Post-Game Talk: Sharks 4, Penguins 0 - A Special Teams ****Show

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Angrrus

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May 24, 2017
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If tonight’s piss poor showing doesn’t wake this team up, then it’s best they coast the rest of the way and not make the playoffs.

How many times have we said it this season, or the last one?

Doesn't seem to really wake them up, as a matter of fact.
 

Empoleon8771

Registered User
Aug 25, 2015
80,382
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I don't agree with that.

This is just hypothetical and obviously doesn't take into account who is going the other way, or whether the other team would make the deal, but if JR had landed Muzzin from LA, a top four of Dumo/Letang and Muzzin/Schultz is definitely one that is capable of winning a Cup with.

Ignoring the defense and just hoping the forwards can score 5 goals a game if JR stacks it is a fool's errand.

It's an even greater fool's errand to think that this team would be fixed by just adding a Muzzin caliber defenseman for the top-4 defense.
 

Angrrus

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May 24, 2017
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Hopefully this game sends a message. But we all know JR will acquire a depth D and that will be it.

Why would he? He's facing zero pressure from the fanbase. Just when you are trying to say a word of criticism - other "fans" start calling you a troll and reminding you of the two SC's.
 

Angrrus

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May 24, 2017
871
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Actually, it was an even game at even strength, perhaps even one SLIGHTLY in the Pens favor.

But, as I said, it was a special teams ****show, and it's pretty clear that we STILL need a stud to pair with Schultz on D (ride 2 pairs and pray), a winger for Malkin (not sure that RW isn't the bigger need than LW), and SPEED.

Let me check how many goals they produce at even strength from that advantage. Oh, wait...

And of course Malkin can't produce without two star wingers by his sides. After all, that's why the club pays him 10 mln in cap space.
 

Icarium

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Feb 16, 2010
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Why would he? He's facing zero pressure from the fanbase. Just when you are trying to say a word of criticism - other "fans" start calling you a troll and reminding you of the two SC's.

You are the only poster whom people regularly call a troll and yet there are dozens and dozens of posters who lambast the team all the time. Make your own conclusions.
 

Angrrus

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May 24, 2017
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You are the only poster whom people regularly call a troll and yet there are dozens and dozens of posters who lambast the team all the time. Make your own conclusions.

Well indeed, they "lambast" the tweam for peripheral, fringe issues like JJ or Cullen, while ignoring the real elephants in the room: star players aren't producing like they should, and the team core is apathetic and not driven to compete and win. And when I call them out - the majority of "fans" can't stand any slightest criticism of their darlings, and start unloading on me. Which says a lot about these fans and the credibility of their opinions.
 

Icarium

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Feb 16, 2010
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Ah, yes, you are right, we should just spam every thread with "Malkin, Letang and Crosby are [insert a string of insults]". Thanks for showing us the way.
 

Doogle

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Jun 8, 2010
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Well indeed, they "lambast" the tweam for peripheral, fringe issues like JJ or Cullen, while ignoring the real elephants in the room: star players aren't producing like they should, and the team core is apathetic and not driven to compete and win. And when I call them out - the majority of "fans" can't stand any slightest criticism of their darlings, and start unloading on me. Which says a lot about these fans and the credibility of their opinions.

You mean like Malkin who has 4 goals this past week? Crosby on his near 100 point pace? Letang with his Norris caliber season? Kessel is the only one you can say is an underperforming star
 

Mrs Crosby's Dryer

Can we please fire idiot Sullivan now?
Dec 11, 2005
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There really no need to panic.

You can easily avoid the shenanigans like those that occurred at the end of the game by adding more speed to the line up. When a scrum breaks out - speed right past it. Other teams can’t play dirty if you speed around them. If our defense was speedier other teams wouldn’t be able to skate past us because we’d be speeding past them. If Sid had other speedy teammates to challenge his skating abilities, he’d have no time to get frustrated with the hacking and mauling that he receives on a nightly basis and would most definitely focus on acceleration and edge work instead.

I mean it’s like people seem to be forgetting that we won !two! Cups with Sullivan’s keen player utilization and other worldly coaching skills. That ineffable wisdom coupled with more speed will no doubt fix all of our problems.
 
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Spoonman32

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Jun 22, 2011
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I think everyone got the reference... just cheesy af. Lol reaching

I actually meant to include Shoplifter's quote in which he said he didn't get it. Sorry if it wasn't to anyone's taste, but I made a fitting analogy to express my disgust over the mindset JR has with this team.
 
