Post-Game Talk: Blomqvist drags the Pens to a win

[Malkinstheman]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1855091539803886060

Ahh this brings back amazing memories of 2016/2017

 

[Honour Over Glory]

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

It's so damn important to this team's long-term outlook that they end up miles out of the playoff picture and end up landing someone like Martone, Misa, Frondell or Schaefer. Way more so than some bullshit, desperate attempt to remain in the WC discussion until like late March just to end up picking ~11th again.

This team's not gonna move on from Sully until they get wholesale embarrassed and have no "hide their head in the sand" option anymore. Even then, I still think it'd ultimately be up to Sullivan to step down, but I don't think he'd entertain it unless they're hanging around with the Sharks, Hawks, Preds and Habs as they miss for the third time in a row.

But they simply cannot help themselves. They'll burn their hand off pretending the stovetop isn't on.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Couldn't watch this one wtf how did we win. Bizarre how this team is good on the second half of back to backs.

 

[Lustaf]

The problem with playing the rookie as the number 1 is running the risk of burning him out.
Something this coach and org. has now done with the last two (Murray, Jarry).

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Drew O'Connor is a 14th forward on a contender.

Sullivan finally turned him into a hybrid of Archibald/Porter/Harkins/Aston-Reese.

It took him 5 seasons but he finally did it. Honestly if I'm Dubas I move him to a team desperate for top 9 wingers and pk help that will pay even more for his cap hit being very good.

Wild make a lot of sense to me for this, Hynes' 4th line are all pkers and they stink. I think they'd maybe dump one of the trio for Doc and give up a 2nd. Absolutely would not want Trenin unless the Wild give up the first unconditional and in that case I'd be doing

To Minnesota:
O'Connor
Eller retained at 35% (last slot - gives them another 800+ k in cap in addition to losing Trenin)
Wild 3rd
Puustinen

To Pens:
Wild 1st '24
Both of the Leafs 4th rounders they have '24 and'25.
Khusnutdinov
Trenin

I just want the Leafs 4ths just as a f*** you to Toronto with Dubas drafting more studs late.

Wild get a huge boost with PK players, Pens dump some age, a player Sullivan will destroy, especially his value, and Pens get two younger players and much needed picks. Trenin could slot into the 3c or wing and Khusnutdinov is a W/C that is an incredible skater, solid 200ft game, has some offense in his game and not afraid to mix it up given he's 5'11"

Takes two toys away from Sullivan. Pens have enough PK players to be fine, both of the players they get back also PK. Wild will get a huge boost for a year they want to make the playoffs and win some rounds. Eller would slot into the 3c or 4c and Doc can play both wings and C as well. Wild also get a ton of cap back to make more moves at the deadline and that's valuable to a team still f***ed for 1 more year by the Parise and Suter buyouts before it drops a lot next year.

Bunting, Crosby, Rakell
Trenin, Malkin, Rust
Khusnutdinov, Lizotte, Puljujarvi
Hayes/Beauvillier, Glass, Acciari

Sullivan will still find a way to f*** it up, but at least the next coach will have some decent youth added and the two firsts is huge for this franchise.

Wild would probably look like:

Kaprizov, Rossi, Zucc
O'Connor, Eriksson-Ek, Boldy
Foligno, Gaudreau, Hartman
Johansson, Eller, Lauko

Couldn't watch this one wtf how did we win. Bizarre how this team is good on the second half of back to backs.

Yeah I mentioned that yesterday, that they're good on the 2nd of back to backs for some reason, hurt our fire Sully chances.

Now it's on Dallas to wreck them. Dallas is loaded with insanely good young scorers so this should be a field day unless Pete Dipshit somehow coaches them to shit for this one, with our luck.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I think DOC's probably like, a decent 3rd liner or good 4th liner at the NHL level. Just doesn't have the on ice IQ or puck skills to work on a legit scoring line imo, even as a puck hound third wheel type.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I think DOC's probably like, a decent 3rd liner or good 4th liner at the NHL level. Just doesn't have the on ice IQ or puck skills to work on a legit scoring line imo, even as a puck hound third wheel type.

Doc to me had it figured out and then got pushed up to Sid's line last year and decided to do what Rust did and he's been doing it since, he's absolute shit defensively at ES but incredible on the PK. Sullivan already did that to Rust, they love to glaze each other so Rust will never get in shit for it.

Doc I think if they move him and I think they should soon or Sullivan will tank any value he has left as a trade chip, he would break out the way we hoped simply by not being coached by Sullivan.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

DOC is Dupuis from Temu.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Couldn't watch this one wtf how did we win. Bizarre how this team is good on the second half of back to backs.

Washington didn't look at all like a 9-3-0 team. They looked more like last year. We're controlling games far better now. Letang was really solid, which is increasingly rare. Blomqvist was awesome. EK was trash defensively but compensated by creating 2 goals. So he wasn't a net negative...which is often the case this season.

So the players who control outcomes the most were either very good or at least neutral. Puts you in a good spot.

 

[OtherThingsILike]

Yay, we finally won a game against a team that made the playoffs last season. And in regulation, too!

 

[mattihp]

Just to add: Blomqvist is elite at reading the play. I think the f***er watches video and studies and takes his game seriously. So that’s pretty cool.

Part of the job in Kärpät where he was trained, good catch.

 

[BrookswasHere44]

I'm at the point where Blom is the only player I care about and want to see.

 

[Ignatius]

It's great taking a W from Old Man Ovi's team, I'll give them their due as they built out from their big names instead of trying to build around them thus setting themselves up better once those big names are gone in the near future. They will probably make the playoffs this year and might actually be able to win a round.

