Post-Game Talk: Pens vs Nucks: In Soviet hockey, you dont score on PP, PP scores on you!

[Gurglesons]

Crosby's 36 and without him playing at this level, this team's picking top-5 in seven months.

I don't see it. Feel like people are really grasping for this narrative.

McDavid, MacKinnon and Kucherov should be the Hart finalists with Panarin and Barkov as 4,5.

 

[pistolpete11]

Kucherov is doing better on a worse team.

People are really overhyping what Crosby is doing. And that's not to take away from what he is doing.

Kucherov has 26 more points than Point. Sid and Jake are tied and Malkin is only 10 back.

Agreed. We all love Sid, but he doesn't get bonus points because he's old.

 

[3ladesof5teel]

Some people here act like they know exactly what is going to happen and who is going to win the cup. It's a longshot for any team even the best of them because everything needs to fall into place and of course injuries.

All you need to do is make the playoffs and it's a whole new season and ANYTHING can happen. Unsuspecting teams can go on crazy runs.

But we need to rebuild now because rebuilding "guarantees" success lol......we aren't going to see success for quite some time. But let's start that now.

You would think being a hockey fan many would know that anything can happen. But I wouldn't expect much less. Most people crying rebuild are the same that were saying Sid and Geno were washed 4 years ago.

 

[Gurglesons]

Agreed. We all love Sid, but he doesn't get bonus points because he's old.

I'm not trying to take away how amazing Crosby has been this year. But people act like he's playing on a team of nobodies when we currently have the 4th best SV% in the league.

Say what you want about Dubas' additions, but they did help insulate and make this team more effective defensively.

 

[The Old Master]

Crosby's 36 and without him playing at this level, this team's picking top-5 in seven months.

history has showen that when sid goes down geno picks it up.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I don't think Florida would be as bad without Barkov as Pittsburgh would be minus Sid. Maybe Kucherov in Tampa and MacKinnon in Colorado, but Kuch still has Point, Hedman and Vasi. Sid's got Jake, but Jake's not doing what he's doing without riding Sid's coattails.

 

[pistolpete11]

I'm not trying to take away how amazing Crosby has been this year. But people act like he's playing on a team of nobodies when we currently have the 4th best SV% in the league.

Say what you want about Dubas' additions, but they did help insulate and make this team more effective defensively.

Yeah, I know. I made the same point a few times in here. For whatever reason, people rush in here to pump this narrative every time Sid has a good game. But they ignore it when the rest of the team step ups....like say.....Monday's game Pens won, scored 4 goals, and Sid didn't have a point.

I don't think they would make the playoffs without him, shit they might not make the playoffs with him, but this team is getting contributions from a lot of guys right now.

 

[Gurglesons]

I don't think Florida would be as bad without Barkov as Pittsburgh would be minus Sid. Maybe Kucherov in Tampa and MacKinnon in Colorado, but Kuch still has Point, Hedman and Vasi. Sid's got Jake, but Jake's not doing what he's doing without riding Sid's coattails.

Without Sid, Malkin is playing with Jake and likely putting up similar numbers to Sid tbh.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Without Sid, Malkin is playing with Jake and likely putting up similar numbers to Sid tbh.

Nah.

 

[Will Hunting]

Also, for people doubting our recent 9-3-2 run saying it´s Sid carrying the team and not being sustainable... We´ve just lost two home games vs BUF and WSH in which the Pens completely dominated the play. Without some bad luck, we might talk about 11-1-2 stretch here.

 

[Gurglesons]

Nah.

Why? Malkin is at a 30 goal, 70+ pt pace with a player putting up .5 ppg being his most common line mate.

 

[Will Hunting]

Why? Malkin is at a 30 goal, 70+ pt pace with a player putting up .5 ppg being his most common line mate.

Point totals do not everytime tell the whole story tho. Sid is producing at critical times for us, with majority of it being goals. He also has games like vs the Sabres recently, where he completely dominated the play but had two points waved off and hit like two goalposts himself. Could´ve had 5 points in that game easily. He didn´t have a single point in blowout 7-0 win vs the Isles for example, but shows up in critical moments more than anybody. It´s body language of him, you just see that he is our clear leader and best player. No question whatsoever. Malkin´s body language is much different. But also has been slightly better recently IMO.

 

[Gurglesons]

Point totals do not everytime tell the whole story tho. Sid is producing at critical times for us, with majority of it being goals. He also has games like vs the Sabres recently, where he completely dominated the play but had two points waved off and hit like two goalposts himself. Could´ve had 5 points in that game easily. He didn´t have a single point in blowout 7-0 win vs the Isles for example, but shows up in critical moments more than anybody. It´s body language of him, you just see that he is our clear leader and best player. No question whatsoever. Malkin´s body language is much different. But also has been slightly better recently IMO.

This is lame shit. Sid is playing with a top 20 winger and Malkin is with trash the majority of the year. Guarantee if you give Malkin, Jake his numbers suddenly pop.

