Pre-Game Talk: Still Pre-Season ...

[Honour Over Glory]

I can't wait for the season of "Omg, we traded a 1st for Reaves!" after every bad shift and game whether he's having a bad shift or game or not.

Should be a fun 2017-18 Season Fella's!

 

[Andy99]

I'm not crazy about McKegg as a regular. I think Rowney is better, even if only slightly. I think if you simulated two separate seasons where they each played 82 games as the 4C and everything else was identical, Rowney would produce a lot more, like 50-75% more points.

But I'm okay with McKegg as like a 13th or 14th forward, maybe slot him in for Rowney if he's not playing well or if it makes more sense from a matchup standpoint. McKegg is definitely the superior skater of the two.

But I think the reason Rowney wasn't in the lineup today was because his spot is locked in, and McKegg and McClement were essentially competing for the remaining spot.

Yeah, but I think it will be for the 4C. I'm guessing they may play Rowney at 3C at the moment. If they keep both Mcs, however, I think they'll have to get rid of two other players. I'm not sure that's ideal. Kuhn made a case for himself today. I think they want to hold on to DP for a possible trade. I'm not sure what they're going to do....but that makes me think only one of the Mcs stays

 

[cygnus47]

There's a fundamental issue with our powerplay: our PP D-men are both right handed (Schultz, Letang) and the two guys that want the puck the most are left handed (Sid, Geno) and the right handed guy doesn't have a big one timer (Kessel). With a right handed point man, it's obvious when the puck is going to Malkin or Crosby and Kessel doesn't one time the puck so there is always time for the goalie to get set and see the puck.

When we had Gonchar there was always an easy play where he would do the moonwalk until there were multiple guys between him and the goalie and then disguise a pass to Geno for a one timer, or get a shot through. They had to respect that threat and that gave us space to play up high in the zone. That doesn't work with a right handed guy up top and no one timer threat (Kessel). We should either be running the powerplay through Kessel getting shots from high in the zone, or coming up with a new set up from lower in the zone looking for completely different one timers. This high in the zone thing doesn't work if it's Schultz and Geno playing catch.

 

[Pens x]

Poor Sulky has to pick 2 of Rowney, McKegg and McClement to be starters.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

There's a fundamental issue with our powerplay: our PP D-men are both right handed (Schultz, Letang) and the two guys that want the puck the most are left handed (Sid, Geno) and the right handed guy doesn't have a big one timer (Kessel). With a right handed point man, it's obvious when the puck is going to Malkin or Crosby and Kessel doesn't one time the puck so there is always time for the goalie to get set and see the puck.

When we had Gonchar there was always an easy play where he would do the moonwalk until there were multiple guys between him and the goalie and then disguise a pass to Geno for a one timer, or get a shot through. They had to respect that threat and that gave us space to play up high in the zone. That doesn't work with a right handed guy up top and no one timer threat (Kessel). We should either be running the powerplay through Kessel getting shots from high in the zone, or coming up with a new set up from lower in the zone looking for completely different one timers. This high in the zone thing doesn't work if it's Schultz and Geno playing catch.

They've got to run the PP through Phil, plain and simple.

 

[billybudd]

It's not so simple until Phil gets his head out of his ass, which will hopefully be next week when the games start counting.

 

[Ogrezilla]

There's a fundamental issue with our powerplay: our PP D-men are both right handed (Schultz, Letang) and the two guys that want the puck the most are left handed (Sid, Geno) and the right handed guy doesn't have a big one timer (Kessel). With a right handed point man, it's obvious when the puck is going to Malkin or Crosby and Kessel doesn't one time the puck so there is always time for the goalie to get set and see the puck.

When we had Gonchar there was always an easy play where he would do the moonwalk until there were multiple guys between him and the goalie and then disguise a pass to Geno for a one timer, or get a shot through. They had to respect that threat and that gave us space to play up high in the zone. That doesn't work with a right handed guy up top and no one timer threat (Kessel). We should either be running the powerplay through Kessel getting shots from high in the zone, or coming up with a new set up from lower in the zone looking for completely different one timers. This high in the zone thing doesn't work if it's Schultz and Geno playing catch.

That said, we had the 3rd best PP in the league last year in the regular season and 5th in the playoffs. And two of the teams with better in the playoffs only played 4 games, while the others only played 13.

Also, Gonchar is one of the best ever PPQB's. 10th all time for D-men for PPP and PPG. He's a tough guy to compare to.

 

[Empoleon877130]

To people thinking he was guaranteed a contract because he was still here, there you go.

I liked it more when it was just tweet and /tweet to quote tweets.

