Series Talk: Pens vs. Habs - Episode 4

[Randy Butternubs]

The Pens depth looks good.

 

[Gurglesons]

I realize this is off-topic, but can any gamers here tell me how to play with a full Pens roster for a single game of NHL 20? I don't wanna use the Pens without Guentzel but it looks like the automatic roster updates don't include guys coming off the IR yet.

I'm housesitting at a friend's. He's got a PS4 but I haven't played a new hockey video game in a decade haha.

The automatic roster had Jake last time I played.

Weirdly no Marleau or Bjugstad tho.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Based on practice, McCann was the odd man out when Sid was there yesterday.

Question then is who out of McCann, Zucker, Rust, Sheary sits on PP2. I'm guessing it's Sheary . . . won't be Zucker, they love McCann's shot, and they were toying with flipping Rust and Horny in practice on Friday.

I hope there's an element of going with the hot hand. We've seen streakiness from Rust, McCann and Sheary before, I assume Zucker is similar, and they can go on epic cold streaks and hot streaks. If Sheary is scoring and one of them isn't, put him on PP2.

 

[PensandCaps]

If Sheary gets hot like 16-17 , this team will be very very hard to beat.

 

[PensandCaps]

As I said a few weeks ago. Regardless of how Murray or Letang play or the rest of the team does. Letang and Murray are going to be blamed.

unlike Letang though, we have someone who is better than Murray.

Murray looks slow, sluggish, just overall very bad. Jarry looks confident in goal.

 

[Ryder71]

Generally speaking I'm very encouraged by what I'm seeing here with these scrimmages. Our speed upfront has to be at the top of the league. Our ability to take away time and space, get on the forecheck and create turnovers will be key. I can't imagine another team being quicker to the puck. Love our closing speed.

Beyond being fast we can also play fast. We don't have the size of some teams, but we definitely can hold our own and then some with our skating. I'm just not so sure about Sheary. He just seems to make poor decisions with the puck when he's pressured. Hopefully he accords himself nicely but I don't want to see Sid and Jake have to pull back to compensate for his blunders.

I thought Marino, the 4th line, Geno (his line looked good). Shultz quietly had a nice showing himself.

 

[PensandCaps]

Poulin and Addison are good signs that our drafting team is doing the right thing. I guess Laff Kappy and Simon are on that tip too.

hoepfully Hallander is one of those names. Along with Bjorkvist.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I feel like a loss this year would be fairly similar to the losses in the last 2 years in the playoffs, a majority of the team goes cold offensively and Murray and the defense are only okay. The bottom-6 going dry, an ineffective power play and mediocre defense and goaltending can easily result in a bunch of 4-3 or 3-2 losses, and I don't see that as an unlikely scenario.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Shultz quietly had a nice showing himself.

Yeah, but he does that now, he’ll have flashes and good games but nothing comes of it. He looked better with the puck than usual, imo.

I thought it was a good game for POJ, too,

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

The automatic roster had Jake last time I played.

Weirdly no Marleau or Bjugstad tho.

Like, the updated one?

Maybe I just have to update it again.

 

[Ryder71]

Yeah, but he does that now, he’ll have flashes and good games but nothing comes of it. He looked better with the puck than usual, imo.

I thought it was a good game for POJ, too,

POJ needs more seasoning. I don't think he's quite up to speed yet. But he's definitely progressed from last year.

 

[Gurglesons]

Like, the updated one?

Maybe I just have to update it again.

Yeah I would try that. The updated one had Jake but he wasn’t on the PP just L2.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

POJ needs more seasoning. I don't think he's quite up to speed yet. But he's definitely progressed from last year.

He’s not and I see a lot of Dumoulin’s development in him. Things will slow down that extra bit and he’ll get comfortable but he needs time for that to happen. Unfortunately, his first pro season got interrupted by mono and a pandemic.

 

[Peat]

I think both POJ and Schultz need to be more assertive with their talent. Schultz hasn't looked like a guy who backs himself to dictate with the puck or jump into plays, like he did today, for a while. POJ, I think you could see Vellucci's comment about needing to be told to join the rush - did far more of it today than the first game.

Whether Schultz will continue to asset himself in PO games could be a big factor. The difference (even recently) between his best and worst here is huge.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I have to think that Schultz got "Whitney'd" to some degree with his last injury.

 

[Peat]

Rossi had a piece on Crosby. Hopes to practice Monday and play Tuesday -

"He [Crosby] also reported feeling “pretty good skating with the team (Friday)” and said “things are moving in the right direction” when asked about his status."

 

[CrosbyMalkin]

Pretty exciting to have a handful of legit young players for a switch.

There were a more than a few lean years, there.

I don't feel that way at all. You want to talk lean years go back to the 90's when it seemed like most of that decade had zero help from minors after 92.

