PENS vs Montreal Canadiens Round 1 (Best Of Five)

[HandshakeLine]

A couple of weeks ago Dave Coulier did an entire segment live on TSN where he kept making fart noises.

You hope they were just noises.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I am still trying to grapple with how they are going to handle social distancing and play the games.

No hitting? If so we should have kept Kessel.

If there is hitting, checking, holding, etc. and a player gets the virus and dies, is the league liable?

The same applies to the NFL. NBA, MLB, etc.

I'm with you, Jaded. It's not like you can socially distance on the bench either.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

They're going to have like a month plus to practice together.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I'm with you, Jaded. It's not like you can socially distance on the bench either.

But just imagine how much Kessel would love social distancing NHL.

 

[HandshakeLine]

But just imagine how much Kessel would love social distancing NHL.

Shit, man. We could have iced the late 1990s Perimeter All-Stars and handily won cups for like 10 years straight if they enforced the no-contact rule in the old days.

 

[CrosbyMalkin]

Reading also concerns Kris Letang.



Oh for **** sake.
This is just ridiculous already. Outside of attention from media and fans about the league... resuming straight into the playoffs after 5 months off is just ****ing ridiculous and it's downright idiotic. Anyone who supports a 2019-2020 post season after a 5 month layoff is not very bright (players and owners and whoever else). This is beyond the asterisks next to the season... it's at about 4 or 5 asterisks.
Just cancel the damn thing.

I think it's all just a ploy to keep the league in the fans mind. Nothing more. If the league disappears out of the publics mind for so long it loses popularity and in turn viewership and product sales... etc etc etc...

Again... if they even play a full NEXT season, I'd be surprised.

I'm done even paying attention to the NHL as of today. Screw this 'months away' stuff. I went from being sort of excited to flat out not caring again as soon as I read the 8 week thing.

Then don't let the door hit you in the a$$ on the way out. I for one am excited for hockey and will be watching more than ever. I usually only watch the Pens but I will be watching how those round robins turn out also. I have been a season ticket holder since the Mario days and have traveled to many away playoff Finals games and if the Pens win it this years it will be just as exciting as the other 5.

I agree the first round is bull crap but after that the teams that remain will be ready just like any other year.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

He can't talk shit about his future employer

Letang will retire a Penguin and I am 100% happy and ok with that.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Letang will retire a Penguin and I am 100% happy and ok with that.

Nah, I think he's going to go the Gonchar route. He's going to want more term than the Penguins are willing to give to a 36 year old defenseman with injury issues, and he'll get that deal from a desperate team in free agency.

Then again, they're going to give Malkin a 3 year deal after his current deal is done and Letang's contract ends the same year, so I could see JR giving Letang a 3 year deal as well.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Nah, I think he's going to go the Gonchar route. He's going to want more term than the Penguins are willing to give to a 36 year old defenseman with injury issues, and he'll get that deal from a desperate team in free agency.

Then again, they're going to give Malkin a 3 year deal after his current deal is done and Letang's contract ends the same year, so I could see JR giving Letang a 3 year deal as well.

I don't think so.

I really don't see them walking like that or making it difficult on the team to pay them a ton at that age. Crosby has 3 more years after them, I see them extending for 3yrs, both Geno and Letang, to stay. They will also probably take a discount at that point just to remain a trio that retires together.

Sid in his final 3yrs is 9m (3.0/yr), obviously a f***ing discount and a half there, mate, with his normal cap hit etc. But in the end, if you even got Geno at 6m/yr for his final 3yrs (if he's still at a high level in his final year) and Letang at 4-5m/yr, why wouldn't you?

Those 3 contracts would then end before Jake needs his 3rd Penguins contract at 29-30yrs of age, where he will get paid for sure.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Also, Sarge went from 5yr/25m contract to the Senators for 5.5m/yr for 2yrs (the one yr at less because of a CBA issue), then 5m/yr for 2yrs with the Stars. Pens signed him at 30/31yrs of age, he left at 36 and at 38 still was asking for 5.5m/yr (except that one shortened year). He was never a 50pt player in the 5 seasons after he left.

Gonchar was a fantastic powerplay point man and paired with a solid defensive defenseman like Orpik, a formidable top pairing guy, but Letang brings far more to the table, people can whine about him all they want, if Letang re-signs for 3 more years to retire with is buddy Sid (like Geno likely will), I see him taking a cut so they can keep winning until the end.

Why would anything change when they're older and really in a mentor role to a young squad that should remain winners if they do this right? I don't see 3 guys that are fantastic leaders like that, suddenly changing. Sarge also had that knee injury that really started to show why the Pens needed to move on. Letang had his neck f***ing FUSED and he's still an all-star player.

 

[Gurglesons]

Nah, I think he's going to go the Gonchar route. He's going to want more term than the Penguins are willing to give to a 36 year old defenseman with injury issues, and he'll get that deal from a desperate team in free agency.

Then again, they're going to give Malkin a 3 year deal after his current deal is done and Letang's contract ends the same year, so I could see JR giving Letang a 3 year deal as well.

