This team can win the Stanley Cup this year.

[Headshot77]

Of all the Eastern/Metro teams, the one I'm most afraid of are the Pens themselves. If the right version of the Pens show up to play, I don't think there isn't an Eastern team we can't beat barring a crazy hot goalie. If we get the version that showed up some games this season, I don't think there's any team we can beat.

That's the thing with the Penguins. I am not worried about ANY opposing team right now, I'm worried about the Penguins. To go deep in the playoffs we will need everyone playing to their abilities. Perron, Crosby, Kunitz, and Sutter all need to step it up, and somehow we need to not get injured and fleury needs to stay hot for another 18 games. In fact, I want to see a lot more Greiss over the next 18 games to rest Fleury.

I'm not afraid of the Capital's physicality, the Islander's speed, the Ranger's defense, or the Canadien's goaltending. On our good days, we can beat anyone.

 

[Sutter16]

I don't get why everyone is so high on the Isles. They're fast and deep up front. Beyond that, they're not Cup caliber.

I'd worry more about the Caps and Rangers.

Ya I agree with this. Isles have best forward group in the East. Defense is shaky. I want no part of the Rangers. If we can avoid them then I like our chances alot more.

 

[Dinfire]

The Penguins can absolutely win the cup this season. I haven't said that in years. I love this thread. This board needs more positivity and less Debbie Downers. Are some of you even Pens fans? Seriously, it's ridiculous how much some of you whine and complain. I hope to god none of the players come on this board and see how sad some of the team's "fans" are.

I freaking believe! Let's go Pens!

 

[Allie Kitsune]

The Penguins can absolutely win the cup this season. I haven't said that in years. I love this thread. This board needs more positivity and less Debbie Downers. Are some of you even Pens fans? Seriously, it's ridiculous how much some of you whine and complain. I hope to god none of the players come on this board and see how sad some of the team's "fans" are.

I freaking believe! Let's go Pens!

I think it's that people feel like the Pens lucked their way to a cup in '09, and they don't have a taste for doing it that way again.

They want to see the organization get serious and build themselves into an all-business, year-in and year-out Dominant Powerhouse like Detroit used to be (and they're still serious), and like Chicago is now.

No more of the PR idiocy, no more of the "family loyalty" when it's holding the organization back.

If you can't raise the standard, you get voted off the island.

 

[IcedCapp]

The Penguins can absolutely win the cup this season. I haven't said that in years. I love this thread. This board needs more positivity and less Debbie Downers. Are some of you even Pens fans? Seriously, it's ridiculous how much some of you whine and complain. I hope to god none of the players come on this board and see how sad some of the team's "fans" are.

I freaking believe! Let's go Pens!

I'm sorry but you (and people who say similar things) are absolutely ridiculous. Do you really view the world through the prism that "if you don't think, watch, and digest sports (and presumably other things) as I do, you're not a "real fan"" ?

I don't know how you can watch this team this year and think this is their best chance to win a cup since 2009. I can think of at least one, maybe two years where they looked downright dominant AND made moves that made you think "oh, wow, no team will touch them in terms of talent and depth."

This year, they are just one of the 7.

 

[Headshot77]

I'm sorry but you (and people who say similar things) are absolutely ridiculous. Do you really view the world through the prism that "if you don't think, watch, and digest sports (and presumably other things) as I do, you're not a "real fan"" ?

I don't know how you can watch this team this year and think this is their best chance to win a cup since 2009. I can think of at least one, maybe two years where they looked downright dominant AND made moves that made you think "oh, wow, no team will touch them in terms of talent and depth."

This year, they are just one of the 7.

I remember the hysteria after Iginla was acquired for basically nothing and I thought "Cup favorites" immediately. But, I think those years from 2010-2014 we were a bit delusional because we did have serious depth issues throughout those years. This year, we're deeper. That could make a huge difference.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I remember the hysteria after Iginla was acquired for basically nothing and I thought "Cup favorites" immediately. But, I think those years from 2010-2014 we were a bit delusional because we did have serious depth issues throughout those years. This year, we're deeper. That could make a huge difference.