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Angrrus

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May 24, 2017
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You mean like Malkin who has 4 goals this past week? Crosby on his near 100 point pace? Letang with his Norris caliber season? Kessel is the only one you can say is an underperforming star

Malkin had like 3 good games out of 60+ this season. That equals 2 mln, not 10 mln, cap hit in my book.

Crosby scores a lot but still seems to disappear when the team is struggling and needs a goal. And his on ice GF/GA is barely above 0, which means the team allows a lot with him on the ice, and all his spectacular scoring doesn't really move the needle for the team.

Letang is very good in transition and occasionally scores some points, but in the D-zone he's still mediocre at best.

Every single one is responsible for the state this team is in.
 

Angrrus

Registered User
May 24, 2017
871
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Ah, yes, you are right, we should just spam every thread with "Malkin, Letang and Crosby are [insert a string of insults]". Thanks for showing us the way.

Well if you think that JJ and Pearson are the only issues this team has - keep on calling them out and hoping that GMJR will do something to right the ship.
 

molon labe

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Jul 13, 2016
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That moment when you wake up and you remember you actually sat through that boring game last night. Yeeeesh.

I don't contribute to cable - so after nearly two weeks of nationally televised games (now another on Saturday), I just needed some Pens hockey.

Unfortunately I didn't get Pens hockey...or did I? I felt the worst for the folks who went to the game. I'd have left after the first period. No way is it worth battling traffic and getting less sleep on a work night for that effort.
 
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Icarium

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Feb 16, 2010
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Well if you think that JJ and Pearson are the only issues this team has - keep on calling them out and hoping that GMJR will do something to right the ship.

Well, if you think these hilarious strawman tactics are going to stop people from considering you a troll... think again.
 

UnrealMachine

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Jul 9, 2012
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Jack Johnson is a huge problem, but do we really want to go this route? I still have nightmares about watching Nasreddine and Melichar on this defense, and I was like 10 when those guys were on the Penguins.

Melichar was actually a pretty good defensive defenseman who had a great rookie season for the Pens before an injury altered his career. He had a devastating shoulder injury that would have ended the careers of most players and had to play most of his career on the other side of that. He wasn't a great skater and he couldn't shoot after the injury, but people greatly exaggerate how "bad" he was.

Nassredine doesn't even have 82 NHL games on his resume, but was still a +13. There are certainly worse Pens D to compare than Melichar or Nas, but I'm struggling to recall a D with a more negative impact on the Pens than JJ.
 
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Angrrus

Registered User
May 24, 2017
871
152
Well, if you think these hilarious strawman tactics are going to stop people from considering you a troll... think again.

My original posted you reacted to stated that GMJR feels no pressure to make real changes with the roster, limiting himself to lateral moves. Apparently, all pressure people have in them, they channel at me for having an opinion which they feel is a sacrilege. THAT is what really is hilarious.
 

vikingGoalie

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Oct 31, 2010
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That moment when you wake up and you remember you actually sat through that boring game last night. Yeeeesh.

I have watched fewer complete Pens games this season then any in memory. Including some gen X. Heck the comeback kids were at least exciting. I have FF on the DVR far too many times this year after seeing how the game is going (hard for me to watch the games live anymore). I know everyone is saying the right things. But if we flame out in the playoffs or *gasp* somehow don't make the playoffs. Sullivan really should at the very least be on a hot seat. On paper the talent we have we should absolutely be a contender. JJ might be a drag, but our problems are legion.
Crosby looks committed. Letang is playing at Norris levels, goal tending is not the reason for losing games anymore. This looks more and more like a coaching issue. Would Q right the ship? Everytime we change coaches we win a cup, just sayin...
 
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Jacob

as seen on TV
Feb 27, 2002
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I don't think we'd shell out the dough for Quenneville.. few teams would really. Maybe someone like Vigneault.

We do look like a team lacking in both structure and discipline.
 

molon labe

Registered User
Jul 13, 2016
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I have watched fewer complete Pens games this season then any in memory. Including some gen X. Heck the comeback kids were at least exciting. I have FF on the DVR far too many times this year after seeing how the game is going (hard for me to watch the games live anymore). I know everyone is saying the right things. But if we flame out in the playoffs or *gasp* somehow don't make the playoffs. Sullivan really should at the very least be on a hot seat. On paper the talent we have we should absolutely be a contender. JJ might be a drag, but our problems are legion.
Crosby looks committed. Letang is playing at Norris levels, goal tending is not the reason for losing games anymore. This looks more and more like a coaching issue. Would Q right the ship? Everytime we change coaches we win a cup, just sayin...

