Pens 12/14-12/31

[COOL MAN]

Eklund is at it again today; he thinks the possibility is high the Pens and Ducks are talking seriously about Cam Fowler. That's a name which has been thrown around quite a bit recently given the Ducks early season problems; but I admit I don't watch Anaheim enough to know exactly why.

He's historically a consistent 35 point guy, so it's clear he plays an offensive-minded game. But I guess the Ducks.....or at least their fans.....must consider him an underachiever coming off the 10/30/40 season he had as a rookie in 2010. He's got decent size at 6-1 207; but judging from his PIM's (81 total in 5+ season in the League), he doesn't appear to play a very physical game. The Ducks, being a fairly physical team, leads one to assume that's a game they'd prefer he play.

If Anaheim is sincerely interested moving him to Pittsburgh, I find it hard to believe they'd make any deal with Pittsburgh that doesn't include Derrick Pouliot. Of course, with a cap hit of $4 million for the next 2 seasons after this, the Ducks would have to take back some salary. Wonder if that could be someone like, say, Chris Kunitz returning to Anaheim. I also assume the Pens would like to squeeze back a pick to make up in some small manner for the extent to which GMJR got fleeced on the Simon Despres deal.

Given this is an Eklund rumor, there's probably nothing at all to it. Regardless, I just hope GMJR wouldn't be thinking about sacrificing yet another future #1 to somehow make this deal happen. I also hope a deal like this doesn't require them to move Hornqvist (who has a much higher cap hit, and the Ducks are not a cap team) rather than Kunitz.

 

[COOL MAN]

In a separate issue, former Pens beat writer (and now blogger) Dejan Kovacevic turned the tables and took Rob Rossi to the woodshed (regarding his recent personal hammering of Mario and GMJR) on Scott Laughlin and Boomer Gordon's "Power Play" show on NHLN Radio this afternoon.

Gordon, as has been his recent convention, started laying into Rutherford for his supposedly awful assembly of this roster. DK responded by asking him who out there has been legitimately critical of the Pens' recent roster moves (Kessel, in particular) as well as Sid's supposedly growing reputation as a coach killer. Gordon, of course, has been as critical as most anyone.

Anyway, Gordon quickly mentioned Rossi; after which DK responded with something essentially akin to a snort. DK and Rossi have known one another for a long time as former Penguin beat writers......DK with the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, and Rossi with the Pittsburgh Tribune Review......and it's clear DK thinks about as much of Rossi's opinion of the team as he does mine. DK vocally defended Crosby as a huge team guy, and claims he did everything possible to support MJ.

Gordon quickly shut up; my guess is he walked out of the studio spitting nails after hearing his new favorite Pittsburgh media guy (Rossi) get bitch-slapped. Laughlin continued the interview; Gordon later re-entered the conversation by stating (though honestly not disrespectfully) that he and DK just weren't going to agree on anything in that interview.

DK also respectfully asked both Laughlin and Gordon.....in a personal indictment of MJ's "system" (something he claimed essentially did not exist)...... if among other things, if there were any other elite centers in the League (beside Sid and Geno) who were being asked to carry the puck from the defensive circles the length of the ice beside Anze Kopitar and Jonathan Toews. Neither Gordon nor Laughlin could name any.

DK also took.....in a discussion of the team's problem power play......Kris Letang to task as an awful PP guy. DK said Letang is just way to loathe the shoot; and when he does, a majority are blocked (which we all agree with). He also mentioned how well Warshofsky has been received by Management in his short time with the team; in that he basically just loads up and fires every time he gets the puck at the point on the PP. Apparently, Warshofsky is playing with the #1 PP unit now.

Anyway, it was pretty compelling radio, if for no other reason than it's very unusual to hear a local media guy take a cohort to task quite to this extent. DK admittedly came off as a Pens homer; but considering the extent to which the team has been getting lambasted on NHLN Radio, I myself didn't mind.

I'll also be very surprised if Kovacevic is ever asked to come back on the Power Play show.

 

[torontoeers]

Atta boy Mr. Bonino...take that fella Chorney to the ice! Things getting nice and chippy now...I imagine the 3rd cross check was about enough for Bonino...this should light the fire I would think....and Wilson figures its football rather than hockey with that tackle? No call...unreal....

 

[torontoeers]

And btw...these latest developments are certainly interesting CM...it seems that even the (local) media is taking sides now...and if nothing else it is entertaining! .....I'll give ya my 2 cents that way tomorrow. ...need to get a goal or 2 here in the third...the message has been sent in the late second...cant wait to see the third...

 

[COOL MAN]

How bad must the Black Hawks want to rid themselves of Trevor Daley that they'd actually be willing to take a slug like Scuderi off the Pens' hands ???

 

[torontoeers]

Scuds gone? It is certainly nice to get him off the books but I don't know much on the Daley contract details...
And it is painfully obvious that Cole is outmatched out there, he needs to do better, which I know is a tall task with such a thin D corps...

 

[torontoeers]

Lol...you and I were thinkin same!

 

[torontoeers]

Well...there goes that...

It is becoming all to apparent to me that the Pens young talent drafted to replace guys like Niskanen and Orpik, really aren't coming around...Letang would help, but honestly he would not have made the difference tonight, especially with the way he was playing before the injury...so why can the Craps manage to do it after signing our former D men for BIG bucks? Maybe this isn't GMJR's fault in terms of the drafting, but he has failed to address the glaring needs on D, and elected to trade for Kessel. He didn't cost a lot but costs enough on a cap that could be spent wisely elsewhere...
Perhaps they will come around (Warshovsky looked pretty good out there imo on the whole anyway) with the changes behind the bench...GMJR sure as heck hopes so!

 

[Euell]

Well...there goes that...

