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[Shrimper]

Hopefully he replaces Prow who replaces Johnson?

Would think Ruhwedel would be first up. possibly Summers before Prow too purely because he has NHL experience.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Here's the problem. Bjugstad hasn't played center regularly since '16-'17, and he hasn't been the de facto center option here even when Malkin was hurt and it would make perfect sense. It doesn't seem to be their first option, especially considering JR's comments.

So are you intentionally ignoring the part where Bjugstad looked good at center here? Who cares if he hasn't "played center regularly"? He clearly showed he can play center here.

So then he's a RW right? But then that necessitates one of our "RW only" players moving to LW, which the coaching staff has been very reluctant to do, to put it mildly. If they FINALLY commit to Rust as an LW, well thank Christ because it took them long enough to come to that conclusion, but I'll believe it when I see it.

With none of that resolved, and seemingly no plan of how to use him, we're left with the dog's breakfast line-up we're seeing in the line rushes.

Oh okay, I get it. You're mad that they'll move Rust to LW for Bjugstad but not Sprong. Yeah, it's really easy to see through this.

WOULD YOU RATHER:

Seabrook | Johnson

Johnson by an incomprehensible amount. I am flabbergast that it's even a question.

 

[KIRK]

I feel like the problem there is that Sullivan is the anti-Bylsma when it comes to being patient with his lines. Just like being overly committed to certain lines is a fault, changing after 10 minutes when something isn't working immediately is also a fault. That's not a Rutherford problem, it's a problem with Sullivan being stupidly impatient and pulling the plug on any line that doesn't immediately work.

Just go with this for like 10 games, just keep a line combination together and see what happens:

Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist
Rust-Malkin-Kessel
Pearson-McCann-Bjugstad
Wilson-Cullen-Blueger/Simon

Why is just running with this for 10 games a problem?

1. Agree with you about lines. BUT, that's not how Sully (and Sid?) want it.

2. Sullivan playing a C/RW on the LW isn't anti-Bylsma. It's pure Bylsmagic (#iginla)

 

[KIRK]

WOULD YOU RATHER:

Seabrook | Johnson

Arsenic

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

So are you intentionally ignoring the part where Bjugstad looked good at center here? Who cares if he hasn't "played center regularly"? He clearly showed he can play center here.

Bjugstad hasn't clearly shown anything here.

Oh okay, I get it. You're mad that they'll move Rust to LW for Bjugstad but not Sprong. Yeah, it's really easy to see through this.

The failure to use Rust at LW until now is stupid, but it's hardly the main point. The point is that unless the staff commits to Rust on LW full-time now - since McCann is their choice for 3C - we don't really have a spot for Bjugstad. Which is why they're trying dumb shit like Kessel on LW. Again.

Rust hasn’t played LW regularly in the NHL ever yet he can play there according to you? Why does that change with Jugs who was literally playing center this year for the Cats before they pulled up Bjornkvist or whatever their 3C is named now.

You seem to be really focused on Bjugstad playing RW and I just.. can’t figure out why..???

Does it seem like the Pens want Bjugstad at center given how they've used him so far?

If he's not playing center, who do we move to LW to accommodate him on RW? Will we?

 

[Gurglesons]

Arsenic

Seabrook still has a cannon of a shot, issue is he’s making 3+ mil more than JJ.

Seabrook is actually still a decent NHLer tho.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Bjugstad hasn't clearly shown anything here.

That's your opinion. In my eyes, he clearly showed that he can play center every night, so your claim of "he can't play center because Florida didn't use him as a center" is pretty baseless. And even if he couldn't play center, who cares? Rust can and should play LW. They're going to be hit with injuries anyway, because Malkin is made of glass, so Bjugstad will play a ton at center anyway. What's the problem here?

The failure to use Rust at LW until now is stupid, but it's hardly the main point. The point is that unless the staff commits to Rust on LW full-time now - since McCann is their choice for 3C - we don't really have a spot for Bjugstad. Which is why they're trying dumb **** like Kessel on LW. Again.

And that's exactly what they should be doing. You saying "unless they do the blatantly obvious thing they should do, they don't have a spot for Bjugstad" doesn't hold much merit when the Penguins should obviously be making that call. Again, Sullivan making bad lineup decisions doesn't mean Bjugstad doesn't have a spot here, and I'm positive that this is Sprong related.

It's really just bizarre to be complaining about the Penguins acquiring Bjugstad. They got a guy that has the position flexibility to play both center and RW, yet they somehow made a mistake acquiring him? He fits in as a 3C, with McCann on LW, or as a RW, with Rust on LW. There is where he fits, so why do you keep asking "where does he fit"?

