Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: Geno owns Carolina

[BHD]

That's so bad it's good.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I feel a little bit better about this team's post Crosby/Malkin future every passing week, honestly. It was looking a bit bleak there for a minute. Now suddenly there are some legitimately interesting young players on this roster and in the system.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Sheary's really blown my doors off this season. He's making an impact whether Sid's feeling it or not.

Unsustainable, that's what Jake is . . .

Treat to watch. Not only a good offensive player but a smart offensive player. So glad he's up here and making it nearly impossible to send him back.

 

[JTG]

Sheary's really blown my doors off this season. He's making an impact whether Sid's feeling it or not.



Treat to watch. Not only a good offensive player but a smart offensive player. So glad he's up here and making it nearly impossible to send him back.

I was just going through this line up on capfriendly and I honestly have no idea how this thing shakes out going forward. It's a great problem to have.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Gaunce 15 mins. Ruh had 20 minutes of ice. That's legit ice time by two call ups and in two games have played tremendous.

And Sid didn't deserve more than 1 point in the game. That was probably his worst effort all season. And I'm fine with that. Not every player is going to come out and dominate each game. Someone will have a stinker somewhere. He had a full calendar year of absolute dominance. He's found a little rut here early in 2017 but there is no doubt he will elevate soon. But for tonight's discussion - Sid didn't deserve more than 1 point. That was a stinker by him.

Guance was a guy I mentioned for them to bring up earlier in the season and got scoffed at. Probably rightly so, but darn have I been impressed with him. He seems to bring what the others don't. A little bit of size, defense and a touch of offense.

I hope he makes a case for a #7/8 D-man.

Just an incredible game by pretty much everyone.

Murray was much better this game, and he certainly kept it from tilting the Canes way earlier on.

Geno is just in NHL 17 mode.
Sheary is really making a case to be a legit top sixer.
Daley looked much better.
Schultz is pretty much on Q with his season so far.
Bummer Hornqvist lost that goal.
Guentzel was very noticeable.

Heartbreaking for Wilson's injury after having such a great chance right before his injury.

GWS...

 

[66-30-33]

7, 1, 1. Murray getting a little better each game. He looked really solid and comfortable. Still a little rebound control work to do, but getting there.

No Tanger? no problem.

 

[clefty]

The next person I see saying we need to be looking for an upgrade at wing, specifically on Crosby's line over Conor Sheary, I'm going to crawl through the internet, out of your screen and flick you in the ear really hard. He's the best winger we've developed in 20 years. Now that's a low bar, I'll grant you, but there it is.

 

[Ogrezilla]

The next person I see saying we need to be looking for an upgrade at wing, specifically on Crosby's line over Conor Sheary, I'm going to crawl through the internet, out of your screen and flick you in the ear really hard. He's the best winger we've developed in 20 years. Now that's a low bar, I'll grant you, but there it is.

Since bringing up Guentzel, anyone saying to add a wing is saying it should be a RW at as far as I can see.

 

[Malkinstheman]

What will shearys contract look like it? Im thinking 2 x 2.75. Just a random guess so not sure if its fair or not.

 

[66-30-33]

The next person I see saying we need to be looking for an upgrade at wing, specifically on Crosby's line over Conor Sheary, I'm going to crawl through the internet, out of your screen and flick you in the ear really hard. He's the best winger we've developed in 20 years. Now that's a low bar, I'll grant you, but there it is.

Yeah all this team needs is a top 4 Dman and that's all. We are set everywhere else.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

3.6 goals per game.

We may not win another cup (although I would say the Pens' chances are as good as any teams), but they have to be the most entertaining team in hockey to watch.

We haven't seen scoring like this in a quarter century.

 

[CertifiedLurker]

Since bringing up Guentzel, anyone saying to add a wing is saying it should be a RW at as far as I can see.

To me it's either a RW to play on the third line so that Kessel can play with Crosby or a C to play with Kessel on the third line. Listen, I know HBK looked better tonight (the bar was low) than usual, but I'm still not satisfied and Bonino is just so damn slow. You have two ridiculously fast wingers and a center who is as slow as molasses and frankly can't make up for it with whatever other skill he possesses because there's just not that much skill to Bones.

 

[mpp9]

Since bringing up Guentzel, anyone saying to add a wing is saying it should be a RW at as far as I can see.

Seriously. Bryan Rust does not belong next to Sid.

That guy hates Maatta as well.

 

[Ogrezilla]

To me it's either a RW to play on the third line so that Kessel can play with Crosby or a C to play with Kessel on the third line. Listen, I know HBK looked better tonight (the bar was low) than usual, but I'm still not satisfied and Bonino is just so damn slow. You have two ridiculously fast wingers and a center who is as slow as molasses and frankly can't make up for it with whatever other skill he possesses because there's just not that much skill to Bones.

I mean, he obviously can. He isn't right now, but anybody who watched this team last playoffs knows that Bonino CAN play very well.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Seriously. Bryan Rust does not belong next to Sid.

That guy hates Maatta as well.

Yep. Rust belongs anywhere else in the line-up basically. He's so good, just not in that spot.

 

[66-30-33]

3.6 goals per game.

We may not win another cup (although I would say the Pens' chances are as good as any teams), but they have to be the most entertaining team in hockey to watch.

We haven't seen scoring like this in a quarter century.

