This Pittsburgh Penguins Act is Getting Old

[Hockey4Lyfe]

Every game is the biggest game right now.

Getting even with the Red Wings by getting a point tonight is massive. They win all tiebreakers with the teams they are competing against. Even if the Red Wings beat the Caps tomorrow and go up by 2, Penguins control their own destiny.

Beat the Red Wings Thursday and all you have to do is match them then and at worst they are WC2. (Assuming the Caps and Flyers continue their downward spiral)

Getting a point tonight allowed them to control their own destiny. (Against the Red Wings)

 

[LuGBuG]

I’m still shocked an NHL coach could be dumb enough not to start Sidney Crosby in overtime.

You have one of the greatest players ever, on a heater, carrying your team. Giving everything he has night in and night out and you didn’t even give him a chance.

It’s almost like he was trying too hard to be smart when you don’t have too. Just start Sid dude, no one is going to blame you if the Leafs score while he is out there. Now you are going to get criticized to no end, especially if they miss playoffs by a point. Why do that to yourself. Mind boggling stuff.

 

[KevinFinnerty]

I hope they miss the playoffs. they need to get rid of Sulli and rebuild.

 

[Toby91ca]

Does anyone actually not like Sid anymore? I used to hate Ovie but now that I’ve grown up with the rivalry I respect him.

I don’t one, I’m guessing a lot of hardcore Crosby fans still dislike Ovechkin and vice versa.

I’ll say this though, I don’t know Ovechkin as a person, but I know enough about Crosby to say he’s one of the most genuine guys you’ll find.

 

[Toby91ca]

I’m still shocked an NHL coach could be dumb enough not to start Sidney Crosby in overtime.

You have one of the greatest players ever, on a heater, carrying your team. Giving everything he has night in and night out and you didn’t even give him a chance.

It’s almost like he was trying too hard to be smart when you don’t have too. Just start Sid dude, no one is going to blame you if the Leafs score while he is out there. Now you are going to get criticized to no end, especially if they miss playoffs by a point. Why do that to yourself. Mind boggling stuff.

The dumbness was compounded by who he did start instead. I guess his argument would be trying to get him out there against someone other than Matthews line, but that makes sense during the game, not OT

 

[66-30-33]

I’m still shocked an NHL coach could be dumb enough not to start Sidney Crosby in overtime.

You have one of the greatest players ever, on a heater, carrying your team. Giving everything he has night in and night out and you didn’t even give him a chance.

It’s almost like he was trying too hard to be smart when you don’t have too. Just start Sid dude, no one is going to blame you if the Leafs score while he is out there. Now you are going to get criticized to no end, especially if they miss playoffs by a point. Why do that to yourself. Mind boggling stuff.

Crosby had skate issues they were dealing with apparently, but still...not putting Malkin-Bunting to start OT? Eller/DOC is the best Sully could muster? Surprised it was not Carter/Eller.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Let me dust this baby off, it's going to get some mileage tonight.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Signing EK65 was a huge f***ing mistake by Dubas, not that it matters much moving forward. Enjoy the rebuild EK. He's not a guy you can win with when it matters, the haters were correct.

Edit: I'll qualify that if he was making 6-7M, his on ice performance would be easier to swallow, but for $10M, my god.

 

[66-30-33]

At least I can enjoy the playoffs.

Signing EK65 was a huge f***ing mistake by Dubas, not that it matters much moving forward. Enjoy the rebuild EK. He's not a guy you can win with when it matters, the haters were correct.

Dubas traded for EK. Rather get a new coach and try out Karlsson again. Guy went to shit like almost everyone else that is under Sullivan.

 

[DrDangles]

Once upon a time I thought Sullivan was a genius for winning that cup in 2017 with that defense. Now I'm starting to realize how much he must've been relying on Martin during that cup run.

 

[MCR74]

Signing EK65 was a huge f***ing mistake by Dubas, not that it matters much moving forward. Enjoy the rebuild EK. He's not a guy you can win with when it matters, the haters were correct.

Edit: I'll qualify that if he was making 6-7M, his on ice performance would be easier to swallow, but for $10M, my god.

Get ready for a few more years of "my god" from Karlsson.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Get ready for a few more years of "my god" from Karlsson.

No doubt. Maybe a new coach could work to his strengths.

 

[66-30-33]

Adding Karlsson and Smith and we did WORSE this season and that includes a powerplay.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

I mean, Smith was certainly a massive bust. Rust and Guentzel hurt a decent amount and then Guentzel traded….

Malkin was not very good until Bunting came along.