I was thinking... This team is ****ing slow as hell now... Why did they just waste so many futures to make the team slower?

Murray, Adams, Morrow, JJ, Eaton, Glass... Seriously comical.

I did have some hope with the Iggy trade though, but who knew what was coming with him getting Bylsmaed.

 

[IcedCapp]

I was thinking... This team is ****ing slow as hell now... Why did they just waste so many futures to make the team slower?

Murray, Adams, Morrow, JJ, Eaton, Glass...

I did have some hope with the Iggy trade though, but who knew what was coming with him getting Bylsmaed.

if the Penguins had iced their best-possible line up that year, they would have won the Cup, IMO. I was going to go through and look at the roster, but I feel like that would just depress me.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

if the Penguins had iced their best-possible line up that year, they would have won the Cup, IMO. I was going to go through and look at the roster, but I feel like that would just depress me.

Maybe they get by Boston, but I think the Hawks skate circles around their slow ***** like they did to Boston.

That slug lineup played right into Boston's hands.

 

[Beaviz81]

I remember the hysteria after Iginla was acquired for basically nothing and I thought "Cup favorites" immediately. But, I think those years from 2010-2014 we were a bit delusional because we did have serious depth issues throughout those years. This year, we're deeper. That could make a huge difference.

Depth have always been an issue for you, and you are not in a commanding lead. You have just an average defense. Your goalie haven't performed in the playoffs since you won. Those would be major issues for me to get hung up in. Also despite you having a nice ratio on hits you are low on toughness. No team has really big advantages anymore. Plus your team is really depending on Crosby and Malkin.

 

[IcedCapp]

Kunitz - Crosby - Iginla

Bennett - Malkin - Neal

Morrow - Jokinen - Dupuis

Cooke - Sutter - Kennedy

(Vitale, Adams, Glass)



Martin - Letang
Orpik - Niskanen
Despres - Lovejoy

(Murray, Eaton, Bortuzzo, Engelland)

Vokoun
Fleury


........

 

[SEALBound]

I think it's that people feel like the Pens lucked their way to a cup in '09, and they don't have a taste for doing it that way again.

They want to see the organization get serious and build themselves into an all-business, year-in and year-out Dominant Powerhouse like Detroit used to be (and they're still serious), and like Chicago is now.

No more of the PR idiocy, no more of the "family loyalty" when it's holding the organization back.

If you can't raise the standard, you get voted off the island.

If you look back, we really did luck out in 09.

We kept it together against Philly, we played an offensive star power series against Washington and in Game 7 their rookie goalie crapped the bed, we got an inferior Carolina team in the conf finals. No Boston, no Montreal, no Jersey.

In the finals Datsyuk was hurt and the wings didn't have an answer for a streaking Malkin.

We stayed very healthy throughout those playoffs to boot.

Luck was really going our way that year. It hasn't since. No luck against Halak, no Sid or Geno in 11, **** show in 12, no luck against Boston, no luck against the Rags. And by luck, I mean the puck luck that you have to have to get those 1 or 2 goals that can turn tides. That Staal SHG in G3 was puck luck for us. Turned the tide. Letang's game winner, Geno's game winner against Washington...puck luck on our side.

Anyone who discounts how much luck plays a role in it, you're not watching hard enough.

I do believe this team is capable of Cup. If this team wins it all, MAF is the no brainer Conn Smyth. We have to have him steal games for us. We can't have the mediocre goaltending we've had in the past. With that, every line has to be clicking. Meaning:

1. Sid and Perron figure out together. Hornqvist keeps it up.
2. Comeau continues to click with Geno.
3. Kunitz wakes the F up.
4. Sutter plays like he did last year.
5. No Adams. No Adams in the lineup. No Craig Adams in the lineup. Craig Adams is a healthy scratch and NOT in the line up. No. Craig. Adams.
6. The bottom lines chips in. Both 3a and 3b or the 3rd and 4th, whatever. They have to chip in. It has to be a team effort. It can't be the Sid and Geno show.
7. Sid and Geno have to be Sid and Geno. We all know what that means.

