Post-Game Talk: We Cane in like a wrecking Staal... Pens-2, Canes-1

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

yeah, no one is saying it, but Hornqvist blows too. not as much as Kunitz as that would be impossible anyway, but still...

edit: if JR really wants to make a splash he needs to deal Kunitz. I bet he knows it but I don't know if he has the guts to do it.

Horny blows when he's the 2nd most skilled/fast guy on his line. He's a 3rd wheel grinder. When the other winger is Kunitz he looks like garbage.

 

[Joejosh999]

What's the time table for Malkin? Thurs maybe?
And has BB just been shipped off to the Island for Misfit Toys?

 

[Jacob]

What's the time table for Malkin? Thurs maybe?
And has BB just been shipped off to the Island for Misfit Toys?

They've wrapped him in bubble wrap and he's on a strict 2-gallons-of-milk-per-day diet. They've also locked him inside a Planet Fitness.

 

[Corvidae]

+++ Fleury
+ Kessel
+ W
--------------------- BOOOORING!
------------------------- Can we please have a center back?
--------------------------------------------------------- WBS call ups are largely useless. They're all playing just good enough to not be bad and avoid actually stepping up. Except for Porter. He's just the greatest. A real game-breaker. Especially that one time he shot the puck in the general vicinity of the net then drifted back to the blueline.

By the by - I still think Sid has looked good in these last two games, albeit pointless. He's the focal point of the game.

Mostly, but when he starts to defer, he stops getting points instantly. It's baffling how this can randomly start happening. 3 on 3, two guys enter the zone, Sid comes in last with speed... then I swear he pulled up to look for a trailer. But whatever, he was probably just waiting for Kunitz to get somewhere.


--------------------------------------------------- But seriously, those first 2 periods and most of the 3rd were as interesting as adding wiper fluid to my car.

EDIT: Oh, and obvious +++ for Letang's backhand cookie-jar smasher to ice the SO.

 

[Hossa die Waldfee]

It's interesting that during the morning skate before this game Letang basically challenged Kessel.
As per the DK site (take that for what it is), Kessel scored an amazing laser shot of a goal on the PP and everyone was whooping it up - except Tanger. Letang told him "Hey, do that in a game" and apparently it wasn't joking around.

Who knows how legit the interpretation of the incident is, but I found that interesting. Given the fact that Kessel played really well last night (and I don't mean the goal only), I wonder if there's something to that story.

I'm not surprised. Letang always struck me as ultra competitive. Have a hard time remembering a sequence where he half assed it ever. Surprises me every time when they skip him for an "A".

 

[TheSniper26]

Mostly, but when he starts to defer, he stops getting points instantly. It's baffling how this can randomly start happening. 3 on 3, two guys enter the zone, Sid comes in last with speed... then I swear he pulled up to look for a trailer. But whatever, he was probably just waiting for Kunitz to get somewhere.

I understand the frustration with Sid passing off too much, and he's definitely been guilty of it a lot this season, but we can't reasonably expect Crosby to stop using his linemates. Not that you're expecting that but I do see that sentiment a lot around here. "OMG stop passing to Kunitz, Sid!!"... well, Kunitz is his LW regardless of how much we all hate it. He's supposed to pass to him. He has to in fact. Sid is great but not so great that he can dominate without using his teammates. No player is that great.

 

[Son Goku]

I understand the frustration with Sid passing off too much, and he's definitely been guilty of it a lot this season, but we can't reasonably expect Crosby to stop using his linemates. Not that you're expecting that but I do see that sentiment a lot around here. "OMG stop passing to Kunitz, Sid!!"... well, Kunitz is his LW regardless of how much we all hate it. He's supposed to pass to him. He has to in fact. Sid is great but not so great that he can dominate without using his teammates. No player is that great.

Crosby IS the focal point and IS the one who NEEDS to shoot, sorry if we have to hurt his butt buddy's feelings.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I've missed some games, including this one. Has Hornqvist really been THAT bad? A few games back he was in the middle of a streak where he was one of the more helpful and productive players on the team. I imagine he hasn't actually backslid that much. And I've always been a bit of a Horns skeptic.

Does Staal still look like he's skating around in a giant vat of marshmallow fluff?

 

[MrWilson*]

Is there anything this board won't blame on Kunitz?

 

[Corvidae]

Is there anything this board won't blame on Kunitz?

Yes. Kunitz doesn't put himself on the top line or not trade himself.

 

[MrWilson*]

Yes. Kunitz doesn't put himself on the top line or not trade himself.

Neither of those are gonna happen this season. CK is here to stay! Hey Hey!

They'd be better off trading Kessel. He's overpaid---for far too long and more importantly, for what a poor excuse of an NHL winger he is, especially next to Kunitz. There is no comparison--hence the reason he isn't skating with Sid (in addition to the fact that Sid doesn't want him there). He's just not that great a hockey player. Great shot and can skate when he feels like it. The rest? Mediocre and even just plain bad.