It is becoming all to apparent to me that the Pens young talent drafted to replace guys like Niskanen and Orpik, really aren't coming around...Letang would help, but honestly he would not have made the difference tonight, especially with the way he was playing before the injury...so why can the Craps manage to do it after signing our former D men for BIG bucks? Maybe this isn't GMJR's fault in terms of the drafting, but he has failed to address the glaring needs on D, and elected to trade for Kessel. He didn't cost a lot but costs enough on a cap that could be spent wisely elsewhere...
Perhaps they will come around (Warshovsky looked pretty good out there imo on the whole anyway) with the changes behind the bench...GMJR sure as heck hopes so!

You guys know, as a whole, I don't know much about these things. However, it is nice to have a HC who looks like a head coach and not like a funeral director/mortician and does not look lost on the bench. Maybe they can get it together against the Bruins tomorrow night. If nothing else we should see more shots taken with Sullivan at the helm.

 

[COOL MAN]

Well...there goes that...

It is becoming all to apparent to me that the Pens young talent drafted to replace guys like Niskanen and Orpik, really aren't coming around...Letang would help, but honestly he would not have made the difference tonight, especially with the way he was playing before the injury...so why can the Craps manage to do it after signing our former D men for BIG bucks? Maybe this isn't GMJR's fault in terms of the drafting, but he has failed to address the glaring needs on D, and elected to trade for Kessel. He didn't cost a lot but costs enough on a cap that could be spent wisely elsewhere...Perhaps they will come around (Warshovsky looked pretty good out there imo on the whole anyway) with the changes behind the bench...GMJR sure as heck hopes so!

I assume the team will get it's now customary roast-job today in the hockey press; but I thought they actually looked pretty good last night (though with their standard problem of finding the net). The bigger current concern is whether Sully can motivate them to give that kind of effort every night, or if they fall back into their more typical ways.

The team's problems on defense fall squarely in GMJR's lap, and he knows it. Of course, the Orpik deal.....as little as two years later.....remains as silly today as when he signed it; presumably, the Craps are already starting to regret it during this extended injury problem (and it's only going to get worse as time goes on). But when guys like Alzner, Carlson, Kuznetsov, and Wilson need new deals, they're going to be pining for cap space; and BO's will be the first they're going to look to flush.

The Pens also were never going to offer Paul Martin the 4-year deal he got from San Jose; so, while he was clearly their most reliable best D-man last season.....and perhaps the last 2 or 3 seasons.....he was never going to resign here with that kind of FA offer in hand. I'll be watching him from a distance regarding his ability to remain healthy, as well.

But, the Niskanen loss has proven to be far more problematic. His reputation obviously skyrocketed during his time in Pittsburgh, and by all apparent standards, he both liked playing in Pittsburgh and appreciated the opportunity he was given here. He signed with the Craps for a pretty healthy cap number ($5.75 million/season); but in today's NHL, a defenseman who can skate and shoot and stay healthy and help your team win isn't at all overpaid at that number.

This may not be any kind of revelation, but I assume most Pens fans currently would rather have Niskanen at his cap number than Kris Letang at $7.25 million. Of course, Letang's number......he's overpaid by at least $1.25 million/season.....was Ray Shero's fault. Even today, I feel this contract......as much as any other single reason.....is what finally drove the stake in Shero's back (even though Mario and Morehouse had to approve it).

For that reason, I've been thinking that Rutherford could be trying to begin the team rebuild by moving Letang; perhaps the Cam Fowler rumors are driven by equivalent rumors that KL is available. But his cap number obviously makes him rough to deal, especially when he's not producing. How about Letang for Phaneuf, straight up ?? Not sure that's a viable deal, right now......though at least he's close buddies with Kessel.

As for Kessel, I wish he'd just start hitting the net once in awhile; I don't have his stats, but I'll bet if you count them up, his sheer number of scoring chances is actually pretty decent. But man, this guy misses the net an awful lot......and worse, from point blank range. Like most Pens fans, I want to like this guy......but he's beginning to make it hard. You know better than anyone that he's hardly the kind of player who inspires passion.....at least positive passion......among the fans.

You guys know, as a whole, I don't know much about these things. However, it is nice to have a HC who looks like a head coach and not like a funeral director/mortician and does not look lost on the bench. Maybe they can get it together against the Bruins tomorrow night. If nothing else we should see more shots taken with Sullivan at the helm.

I actually agree with you, Euell......the team needed some kind of enema; though whether or not Sullivan is the right guy to do the jamming remains to be seen. Unfortunately, I just don't know enough about the nuances of the game to understand what was "wrong" about MJ's system, and what MS can do "better".

Unfortunately, 1 goal in 45 shots isn't going to do anything for anyone, no matter who's behind the bench. What I found interesting is they got beaten so badly on the scoreboard last night given the fact Ovechkin was essentially a no-show. Of course, TJ Oshie was a one-man wrecking crew where nobody.......at least outside Kunitz......tried to make him pay for the Bennett shot. I wonder if MS will be asking GMJR for more size and sandpaper.

Speaking of Kessel, why is it......in the back of my mind.....that I'm wondering if he and Sullivan might not end up liking one another very much ??

 

[COOL MAN]

Boomer Gordon was at it again today on Sirius XM......

When Scott Laughlin mentioned the Scuderi for Daley deal, Gordon was extremely quick to point out that the $1 million of Scuderi's salary the Pens retained makes Daley effectively a $4.3 million player. Absolutely undeniably true, but he just couldn't wait to get some other media hack (from Edmonton, I think) on there to trumpet how he wouldn't be shocked if Scuderi mysteriously became the "latest" in successful Black Hawks reclamation defense projects.

Maybe that happens......that is, if he plays with Keith, Seabrook, or Hjalmarsson (which isn't going to happen). I assume the hack was referring to Kimmo Timonen and the Cup he won playing out last year's string on the Hawks blue line. But I don't recall him doing anything noteworthy; and Scuderi will be fortunate to do that much.

He flat couldn't get out of his own end with Pittsburgh; how in the hell is he all-of-a-sudden going to rediscover his legs just because he's playing in Chicago ?? Something tells me they're going to bench him mostly permanently.......except in the case of injury......when they see how immobile he's become.

