Pre-Game Talk: Pens vs. Caps - Caps get to watch us raise another banner!

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Shady Machine

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Aug 6, 2010
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Those are certainly some good points, but with a full off season to study film and make acquisitions and alterations, I wouldn't be surprised if a few teams gave us some trouble. The encouraging thing to me is that Sully seems more flexible from an adjustment and lineup perspective than DB was.

I'm also far from convinced that a group of Hornqvist, Kunitz, Sheary, Wilson, and Rust are good enough to carry the top 6 load. The silver lining is that we have other options that might be ready down the stretch and into the playoffs and of course, we have a legitimate 1st or 2nd line as our 3rd line.
 
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NeedleInTheHay

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Mar 26, 2008
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Just a thought on the Pens, and the upcoming season.

And at the risk once more of being asked to change my name.

The thing that a few of us harped on over and over in the various playoff threads on the main board, backing it up with strong analytics, was the challenge that the Pens present.

Possession numbers off the chart.

A bottom six that will outscore your bottom six.

An extemely underrated overall defense. The shot totals that they held teams to in the playoffs, and even in the months before the playoffs, were almost unprecedented. Five shots in the third of the deciding game against SJ was just an example.

And most of all basically three top lines.

The Pens are analogous to a dam that keeps springing leaks. You put a finger in like the little Dutch boy in the story and another leak opens. Eventually you run out of fingers.

No one, and I mean no one, found a solution to the above. Every team faced eventually broke. Oh the Pens could have lost some series with some bounces this way or that, but no one actually found a solution to what the Pens were doing.

Until that happens, I do not see how anyone can not see the Pens as favorites for the cup. I would always take the field of course in betting, but if forced to pick one team? Prove to me that you can crack that code that the Pens have first before I will cede an admission that they should not be the top pick.

Wonderful post. If Sid comes back healthy soon, get ready for a wild ride.
 

mpp9

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Dec 5, 2010
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Those are certainly some good points, but with a full off season to study film and make acquisitions and alterations, I wouldn't be surprised if a few teams gave us some trouble. The encouraging thing to me is that Sully seems more flexible from an adjustment and lineup perspective than DB was.

I'm also far from convinced that a group of Hornqvist, Kunitz, Sheary, Wilson, and Rust are good enough to carry the top 6 load. The silver lining is that we have other options that might be ready down the stretch and into the playoffs and of course, we have a legitimate 1st or 2nd line as our 3rd line.

There is no top 6 though. Not in our format. 87 and 71 don't have to carry the load.

I'm coming around to limiting their minutes and making them more impactful on a shift to shift basis in a system based on speed. And keeping them fresh for the playoffs.

If the stars want more production, fix the PP. There's plenty of opportunity there for improvement.
 

stratosphere

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Mar 19, 2010
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Sestito should be in the lineup. Teams know why he's there. That's all that has to be said...or not said. :yo:
 

EliteGoaltending

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I doubt Sestito will bring something other than more time on PK... Punks like Tom Wilson are not afraid of him. They'll continue doing their dirty stuff.
Carter Rowney in the line up would be way more efficient. He had a good camp. He can score, he can make plays.
 
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Shady Machine

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I doubt Sestito will bring something other than more time on PK... Punks like Tom Wilson are not afraid of him. They'll continue doing their dirty stuff.
Carter Rowney in the line up would be way more efficient. He had a good camp. He can score, he can make plays.

As I said in another post, Pens don't have the cap space to call up Rowney unless they put Rust or MM on LTIR.
 
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Coastal Kev

There will be "I told you so's" Bet on it
Feb 16, 2013
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I doubt Sestito will bring something other than more time on PK... Punks like Tom Wilson are not afraid of him. They'll continue doing their dirty stuff.
Carter Rowney in the line up would be way more efficient. He had a good camp. He can score, he can make plays.
This talk is not really for this thread tho.

I've got plenty to say about it!!
 
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Jaded-Fan

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Mar 18, 2004
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Those are certainly some good points, but with a full off season to study film and make acquisitions and alterations, I wouldn't be surprised if a few teams gave us some trouble. The encouraging thing to me is that Sully seems more flexible from an adjustment and lineup perspective than DB was.

