Post-Game Talk: Wings 1 - Pens 5 - The ColePens Gets Horny (And Then Takes Out ZAR) Edition

[Ogrezilla]

Yeah, but Sullivan doesn’t seem like the biggest fan of Riikola, Marino is a rookie, Letang is fragile, Letang can’t be stuck with JJ, Dumoulin’s quality of play/fitness has to be in question, Schultz is fragile, JJ-Schultz is ugly, etc. I think JR adds a D.

If we do, I expect we swap one of our D, not add one. Having 9 NHL d-men just isn't reasonable imo. If nothing else, someone would have to be sent down, right? But none of them are waiver exempt?

 

[ChaosAgent]

I think the fact we are basing a line around McCann after Malkin and Rust have literally
saved our season says all it needs to about McCann on wing. But, let’s keep banging that drum.

He's too good to play so little as a platoon 3rd line center.

Perhaps we keep him around as our resident backup 2C given Sid/Geno's perpetual injury issues.

 

[Ogrezilla]

He's too good to play so little as a platoon 3rd line center.

Perhaps we keep him around as our resident backup 2C given Sid/Geno's perpetual injury issues.

is he? And if so, isn't that a good thing? Having guys who are "too good" for their role seems like a great way to win.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Not sure what the problem is.

The Pens are incapable of having a healthy roster so anyone who still has at least three quarters of their body parts functioning will get plenty of playing time.

 

[ChaosAgent]

is he? And if so, isn't that a good thing? Having guys who are "too good" for their role seems like a great way to win.

Depends on whatcha pay them. Do you pay for the "role" or the "too good?"

 

[Speaking Moistly]

If we do, I expect we swap one of our D, not add one. Having 9 NHL d-men just isn't reasonable imo. If nothing else, someone would have to be sent down, right? But none of them are waiver exempt?

There could be a swap and that wouldn’t be a surprise either. At least get an improvement or a player Sullivan won’t play Ruhwedel on the left over, Right now they’re carrying 14 active forwards and 3 can go down. Depending on dumoulin’s return date and whatever is going on with Bjugstad, add a D and carry less forwards. With Riikola being a wing option in a pinch they have more flexibility there.

13F, 8D, 2G
Dumoulin comes back, 12F, 8D, 2G, Riikola doing either.

The later you expect Dumoulin back the less risky that becomes.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

I gonna regret this as soon as I press “post”, but:

putting ourselves in protective bubbles where no ones ever allowed to talk about anything uncomfortable has been working out spectacularly for us the past decade

I think it has worked out great for this board. We stick to hockey and fashion (HF ) while the rest of the net rolls in the mud with their BS.

-posting from the comfort of my sweatpants.

 

[ziggyjoe212]

Yeah, but Sullivan doesn’t seem like the biggest fan of Riikola, Marino is a rookie, Letang is fragile, Letang can’t be stuck with JJ, Dumoulin’s quality of play/fitness has to be in question, Schultz is fragile, JJ-Schultz is ugly, etc. I think JR adds a D.

Dumo coming back would solve all problems. Letang Dumo is one of the best D pairings in the league. Marino Pettersson is a solid #2. JJ Schultz is a solid #3 pairing. Ruh and Rikola are reliable bench guys.

 

[edog37]

It was a good win today. You play who is on the schedule but right now on the heels of the Craps.

 

[mpp9]

Granted, maybe I wasn't watching the game closely enough, but I didn't see McCann as the problem on that 2nd line today. It had a great game on Friday and I thought it struggled today more due to Rust than McCann.

Malkin was visibly frustrated all game. Banging his stick off the bench and going straight to the bench after McCann pulled a spaz throwing the play offsides.

He's a good player. Just not someone who's gonna work with 87 or 71. IMO.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

The Pens have scored 39 goals more than their opponents.

The Caps have scored 29 goals more than their opponents.

Detroit? Detroit has scored ONE HUNDRED AND SIX goals FEWER than their opponents.

 

[wheelz87]

Side fun note.. Rusty looks frustrated so he freaking LEVELED 2 guys in the 3rd period up 5 1. Absolutely lit 'em up.

pretty sure sid got a shift with like 30 seconds left and lit some dude up? I think I saw it right

 

[ChaosAgent]

I now think the answer is simply that McCann is heavily reliant on his cannon from range to rack up points because he's not good enough at executing at pace to make plays/doesn't hang around the net enough, and good lines don't allow that too much. Which means that I'm souring pretty fast on him as a top 6 option and for me, Kahun can't be back soon enough.