This board should direct its commentary towards Phil--he's gonna be here a lot longer and will cost the Penguins a lot more. He's also not gonna get any better. Won't happen. Do you people watch this guy on the ice?? You're all waiting for him to be worth $7M/season. Then he finally gets a lucky goal and the HF world is ticker-taping the guy, singing Crosby's praises despite the blip in his scoring streak and ripping Kunitz right and left.

Typical BS...

 

[mpp9]

That marked the end of the power-play drill, and Kessel and his mates skated back to center red, Kessel grinning and having a bit of playful fun with his fine shot, as is commonplace. None of it was a big deal. Skates are fun. They’re loose.

But it was then that Letang skated swiftly to catch up to Kessel and barked out, loud enough to be heard around the empty arena, “Hey!”

Kessel swung around, as if he knew it was being aimed his way.


“Do that in the game!” Letang finished.

No grin.

Dead silence.

Read into that what you will, but here’s what I found out upon further conversation: The Penguins had seen more than enough of Kessel’s level of emotion not matching the rest of the group.

But when I brought up Kessel’s suddenly elevated effort to a veteran player, offering this player the option to go right ahead and make any excuse he wanted for Kessel not having performed that way previously, here was the response: “Yeah, he worked hard tonight. We need to see that all the time. We need Phil. We need what he can bring to us.”

The inflection on “tonight” was that of the player. I didn’t add it.

And in reference to Crosby

He’s happiest right now because his progress is matching the team’s progress.

Same with Letang. Same with Fleury. Same with Malkin when he returns.

But the core clearly is pushing to add one more.

http://dkpittsburghsports.com/2016/02/13/column-penguins-push-to-finally-get-their-phil/

 

[IcedCapp]

Crosby IS the focal point and IS the one who NEEDS to shoot, sorry if we have to hurt his butt buddy's feelings.

Uh, what?

 

[#66]

Does anyone else really like what they see the few times Sid plays with Hagelin?

Sid really needs a player that can bring plays up ice when he gets tripled team. The thing is it cant be a player that crosses the blue line and shoots every time. Hags has that little bit of poise to his game that Dupuis didnt.

Really would love to see the Pens make a move for Frolik and maybe Hamilton.0. Mom

 

[td_ice]

Does anyone else really like what they see the few times Sid plays with Hagelin?

Sid really needs a player that can bring plays up ice when he gets tripled team. The thing is it cant be a player that crosses the blue line and shoots every time. Hags has that little bit of poise to his game that Dupuis didnt.

Really would love to see the Pens make a move for Frolik and maybe Hamilton.0. Mom

Yeah, his speed alone pushes the dmen back and creates some space in the separation for Sid, when Hagelin puck hounds or carries it.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I don't really disagree. Sid's lethal when he's shooting a ton, and it draws guys to him if they think he's gonna shoot, so that allows for more options with his playmaking ability.

In a perfect world, we'd have Sid with a shoot-first mentality, Hornqvist causing havoc around the net, and a skilled LW with speed, capable of dishing the puck as well as scoring himself.

Now, who that LW is, and whether he's available is the big question. The bigger one is what would we be willing to move for that guy?

 

[Joejosh999]

Sid simply needs somebody who the D has to pay attention to on rushes....it isn't Horny, though once they gain possession and cycle he's who you want in the crease.
But they desperately need SOMEBODY so that opposing teams in POs (as NYR demonstrated last week) cannot just collapse on Sid. Whether that is Hags or BB or Kessel, just somebody who can hurt them when the focus is on Crosby.

It isn't Horny, though I like him as the net front presence. It is in NO WAY Kunitz, and the NYR will laugh at us in April if we come in with KCH. I dunno if it could be Kessel. Dunno if it could be BB.

It just isn't Kunitz, and I want JR to go FU-MoneyBall on MS as soon as he gets a sniff of a decent return.

It has happened before, see Daley, Trevor.

 

[Harv]

Phil enjoying some beers in the sand.

 

[tom_servo]

Of course Phil keeps his shirt on.

Actually, for too long I thought the guy on the phone was Phil.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Horny blows when he's the 2nd most skilled/fast guy on his line. He's a 3rd wheel grinder. When the other winger is Kunitz he looks like garbage.

So we traded a point-per-game player for one who is only effective when there are two better players than him on his line?

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Phil enjoying some beers in the sand.

Great. How long until one of them is hurt in a horseshoe accident.

 

[sf expat71]

So we traded a point-per-game player for one who is only effective when there are two better players than him on his line?

Neal is no longer a point a game player. So it's not like he can carry a line either...

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Hopefully Kunitz horfs down one of those horseshoes for some added iron. We could use all of the value-boosting help we can get as we look to shop him.

/fantasyland

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Neal is no longer a point a game player. So it's not like he can carry a line either...

He was when he was with the Pens though. And actually had chemistry with both 87 and 71

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

So we traded a point-per-game player for one who is only effective when there are two better players than him on his line?

Except Hornqvist helps when hes not scoring
He has been scoring alot since Sullivan took over
Hes not the type to carry a line when Sid gets shut down ans neither is Neal.