Post-mortem on the season

[SouthGeorge]

Yeah, I'm in no way defending Letang, but Maatta's gaff was just as costly as any of Letang's. Both stunk vs Washington.

Maatta made a bad pass but why is Letang hugging the left boards and when he sees Maatta in trouble why doesn't he drop back? Same mistake he made on the series ending goal. Pass to Crosby and charges up the right boards. Middle of the ice is the most important piece of ice and Letang is allergic to it.

 

[ncm7772]

Maatta made a bad pass but why is Letang hugging the left boards and when he sees Maatta in trouble why doesn't he drop back? Same mistake he made on the series ending goal. Pass to Crosby and charges up the right boards. Middle of the ice is the most important piece of ice and Letang is allergic to it.

Please re-read my post. Notice I stated "I'm not defending Letang."

 

[ncm7772]

Again, I'm not defending Letang's poor play. But here, there's a group of people that will never give Letang any benefit of the doubt, no matter the circumstance.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Yeah, I'm in no way defending Letang, but Maatta's gaff was just as costly as any of Letang's. Both stunk vs Washington.

You don’t have to defend Letang to understand other players f*** up.

Maatta completely blew that play making an asinine no look backhander to Backstrom and then let himself get knocked over by Captain Caveman for the double whammy. It was all on him for not throwing it down the half boards... a play you should make with your eyes closed there.

But Letang was back on the 2-1, so naturally it’s his fault.

Same deal with the series winning goal... Crosby and Dumo blow it... blame Letang...

Who made the bad read on the opening goal in game six... why lookie lookie it was Maatta... blame Letang anyway...

Big Rig turnover... blame Letang...

That’s the kind of hard hitting analysis you get from those with an agenda agt him.

 

[vodeni]

You don’t have to defend Letang to understand other players **** up.

Maatta completely blew that play making an asinine no look backhander to Backstrom and then let himself get knocked over by Captain Caveman for the double whammy. It was all on him for not throwing it down the half boards... a play you should make with your eyes closed there.

But Letang was back on the 2-1, so naturally it’s his fault.

Same deal with the series winning goal... Crosby and Dumo blow it... blame Letang...

Who made the bad read on the opening goal in game six... why lookie lookie it was Maatta... blame Letang anyway...

Big Rig turnover... blame Letang...

That’s the kind of hard hitting analysis you get from those with an agenda agt him.

or vice versa, for those who defend undefensable, Maatta made a bad play, one can see why if it wants try to put the puck kind on net, bad decision, than he gets tripped, big time tripped, what happens next is by no means 100% Tanger's fault but one always wishes that your d-man does just a bit better play on 2 on 1, last time I checked that was not Ruh, or Hunwick or anyone other than our $7.5 M No.1 defensman...so its the same argument with Sid and Geno...If you are who they say you are make the best play there, something above ordinary...

 

[Tom Hanks]

One play at the end (or any other time) of a game is not the reason we lose a game. There is another 59:50 minutes of the game to try and win it. You have to take your opportunities when they are there.

In game 2 we shot at 3%! Game 5 at 7.7% and Game 6 at 4.5%. Tough to win a series with those numbers.

Every game the team with the higher shooting percentage won.

 

[Shady Machine]

One play at the end (or any other time) of a game is not the reason we lose a game. There is another 59:50 minutes of the game to try and win it. You have to take your opportunities when they are there.

In game 2 we shot at 3%! Game 5 at 7.7% and Game 6 at 4.5%. Tough to win a series with those numbers.

Every game the team with the higher shooting percentage won.

Sure but timely goals often flip a series and the Pens gave up back breakers at the end of games that should have gone to OT. Pens made a few costly mistakes at end of regulation that cost them the series.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Sure but timely goals often flip a series and the Pens gave up back breakers at the end of games that should have gone to OT. Pens made a few costly mistakes at end of regulation that cost them the series.

That applies to timely goals for us as well. Missing gettable goals is just as costly for an offensive team. The game changes when you are up by a couple goals.

Our game style acknowledges that we will give up more chances with the assumption we can out score teams. That probably should have been adjusted better by the coaching staff.

