Around the League thread: Phil in Pitt. And other NHL topics

[johnny_rudeboy]

If Pittsburgh misses the playoffs, I wonder who wins the Matthews sweepstakes between them and Edmonton?

Mmmm, that is the NHL version of the sandwich on a cats back, isnt it?

 

[gabeliscious]

Lets hold off on the bust label until he fails to make the Leaf's top line next season.

we suck at drafting. why cant we steal detroits crystal ball

kidding aside, i think if we were so disfunctional right now as a team nylander would be on the leafs. the reality is we dont have much in the way of leadership or skill to insulate a young player. if we had proper veterans then i think nylander would be up right now and marner next year. either way, its a marathon not a sprint. give things 3 years and my boy marner will be killing it

 

[Gallagbi]

Huh? Malkin with Crosby? Who is playing wing there, and who's playing 2nd line center for the Pens?

Kessel with one of the best centers in the league(be it Crosby or Malkin) will get going eventually, and when they do watch out.

The Pens still have a ridiculous 2nd line with whichever center doesn't play with Kessel.

It's not uncommon to see Malkin on Crosby's wing. Center depth would be an issue, but they'll load up the top line a few times a game.

 

[deletethis]

The Pens knew what they were doing when they protected their 1st rounder. They experienced a collapse at the end of last season while having serious trouble scoring.

On paper it looks good to put great offensive talents together 5v5 but these guys want to carry the puck, they need situations where they're carrying the puck. As I said after the trade, I think the Pens will decide that Kessel, Crosby and Malkin on their own lines is the best solution. However in the end the problem lies with the Pittsburgh superstars. They are expected to be better, Malkin has had 1 point in something like 15 games. They should be able to elevate their linemates not need another superstar to produce.

 

[ULF_55]

Home team Kings with 15 shots against the Canucks.

Would Phaneuf help them?

 

[deletethis]

Home team Kings with 15 shots against the Canucks.

Would Phaneuf help them?

Certainly the Phaneuf from 9 years ago who was among the league leaders in SOG.

I just don't see the big ticket player who can come back in the Leafs direction to make the salaries balance out in such a deal. Plus the Kings are still trying to make something big of this season with Lucic and Kopitar on expiring contracts.

 

[Atomos2]

Lets hold off on the bust label until he fails to make the Leaf's top line next season.

The 4 game NHL superstar.

 

[Mess]

The Pens knew what they were doing when they protected their 1st rounder. They experienced a collapse at the end of last season while having serious trouble scoring.

On paper it looks good to put great offensive talents together 5v5 but these guys want to carry the puck, they need situations where they're carrying the puck. As I said after the trade, I think the Pens will decide that Kessel, Crosby and Malkin on their own lines is the best solution. However in the end the problem lies with the Pittsburgh superstars. They are expected to be better, Malkin has had 1 point in something like 15 games. They should be able to elevate their linemates not need another superstar to produce.

Kessel's addition has propelled the Pens off to a 0-3-0 start scoring 3 goals in 3 games.

I guess Crosby is use to having wingers that do the heavy lifting to generate offense.

 

[pspot]

Malkin while the prototypical big c is horrible at faceoffs too

i suggested this to the pens fans after teh trade and they all said i was crazy....which i might be but after watching kessel for so long i still think its something that could really work.

Malkin/Crosby/Hornqvist - cycle line, but a strong one time and net presence with these guys.
Perron/Bonino/Kessel - speed line, open it up against 2nd pairing d and let kessel do what he does and not worry about what he doesn't.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Kessel's addition has propelled the Pens off to a 0-3-0 start scoring 3 goals in 3 games.

I guess Crosby is use to having wingers that do the heavy lifting to generate offense.

Kessel is leading the team in:
Goals
Points
and
Plus Minus (ooops 2nd in +/-)


http://penguins.nhl.com/club/stats.htm?location=/stats2

 

[HamiltonNHL]

I'd like to see Phil in the 3 on 3.

 

[Mess]

Kessel is leading the team in:
Goals
Points
and
Plus Minus (ooops 2nd in +/-)


http://penguins.nhl.com/club/stats.htm?location=/stats2

Kessel lead the Leafs regularly in goals, assists, points and worst +/- and look where it got them.

I was watching that game yesterday and Pens offense seems to be doing the same thing that happened in Toronto and everyone focused and consumed on getting the puck to Phil so he can shoot it at the net.

Completely overcompensating for their new addition that its taking others completely out of the play. Crosby didn't even have a shot on goal in the 1st 2 games before he got a few good chances yesterday. Phil was getting lots of looks because everyone is getting him the puck but he along with everyone else isn't getting it to other star players.

Kessel with Crosby has turned Sid into Bozak instead of turning Kessel into OV/Stamkos.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

If Kessel turns Crosby into Bozak we may as well just swap the two of them for a change of scenery

 

[The Apologist]

Kessel lead the Leafs regularly in goals, assists, points and worst +/- and look where it got them.

I was watching that game yesterday and Pens offense seems to be doing the same thing that happened in Toronto and everyone focused and consumed on getting the puck to Phil so he can shoot it at the net.

Completely overcompensating for their new addition that its talking others completely out of the play. Crosby didn't even have a shot on goal in the 1st 2 games before he got a few good chances yesterday. Phil was getting lots of looks because everyone is getting him the puck but he along with everyone else isn't getting it to other star players.

