GDT: 2024-2025 Training Camp

[AuroraBorealis]

“He's a guy that has good offensive instincts," Mike Sullivan said of Puustinen. "He's shown an ability to score in the American League.

More like shown an ability to score at the NHL level. Maybe not goals, but last I checked it doesn't matter who gets the last touch on the puck as long as it goes in. Joe Thornton made a pretty good career out of that.

Anyways, f*** this coach. More career 1.12 5v5 P60 Acciari incoming. We have like 6 Forwards who can PK outside of him. He's worthless.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Tangradi was pretty much doodoo but Gilles shattering his face for no reason kinda nailed the coffin shut on any sort of chance he'd make a career for himself imo.

I get blokes here don't care for Tangradi and what he ended up being, but I vividly remember him actually doing well with Malkin and then being taken off of his line the next shift. I remember this because Sullivan did the same with Sprong when he had a few shifts with Malkin, looked great, then was immediately on the 4th line and then barely any minutes the next game. It was a deja vu moment that I wasn't all that happy about experiencing.

He didn't work out, that sucks for Tangradi, but at least he's doing well as a Coach in a good hockey program and his hockey camps and programs. It's nice to see him doing something good with the experience he had through the ranks and whatever his time in the NHL became.


It's funny, a lot of you think I am the one that's angry and frustrated.

But again, I don't want to f***ing talking about Tangradi, the only pertinent piece of that player to now is that we have a different coach that is worse with giving youth a chance than Bylsma was and in Disco's case, he was very new as a coach in the NHL and had his ignorance to his style that hew as very humbled with later when he was taking Assistant Coach gigs, etc. He at least even admits that much.

Sullivan on the other hand, in his mind he thinks he's doing these players a massive service with their development and progression - instead he just tells them all the shit they do wrong, like that clip by Larry David goes about Kaapo - You don't think these players know they f***ed up? You have to give them a chance to erase that mistake, when you sit them for a period or take away their minutes, you've given them very little time to redeem themselves, while allowing veterans to constantly f*** up and not see the same consequences.

 

[Andy99]

Casually left out of the second part of that Sullivan quote:

""He's a guy that has good offensive instincts," Mike Sullivan said of Puustinen. "He's shown an ability to score in the American League. The next step for him is he has to score some goals in the National League. He's proven that he's capable of being an NHL player. For me, I think he needs to take the next step, and he's got to bring some finish. He's got to bring some some offensive influence to the line that he's on, and at the same time, he's got to be able to have some conscientious play away from the puck.""

If Puustinen were going to WBS, they wouldn't be playing him on a 4th liner with AHLers. If he was taking line rushes with Ponomarev or Broz regularly, that's a red flag that they view him as an AHLer. But he's not being used there, because they seem view Puljujarvi and Bemstrom for those two spots.

Now the counter argument to what I'm saying is to suggest that they're actually using Ponomarev and Puljujarvi like they would be using their 13th and 14th forwards (together in line rushes), and McGroarty being with them (who they also seem to view as really close) does indicate that is the defacto 5th line. Which I actually think has some validity to it, at least based on how they've used extra type of guys in camp in the past. But at that point, why wouldn't they be running with Poulin-Puustinen as a C-RW duo? If Puljujarvi and Ponomarev make the NHL team, then WBS' top line would be McGroarty-Poulin-Puustinen.

I mean I think that whole quote supports what I’m saying…Puusty does have a lot of offensive impact on his line playing 10-12 minutes with no PP time…Sullivan is wrong about that, but he focuses on goals with Puusty because he’s already determined that, while he’s “capable” of being a NHL player lol, he’s not going to actually be one here unless he scores lol…please name me another player with that standard? Not PoolParty, , Acciari, Eller, Hayes, Beau, Glass, McG…has the coach said that about anyone else? Puusty is getting waived if he doesn’t score lol

 

[Coffees]

Do you guys think Penguins are making the playoffs this year ?

 

[Honour Over Glory]

More like shown an ability to score at the NHL level. Maybe not goals, but last I checked it doesn't matter who gets the last touch on the puck as long as it goes in. Joe Thornton made a pretty good career out of that.

Anyways, f*** this coach. More career 1.12 5v5 P60 Acciari incoming. We have like 6 Forwards who can PK outside of him. He's worthless.

In their pea brains, apparently goals are just scored magically without anyone really doing anything to create the play, yet last night when Glass put that puck on the net for Hayes to drive the net and score on the rebound from, that entire play doesn't happen if someone doesn't identify traffic in front of the net. Puustinen was creating plays for his linemates, making their jobs easier by just going to the right scoring areas for him to find those players or he was creating plays out of his hard forecheck, causing turnovers, and making Reilly Smith look like he was actually decent for a stretch.