Their finish actually gives you some faith going into next year. Will be off of some bad contracts (cough Jeff Carter).

Will see what Dubas can do. The Karlson trade is still kind of meh, but the Guentzel trade looks like an A with how Bunting played, possible draft pick, and lottery tickets with some above average prospects.

Still need to somehow get off some bad contracts and shape this team because they will once again have some decent turnover.

 

[TNT87]

Keeping Sullivan is getting old.

 

[Shark Finn]

Signing EK65 was a huge f***ing mistake by Dubas, not that it matters much moving forward. Enjoy the rebuild EK. He's not a guy you can win with when it matters, the haters were correct.

Edit: I'll qualify that if he was making 6-7M, his on ice performance would be easier to swallow, but for $10M, my god.

You posted this, edited it and still it says that Dubas signed EK65.

 

[ItWasJustified]

Keeping Sullivan is getting old.

Is Sullivan responsible for the power play or is it one of the assistants?

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

So what now for Pitts? Thats 2 years in a row.. Malkin and Crosby cant carry this team forever.. Whats the plan?>

 

[eojsmada]

So what now for Pitts? Thats 2 years in a row.. Malkin and Crosby cant carry this team forever.. Whats the plan?>

Probably run it back until the contracts run out. They really don't have a choice anymore, with the 35+ contracts that were signed by Malkin and Letang.

 

[Gurglesons]

So what now for Pitts? Thats 2 years in a row.. Malkin and Crosby cant carry this team forever.. Whats the plan?>

Same as last summer. They gonna try and compete.

 

[molon labe]

So what now for Pitts? Thats 2 years in a row.. Malkin and Crosby cant carry this team forever.. Whats the plan?>

They shouldn't have to for 14-15M of the salary cap.

The roster construction (in large part because of Sullivan - those are his guys) is what has killed this team several seasons over. Bunch of mid and vanilla and running it back the same old way expecting different results.

Those two should be fine pieces to have - not what you depend on every single night. What Sid did this year was amazing - per usual to be honest. But expecting the lot of sidecar players to be the difference was one of the downfalls.

To further clarify:
- Sid/Geno for 150-160 points at 14.8M is incredible value. Everything else they bring makes it even more so. The legacy notwithstanding (though it obviously does). They've always been the narrative so they continue to be - but saying the core is this or that ignores the utter performances they put up.

- Eller is the guy you want at 4C.

- I'd love to shift Geno to wing but not sure it'll ever happen

- The hodgepodge of forwards are not what this group needs or has needed for several seasons. You really should be looking at 3-4 names moving out from the nightly roster

- The defensive corps is going to be interesting. St Ivany was a great add late in the year and Graves may be immovable. But you really need to either move on from Letang, or bring in another Marcus Pettersson.

- Jarry needs to go. Ned plus whomever next year

**** Sullivan has needed to go for 6 years now. Let's hope that day finally comes. ****

 

[The Panther]

It is what it is --- the Pens' management gambled and lost. Their gamble was that it would be worthwhile to re-sign the aging vets / team-leaders for the past two seasons, and, in retrospect, it wasn't. (This, despite Crosby's typically great performance).

They were close, though. As a long-time Oilers' fan, I can appreciate a franchise that actually rewards its long-serving players with "end-of-career" contracts and tries to keep its local legends as career Penguins. Exactly ZERO players of note have ever started with the Oilers and played their full career there, so I'm kind of jealous that Pens' fans get to experience this aspect of it. I never have.

As far as Karlsson goes (a player this forum seems to have a pathological obsession with), I don't think he really moved the needle at all. Like, he didn't hurt them and he didn't rreally help them either. What I don't understand --- and this is probably what cost them a playoff spot this year --- is why Dubas thought they should spend $10 million on him when his skill-set is already present with Letang. Karlsson didn't bring the kind of thing they specifically needed, so it certainly wasn't worth investing that much money on. I just don't get that decision.

 

[ES]

At least they don't get the dilemma of whether to give away the first-rounder. Finishing as a 9th/10th worst team would have done it.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

So what now for Pitts? Thats 2 years in a row.. Malkin and Crosby cant carry this team forever.. Whats the plan?>

Run it back and hope a different combo of players clicks and they go on a magical run. Unless Crosby wants out then it would be a full on rebuild.

 

[eXile3]

Is Sullivan responsible for the power play or is it one of the assistants?

Reirden is but I’m pretty sure no assistant coach operates in a vacuum. I haven’t played the game at a competitive level since high school so that may have changed.