Post-Game Talk: Predators 2, Penguins 1 (SO) - 1 Point > 0 Points

[66-30-33]

Can't shut them out every game sadly. MM still has 3 shutouts in a row to them.

 

[66-30-33]

If team Japan is located in Pittsburgh, PA, playing as a member of the NHL, and changed their name to the Penguins, then, yes.

Everyone here loves stats eh? Feast: Playoff Probabilities Report | Hockey-Reference.com

Stalin for Dahlin? We will get our Letang replacement afterall.

 

[ColePens]

It's a hell of a lot easier to lead if you've got a lot of guys who are leaders themselves. Both in terms of guys who can look after themselves, and guys who can reinforce your message and look after others when you're busy.

Every captain should be able to look around the room and see lieutenants and sergeants.

It's a league built around youth, ELCs, and stars. So when our stars are now 30, they have to look to themselves to be the vets on the team, especially when they have 12 years of experience. That just is what it is.

We can pick up the next Hainsey/Guerin/Cully at the deadline, but we can't always get those guys at the beginning of the season.

 

[66-30-33]

It's a league built around youth, ELCs, and stars. So when our stars are now 30, they have to look to themselves to be the vets on the team, especially when they have 12 years of experience. That just is what it is.

We can pick up the next Hainsey/Guerin/Cully at the deadline, but we can't always get those guys at the beginning of the season.

Yep, Pens are the most playoff veteran team there is. We have played a lot of hockey with our guys and what has kept this team going is the injection of youth we have given the team, the hunger was there. Didn't Cullen say he was rejuvenated BECAUSE of the young guys he was playing with at the time? I swear he said that. We didn't play at such a high level because of the veteran leadership, it was because of the young hungry guys that made OUR guys hungry aswell.

 

[Ogrezilla]

It's a league built around youth, ELCs, and stars. So when our stars are now 30, they have to look to themselves to be the vets on the team, especially when they have 12 years of experience. That just is what it is.

We can pick up the next Hainsey/Guerin/Cully at the deadline, but we can't always get those guys at the beginning of the season.

Yep, there's no excuse for our team to feel the need to bring in veteran leadership. I don't have any issue bringing in vets, but that really shouldn't be the reason why.

 

[CertifiedLurker]

Good thing JR didn't trade him after the first 5 games of the season when some folks on this board thought he was expendable.

I'll never get that. Dude is underrated here sometimes. But that's what happens when your team has two of the best players in the world over the last DECADE playing at the same time for the last 10+ years. It's like, you literally won another lottery getting a player who is 12th in the league in points over the last 10 years for Kapanen + Harrington + Spaling + 1st... with salary retained. And even after winning back to back cups and finishing 1st and 3rd in consecutive playoff years on this team, he somehow is expendable. I hope he has an amazing regular season, dude needs to get back some of his shine.

 

[66-30-33]

I was one of the people who said Phil is here for the rest of his contract.

 

[ColePens]

I think the majority of people here are calling Kessel our best player so far this season. I like that we are giving him more love. Nothing wrong with that. He's the guy showing heart every single game.

 

[CertifiedLurker]

I think the majority of people here are calling Kessel our best player so far this season. I like that we are giving him more love. Nothing wrong with that. He's the guy showing heart every single game.

What's keeping me positive is that when Crosby comes out of his funk, which is absolutely inevitable unless there is something physiologically wrong with him, this team is going to be a freaking wrecking-ball if guys like Kessel keep playing the way they have and Malkin, who is still putting up the points, finds that extra gear. Gonna make the league forget about Stammer and Kuch.

 

[Peat]

It's a league built around youth, ELCs, and stars. So when our stars are now 30, they have to look to themselves to be the vets on the team, especially when they have 12 years of experience. That just is what it is.

We can pick up the next Hainsey/Guerin/Cully at the deadline, but we can't always get those guys at the beginning of the season.

And teams can't always have a 1C either, but we don't expect much from those without them. The question of whether we can have these guys is different to the question of these guys are important.

I don't even know for sure whether this team is actually missing having a full leadership cadre or not, but the argument that leaders shouldn't be expected to need them simply doesn't hold up to how leadership works. Leaders need help. Sid should be getting help - not just from Geno, Tanger and Horny, but from guys like Dumo, Murray, Hags and Rust.

If he's not getting help then that might be part of the issue. And, really, there's enough cap space to have some guys who can help lead in between the stars and ELCs. If guys like Dumo and Horny aren't doing it, we have a problem.

 

[Beauner]

Regarding the whole "leadership thing"...I agree 87/71 need to be the leadership now.

