Post-Game Talk: Pens vs. Caps, 4-1. Jarry, get ready to learn Arizonan, buddy!

[IcedCapp]

there was a project i was considering doing, but then decided to save my energy, but if someone else wants to do it:

what are Jarry's stats in games where we're in/close to a playoff spot vs his stats when we're out of contention?

Part of the issue is how you define in/out of contention. But there's a nagging part of my brain that says that at the beginning of the year he was bad. Then he was good. Then we got close to a spot and he was bad, and that pattern continued most of the year.

I don't mind being corrected if I'm wrong.

(jarry sucks)

 

[Pens1566]

getting a worse pick in a not great draft to fulfill our obligations to SJ isn't the worst thing to happen here.

True, if it ends up being this years pick. But it also pushes our later round picks down as well.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Also, so f***ing refreshing seeing a young kid like St-Ivany play actual defense with so much poise and patience to his game. So different from watching 40 years of Pens hockey and always having defensemans treating the puck like it's a bomb!!!

 

[The Old Master]

True, if it ends up being this years pick. But it also pushes our later round picks down as well.

we could trade up. (we have enough picks) but after the first it's all a toss of the dice. imo

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

we could trade up. (we have enough picks) but after the first it's all a toss of the dice. imo

Even better if Carolina makes the SCF

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

What a game....in Ned we trust! BTW did anybody notice that we adjusted our system?

No more do we try and force O-zone time, just to take bad point shots, and make risky plays that feed the opposition transition. If I remember we have been outshot pretty much every game during this streak.

I'm hoping Sully knowing he had nothing lose, tried something different, or maybe I'm giving him too much credit .

Graves and Jarry are the worst contracts by far on this team. Hard to get rid of those.

Jarry is tradeable. Graves too. One bad season with us doesn't negate his past performance on other teams. It's not best to sell low, so it will depend on if we need the cap space or not.

I completely expect us to just miss the cut and all that this "run" will accomplish is to lower our draft pick, and give Sully more runway.

After this run, you know Sully is a lock in for next year. Just the facts :\.

 

[vodeni]

This game felt like it lasted forever... maybe because I didn't fast forward most of it as I did in some of the previous Penguin "efforts".

We need to be opportunistic to get results and we were and with a lot of luck too. In the second period the Caps have zero high danger scoring chances and the eye test confirmed that this was the Pens' best period by a half. And yet the two crucial goals came early on our first two shots when we missed like gazillion easy clears and generally playing like shit. Hockey can be funny that way. Still, it helps that we waited for traffic to gather rather than shoot from everywhere and hope for the best. Maybe we could have tried this amazing new tactic earlier in the season?

Bunting scored on one of the worst of his many chances, again, funny how that works.

The sinking feeling you get when the Pens get a PP and badly need a goal says it all about how bad they are at this aspect of the game.

I thought powerplay was OK last night, especially with Letang up there, when Sid wins face off cleanly and we set up, we do look dangerous, until EK f***s something up...I thought they had looks...Geno set up Letang and EK for a couple of shots and set up Bunting for a really HDCF, so it did not look terrible, the last PP Sully chickened out and put two defensman on PP to make sure we don't get scored on...when your coach shows the confidence in you, sky is the limt

 

[IcedCapp]

True, if it ends up being this years pick. But it also pushes our later round picks down as well.

i feel like we got 3 early/mid round picks at the trade deadline this year, which kind of alleviates the need for everything but the 1st this year.

 

[vodeni]

Also, so f***ing refreshing seeing a young kid like St-Ivany play actual defense with so much poise and patience to his game. So different from watching 40 years of Pens hockey and always having defensemans treating the puck like it's a bomb!!!

how about giving some credit to Dubas removing Ruh from the roster and forcing Sully to use someone else...

 

[Gurglesons]

So much different than Jarry’s attitude.

 

[IcedCapp]

how about giving some credit to Dubas removing Ruh from the roster and forcing Sully to use someone else...

i cant form an opinion on Dubas until some random leafs fan pops in to give their unsolicited opinion

 

[BusinessGoose]

how about giving some credit to Dubas removing Ruh from the roster and forcing Sully to use someone else...

Point goes to Dubas

Score is now
Good Dubas 3, Bad Dubas 12

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

So POJ seemed to have a pretty good season last year and was expecting him to take that next step this year. Was kind of shocked when he was in and out of the lineup to start the year and even when he was in it he was playing minimal minutes.

Fast forward to the last month or so and it seems like he has been finding himself in the lineup a lot more consistently as well as getting more consistent minutes. Last 10 games he is even finding himself onto the scoresheet pretty regularly.

What happened earlier in the season? Was it a sully thing or did he not come prepared to start the year or something?

I think some players need more TOI to get in the groove of the game. Seems like POJ is one of them.
I can't knock Sully for starting him in the bottom bc POJ didn't earn it. But POJ is playing with a TON of confidence (along with DOC)

 

[SEALBound]

One of the more enjoyable games we've played in quite awhile. These boys are finally playing with urgency. Something that has been missing from 60+ games. The bummer part now, when looking at the standings, is thinking back to a couple of those turds we laid throughout the entire season that actually matter. At least they are making it exciting at the end. And honestly, it's probably better they have this spurt regardless because it likely means we won't finish bottom 10 which makes the 1st round pick decision easy.