 

[domaug]

I can't wait for the season of "Omg, we traded a 1st for Reaves!" after every bad shift and game whether he's having a bad shift or game or not.

Should be a fun 2017-18 Season Fella's!

no kidding. i think Klim Kostin's name will be permanently burned into my brain after this season.

 

[Ogrezilla]

To people thinking he was guaranteed a contract because he was still here, there you go.

I liked it more when it was just tweet and /tweet to quote tweets.

I'm shocked.

 

[cygnus47]

It's about getting the PK moving and getting shots whenever the goalie isn't set or can't see. It's too easy for them when they know what play is going to happen. It's not about it being Gonchar, it's about having someone that can disguise a pass with a screen in front and having the right mix of threats. It's hard to do that with the setup that we keep going back to. Having Schultz skate toward Geno, pull the PK to that side then get the pass to a curling Kessel is the easiest way to do that. Then Kessel can shoot, or pass to Geno when the PK starts to cheat. Our issue is that we're trying to set up for one timers that aren't effective instead of attacking with what we do have.

With a right handed guy, Geno should be curling and skating towards the net with the puck rather than skating in straight lines looking for one timers. Sid needs to attack the net and look for shots instead of skating up and down the wall looking for cross seam bullshit. The one timer we should be looking for is Schultz cheating in or Geno when things break down.

 

[Corvidae]

To people thinking he was guaranteed a contract because he was still here, there you go.

I liked it more when it was just tweet and /tweet to quote tweets.

Good, he would have been Shero-esque signing. They can do better internally.

 

[Empoleon877130]

I'm shocked.

I'm actually a little surprised because I didn't think the Penguins would be okay with going into this year with only 4 centers on the roster. I thought they would sign McClement just to have him as a warm body at center if they didn't trade for a 3C.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

To people thinking he was guaranteed a contract because he was still here, there you go.

Right decision. Gave him a shot, and he didn't distinguish himself.

 

[Peat]

I'm actually a little surprised because I didn't think the Penguins would be okay with going into this year with only 4 centers on the roster. I thought they would sign McClement just to have him as a warm body at center if they didn't trade for a 3C.

Confidence in Blueger/Johnson making the grade quickly, or confidence in a trade happening before too long? Feels (said the optimist...) that its got to be one of those.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I'm actually a little surprised because I didn't think the Penguins would be okay with going into this year with only 4 centers on the roster. I thought they would sign McClement just to have him as a warm body at center if they didn't trade for a 3C.

I think McKegg or Rowney will be that warm body before too long.

 

[Empoleon877130]

I think McKegg or Rowney will be that warm body before too long.

Yeah that's what I was thinking too. I honestly think JR adds a center in the next few days, even if it's just a good 4C. I don't think he enters the year with a bottom-6 center group of McKegg-Rowney.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

To people thinking he was guaranteed a contract because he was still here, there you go.

I liked it more when it was just tweet and /tweet to quote tweets.

Good. They didn't have some knee jerk must have vet response.

Confidence in Blueger/Johnson making the grade quickly, or confidence in a trade happening before too long? Feels (said the optimist...) that its got to be one of those.

Or McClement really did nothing to impress them or make himself look better than Rowney and McKegg.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Yeah that's what I was thinking too. I honestly think JR adds a center in the next few days, even if it's just a good 4C. I don't think he enters the year with a bottom-6 center group of McKegg-Rowney.

I wouldn't be shocked if he goes a few weeks like that if need be, but eventually he'll get someone. Right now it's only a real issue if someone gets hurt on game day. The drop-off to Johnson or Bleuger isn't really a big deal.

 

[domaug]

i didn't think McClement was horrible, but it makes sense to cut him since, as others have said here, he didn't seem to distance himself from the likes of Bleuger/Rowney/Adam Johnson performance-wise. at this point there was no reason to keep him because of that.

 

[Pens x]

Releasing McClement is managements' first proper decision this summer. We are making progress. I take it McClement is done in the NHL if he couldn't pass Rowney or McClement.

Go Pens

 

[Shockmaster]

Releasing McClement is managements' first proper decision this summer. We are making progress. I take it McClement is done in the NHL if he couldn't pass Rowney or McClement.

Go Pens

Right, because this management team hasn’t never done anything right.

 

[Jacob]

Releasing McClement is managements' first proper decision this summer. We are making progress. I take it McClement is done in the NHL if he couldn't pass Rowney or McClement.

Go Pens

Uh huh.

 

[Pens x]

Right, because this management team hasn’t never done anything right.

I said THIS summer

 

[Shockmaster]

I said THIS summer

Still waiting for them to trade Maatta for Duchene I take it?