Post-Game Talk: Pens vs Jackets: 4-3 win - Zucker says zuck it!

[ChaosAgent]

Is it Tuesday yet...

So jazzed for actual real season hockey. And God help me, I'm very optimistic!!!

@Ryder71 someone is calling for your help.

I'm optimistic too. This team will be scrappy sans-Sid/Geno. Like always. Hopefully they strike the right balance when 87/71 return and Jarry's head is screwed on properly.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I'd try it all.

As I said Sully got way too enamored with GCR and BART last year. This year's forward group has so many high-variance players and situations. Zucker coming off a dismal year. Sid, Geno and Jake off of injuries. Rust off an up and down year and hungry to get big $$$$ this offseason. McGinn and Heinen in new teams. Whatever Simon is. Maybe even O'Conner in the mix.

This isn't just an exercise in naming all the players (where is that guy anyway?). It's just saying that the group is too high-variance to not experiment a lot with usage and linemates.

If Simon was as effective with Sid as you guys claim, and superior to scoring winger options, management would never have let him go to Calgary instead of giving him 700k. They would have made space, since that's a huge bargain for top 6 level performance.

I have no problems with experimentation, even with Simon. We're gonna be plagued with injuries like always. There'll be openings.
However Simon is one of the last on that list for me, since I already have a pretty good idea what to expect and am not too enamored with it. It's like a C or C+ option when we may have hidden A's.

 

[ChaosAgent]

If Simon was as effective with Sid as you guys claim, and superior to scoring winger options, management would never have let him go to Calgary instead of giving him 700k. They would have made space, since that's a huge bargain for top 6 level performance.

I have no problems with experimentation, even with Simon. We're gonna be plagued with injuries like always. There'll be openings.
However Simon is one of the last on that list for me, since I already have a pretty good idea what to expect and am not too enamored with it. It's like a C or C+ option when we may have hidden A's.

It's pretty much just me claiming it. I guess other people have claimed it other times in previous Simon wars but I wasn't that invested. I always liked the player.

Simon wouldn't be the first option, but if Sid's going to want a high-IQ player with quickness and quick passing capabilities...he knows where to find him.

I'll get off my Simon hot takes because he already bores me. Pumped for Tuesday.

 

[Gurglesons]

If Simon was as effective with Sid as you guys claim, and superior to scoring winger options, management would never have let him go to Calgary instead of giving him 700k. They would have made space, since that's a huge bargain for top 6 level performance.

I have no problems with experimentation, even with Simon. We're gonna be plagued with injuries like always. There'll be openings.
However Simon is one of the last on that list for me, since I already have a pretty good idea what to expect and am not too enamored with it. It's like a C or C+ option when we may have hidden A's.

From what I remember his QO was more than 700k and we were worried about arbitration.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

It's pretty much just me claiming it. I guess other people have claimed it other times in previous Simon wars but I wasn't that invested. I always liked the player.

Simon wouldn't be the first option, but if Sid's going to want a high-IQ player with quickness and quick passing capabilities...he knows where to find him.

I'll get off my Simon hot takes because he already bores me. Pumped for Tuesday.

Yeah he's boring. Another reason I don't want him with Sid.
I watch hockey to be entertained, rather than get pumped for post-game possession metrics.

I like the idea of Pens being heavy underdogs in the first few games. Takes the pressure off the players. Might help their structure and early focus levels. The last 4 years we've been awful in openers. Different approach now.

And if they lose then it's whatever, since they're very strong opponents who are favored even when Pens are healthy anyway.

 

[Gurglesons]

It's pretty much just me claiming it. I guess other people have claimed it other times in previous Simon wars but I wasn't that invested. I always liked the player.

Simon wouldn't be the first option, but if Sid's going to want a high-IQ player with quickness and quick passing capabilities...he knows where to find him.

I'll get off my Simon hot takes because he already bores me. Pumped for Tuesday.

Yeah, same. I don’t like Simon there, but as a stop gap for a deadline deal. Cool.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Yeah, the story with Simon was that they didn't qualify him due to being scared of arbitration, and they only had the money to bring back either Rodrigues or Simon and they picked ERod due to the hole at 3C.

 

[Mrs Crosby's Dryer]

When healthy, I’d like to see a 2nd line of

McGinn-Geno-Kap

Kind of gives off a Malone-Geno-Feds kind of vibe.

We know home run Simon will be on line 1 with Sid and Jake, so Carter with Rust and whoever on the 3rd and Blex with ZAR on the 4th only leaves a few questionable spots.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Jake-Sid-Simon
McGinn-Geno-Kap
Zucker-Carter-Rust
DOC-TB-Heinen

ZAR traded.

 

[Gurglesons]

When healthy, I’d like to see a 2nd line of

McGinn-Geno-Kap

Kind of gives off a Malone-Geno-Feds kind of vibe.

We know home run Simon will be on line 1 with Sid and Jake, so Carter with Rust and whoever on the 3rd and Blex with ZAR on the 4th only leaves a few questionable spots.

I think that is a lot of our takes. Either Heinen or McGinn as LW with Geno - Kap.

 

[Andy99]

I’ll live with the shitty lines (read: coaching) and the passive defense that leaves opposing players wide open in front of our net…but the one thing that scares me the most is our goaltending…Jarry looked off his angles again tonight and was misreading some shots…giving up 3-4 goals a game is a death sentence for this team…I’d be more excited, even without Sid and G, if it wasn’t for that….

 

[ChaosAgent]

Unrelated to Simon - has Ruh claimed the #6D spot to start the year?

