The All Purpose Pens Off Day Thread - Injuries, Practice, Lines, etc (Geno out long term; Bjugs too)

[Pancakes]

5 or 6 years ago I’d have believed that he could do it. Not anymore.

I mean he had 100 points last year so I'm not sure why you no longer have that belief.

That said it's a lot to ask.

 

[Bingo71]

I mean he had 100 points last year so I'm not sure why you no longer have that belief.

That said it's a lot to ask.

He’s still “got it” so to speak but he can’t carry THIS roster.

Even after a 100 point season, they were swept in the playoffs. There was a time when Sid could carry the likes of Kunitz and Dupuis on his wings, but it cost the team in the playoffs too many times. Teams could just focus on shutting down Sid and force Kuni or Dupuis to generate offense, which they couldn’t.

Every year that goes by, Sid and Geno need more help on their wings. Sid has Jake now but Geno deals with a revolving door of line mates year after year.

I am convinced that Sid could easily have 100-200 more points in his career so far if he had linemates that could finish.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Like you said, there's a silver lining. Not only do we get to watch Laff and AJ, but the chances of the org extracting their heads is increasing. They're being forced to take a look at some of these guys now. Lafferty and AJ, Teddy at 3C, McCann at C. When it's over with, maybe the org decides Bjugstad and ZAR are expendable because of them. I'm already getting the vibe that they want to replicate the Daley move by getting Marino in, so I'm more hopeful than most that they're catching on.

I had the radio on in my truck this morning as I was dropping my daughter off at school, and they were talking about how JR recently said they aren’t a fast team anymore.

My daughter cut in with a question and I didn’t hear when he said this or the context, but it would be nice if he realized going Captain Caveman is why this team is a mess right now.

 

[66-30-33]

They were probably waiting for the medical crew to reevaluate Galchenyuk to make this move. Next will be seeing how Horqnvist is doing and seeing if they can make a trade.

Been away all day playing games ignoring anything Penguins, glad to see AJ finally called up. Hope he plays!

Lol about Chucky. So we are down Rust, Chucky, Geno, Hornqvist, Jugs. I don't care anymore, maybe most of the team will be injured and we can try the AHLers.

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

I was watching the Merci Sidney video and even in a suit you can tell that he takes care of his body. Then you see Malkin in the IG video and it’s no surprise that this dude is hurt every year.

 

[shotandagoal]

Get Noesen an NHL deal now. He can provide immediate help up front

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

At least we get to see what this team would look like without a forward group filled with star players.

This could tell us alot too.

And always say if Injuries are gonna happen(this is the Pens...Injuries never not happen) then have them now. 2018 was BS...healthy all year then Hags, Malkin go down at the end. Murray as well. Cost us that Caps series imo.

Last year Malkin and Letang get hurt at the end...Letang wasnt his Norris level self like he played all year before that.

So lets let them happen now. First we get to seee alll these players from WBS. And the younger players get to get experience IN WBS(Bellerive, Almeida)...

As for Galchenyuk tho...i had him at 99% returning until this. The Pens injury curse is real. Not so sure now.

And Bjugstad getting hurt could hurt our trading him...unless if he played he'd hurt his own value lol. So hopefully he comes back ...has a good month and then we move him

Rust/Horny always miss at least 10-15 games a year.

But again...thats 3 players we plan on trading eventually so getting more used to being without them now will help the transition lol

 

[Malkinstheman]

 

[Andy99]

yes, but is he using his left hand? He wasn’t the last time, which means diddly squat on the injury front...

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

It'd be hilarious if Trotman (who sucked last year) played over Marino, Ruh, Rikkola, etc.

 

[SEALBound]

No. Dont bring them up. Fun to fantasize about but in reality, no.

 

[Andy99]

 

[AuroraBorealis]

yes, but is he using his left hand? He wasn’t the last time, which means diddly squat on the injury front...

Oh he'll be gone til early November at least. Make no mistake.

 

[vodeni]

I see Jesse liked this post. @Jesse This is spot on analysis, but if there is one thing missing is in your opinion why this has kept repeating? is it our d-man individual skillset (they don't have that extra step to either cover the slot or be quicker to move over to put stick on stick, or is this coaching, they must be watching same films...

 

[Khelandros]

With a knee hockey stick.

 

[Jesse]

I see Jesse liked this post. @Jesse This is spot on analysis, but if there is one thing missing is in your opinion why this has kept repeating? is it our d-man individual skillset (they don't have that extra step to either cover the slot or be quicker to move over to put stick on stick, or is this coaching, they must be watching same films...

If I had the answer to that question I'd be a coach myself. Maybe Sullivan's messaging has fallen on deaf ears. Wouldn't be the first time we've seen that in Pittsburgh. I do not think these are problems inherent in the system.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

He’s still “got it” so to speak but he can’t carry THIS roster.

Even after a 100 point season, they were swept in the playoffs. There was a time when Sid could carry the likes of Kunitz and Dupuis on his wings, but it cost the team in the playoffs too many times. Teams could just focus on shutting down Sid and force Kuni or Dupuis to generate offense, which they couldn’t.

Every year that goes by, Sid and Geno need more help on their wings. Sid has Jake now but Geno deals with a revolving door of line mates year after year.