The point the hack was ultimately trying to make is the Hawks made the deal to gain the million in cap space; and that may end up being true (and probably makes Scuds cheap enough to sit upstairs most nights as the emergency/7th defenseman). OTOH, how many points is Daley going to have to score to get anyone on NHLN Radio (outside maybe Laughlin) to say anything good about the deal the rest of the season ??

 

[COOL MAN]

Meanwhile, today's really big news is that Flower will be out for an indefinite amount of time (at least a couple weeks) due to concussion symptoms from last night. I myself don't recall him specifically getting nailed; maybe I looked away. Matt Murray has been called up from WB/S to take his roster place.

As for Beau Bennett, his UBI (reportedly his collarbone) is expected to keep him out 4-6 weeks.

 

[torontoeers]

Heard that re Flower on the way home...what a drag that is...he has held the Pens in games that they had no business winning this year, and played fairly well on the whole imo. Let's hope it isn't too long or too serious for that matter...

Is Gordon smoking crack (similar to the TO ex mayor) or just up to his usual anti Pens antics?!? I suspect it's both...funny thing I saw in LA was an old Scuds jersey on some sorry sap in the concourse...yes I had a chuckle....and yes it's plain to see (yeah I feel comfortable saying already) we won this deal a mil poorer or not...at least Daley can skate!
Feel terrible for young Mr. Bennett...can't catch a break health wise...damn!

 

[COOL MAN]

Heard that re Flower on the way home...what a drag that is...he has held the Pens in games that they had no business winning this year, and played fairly well on the whole imo. Let's hope it isn't too long or too serious for that matter...

Is Gordon smoking crack (similar to the TO ex mayor) or just up to his usual anti Pens antics?!? I suspect it's both...funny thing I saw in LA was an old Scuds jersey on some sorry sap in the concourse...yes I had a chuckle....and yes it's plain to see (yeah I feel comfortable saying already) we won this deal a mil poorer or not...at least Daley can skate!
Feel terrible for young Mr. Bennett...can't catch a break health wise...damn!

With all my bitching and moaning about Gordon recently, the fact of the matter is that he really was positive toward the team coming off their Cup win in '09.

On his NHLN Radio shows....I admit I've never really known what he represents in the local Toronto media.......he was on the same wavelength as most other media types in terms of predicting something approaching a Finals appearance pretty much every season after they won the Cup in '09. But their underachievement year after year finally started getting to him.....and the tide really turned when they got demolished in the conference Finals by the Bruins. That turned him, like most NHL media-types, toward the newer flavors of the month (Bruins, Kings, and Black Hawks) while the Pens continued to disappoint.

He finally jumped ship totally on the Pens after '13-'14, and basically started hammering them at every turn when they flushed Shero; who still has never seemed to bear much of the criticism in the media for the team's underachievement. How the team (meaning Mario) then left Disco Dan flapping in the wind.....even though he was still going to be paid for the 2 full seasons remaining on his contract, which also was never well reported.....after Shero got canned only made things worse.

Make no mistake about it, Mario himself has very few supporters at NHLN Radio these days. And the fact they eventually hired Rutherford......the butt of a lot of long-term jokes at that Network in his own right.....finally nailed the lid on the team's coffin. And Rutherford just threw more gas on the fire when he made the trade for Kessel; every bit the villain at NHLN Radio as he is among the rest of Leafs Nation.

Meanwhile, Dejan Kovacevic (as you might expect) has taken the opposite tack on the Scuderi trade. His position is how GMJR found someone to take Scuds off the team's hands.....and actually pay a full 2/3 of his salary.....while getting a player Daley's caliber in return.....makes him something approaching a miracle worker. Clearly, you won't hear that kind of perspective from anyone outside Pittsburgh.....but at least somebody locally is trying.

Meanwhile, let me know what Boomer Gordon's place is in the Toronto media; I'd honestly like to know if he's visible and active locally (or simply some fan who was incredibly lucky to have parlayed his love for the game into this satellite gig).

 

[torontoeers]

Re: Mr Gordon...I briefly remember him when we had the free Sirius trial when we bought our car about a year ago...my buddy has Sirius and says he loves Laughlin but unfortunately has had to turn the show off completely because of Boomer...he still listens to the other shows (can't remember if it's the morning or afternoon shows)...He also mentioned this guy is an unabashed Isles fan??? How he could come down on any other team with such venom after the years of futility on the island I have no idea?!?...also mentioned he gets an earful from Sabres fans quite often too...
After posing the question to a few others around here the response was 'WHO???' complete with bewildered face lol...guess that tells you enough about good ole Boomer...

One I heard today from Eric Francis (Calgary beat writer, if you are unaware, with a national following, who I'm both hot and cold on from time to time)...Calgary has a plethora of D men and given Burkie's past propensity to not sit still (although he's been pretty patient of late), he wants to upgrade/bolster the offense up front...I would be very interested in acquiring one of their young D men...ANY ONE of about 4 or 5 of them...Goudreau is gonna get paid $$$ soon, as well as a few more...I wonder what it would cost to pull one of them outta there? Kunitz and pay some of his deal plus a prospect? I don't think Burkie's gonna get fleeced again like he was with Toronto on the 2 1st's for Kessel deal, but Francis feels he'll want to deal to combat of all things the offensively powered McDavid-less Oil...

 

[torontoeers]

I guess we could also ask.....

WHO dresses this guy in the morning!?!

 

[COOL MAN]

That's a fairly typical photographed look for Gordon; not sure the guy owns anything other than tees and hoodies, and gym and cargo shorts......though maybe he has a pair of jeans which he puts on when he goes to the ACC for games in the middle of February.

So, he's largely unknown......or at least well off the beaten path.....in the Toronto media. It's not like he tries to act like he's all that connected in town. And he's never been a huge Leafs fan; though he clearly likes them a whole lot more these days with Kessel out and Babcock (and Lou) in.