 

[KIRK]

Seabrook still has a cannon of a shot, issue is he’s making 3+ mil more than JJ.

Seabrook is actually still a decent NHLer tho.

Agree with all of that. Which is why I chose arsenic.

 

[Gurglesons]

Bjugstad hasn't clearly shown anything here.



The failure to use Rust at LW until now is stupid, but it's hardly the main point. The point is that unless the staff commits to Rust on LW full-time now - since McCann is their choice for 3C - we don't really have a spot for Bjugstad. Which is why they're trying dumb **** like Kessel on LW. Again.



Does it seem like the Pens want Bjugstad at center given how they've used him so far?

If he's not playing center, who do we move to LW to accommodate him on RW? Will we?

We can run Rust - Bjugstad - Kessel - Hornqvist on the RW

And Jake - Simon - Pearson - ZAR on the LW.

You’re just trying to bring up Sprong again.

 

[KIRK]

That's your opinion. In my eyes, he clearly showed that he can play center every night, so your claim of "he can't play center because Florida didn't use him as a center" is pretty baseless. And even if he couldn't play center, who cares? Rust can and should play LW. They're going to be hit with injuries anyway, because Malkin is made of glass, so Bjugstad will play a ton at center anyway. What's the problem here?



And that's exactly what they should be doing. You saying "unless they do the blatantly obvious thing they should do, they don't have a spot for Bjugstad" doesn't hold much merit when the Penguins should obviously be making that call. Again, Sullivan making bad lineup decisions doesn't mean Bjugstad doesn't have a spot here, and I'm positive that this is Sprong related.

It's really just bizarre to be complaining about the Penguins acquiring Bjugstad. They got a guy that has the position flexibility to play both center and RW, yet they somehow made a mistake acquiring him? He fits in as a 3C, with McCann on LW, or as a RW, with Rust on LW. There is where he fits, so why do you keep asking "where does he fit"?

Bjugstad has missed more games this season than Geno. And 1 more game over the prior 3 seasons.

We can run Rust - Bjugstad - Kessel - Hornqvist on the RW

And Jake - Simon - Pearson - ZAR on the LW.

You’re just trying to bring up Sprong again.

The only guys available to play LW with Geno are worse than Rust on Geno's LW. AINEC.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Seabrook's underlying numbers are even worse than Johnson's, so that's definitely not a swap I want to make. Seabrook is way better offensively than Johnson, but he's also worse defensively. I'd rather have Seabrook at $3.25 million than Johnson at the same price, but for what Seabrook makes, definitely not.

If you wanted a defenseman who has a cannon of a shot, is bad defensively and is a below average puck mover, you should have just kept Oleksiak

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

WOULD YOU RATHER:

Seabrook | Johnson

Is castration a third option?

 

[Gurglesons]

Bjugstad has missed more games this season than Geno. And 1 more game over the prior 3 seasons.

The only guys available to play LW with Geno are worse than Rust on Geno's LW. AINEC.

I mean, while that is true. We technically don’t have to play anyone on the LW that is a RW which is Soggy’s point.

 

[Gurglesons]

Seabrook's underlying numbers are even worse than Johnson's, so that's definitely not a swap I want to make. Seabrook is way better offensively than Johnson, but he's also worse defensively. I'd rather have Seabrook at $3.25 million than Johnson at the same price, but for what Seabrook makes, definitely not.

If you wanted a defenseman who has a cannon of a shot, is bad defensively and is a below average puck mover, you should have just kept Oleksiak

I’d be way more willing to take a risk that Seabrook returns to some form of effectiveness than JJ.

He also has one less goal than every single D man added up aside from Letang.

 

[Riptide]

Seabrook still has a cannon of a shot, issue is he’s making 3+ mil more than JJ.

Seabrook is actually still a decent NHLer tho.

And makes 6.8m. The issue there isn't the player, but the contract. Retain 50% (3.4m), maybe even a tad less and took JJ and I'd be pretty interested.

 

[Nakawick]

Is castration a third option?

Doing it yourself?

 

[Gurglesons]

And makes 6.8m. The issue there isn't the player, but the contract. Retain 50% (3.4m), maybe even a tad less and took JJ and I'd be pretty interested.

Oh yeah. Agree completely.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

We can run Rust - Bjugstad - Kessel - Hornqvist on the RW

And Jake - Simon - Pearson - ZAR on the LW.

You’re just trying to bring up Sprong again.

To be clear, you're advocating Hornqvist playing regularly on the 4th line? To accommodate Bjugstad, he of the 29 point pace?

That's your opinion. In my eyes, he clearly showed that he can play center every night, so your claim of "he can't play center because Florida didn't use him as a center" is pretty baseless. And even if he couldn't play center, who cares? Rust can and should play LW. They're going to be hit with injuries anyway, because Malkin is made of glass, so Bjugstad will play a ton at center anyway. What's the problem here?

