Post-Game Talk: | Pens vs Devils | loss | Special teams? I think you mean pathetic teams

[Pens x]

Everyone 3 months ago: “Why could Heinen only get $1 mill?!?!?”
Everyone not named Mike Sullivan 2 months ago: “Oh, yeah, that’s why.”

I’m told he took a discount to come back. Winnipeg offered him $1 million and a box of free Tim Horton’s donuts!

 

[The Grim Reaper]

I’m told he took a discount to come back. Winnipeg offered him $1 million and a box of free Tim Horton’s donuts!

Everyone knows you go Timbits

 

[Pens x]

What are we even doing anymore? None of these dipshit coaches are at risk to lose their job and our lazy ass GM has no intention of doing a damn thing about this team any time before the deadline.

 

[Gurglesons]

The PP was the same as it has been just minus Letang. Smith should not be blamed but he was the new guy and we got little going with him involved in the breakout. It’s an important role. Then Sully tried to adjust after five attempts and we got the SH against. Then back to Smith while staying with Rust for whatever reason.
Of course blame goes to the players but the design and utilization is the coach. Why reward Rust? Why stay with Guentzel when he was atrocious all night and you have someone like Zucker?

Ultimately, people can say what they want about our bottom 6 but just like against Detroit, it was not scored on 5 on 5. Just like L2 wasn’t. We are forcefeeding L1 offensive draws and it is hardly even a plus line 5 on 5 for the season.
Just like we are force feeding PP1 even when they have nothing going, and PP2 scored just after a penalty expired.

Maybe we just aren’t any better. But it is getting teduius seeing that the coach has so little in him during games. That he will stay for so long with things that don’t work - and then go back to them as his only adjustments as soon as possible, when any spark is needed.

Its the same thing with us consistently losing in OT through Malkin or Carter being beat for speed in 3 on 3, but they will still get the nod over a Blue/McGinn combo - or a Kappy. For me Sully does too many unfathomable things for me to support him any more - more so of course because of the string of 1st round losses.
Just no real faith that he can wring more out of this team, even if I do think we make the playoffs again.
But I am sure he will be successful again with his next team. Just a matter of shelf life and him not being a tactician. Probably a great leader and motivator, but that well runs dry eventually - and I think it has. Probably for quite a while really.

As usual someone says what I’m saying but grammatically correct.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I just don't understand why it's gotta be so one or the other. It's clear that coaching has been an issue for years, but it's also clear that Sid and Geno are no longer 110pt guys who can will a flawed roster to wins via overwhelming the opposition, and Letang's not the guy you want playing 25 minutes a night in all situations anymore, and because of that, the supporting cast needs to be that much better than it is or has been. Throw in some pretty boom or bust goaltending, piss poor special teams and you've got yourself a middle of the pack hockey team--which is exactly what this team has been for years, and it's only gonna get worse. /shrug

Bitching about Sully is fine, justified, and encouraged. Dude's been the wrong guy for the job for a while. But he's not going anywhere, and probably ends up being here after Sid and Geno are done playing.

 

[Gurglesons]

I just don't understand why it's gotta be so one or the other. It's clear that coaching has been an issue for years, but it's also clear that Sid and Geno are no longer 110pt guys who can will a flawed roster to wins via overwhelming the opposition, and Letang's not the guy you want playing 25 minutes a night in all situations anymore, and because of that, the supporting cast needs to be that much better than it is or has been. Throw in some pretty boom or bust goaltending, piss poor special teams and you've got yourself a middle of the pack hockey team--which is exactly what this team has been for years, and it's only gonna get worse. /shrug

Bitching about Sully is fine, justified, and encouraged. Dude's been the wrong guy for the job for a while. But he's not going anywhere, and probably ends up being here after Sid and Geno are done playing.

What’s cool is we have a bunch of defensemen that don’t get played who are young and hungry in Friedman, POJ and Smith and can eat some minutes.

You have a young hungry forward like DOC who scores a goal and then gets 7 shifts. You have Kapanen who is producing, but gets 5-9 minutes a night for defensive liabilities. That’s why it is on the coach.

You can help the fact Sid and Malkin have fallen off even if they haven’t really fallen off that bad, by making smart coaching decisions.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Oh, DOC is cool again and we have been obviously underplaying him?

Sorry just trying to keep up with the cause celebre of the day

 

[Night Shift]

Do we have too many wins to think about Bedard? Probably, but if we do miss the playoffs, the upcoming draft there should be some excitement restocking the farm with higher than we normally draft picks.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

If this is how Guentzel is going to continue to play, maybe I'm starting to be with @HandshakeLine about dealing him for a different type of top six winger. Because when he's not scoring he's atrocious.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Hextall is a bigger problem than Sully, and Sully is a huge problem.

 

[Gurglesons]

Oh, DOC is cool again and we have been obviously underplaying him?

Sorry just trying to keep up with the cause celebre of the day

He’s whatever. But he scored a goal and immediately got benched and then scratched. You don’t find that odd?

 

[Night Shift]

Hextall is a bigger problem than Sully, and Sully is a huge problem.

The irony here is for years you have been preaching "play youth play youth!" And Hextall doesnt like trading picks and wants to restock the farm.

So this doesn't add up to your arguments.

 

[ChaosAgent]

He’s whatever. But he scored a goal and immediately got benched and then scratched. You don’t find that odd?

