This Team is Horrible (All Purpose Venting Thread)

[norwegianislander]

They all suck. The top six players are streaky and no finisher. Everbody except JGP and Cizikas in the bottom 6 are AHL'ers. My rant for the day. See you Thursday night! Ottawa will crush us.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I think Filppula is better at the role he was asked to play than Brassard. If Brassard isn't scoring, and he's not, he doesn't bring much else. Filppula at least brought some defensive ability.

This sounds like the same reason why Brassard was so bad for the Pens. He's a guy who needs to be given an offensive role in the top six. If he's played like a 3C or given 3rd line wingers, he ends up being a net negative.

 

[PK Cronin]

This sounds like the same reason why Brassard was so bad for the Pens. He's a guy who needs to be given an offensive role in the top six. If he's played like a 3C or given 3rd line wingers, he ends up being a net negative.

He needs to be on a team where he can get real minutes in the top six, and that team is likely going to be very bad. The days of him being an impact player are over. I was hopeful he'd have a resurgence here but it hasn't happened in the way I'd hoped.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

He needs to be on a team where he can get real minutes in the top six, and that team is likely going to be very bad. The days of him being an impact player are over. I was hopeful he'd have a resurgence here but it hasn't happened in the way I'd hoped.

It's kind of funny, but he'd probably be better served as a top six winger rather than being used at 3C. The only time he looked halfway decent for the Pens was when they briefly put him on Crosby and Guentzel's RW (or maybe he was LW and they moved Guentzel to RW -- Sullivan kind of does wonky things with his wingers so I can't recall exactly).

 

[PK Cronin]

It's kind of funny, but he'd probably be better served as a top six winger rather than being used at 3C. The only time he looked halfway decent for the Pens was when they briefly put him on Crosby and Guentzel's RW (or maybe he was LW and they moved Guentzel to RW -- Sullivan kind of does wonky things with his wingers so I can't recall exactly).

That's where he's been moved since Pageau has come in, and he was there sporadically earlier in the year. He just lacks consistently.

 

[xIsle]

That's where he's been moved since Pageau has come in, and he was there sporadically earlier in the year. He just lacks consistently.

It lasted 2 and a half games. Yesterday he started the game on the 4th line between Martin and Clutterbuck. I understand that we can be disappointed with Brassard (I am too), but if we want him to be useful for the moment, it's better to place him in a situation where he can produce and be useful. Using him on a 4th line is completely ridiculous and counterproductive. Of course it will not bring anything. Trotz should be a little more patient with Brassard and place him where he had success in November with Nelson and Beauvillier, instead of going with Komarov!

 

[doublechili]

Okay, I'll join the venting. I think Trotz has to realize that as some point the "old pros" get tired or need a kick in the pants from some competition. Either way, sitting someone and playing someone else would probably help.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

There are going to be some good threads to bump on the Mainboard. I think we need some perspective here. Played Boston, St Louis. A bad play in OT and it would have been 2 out 4 pts against 1-2 the best in the NHL. Isles were better than the Rangers friday, and really last night they were bad. The goaltending will get better, I think we will be alright when it does. I am not going to be spraining any ankles just yet, until I see how this team plays with a full line up and better goaltending.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

There are going to be some good threads to bump on the Mainboard. I think we need some perspective here. Played Boston, St Louis. A bad play in OT and it would have been 2 out 4 pts against 1-2 the best in the NHL. Isles were better than the Rangers friday, and really last night they were bad. The goaltending will get better, I think we will be alright when it does. I am not going to be spraining any ankles just yet, until I see how this team plays with a full line up and better goaltending.

THE LAST 17 GAMES OF THE SEASON:
Not good: We still have plenty of road games (ok, with the way they've played at the Coliseum this season, maybe that's a good thing).
Good: We have a game in hand on our two closest wild card competitors.
Also good: Nine of the remaining games are against teams outside of the playoffs, several playing for a high draft lottery spot at the moment.
Tough: They have five games left against division rivals still fighting for a playoff spot or jockeying for home ice in the playoffs.

In essence, everything lies in our own hands.

The boys just have to go out and DO IT. Take 9 of 17 and you're in!

But they need to start tonight!

Can't have Philly beating Washington, Columbus getting their daily loser point, and us not being able to beat Ottawa. It's not an option!

 

[The Winter Soldier]

THE LAST 17 GAMES OF THE SEASON:
Not good: We still have plenty of road games (ok, with the way they've played at the Coliseum this season, maybe that's a good thing).
Good: We have a game in hand on our two closest wild card competitors.
Also good: Nine of the remaining games are against teams outside of the playoffs, several playing for a high draft lottery spot at the moment.
Tough: They have five games left against division rivals still fighting for a playoff spot or jockeying for home ice in the playoffs.

In essence, everything lies in our own hands.