Maybe you're right on this. The guy might just be a dynamite third liner due to his sheer physical ability but just doesn't have the hockey IQ to truly crack it in a good top 6.

I guess we can keep him around for that...we're paying Brandon Tanev $3.5M/year to be an elite bottom-sixer, after all. But I'd just be disappointed.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Dumo coming back would solve all problems. Letang Dumo is one of the best D pairings in the league. Marino Pettersson is a solid #2. JJ Schultz is a solid #3 pairing. Ruh and Rikola are reliable bench guys.

Only issue is that Riikola's better than Schultz at this point.

 

[LOGiK]

Malkin was visibly frustrated all game. Banging his stick off the bench and going straight to the bench after McCann pulled a spaz throwing the play offsides.

He's a good player. Just not someone who's gonna work with 87 or 71. IMO.

Geno just gotta chill out. Last game was McCann smashing his stick screaming on the bench... now this game Malkin?
He lost Jake. Rust cooled off. Kahun out. What do you expect Geno?
Just keep at it... it'll come. If he is this mad this year he must of f***ing been ready to go off like a mega bomb last season.
Just remember Geno...

 

[ChaosAgent]

Geno just gotta chill out. Last game was McCann smashing his stick screaming on the bench... now this game Malkin?
He lost Jake. Rust cooled off. Kahun out. What do you expect Geno?
Just keep at it... it'll come. If he is this mad this year he must of ****ing been ready to go off like a mega bomb last season.
Just remember Geno...

Nah, Geno knew pretty well that he was doomed last season being hitched to Kessel and JJ. And he was playing badly himself.

This year he knows he is far better and he maybe feels like he should be fitting better with McCann but just isn't.

Geno's stick-smashing is getting a little bit scary though. Feels like he's gonna mess up, hurt someone and get a 20-game suspension sometime soon. I wish he'd cut down on it.

 

[LOGiK]

Nah, Geno knew pretty well that he was doomed last season being hitched to Kessel and JJ. And he was playing badly himself.

This year he knows he is far better and he maybe feels like he should be fitting better with McCann but just isn't.

Geno's stick-smashing is getting a little bit scary though. Feels like he's gonna mess up, hurt someone and get a 20-game suspension sometime soon. I wish he'd cut down on it.

Missed the game entirely so I can't say, but I know it's not the first game either Malkin and McCann visibly upset.

Look... 25 games left in the season... 18 points from the post season... a frenzy of games coming up the next month...

nothing stupid please... stay healthy...

 

[vodeni]

Missed the game entirely so I can't say, but I know it's not the first game either Malkin and McCann visibly upset.

Look... 25 games left in the season... 18 points from the post season... a frenzy of games coming up the next month...

nothing stupid please... stay healthy...

yes its really the same Geno upset and McCann upset....reminds me of that fight Craig Adams and Geno when the media acted as boys being boys...

 

[Fordy]

i think it's been clear for a few games that mccann should be back at 3c/4c/let's call it a bottom 6 center. not sure what's taking so long

 

[Randy Butternubs]

+Riikola had more than 12 minutes.

 

[Andy99]

i think it's been clear for a few games that mccann should be back at 3c/4c/let's call it a bottom 6 center. not sure what's taking so long

Kahun being out is why it's taking so long...at least I hope...

 

[Shady Machine]

i think it's been clear for a few games that mccann should be back at 3c/4c/let's call it a bottom 6 center. not sure what's taking so long

Garbage depth at top 6 wingers for Malkin. Who do you want them to play with Malkin-Rust?

 

[Beauner]

Kahun being out is why it's taking so long...at least I hope...

Common sense would dictate kahun back to malkin's line and McCann centering horny and someone else.

 

[JTG]

I don't know what it would take to get Athanasiou but I think he'd fit in well here.

And when Hornqvist gets into the groove like he has been the last handful of games, we have to pray to the hockey Gods that Hallander turns out how his scouting report reads. I think Hornqvist is a guy that Seattle may consider taking for the leadership alone.

 

[Andy99]

Common sense would dictate kahun back to malkin's line and McCann centering horny and someone else.

I'm hoping we"ll see that...the only ? is the LW situation...who knows anything about ZAR's injury...will Sully keep Tanev at LW for the time being...

Zucker-Sid-Simon
Kahun-G-Rust
Tanev-Blueger-Horny
XX-McCann-Lafferty

they may choose to keep Ag at center and McCann at LW, maybe even McCann-Blueger-Tanev with the same 4th line as played against DET