Really good teams in the East the past few years. The fact we lost Schultz early + JR sitting on his hands all year has largely contributed. Sully is not immune to blame, but to me the clear cut winners of the pink slips would be Johnson > Kessel > Pearson >>>>> GMJR >> Sully. I think we're in a better spot approaching the playoffs had we not lost Schultz - however that wouldn't change the fact (or would it?) that our players simply don't care. You can't win a series with no heart. We'll end up repeating last year where only Sid/Guentzel/Hornqvist produce anything and that's simply not good enough to get you beyond the 2nd round.

JR should have never signed Johnson. The off-season deal many of us hoped for was upgrading Maatta & 3C. Once Schultz went down, our D corps looked putrid. It's not Sully's decision to hire players - it's JRs. Sully's deployment of players and system has contributed to some losses - but the player's overall lackluster effort has contributed to far more.
 

vikingGoalie

Registered User
Oct 31, 2010
2,880
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Really good teams in the East the past few years. The fact we lost Schultz early + JR sitting on his hands all year has largely contributed. Sully is not immune to blame, but to me the clear cut winners of the pink slips would be Johnson > Kessel > Pearson >>>>> GMJR >> Sully. I think we're in a better spot approaching the playoffs had we not lost Schultz - however that wouldn't change the fact (or would it?) that our players simply don't care. You can't win a series with no heart. We'll end up repeating last year where only Sid/Guentzel/Hornqvist produce anything and that's simply not good enough to get you beyond the 2nd round.

JR should have never signed Johnson. The off-season deal many of us hoped for was upgrading Maatta & 3C. Once Schultz went down, our D corps looked putrid. It's not Sully's decision to hire players - it's JRs. Sully's deployment of players and system has contributed to some losses - but the player's overall lackluster effort has contributed to far more.

perhaps. all speculation from the peanut gallery anyway. but i would say this. while it's up to the GM to get the players we need. It's up to the coach to maximize the result on ice out of the players he has. I can't imagine that JR gets players without input from Sullivan. With what we have, and the lack of commitment and structure I'd put Sully before JR on the blame train.

JJ signing was bad, but still a bottom pairing D guy is not the make or break for a team. To the bolded, isn't that more on the coach then the gm?
 

ZeroPucksGiven

Registered User
Feb 28, 2017
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perhaps. all speculation from the peanut gallery anyway. but i would say this. while it's up to the GM to get the players we need. It's up to the coach to maximize the result on ice out of the players he has. I can't imagine that JR gets players without input from Sullivan. With what we have, and the lack of commitment and structure I'd put Sully before JR on the blame train.

JJ signing was bad, but still a bottom pairing D guy is not the make or break for a team. To the bolded, isn't that more on the coach then the gm?

The problem is the minutes aren't being played like a bottom pairing guy
 

Mr Jiggyfly

Registered User
Jan 29, 2004
34,238
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Really good teams in the East the past few years. The fact we lost Schultz early + JR sitting on his hands all year has largely contributed. Sully is not immune to blame, but to me the clear cut winners of the pink slips would be Johnson > Kessel > Pearson >>>>> GMJR >> Sully. I think we're in a better spot approaching the playoffs had we not lost Schultz - however that wouldn't change the fact (or would it?) that our players simply don't care. You can't win a series with no heart. We'll end up repeating last year where only Sid/Guentzel/Hornqvist produce anything and that's simply not good enough to get you beyond the 2nd round.

JR should have never signed Johnson. The off-season deal many of us hoped for was upgrading Maatta & 3C. Once Schultz went down, our D corps looked putrid. It's not Sully's decision to hire players - it's JRs. Sully's deployment of players and system has contributed to some losses - but the player's overall lackluster effort has contributed to far more.

Someone said above that it’s hard to remember a blueliner with a more negative impact than JJ (URM?) and I honestly can’t think of one... trying really hard.

Knowing what I do now (JJ isn’t an offensive blueliner), this team would have been way better off just playing someone like Trotman to bring size and physicality. Tons of people seemed to know as soon as the rumors started about JJ, that it was going to be a horrific signing and they had plenty of great points with numbers to back it all up. Yet JR didn’t see it?

I guess what bothers me is everything I’ve been spitballing the last week or so... JR has been botching almost every move. Feels like he’s throwing shit at the wall in a way, because most of the guys he’s brought in don’t fit a speed/skill/fast transition game.

I still have no idea who their third pivot is going to be right now... instead of that position being solid, it’s a juggling act with a few days left till the deadline.

That whole third line in fact, pretty much blows right now. Bjugstad is about the only skilled player on it and I just heard on NHL radio yesterday after the trade most of the FL coaches and players they talked to thought he was suited as a winger... but he thinks he’s a pivot...

Ok...
 
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