Post-mortem on the season

[cygnus47]

There are a lot of different criticisms but for me the top one is the lack of detail in their game. It plagued them from game 1 this season. Sticks not in lanes, poor positioning, poor gap, half assed backchecking, a step late supporting, F3's not covering the pinch, a step late and lazy angles on the forecheck, etc.

We let the opposition break out and navigate the NZ far too easily. When we gained possession in the DZ, there were far too many turnovers and often a lack of support on chips. I think the top issue this off season is fixing transition play, both improving ours and impeding the opposition's. So, while personnel can be tweaked, focusing on regaining the detail is essential in my mind.

A lot of this is the lack of pressure at the points. We consistently let the Caps make the D to D pass or get a shot from the point with no pressure and collapsed to the net instead. It means when we get the turnovers along the boards, they always have numbers back and we don't have any speed coming out of our own zone. Also means there's almost no risk for breakaways from blocked shots. When there's more pressure at the points, they aren't sure which plays are available because there are no consistent easy outlets and they have to make the decision QUICK cause there's someone on them immediately. It leads to more rushes going the other way and then you don't have to be as concerned about the mistakes you eventually make because the other team is taking stupid risks to try and get back in the game and giving up their system to do it.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

the funny thing about that is that Sully has been preaching about all the above issues literally since Game 2, I think Sully trusted all his players including likes of Sheary until the last minute that they will flip the switch, or do the right thing...

Has he really? I haven't listened to him or the media in at least a month. Now I feel like a bit of an asshat regurgitating Sully's talking points as my own.

But seriously, if my amateur eye sees it then you know it is a serious problem. That's really disappointing in that I expect Sully of all people to recognize the importance of habit forming and learned instinct, for lack of a better term. That mental aspect is half of playing a fast game.

 

[DeadPuckEra]

This was as good a year as any for Washington to get the Pittsburgh monkey off their back.

1. Half the team was hurt - and if anyone has followed the other series that have been going on/concluded - it’s no secret the Pens in their current form looked like a long shot to make it past those teams. Series are weird and anyone can win, but the Pens have players that are beat up and others that just aren’t performing.

2. This was coming with Washington. Eventually they were going to find a way to slide past the Pens. With the above mentioned all happening at once - it was a good year to let them get it out of their system as the odds were heavily against us advancing past Tampa, meanwhile one of Vegas/Jets/Nashville.

3. Brassard should be given a few months next season. If he continues to do nothing, it’s time to cut our losses. I cringe at the excuses being made for him on here. He did absolutely nothing and was probably the second fastest skater on the team - in the postseason. Not buying the injury talk. He can, and should be flipped for another 3C if he continues to not fit with this roster. And JR will do that, so I’m comfortable with where that stands regardless of what the Brassard brigade has to say.

4. Schultz now does Letangs job better than Letang. I would very seriously pay attention to what happens with the Jets and Trouba and if the stalemate continues (there’s been major issues between agent and org when it comes to a contract) then start throwing Kris name + out there. Hell, if they would like to add another roster player, preferably a 3C - we can send them Brassard (who they desperately wanted) too in the same deal. I believe Brassard would be more of a top 6 player there, or that’s how they value him.

I think a change would benefit both Letang and the team.

5. The rookies on this team were average at best, some nights. It’s go time on putting Sprong with the big club and seeing what he can do.

6. I feel that Oleksiak is overrated by Penguins fans because they so desperately want him to turn into something great - similar to Niskanen, Shultz etc. And though he is a different type of defensemen, there’s really no epic transformation going on. I tend to think he’s a 7D depth guy on most contending teams.

7. Ruhwedel and Hunwick shouldn’t be competing for the 6th D spot. They are both number 7 guys as well.

 

[Riptide]

I thought the Brassard acquisition is overkill. Sheahan was on pace for 44 points as our 3c, and is perfectly adequate defensively, IMO.

Hunwick stinks and needs to be traded or released. I'm guessing the feeling is mutual.

Rust Sheahan, Simon, Kuhn, Oleksiak, Sprong are RFAs. Jooris and Rowney are UFA's. All the RFA's are worth keeping. All will demand a pay rise, only Rust's will be significant.

Brassard's lack of chemistry with Kessel was concerning. However I thought him and Sheary looked great together - even if the results where not there. And while I agree with you that it was "overkill", neither was the price all that prohibitive. Overall I still think it was a good deal for us, to the point that I'd see what our options are to extend him going forward (I don't think it's likely, but I'd see).