In 5 games? In which he has a second assist? That convinced you?

Rust can and should play LW, but that's never been in doubt. The problem is whether the coaching staff will actually use him there regularly - he's been Sid's most frequent RW this year and he's on RW right now while Kessel is on LW, which is batshit crazy. Clearly Sullivan isn't sold on Rust being an LW from now on.

Malkin was just injured. Bjugstad did not play "a ton of center" when that happened, so I'm not sure what you're basing that on.

And that's exactly what they should be doing. You saying "unless they do the blatantly obvious thing they should do, they don't have a spot for Bjugstad" doesn't hold much merit when the Penguins should obviously be making that call. Again, Sullivan making bad lineup decisions doesn't mean Bjugstad doesn't have a spot here, and I'm positive that this is Sprong related.

In practical terms, that's exactly what it means.

It's really just bizarre to be complaining about the Penguins acquiring Bjugstad. They got a guy that has the position flexibility to play both center and RW, yet they somehow made a mistake acquiring him? He fits in as a 3C, with McCann on LW, or as a RW, with Rust on LW. There is where he fits, so why do you keep asking "where does he fit".

Because McCann is clearly the guy the Pens want at 3C, and Rust has played RW virtually all season long and remains one right now while Kessel plays LW.

 

[Gurglesons]

To be clear, you're advocating Hornqvist playing regularly on the 4th line? To accommodate Bjugstad, he of the 29 point pace?



In 5 games? In which he has a second assist? That convinced you?

Rust can and should play LW, but that's never been in doubt. The problem is whether the coaching staff will actually use him there regularly - he's been Sid's most frequent RW this year and he's on RW right now while Kessel is on LW, which is bat**** crazy. Clearly Sullivan isn't sold on Rust being an LW from now on.

Malkin was just injured. Bjugstad did not play "a ton of center" when that happened, so I'm not sure what you're basing that on.



In practical terms, that's exactly what it means.



Because McCann is clearly the guy the Pens want at 3C, and Rust has played RW virtually all season long and remains one right now while Kessel plays LW.

I have no problem trying Bjugstad on the RW with Malkin considering he hasn’t clicked with any other RWs this year and given how Hornqvist has played since coming back from his third (fact check?) concussion in the past year and a half, I have no problem reducing his ES minutes.

Obviously something has to give with the RW situation this summer, but we can afford what is going on now.

 

[Ogrezilla]

It wouldn't fall apart, but the simple fact is that he makes it much better because he's one of the best PP players in the league. What's disingenuous is suggesting that removing the most productive PP performer on the team for years wouldn't drop its effectiveness significantly.

Put him with good complementary players at ES and then assess his performance. Right now we only have one winger who complements his game, and the coaching staff only has fleeting moments of clarity on how to use him.

That post also doesn't factor in just how good James Neal was on the powerplay for most of those years.

 

[KIRK]

I mean, while that is true. We technically don’t have to play anyone on the LW that is a RW which is Soggy’s point.

Yes, it's just a shame that the best available option for L2 LW normally plays RW (and at this time is spoken for by Sid).

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I have no problem trying Bjugstad on the RW with Malkin considering he hasn’t clicked with any other RWs this year and given how Hornqvist has played since coming back from his third (fact check?) concussion in the past year and a half, I have no problem reducing his ES minutes.

Obviously something has to give with the RW situation this summer, but we can afford what is going on now.

We have to agree to disagree. I can't abide moving Hornqvist to the 4th regularly on account of Bjugstad - this isn't about simply putting him there for a spell, this is about how the line-up shakes out for the rest of this year.

But even if we come to terms about that, how do we resolve things this summer? I don't see how any good can come of this.

 

[Gurglesons]

Yes, it's just a shame that the best available option for L2 LW normally plays RW (and at this time is spoken for by Sid).

Yeah, that is annoying. It seems like Sullivan (I.e. Crosby’s ) insistence on Rust being on the 1st line does our overall depth a disservice.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

That post also doesn't factor in just how good James Neal was on the powerplay for most of those years.

Absolutely.

 

[Gurglesons]

We have to agree to disagree. I can't abide moving Hornqvist to the 4th regularly on account of Bjugstad - this isn't about simply putting him there for a spell, this is about how the line-up shakes out for the rest of this year.

But even if we come to terms about that, how do we resolve things this summer? I don't see how any good can come of this.

I assume one of Rust, Bjugstad or Kessel is traded and I think they all have value.

Also, I don’t see the issue of having a player of Bjugstad / Rust / or Hornqvist’s caliber on the 4th line.