The All Purpose Pens Off Day Thread - Injuries, Practice, Injuries, Lines, More Injuries, etc

[LOGiK]

We have to find a way to keep Riikola in the lineup. He's not perfect, and he may not even be good, but he's markedly better than several other options we have.

I also think JJ's been much better with Marino this season than Petts has. As weird as that is to say.

Dumo-Letang
JJ-Marino
Petts-Riikola

We won't, but we should.

What?

Didn't really expect that from you, but on this board anything is possible.

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

Get Sheary off the top line

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don’t think I have any coworkers who are younger than 26 so that’s wild that Pettersson is still 23.

Okay boomer

Either way, I like that forward lineup. I'm really intrigued to see that they're putting Marleau with Blueger and Tanev. It's totally an interpretation, but I feel like that means ZAR's spot isn't safe with a healthy lineup. I think someone on Madden's show also brought up a good point yesterday: does Bjugstad have a spot here when healthy?

Get Sheary off the top line

For who?

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

Okay boomer

Either way, I like that forward lineup. I'm really intrigued to see that they're putting Marleau with Blueger and Tanev. It's totally an interpretation, but I feel like that means ZAR's spot isn't safe with a healthy lineup. I think someone on Madden's show also brought up a good point yesterday: does Bjugstad have a spot here when healthy?



For who?

Move him down to L3 and move Marleau up. Just try it.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

What?

Didn't really expect that from you, but on this board anything is possible.

In a vacuum? Riikola's best is probably just a good bottom pairing guy. That's the reality of it. On this team? He's been better than Petts, Schultz, JJ and any one of the Ruhwedel/Trotman/WBS randos, yet he continues to get scratched and has seen random games at forward for absolutely no discernible reason.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Move him down to L3 and move Marleau up. Just try it.

Zucker-Sid-Sheary
McCann-Geno-Rust
Marleau-Bjugs-Hornqvist

Is probably the best combination of top-9 we can come up with. I guess you could swap McCann and Marleau, but I'd rather try to keep Marleau as fresh as possible for the playoffs--could turn out to be a really good depth guy for us a la Cullen.

 

[LOGiK]

In a vacuum?Riikola's best is probably just a good bottom pairing guy. That's the reality of it. On this team? He's been better than Petts, Schultz, JJ and any one of the Ruhwedel/Trotman/WBS randos, yet he continues to get scratched and has seen random games at forward for absolutely no discernible reason.

In a vacuum he'd pass out and fall over in a second or two.
Agree with everything except when you say his best is a good bottom pairing guy and thats the 'reality of it'. (your reality maybe)

It would be better suited at the end of the comment where you say he 'continues to get scratched...' (the reality)

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Okay boomer

Okay Mr. Know It All Who Thinks They Know Better Than Their Superiors And Knows What Tic Toc Is But Doesn't Know What Tic Tacs Are

Spoiler

 

[LOGiK]

Pretty tight line up and sounds like Dumo and Marino are going to play or be game time decisions tomorrow.

Yeah that is sweet music to hear. Even if they both are red-lighted tomorrow night, ya gotta figure they are good for Saturday.

Now that I think about it, may be the more likely start given it's a back-to-back game and they may want them limited to see how they are feeling / holding up after one game.

Of course I can be completely wrong and once they are green-lighted they are good to go and will get thrown right into back-to-backs.

 

[LOGiK]

All this talk about players getting healthy and nobody inquiring about ZAR?

What, are people avoiding him now??

How dare you.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Jack Johnson is a dick penis.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

In a vacuum he'd pass out and fall over in a second or two.
Agree with everything except when you say his best is a good bottom pairing guy and thats the 'reality of it'. (your reality maybe)

It would be better suited at the end of the comment where you say he 'continues to get scratched...' (the reality)

I don't know what Riikola's best is, because he's never given a secure spot in the lineup. I'd like to think he may be able to handle a middle pairing role/minutes, but I know for sure he's entirely capable of being a good bottom pairing guy because, well, he has been for the vast majority of games he's dressed. I realize I've been championing Riikola's cause more than most since I popped on here, but I can't understand how anyone can watch Petts, Schultz, JJ, and Ruh/Trotman continue to bumble around and be detrimental to this team, yet turn around and want Riikola scratched when he's solid, if not good, most of the nights he's able to actually dress.