You usually give those players a bigger role the next season, not f*** them over. Imagine if the Penguins did that to Drew O'Connor before last season. That's the problem I have with this.

If Sullivan decided yeah you know what, I want someone else, not Drew and then doesn't use him in 2023-24, we don't see his progression in the NHL. Puustinen showed more in his first actual stint in the NHL than Drew did in 2022-23 and somehow, he's getting f***ed over? Lol...yeah f*** this coach.

Do you guys think Penguins are making the playoffs this year ?

f*** no.

If they missed the playoffs with Sid and Geno playing all 82 games the last 2 seasons and Letang doing that for one of them as well and having Jake for all of one of those seasons and half the other and still being out of the playoffs and having to fight to even look like they might have a chance, this current roster that's even more veteran heavy, is going to be the most comically utilized roster by a Coach that is coaching a team that is clearly on a retool/rebuild but won't say it so they don't hurt Crosby's ego about going after it while he's there.

 

[BusinessGoose]

Do you guys think Penguins are making the playoffs this year ?

My Brother... No...

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Not really…DK, Taylor is saying both Poulin and Puusty worked with the non NHL group at practice today…and they have an article on Puusty saying he has to score goals to stay up on the big team lol…like why is his standard scoring when Sullivan doesn’t demand that of any his bottom six players or contenders for spots? It’s ridiculous

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“• The second portion of practice moved to a clear division of NHL guys on one sheet, depth guys and prospects on the other sheet. Worth noting that Puljujarvi, Ponomarev, St. Ivany, Aho, Ludvig, Shea were among the borderline guys to skate with the NHL group. Poulin and Puustinen were among those to skate on the other sheet. Nothing's set in stone and the groups change a little bit daily, but it's something to take note of.”

“He's a guy that has good offensive instincts," Mike Sullivan said of Puustinen. "He's shown an ability to score in the American League. The next step for him is he has to score some goals in the National League.”

Fine, should be the same with everyone else…this league is about who scores the most goals…if players can’t score goals, they shouldn’t play lol…but that’s actually not a standard Sullivan uses for other players.if it was, we wouldn’t be last in finishing lol

Drew O'Connor in 2022-23 - 46 games, 5 goals and 11 assists, but sure he got another shot the next year.

Valtteri Puustinen has 5 goals and 15 assists in 52 games, has a far better Points per 60 than Drew did in 22-23, is somehow not worthy of a longer look like he should get.

To be that big of a f***ing idiot as a coach is hilarious and the fact that none of these media even call him on it just makes it worse for me, because it shows none of these Pens writers have any sort of back bone, they love to wax poetic about analytics and charts and all that shit, but only when it's players they like.

And no, I am not hating on Drew, I am literally saying Puustinen deserves the same opportunities as Drew. Drew's P/60 jumped from 1.57 to 1.63 while getting a lot of top 6 time, Puustinen's P/60 was 2.03, that's top 6 level. That's producing like Zucker did in his last season with the Penguins, as in when Puustinen was played, he took advantage of the minutes he got and produced in them at a far better rate.

"At the AHL level..." - Eat a pile of shit, Sullivan.

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

Do you guys think Penguins are making the playoffs this year ?

 

[Coffees]

Everything can go right, just saying

I appreciate the honesty though , fellas.

cheers

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

Everything can go right, just saying

I appreciate the honesty though , fellas.

cheers

Don't let Mike Sullivan see your avatar, he might try to find you and give you a spot on the roster.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Do you guys think Penguins are making the playoffs this year ?

No. Sullivan is still here and is not going anywhere. Another coach who respects the offensive side of the game more might be able to swing it. But not him.
30th and 31st in finishing the last 2 years for a reason.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Everything can go right, just saying

I appreciate the honesty though , fellas.

cheers

No, we're being realistic. The only way "everything can go right" is if they fire Sullivan and that's not happening.

 

[Gurglesons]

Do you guys think Penguins are making the playoffs this year ?

Could see it. The Metro is god awful and the Atlantic with Swayman not signing isn’t much prettier.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

It's just f***ing frustrating to see that quote by Sullivan in Haase's article.

You want to see what Puustinen's got? I don't know, how about you use him the way they used Glass in the last 2 games? He got 1 game with Ponomarev who looked concussed for half the game and Koivunen who really isn't ready at all.