He's always been very candid as to his allegiance to the Islanders, though I myself have never heard exactly why. I guess I've always assumed he started pulling for the Isles when he was a kid when they were good......or maybe he's just a huge Denis Potvin or Mike Bossy fan. He has a history of being fairly rough on the Oil.....he basically treated them like a laughing stock (perhaps justifiably) when they started going through GM's after Kevin Lowe left town.

He was particularly hard on the team when Steve Tambellini was going through Renney, Krueger, and (especially) Dallas Eakins behind the bench. But with McDavid (and McLellan) there, that's gone by the wayside. Also, as a Bruins supporter......he's definitely stereotypical in that he'll always prefer the hitters to the skaters..... he's a huge Peter Chiarelli fan

I myself never considered him to be a cheap-shot artist previously, and perhaps he isn't necessarily doing it to the Pens now. But there's not a team in the League against whom he's more openly critical; mostly because he's one of the few who clearly called out the Pens to miss the playoffs this season. He'll find something nice to say about almost everyone, including really shitty franchises like Florida and Carolina (well not so much about the Canes).....but definitely not the Penguins these days.

As I've said before, he absolutely thinks Rutherford is as shitty as there is in the League, and he loves to take shots at Mario over (among other things) the Shero and Bylsma firings.....and that's even though I personally never found him to be any kind of exceptional supporter of either while they were in Pittsburgh. And like most Canadian cement-heads, Crosby (and Malkin) are old news to him,

He's spent most of his time the past couple years genuflecting more toward players like Bergeron, Doughty, Getzlaf, Kane, Karlsson, Keith, Kopitar, Lundqvist, Price, Pietrangelo, Suter, Tavares, Toews, and Weber.....and now newer guys like Benn, Gaudreau, Ovechkin (at least now that Trotz has gotten him to join the system somewhat), and Seguin.

 

[torontoeers]

CM...This Sirius show talk got me to thinkin as well...There is a show I listen to here on the way home (on between 4-7 pm radio, and 5-6 pm tv Canada wide) 'Primetime Sports' on Rogers Sportsnet radio/tv...the host is Bob (I can't buy a vowel) McCown. He's a Columbus OH transplant that's been living and working up here since the 70's when he started as the Blue Jays field announcer...When I first tuned in MANY years ago he rubbed me the wrong way a bit, but since that time he has become my favorite broadcaster / show host bar none...really knows his stuff. It revolves around all sports and is somewhat Toronto centric but during the National hour broadcast far less so. He really covers the business of sports better than any other I have heard, and has the big names from major US publications SI/ ESPN etc on almost daily (today it was Richard Dietcsh). It is more of a conversation on his show than debate style programming which is quite up my alley personally...I think you would thoroughly enjoy as well...I will try and locate a link for you to stream at your leisure unless you get the Sportsnet feed down there I'm not sure? ...
http://www.sportsnet.ca/590/prime-time-sports/
Here Is a link to try if you want...

 

[COOL MAN]

Sprong reassigned to Charlottetown in the Q this morning; sounds like an acknowledgment they've run out of ideas regarding how to try and use him while the team is in free fall.

 

[COOL MAN]

So, the team says Sid has an LBI and is likely out for tonight's night game versus Columbus. It's obviously no secret what he's been doing lately isn't working......for that reason alone, he might actually benefit from watching a game from the lounge boxes.

But now he's got this mysterious LBI, something I myself didn't notice versus Carolina (though, I admit I wasn't watching the game that closely). With Columbus coming to town......and with Brandon Dubinsky (not to mention Foligno, Hartnell, and Jenner) always ready to pick up with his act where he left off last game......I'm wondering if the team is actually sitting Sid more for protection than anything else.

Besides, it gets a pissed off (and far better playing) Geno on the ice for a few more minutes; though you have to assume he'll be called for at least one extra retaliation minor tonight than the customary couple he usually earns versus Columbus. And who knows; maybe if he gets another one-on-one with the goaltender tonight......and again, with a second to set and shoot.....he'll actually hit the net this time.

But it keeps Sid's back away from Dubinsky's stick.....and his head away from all the other Columbus elbows. So, I say go ahead and give Sid tonight (and the rest of this week) off and bring him back in a better frame of mind for the tough upcoming back-to-back on the road this weekend at Minnesota and Winnipeg.

 

[torontoeers]

So, the team says Sid has an LBI and is likely out for tonight's night game versus Columbus. It's obviously no secret what he's been doing lately isn't working......for that reason alone, he might actually benefit from watching a game from the lounge boxes.

But now he's got this mysterious LBI, something I myself didn't notice versus Carolina (though, I admit I wasn't watching the game that closely). With Columbus coming to town......and with Brandon Dubinsky (not to mention Foligno, Hartnell, and Jenner) always ready to pick up with his act where he left off last game......I'm wondering if the team is actually sitting Sid more for protection than anything else.

Besides, it gets a pissed off (and far better playing) Geno on the ice for a few more minutes; though you have to assume he'll be called for at least one extra retaliation minor tonight than the customary couple he usually earns versus Columbus. And who knows; maybe if he gets another one-on-one with the goaltender tonight......and again, with a second to set and shoot.....he'll actually hit the net this time.

But it keeps Sid's back away from Dubinsky's stick.....and his head away from all the other Columbus elbows. So, I say go ahead and give Sid tonight (and the rest of this week) off and bring him back in a better frame of mind for the tough upcoming back-to-back on the road this weekend at Minnesota and Winnipeg.

And herein lies an amount of sense I have not seen on this board in a long time! Well said CM....if there ever were a preferred time to sit him out this would be it....let's hope they get the much needed W...

On a side note the Pens have now managed to be on the but end of more than one joke on Toronto sports radio....this is not cool...in fact, it makes me nauseous...