I’ll live with the shitty lines (read: coaching) and the passive defense that leaves opposing players wide open in front of our net…but the one thing that scares me the most is our goaltending…Jarry looked off his angles again tonight and was misreading some shots…giving up 3-4 goals a game is a death sentence for this team…I’d be more excited, even without Sid and G, if it wasn’t for that….

I hadn't noticed this about Jarry before tonight, but when he slides L-->R or R-->L he will often fail to stop and take himself entirely out of the net. He is vulnerable on East-West and the Glove Hand has become a weakness. Not a Matt Murray-sized weakness but definitely an issue.

 

[Night Shift]

Dang, I missed the crap.

If you Romaine calm you wouldn't have.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I hadn't noticed this about Jarry before tonight, but when he slides L-->R or R-->L he will often fail to stop and take himself entirely out of the net. He is vulnerable on East-West and the Glove Hand has become a weakness. Not a Matt Murray-sized weakness but definitely an issue.

100% agree. His glove was a strength during his .920 year. Idk what happened.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Unrelated to Simon - has Ruh claimed the #6D spot to start the year?



I hadn't noticed this about Jarry before tonight, but when he slides L-->R or R-->L he will often fail to stop and take himself entirely out of the net. He is vulnerable on East-West and the Glove Hand has become a weakness. Not a Matt Murray-sized weakness but definitely an issue.

Probably. He's sorta defaulted the spot because POJ had a dogshit camp/pre-season and Friedman just tried to give a guy the Dr. Hook McCracken. Could be worse, I guess. At least he's not Trotman (Cleveland tourism video "We're not Detroit!" vibes).

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Can't wait to get shitkicked by the Bolts. Hopefully Vasi and Kucherov are still hungover.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

He does the net front thing better than Guentzel.

Carter is also a better option than Rust on PP1.

I don't think Guentzel will be losing that spot to Zucker because he's a star, but i could see Carter stealing Rust's spot.

Carter *should* get Rust's spot. He's more of a pure "shooter" for the role we need from that guy on the PP.

 

[HandshakeLine]

It's totally mind boggling the amount of posters in the GDT who wanted us to get more sandpaper over the years and to stick up for our goalies who also whined about Friedman sticking up his goalie.

If you're going to get tossed, get tossed for doing something like THAT.

 

[Peat]

Yeah, the story with Simon was that they didn't qualify him due to being scared of arbitration, and they only had the money to bring back either Rodrigues or Simon and they picked ERod due to the hole at 3C.

Simon was also recovering from shoulder surgery at the time, and I don't think they wanted the extra doubt.

I'm a big Simon fan and I want this team to find a way to spread the talent but I'd like to see him get a few more competitive games and look good - like a guy who can be part of the playoff puzzle - before putting him back there. Crosby-Simon can crush mofos regular season when on their game, but this team needs some lines that keep scoring when things get tight and maybe Simon's part of that and maybe he isn't.

That said, my current dream lines if everyone's fit and playing well are...

Zucker-Crosby-Heinen
McGinn-Malkin-Kapanen
Guentzel-Carter-Rust
Bloogs and some dudes

The idea behind Heinen is the same behind Simon; he will get a lot of puck to the other guys in good positions. If Simon is playing well, he could be there. I know it's probably not happening, but that's two strong top six pairings (on limited evidence) with good complimentary wings, and a third line that would kill.



Also re Doc's point about line stability last year... BART only played 140 minutes. I know injuries played a part in that, but Sully had a bunch of looks at different uses of those players. And the results completely justified returning to it.

And while GCR was a fixture and I hope it's not this year, nobody did much outside that line to suggest it shouldn't be. The rest of the lineup will get shots there, they need to take them.

 

[Peat]

It's totally mind boggling the amount of posters in the GDT who wanted us to get more sandpaper over the years and to stick up for our goalies who also whined about Friedman sticking up his goalie.

If you're going to get tossed, get tossed for doing something like THAT.

I see your point, but there's plenty of ways to bring some abrasion and standing up for a guy that don't get you tossed. Lafferty's cross-check probably hurt just as much and didn't get him tossed. Or if you're getting to get tossed from the game, at least get tossed for taking a player with you, like Tanev did with Tinodi.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I see your point, but there's plenty of ways to bring some abrasion and standing up for a guy that don't get you tossed. Lafferty's cross-check probably hurt just as much and didn't get him tossed. Or if you're getting to get tossed from the game, at least get tossed for taking a player with you, like Tanev did with Tinodi.

Sure, there were definitely better ways to do it, and who knows if the cross check enforcement is going to be at all in place this year. All I'm saying is, I don't mind Freidman getting dirty to defend the goalie, whoever that goalie is. People wanted us to stand up for the goalies for years, so might as well get more people in on the action than just Freidman.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Anyhow, I kind of enjoy the fact that we have a bonafide pest on the roster now, judging from how much every opponent seems to hate him.

 

[Victor Z]

It's totally mind boggling the amount of posters in the GDT who wanted us to get more sandpaper over the years and to stick up for our goalies who also whined about Friedman sticking up his goalie.

If you're going to get tossed, get tossed for doing something like THAT.

Agreed -- get your money's worth, which is something the Penguins NEVER do. Transfer what happened to the other end of the ice last night, and the Penguin who puts an elbow into the goalie's head gets a penalty and the other team -- as always -- gets a free (unpenalized) beatdown, and of course a power play.

You could almost hear Sully shrieking hysterically in the locker room between periods: "I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE ANYBODY ON THIS TEAM STICKING UP FOR A TEAMMATE EVER AGAIN!!! WHAT PART OF "JUST PLAY" DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND???"

Don't worry Sully, if you don't get your message across then the refs surely will.

 

[The Old Master]

let's get this show on the road. and as of right now we are tied for first.