Post-Game Talk: The Russian Bear Wakes Up - Pens Win!

[dogthateats]

It’s also kind of weird how Malkin has not taken any dumb penalties for the 1st time in his career and people still spin it as a negative against him.

 

[Pancakes]

Malkin still just doesn't look right to me this year. Call it conditioning or linemates or both or whatever you want but he just looks old. Old and slow.

I don't think that would be fixed by any change in linemates. It's a Malkin problem. Maybe his legs are finally going and he needs to adjust how he plays to continue being effective. Or maybe he's just off to a slow start. Or maybe it's conditioning due to the unique circumstances covid have brought and him being unable to do his normal training routine.

We have to hope it's not just age.

Sid on the other hand still looks fine to me.

 

[Gurglesons]

Uh, ok. I don't think you have the same definition of 'north south' that I do. Malkin plays all ways and doesn't really have a defined style that fits into north south or east west categories as they've been defined for decades in the NHL. Nobody who's watched Malkin closely for the last 15 years would define him as a north south NHL player.

Regardless, it doesn't matter. You won't find a player like Zucker among the collection of wingers who have worked the best with him, or even well. Zucker would need a dramatic change of heart at this point to begin to mesh with Malkin, and that almost never happens. He doesn't fit and it's classic of this coach to keep him there.

I think anyone that understands the concept of north south hockey would say that is the type of hockey Malkin plays and it is absurd to say otherwise.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Yeah, at this point I'd be putting Zucker with Blueger. However, I'm not sure who I'd want on the LW with Geno and Kap. I guess alternate with ZAR and DOC.

 

[Gurglesons]

Yeah, at this point I'd be putting Zucker with Blueger. However, I'm not sure who I'd want on the LW with Geno and Kap. I guess alternate with ZAR and DOC.

I think Zucker - Bleuger - ZAR is fine for a third line and that gives you Tanev - Malkin - Kapanen if we can’t break up L1.

 

[Turin]

It’s also kind of weird how Malkin has not taken any dumb penalties for the 1st time in his career and people still spin it as a negative against him.

Don’t think he’s really smartened up, he just seems largely uninvolved. Conditioning this offseason doesn’t look great.

 

[LOGiK]

Uh, ok. I don't think you have the same definition of 'north south' that I do. Malkin plays all ways and doesn't really have a defined style that fits into north south or east west categories as they've been defined for decades in the NHL. Nobody who's watched Malkin closely for the last 15 years would define him as a north south NHL player.

Regardless, it doesn't matter. You won't find a player like Zucker among the collection of wingers who have worked the best with him, or even well. Zucker would need a dramatic change of heart at this point to begin to mesh with Malkin, and that almost never happens. He doesn't fit and it's classic of this coach to keep him there.

If anything I'd say he just doesn't like the give the puck up.

As for direction he'll go where ever he needs to maintain puck control.

 

[PensandCaps]

Cooke is one of those old school hard-nosed trouble makers and tough enough to back it up with enough skill to be useful when he's not causing havoc...

There aren't many of those players left anymore...

Cooke is one of my top 5 favorite players non sid / geno.

Who in the nhl today plays a game similar to cooke?

Quite a bit tbh. Marchand and both Tkachuks come to mind right away.

 

[PensandCaps]

Malkin still just doesn't look right to me this year. Call it conditioning or linemates or both or whatever you want but he just looks old. Old and slow.

I don't think that would be fixed by any change in linemates. It's a Malkin problem. Maybe his legs are finally going and he needs to adjust how he plays to continue being effective. Or maybe he's just off to a slow start. Or maybe it's conditioning due to the unique circumstances covid have brought and him being unable to do his normal training routine.

We have to hope it's not just age.

Sid on the other hand still looks fine to me.

And with the Powerplay being Terrible, Malkin hasn't been able to pick up some cheap points. Usaully he would still be PPG if he were playing poorly because he still got Powerplay points.

 

[LOGiK]

Quite a bit tbh. Marchand and both Tkachuks come to mind right away.

Ahhh yeah.. true true.. still a few.

I can't see Cooke ever licking a mans face on the ice though...

 

[Randy Butternubs]

When Marchand was going around doing that, I was really hoping someone would uppercut him mid-lick.

 

[ChaosAgent]

And with the Powerplay being Terrible, Malkin hasn't been able to pick up some cheap points. Usaully he would still be PPG if he were playing poorly because he still got Powerplay points.