 

[Original Mountaineer1]

I watched the Carolina games as closely as I have watched a game all year. I am going to randomly post thoughts. One thing that jumped out at me was the sheer number of quality chances they had where they didn't put the puck into the net. Obviously the Malkin play stands out. But we had Warsofsky simply fans from 25. Sheary had several glorious chances. (he plays 100% and you can see it) Horney and Kunitz were shoveling the puck all night and couldn't score. Kessel had a great chance. It is becoming very clear that they suck offensively or they are just gripping the stick too hard. I am leaning to suck. The next thing that stood out was the number of times where somebody has a decent chance to shoot only to pass the puck to player with a lessor angle or pass into traffic. I fail to understand this mindset the Pens have of needing to score great goals. This has been an issue since forever but really became apparent last spring. The PP.... Looks the same as the PP run by Johnston. There is little movement with three guys standing 40-60 feet from the goal; two on the half wall and one at the blue line. Nobody wants to shoot. The last thing I will mention is the defense corp. With Daley now on the ice, you really notice how slow the Pens defense is both defensively and especially moving the puck. He looked like Norris winner Randy Carlyle from 1981 carrying the puck and we all know that Daley he is no Randy Carlyle!

Bottom line....the effort for the most part is there. I'd like to see more leadership from Sid. But I just don't think the talent is there for any kind of run even if they sneak into the playoffs.

 

[torontoeers]

I watched the Carolina games as closely as I have watched a game all year. I am going to randomly post thoughts. One thing that jumped out at me was the sheer number of quality chances they had where they didn't put the puck into the net. Obviously the Malkin play stands out. But we had Warsofsky simply fans from 25. Sheary had several glorious chances. (he plays 100% and you can see it) Horney and Kunitz were shoveling the puck all night and couldn't score. Kessel had a great chance. It is becoming very clear that they suck offensively or they are just gripping the stick too hard. I am leaning to suck. The next thing that stood out was the number of times where somebody has a decent chance to shoot only to pass the puck to player with a lessor angle or pass into traffic. I fail to understand this mindset the Pens have of needing to score great goals. This has been an issue since forever but really became apparent last spring. The PP.... Looks the same as the PP run by Johnston. There is little movement with three guys standing 40-60 feet from the goal; two on the half wall and one at the blue line. Nobody wants to shoot. The last thing I will mention is the defense corp. With Daley now on the ice, you really notice how slow the Pens defense is both defensively and especially moving the puck. He looked like Norris winner Randy Carlyle from 1981 carrying the puck and we all know that Daley he is no Randy Carlyle!

Bottom line....the effort for the most part is there. I'd like to see more leadership from Sid. But I just don't think the talent is there for any kind of run even if they sneak into the playoffs.

Yet more sensibility here....why the lot of them insist on passing away good scoring chances more often than not is beyond me... it's like some kind of epidemic bad disease....it is becoming downright painful trying to both watch and analyze them but it's certainly more tolerable than skimming through some of the nonsense posted by several armchair quarterback's on the MMB of late....constant bickering and re-hashing rather than legit discussion. ...

 

[COOL MAN]

I watched the Carolina games as closely as I have watched a game all year. I am going to randomly post thoughts. One thing that jumped out at me was the sheer number of quality chances they had where they didn't put the puck into the net. Obviously the Malkin play stands out. But we had Warsofsky simply fans from 25. Sheary had several glorious chances. (he plays 100% and you can see it) Horney and Kunitz were shoveling the puck all night and couldn't score. Kessel had a great chance. It is becoming very clear that they suck offensively or they are just gripping the stick too hard. I am leaning to suck. The next thing that stood out was the number of times where somebody has a decent chance to shoot only to pass the puck to player with a lessor angle or pass into traffic. I fail to understand this mindset the Pens have of needing to score great goals. This has been an issue since forever but really became apparent last spring. The PP.... Looks the same as the PP run by Johnston. There is little movement with three guys standing 40-60 feet from the goal; two on the half wall and one at the blue line. Nobody wants to shoot. The last thing I will mention is the defense corp. With Daley now on the ice, you really notice how slow the Pens defense is both defensively and especially moving the puck. He looked like Norris winner Randy Carlyle from 1981 carrying the puck and we all know that Daley he is no Randy Carlyle!

Bottom line....the effort for the most part is there. I'd like to see more leadership from Sid. But I just don't think the talent is there for any kind of run even if they sneak into the playoffs.

I myself think your description toward documented goal scorers like Malkin and Kessel and Hornqvist (and perhaps to a lesser extent, Kunitz) is somewhat misguided; I myself think they're all squeezing the stick too hard. But in a League where you're justifiably measured by production rather than hard work......something to which Perron made reference in a story in the morning paper.....it really doesn't matter the reason why they can't score.

But man, that Malkin miss on Saturday may have been the most infamous of this already forgettable season. Sid.....and Kessel......and Perron......and others.....have done things like that already. But when Geno misses that bad, you know something has crawled into their jocks; had he a gun stuffed into his shorts, I think he'd have pointed at his temple and opened fire. Of course, you'd never see that kind of emotion from Sid or Letang or too many others on the team. I recall thinking immediately that miss was the sign they were destined to lose that game; it was almost like the hockey equivalent of a crushed tee shot that goes OB.

Interesting that Conor Sheary was actually one of their best forwards over the weekend; the kid clearly has wheels, which will serve him and the team well no matter what else. Unfortunately, while he may be built like Tampa's Tyler Johnson......maybe a little less sturdy......I don't think he's got that kind of upside. But I'm happy for MS to keep running him out there until he confirms he either does or doesn't belong.

OM, I think you nailed it re: Daley. I myself commented after the game at Boston last week that Daley should have the green light to carry the puck anytime he wants; but I'm not sure I thought it through that his skating was simply so many magnitudes better than any of their other current defensemen save Letang. I'm frankly pleased with the deal already.

