Speak Up: Who out there still believes this team can win a Cup?

[Lim Ran]

Of course I'll be happy. Hell, if Bylsma could coach this team to multiple Cups, I'd be happy having him as the coach for the next decade.

The problem is -- and my criticisms -- stem from the belief that they *can't* win with this current roster/coaching staff.

It's like two separate issues that folks defending the club are mixing into one: what do I *want* to happen, and what do I *think* will happen. I WANT them to win a Cup, regardless of who is on the roster or who is the coach. But I don't THINK they can at the moment.

It's not just that.

My problem is the acceptance of failure. Just give the two best players in the world to another franchise already, because maybe they wouldn't be so complacent about wasting that incredible good fortune.

Having Mario/Jagr and Crosby/Malkin doesn't happen to other franchises. Odds are it'll probably never happen again in Pittsburgh after this era is over. That's just the math of the situation.

There should be no tolerance for failure going on here. Especially not for five years in a row. That's ridiculous. And people are rightfully sick of it.

 

[Uemoda]

Depends who you get in the first round, but they're not going past the second.

Sadly, the second round looks to be an easier matchup than the first. (50% chance at the Rangers? Even in this state we could take them to 7.) Even still, we'd get smoked by Boston, or ANY Western squad.

I'm still sure based on some weird universal karma that our first-round opponent will be Detroit.


All things considered, it's the best scenario to get DB fired. (It negates the injury excuse, and highlights the coaching mismatch the clearest.) Which is what we should be hoping for at this point.


To this thread - no; unless something crazy happens to motivate this team, we're already finished. Call me a bad fan for not believing, but any optimism I had died a while ago with this team.

 

[metalan2]

What's funny is this will be the year we win the cup again, somehow.

 

[pensfan71]

What's funny is this will be the year we win the cup again, somehow.

good one

 

[Bennett Brauer]

This roster as the ability to win the Stanley Cup, this coaching staff doesn't have the intelligence level to help this team get there. The Penguins need a veteran coach who can discipline and scold them, keep their heads in the game, not a cheerleader. You can clearly see Bylsma isn't the right fit for this team, he just isn't. I don't know if Shero and Bylsma supporters (who I used to be) are blind? Or..? The Penguins are mentally weak, they always lose their cool and when one thing goes wrong, the whole game turns into a **** show.

The Penguins are so predictable, every team in the league knows how to beat us, but Bylsma, the arrogant moron that he is, keeps using the same **** and expecting a different result.

He needs to be fired, he needs to leave this organization, and take Granato and Reirden with him. And while we're at it, we should hope someone offers John Hynes a job, because if we promote HIM, it will just be a rinse and repeat job by Shero. We need a fresh start on coaching, a new voice. Whether it's Jacques Martin, Peter Laviolette, Guy Boucher, whoever. There are options out there, true hockey coaches who know the game and can coach this team. Rather then just say "grind these *****es down", "let's get to our game", and then in the post game loss say "we were undisciplined and didn't get to our game" but then doesn't do any adjustments.

Bylsma, Reirden and Granato are just one giant

 

[Speaking Moistly]

good one

If the stars align.

 

[Darth Vitale]

We're not winning **** unless:

A) our early matchups are soft and we get some momentum
B) Boston / Philly have some key injuries when matched up against us later in the EC playoffs
C) Chicago / STL / LA have some key injuries, should we make it to he Finals. We'd have an outside chance of beating SJ or ANA if they were healthy. The former because they choke, the latter because their D is pretty young an inexperienced, as are some other players on their team. And they're coached by Boudreau (dare to dream the BBQ-faced choke-artist dream but I'm not sure it would happen this time).

 

[pensfan71]

If the stars align.

Aka Bylsma gets fired

 

[pensfan71]

We're not winning **** unless:

A) our early matchups are soft and we get some momentum
B) Boston / Philly have some key injuries when matched up against us later in the EC playoffs
C) Chicago / STL / LA have some key injuries, should we make it to he Finals. We'd have an outside chance of beating SJ or ANA if they were healthy. The former because they choke, the latter because their D is pretty young an inexperienced, as are some other players on their team. And they're coached by Boudreau (dare to dream the BBQ-faced choke-artist dream but I'm not sure it would happen this time).

Let's go with current matchups, IMO here's what happens:

Boston beats out Detroit
Tampa beats out Montreal in a tight one
Rangers beat out Philly
We beat CBJ

Now I'm not sure how the second round works, so if anyone could clarify for me it'd be great.

Out of the 3 teams left, I'm only concerned bout Boston, however with Seidenberg out, it's gonna take a toll on their d-men

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Aka Bylsma gets fired

That would require less stars to align.

 

[pensfan71]

That would require less stars to align.

The only star we need is somehow that wildcard team playing the Bruins pulls off an upset of the year

 

[Darth Vitale]

Out of the 3 teams left, I'm only concerned bout Boston, however with Seidenberg out, it's gonna take a toll on their d-men

You are way, way over-confident in our "star power" to carry us through matchups with "pretty good" teams. All of those teams could cause problems for us the way we've played this year, and especially if Fleury goes mental again after a bad game (no reason to think he won't).