I am convinced that Sid could easily have 100-200 more points in his career so far if he had linemates that could finish.

Crosby had Kunitz and Dupuis as linemates once in the playoffs.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I watched some clips from games from the 2016 cup winning team, and I feel like the biggest difference between that team and the team now is the wingers are slower, the defense is worse at moving the puck and the top players have regressed. The 2016 team just looked way faster than the Penguins today. I don't think the system is that different, it's the players.

The Penguins have fewer super fast players than the 2016 team (I think only Tanev is as fast as Hagelin, Sheary and Rust from the 2016 team), and their slower players today are slower than the 2016 team. Guys like Fehr, Kunitz, Cullen and Kuhnhackl just seem much more noticeable than guys like ZAR, Hornqvist, Blueger and Simon. The puck moving on defense is obviously way worse, the worst puck movers on the 2016 were at worst poor puck movers (Lovejoy and Cole) and the team has never replaced Daley. I actually think Daley is really missed in both transition and in the offensive zone, Schultz just isn't the offensive threat that Daley was.

What I will also add is that Bonino looked really vanilla from what I saw. That line was totally Hagelin and Kessel carrying the load and Bonino being along for the ride. He looked even more vanilla than Bjugstad does.

 

[Jesse]

I watched some clips from games from the 2016 cup winning team, and I feel like the biggest difference between that team and the team now is the wingers are slower, the defense is worse at moving the puck and the top players have regressed. The 2016 team just looked way faster than the Penguins today. I don't think the system is that different, it's the players.

The Penguins have fewer super fast players than the 2016 team (I think only Tanev is as fast as Hagelin, Sheary and Rust from the 2016 team), and their slower players today are slower than the 2016 team. Guys like Fehr, Kunitz, Cullen and Kuhnhackl just seem much more noticeable than guys like ZAR, Hornqvist, Blueger and Simon. The puck moving on defense is obviously way worse, the worst puck movers on the 2016 were at worst poor puck movers (Lovejoy and Cole) and the team has never replaced Daley. I actually think Daley is really missed in both transition and in the offensive zone, Schultz just isn't the offensive threat that Daley was.

What I will also add is that Bonino looked really vanilla from what I saw. That line was totally Hagelin and Kessel carrying the load and Bonino being along for the ride. He looked even more vanilla than Bjugstad does.

Hindsight is a lot less kind to Bonino than it seemed at the time. He was pretty porous defensively when he wasn't being carried by Kessel and Hagelin.

I want the Penguins to switch the system completely. Play a deeper trap in the Neutral Zone. Don't be so aggressive if the team doesn't have the wheels to cover for it. When you sell out on the forecheck, it only works if you can provide pressure from both directions. The F1 needs to be able to maintain speed and close from behind. I don't know that we're seeing that, and we definitely aren't seeing the pinching pay off, it's just amplifying the number of odd-man breaks.

Playing like the Islanders did last year gives the team an opportunity to keep a presence in the offensive zone while maintaining a preventative presence in the neutral zone.

 

[SUBdrewgANS]

Why can't any of these injuries happen to our bottom pairing defencemen???
At least we'll get to see AJ.. Should've been on the main roster to start.

 

[Jesse]

Why can't any of these injuries happen to our bottom pairing defencemen???
At least we'll get to see AJ.. Should've been on the main roster to start.

I think his injury is the only reason he wasn't.

 

[Beauner]

I was watching the Merci Sidney video and even in a suit you can tell that he takes care of his body. Then you see Malkin in the IG video and it’s no surprise that this dude is hurt every year.

what does this even mean? Geno looked ripped coming into camp. They have different body types. That's it.

Get Noesen an NHL deal now. He can provide immediate help up front

wondering if this is even possible. not a bad idea if it is. mutually terminate his AHL deal and automatically sign him to NHL? Not sure where we are with contract limit though.

If I had the answer to that question I'd be a coach myself. Maybe Sullivan's messaging has fallen on deaf ears. Wouldn't be the first time we've seen that in Pittsburgh. I do not think these are problems inherent in the system.

I don't think it's that, I just think the personnel are not adequate enough to execute that system

 

[Andy99]

Hindsight is a lot less kind to Bonino than it seemed at the time. He was pretty porous defensively when he wasn't being carried by Kessel and Hagelin.

I want the Penguins to switch the system completely. Play a deeper trap in the Neutral Zone. Don't be so aggressive if the team doesn't have the wheels to cover for it. When you sell out on the forecheck, it only works if you can provide pressure from both directions. The F1 needs to be able to maintain speed and close from behind. I don't know that we're seeing that, and we definitely aren't seeing the pinching pay off, it's just amplifying the number of odd-man breaks.

Playing like the Islanders did last year gives the team an opportunity to keep a presence in the offensive zone while maintaining a preventative presence in the neutral zone.

Besides the failure of the players he currently has to implement his system well, I also think it’s predictable and stagnant at this point...the breakouts in particular...other teams seem to know at this point what the players will do and how to defend...that might be overcome if they just move the puck faster than anyone else but it’s ridiculous to rely on that consistently

 

[Malkinstheman]

 

[wej20]

Interesting that Rimouski have Lafreniere on the team, wonder if he'll overtake Crosby on the Oceanic all time scoring list.