Its a long shot, but we have as good of a shot as any other team.

Here's my perfect lay out:

NYR vs WAS
PIT vs NYI

We exploit their weaker goaltending and weather the storm of their deep offense.

NYR and the Caps really go at it for 7 games. Rangers take it in 7 but come out banged up.

We go against the Rags. Their offense turns anemic like its known to do, we shut down Nash and MSL. Their defense breaks down and Lundqvist struggles. Takes us 7, but we win Game 7 on the backs of secondary scoring.

BOS vs MTL
TAM vs DET

Boston takes MTL out an upset, Tampa and Detroit take it 7 but Detroit prevails.

Boston vs Detroit, Detroit wins.

Pens vs Wings in the ECF, I think we can take the Wings.

West:

NAS vs MIN
ANA vs WIN
VAN vs CAL
STL vs CHI

I think we can take any of them to be honest. None of those teams scare in a 7 game series, especially after our Anaheim and LA wins and our performance in the west.

The battle is having to take down two of NYI, NYR, and WAS.

 

[SEALBound]

Kunitz - Crosby - Iginla

Bennett - Malkin - Neal

Morrow - Jokinen - Dupuis

Cooke - Sutter - Kennedy

(Vitale, Adams, Glass)



Martin - Letang
Orpik - Niskanen
Despres - Lovejoy

(Murray, Eaton, Bortuzzo, Engelland)

Vokoun
Fleury


........

Ain't that sad?

 

[Allie Kitsune]

If you look back, we really did luck out in 09.

We kept it together against Philly, we played an offensive star power series against Washington and in Game 7 their rookie goalie crapped the bed, we got an inferior Carolina team in the conf finals. No Boston, no Montreal, no Jersey.

In the finals Datsyuk was hurt and the wings didn't have an answer for a streaking Malkin.

We stayed very healthy throughout those playoffs to boot.

Luck was really going our way that year. It hasn't since. No luck against Halak, no Sid or Geno in 11, **** show in 12, no luck against Boston, no luck against the Rags. And by luck, I mean the puck luck that you have to have to get those 1 or 2 goals that can turn tides. That Staal SHG in G3 was puck luck for us. Turned the tide. Letang's game winner, Geno's game winner against Washington...puck luck on our side.

Anyone who discounts how much luck plays a role in it, you're not watching hard enough.

I do believe this team is capable of Cup. If this team wins it all, MAF is the no brainer Conn Smyth. We have to have him steal games for us. We can't have the mediocre goaltending we've had in the past. With that, every line has to be clicking. Meaning:

1. Sid and Perron figure out together. Hornqvist keeps it up.
2. Comeau continues to click with Geno.
3. Kunitz wakes the F up.
4. Sutter plays like he did last year.
5. No Adams. No Adams in the lineup. No Craig Adams in the lineup. Craig Adams is a healthy scratch and NOT in the line up. No. Craig. Adams.
6. The bottom lines chips in. Both 3a and 3b or the 3rd and 4th, whatever. They have to chip in. It has to be a team effort. It can't be the Sid and Geno show.
7. Sid and Geno have to be Sid and Geno. We all know what that means.

Its a long shot, but we have as good of a shot as any other team.

Here's my perfect lay out:

NYR vs WAS
PIT vs NYI

We exploit their weaker goaltending and weather the storm of their deep offense.

NYR and the Caps really go at it for 7 games. Rangers take it in 7 but come out banged up.

We go against the Rags. Their offense turns anemic like its known to do, we shut down Nash and MSL. Their defense breaks down and Lundqvist struggles. Takes us 7, but we win Game 7 on the backs of secondary scoring.

BOS vs MTL
TAM vs DET

Boston takes MTL out an upset, Tampa and Detroit take it 7 but Detroit prevails.

Boston vs Detroit, Detroit wins.

Pens vs Wings in the ECF, I think we can take the Wings.

West:

NAS vs MIN
ANA vs WIN
VAN vs CAL
STL vs CHI

I think we can take any of them to be honest. None of those teams scare in a 7 game series, especially after our Anaheim and LA wins and our performance in the west.