Kessel with Crosby has turned Sid into Bozak instead of turning Kessel into OV/Stamkos.

Or maybe its three games in?

 

[theIceWookie]

Kessel lead the Leafs regularly in goals, assists, points and worst +/- and look where it got them.

I was watching that game yesterday and Pens offense seems to be doing the same thing that happened in Toronto and everyone focused and consumed on getting the puck to Phil so he can shoot it at the net.

Completely overcompensating for their new addition that its talking others completely out of the play. Crosby didn't even have a shot on goal in the 1st 2 games before he got a few good chances yesterday. Phil was getting lots of looks because everyone is getting him the puck but he along with everyone else isn't getting it to other star players.

Kessel with Crosby has turned Sid into Bozak instead of turning Kessel into OV/Stamkos.

It's three games, chemsitry isn't always instant. They'll figure it out.

Also it makes me smile knowing that Crosby is now playing a player that originally was getting talked about as the American Crosby

 

[Preisst*]

Kessel's addition has propelled the Pens off to a 0-3-0 start scoring 3 goals in 3 games.

I guess Crosby is use to having wingers that do the heavy lifting to generate offense.

hahahaha.....good one. I suspect Crosby is used to playing with guys who have a modicum of a defensive game and aren't soft lazy floaters.

I said it from the beginning I don't see Crosby wanting to play with Kessel. With the work effort and commitment that Crosby has I think Kessel and his schtick are going to get really old really fast for him.

In the Pens game against Arizona there was an excellent example of Crosby back checking like crazy on one of the Coyotes goals and guess who the very last player lollygagging down the ice was?

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

How about that McDavid hit on Oduya? Refs need to call those penalties so players don't think stars are getting better treatment.

 

[deletethis]

hahahaha.....good one. I suspect Crosby is used to playing with guys who have a modicum of a defensive game and aren't soft lazy floaters.

I said it from the beginning I don't see Crosby wanting to play with Kessel. With the work effort and commitment that Crosby has I think Kessel and his schtick are going to get really old really fast for him.

In the Pens game against Arizona there was an excellent example of Crosby back checking like crazy on one of the Coyotes goals and guess who the very last player lollygagging down the ice was?

Neither Crosby nor Kessel were on for a goal against in the Arizona game.

 

[Mess]

Nik Ehlers scores his 1st NHL goal yesterday on a play that Bob McKenzie says reminded him of Guy Lafleur.

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=2015020038-81-ingame-h

Nik Ehlers' first NHL goal was reminiscent of The Flower.

Ehlers has 1-2-3 points in 4 games and leads the NHL in shots.

"A lot of these kids -- Nik (Ehlers) on our team, Nic Petan, too -- they're not afraid to shoot high, pick corners, go bar down even in practice," Maurice said with a laugh. "They don't have to worry about Tommy Barrasso wiring the puck back at their head. The kids today sure like to shoot the puck.

"That's why (Ehlers, going into last night's games) is leading the league in shots on goal," Maurice added. "These kids like the idea of scoring off the rush (from far out). They don't use a slap shot like Guy Lafleur, they snap it or wrist it or toe drag it, but they do like the idea of beating a goalie on a clean shot."

Here's Ehlers scoring his first NHL goal against the Rangers with a pretty good (slap shot) imitation of Guy Lafleur, though he did get some help with a bit of a screen to go bar and in on Henrik Lundqvist.

Full story: http://www.tsn.ca/early-season-trend-let-er-rip-1.376630

 

[Daisy Jane]

Ovi didn't play because he missed morning skate, so Trotz benched him.


Boom.

 

[deletethis]

Nik Ehlers scores his 1st NHL goal yesterday on a play that Bob McKenzie says reminded him of Guy Lafleur.

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=2015020038-81-ingame-h

That was more noticeable for the bonehead coverage decision by Viktor Stalberg.

 

[Mess]

Great Story:COLTON PARAYKO

St. Louis Blues' talented blueliner Colton Parayko makes way to NHL via pipedream

Colton Parayko wasn’t good enough to be drafted by a Western Hockey League club. Nor was he good enough to play midget triple-A.

But now, three games in to his NHL career, the 22-year-old defenceman is being touted by St. Louis Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock as a future star.

Asked if the 6-foot-5, 226-lb. St. Albert native is projected to run the Blues powerplay in the next four or five years, Hitchcock laughed. “How about four or five months,†said Hitchcock whose Blues beat the host Calgary Flames 4-3 Tuesday thanks to Parayko’s first two NHL goals.

“He’s got composure on the puck where most people panic. That’s a good sign for a young player. We’re not afraid to play him against anybody. He’s just getting better and better every day.â€
It’s high praise from a coach who has the tidy trio of Kevin Shattenkirk, Alex Pietrangelo and Jay Bouwmeester anchoring his blueline.

Full Story : http://www.calgarysun.com/2015/10/1...colton-parayko-makes-way-to-nhl-via-pipedream

 

[BIitz]

Another defenseman from the 2012 class.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

If Kessel turns Crosby into Bozak we may as well just swap the two of them for a change of scenery

Trade 2 bad contracts and call it even.

 

[LaPlante94]

If Kessel turns Crosby into Bozak we may as well just swap the two of them for a change of scenery

I like the way you're thinking. That would be best for both franchises and an even trade.