Post-Game Talk: Pens season ends 0-4 to the Isles in literally 1 single week

[Angrrus]

Well, some opinions matter more than others. Yours would be pretty far down the list, I imagine.

Says who?

 

[Coastal Kev]

I would bring back this guy

 

[canadianguy77]

Once I saw how we repeated the exact same error from games 2 and 3 and conceded right after scoring, I knew the writing was on the wall. Just incredible stupidity - you take a lead against a team with great D and hot goalie, you have the crowd into the game, your D is suspect - you have to play more cautiously for 5-10 minutes, make the Isles sweat a bit, gain some momentum. Maybe it wouldn't have worked but it wouldn't have been such a blatantly self-inflicting wound, deflating the team.

 

[Beauner]

Says who?

Quite possibly every person on this board

 

[AjaxTelamon]

As Geno and Letang age, they need to get a lot better at playing within themselves. Letang especially has become a big problem with yielding chances against, especially after he came back from injury.

From March 1 on, we gave up 89 High Danger chances against in 14 games without Letang, for a 6.35 per game average. Over a full season that would have put us at #1 (by far) for lowest in the league (MN Wild 7.35). With Letang, we gave up 93 HD chances in 9 games, 10.33 a game, which would have put us at 29th in the league over a full season.

In the past, with better physical gifts, Letang tilted things a lot more in our favor. He absolutely must adjust his game and stop pressing, or this trend will get worse and worse. Saving that, they should probably trade him. I think that's our #1, easiest way to improve, especially if we can pool our assets and get a decent, consistent puck moving RHD. Easier said than done.

 

[Pancakes]

I gotta admit, I felt subconsciously like disaster was imminent. I didn't know we were gonna get swept or anything, but for the first time in years I wasn't at all excited heading into the playoffs. Normally I am. But I just felt this sense of disaster looming.

Probably my brain subconsciously realizing how mediocre we've been as a team this year.

 

[Icarium]

On second thought, though, I think this spineless part of then fanbase deserves the attitude and results that the team has shown in the last 2 seasons.

It's better to be spineless than brainless.

I watch hockey games expecting to enjoy the proccess and the result.

Lies, blatant lies, this claim.

 

[domaug]

Well, some opinions matter more than others. Yours would be pretty far down the list, I imagine.

this is a pretty strange comment on a message board, but i still think it's true, whether that is a good thing or bad thing.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I gotta admit, I felt subconsciously like disaster was imminent. I didn't know we were gonna get swept or anything, but for the first time in years I wasn't at all excited heading into the playoffs. Normally I am. But I just felt this sense of disaster looming.

Probably my brain subconsciously realizing how mediocre we've been as a team this year.

I wanted to believe at the end. I had been openly telling my Hawks rooting friends that we were just 2 years behind them in the wheels completely falling off...but I hoped I was wrong.

 

[Pancakes]

I wanted to believe at the end. I had been openly telling my Hawks rooting friends that we were just 2 years behind them in the wheels completely falling off...but I hoped I was wrong.

I think we will age better than the Hawks core did because Crosby/Malkin were better than Toews/Kane to begin with, and also Letang seems to be elite still. A big problem with the Hawks is Keith's play went right off a cliff. Doesn't seem like that is close to happening yet with Letang.

That said, JR has a lot of work to do if we're gonna win anything in the remainder of the Crosby/Malkin era.

 

[Beauner]

this is a pretty strange comment on a message board, but i still think it's true, whether that is a good thing or bad thing.

I only say that because we do have people who, one way or another, have actual connections to the team.

Edit: Otherwise, yeah we're all just basically yelling into the abyss

 

[Beauner]

Says who?

And I'm genuinely not trying to be a jerk, but when all one ever posts is extremely negative hot-takes, people are just going to eventually tune them out

 

[ChaosAgent]

I think we will age better than the Hawks core did because Crosby/Malkin were better than Toews/Kane to begin with, and also Letang seems to be elite still. A big problem with the Hawks is Keith's play went right off a cliff. Doesn't seem like that is close to happening yet with Letang.

That said, JR has a lot of work to do if we're gonna win anything in the remainder of the Crosby/Malkin era.

Yet Crosby and Malkin are older now than Toews/Kane were. This isn't 2014-2015 all over again. They have maybe 1-2 elite years left, period.

I see we've done a great job replicating the Seabrook contract with Hornqvist.

 

[Shady Machine]

As Geno and Letang age, they need to get a lot better at playing within themselves. Letang especially has become a big problem with yielding chances against, especially after he came back from injury.

From March 1 on, we gave up 89 High Danger chances against in 14 games without Letang, for a 6.35 per game average. Over a full season that would have put us at #1 (by far) for lowest in the league (MN Wild 7.35). With Letang, we gave up 93 HD chances in 9 games, 10.33 a game, which would have put us at 29th in the league over a full season.