My favorite part of the game was the 5-on-3. Even though Washington scored at the last second, I thought that was a dominant PK'ing performance. That moment had the ability to lift the Caps up and change the course of the game and instead, the PK'ers stood strong and shoved it in the Caps face - highlighted by an excellent breakaway attempt by Rust. THAT is the "man the f*** up and play" type of attitude they have been missing all year. Yeah, the Caps scored on the one PP but it was hardly a confidence and energy boost for them. Instead, we kept and gained more momentum. Hell of a moment in a crucial away game.

 

[Zbynek]

So much different than Jarry’s attitude.

Jarry definitely read this with that dumb snarling glare.

 

[MrBrightside]

I wish they'd done more to sell at the trade deadline and still hope they are purposeful in getting younger this offseason, but screw it - I can't watch this team and not want to see them pull this off, especially if knocks out the Caps or Flyers.

 

[Ignatius]

The only reason I want this team to make the playoffs it's so sad can be nominated for the Hart AND WIN

 

[SomeDude]

Great to watch meaningful hockey again and the team playing well.

The only thing that sucks is this is just going to reaffirm the organization that Sully is the best coach ever born. I’m sure they’re already talking extension. You can’t expect a coach like that to have a new contract kicking in without his next one signed and ready to go.

 

[chethejet]

If Pens beat out the Caps and or the Flyers for the 3rd place finish in the division, Dubas will add to the roster to win next year. That is my fear here. Dubas has to stick with the rebuild to get younger bigger stronger ect. I still would like the pick this year in top 10 and add a pick as only a second is worth it in moving Smith. Dubas keep taking the wants away from Sullivan and I will give you Acciari next year but thats it. Jarry to the Oilers for a 1st would be nice. Or to the Canes for Morrow.
DOC Sid Rust
Bunting Geno Puustinen
Smith Eller Rakell
? Poulin Acciari

 

[SEALBound]

If Pens beat out the Caps and or the Flyers for the 3rd place finish in the division, Dubas will add to the roster to win next year. That is my fear here. Dubas has to stick with the rebuild to get younger bigger stronger ect. I still would like the pick this year in top 10 and add a pick as only a second is worth it in moving Smith. Dubas keep taking the wants away from Sullivan and I will give you Acciari next year but thats it. Jarry to the Oilers for a 1st would be nice. Or to the Canes for Morrow.
DOC Sid Rust
Bunting Geno Puustinen
Smith Eller Rakell
? Poulin Acciari

They beat the Rangers, Caps, Canes, NJ...so I mean, the roster - when they actually WANT to - is capable of winning. If they make the playoffs, they 100% will and should look to compete again next year but that doesn't necessarily mean they will look to add old players. I imagine the off-season would look more like getting Neito and Acciari moved to make way for guys like Poulin, Pono, Koivunen, Puljujarvi, etc. Who knows, that could even include Graves if JSI, Shea, and Ludvig show well in the playoffs.

I think a lot would depend on how they look IF they make the playoffs. If they make it and DOC looks like a 25-year-old Kunitz out there, they may not opt for a 1LW, which means they could focus on trading Smith and bringing in a higher-power second-line winger or center and changing that line around a bit.
Standard disclaimer: Not sure it will matter THAT much if they don't can Sullivan and the ACs though.

The brighter spot right now is, at least for discussion sake, that there are so many possible directions the team can go in at the moment.

 

[orby]

Jarry to the Oilers for a 1st would be nice. Or to the Canes for Morrow.

I don't think other teams would offer 1st rounders or top prospects for Jarry.

 

[Tender Rip]

Keep the young guys. Trade away Jarry, Graves and Smith for best picks/prospects available. Let Carter walk.

Then you have lots of cap room to get something real to support Sid/Geno.

Oh, still have to fire Sully. Them not doing that is the only worry about this late flourish.

 

[IcedCapp]

I don't think other teams would offer 1st rounders or top prospects for Jarry.

"You benched your starter when you were out of the playoffs and managed to make the playoffs with your backup, largely because he was better than your starter... let's go ahead and take your starter off your hands for a 1st so you have the cap space to re-sign your backup who just hard carried"

 

[Turin]

"You benched your starter when you were out of the playoffs and managed to make the playoffs with your backup, largely because he was better than your starter... let's go ahead and take your starter off your hands for a 1st so you have the cap space to re-sign your backup who just hard carried"

Fine you drive a hard bargain. Jarry for a 6th.

 

[Sideline]

"You benched your starter when you were out of the playoffs and managed to make the playoffs with your backup, largely because he was better than your starter... let's go ahead and take your starter off your hands for a 1st so you have the cap space to re-sign your backup who just hard carried"

I could see Jarry being movable when he's compared against the other options on the UFA market. He's struggled in the second half, but for his career he's a .909 to .921 starter.

Getting a first for him probably only happens if a Campbell or Korpisalo is coming the other way though. However, if we thought a guy like him was going to rebound to historical performance after a down year we'd be talking about that guy as a potential replacement for Jarry. I bet there are GMs out there that think Jarry will bounce back.