Boggles my mind, man. Especially lately, Petts, Schultz and JJ have flat-out sucked and legitimately cost us games. I'm not saying Riikola's perfect, I'm just saying he's been better than those three and any of the WBS-tier fodder guys like Ruh and Trotman. Riikola should absolutely have a permanent spot in this lineup. Whether it's next to Marino on the 2nd pair or on the 3rd pair is definitely a discussion, but anyone saying the dude should be scratched in favor of having the aforementioned trio in is just something I cannot wrap my head around. I go to bat for Sully all the time, but his unquenchable desire to scratch Riikola in favor of playing way less effective blueliners is maddening.

 

[SEALBound]

That's not what I was hoping for when McCann got back...I believes he's more valuable to us than a 4C.

Zuc-Sid-Sheary
McC-Geno-Rust
Marleau-Bleuger-Horny
Laff-ERod-Tanev

We are good at RW...dang...

I want Rust back on RW but I'm not sure how to divy it up.

 

[exHornet]

I think Marino will be back underneath the 3 week window. If he's not playing for another week, it makes zero sense to expose him to contact this far in advance. That would just be stupidly rolling the dice for no reason. His face is the problem, not any joint or bone.

I think he's back in the next game.

 

[Flying Dego]

Rust is struggling and should be given his RW back... I also liked Marleau and think he'd fit with Geno at even strength.

Zucker-Sid-Sheary
Marleau-Geno-Rust
Simon-McCann-Hornqvist
Erod/Laff-Bleuger-Tanev

That's effective to me. Bjugs can try and take the 4LW spot back. Maybe Tanev slides over to LW for him to go RW.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Jack Johnson is a dick penis.

They scored 1 goal

Last playoffs, they averaged .5 goals

Maybe there are bigger problems afoot.... maybe??

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

As long as Marino and Dumo get a solid 10+ games under their belt to get back up to speed before heading into the playoffs, I don't really care when they return. But I do think it's important that they get ample time to get back into the swing of things before the post season.

Rust is struggling and should be given his RW back... I also liked Marleau and think he'd fit with Geno at even strength.

Zucker-Sid-Sheary
Marleau-Geno-Rust
Simon-McCann-Hornqvist
Erod/Laff-Bleuger-Tanev

That's effective to me. Bjugs can try and take the 4LW spot back. Maybe Tanev slides over to LW for him to go RW.

Does Bjugs play LW? I was under the impression that McCann was the LW/C whereas Bjugs was the C/RW guy.

I wouldn't mind Marleau with Geno and Rust because I think he's got enough speed and skill to help a scoring line, but I worry that he'll burn out before the playoffs and he's a guy that could really do damage as a depth player.

My preferences are definitely;

Zucker-Sid-Sheary
McCann-Geno-Rust
Marleau-Bjugs-Hornqvist
Simon-Blueger-Tanev

or

Zucker-Sid-Sheary
McCann-Geno-Rust
Marleau-Blueger-Hornqvist
Simon-Bjugs-Tanev

Can swap Marleau and McCann at any time too if you want to switch up the combos.

 

[Andy99]

They scored 1 goal

Last playoffs, they averaged .5 goals

Maybe there are bigger problems afoot.... maybe??

Could you entertain the possibility that puck moving defensemen, who can get the puck quickly to the forwards, helps the offense and therefore the scoring, and that by missing a couple of those, that might affect the amount of goals we pot? Just asking for a friend...

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Re: Riikola

My belief is that he can play second pair.

But I don't think we'll ever see that play out on the Penguins.

*shrug*

 

[LOGiK]

I don't know what Riikola's best is, because he's never given a secure spot in the lineup. I'd like to think he may be able to handle a middle pairing role/minutes, but I know for sure he's entirely capable of being a good bottom pairing guy because, well, he has been for the vast majority of games he's dressed. I realize I've been championing Riikola's cause more than most since I popped on here, but I can't understand how anyone can watch Petts, Schultz, JJ, and Ruh/Trotman continue to bumble around and be detrimental to this team, yet turn around and want Riikola scratched when he's solid, if not good, most of the nights he's able to actually dress.