In the past, with better physical gifts, Letang tilted things a lot more in our favor. He absolutely must adjust his game and stop pressing, or this trend will get worse and worse. Saving that, they should probably trade him. I think that's our #1, easiest way to improve, especially if we can pool our assets and get a decent, consistent puck moving RHD. Easier said than done.

That tells a pretty compelling story. Some will say he changed his game after coming back from injury. Even if that's true (I don't buy it), it doesn't really matter since he's going to keep getting injured. I'm hesitant to trade him because it's a really hard trade to make and end up better, but I'm also not confident he can/will change his game.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I went to bed before I read the Malkin quotes. Based on some of the reactions elsewhere I expected something awfully spicy. That all seems much closer to astute and reasonable than spicy. Anyone getting worked up at guy for simply telling the truth probably has a big ol' axe to grind.

 

[ChaosAgent]

That tells a pretty compelling story. Some will say he changed his game after coming back from injury. Even if that's true (I don't buy it), it doesn't really matter since he's going to keep getting injured. I'm hesitant to trade him because it's a really hard trade to make and end up better, but I'm also not confident he can/will change his game.

I think Letang is fantastic and I also think he can't be fantastic within structured hockey anymore. The more I think about it I'd take a player that is 20% less fantastic but more disciplined/structured over him.

 

[Gurglesons]

I think Letang is fantastic and I also think he can't be fantastic within structured hockey anymore. The more I think about it I'd take a player that is 20% less fantastic but more disciplined/structured over him.

Glad we are back to this narrative and consistently blaming the only D that would be a top pairing D (or realistically above a # 4) on every other contenders blue line.

 

[Icarium]

I went to bed before I read the Malkin quotes. Based on some of the reactions elsewhere I expected something awfully spicy. That all seems much closer to astute and reasonable than spicy. Anyone getting worked up at guy for simply telling the truth probably has a big ol' axe to grind.

What did Geno say? I don't feel like reading a whole thread of hot takes to find out.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

What did Geno say? I don't feel like reading a whole thread of hot takes to find out.

Here are some of the direct quotes. I'll edit the video clip in in just a tick:

“We tried to play better every game, but when you score one or zero goals, you start getting frustrated and think too much,” Malkin said. “We had chances to score. Sid [sic] hit a post, the goalie (Lehner) saved a couple of good pucks; it’s a tough loss.”

“Next year, we need to understand, young guys–they’re hungry. Every team is trying to win and we’re not champions anymore,” Malkin said. “No one respects our team and everyone wants to beat the Penguins.”

“They were hungry and they wanted a little bit more to win,” Malkin said while shaking his head. “They were blocking shots, they forechecked, backchecked, they looked like they wanted it more.”

“It doesn’t mean we’re not trying or not hungry. I mean, if a team wins four-nothing they’re the better team,” Malkin said. “They played better. Maybe their system is a little bit better. I don’t know, maybe their players are a little bit better. We played a team that was better.”

 

[Icarium]

Thanks. I don't see what's so controversial about these quotes either. A blind man could see which team was hungrier and which system was better.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Glad we are back to this narrative and consistently blaming the only D that would be a top pairing D (or realistically above a # 4) on every other contenders blue line.

I'd blame literally every member of the blue line aside from maybe Guds (lol) and Pettersson.

Dumo for one was atrocious. Schultz was a non-entity. JJ's presence is a disgrace.

 

[Gurglesons]

I'd blame literally every member of the blue line aside from maybe Guds (lol) and Pettersson.

Dumo for one was atrocious. Schultz was a non-entity. JJ's presence is a disgrace.

You don’t improve an immobile D by stripping the only mobile player on the D.

Trading Letang unless we somehow get a Seth Jones like return would be another death kneel to the D.

 

[ChaosAgent]

You don’t improve an immobile D by stripping the only mobile player on the D.

Trading Letang unless we somehow get a Seth Jones like return would be another death kneel to the D.

You could still get a massive return for Letang. I have absolute confidence in that.

 

[Gurglesons]

You could still get a massive return for Letang. I have absolute confidence in that.

Judging by what Karlsson and McDonagh returned, I doubt it’d be anything like what you are saying.

 

[Shady Machine]

Glad we are back to this narrative and consistently blaming the only D that would be a top pairing D (or realistically above a # 4) on every other contenders blue line.

Listen the whole defense sucked, but Letang made critical, boneheaded errors, at important points of the game for 2 years in a row that directly resulted in losses or losses of momentum.

Other #1 dmen do that too, but those are errors that this team couldn't afford in this series. At the very least, let's recognize it and demand more from him. Sounds like Sully does and had veiled criticism of Letang twice. So what do you do about it when the player doesn't stop, but is critically vital to your team's success, particularly with how your D is built?

I don't have a great answer and JR deserves a ton of blame for building a garbage defense, but the Letang situation isn't an easy one to solve.