With the new signings, is this where our real "window" starts

[zero8771]

Apologize if this should go into another thread, but I didnt want to talk Prospects and cap numbers specifically.

With Malkin and Crosby Pens until at least 2012, I think our chances to win the cup only get better. Our young prospects are the real reason behind this. While most of our D actually played well this year, I think with our young prospects developing we will have an even better core going forward then the past few years.

3-4 D men on ELC's or First contracts + Crosby/Malkin/Neal/Bennett for the first few years should give us a ton of flexibility. I know no one is thrilled to have Fleury and Byslma back next year, but most people seemed to act like our window was closing.

I think the next 5 years will be even better for the Pens than the last 5. When evaluating play, the only thing that made this year special was Crosby/Malkin/Dupuis/letang at times. The rest can be filled in by other NHL'ers. Thoughts?

Click to read more...

 

[IcedCapp]

TEH WINDOW DON'T EVEN OPEN TILL FLEURY IS CUT, BYSLMA IS FIRED, AND LETANG IS TRADED

/DonCherryVoice'd


edit: this is an interesting topic. We're now squarely in the middle of Crosby and Malkin's primes. The time is now. The future is present. The past is prologue. My pants are missing

 

[Crafton]

The past is prologue. My pants are missing

the past is never dead. it's not even past.

 

[Til the End of Time]

there will never be a greater opportunity to win the cup than they had this season.

and they blew it.

 

[WVP]

Not sure about a window but we're entering another phase. As in, there's likely to be a ton of turnover in the next 3-5 years... Shero needs to be able to restock on the fly and get the goalie situation under control.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

There is no doubt in my mind we are going to win more Cups down the road, of course there we are going to need other pieces to the puzzle and our kids to develop. So far I'm not disappointed with the way Bennett and Despres have played. If we can continue like this, I like our chance at a few more Cups!

 

[Kovifan27]

Based on the way rookies have been played I really doubt there is a point where we have a lot of young D. These kids are going to get jerked around for a couple of years. Some will leave.

DB has a problem playing Despres. What happens when he is given three "Despres"?

This year was one of the best chances...and it's gone.

 

[GaryT]

it's funny how people think this is the only great chance the Penguins will get. they had great chances before Malkin and Crosby were here, and they'll have them again when they're gone, and when they're still here.

other players will still want to play on the Penguins with Malkin and Crosby just like they did this year, and if they don't who cares, because the 2 best players in the world still play for the team.

 

[LetangInTheSO]

there will never be a greater opportunity to win the cup than they had this season.

and they blew it.

They will likely not have a better roster than they had this year in the near future. But the roster that won the Cup in 09 was inferior to the one that lost in 08...

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

All the people saying there won't be another great team like this one most of us said the same thing when we lost the Cup to the Wings and lost Hossa to them as well, just to win the Cup the following season

 

[zero8771]

there will never be a greater opportunity to win the cup than they had this season.

and they blew it.

Completely disagree.

We had Byslma as coach. A question at goaltender. Inconsistent lines and a shortened season(including shortened post trade deadline time).Crosby came into playoffs injured. Still some missing pieces on Defense.

I can easily see us coming into the playoffs next year with a stronger top 6 and a stronger overall D. Why was this year the best chance? Because of Morrow and Iginla?

 

[#66]

there will never be a greater opportunity to win the cup than they had this season.

and they blew it.

I never thought they were that good. They brought in some big names but they were slow, sloppy, only played well for three weeks this season and then blew chemistry at the end of the year.

I did think they would beat the Bruins though. Mostly because how they handled them all year not because they were that much better. Then the same old crap happens Disco's plan gets figured out and plays against the Pens look like GIFs. The same crap over and over again.

I'm kind of hoping that the Pens can pick up a quality bought out player at a great price as a UFA and give a kid like Bennett a quality role on the team. IMO a Kunitz-Crosby-Bennett line would work out well. Malkins line needs a LW with speed, some skill and some puck get ability. Then adjust if Bennetts not cutting it.

The D needs to be retooled... badly. The thing is that Disco's system is hard to play so just getting a big name isn't a good idea. That's how the Pens ended up wit Martin and Zib. IMO Despres and Bortuzzo can get some time and actually help the team. They held their own this season and looked pretty good doing it.

 

[Til the End of Time]

Completely disagree.

We had Byslma as coach. A question at goaltender. Inconsistent lines and a shortened season(including shortened post trade deadline time).Crosby came into playoffs injured. Still some missing pieces on Defense.