The Mike Sullivan Firing Tracker shows a reading of "not probable for now" due to winning a game against a legitimately good team.

 

[TheFamousFart]

I think they should probably trade Nedjelkovic for whatever they can get for him (probably like a 3rd) and run with Jarry and Blomqvist as their goalies.

Im pretty sure no team would give up a third for him

 

[BusinessGoose]

I'm at the point where Blom is the only player I care about and want to see.

The Skenes of pittsburgh hockey

 

[McGroarty2]

I think Blom gives the Pens the best chance to win, but that will only hurt their draft position. Perhaps the best move is sending him back to WBS so that team can dominate and the prospects can thrive in a winning environment. Blom isn't turning Pittsburgh into a Cup contender this season.

 

[vodeni]

I think they should banish Jarry to the minors and continue to run ned and bloomer.

It don’t ride Ned as #1, he ain’t that, more game to Blom than him

 

[Andy99]

I think DOC's probably like, a decent 3rd liner or good 4th liner at the NHL level. Just doesn't have the on ice IQ or puck skills to work on a legit scoring line imo, even as a puck hound third wheel type.

DOC got the warrior helmet last night over Blom, Geno or EK…wanna know why? Just watch him block a ton of hard shots last night and get in front of Ovi’s shots lol, and not just on the PK…yeah, he’s not a 14th forward, but he’s not the top six scoring option people here wanted…he’s a good player to have in your bottom six and on the PK…I wouldn’t mind resigning him if the price is right…also wouldn’t have a problem trading him if the return is good either

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Imo you waive Ned and just keep him up with the team. "Recall" him when he needs to play. Id be shocked if he got claimed.

You would? You should take a look around the league at how awful some of the goaltending is right now for a lot. Ned, while being off his game as well, is a massive upgrade for a lot of teams. Ned's cap hit is 2.5m which isn't that bad for a lot of those teams as well.

Avs could make it work by just waiving Kahkonen, then Wagner later and one of their goalies buried in the AHL.
Canucks - They could see Ned as a better solution for backing up Lankinen as Silovs is brutal.
Utah, Tampa, CBJ (if they feel like going 3 as Tarasov is crap right now)...

Also would it be bad if he did get claimed? The only part I would hate is if Dubas didn't first call around to see if he could get something from these teams to make it easier for the ones that would want him. As there would be others that would be above them in the waiver list, so they could get back a 3rd or 4th for him and I think that would be fine to do.

The Pens still have Larsson who I think could be an option if Jarry shits the bed in his return and shows no improvement from his stint in WBS. You then call up Larsson and play it out with Blomqvist as the starter splitting more games with the other 2.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1855091539803886060

Ahh this brings back amazing memories of 2016/2017

I mean its cool to see the support...

But this team also f***ing sucks and is 6-8-2, that Caps win might be the best it'll get for a while.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Yay, we finally won a game against a team that made the playoffs last season. And in regulation, too!

I feel like that was also the Caps worst game of the season, but it'll inflate the shit out of Sullivan's ego.

 

[Malkinstheman]

You would? You should take a look around the league at how awful some of the goaltending is right now for a lot. Ned, while being off his game as well, is a massive upgrade for a lot of teams. Ned's cap hit is 2.5m which isn't that bad for a lot of those teams as well.

I feel like we always see teams struggle to trade these fringe players that have a second year on their contract. Last year Eller was pretty good but no one wanted him because of year 2.

It's not entirely his fault but Ned's numbers here have not been great. I don't see anyone running out to claim a 2.5m aav goalie that has averaged around or below a 0.900% since 2021

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I feel like we always see teams struggle to trade these fringe players that have a second year on their contract. Last year Eller was pretty good but no one wanted him because of year 2.

It's not entirely his fault but Ned's numbers here have not been great. I don't see anyone running out to claim a 2.5m aav goalie that has averaged around or below a 0.900% since 2021

I don't know if Eller was that seriously shopped by Dubas, it could be that those teams asked for retention and the Penguins weren't willing to with the return they were being offered, but to keep Eller and move Guentzel to signal moves for a team out of the playoffs? That'd be weird.

Ned got over hyped by the run last year, but if anyone else paid attention, they'd also see the struggles were definitely there that are showing right now, he was unable to stop 3 or more goals per game in that run and it carried over. Its why I questioned if Chiodo is the right bloke for this team right now, as Blomqvist worked more with Tisi and goalie camps in Europe so he's less "tainted" by Chiodo.

Here's their last 20ish games for Jars and Ned.

Player Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick

Chiodo definitely shouldn't be getting any credit with Blomqvist, what's happened to Ned and Jarry, that's something Chiodo should have been able to fix, because before that mark (Jan 26-end of season) both goals were actually pretty good. But he couldn't steer them back to it.

Here's their numbers from the start of the season to Jan 25 (I had to go to Jan 26 to get both to at least 20 games since the final 20 was a run Werner, Sully, and Dubas all focused on for promise).

Player Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick

 

[Al Smith]

I think Blom gives the Pens the best chance to win, but that will only hurt their draft position. Perhaps the best move is sending him back to WBS so that team can dominate and the prospects can thrive in a winning environment. Blom isn't turning Pittsburgh into a Cup contender this season.

They could bench Blom and call up Vincent Tremblay to help their chances.

Seriously, if Jarry comes back, agree they should send Blom down to WBS. As Ferraro said last night, three goalies generally doesn't work out. Playing every once in awhile won't help his development.

 

[Jdodd]

Good win but again way too many breakaways. Just watch the highlights on YouTube…..
For the life of me I have no idea why Karlsson/Letang can’t defend a 2 on 1.
For the year I think they have let the puck get passed over to the other offensive player 9/10 times…