Confirmed with Link: Tanner Pearson to the Penguins (Traded for Carl Hagelin 1 for 1)

[Spoonman32]

The only thing I worry about is that our identity has evaporated. What we had in 2016 more than anything was an identity, we were fast and we pushed the pace everywhere. That was the Penguins and we always had that advantage of surprising other teams while knowing exactly what our goals were. Now what are we? We have a good roster, thin at D maybe, but we don't have a coherent game any more. Other teams know our tricks, we're just a team that has some great, experienced players. Are we working towards a new identity or are these just video game trades where it's good value so just do it?

I worry that we've lost sight of this completely from GMJR to Sully all the way down. NJD, Toronto are faster than we are now, Tampa has a better roster if we're just going player for player, what is our thing that we do better than any other team? Our PP is up and down because Sid and Geno refuse to attack the net with the puck. We aren't great defensively and with our speed evaporating and other teams knowing what we have done in the past we can't just attack in the neutral zone like we used to. What is our identity?

 

[HandshakeLine]

To be fair, being fast isn't much of an identity. And certainly not one that's viable year after year.

 

[Coach Travis]

To be fair, being fast isn't much of an identity. And certainly not one that's viable year after year.

Also, Pearson's not exactly slow.

 

[Turin]

Pushing the pace 4 lines deep is more important than how fast your legs move from a standstill. Pure speed helps but aggression is just as much a mentality and that’s what separated the Penguins from the Rangers. That and having wicked centres.

 

[Peat]

Pushing the pace 4 lines deep is more important than how fast your legs move from a standstill. Pure speed helps but aggression is just as much a mentality and that’s what separated the Penguins from the Rangers. That and having wicked centres.

This. I sometimes think the most important part of that 15-16 team was the mentality, the hunger. So many guys dumped from teams or looking to make their way in the NHL. That buzzsaw aggression was so much more important than the raw speed.

That said... maybe speed alone isn't much of an identity, but its more than it looks like we have some nights, unless the identity is "In the two headed monster we trust". I'm all for them continuing to evolve, but the evolution isn't complete. Or all that comprehensible sometimes.

Not that this has a huge amount to do with Pearson.

 

[KIRK]

To be fair, being fast isn't much of an identity. And certainly not one that's viable year after year.

Olli Maatta endorses this statement.

 

[cygnus47]

To be fair, being fast isn't much of an identity. And certainly not one that's viable year after year.

I don't think the identity has to be anything in particular, it's the advantage of having everyone on the team knowing exactly what they're trying to do. When we knew our identity was pace and pressure everywhere into the playoffs in 2016, whenever there was a 50 50 play we knew we had to make the aggressive play and then whoever was in support would know that they would do that and make the correct support play. It was easier to work on details because we consistently made the right plays. It also brought us together as a team, it was tangible how confident we were and how much everyone was playing for each other. It also worked well for GMJR cause he had more purpose in his trading.

It was the biggest thing in 2009 too. We knew we could grind a team down over 7 games and we would win more games late in the series because their D would be tired from all the hitting and chasing pucks. That gave us confidence and purpose and brought the team together. We didn't have the best roster, but we had the clearest identity.

I honestly don't know what our identity should be considering our roster. Playing really aggressively helped us shield our defensemen from getting ground down but I don't think our forwards are built for that as much as they were back then and everyone is 2 years older. Our D corps is a bit ...uh... mixed, so I don't know if they can handle a more purposeful possession game like Chicago used to. Making multiple passes in the neutral zone isn't something we've been great at. Johnson certainly isn't built for that game, it might suit Maatta more though. Playing like Washington did last year might work? Crushing the neutral zone and counter attacking. Would help to reduce chances against and we have the horses to get the early and easy goals that you need to pull it off, plus we have probably the best 3 centre combo if we're healthy.

Whatever it is, we need to commit to it and make a few trades to fit to it better - the problem in my mind is that it's going to be hard to get our guys to commit to anything less offensively oriented considering how much success we had previously and how much less fun it must be to play the slow down game.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

To be fair, being fast isn't much of an identity. And certainly not one that's viable year after year.

I think our identity was more so the quick attack game, the Pens in 2016 and for parts of 2017, played a game that when they got the puck in their own zone, they quickly passed it up and rushed up the ice in 5 man units with a lot of support.

Now they get hemmed into their own zone a lot, don't support the rush as often and the one guy that does is too slow to be doing that as often as he does and the other guy rushes so far up the ice you'd think he was a forward (Oleksiak). The "system" that we had is gone, but speed was just a part of that formula that made the Pens the best at playing that system.

Now teams clog the neutral zone knowing the Pens system and the Pens now just shoot it up the boards or do the stupid lateral passes and allow the teams to set up against us.

 

[The Old Master]

I don't think the identity has to be anything in particular, it's the advantage of having everyone on the team knowing exactly what they're trying to do.
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good post. it would of taken me 3hrs. to write that much.
this falls on the coaching and as much as I love sully, (if he's unwilling to do what's necessary) his time here is done. imo
edit; one needs to go.