Malkin is one of the biggest culprits of the powerplay being terrible.

Along with Crosby. Who to be fair to Geno is playing Geno's position where Geno would be better. Hard to tell what's more overrated - Geno's shot or Sid's decision-making on the PP. Probably the latter.

Maybe a bomb slapshot when there was literally no time left to second-guess himself will cure Geno's slapper yips.

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

I think anyone that understands the concept of north south hockey would say that is the type of hockey Malkin plays and it is absurd to say otherwise.

And we've reached another impasse. I guess I'll just stop watching since I don't understand north south hockey after decades watching the game of hockey. Come on. Malkin is not a north south player according to widely accepted definitions of that style and nothing you say on a message board is going to change that. You can't pigeon hole this player, he plays a unique style all over the ice and that's been his trademark since his earliest days playing for Metallurg. Don't get distracted by the flashy one on three drives up the ice.

 

[LOGiK]

When Marchand was going around doing that, I was really hoping someone would uppercut him mid-lick.

This post is even funnier if you say it out loud...

 

[DesertPenguin]

I agree that Zucker and Malkin need to stop being a thing, but do you really think Tanev will help get Geno going?

I don't care how dialed in the first line may look, you have to swap Zucker and Guentzel. id rather have both lines at 8/10 than have the first at 10/10 and the second 2/10.

 

[dalewood12]

What I would do for a solid 4-0 or 5-1 win

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Ahhh yeah.. true true.. still a few.

I can't see Cooke ever licking a mans face on the ice though...

 

[Phil68]

The Power play has been good in pen's history during crosby malkin era when it is ran through crosby. Malkin is simply better at is than Crosby ever is or was. People here act like Crosby is have a great year. Crosby is not even top 20 in scoring. Come on yall

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

The powerplay never recovered from the loss of Gonchar. It was good when Kessel was here, it was great under Gonch. His point shot and PPQB abilities allowed the powerplay to run so much more efficiently

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Zucker, to me, doesn't look like a prototypical skill guy who's overly creative. IMO, he's like a Pascal Dupuis but with an actual scoring touch.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Zucker, to me, doesn't look like a prototypical skill guy who's overly creative. IMO, he's like a Pascal Dupuis but with an actual scoring touch.

I don't even know if I'd call it a scoring touch. He's kind of a garbage man... which is more than fine. But we're looking at yet another questionable fit for the top six owing to the Jake/Sid perma-duo.

That line needs more hands/offensive IQ. Kap can be the chaotic energy element to that line. But they need a guy with some more reliable hands and can think the O-zone a bit better, there.

That isn't to say there aren't flashes of promise re: Zuck and Malkin. But it's very intermittent. Like... Zucker had a couple good games and went last two without even a shot. Prior to his good games he was struggling. Etc. It's gonna keep going that way.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Here's the big problem... or concern. We have 1 line working well right now, and I fully believe that swapping the wingers is more likely to leave us with 0 working lines than with 2.

If you think GMR wouldn't work, all I can say is that it might be worth trying before we label Malkin old and defective and trade him for pennies on the dollar.

This team has bungled more than enough "problem" assessments without losing a talent of Malkin's magnitude because of it too.

 

[PensandCaps]

I don't even know if I'd call it a scoring touch. He's kind of a garbage man... which is more than fine. But we're looking at yet another questionable fit for the top six owing to the Jake/Sid perma-duo.

That line needs more hands/offensive IQ. Kap can be the chaotic energy element to that line. But they need a guy with some more reliable hands and can think the O-zone a bit better, there.

That isn't to say there aren't flashes of promise re: Zuck and Malkin. But it's very intermittent. Like... Zucker had a couple good games and went last two without even a shot. Prior to his good games he was struggling. Etc. It's gonna keep going that way.

Zucker does have a very good shot though.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Zucker does have a very good shot though.

I'm sure he does. But I haven't seen much of it. I can't account for why... I would imagine it's all part of that line being a bad fit.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

That "one line that needed it" would have had Simon or Sheary on RW on the top line and Rust on LW on the 2nd line, so that wasn't "one guy on his off-wing".

Why would Kapanen, who has extensive experience on LW, and Zucker on their off-wings somehow be any different than Rust and Simon/Sheary on their off-wings?

Sheary and Simon both played RW regularly here. When they were with Guentzel and Crosby, who do you think was playing RW?

One of the arguments for Kapanen's relative struggles last year was that he was played on LW.