Pre-Game Talk: The All Purpose Off Day Thread - It's Here!

[Ogrezilla]

I find it will only be unreadable if one doesn't want to read dissenting or negative opinions. HF Pens, for the most part, does a good job of explaining their viewpoints to make it interesting to read, even in situations I don't agree with the poster.

the issue will be when they do far more good than bad but the bad is all that gets mentioned. With Letang, that's already what happens. JJ I'm obviously hoping it works out similarly in terms of his play

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Simon has enough skill. The question will be whether he can provide the finish.

I doubt he has enough to make the 3rd line challenge opponents like HBK.

That's my ideal, and we're better suited depth-wise to do that now than we were during the Cup runs IMO.

What in the name of Thor's beer strainer have I just seen here?

My friend, you are in for a treat:

Juuso Riikola stays, Zach Aston-Reese goes as Penguins make final cuts

A few interesting Sully quotes in there too but I didn't want to quote too much.

@Tom Hanks

you say this like it's only an issue for Sprong, but not for whoever else goes there. What makes Sprong more important than our other wings and prospects?

Well, he is by far our most talented and productive prospect...I mean, he handily won our best prospect vote for a reason.

You say worst position to start with like Sheahan and Cullen are awful players. The press box would be worse but even the worst position on the ice is still good.

Sprong with Malkin is that best for Malkin? Who plays on the 4th line?

Rust? Rust’s production has increased every year. Last season at a 45 point pace and he looked really good with Brassard.

Hornqvist? Horny is pretty much a consistent 50 point player (pace) throughout his career.

Kessel? Obviously not.

I think that's a lot more plausible than is generally thought here. I'd love to find out.

The obvious answer is moving Rust to LW. Yeah, the coach doesn't see him there (for who knows what reason), but Sprong's spot in the line-up is always going to be an issue until that's addressed.

Like, Bylsma saw Iginla as an LW too and it f***ed everything up - you can't very well come up with a better roster configuration when you put yourself in that box unnecessarily.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Well, he is by far our most talented and productive prospect...I mean, he handily won our best prospect vote for a reason.

so who do you put at 4RW; Horny, Phil, or Rust?

 

[Tom Hanks]

@Tom Hanks

.

Good news! I didn’t think ZAR would up end him as a RW. I really disliked L4 with ZAR there. Much happier with Sprong there. There isn’t anyone else on the roster unless Sully playd players on their off wing (Rust and Simon are really the only two that can).

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

so who do you put at 4RW; Horny, Phil, or Rust?

My stock answer is for Sully to open his mind and play Rust at LW, and we agree there IIRC. I can wax about other options but that's clearly the best move for this roster.

When you have 4 quality RWs and one of them can play LW well, you move that guy to LW haha.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

I'm going stir crazy here. Thursday can't come soon enough.

 

[Peat]

I think that's a lot more plausible than is generally thought here. I'd love to find out.

The obvious answer is moving Rust to LW. Yeah, the coach doesn't see him there (for who knows what reason), but Sprong's spot in the line-up is always going to be an issue until that's addressed.

Like, Bylsma saw Iginla as an LW too and it ****ed everything up - you can't very well come up with a better roster configuration when you put yourself in that box unnecessarily.

He's not totally dead set against it. Rust played at least a 100 minutes with Kessel in 16-17 and 17-18 respectively (Geno's third most common line). Its not his preferred option, but its in the toolkit.

I think if he felt more confident in Sprong, he'd use it a lot more often. Alternately... if Simon gets any time on Crosby's line, that pretty much guarantees Rust to the LW too.

 

[Tom Hanks]

I'm going stir crazy here. Thursday can't come soon enough.

Bonus: Wilson won’t be playing either. Hopefully the 2nd game against them too (game 14)

 

[chethejet]

If Sprong is not on Crosby's line then a fourth line with Cullen, Sheahan who are both responsible defensive players can allow Sprong some offensive liberties. So with limited minutes and getting a defensive mindset with those two, may be the best.

 

[dogthateats]

I bet the third jerseys come out tomorrow since games begin on Wednesday.

 

[Allie Kitsune]

Man, I don't mean to be a dick, because I know I'm the worst of the worst, but I just cannot bring myself to read any post where John f***ing Brennan is the avatar in front of it.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

He's not totally dead set against it. Rust played at least a 100 minutes with Kessel in 16-17 and 17-18 respectively (Geno's third most common line). Its not his preferred option, but its in the toolkit.

I think if he felt more confident in Sprong, he'd use it a lot more often. Alternately... if Simon gets any time on Crosby's line, that pretty much guarantees Rust to the LW too.

He needs to make it a go-to.

I really don't know what Sully expects from Sprong tbh. He was busting his ass at both ends and making some sharp plays out there - his talent's obvious. There's gonna be some mistakes along the way but the skill and the will is there, and I think a coach sometimes has to give that kind of upside an extended look to get comfortable and see what it can yield.

Every move is a calculated risk . Sometimes, if you can afford to, you risk a little more to possibly get a greater reward. The Pens wouldn't be forfeiting their season if Sprong got a healthy look in the top 9, but they might hit on the type of ELC scoring they'd have been foolish to pass on for a safer, competent prospect. Simon's solid, but there's a reason one guy's been our best prospect for years and the other's kinda been an afterthought.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Man, I don't mean to be a dick, because I know I'm the worst of the worst, but I just cannot bring myself to read any post where John f***ing Brennan is the avatar in front of it.

Your loss. On a few fronts.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Good to know the brass were thinking the same as most of us on ZAR. You never really know until final decisions like today are made. ZAR needs to get that confidence back up and he can certainly do that in the A vs PIT.

 

[Ogrezilla]

He needs to make it a go-to.