Also, Sid was lame the first while to start the season and Malkin was dominating.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

We're gonna pretend plonking Jake on Geno's line equals the same results of Sid playing at the level he's been at when we've legitimately discussed moving Geno to wing because he's been so bad at ES for stretches this season? Alrighty.

 

[pistolpete11]

If you take out the time that Rakell was hurt and they were forced to start playing musical chairs on his RW, Malkin has 29 points in 28 games.

 

[Gurglesons]

We're gonna pretend plonking Jake on Geno's line equals the same results of Sid playing at the level he's been at when we've legitimately discussed moving Geno to wing because he's been so bad at ES for stretches this season? Alrighty.

Yes.

He’s 10 points off Sid while playing with significant less talent.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Regardless of whether we like it or not, a rebuild needs to happen ASAP. They're not gonna win the Cup this way. So they need to do everything in their power to position the team better in order to really compete with the best teams.

It's a nasty process, sure. But at least it's progress towards the ultimate goal. What's happening right now is not that. This is pretending and throwing away years of the organization in the trash compactor.

There's too much focus on the strength of the team's best pick, and too little on the quality of the collective assets you accumulate during that time. It's a team sport. You need to shore up many holes to make the playoffs again, not just a 1C or 1D.

I don't agree and this reeks of misguided management philosophy that any failure is correctable.

The Penguins will be very bad in a few years and there is no way around that. But if they start the rebuild now their time at the bottom may not be low enough or long enough to acquire the top-5 picks that is crucial to building a core that can contend.

 

[Will Hunting]

We're gonna pretend plonking Jake on Geno's line equals the same results of Sid playing at the level he's been at when we've legitimately discussed moving Geno to wing because he's been so bad at ES for stretches this season? Alrighty.

It´s just one poster. He always defends Geno and criticizes Sid. I mean, based on his play, Sid deserves like 10 more points than he currently has, he´s been that good and that critical for us. He doesn´t produce in blowout games (like 7-0 vs NYI or 10-2 vs SJS) but he scores when it´s needed the most. Also should´ve had more points, Sid having the same point total like Jake shows how flawed this argument is. I love Jake, but Sid is on another level than him this season.

Just to clarify, I don´t even blame Malkin for his ES play. He clearly lost his step but he´s holding the ground with lesser players and actually plays some defense too. That´s OK. He just kills the powerplay tho, but that´s also a systematic problem of Pens forcing it to Malkin refusing to understand that he is no longer a big threat with his shot. Once the Pens understand this, the powerplay will get better.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I don't get the ASAP. Why? They running out of drafts?

Because any year that is not spent progressing towards a Cup is a waste of time for the organization.
It's not in the spirit of sport to accept futility. You're supposed to conquer your obstacles and competitors.

The only purpose this year serves is to honor the core. That's not good enough. No player is bigger than the team.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Woe is Evgeni Malkin, a 2nd line center forced to play with 2nd line wingers. smh my head

 

[Gurglesons]

It´s just one poster. He always defends Geno and criticizes Sid. I mean, based on his play, Sid deserves like 10 more points than he currently has, he´s been that good and that critical for us. He doesn´t produce in blowout games (like 7-0 vs NYI or 10-2 vs SJS) but he scores when it´s needed the most. Also should´ve had more points, Sid having the same point total like Jake shows how flawed this argument is. I love Jake, but Sid is on another level than him this season.

Just to clarify, I don´t even blame Malkin for his ES play. He clearly lost his step but he´s holding the ground with lesser players and actually plays some defense too. That´s OK. He just kills the powerplay tho, but that´s also a systematic problem of Pens forcing it to Malkin refusing to understand that he is no longer a big threat with his shot. Once the Pens understand this, the powerplay will get better.

I always criticize Sid? lol.

What are you even talking about?

 

[tom_servo]

Because any year that is not spent progressing towards a Cup is a waste of time for the organization.
It's not in the spirit of sport to accept futility. You're supposed to conquer your obstacles and competitors.

The only purpose this year serves is to honor the core. That's not good enough. No player is bigger than the team.

They're playing for the postseason, not boosting career stats. That's not a wasted season at all. In fact it's about all you can really hope for.

 

[pistolpete11]

Woe is Evgeni Malkin, a 2nd line center forced to play with 2nd line wingers. smh my head

You're being intellectually dishonest here, man.

Guentzel is by far the Pen's most offensively talented winger. BY FAR. Of course Malkin's numbers would increase by playing with him instead of Reilly Smith.

 

[Gurglesons]

Woe is Evgeni Malkin, a 2nd line center forced to play with 2nd line wingers. smh my head

Nobody is complaining about Malkin's performance this year. The only argument being made is Malkin is likely producing close to Sid's level if he has a Jake level winger.

 

[pistolpete11]

Because any year that is not spent progressing towards a Cup is a waste of time for the organization.
It's not in the spirit of sport to accept futility. You're supposed to conquer your obstacles and competitors.

The only purpose this year serves is to honor the core. That's not good enough. No player is bigger than the team.

Nothing says conquering your obstacles and competitors like giving up.