During the past 5 years Pens have had Guentzel, Rust, Sheary, Dumoulin, Wilson, Khunhackl, Murray, Jarry, Blueger, Marino, and many more just from 2016 to now. I think you are severely underestimating the amount and the quality of the Pens young infusion of prospects in the past 5 years. 2 top 6 wingers in Guentzel and Rust. Sheary played in top 6 for one of our Cups. Dumoulin and Marino are top 4 defenseman with Dumoulin playing on top pairing with Letang as a rookie in 2016 Cup year. Both of our current goalies. Plus several grinder 3rd and 4th liner types.

I will take that type of group every 5 years. I will bet as much as I love some of our current prospects Pens won't have that good of additions as the past 5 years. That group of prospects is why we won Cups in 2016 and 2017. Without the infusion of Murray, Rust, Guentzel, Sheary, Dumoulin, and to a lesser extent players like Khunhackl, Wilson, etc. the Pens don't win those last 2 Cups.

Same goes for our chances this season. Dumoulin, Marino, and even Pettersson who was a 22 year old rookie when we traded for him with a prospect in Sprong. 3 of our top 4 coming from prospects or the trading of a prospect for a prospect from another team. Those 3 defenseman playing in our top 4 along with both goalies, Guentzel, Rust, ZAR, and Blueger will be vital to Pens chances for a Cup. Our prospect additions have been great around this core the past 5 years.

Looks like the trend can keep going with players like Poulin and others. Rutherford has been brilliant in being able to go for Cups all out by trading picks and prospects while still loading the team with several young players around the core. Trades for those three 22 year old players at the time such as McCann, Petts, and Marino along with all our own prospects has really extended the Pens window. Unfortunately that never happened in the 90's.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I have to think that Schultz got "Whitney'd" to some degree with his last injury.

I think it’s been a few things for him, or maybe it’s because he keeps getting hurt and he’d be fine if he could stay healthy for awhile. I mean, he’s had, what, a couple of concussions, that awful leg injury and a couple of other lower body injuries? 63/82, 29/82 and 46/69 GP. He was actually pretty productive in his return from the broken ankle until he slowed down but I’d put that down to fitness.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I think it’s been a few things for him, or maybe it’s because he keeps getting hurt and he’d be fine if he could stay healthy for awhile. I mean, he’s had, what, a couple of concussions, that awful leg injury and a couple of other lower body injuries? 63/82, 29/82 and 46/69 GP. He was actually pretty productive in his return from the broken ankle until he slowed down but I’d put that down to fitness.

True enough.

There is probably also a "lighting in a bottle" aspect to the whole thing. Had something to prove at first, maybe. But likely never actually quite as good as he looked when he first got here.

 

[Gurglesons]

True enough.

There is probably also a "lighting in a bottle" aspect to the whole thing. Had something to prove at first, maybe. But likely never actually quite as good as he looked when he first got here.

He wasn’t actually that great in 16-17. Solid enough, but I think the more we look at that D the disrespect Hainsey got is so dumb.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

True enough.

There is probably also a "lighting in a bottle" aspect to the whole thing. Had something to prove at first, maybe. But likely never actually quite as good as he looked when he first got here.

The lightning in a bottle was no Letang for so much of the season, tbh. Guaranteed PP1 time and being the go to offensive D meant he was in a position he won’t replicate.

still, in his time with the Pens

2015-16: 0.44RSppg, 0.27POppg
2016-17: 0.65RSppg, 0.62POppg
2017-18: 0.43RSppg, 0.66POppg
2018-19 0.52RSppg*, 0.75POppg (swept)
2019-20: 0.26RSppg

* 1ppg pre injury in 4 games, 0.44ppg after in 25 games. 9 of his 11 points came in the first 13 games back from injury for 0.69ppg.

It’s not all about production but it’s definitely part of it. I wouldn’t expect the adrenaline of returning to carry a player for that long and it averages out to a reasonable number for him here after the injury. He’s just had 14 points in his last 58 RS games and 17 in his last 62 total.

 

[ncm7772]

LOL Geno and Tanev now trash talking each other. Seriously trash talking . . .

C'mon guys, tone it down.

Nah. You need it. That kind of stuff is good for the team. As long as it doesn’t get physical in a dirty way.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

He wasn’t actually that great in 16-17. Solid enough, but I think the more we look at that D the disrespect Hainsey got is so dumb.

Yeah I never understood that, really.

Hainsey was pretty great, here.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Who's odd man out on PP2 when McCann slides down? Sheary, I'm guessing?

EDIT: Zucker-McCann-Rust-Schultz-Marino is a decent unit IMHO.

I'm thinking leaving Marleau off the 2nd PP unit is a mistake.

I'd go Zucker, Marleau, Rust.

 

[Peat]

The lightning in a bottle was no Letang for so much of the season, tbh. Guaranteed PP1 time and being the go to offensive D meant he was in a position he won’t replicate.

Don't think that plays out if you dig deep. Schultz's scoring that season was driven by 18 in 15 in December, and 11 in 11 in January. Letang missed 6 games in December if I count right, and Schultz was 12 in 9 with him and 6 in 6 without him; 2 in 4 with Letang in Jan, so 9 in 7 without him. So that's... 14 in 13 with Letang, 15 in 13 without him. Not really a difference. Feeling too lazy to dig deeper, but it looks like more things were in that bottle.