Wasn't this team at like the half way mark of the league the first month of the season for goals too? then POOF they just score at will now. Wonder if we go for Shattenkirk? Schultz can stay on the 3rd pair with Cole, Dumo with Letang, Maatta with Shattenkirk. Score baby, just score!

 

[clefty]

We've got a Right Winger for Crosby, his name is Patric Hornqvist.

We've got a Right Winger for Malkin, his name is Phil Kessel.

And we've got a Right Winger for the third line, his name is Bryan Rust.

We have the players, they're just in the wrong spots. Any scorer you acquire from here is overkill, and a waste of what few tradeable assets we have.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Wasn't this team at like the half way mark of the league the first month of the season for goals too? then POOF they just score at will now. Wonder if we go for Shattenkirk? Schultz can stay on the 3rd pair with Cole, Dumo with Letang, Maatta with Shattenkirk. Score baby, just score!

They were not scoring like this earlier this year. Nor did they score at this pace even last year.

31 goals in seven games in January. (4.43 goals per game).
66 goals in fifteen games in December (4.4 goals per game).
45 goals in fourteen games in November (3.21 goals per game).
34 goals in twelve games in October (2.83 goals per game).
5 goals in three games in September (1.66 goals per game).

Since December though they are simply killing it offensively. Unstoppable. And have gotten better offensively every single month.

 

[66-30-33]

They were not scoring like this earlier this year. Nor did they score at this pace even last year.

31 goals in seven games in January. (4.43 goals per game).
66 goals in fifteen games in December (4.4 goals per game).
45 goals in fourteen games in November (3.21 goals per game).
34 goals in twelve games in October (2.83 goals per game).
5 goals in three games in September (1.66 goals per game).

Since December though they are simply killing it offensively. Unstoppable. And have gotten better offensively every single month.

Not really sustainable in the long term though, but it's nice to watch. NYR was killing it in the first month.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Not really sustainable in the long term though, but it's nice to watch. NYR was killing it in the first month.

Almost 5 goals a game? I will give you that prediction.

The Pens were among the top scoring teams in the NHL last year as well though, into the playoffs against some of the best defenses in the NHL. From December on they were the highest scoring last year by a goodly margin. I think that 3.5 goals or so from now is not only is sustainable, but is likely, which would lap everyone else most likely when all is said and done.

 

[DReynolds]

LOVED Gaunce tonight. Highest Corsi on the team. Ruh's was among the worst along with Maatta, but I think Maatta may have been the weaker link in that pair.

+ ruhwedel/bollweevil = surprising. I feel like Gaunce/BollW = Dumo/Chorney playoffs 2015. Where you say it works in the situation, but really, they just work.
+ Daley- guy looks tired af but kicks so much ***
+ for the 4th line, in spite of all of my instincts
+ for Geno and his line, and the future I see for them...possibly tainted by how much I [heart] Pretzel
+ Please let these last few games be like last year's turning point, where no matter who you subtract from the lineup, the total = #winwinwin

 

[Ogrezilla]

We've got a Right Winger for Crosby, his name is Patric Hornqvist.

We've got a Right Winger for Malkin, his name is Phil Kessel.

And we've got a Right Winger for the third line, his name is Bryan Rust.

We have the players, they're just in the wrong spots. Any scorer you acquire from here is overkill, and a waste of what few tradeable assets we have.

I would look to upgrade 3C if we don't think Kessel is staying there.

 

[CertifiedLurker]

I mean, he obviously can. He isn't right now, but anybody who watched this team last playoffs knows that Bonino CAN play very well.

HBK last year was a stretch of good fortune all coming together at once. They were lifted by good bounces (and ridiculous PDO) and Kessel playing to another level. Just look at how many more shots he took than the 2nd most shot taker on the team in the post-season, it's ridiculous. That's not to say Bonino didn't play better then, he was hugely impactful defensively, but the offense of that line was driven by Kessel playing some of the best hockey of his career, if that's whats necessary to get the most out of Bonino on a regular basis, that's asking a lot of Kessel imo, especially if Bonino has potentially lost a step which is possibly the case.

 

[Ogrezilla]

HBK last year was a stretch of good fortune all coming together at once. They were lifted by good bounces (and ridiculous PDO) and Kessel playing to another level. Just look at how many more shots he took than the 2nd most shot taker on the team in the post-season, it's ridiculous. That's not to say Bonino didn't play better then, he was hugely impactful defensively, but the offense of that line was driven by Kessel playing some of the best hockey of his career, if that's whats necessary to get the most out of Bonino on a regular basis, that's asking a lot of Kessel imo, especially if Bonino has potentially lost a step which is possibly the case.

No reason to think Bonino lost a step in the last 7 months. This is what he looked like last year at this time. And the year before. And the year before. And while I agree that Kessel was the key to that line working, Bonino was playing light years better than he is right now. And its not the only time he's stepped it up in the playoffs. Bones absolutely has another gear or three. He may not get to that level this year, but the ability is there.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

Kessel was killing it no doubt, but Bonino was playing like a legit playmaker. Last year in the playoffs he was consistently making passes that you'd usually only see from Sid and Geno.

The question is if it was just Bonino having the playoffs of a lifetime or if Kessel's dominance and Hagelin's speed gave him the room to do such things. Time will tell I suppose.