Just as an example, after his 11pt season in 2022-23, Drew's Preseason game line-up usage:

Game 1 - First line - DOC, Zohorna, Nylander
Game 2 - Third line - DOC, Eller, Nieto
Game 3 - DNP
Game 4 - Back with Eller's line.
Game 5 - DNP
Game 6 - O'Connor - Crosby - Rust

It's like, if you give a lad some opportunities after doing ok the year before and see if he can do more with better linemates, he might show you something. They gave DOC the opportunity to show them something by giving him the usage for it, then somehow think the same is being done for Puustinen?

f***ing loser, Mike Sullivan.

 

[Gurglesons]

No. Sullivan is still here and is not going anywhere. Another coach who respects the offensive side of the game more might be able to swing it. But not him.
30th and 31st in finishing the last 2 years for a reason.

That could easily break.

Dubas has focused on acquiring pieces that add size and a little more positional net front ability in Hayes, Glass and Bunting to this roster versus the usual 5’11 speedsters.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Nah

Could see it. The Metro is god awful and the Atlantic with Swayman not signing isn’t much prettier.

No chance.

I see the Rangers, Canes, Isles, and Caps still ahead of the Penguins and the Devils just by losing Ruff and having Hamilton healthy with Markstrom is a far better team than the Penguins. They'll be fighting for bottom 3 with the Flyers and Jackets in the Division. Caps, with whatever they're doing, upgraded their Defense, Goaltending, and added some intriguing pieces on offense and they're better coached.

Let's be realistic.

 

[Khelandros]

Do you guys think Penguins are making the playoffs this year ?

Yes.

 

[Andy99]

I hope Puusty gets waived, picked up by another team and scores 20 goals.. and some yahoo asks Sullivan about it at a presser lol

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

I hope Puusty gets waived, picked up by another team and scores 20 goals.. and some yahoo asks Sullivan about it at a presser lol

"Argle bargle, Boston accent."

FSG, hockey media; "Wow, genius."

 

[wheelz87]

Everything can go right, just saying

I appreciate the honesty though , fellas.

cheers

I have no doubt this is absolutely the most negative board on here. It's downright embarrassing. I would say atleast 75% of 'fans' here want the team to lose every game. Like, I hate the fact I have to watch Jarry go and put up another stellar first half only to inevitably crash when it matters. But in the end I've gotta cheer him on. I'm legit surprised Sully is still here but I don't have the need to drone on about that fact every single day. And its just hypothetical ******* anyways. "why even draft a good player, Sully will Sully him." "Puusty/Poulin/insert prospect would be a 50 goal scorer if just coach X was here." Like go be a fan of another team if you are this damn miserable.

And yea btw. I believe we can.

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

But, I like being miserable here.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Puustinen isn't going to be playing with Koppanen on L4 in WBS, but Puljujarvi with McGroarty and Ponomarev? That makes a ton of sense. I wouldn't rule out Poulin on that WBS 3rd line RW spot, but I just don't know who would be making the team as an extra above him. It's not going to be Puljujarvi or Bemstrom, the next tier down has guys like Gruden in it.

Sully ain’t the AHL coach

Can read into the NHLer lines but I think it’s a fools errand to try to glean potential WBS combos.

 

[chethejet]

If Dubas has improved the bottom 6 and Jarry gives then good goaltending, then with
Rakell healthy and Bunting here all this year, then Pens can get in. Just not a cup contender but
D with ST Ivany as an upgrade over Ruhwedel who really stunk and Graves back looking in better shape and used appropriately, then yes.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Sully ain’t the AHL coach

Can read into the NHLer lines but I think it’s a fools errand to try to glean potential WBS combos.

WBS runs the same system Sullivan runs and I have no doubt Sullivan at least has some say (at this point) on what he'd like to see in WBS, or that he's getting insight from the WBS coach for what he'd want to run.

I think the best rebuttal to my argument is that "they're using Ponomarev and Puljujarvi like the 13th and 14th forwards based on the McGroarty-Ponomarev-Puljujarvi line", which I actually think is a valid thing to point out. I'm actually curious if that ends up being the case, I think Puljujarvi makes sense as one of the extras but keeping Ponomarev as a healthy scratch over playing in WBS (especially when you'd have to waive Puustinen to do that) seems bizarre.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Nah tbh they haven’t addressed main issue which is shooting talent. To me if they get into playoffs it’s because other teams are also mediocre, which is possible but not likely to me.

This team is simply not going to be able to consistently finish and score without playing really well. When they play their A game they are good and can score. But so can every team that’s not tanking. And it’s the NHL and they’re old. So you’re not getting 82 “A” games.

Without a PP and some guys that don’t need to hustle to create offense, they’re gonna struggle to score when it’s their B game and worse. And the goaltending is inconsistent. If I were a gambling man I’d put money more of the same from this group. I will cheer for them to be good though.