The boys just have to go out and DO IT. Take 9 of 17 and you're in!

But they need to start tonight!

Can't have Philly beating Washington, Columbus getting their daily loser point, and us not being able to beat Ottawa. It's not an option!

Agreed it does, it's in the Isles hands. The one change maybe Trotz can go back to is alternating Goalies. It seems the play of both goalies fell off when Varly was made #1, also interesting you mention Washington. They have slid to 5th OA from being #1 for the majority of the year. Alot can change in 10-15 games. I think its likely the Isles have gotten through their valley and we will see some better results soon.

 

[scottywiper]

It's all very well to say they need to dig deep.
They are nearly worst team in it at moment.
Look shot

 

[Big L]

Have we hit rock bottom yet, or is there still more to go?

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Have we hit rock bottom yet, or is there still more to go?

3/19 @ TOR

Tavares scoring a hat trick in a 5-0 drubbing, effectively knocking NYI out of the playoff race. That's rock bottom.

 

[JTToilinginToronto]

Have we hit rock bottom yet, or is there still more to go?

Still about a year or two to go.

Rock bottom will be when we're in last place in the Metro in 2021 or 2022.

 

[broncs918]

What contracts can we move in the Summer? Some of these stiffs have to go!
Can we get Lee to agree to a trade back to his hometown Min. In a deal?
Is Baileys contract one we can move?

 

[JTToilinginToronto]

What contracts can we move in the Summer? Some of these stiffs have to go!
Can we get Lee to agree to a trade back to his hometown Min. In a deal?
Is Baileys contract one we can move?

Only moveable contracts are Leddy and maybe Bailey.

Not sure why you'd want to move Bailey, though. For all his warts, there's absolutely no one to replace him with. Unless you want Tom Kuhnhackl in his spot next season.

 

[MJF]

What contracts can we move in the Summer? Some of these stiffs have to go!
Can we get Lee to agree to a trade back to his hometown Min. In a deal?
Is Baileys contract one we can move?

Realistically? Bailey, Leddy, Beauvillier, Clutterbuck, Cizikas, and Hickey have contracts that aren't encumbered with NM/NT clauses.

 

[Skip To My Lou]

Brassard was really good for us when he was paired with Brock and Beau during that win streak. Then when he started struggling, the team struggled as well.

Not correlating them, but he plays a significant role on our team with very little production. And when he's not scoring, he's kinda useless. At least Filppula did stuff well outside of scoring.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Hope to god Casey comes back soon. Only 1 single win* since he got cut.

*Against a historically bad team

 

[Kevin27NYI]

They all suck. The top six players are streaky and no finisher. Everbody except JGP and Cizikas in the bottom 6 are AHL'ers. My rant for the day. See you Thursday night! Ottawa will crush us.

Good point, unfortunately we have Beau, Brassard, Nelson and Bailey all seemingly slumping at the same time. No matter who you mix and match those four with in the middle six it isn't working. Tough spot to be in.

What also sucks is Ladd, Koivula, Bellows, Bardreau, Whalstrom combine for 41 games played and have 5 points between them. Reinforcements from Bridge didn't work this year.

Need the bottom 9 to find a groove.

 

[MJF]

Good point, unfortunately we have Beau, Brassard, Nelson and Bailey all seemingly slumping at the same time. No matter who you mix and match those four with in the middle six it isn't working. Tough spot to be in.

What also sucks is Ladd, Koivula, Bellows, Bardreau, Whalstrom combine for 41 games played and have 5 points between them. Reinforcements from Bridge didn't work this year.

Need the bottom 9 to find a groove.

PLAY THE KIDS!!!

 

[Kevin27NYI]

Hope to god Casey comes back soon. Only 1 single win* since he got cut.

*Against a historically bad team

I'm trying to look past this, he's the 4th line center. Now granted I wanna argue too that he's a straw that stirs the drink saying but he's out for a few weeks still and isn't skating. We need to get on with it.

 

[Strait2thecup]

Hope to god Casey comes back soon. Only 1 single win* since he got cut.

*Against a historically bad team

hey! We beat San Jose too!

 

[MJF]

I'm trying to look past this, he's the 4th line center. Now granted I wanna argue too that he's a straw that stirs the drink saying but he's out for a few weeks still and isn't skating. We need to get on with it.

That’s just it. He’s 4th line in name only.

17-53-15 is the line Trotz uses to open games and set the tone (identity line that he likes to talk about), take the last shift in regulation heading to OT, take crucial D Zone faceoffs. Cizikas also kills penalties. Casey is a key cog in Trotz’s lineup.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

PLAY THE KIDS!!!

it's the one thing that bothers me in these GDT's, like the call for Bellows. I really liked Bellows and I'm encouraged a lot that he's going to be an NHLer. His cup of coffee sold me at least. But he did have all his points in like 1 game.