I really don't know what Sully expects from Sprong tbh. He was busting his ass at both ends and making some sharp plays out there - his talent's obvious. There's gonna be some mistakes along the way but the skill and the will is there, and I think a coach sometimes has to give that kind of upside an extended look to get comfortable and see what it can yield.

Every move is a calculated risk . Sometimes, if you can afford to, you risk a little more to possibly get a greater reward. The Pens wouldn't be forfeiting their season if Sprong got a healthy look in the top 9, but they might hit on the type of ELC scoring they'd have been foolish to pass on for a safer, competent prospect. Simon's solid, but there's a reason one guy's been our best prospect for years and the other's kinda been an afterthought.

I really don't feel like it's an issue with Sprong that has him on the 4th line. I think Sully just really wants to keep Rust at RW for whatever reason. But with that, I also expect to see rotation between the RW's. Especially Rust and Sprong. I figure big D-zone draws will be Rust, and then Sprong will take the next 3rd line shift. But if they get on the ice mid-play it will be Rust on L3 and Sprong on L4. Similarly, I figure Sprong will get a 3rd line shift following most PK's. Plus the 2nd PP time. So even if he's on L4, I don't think he's going to be stapled to the D zone. And we all know Sully doesn't keep lines for long.

Maybe I'm just a naive optimist, but hopefully I'm right on that.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I really don't feel like it's an issue with Sprong that has him on the 4th line. I think Sully just really wants to keep Rust at RW for whatever reason. But with that, I also expect to see rotation between the RW's. Especially Rust and Sprong. I figure big D-zone draws will be Rust, and then Sprong will take the next 3rd line shift. But if they get on the ice mid-play it will be Rust on L3 and Sprong on L4. Similarly, I figure Sprong will get a 3rd line shift following most PK's. Plus the 2nd PP time. So even if he's on L4, I don't think he's going to be stapled to the D zone. And we all know Sully doesn't keep lines for long.

Maybe I'm just a naive optimist, but hopefully I'm right on that.

Maybe. If that were how things went I'd probably be as satisfied as I could be without Rust moving to LW. It does kind of beg the question though: If the plan is to regularly throw Sprong on the 3rd line after Rust's played PK/on the 4th for a d-zone draw...why didn't he play on the 3rd line even once in preseason to see if it would work?

Meticulous as Sully is, it's hard to imagine he'd come to a conclusion like that without at least checking what the line looked like first. Sprong only saw 1st and the 4th line duty.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Maybe. If that were how things went I'd probably be as satisfied as I could be without Rust moving to LW. It does kind of beg the question though: If the plan is to regularly throw Sprong on the 3rd line after Rust's played PK/on the 4th for a d-zone draw...why didn't he play on the 3rd line even once in preseason to see if it would work?

Meticulous as Sully is, it's hard to imagine he'd come to a conclusion like that without at least checking what the line looked like first. Sprong only saw 1st and the 4th line duty.

I mean, we're going to see 100 line combos throughout the season. Rust will play on all 4 lines. Kessel will play with both Brass and Geno. Probably with Sheahan even. And I assume Sprong will move all over. I'm sure Brass will play some LW. A lot of things weren't done in preseason that I expect will be tried in the season.

 

[Allie Kitsune]

Your loss. On a few fronts.

Not even remotely.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Not even remotely.

No accounting for taste.

 

[EightyOne]

I'm at the Acceptance phase re: Sprong

I don't even care anymore. I hope he scores points. But whatever.

 

[ColePens]

I'm at the Acceptance phase re: Sprong

I don't even care anymore. I hope he scores points. But whatever.

Totally agree. I've come to terms that the guy will move on from here and there is a very small percent that makes me believe he will ever be a regular here. I don't even invest time/effort into it because I just know it isn't going to work out.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Totally agree. I've come to terms that the guy will move on from here and there is a very small percent that makes me believe he will ever be a regular here. I don't even invest time/effort into it because I just know it isn't going to work out.

I'm not trying to snap to judgement because the example I'm about to give had more egregious coaching/developmental errors associated with him but it reminds me a bit of the Despres situation. Where a ton was expected but every error was magnified and used to hold him down in the lineup. Oh well... hopefully when he's traded it'll be for someone who eventually helps them win another Stanley Cup, as Lovejoy undeniably did... regardless of how milquetoast and no-ceiling he was.

 

[EightyOne]

Totally agree. I've come to terms that the guy will move on from here and there is a very small percent that makes me believe he will ever be a regular here. I don't even invest time/effort into it because I just know it isn't going to work out.

The last two years it was denial.
He's better than the 20ish games showed...I just know it. He'll prove it through stellar play!

The last week I had plenty of angry posts. Coaches suck! Booooo!

Then there's the bargaining that..hey there's a lot of RWs and you know Sprong can do good on that fourth line that isn't a fourth line.

Then the depression when the day to day injury as scratch happened.

And now..I accept this is the world now. It'll be okay.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

so who do you put at 4RW; Horny, Phil, or Rust?

If Cullen and Sheahan are going to make up the C and LW on that line, then Rust. It can be used as a proper defensive line since all three guys are capable defensively, but also all three aren't devoid of offensive talent.

Sprong just seems like a fish out of water on a line that includes two guys who will likely see 70% of their shifts in the defensive zone. That's literally the last line I'd think he'd fit on.

 

[Ogrezilla]

If Cullen and Sheahan are going to make up the C and LW on that line, then Rust. It can be used as a proper defensive line since all three guys are capable defensively, but also all three aren't devoid of offensive talent.

Sprong just seems like a fish out of water on a line that includes two guys who will likely see 70% of their shifts in the defensive zone. That's literally the last line I'd think he'd fit on.

yeah, the thing is Rust is also better than him on the scoring line.