I'm also far from convinced that a group of Hornqvist, Kunitz, Sheary, Wilson, and Rust are good enough to carry the top 6 load. The silver lining is that we have other options that might be ready down the stretch and into the playoffs and of course, we have a legitimate 1st or 2nd line as our 3rd line.

As I said, no one had a solution. I did not discount that they could come up with one. Though depth is one factor, bottom six scoring to keep up, etc. and that is not easy to come by in a cap league.

My point was that it is on the league to show that there is a solution. Until they do, it is hard to argue against the Pens.

As for Sully one of my favorite things that he said was something along the lines of great job by the guys last year. That was then, this is now. It is a new year now and each player has to earn their job all over again.
 

TheGoldenJet

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Apr 2, 2008
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Just a thought on the Pens, and the upcoming season.

And at the risk once more of being asked to change my name.

The thing that a few of us harped on over and over in the various playoff threads on the main board, backing it up with strong analytics, was the challenge that the Pens present.

Possession numbers off the chart.

A bottom six that will outscore your bottom six.

An extemely underrated overall defense. The shot totals that they held teams to in the playoffs, and even in the months before the playoffs, were almost unprecedented. Five shots in the third of the deciding game against SJ was just an example.

And most of all basically three top lines.

The Pens are analogous to a dam that keeps springing leaks. You put a finger in like the little Dutch boy in the story and another leak opens. Eventually you run out of fingers.

No one, and I mean no one, found a solution to the above. Every team faced eventually broke. Oh the Pens could have lost some series with some bounces this way or that, but no one actually found a solution to what the Pens were doing.

Until that happens, I do not see how anyone can not see the Pens as favorites for the cup. I would always take the field of course in betting, but if forced to pick one team? Prove to me that you can crack that code that the Pens have first before I will cede an admission that they should not be the top pick.

I agree about our defence, it is incredible really. Would love to see Pouliot in there myself, preseason be damned, but who does he replace?

Only quibble I have with your post is the thought about us having three top lines. The top three lines have too much Kunitz and AHL-level guys on the wing to call them 'top' lines. Replace them with quality wingers and we'll be looking at a possible repeat.
 

Shady Machine

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Aug 6, 2010
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There is no top 6 though. Not in our format. 87 and 71 don't have to carry the load.

I'm coming around to limiting their minutes and making them more impactful on a shift to shift basis in a system based on speed. And keeping them fresh for the playoffs.

If the stars want more production, fix the PP. There's plenty of opportunity there for improvement.

Yeah I get that, which is why I'm pretty optimistic and excited about our chances this season. I'm just saying there are some potential risks that the kids can't hack it, Kunitz sucks even worse, etc. Of course, no team is perfect and having Crosby, Malkin, Kessel on 3 different lines with the best 4th line center in the world after this is a pretty nice advantage.

I'm just trying to bring some caution to Jaded's outlook.
 

mpp9

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Dec 5, 2010
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Yeah I get that, which is why I'm pretty optimistic and excited about our chances this season. I'm just saying there are some potential risks that the kids can't hack it, Kunitz sucks even worse, etc. Of course, no team is perfect and having Crosby, Malkin, Kessel on 3 different lines with the best 4th line center in the world after this is a pretty nice advantage.

I'm just trying to bring some caution to Jaded's outlook.

This board would have begged this organization to play Sid and Geno with youth in the past. It's very possible they can't hack it. But let it happen first before breaking up our main competitive advantage.
 

Mattpilf

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Jun 28, 2016
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Sullivan is running a 'top 9' system right now, there's no top 6 bottom 6 for now. Sullivan likes that,he also likes that he can keep the forwards top9 lines to under 20 minutes a game. Good for fatigue and most importantly good to keep that in game pace up. I think Sullivan would rather scratch a guy then have the team slow down their style.


It worked fantastic in the playoffs and even with Sid gone a few games, I don't think Sullivan is gonna change philosophy for at least the first 15 or so game.
 

Shady Machine

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Aug 6, 2010
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This board would have begged this organization to play Sid and Geno with youth in the past. It's very possible they can't hack it. But let it happen first before breaking up our main competitive advantage.