As for tonight versus the Blue Jackets, the Penguins get a nice break that Bobrovsky is hurt; maybe they can generate something against Curtis McElhinney (though if they can't beat the Canes and a washed up Cam Ward, I don't know how they're going to beat the CBJ). Maybe they win tonight because it's the last thing we expect.

It would also help if Matt Murray......who I believe is getting the start......doesn't let in a soft one like he did on Saturday night, and the Pens actually find a way to score first. The fact Murray is playing a second consecutive game tells me that Sully lost most of whatever confidence he had in Jeff Zatkoff after that shellacking he took at the hands of the Bruins on Friday

I'll be switching back and forth between the game and EKU/WVU.

 

[Original Mountaineer1]

Exactly 1 minute and 20 seconds into the game Sheary puts a brilliant pass on Hornqvists stick and he puts it wide from 8 feet

 

[Original Mountaineer1]

a break away by Fehr ends up is an on-ice abortion

 

[torontoeers]

Well here we go....I'm turning the game on nowray:....something tells me I may regret this decision. ...

 

[torontoeers]

Well it was nice to see Fehr challenge the snake Dubinsky! I just wish he had put him on his ass...it's quite something when you're rooting for Simmonds In a highlight to take him to the ice which he did...he needs to die by the sword this fool...worse than Marchand imo....
And Malkin!
And Kessel!!!
Boom!

Jenner! Another dirtbag! Knee to knee!
I watched him maim players up here in the O for years!....Oshawa headhunter this guy....yeah...I'm fired up.

 

[torontoeers]

Since he's such a nice young man , and in honor of the goal he just scored (when he should be outta the game) I figure I'll give you a video of his handiwork! There are many more like this one...

 

[Original Mountaineer1]

player safety is an afterthought in the NHL

 

[COOL MAN]

Well, as I kinda/sorta surmised, they came out and played their best game of the season when we all least expected it. For once, they didn't pack it in after giving up the first goal.....for which Murray (unlike the first versus Carolina) couldn't be blamed. Killing off the 5 on 3 in the 1st period turned the momentum back their way, which they finally capitalized on in that 2nd.

Glad to see Kessel skate and finish like, well, Kessel last night; both his goals were on legitimate opportunities where goal scorers make the opposition pay for their mistakes.....and for the first time in awhile, he delivered like an $8 million guy. With that in mind, there were comments in the post game as to how good Kessel looked......and perhaps (or perhaps not) coincidentally, that it happened when he was moved away from Geno and was lined with Bonino.

I guess the developing theory now is that Kessel may actually be at his best when he's the focus, rather than simply another member of a top-end line. Not sure that's real, but I myself doubt you'll see PK back with Geno on Saturday. What's fascinating is that I heard several talking-heads this past summer theorize PK might be best on the Pens 3rd line, to provide balance from Sid and Geno. Maybe those guys knew what they were talking about after all.

Meanwhile, Geno happily continued his run as the best player on the team even after taking the Jenner shot. It also helps that he clearly doesn't like Columbus very much, and plays that way. Of course, Torts was taking his customary big mouth shots at Geno in the post game for being overly-dramatic on the knee (actually shin) shot, though even though he finally admitted his team got its ass kicked.

But more than anything else.....like presumably everyone else.....I was glad to see somebody finally make at least an attempt to stand up to the Columbus shit. I read in DK's post game that Fehr had been under internal pressure for his recent lack of productivity, which explains his challenge of Dubinsky (for whom DK opined "who’s taken by storm the mantle of the league’s dirtiest player with Matt Cooke now gone from Pittsburgh and everywhere else"). And of course, even Wilson ended up joining fight night later on. I missed the Fehr fight, and Jenner quickly got the best of Wilson; but at least they made the attempt to stand up.

Of course, the only thing left to discuss is the fact the team played its best game while Sid was out. Not sure what it means, and I really don't care. Maybe Sid's skating, looping-around game isn't well suited to Sully's system. And maybe the roster just got a jolt with him sitting out. All I wanted was a win; and for once, it was fairly convincing.

We'll see what that game means when they play a good.....and probably looking for a little payback......Wild team on Friday; and then an even-bigger-and-tougher-than-Columbus team in Winnipeg on Saturday.

 

[COOL MAN]

Well it was nice to see Fehr challenge the snake Dubinsky! I just wish he had put him on his ass...it's quite something when you're rooting for Simmonds In a highlight to take him to the ice which he did...he needs to die by the sword this fool...worse than Marchand imo....
And Malkin!
And Kessel!!!
Boom!

Jenner! Another dirtbag! Knee to knee!
I watched him maim players up here in the O for years!....Oshawa headhunter this guy....yeah...I'm fired up.

Oh t, I immediately thought of you after the Jenner shot.

As someone from the States with essentially zero understanding (or perspective) of the junior careers of about 99.5% of NHL players, I was fascinated with your position a couple weeks ago on this guy (which made the kind of game he plays so much more understandable for me).

I mentioned in the other post how big and tough Winnipeg is; I have to make a point to watch the Jackets in their next game versus the Jets and see how many cheap shots Dubinsky and Jenner take against those monsters. Or better yet, when they play next time in Philadelphia (regrettably, not until March) after Dubinsky's search-and-destroy on Voracek. I'll bet that's going to be one incredibly ugly game.

Meanwhile, they play the Stars a week from tonight in Columbus. Will have to see if their goons resort to cheap-shotting Seguin and Benn (who's actually pretty big). In fact, I should consider buying a ticket.....with the CBJ in the mid-20's in League attendance, there will be plenty of seats available.....and go watch that one in person.

 

[torontoeers]

Oh t, I immediately thought of you after the Jenner shot.

As someone from the States with essentially zero understanding (or perspective) of the junior careers of about 99.5% of NHL players, I was fascinated with your position a couple weeks ago on this guy (which made the kind of game he plays so much more understandable for me).

