The All Purpose Pens Off Day(s?) Thread - Injuries, Practice, Injuries, Lines, More Injuries, etc

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Just have all the non-playoff teams do a Thunderdome. People are entertainment starved plus it would solve cap and payroll issues next year.

 

[Darren McCord]

Ya I agree this 24 team format is dumb. Make it simple do it by pt percentage. Then have two run off single elimination games to decide the 8th team in each.

East

Bruins
Lighting
Caps
Flyers
Pens
Canes
Leafs

Islanders/Blue Jackets Run off game since Islanders have better pt% but Blue Jackets have more points.

West

Blues
Avs
Knights
Dallas
Oilers
Preds* (Are ahead of Canucks since they have more RW)
Flames


Canuck/Jets Run off game since Canucks have better pt% but Jets have more points.

 

[albator71]

100%. I'll be jaded if we lose. I'll be happy if we win. It just feels weird. I don't know.

To think we played a worthless season to only play a crap team who now hits a little nice 2 game run and the Pens are out.

Better get use to it because with Seattle coming in you know that the league is going to "expand" the number of teams to make the playoffs in the near future.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Can Detroit loan people their players? Imagine being one of the teams who won't be playing regardless.

 

[Khelandros]

Habs would be my dark horse in a 24 team thing, so I would hate to play them. They aren’t a regular season squad.. but they play perfect playoff hockey.

How does a team that has made the Playoffs once in the last four seasons play "perfect playoff hockey'?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Stylistically, I think he means.

The Habs have the look and coaching of a team that could potentially frustrate the everliving shit out of the Penguins.

 

[Gurglesons]

How does a team that has made the Playoffs once in the last four seasons play "perfect playoff hockey'?

Pesky, physical defensive squad with timely scorers and a goalie that can steal a series.

 

[Khelandros]

Pesky, physical defensive squad with timely scorers and a goalie that can steal a series.

Remind me what goalie that is again, cause this is 2020, and Price hasn't been that guy since 2014.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

If the Pens can't beat the Habs, they don't deserve to win anything anyway.

 

[Empoleon8771]

If the Pens can't beat the Habs, they don't deserve to win anything anyway.

Another thought, judging a team's worth based on a 5 game series after a 4+ month layoff doesn't make any sense.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Another thought, judging a team's worth based on a 5 game series after a 4+ month layoff doesn't make any sense.

I still don't get what they're going to do if a player, or godfobid, a team contracts COVID during these playoffs. Do they automatically forfeit? What happens if an eliminated team gives another team COVID?

The more I think about it, the stupider it all seems.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Another thought, judging a team's worth based on a 5 game series after a 4+ month layoff doesn't make any sense.

Not much about a partial season and 24 team playoff makes sense, but here we are.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I wonder if they're even going to be able to get through the first two rounds?

 

[Shady Machine]

If the Pens can't beat the Habs, they don't deserve to win anything anyway.

Normally yes, but coming off a two month layoff after a global pandemic throws all "if they can't beat so and so" shit out the window.

 

[Shady Machine]

Posted this in the NHL thread:

NHL, NHLPA working on 24-team conference-based playoff setup - Sportsnet.ca

Looks like the Pens will get a 5 game series with the Habs as a "play-in" for the playoffs, and then will play the Flyers if they beat the Habs. I'm curious to see if Guentzel is good to go for that 1st round, which starter the Penguins will go with (I imagine Murray starts, but has a short leash) and if the Penguins can keep their 1st rounder if they lose to the Habs. I'm expecting the Penguins will start with this lineup for the playoffs:

Guentzel-Crosby-Zucker
Marleau-Malkin-Rust
Sheary-McCann-Hornqvist
ZAR-Blueger-Tanev

Dumoulin-Letang
Pettersson-Marino
Johnson-Schultz

Where's Bjugstad (he's still on the team right lol)? I imagine he gets a shot at 3C, but who knows.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Where's Bjugstad (he's still on the team right lol)? I imagine he gets a shot at 3C, but who knows.

I think Bjugstad's a healthy scratch when the team is healthy. I just don't see a spot for him.

 

[Shady Machine]

I think Bjugstad's a healthy scratch when the team is healthy. I just don't see a spot for him.

Yeah that could be. I honestly couldn't remember if he still was on the team for a second.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Normally yes, but coming off a two month layoff after a global pandemic throws all "if they can't beat so and so" shit out the window.

Everyone's dealing with those exact same circumstances though.

It's not ideal, but there aren't any ideal scenarios right now.

 

[EightyOne]

Everyone's dealing with those exact same circumstances though.

It's not ideal, but there aren't any ideal scenarios right now.

I would highly argue that canceling the season and putting an asterisk that says *COVID-19 Ended The Season is pretty much ideal.

It is logical. It is factual. It is what it is.

What they are doing is silly in comparison.

 

[Gurglesons]

I would highly argue that canceling the season and putting an asterisk that says *COVID-19 Ended The Season is pretty much ideal.

It is logical. It is factual. It is what it is.

What they are doing is silly in comparison.

And if we win the cup we won’t care.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I would highly argue that canceling the season and putting an asterisk that says *COVID-19 Ended The Season is pretty much ideal.

It is logical. It is factual. It is what it is.

What they are doing is silly in comparison.

The league has played strike-shortened seasons before and people look at those Cups as every bit as legitimate as Cups won with full seasons. Rightfully.

It's a weird season, but winning it this year will be as difficult as any other year. If not moreso.

 

[EightyOne]

A whole different pens team better show up

Regular season one wasn't winning jack anyway

And it's not like they do very well after summer break either

 

[Old Gregg]

Kessel and Crosby out golfing together today according to his instagram story

 

[Shockmaster]

I wonder if they're even going to be able to get through the first two rounds?

If they're going to shutdown again if a few players get COVID-19, then they shouldn't even bother starting up. For this to work, they basically have to treat it as an injury and any player who gets it is on the shelf for 2 weeks.

 

[BHD]