But I was thinking the other day...if you're Guentzel, or Rust or any other younger guy, is there some kind of weird dynamic having those guys be the leaders? They're the best players of this generation and you've probably watched them since you were a teenager. They're your teammates and obviously lead by example and from experience, but maybe it's easier to go to a Matt Cullen or Chris Kunitz or Ron Hainsey if you need help with something...guys who have had to work hard every shift of their career and know the struggles of someone who doesn't have all-world talent. I dunno, I'm just spit-balling but I wonder if it's a weird dynamic having the best players of the past 10 years be the "go-to" leaders

 

[mpp9]

Leadership? All I see is Sid in a slump after a dominant calendar year. Letang rusty after a bad injury and long layoff.

Good for Phil to up his game when the team needs him. Always seems to do it.

 

[Treent1]

Absolute embarrassment if Crosby and Malkin still needs veteran leadership

 

[Beauner]

Absolute embarrassment if Crosby and Malkin still needs veteran leadership

I don't think anyone is suggesting the leadership needs to be for those 2

 

[Peat]

I don't think anyone is suggesting the leadership needs to be for those 2

I'm definitely not. I'm suggesting maybe they could use some guys to help lead the others. I think that some of the younger guys did talk about how useful it was being able to go to a guy like Cullen or Daley or Kunitz with an issue rather than having to bother Sid & Geno. I'm pretty sure the coaches have talked about how useful it was having Cullen to help coach the bottom 6 during the game.

I'm not even saying that is the problem. Just that its possible and that Sid & Geno can be the leaders we want them to be and still need help.

 

[Treent1]

 

[EliteGoaltending]

Kessel (outside of first 5 games at the start of the season, when he seemingly was playing with zero effort) and Malkin (outside of 3-4 games in the first 10, when he seemingly was playing with poor effort) have been playing very well and have been the leaders. Even though they haven't produced all the time, which has to do more with Rust not being a good fit with them on LW and them together being an akward trio imo, they played well. Phil is the best offensive player and Geno is the best 200 foot player on the team right now probably.

We need Sid to get out of the funk. I don't think he has been too bad, he's still engaged offensevily most of the nights, but we can't have the first line bleeding so much goals against, while bottom six is so inept offensively. Getting puck to the net more can help and playing with better effort in D zone will do.

I didn't like how Letang-Dumo played in D zone at the start of the season and my main objectives were that Letang was just puck watching insted of getting in battles most of the time and Dumo couldn't win the battles. Plus defense as a whole struggled to get the puck out of the zone.
Since then Letang's struggles snowballed. His decision making has been a big problem. I think scheme of his struggles has been: JR and co asked him to play a bit different to stay healthy-Letang has been avoding contact fo the most part- which contributed to him being at fault for many goals against-which meesed with his head and confidence and he started to play like a mess as a whole.
He needs to find a middle ground of old Letang who would battle hard every time and new Letang who wouldn't get in battles. Maybe it will get him back on track.

 

[EliteGoaltending]

I'm not sure what they need to change to the line up now expect to get Archibald(and his speed and tehnacy on the forecheck) and sit Kuhn probably.

But watching how Washington basically won their game against us on the PP and how both of their PP goals were created from a shot from the point and watching how Subban blasted the puck in, 3 seconds into the PP yesterday, is a reminder how important to have a shot from the point on PP.

Sullivan needs to stop toying around and needs to put Schultz on PP1 on regular basis. So they will get used to each other again and PP1 will work better. Letang is better off on a left wall, so both units will be working better that way.

Long term roster wise, they'll need a 3C and if Horny isn't a fit on the first line, Rust is not a long term solution there either imo.

 

[KIRK]

Now we know why Geno and Ovi were talking after the game Friday.

 

[froods]

Sometimes when your as talented as Sid and Geno, it is hard to be a great example for the role players. They are expected to do things differently. Guys like Kunitz and Cullen show these young guys how to play the right way.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I think Sid, especially, is a fantastic leader but I don't think he's a vocal, stand up in the locker room between periods and give the boys a rousing speech type guy. He's a quiet but powerful leader that leads by example and focuses entirely on his game. That's part of the reason I am worried about the team right now, because Sid just looks checked out, and while I don't think that's the entire basis of this team's struggles, I don't think it's helping matters. If you're a guy on the bench and you see Sid obviously going through the motions, it's going to have an effect on you, consciously or not. Sid's gotta snap out of it.

 

[ncm7772]

Still huge issues with this team, but they actually showed some "give a s**+", which is certainly an improvement.

Couldn't watch the game, just listen on Pens radio. Sounds like Sid at least didn't look like complete dog excrement. Yes? No?

 

[Chuck Norris Trophy]

Sullivan has a weird fetish for Letang. At some point he needs to understand that enough is enough. I will give a major plus to Rust, damn that guy is awesome.

 

[Andy99]

Now we know why Geno and Ovi were talking after the game Friday.

Ovi: G, there's an "accidental" fire waiting to happen at your restaurant in Moscow

G: ok, can you email me that photo with Putin again?

 

[ColePens]

Closing this up so we can move to the off day thread.