Obviously not excusing the play of some but it wasn’t one thing or one player. The team lost this one.

 

[vodeni]

One play at the end (or any other time) of a game is not the reason we lose a game. There is another 59:50 minutes of the game to try and win it. You have to take your opportunities when they are there.

In game 2 we shot at 3%! Game 5 at 7.7% and Game 6 at 4.5%. Tough to win a series with those numbers.

Every game the team with the higher shooting percentage won.

I hope the coaching staff takes a good look at that...was it Holtby? Could it be that our guys can't pick the corners, do we not screen enough, not too many open wide looks in Caps series, Caps played pretty suffocating defense, so other than game 5 we really were not creating a lot of garde A chances/shots, shultz missing the net all the time, maatta missing a few open looks, there are so many things my head is spinning...

 

[ChaosAgent]

Trading Phil just seems disastrous. He’s better or on the same level as Panarin, I don’t want to make that mistake Chicago did, especially when Phil’s proven that he’s a gamer. Plus, 90 points for under 7 mil? You could argue without him the Pens don’t make the playoffs this year.

If you polled NHL coaches and GMs about Panarin v Kessel, it would be very lopsided in Panarin's favor. For one thing, he plays defense.

 

[vodeni]

If you polled NHL coaches and GMs about Panarin v Kessel, it would be very lopsided in Panarin's favor. For one thing, he plays defense.

there is no way you know that...Phil has two rings...I would take Panarin in a heartbit over Kessel, but I am not a coach

 

[Andy99]

One play at the end (or any other time) of a game is not the reason we lose a game. There is another 59:50 minutes of the game to try and win it. You have to take your opportunities when they are there.

In game 2 we shot at 3%! Game 5 at 7.7% and Game 6 at 4.5%. Tough to win a series with those numbers.

Every game the team with the higher shooting percentage won.

And this is nothing new...our shooting % all year was below average...and last year above average....difference in winning the Cup vs being out in round two....

 

[Andy99]

If you polled NHL coaches and GMs about Panarin v Kessel, it would be very lopsided in Panarin's favor. For one thing, he plays defense.

Not much...the main thing is he’s 4-5 years younger and his reputation is not as “difficult”.....

 

[RizzleMcRib]

or vice versa, for those who defend undefensable, Maatta made a bad play, one can see why if it wants try to put the puck kind on net, bad decision, than he gets tripped, big time tripped, what happens next is by no means 100% Tanger's fault but one always wishes that your d-man does just a bit better play on 2 on 1, last time I checked that was not Ruh, or Hunwick or anyone other than our $7.5 M No.1 defensman...so its the same argument with Sid and Geno...If you are who they say you are make the best play there, something above ordinary...

Yeah a 2 on 1 against 1 of the best playmakers in the league and 1 of the most prolific goal scorers of this generation. More times than not, that's going in.
Letang went down to cut off the pass and Backstrom out waited him. He was alsmost at the goal line by the time he made the pass. Letang didn't cost us that game.

 

[vodeni]

a few more things in the post mortem:
the team could not improve transition defense all year long culminating in play-offs, is it coaching? heard Sully bring it up so many times, if the coaches told them to do that, why the players did not execute, tune them out? or did not have legs to backcheck and put the pressuer, our d-man are to soft anmd could not hold the blue line? wrong players?
will be really curious to see how it looks like next year..Geno and sid are going to be only slower, thats two lines with the questionable defensive work, Brass is no Selke candidate either...could be tough

another thing that bothered me all year long...maybe I am watching pens too closely and not other teams, but the amount of icing is just mind boggling...Shultz, Jamie, Hunwick,Letang just seem to fire that puck along the wall no matter what, only Dumo, sometimes Maatta and Letang would try to skate up and hit the center with the puck, the last game was just perfect example

another thing is, it seems at times that we are the worst puck dumping team, against the Caps dump to no one was a special, just giving up on puck way too often, Oshie orOvie or Stephenson were holding on the puck onblue line, totally unchallenged, our d-man were 5 steps behind, they waited for a change and than try to enetr the zone, we almost looked like disinterestd in possessing the puck...

all these little things mean a lot and yet Kuhn goes inch in we are in game 7 and who knows...

when you have geno and Sid you are always in...if your goali stands up you are favorite no matter what...