Boggles my mind, man. Especially lately, Petts, Schultz and JJ have flat-out sucked and legitimately cost us games. I'm not saying Riikola's perfect, I'm just saying he's been better than those three and any of the WBS-tier fodder guys like Ruh and Trotman. Riikola should absolutely have a permanent spot in this lineup. Whether it's next to Marino on the 2nd pair or on the 3rd pair is definitely a discussion, but anyone saying the dude should be scratched in favor of having the aforementioned trio in is just something I cannot wrap my head around. I go to bat for Sully all the time, but his unquenchable desire to scratch Riikola in favor of playing way less effective blueliners is maddening.

There ya go.
Spot on.

Yah, I feel ya on the Riikola front. Just two weeks ago I was sticking up for Riikola and I said something similar, I don't remember, but to the same degree - that I'm not a die-hard Riikola supporter (Riikola champion as you put), but lately I've been exactly just that.

I don't want to be, but it is getting to the point where you have to be because of this bull **** with Sully benching him over obvious other under-performers and doing so continuously. It's getting so annoying already.

50 also looks really good out there when he gets shifts with 58...... soooooooo why in the hell is 3 out there getting burned regularly and now 50 gets nothing with 58 any longer? I don't get what Sully is doing there.

I say this over and over and I'm getting sick of saying it, but I'm telling you... it's a conspiracy that MS/JR don't want to give 50 the chance and in the process, succeeds and values himself straight out of pittsburghs ability to retain him cheaply. He's probably at minimum a 1.5 mil player outside of pittsburgh at this point.

I think he can be a solid # 4 man on another team and get 1st pairing minutes to prove whether or not he can handle 1st line responsibility and maintain effectiveness.

11 games out of 35 he saw more than 15 minutes toi.
8 games he was a -1 (3 times in games with 15+toi)
8 games he was a +1 (2 times in games with 15+toi)
18 games he was +/- even
1 game he was +4 (14min toi)

 

[The Old Master]

I'm not a die-hard Riikola supporter (Riikola champion as you put), but lately I've been exactly just that.

I don't want to be, but it is getting to the point where you have to be because of this bull **** with Sully benching him over obvious other under-performers and doing so continuously. It's getting so annoying already.

the dangerous part is i think the rest of the team is getting to the exact same spot. no player wants to see a team mate treated that way, and it starting to affect their play. it becomes a good way for a coach to lose a team. so it becomes necessary for the team to ether trade him or get a new coach, and with riiky he is not going to force out the coach.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Could you entertain the possibility that puck moving defensemen, who can get the puck quickly to the forwards, helps the offense and therefore the scoring, and that by missing a couple of those, that might affect the amount of goals we pot? Just asking for a friend...

Yes

That may help, even more than I think it would and I could be 100% wrong. I just don't think I am at this point. I have seen a downward slide with Sully's arrogance, how he has run roughshod over JR and I don't think they will overcome it.

Again, I could be wrong, but I think Sully now has what he wants, did you hear how him say they were outplaying the Kings while losing????? Yikes, I swear Bylsma did the same thing during the height of his arrogance.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Re: Riikola

My belief is that he can play second pair.

But I don't think we'll ever see that play out on the Penguins.

*shrug*

As in general he’s good enough now or he can become one.

I don’t think he’s more than a bottom pair now or likely in the future from my POV.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

As in general he’s good enough now or he can become one.

I don’t think he’s more than a bottom pair now or likely in the future from my POV.

I think he's earned the opportunity to be tried there, but he's a guy I see as having that potential, I would even move JJ asap during the off season to put that faith in him. He's improved from last year and he's got more to his game that I like than Petts to be honest. He's physical, fast, has a decent shot, good at handling the puck, his positioning is getting better.

I see him as a guy that if they do let him walk this summer if they don't want to hang on to him or he wants out, he'll go somewhere and he could be a decent 2nd pairing guy somewhere. There's a lot to his game I like, he does have some mistakes, but honestly, given how many the rest make, he's not any worse than them.

He's just the whipping boy for this staff, even when his partner (Ruhwedel) is the reason he's f***ed over in his own end, a lot.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

As in general he’s good enough now or he can become one.

I don’t think he’s more than a bottom pair now or likely in the future from my POV.

Future.