Letang has played more games than anyone on the Penguins through the last three seasons. So I’m not sure he has anymore “injury issues” then the rest of the team.

He’s also consistently one of our best players despite what the media wants to put out there.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Letang has played more games than anyone on the Penguins through the last three seasons. So I’m not sure he is anymore “injury prone” then the rest of the team.

He’s also consistently one of our best players despite what the media wants to put out there.

One of the more annoying narratives on the Pens board is the constant "Letang needs to be traded this summer asap" as the annual Letang needs to go bullshit.

 

[Gurglesons]

One of the more annoying narratives on the Pens board is the constant "Letang needs to be traded this summer asap" as the annual Letang needs to go bullshit.

Letang probably add ways more impact to this team if his offense dries up then Malkin as they age out tbh.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Letang probably add ways more impact to this team if his offense dries up then Malkin as they age out tbh.

I think Letang, when his contract is done, will still be a solid 40~ point player, he's averaged 50+ (if he had played a full season, but to crunch those numbers - last 10yrs 458pts in 591 games = 64pt pace, people don't quite get how f***ing special that is) for almost a decade and could have topped 70+ a few times if it weren't for injuries, I think people severely underrate Letang's talent and he's a solid defenseman too. If you can keep him for another 3yrs as a swansong with his other 2 buddies, even if you got him at 5m/yr, he'd still be a bargain.

For Geno, I think he is going to be a 80+ guy until he retires. That is just me though, Geno is pure talent.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

All the Letang love makes my day.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Letang is Life.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Letang is flow.

Letang is all.

Letang is... uh... eating with the wrong end of the fork. Again.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Letang is...a very talented player whose warts are much more manageable with Marino on the roster.

In games where we need to play safe, structured hockey, I feel a lot better with Marino taking a good chunk of those minutes. Hopefully more and more of them as he develops and Letang ages.

 

[Kristopher Letang]

Lol if Letang goes to Montreal... I’m gonna lose it.

 

[SEALBound]

Also, Sarge went from 5yr/25m contract to the Senators for 5.5m/yr for 2yrs (the one yr at less because of a CBA issue), then 5m/yr for 2yrs with the Stars. Pens signed him at 30/31yrs of age, he left at 36 and at 38 still was asking for 5.5m/yr (except that one shortened year). He was never a 50pt player in the 5 seasons after he left.

Gonchar was a fantastic powerplay point man and paired with a solid defensive defenseman like Orpik, a formidable top pairing guy, but Letang brings far more to the table, people can whine about him all they want, if Letang re-signs for 3 more years to retire with is buddy Sid (like Geno likely will), I see him taking a cut so they can keep winning until the end.

Why would anything change when they're older and really in a mentor role to a young squad that should remain winners if they do this right? I don't see 3 guys that are fantastic leaders like that, suddenly changing. Sarge also had that knee injury that really started to show why the Pens needed to move on. Letang had his neck f***ing FUSED and he's still an all-star player.

Ya know what's fun? To think about the excitement and emotions in 2005. I remember when they signed him and how stoked I was. Funny though because they he was a dud that first year.

Course I was also super excited for Reechi, LeClair, Palffy, and Thibault. That was an important life lesson in getting let down. On paper...man what a team that was.

Crosby, Lemieux, Palffy, Reechi, LeClair, Gonchar, Lasse Pirjeta, Fleury, young Orpik and Scuds...there was a lot of reason for optimism.

Letang is...a very talented player whose warts are much more manageable with Marino on the roster.

In games where we need to play safe, structured hockey, I feel a lot better with Marino taking a good chunk of those minutes. Hopefully more and more of them as he develops and Letang ages.

Indeed. I would, however, feel MUCH better, if we still had Addison. Zucker has been good, don't get me wrong, but that one still stings a bit.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

We were just talking about the Jagr trade in the other thread. THAT wasn't what sunk CP... it was that 2005 season.

I was excited, too. Palffy alone had me pumped nevermind a young phenom, Mario and the rest.

But I think a lot of people had some reservations looking down the lineup and realizing their 2C was Lasse Pirjeta and beyond Gonchar the defense was kind of a mess.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I remember how much hate Gonchar got. Like all the things people say other people say to Murray? That shit is sweet nothings compared to what people were saying, posting, and writing about Gonchar. It was straight up abuse for the first year he was here.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Yeah dude Gonchar got put through it. That was a pretty brutal season versus expectations. I imagine that's why the vitriol was a bit extreme... plus the whole Capitals thing.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Which is why I ultimately have to laugh at the Murray situation, because, man I don't think people are actively salivating for Murray's inevitable shuffle off of this mortal coil like they were Gonchar.

Because, you and I might remember, when Gonchar died at the zoo, there was a significant portion of the fanbase that was REALLY excited about it.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Gonchar went through a pretty bad stretch his first season then towards the end. Getting Moen'd in that Montreal series kinda brought the boobirds back out a bit (I always thought it was funny that he would be traded for Moen a few years later). I admit I was a little hard on Gonchar towards the end. But to be fair I always gave him his due on the PP, in particular. Where I often said I've never personally seen better on the Penguins when it comes to ALL the elements.