 

[vodeni]

Yeah a 2 on 1 against 1 of the best playmakers in the league and 1 of the most prolific goal scorers of this generation. More times than not, that's going in.
Letang went down to cut off the pass and Backstrom out waited him. He was alsmost at the goal line by the time he made the pass. Letang didn't cost us that game.

again you are missing the point, he did not cost us the game but he did not win us a game, your Ruh or Hunwick should not cost you the game, your letang geno or sid should win you or save the game, and thats who letang was this season your average hockey player who was unreasonably given 25-30 minutes of game, who was not a game breaker he once was, he was not pushing or changing the pace of the game, none of that, I really don't care when he makes stupid play, high risk play, thats what player of that pedigre should do, I don't mind when Sid does, I don't mind when Geno does, butyour no.1 defensman player should be a force, I really think that he came too early, he wasn't ready, his skating is not what it used to be, he does not blow by anyone anymore, his stick handling was totally of all season long, he looked funny on several occassion trying to dangle through some skaters..etc...etc... I think he may bounce back with his speed and his skating,that is one thing I am looking foprward to seeing next year...

 

[RizzleMcRib]

again you are missing the point, he did not cost us the game but he did not win us a game, your Ruh or Hunwick should not cost you the game, your letang geno or sid should win you or save the game, and thats who letang was this season your average hockey player who was unreasonably given 25-30 minutes of game, who was not a game breaker he once was, he was not pushing or changing the pace of the game, none of that, I really don't care when he makes stupid play, high risk play, thats what player of that pedigre should do, I don't mind when Sid does, I don't mind when Geno does, butyour no.1 defensman player should be a force, I really think that he came too early, he wasn't ready, his skating is not what it used to be, he does not blow by anyone anymore, his stick handling was totally of all season long, he looked funny on several occassion trying to dangle through some skaters..etc...etc... I think he may bounce back with his speed and his skating,that is one thing I am looking foprward to seeing next year...

I mean coming back from neck surgery and having really no time to train (didn't even start skating until August) and still puts up 51 points in the regular season and 11 in 12 playoff games. Yeah that's pretty average.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

or vice versa, for those who defend undefensable, Maatta made a bad play, one can see why if it wants try to put the puck kind on net, bad decision, than he gets tripped, big time tripped, what happens next is by no means 100% Tanger's fault but one always wishes that your d-man does just a bit better play on 2 on 1, last time I checked that was not Ruh, or Hunwick or anyone other than our $7.5 M No.1 defensman...so its the same argument with Sid and Geno...If you are who they say you are make the best play there, something above ordinary...

Defend indefensible? That makes zero sense.

They lost because a bunch of guys made big mistakes and it ended up in the back of their net.

Maatta’s mistake was pretty idiotic and Letang bashers need to just admit that if they want to at least pretend to have a semblance of objectivity. You don’t throw a blind backhand shot on net from the point. That’s stupid anytime, let alone in a tie playoff game with less than 2 minutes left.

Letang literally had one big, glaring gaffe the entire series, and suddenly all the goals were his fault, the entire series was his fault, missing flight 370 was on him, the murder of the Black Dahlia, and he was probably DB Cooper as well.

It’s gotten ridiculous.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

again you are missing the point, he did not cost us the game but he did not win us a game, your Ruh or Hunwick should not cost you the game, your letang geno or sid should win you or save the game, and thats who letang was this season your average hockey player who was unreasonably given 25-30 minutes of game, who was not a game breaker he once was, he was not pushing or changing the pace of the game, none of that, I really don't care when he makes stupid play, high risk play, thats what player of that pedigre should do, I don't mind when Sid does, I don't mind when Geno does, butyour no.1 defensman player should be a force, I really think that he came too early, he wasn't ready, his skating is not what it used to be, he does not blow by anyone anymore, his stick handling was totally of all season long, he looked funny on several occassion trying to dangle through some skaters..etc...etc... I think he may bounce back with his speed and his skating,that is one thing I am looking foprward to seeing next year...