The battle is having to take down two of NYI, NYR, and WAS.

I feel like you completely misinterpreted my post, if your response was to "pick me apart and prove me wrong".

I never said that they didn't get lucky. I said that since people feel that way (which doesn't mean that they didn't. It's obvious that '09's win, and that the Pens didn't have to face the hardest possible road has left a bad taste in people's mouths, retroactively), they're not happy with '09's win, and won't be happy until the organization gets serious and does it the "right way".

 

[SEALBound]

I feel like you completely misinterpreted my post, if your response was to "pick me apart and prove me wrong".

I never said that they didn't get lucky. I said that since people feel that way (which doesn't mean that they didn't. It's obvious that '09's win, and that the Pens didn't have to face the hardest possible road has left a bad taste in people's mouths, retroactively), they're not happy with '09's win, and won't be happy until the organization gets serious and does it the "right way".

Yeah no, you misunderstood the tone of the post. Wasn't a counter post.

 

[Russian Factor]

The bottom line is that this team has much better depth than in years past, but is bogged down with a bad 3C and 4C. The defense is worlds better as well, and this shows in the Penguins elite defensive play this year. Fleury is playing lights out in a way that he hasn't since 2008 run to the Cup. Can he keep this up? Doubtful, but if he even regresses to a .918 or so goalie for us that is a huge advantage over years past.

In short, this Penguins team is one of the better ones in the past few years. The East is also a lot stronger IMO. I think MTL is best matchup for the Pens. A mediocre team being carried by an elite goaltender. Pens have gotten to Price before. I have more confidence in this team than I have in years past. I'd be all in 100% if they would have just replaced Sutter and not made that awful Lappy-Goc switch.

 

[Will Hunting]

Pens are good but the East is just too strong this year. No cakewalk teams like Columbus, Ottawa etc.. We have to win 3 real wars to advance to SCF. We are improved but the Eastern Conference is more improved. That said, I´m still holding out a hope, you never know.. My biggest concern is R1/R2, if we manage to win those, then I´m betting for a Pens winning a Cup.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I still like the Lap/Goc trade.

 

[Will Hunting]

I still like the Lap/Goc trade.

Yeah, it´s safe to say that it´s at least not hurting us. 4th line looks decent recently. It´s a slight upgrade or a lateral move, but not a downgrade.

 

[thecore]

The Pens can beat anyone and lose to anyone.

The playoffs are where we'll really see if MJ is cut out to be an NHL head coach. At the very least, he won't bang his head into a wall like Bylsma.

I would most prefer to avoid the Capitals and Rangers. I believe they will give us the most matchup problems. The Capitals just seem to be able to shut us down defensively and Ovi always scores on the PP. The Rangers are just the best team top to bottom and their speed on the wings scares me.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Yeah, it´s safe to say that it´s at least not hurting us. 4th line looks decent recently. It´s a slight upgrade or a lateral move, but not a downgrade.

Agreed. Plus I think we just had too many completely vanilla bottom 6ers with Sutter, Spaling and Goc.

 

[Russian Factor]

Agreed. Plus I think we just had too many completely vanilla bottom 6ers with Sutter, Spaling and Goc.

Lapierre is just as vanilla. I have no idea why people keep acting like he's a thorn in the side of the opposition or some super pest or something. He sucks as well. Goc was at least tremendous defensively. Lapierre is just flat out Not Good.

 

[IcedCapp]

the 4th line is adding nothing. At best, they're a net-neutral. You can make the same claim under Goc, of course, but I don't see Lapierre bringing much.

The concerning part is, Spaling and Downie are/were 3rd liners, and the 4th line is still non-existent.

People can poopoo advanced stats all you want, but the fact that Laps and Sutter are possession ghosts (I was going to say black holes, but that would be a poor choice, since black holes have gravity and attract mass, and Sutter and Lapierre clearly do the opposite), really helps explain why their lines don't score.

Centers HAVE to drive possession for their lines to have success. You saw what Hornqvist had to do to overcome Brandon Sutter's ineffectiveness. I love Beau Bennett, but he's never doing that.