I actually think one of the issues we had was too much quality players to the point we couldn't give them enough icetime. I doubt that had any impact on their production (vs the overall mix - either line combos or in general), but I do think there's a fine line between having "3 first lines" and having 3 lines that can produce like a "first line". We tried our best for the former. Perhaps a little bit of "less is more" would have given us better results there... IDK.

 

[Riptide]

Yes, he was [the reason we lost the series]

You couldn't possibly be more wrong even if you tried.

 

[Pens1566]

I'll give Brassard a temporary pass until I hear the injury report. Rumor was a groin/core issue that he probably came back from too soon. It also didn't help him to build chemistry by flipping his linemates around so often. Trading him now based on our sample size is insanity.

 

[Riptide]

Raise your hand if you were laughing by the third time the writer insisted we must be devastated. God I hope whoever wrote that checks his backlinks. lol

I honestly thought I'd be more upset at losing to Washington of all teams... and surprisingly it didn't really even phase me.

 

[dig1]

As exhausted as they were, this is a 4-1 series win if they hold 3rd period leads in Gs 3 and 5. Which they always do, to the tune of 24-0-2 in RS.
Certainly the tying goal in G3 is one MM would not give up last 2 years. And Letang was back breaking on tying/winning goals in G5.
But that's what stands out to me. Should we have trapped the minute we had 3rd period leads? Scrapped any D pinches? And so on.
The biggest deviation from RS was inability to hold late leads IMO. A lot of the rest, we'd seen all year long.

i have no idea why people here are so blind to what you just mentioned above mate.

there was no reason to be aggressive and they just didnt have situational awareness. it's as if they were told we dont care , you have free reign to just cheat a bit and try to score as much as possible without taking into consideration the situation that they had leads and they really should have beat this caps team 4-1. But that's just me. i am not mad. 2 cups is nice. but it's just sad esp for those players that worked their tail off-- Dumo.

Sheary -- yeeeiish... Rust at least had a few chances. but sheary, man.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Not mad at all, as long as the right moves are made in the offseason. And our top guys are back to being healthy. With what Guentzel did this year..add him to the top 3. Giving us 4 elite players(no reason they shouldnt remain that way next season).

Always said we had a better chance at it all next year. Lost too many important role players in the offseason and the trade deadline didnt work out. Thought this was Tampa's year regardless of us facing them or not.

So just make the right moves( ill admit now im a little concerned with Sully being fully comfortable as coach...making some bad decisions). And theres no reason we shouldnt be able to compete for it all again next season. Should be favorites.

And get the injuries out of the way during the regular season this time..like we normally did.

We will never know if they would have been able to 3peat or not if they were fully healthy.

Pittsburgh sports tho..ton of success but alot of years ruined by injuries to key players. We should be used to it by now.

 

[DeadPuckEra]

I honestly thought I'd be more upset at losing to Washington of all teams... and surprisingly it didn't really even phase me.

That’s because we don’t like some of their individual players - more than we dislike the organization. Prior to Ovechkin, Washington was basically the Islanders or Rangers...

If Philly beat us, we’d all be beside ourselves. With Philly, you hate those colors, that logo, those jerseys and anyone who puts one on their body. You hate their existence, the town, the inbred mentality, everything.

Ovechkin is just a prick, and so are a few of his teammates. After he’s gone, long term, Washington goes back to being another annoying Metro team. Philly, in a hundered years, will still be the scum of the earth.

 

[tom_servo]

I honestly thought I'd be more upset at losing to Washington of all teams... and surprisingly it didn't really even phase me.

Because how long could it possibly go on?

I agree with you. Not only because we beat them eight straight times and won five Cups going through them. The reality is they were the strongest team the Pens have faced the last two years. It almost had to happen.

This loss hurts, no doubt about it. Something great was interrupted and ruined. But for the Caps to do it is not so offensive to me.

 

[Turin]

Because how long could it possibly go on?

I agree with you. Not only because we beat them eight straight times and won five Cups going through them. The reality is they were the strongest team the Pens have faced the last two years. It almost had to happen.

This loss hurts, no doubt about it. Something great was interrupted and ruined. But for the Caps to do it is not so offensive to me.

My issue isn’t that it was the Caps, my issue is that it’s *these* Caps. It’s just too hockey for the weakest Caps team in a while to be the one to finally win.

 

[tom_servo]

My issue isn’t that it was the Caps, my issue is that it’s *these* Caps. It’s just too hockey for the weakest Caps team in a while to be the one to finally win.