Letang scored their only goal in game six and played a strong game. Maatta, Crosby and Dumo made mistakes that cost them the game.

I’m curious what you think of Subban’s garbage series agt the Jets, because he was a lot worse than Letang and he makes more money.

Should Subban be raked over the coals and traded?

 

[ColePens]

Letang scored their only goal in game six and played a strong game. Maatta, Crosby and Dumo made mistakes that cost them the game.

I’m curious what you think of Subban’s garbage series agt the Jets, because he was a lot worse than Letang and he makes more money.

Should Subban be raked over the coals and traded?

All of Nashville defense looked panicked and poor. They should all be traded and all are busts. Letang deserves to get some negative comments around here but within reason.

I still don't understand why people can't just come to the conclusion Washington is playing better hockey right now. They are resilient and bought in. They believe. They are executing a beautiful brand of hockey. It's not modern hockey like Pens/Vegas, but it's transition hockey like Tampa did in 2016. They are playing brilliantly.

Sometimes the easy answer is right in front of everyone's faces and they fail to want to realize it. We hit a wall and Washington worked harder. We had a good enough roster to win the Cup and just some things didn't go our way. Oh well. It happens to teams every single year. We were lucky to go back to back. That same luck didn't happen this year. Oh well.

 

[Joejosh999]

It's gotten ridiculous indeed.

 

[Tom Hanks]

And this is nothing new...our shooting % all year was below average...and last year above average....difference in winning the Cup vs being out in round two....

We were 10th out of the playoff teams in S%. during the regular season. It’s not the only factor but it can be a big one. Shooting at 3 & 4.5% means we’re only scoring one goal. We’ve won 1 game in the last 3 seasons when we’ve scored one goal.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

If you polled NHL coaches and GMs about Panarin v Kessel, it would be very lopsided in Panarin's favor. For one thing, he plays defense.

Panarin plays defense? He hangs out at the red line waiting for a breakaway, and that's not an exaggeration.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

All of Nashville defense looked panicked and poor. They should all be traded and all are busts. Letang deserves to get some negative comments around here but within reason.

I still don't understand why people can't just come to the conclusion Washington is playing better hockey right now. They are resilient and bought in. They believe. They are executing a beautiful brand of hockey. It's not modern hockey like Pens/Vegas, but it's transition hockey like Tampa did in 2016. They are playing brilliantly.

Sometimes the easy answer is right in front of everyone's faces and they fail to want to realize it. We hit a wall and Washington worked harder. We had a good enough roster to win the Cup and just some things didn't go our way. Oh well. It happens to teams every single year. We were lucky to go back to back. That same luck didn't happen this year. Oh well.

Down the road when this golden Pens era is over... hopefully later than sooner, many of the people wishing away the likes of Letang and Kessel will slowly start to realize how good we had it with talents like them flanking their generational superstars.

Blows my mind how fans can turn on players who have proven championship pedigree. Both had huge hands in helping them win two cups, and when they struggle, these people are like rabid dogs attacking them...

It’s f***ing brutal man.

I could see being upset at a guy like Sheary who had two assists the entire playoffs and has now shown us three years in a row he ghosts it during the playoffs... but Letang, Kessel and Murray... people are such idiots, I don’t even know how to put it nicely and don’t want to, if I’m being honest.

 

[SouthGeorge]

Kessel doesn't deserve blame. It might have been a little selfish to not sit and give somebody who's 100% a chance. But given his reputation in Toronto, I would have thought he'd be lazy and want to sit. It's good he didn't want to give up his spot. I respect it. There's not guarantee Sprong comes in and does anything. And ultimately Kessel doesn't play defense and give up 5 breakaways.

Murray doesn't deserve blame because Letang hung him out to dry.

Bill Watters was on NHL radio on Sirus and said... "Letang was his biggest disappointment. When your "best d-man" is responsible for at least 5-6 goals. Didn't play last year." He said Letang was the reason the Pens lost. Sorry but I'm taking a former gm's take on Letang over anybody else's and frankly he's 100% correct. I've played hockey my whole life and at a collegiate level. Anybody who knows this game can see the mistakes he's making and see he's the reason the Pens lost.