula for success. Not implying that you said that, I'm just mentioning it.

 

[Riptide]

On the Oilers goal, was that a bad pass by Letang? Or did Pearson just miss it? Something seemed really strange about it and if that pass connects, the puck would at least get deep and Letang doesn't get caught joining the rush (and the other forwards not covering).

I thought it was a combination of both. I didn't think it was a great pass and Pearson did miss it. Those things happen.