They were strong in experience against these Pens. And these Pens were a bit worn.

 

[Turin]

They were strong in experience against these Pens. And these Pens were a bit worn.

Oh the Pens were broken to bits, the only guys who made it to the last game relatively healthy seemed to be Sid and Jake who didn’t have stellar regular seasons. It’s just sad they were than worn down when the team blocking them from the final four was a Caps team with no depth and an injured Backstom.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

I've added so many people to ignore that these threads seems quite sparse.

 

[USMC607]

I've added so many people to ignore that these threads seems quite sparse.

I have never ever used the ignore button. But after the loss... it's about to get a work out.

There are literally 4-5 people that when the pens win they are nowhere to be found. But when they lose bring up 1 player to shit and state it 200x over.

Or they recite lines from revelations about how this is it the pens are toast and we will never have this chance again.

 

[NMK11]

I honestly thought I'd be more upset at losing to Washington of all teams... and surprisingly it didn't really even phase me.

I didn't feel as invested this year vs previous years. Maybe it's because I've been busier and not able to catch all the games, or being spoiled to the point where winning seems normal, or maybe just feeling like we didn't have it this year. Whatever it was, when this game ended I just switched channels for a bit and then went to bed. Definitely didn't feel upset or angry.

 

[ncm7772]

I honestly thought I'd be more upset at losing to Washington of all teams... and surprisingly it didn't really even phase me.

Same here. Disappointed sure, but it's almost like I'm "relieved" in an odd way. Was so nervous about that series. I don't know, just not nearly as disappointed as I thought I'd be. Winning 2 Cups in a row helps, I'm sure!

 

[jay caufield forhead]

I have 3 words.
What about him?

I guess 3 is lucky...
3rd in points per game for defensmen over the last 5 years. Only Burns and EK rank higher.
3 time Stanley Cup Champion.

he has 0 hockey sense. the past his skating and athletic ability made up for it however age an injuries have killed that so to sum it up he was garbage most of the year.

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

I have 3 words.
What about him?

I guess 3 is lucky...
3rd in points per game for defensmen over the last 5 years. Only Burns and EK rank higher.
3 time Stanley Cup Champion.

and 3 of the last 4 Caps goals scored in the series were either directly or indirectly related to his forgetting what he was supposed to be doing...

 

[RizzleMcRib]

and 3 of the last 4 Caps goals scored in the series were either directly or indirectly related to his forgetting what he was supposed to be doing...

Well given that neither goal was his fault last night, your numbers seem to be a bit off.

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

Well given that neither goal was his fault last night, your numbers seem to be a bit off.

Whether he was leaving for a change or just in Letang mode, he sure seemed to vacate a vast expanse of ice on the GWG, making the trap/rush to slot pretty much as easy as it could be. That counts as indirect in my book. Not as bad as his last two gaffes in game 5, but still sad.

 

[RizzleMcRib]

Whether he was leaving for a change or just in Letang mode, he sure seemed to vacate a vast expanse of ice on the GWG, making the trap/rush to slot pretty much as easy as it could be. That counts as indirect in my book. Not as bad as his last two gaffes in game 5, but still sad.

So now it's Letang's fault because he went for a change while the puck was leaving the zone. Man. You're reaching.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

There are a lot of different criticisms but for me the top one is the lack of detail in their game. It plagued them from game 1 this season. Sticks not in lanes, poor positioning, poor gap, half assed backchecking, a step late supporting, F3's not covering the pinch, a step late and lazy angles on the forecheck, etc.

We let the opposition break out and navigate the NZ far too easily. When we gained possession in the DZ, there were far too many turnovers and often a lack of support on chips. I think the top issue this off season is fixing transition play, both improving ours and impeding the opposition's. So, while personnel can be tweaked, focusing on regaining the detail is essential in my mind.

Wish I could like this a dozen times. This, more than any of the other issues with the roster, bothered me the most this entire season.

 

[Gurglesons]

Same here. Disappointed sure, but it's almost like I'm "relieved" in an odd way. Was so nervous about that series. I don't know, just not nearly as disappointed as I thought I'd be. Winning 2 Cups in a row helps, I'm sure!

Maybe we’ve seen it before. 93 was probably the first year I actually was aware of what was going on rather than being a kid with a hat on.

To see that team lose after those story lines I figured we’d never see anything close to it. We saw the same story again.

That is amazing.