I can easily see us coming into the playoffs next year with a stronger top 6 and a stronger overall D. Why was this year the best chance? Because of Morrow and Iginla?

key players were largely healthy for the first time in several years. crosby, malkin, letang, fleury, etc should all be near the prime of their careers. they had an unusually large amount of cap space due to letang's contract and the staal deal. they had plenty of draft picks and prospects to improve the team. they had scoring depth and skill throughout the lineup that, at least on paper, hadnt been seen for some time.

it was the ideal scenario for the penguins and they blew it. on paper, i very much doubt the penguins will be a superior team next postseason.

 

[Kovifan27]

Completely disagree.

We had Byslma as coach. A question at goaltender. Inconsistent lines and a shortened season(including shortened post trade deadline time).Crosby came into playoffs injured. Still some missing pieces on Defense.

I can easily see us coming into the playoffs next year with a stronger top 6 and a stronger overall D. Why was this year the best chance? Because of Morrow and Iginla?

-DB is still coach (he blew it this year w/a stacked roster). Piss poor display by him.
-Goaltending was solved w/Vokouns play
-Lines were the fault of DB
-Shortened season meant fresher legs/less injuries
-Crosby's jaw wasn't near as bad as his past injuries as he played. We won the series he was hurt so that injury didn't hurt the team from advancing.

Iggy should have been left on the first PP and played with Crosby. He was misused.

Morrow was not put in front of the net. Was he brought in just for his leadership or to help the net presence/cycle?

 

[Darth Vitale]

Currently our window is heavily smeared with Dan Bylsma's greasy hand prints.

 

[Richard]

In all honesty, I don't see us winning a cup anytime soon.

 

[Pancakes]

Our window isn't any different now than it was last year or the year before. Ever since Malkin came over in 06, that's when our window started.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

To be honest, I think our window opens when guys like DP, Harrington, and maybe Maatta are on the roster. And by then the coaching staff is either different or more experienced.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Our Window begins when Bylsma learns to adapt to play the against a trapping team or is replaced.

 

[Hockeygod66]

There is no doubt in my mind we are going to win more Cups down the road, of course there we are going to need other pieces to the puzzle and our kids to develop. So far I'm not disappointed with the way Bennett and Despres have played. If we can continue like this, I like our chance at a few more Cups!

Yeah I felt that way three years ago.

 

[spcastlemagic]

Both Sid and Geno have endured some serious injuries over the last few seasons. They are comparatively healthy going into this off season. Hopefully, they can have some extended periods of good health (and luck) in the seasons ahead. I have to imagine as long as they are here, we are a playoff team. The rest of your team has to be amazing to win the cup.

There is a window for the next nine years. That's awesome.

 

[lastcupever75]

there will never be a greater opportunity to win the cup than they had this season.

and they blew it.

the blackhawks werent going to be an easy out.

they are a more complete team. we have a fancier offensive team but thats not what wins playoffs games

 

[Sidgeni Malkby]

-DB is still coach (he blew it this year w/a stacked roster). Piss poor display by him.
-Goaltending was solved w/Vokouns play
-Lines were the fault of DB
-Shortened season meant fresher legs/less injuries
-Crosby's jaw wasn't near as bad as his past injuries as he played. We won the series he was hurt so that injury didn't hurt the team from advancing.

Iggy should have been left on the first PP and played with Crosby. He was misused.

Morrow was not put in front of the net. Was he brought in just for his leadership or to help the net presence/cycle?

+1
+1
+1
+1
+1
+1

I would have said exactly everything you said.
Well...I probably would have missed the fresher legs part

Morrow...front of the net. Every frigging highlight replay of Morrow on Youtube shows him in front of the net, yet FDB thinks otherwise.

Iginla...left side PP. I guess if we were a left-shot, then he'd get that spot...right?

 

[vyktor]

-DB is still coach (he blew it this year w/a stacked roster). Piss poor display by him.
-Goaltending was solved w/Vokouns play
-Lines were the fault of DB
-Shortened season meant fresher legs/less injuries
-Crosby's jaw wasn't near as bad as his past injuries as he played. We won the series he was hurt so that injury didn't hurt the team from advancing.

Iggy should have been left on the first PP and played with Crosby. He was misused.

Morrow was not put in front of the net. Was he brought in just for his leadership or to help the net presence/cycle?

IMO Crosby looked like a much different player when he took the jaw protector off. He was tentative and sloppy in the first 2 Bruins games.
Morrow was too slow to get to the net on the first 2 lines.

 

[Fordy]

If Bylsma stays for the next two years you can basically write them off. He's ruined a lineup that was 10 times better than any we'll have over these next two seasons. After he's gone, god willing that happens, then we'll have a chance.