I think you might be reading too much into what I'm saying. That said, I agree with this post.
 

Jacob

as seen on TV
Feb 27, 2002
49,342
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why not rowney instead of sestito? i understand wanting the kids to get big minutes in the AHL, but rowney is 27, so him barley playing and sitting in the press box wont hurt him. sestito brings nothing of value.

Sestito might not bring much but what little he does bring is something nobody else on the team has. He strikes me as a good teammate and even if he doesn't play everyone else seems to like his presence.
 

WayneSid9987

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Nov 24, 2009
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The D + Goaltending to start out, i'm very curious about.
I see the offence being it's normal self once Sid and Rust come back. They'll get their goals.
Guys like Maatta with Cole and Schultz have to be really sharp and Daley needs to be solid defensively(not just o'ly) in our top 4.
If they use the same mantra of being fast on pucks and being quick with precision on their puck retrievals, they should be fine but they may be slow to start out until they get up to speed again.

And of course, MAF+Condon to start.
MAF needs a start like he had last year with more goal support.
The goal support part is doable now at least.
 

Ugene Magic

EVIL LAUGH
Oct 17, 2008
54,151
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So, what's the story with the GDT sign up thread? It's usually up by now. I know participation was kind of thin at times last season ... are we not doing one this year? Is anyone doing a GDT for tomorrow?

Thin? It was non existent for the second half of the season.

Does anyone want to deal with it?

Master Syrinx sent me it, but I have been busy. I mean I putz around, but not full fledged sitting at the pc. for hours.

Hope someone else has more time. I'm not even picking a GDT for awhile. I thought I'd do the opener, I got nothing.
 

Sidney the Kidney

One last time
Jun 29, 2009
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I think I'm still suffering from the effects of the Stanley Cup hangover. Whatever happens this season will be gravy to me. So other than being bummed that Crosby got a concussion, plus the annoying goalie drama, I'm pretty even keel going into this season with regards to the roster and how the team does.
 

WayneSid9987

Registered User
Nov 24, 2009
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I think I'm still suffering from the effects of the Stanley Cup hangover. Whatever happens this season will be gravy to me. So other than being bummed that Crosby got a concussion, plus the annoying goalie drama, I'm pretty even keel going into this season with regards to the roster and how the team does.

Same.
Just do things better than after '09.
You have your star players(Sid, Geno, Phil and Letang) all locked in and a better coaching staff.
Dumolin+MM should be the next guys locked in(well, after a bridge contract for Murz).
Go 'bout yo business and don't **** it up.
Give the aging stars more shots at the big silver thing while their window is still open.

Really looking forward to the banner raising tomorrow night.
 
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DegenX

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Aug 14, 2011
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Thin? It was non existent for the second half of the season.

Does anyone want to deal with it?

Master Syrinx sent me it, but I have been busy. I mean I putz around, but not full fledged sitting at the pc. for hours.

Hope someone else has more time. I'm not even picking a GDT for awhile. I thought I'd do the opener, I got nothing.

Well, I might have understated just a tad :laugh: But, as far as ideas go, I got nothin' either. I was hoping you'd have something. It was actually the banner you posted earlier in the thread that reminded me about the GDT maker's thread.

Cole started a thread here if anyone has any ideas/can make one for opening night. Anyone?

 

Jaded-Fan

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Mar 18, 2004
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I think I'm still suffering from the effects of the Stanley Cup hangover. Whatever happens this season will be gravy to me. So other than being bummed that Crosby got a concussion, plus the annoying goalie drama, I'm pretty even keel going into this season with regards to the roster and how the team does.

I kind of am in the same boat. I am greedy, I want every cup for the next half decade that Crosby and Malkin are in their prime, but boy am I glad we put this one in the bank. Everything from now on is gravy now that we have banked this last one.
 

AjaxTelamon

Registered User
Jul 8, 2011
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Crosby and Rust are both practicing with the team. No guarantee they'll be ready for tomorrow, but that's certainly encouraging.




Man, it would be cool to see Kuhn/Cullen/Rust together again. Love that line.
 
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