 

[Speaking Moistly]

The only star we need is somehow that wildcard team playing the Bruins pulls off an upset of the year

The Leafs did almost do that, if only Bylsma had learned a lesson from that. Someone would need to take out the Flyers, too... and the West would have to destroy whatever team makes it through there... and Montreal and the Rangers need to be neutralized... Detroit is a threat...

It's a recipe for success, really.

 

[pensfan71]

You are way, way over-confident in our "star power" to carry us through matchups with "pretty good" teams. All of those teams could cause problems for us the way we've played this year, and especially if Fleury goes mental again after a bad game (no reason to think he won't).

Fleury unfortunately is the only one who's looked consistent out of everyone.

I honestly think that we'd be able to get through Tampa cause Geno just goes ape **** with them, I could see him having a Carolina type series there. The Rags worry me, but I do think we can take them in a 7 game series.

I never said we'd be able to handle them easily, not like a team gets through every round without some trouble.

 

[pensfan71]

The Leafs did almost do that, if only Bylsma had learned a lesson from that. Someone would need to take out the Flyers, too... and the West would have to destroy whatever team makes it through there... and Montreal and the Rangers need to be neutralized... Detroit is a threat...

It's a recipe for success, really.

Waaay too many stars there

 

[cygnus47]

We're going to be the team wearing down this year. You can't go more than a couple rounds without dominating the possession at some point. Our D are going to be wrecked after the first round even if we manage to score. Fleury is going to have a ridiculous workload too. We'll have to win series quickly and HOPE that there aren't any injuries.

 

[Jacob]

Any playoff team can win a cup. But the Penguins probably aren't going to beat Philly or Boston and the chances they don't have to face one of those two at some point seems remote. And whoever comes out of the west will probably beat them in the finals anyway. A lot of things would need to go right for them to win a cup.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

If we can get all the principals healthy for the playoffs and Fleury provides average or better playoff goaltending, I believe we can win.

 

[Jedi Pengu*]

Any playoff team can win a cup. But the Penguins probably aren't going to beat Philly or Boston and the chances they don't have to face one of those two at some point seems remote. And whoever comes out of the west will probably beat them in the finals anyway. A lot of things would need to go right for them to win a cup.

As of today, we would play Columbus in the first round. I like that matchup even with all our problems. If the Rangers beat the Flyers like they did tonight we would play the Rags in round 2. Boston would have to beat Detroit, than Montreal/Tampa. Boston doesn't have a cakewalk in that scenario by any means. So essentially it's very possible we could get Montreal or Tampa in the east final. I like us in that scenario as well. That leaves the cup ad anything can happen in the cup finals. Could be Colorado for crying out loud, nobody knows.

I'm the first to admit we don't stand a chance in the coaching department, our stars haven't carried us in the playoffs recently, and our goaltending is...... Well.... Stay tuned. Not even getting into the Orpik, Adams, Glass discussion. But I've seen some strange things in life. If we somehow get the matchups that benefit us anything can happen. Glass, Stanley Cup winning goal???!!

Could it happen? For sure
Would you bet on it? Not a chance in hell

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Yes we could still win the Cup if every team in our way gets pulverized with injuries. But that's the only way.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Not while Bylsma is at the helm.

Yes we could still win the Cup if every team in our way gets pulverized with injuries. But that's the only way.

You do realize we lost to the Wings and they have been pulverized with injuries.

Even with bad injuries, Bylsma will always be out coached no matter what. The only way this team makes it to the finals ever again while he's around is if Crosby, Malkin, and Fleury have that 2009 type of playoffs.

Hell, the team played against the Yotes without their #1 goaltender and Center and still lost.

It's a blast watching this team get out coached in basically every freaking game.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Hmmm, maybe if the other coach gets injured, or Bylsma gets injured.

 

[kodoshin]

Entering the season I felt like we were a second round team. Not so sure anymore. I was counting on Bylsma learning something from his failure last year, but judging from the lineups that get iced every game, to make no mention of the team's lack of discipline and reliance on superhero hockey, that has not happened. At this point after we go out in the first round I hope him and Shero both get handed their papers. This whole season became Shero's fault the instant he decided to bring Bylsma back.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Not while Bylsma is at the helm.



You do realize we lost to the Wings and they have been pulverized with injuries.

Even with bad injuries, Bylsma will always be out coached no matter what. The only way this team makes it to the finals ever again while he's around is if Crosby, Malkin, and Fleury have that 2009 type of playoffs.

Hell, the team played against the Yotes without their #1 goaltender and Center and still lost.

It's a blast watching this team get out coached in basically every freaking game.

Scratch that theory then. Only way we win is if all our playoff opponents catch influenza.

 

[Lomez]

Possible. If Boston is upset in an early round, we can make it to the finals. A little magic from 71 and/or 87, or even 29, and it is possible the Pens can win the cup.