I mentioned in the other post how big and tough Winnipeg is; I have to make a point to watch the Jackets in their next game versus the Jets and see how many cheap shots Dubinsky and Jenner take against those monsters. Or better yet, when they play next time in Philadelphia (regrettably, not until March) after Dubinsky's search-and-destroy on Voracek. I'll bet that's going to be one incredibly ugly game.

Meanwhile, they play the Stars a week from tonight in Columbus. Will have to see if their goons resort to cheap-shotting Seguin and Benn (who's actually pretty big). In fact, I should consider buying a ticket.....with the CBJ in the mid-20's in League attendance, there will be plenty of seats available.....and go watch that one in person.

Oh for sure if I had the chance I'd want to see that one....it would be fun to watch Seguin/Benn vs somebody other than the Pens...hopefully for their sake they can avoid being maimed by the sordid numbers of BJ cheap shot artists!

It sure was nice to see the efforts match the results last night...and I certainly wouldn't have wanted Sid on the ice in that game regardless, as you mentioned that was a very good decision whether necessary or not....
Who knows, with a few days off and the mindset of having the W under their belt they may find a little more spring in those skates for the upcoming dog days of winter, although I won't hold my breath....one game at a time...

And I'll tell ya another one to look out for if I were an opposing player...the Kings Andy Andreoff...the Gens build their teams BIG , DIRTY, AND SKILLED (funny enough this used to be my Pete's style back in the days of Domi and Pronger...I suppose the fact that the tables have turned and it's the jokers down the road that are doing this, the Gens win that contest more often than not nowadays)...I noticed him at the game in LA and forgot he'd been drafted by them. I rolled my eyes and said to the wife 'look who it is!'...her reply 'oh no! Our guys are gonna need eyes in the back of their heads today!'....needless to say he was pretty much a non factor thankfully, and I didn't see the rematch a few days later in the Burgh so I'm unsure if he was up to his junior antics there? I would think they drafted him for a reason and it would not surprise me to see him suspended one day....I am ranting now sorry lol...

 

[COOL MAN]

And I'll tell ya another one to look out for if I were an opposing player...the Kings Andy Andreoff...the Gens build their teams BIG , DIRTY, AND SKILLED (funny enough this used to be my Pete's style back in the days of Domi and Pronger...I suppose the fact that the tables have turned and it's the jokers down the road that are doing this, the Gens win that contest more often than not nowadays)...I noticed him at the game in LA and forgot he'd been drafted by them. I rolled my eyes and said to the wife 'look who it is!'...her reply 'oh no! Our guys are gonna need eyes in the back of their heads today!'....needless to say he was pretty much a non factor thankfully, and I didn't see the rematch a few days later in the Burgh so I'm unsure if he was up to his junior antics there? I would think they drafted him for a reason and it would not surprise me to see him suspended one day....I am ranting now sorry lol...

I gotta' admit, I've never heard of this Andreoff kid.....but while the Kings are big, I've never considered them a dirty team (though maybe things have changed with Lucic in town now) if that's the point you're trying to make. So, under the assumption this Andreoff in fact is a goon type, I'm not altogether sure he gets much PT.

Meanwhile, t.....from my end of the world.....I'm not sure there's anything cooler than having a wife who actually knows the reputations of League players from their friggin' Junior days; then again, maybe that's just one of the many major benefits of being hitched to a Canadian gal !!!!

 

[COOL MAN]

Changing the subject from the Pens for a moment, Elliotte Friedman was on Laughlin & Gordon's Power Play show this afternoon.....not that anyone asked, but I think Friedman is consistently the most compelling interview in the game.....and he's talking about the three young studs around the League said currently to be available for the right offer:

• Matt Duchene
• Ryan Nugent-Hopklns
• Ryan Johansen

If you were a GM, which of these guys would you shoot for ?? I myself am definitely a Matt Duchene fan......certainly light-years more so than Hopkins.....but Friedman was saying that some in the business view a Johansen trade for the CBJ as Tyler Seguin was for the Bruins. Of course, it's no secret Johansen and Tortorella are a fairly bad cocktail......though I admit I wonder if it's as simple as Johansen, as a Vancouver native, simply not caring personally for Columbus.

But while Torts may indeed be the best coach for the Jackets as a team....though I'm not sold he's good for anyone for more than maybe a season or so, max.....it's certainly starting to look like JD and Kekeleinin may eventually be forced to cut their losses with Johansen. OTOH, if Kekeleinin can successfully setup a bidding war for RJ, maybe he ends up with a decent deal after all.

If I had a decent #1 center on my team, I still might look toward Duchene, though.

 

[torontoeers]

Changing the subject from the Pens for a moment, Elliotte Friedman was on Laughlin & Gordon's Power Play show this afternoon.....not that anyone asked, but I think Friedman is consistently the most compelling interview in the game.....and he's talking about the three young studs around the League said currently to be available for the right offer:

• Matt Duchene
• Ryan Nugent-Hopklns
• Ryan Johansen

If you were a GM, which of these guys would you shoot for ?? I myself am definitely a Matt Duchene fan......certainly light-years more so than Hopkins.....but Friedman was saying that some in the business view a Johansen trade for the CBJ as Tyler Seguin was for the Bruins. Of course, it's no secret Johansen and Tortorella are a fairly bad cocktail......though I admit I wonder if it's as simple as Johansen, as a Vancouver native, simply not caring personally for Columbus.

But while Torts may indeed be the best coach for the Jackets as a team....though I'm not sold he's good for anyone for more than maybe a season or so, max.....it's certainly starting to look like JD and Kekeleinin may eventually be forced to cut their losses with Johansen. OTOH, if Kekeleinin can successfully setup a bidding war for RJ, maybe he ends up with a decent deal after all.

If I had a decent #1 center on my team, I still might look toward Duchene, though.