Conspiratorial. For sure the reason we went 0/9 on the PP despite our surplus value

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Rakell played PP1 for 7 power plays.
Rust played PP1 for 2 power plays.

I know this is the narrative that some of you want to argue but you're all wrong.

Sully hit his expiration date a long time ago, but tonight the issue was special teams and it sure as hell wasn't because of Rust/Rakell.

Mate it’s not just one player. I posted about that in another post.

Jake has been disengaged in his role on the unit and it’s obvious, he won’t go to the front of the net where he is good at deflections. Zucker does and he didn’t make that swap either. When you lay an egg on 9 power plays and the only swap is the same swap as usual, that’s the problem I am talking about. He’s only doing the same changes over and over. Trying something new works and its almost like he hates that it does because he will go immediately back to the same old the next game.

Raks and Rust was an example. But not the example for the problems, merely the mascot.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I just don't understand why everything we do on the PP is in slow motion. Zone entries give us trouble because the puck carrier skates through the neutral zone at the speed of mud. Shooting lanes never open up because we pass the puck around the perimeter like we're a bunch of 5 year olds learning how to make 5 foot passes. And the overall lack of creativity is just the icing on the cake.

 

[Gurglesons]

Conspiratorial. For sure the reason we went 0/9 on the PP despite our surplus value

If you actually want to talk hockey I’m here.

If you just want to say Sid and Malkin are done for the 5th or 6th time and be wrong about it, go ahead.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

The irony here is for years you have been preaching "play youth play youth!" And Hextall doesnt like trading picks and wants to restock the farm.

So this doesn't add up to your arguments.

Yeah Hextall isn’t the problem at all. You can lead a horse to water but if the f***ing horse would rather use Ruhwedel and Heinen, the only other option is to send it to the glue factory.

Doc did the one thing you want him to do. He got punished for it. None of these sully fan boys can make that make sense. Because it is not based in any sort of logical sense.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

If you actually want to talk hockey I’m here.

If you just want to say Sid and Malkin are done for the 5th or 6th time and be wrong about it, go ahead.

They're basically 2Cs at this point. And that's being generous.

 

[Gurglesons]

I just don't understand why everything we do on the PP is in slow motion. Zone entries give us trouble because the puck carrier skates through the neutral zone at the speed of mud. Shooting lanes never open up because we pass the puck around the perimeter like we're a bunch of 5 year olds learning how to make 5 foot passes. And the overall lack of creativity is just the icing on the cake.

It’s the generational players faults for not trying harder. If they tried harder they could do it. Or if they were younger..

Nothing to do with the coach who has stripped the team of creativity every single year he’s been here, consistently plays any creative players less than his usual guys, and stifles any prospects who are creative.

 

[ChaosAgent]

If you actually want to talk hockey I’m here.

If you just want to say Sid and Malkin are done for the 5th or 6th time and be wrong about it, go ahead.

What is done?

Ryan Getzlaf, a borderline HOFer, was still a good player but not one who could lead you to a Cup for years before he retired. Our guys are Getzlaf circa 2018. They don't need to retire or anything. Not yet.

 

[Gurglesons]

What is done?

Ryan Getzlaf, a borderline HOFer, was still a good player but not one who could lead you to a Cup for years before he retired. Our guys are Getzlaf circa 2018. They don't need to retire or anything. Not yet.

Getzlaf led his team to an ECF in 2017.

Also when was Getzlaf top ten in scoring in 2018?

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

This team's never been as good on the power play as the personnel afforded to them would suggest. Kessel brought a decisiveness and control that Sid, Geno and Letang simply do not possess, as good as they are as players.

If this is how Guentzel is going to continue to play, maybe I'm starting to be with @HandshakeLine about dealing him for a different type of top six winger. Because when he's not scoring he's atrocious.

You can shop both Jake and Rust, tbh.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

It’s the generational players faults for not trying harder. If they tried harder they could do it. Or if they were younger..

Nothing to do with the coach who has stripped the team of creativity every single year he’s been here, consistently plays any creative players less than his usual guys, and stifles any prospects who are creative.

Now that you mention it, the clear solution is to trade Crosby and Malkin for Sullivan-type grinders and watch all this team's issues disappear.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

What’s cool is we have a bunch of defensemen that don’t get played who are young and hungry in Friedman, POJ and Smith and can eat some minutes.

You have a young hungry forward like DOC who scores a goal and then gets 7 shifts. You have Kapanen who is producing, but gets 5-9 minutes a night for defensive liabilities. That’s why it is on the coach.

You can help the fact Sid and Malkin have fallen off even if they haven’t really fallen off that bad, by making smart coaching decisions.

And the most ironic shit is Kapanen is producing and he’s no more or less a defensive liability than what’s already on Sid’s line. I mean maybe you go Rakell-Crosby-Kapanen even to spark something. Because Rust back and forth ain’t it and Jake has the yelps with playing in traffic right now and can’t score for shit - his last 12 games he has 3 goals total.

 

[Gurglesons]

And the most ironic shit is Kapanen is producing and he’s no more or less a defensive liability than what’s already on Sid’s line. I mean maybe you go Rakell-Crosby-Kapanen even to spark something. Because Rust back and forth ain’t it and Jake has the yelps with playing in traffic right now and can’t score for shit - his last 12 games he has 3 goals total.

weird how Carter on RW suddenly made his line functional.

But what would we know. Everything is Sid and Malkin’s fault. They are 2018 Getzlaf.