Agree with you 100% here on Frieds...he is by far my fave to listen to...knows his stuff, has great insider info league wide, and the fact he seems like a genuinely likeable fella really helps...was just chatting with my bud actually and he is heading out for a beer or 2 with one of your faves Healy lol...whom I take in doses...I find him humorous but he needs to know when to quit imo...Healy is fairly close with Friedman and I've asked him to query with him his thoughts on the list you had mentioned which imo seems entirely plausible, every one of them. He also mentioned Healy will give him HIS recommendation re: 'rebuilding' the Pens...although I am not sure we are at that point...at least not YET anyway...

As per the list....Duchene would be #1 on my list, same as yours...he can be a game changer and surrounded by reasonable talent a Stanley Cup champ imo...next Johansen, also a talent but a risk element is present there....RNH...hmmm....hmmm....he has the talent but really hasn't developed to the potential of the other 2, over what (I think) is a few more years in the league...of course some of this could easily be attributed to the outright ineptitude of the Oil organisation until at least recently. ...

Yes I thank my lucky stars for the lovely wife putting up with my hockey penchant. She definitely knows a thing or 2 about the game, but does not watch every game as intently as myself...she was a big basketball fan actually when I first met her (courtesy of her brothers), but has since gravitated to hockey over the years...As for myself I dont catch every Mountaineers basketball game like I do the football religiously, maybe every 2nd or 3rd game during the season, and likely more than that this year with the way things are shaping up!!
I plan on taking my bros in law down to a game in Motown this winter, they love the March Madness, and Raptors...this looks definitely the year to see a Big 12 matchup before the tourney....

 

[COOL MAN]

So, the Pens actually string together a second legitimate 60 minutes together and leave St Paul with an earned win.

Nothing special; they just worked hard and made their own breaks; really, the kind of game we just haven't seen from them much this season; and one which offers some honest promise for the short term. Sid came to play, they got scoring from the entire lineup, and Murray was pretty solid About the only thing that had me ticked off was the Stoll cheap shot on Letang;

I've obviously seen worse, but it was one he absolutely didn't need to take. Unfortunately, that's not the first time he's done something like that. But obviously gad to see KL re-enter the game......which honestly shocked me.......though I assume none of us will really know how he's doing until they skate onto the ice at Winnipeg tonight.

They'll need to be as good or better tonight, since the Jets always play that heavy game versus the Pens. I'll also be interested to see if Murray plays the back-to-back tonight; I myself think there's a good chance it happens coming off his nice win. I understand Schiefele might not play, which would be a nice break. With this being the Jets first game since Tuesday, it's be nice if the Pens catch them on a night they're not oiled up and ready to play.

It'd also be great to see them win tonight and carry momentum into that comparatively manageable back-to-backer later this week versus the Leafs and Red Wings. That's because the 1 week.4-game stretch immediately after New Year's is bitch; home versus the Islanders on 1/2, back-to-backers with the Black Hawks the following TUE/WED, and then at Montreal on 1/9.

 

[torontoeers]

So, the Pens actually string together a second legitimate 60 minutes together and leave St Paul with an earned win.

Nothing special; they just worked hard and made their own breaks; really, the kind of game we just haven't seen from them much this season; and one which offers some honest promise for the short term. Sid came to play, they got scoring from the entire lineup, and Murray was pretty solid About the only thing that had me ticked off was the Stoll cheap shot on Letang;

I've obviously seen worse, but it was one he absolutely didn't need to take. Unfortunately, that's not the first time he's done something like that. But obviously gad to see KL re-enter the game......which honestly shocked me.......though I assume none of us will really know how he's doing until they skate onto the ice at Winnipeg tonight.

They'll need to be as good or better tonight, since the Jets always play that heavy game versus the Pens. I'll also be interested to see if Murray plays the back-to-back tonight; I myself think there's a good chance it happens coming off his nice win. I understand Schiefele might not play, which would be a nice break. With this being the Jets first game since Tuesday, it's be nice if the Pens catch them on a night they're not oiled up and ready to play.

It'd also be great to see them win tonight and carry momentum into that comparatively manageable back-to-backer later this week versus the Leafs and Red Wings. That's because the 1 week.4-game stretch immediately after New Year's is bitch; home versus the Islanders on 1/2, back-to-backers with the Black Hawks the following TUE/WED, and then at Montreal on 1/9.

Did not see last night's contest but I'm quite happy to hear your opinion on the results! Looking forward to seeing how the compete level is tonight, vs the BIG Jets...and that stretch right after NY's is a daunting one...hopefully they continue to make hay tonight...

 

[COOL MAN]

Letang is OUT.....apparently for precautionary reasons resulting from the Stoll cheapie.....while Zatkoff will be in goal tonight.

Right now, JZ scares me more than anything else with the Pens. If he doesn't play a reasonably solid game tonight, the team can kiss any kind of decent winning streak with him in goal goodbye since the upcoming schedule is busy (including those two back-to-backers in the next couple weeks, not including tonight). He needs to show well against a Winnipeg team....which wasn't doing much before Christmas......and re-earn some team (and Staff) confidence.

I hope the Jets come out of the Holiday break flat; meanwhile, Schiefele is said definitely to be OUT for Winnipeg.

 

[torontoeers]

Letang is OUT.....apparently for precautionary reasons resulting from the Stoll cheapie.....while Zatkoff will be in goal tonight.

Right now, JZ scares me more than anything else with the Pens. If he doesn't play a reasonably solid game tonight, the team can kiss any kind of decent winning streak goodbye (since there are no fewer than two back-to-backers coming up in the next couple weeks, not including tonight).

Meanwhile, Schiefele is said definitely to be OUT for the Jets
.

Agreed re: JZ....and this just in from 'a source'...Former Jet and everyday asshat Evander Kane missed practice today in Buffalo for 'personal reasons'....it says here that he is being investigated for sexual assault...a trend that it seems is all too common or all too common claimed of late...not saying it's true but when guys like Kane and Kane (what a sad corporation that would be), let their rep preceed itself, I have to wonder what do they expect....sad state of affairs...

Just found It...news travels fast apparently....
http://m.bleacherreport.com/article...gated-for-sex-offense-latest-details-comments