Post-Game Talk: Cole's Plus/Minus: Pens go Wild on Minnesota

[ronduguayshair]

Is Dupuis what you want on a top line? Is that the bar we're clearing?

It's pathetic. **** him. And **** simon.

Lol

yes in a cap universe. Again we’re not playing video games or assembling an all star team.

 

[EightyOne]

Well this little weasel better get more than ten goals

Lol

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

There's never any cap space to serve our two best players but there sure is enough to bring in endless 3rd line centers, evidently.

 

[Empoleon8771]

There's never any cap space to serve our two best players but there sure is enough to bring in endless 3rd line centers, evidently.

I've said this before, Staal and Bonino during HBK absolutely ruined the expectations for what a 3C should be in the eyes of Penguins fans.

 

[Peat]

Honestly so long as it works for Sid, it's fine by me. But yeah... you aren't wrong. Whoever the other guy is better be ****in' gangbusters.

I really just wanted to use the word "gangbusters." I'm not even too sure it works, there.

It works.

Also...

I think the important numbers with Sid's wings if Simon is one is shots and shooting percentage.

Simon won't shoot much. But if he's getting fed glorious chances like the one he scored vs Minnesota, a respectable number needs to go in - and he also needs to produce a lot of great chances for the other wing to justify his place there. Which means that the other guy needs to shoot like mad, and get most of them to go in.

Simon was on pace for a 10 goal 5v5 pace before Sid went down. That's okay, but you'd really like him to push that up to 15 (20's dreaming) if he's ever to cement a place. Jake meanwhile was on pace for about 30, and it's that sort of scoring that can make it work. I feel like having your top line wingers combine for about a goal every other game at 5v5 is acceptable. Question is, can McCann - or whoever - be that man with Sid and Simon feeding him?

Would help if Sid scored more himself too mind.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I've said this before, Staal and Bonino during HBK absolutely ruined the expectations for what a 3C should be in the eyes of Penguins fans.

"Best Third Line In The League!™"

Terrific.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I bet he even knows half of their names this year

All he needs to know is Rusty.

 

[Tom Hanks]

All he needs to know is Rusty.

Geno spells it Brian

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

I wish I could read this but I don’t want to pay for an Athletic sub...

Here's the lede for the Athletic's next Penguins story:

"Incredible. Sidney Crosby is back and the rest of the NHL is on notice. What Crosby did to poor Ryan Donato should serve as a reminder: He's the best player on Earth and the Penguins are a menace"

(I am not compensated by The Athletic)

 

[The Old Master]

just coming out of the fog...…..did I see chucky play a better game than zucker?

 

[ColePens]

While the "pass to yourself off the net" is cool, it's not highly difficult. Doing it to an NHLer is sorta funny, but kids do it all the time. The more elite situation is he did it with his head up the entire time then dishes a BEAUT of a pass right by 3 opposing players and a goalie tape to tape. Like it was freaking NOTHING.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

While the "pass to yourself off the net" is cool, it's not highly difficult. Doing it to an NHLer is sorta funny, but kids do it all the time. The more elite situation is he did it with his head up the entire time then dishes a BEAUT of a pass right by 3 opposing players and a goalie tape to tape. Like it was freaking NOTHING.

Yeah I mean... I saw that move all the time. Tried it all the time, too. It's true that you don't see it much at the NHL level (though I for sure have... Sid himself has done it a few times) but that's largely because it's tough to fool NHL players with it and your skating/edgework has to be ridic. But I mean... Sid is Sid. So...

 

[IcedCapp]

While the "pass to yourself off the net" is cool, it's not highly difficult. Doing it to an NHLer is sorta funny, but kids do it all the time. The more elite situation is he did it with his head up the entire time then dishes a BEAUT of a pass right by 3 opposing players and a goalie tape to tape. Like it was freaking NOTHING.

Sid Hating Geno Fan

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Geno spells it Brian

Geno likes Rusty because it reminds him of the color of his Mama's Borscht.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Geno likes Rusty because it reminds him of the color of his Mama's Borscht.

Plus he got to just recycle an old linemate's nickname so that makes things way easier.

(Fedotenko)

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Plus he got to just recycle an old linemate's nickname so that makes things way easier.

(Fedotenko)

How did they get Rusty out of Ruslan?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

How did they get Rusty out of Ruslan?

I dunno. He's Russian. He's got like three nicknames or somethin'

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I think he's always had the capability year in and year out. I think he always needs at least one quality winger that is going to give and go to him though. He needs that one staple. He didn't have that with Hagelin or Kessel. Hags was just speed and forecheck and Kessel was interested in scoring...but if everyone else did the work. Geno's best performances are guys that basically say to him (in action) "Hey, we're here to make you better". Passengers so to speak...but good passengers. Talbot, Neal, Kunitz/Rust, and now Rust and Kahun. Those guys know who makes that line go and they have bought in...and they are all being rewarded. You wanna know why I'm happy Kessel is gone?



Wonder if ol Sylvester ever got good at actual boxing with all the training he did...?



It's like...something magically changed...or someone or something magically left that suddenly improved their relationship. It's like all those things a lot of us were saying in the summer finally manifested. Must have been the sage that one lady burned outside the arena. There's no other explanation.



I think it's because expectations are changed a little. When this roster is 100% healthy, I expect, nay...DEMAND...a win. A loss is a let down. But when you look at the current roster and there's a bunch of new young guys like Tanev, Kahun, McCann, Marino, Jarry, etc, if they lose, it's not as bad of a let down. Wins are earned. They mean more, to me anyway. So I agree...it's fun watching this team right now but I think it's because we've had Sid and Geno for 15 years and our expectations have been toyed with over those years.

I think it's also why Carolina fans always seem to be so happy and why Toronto/Edmonton fans always seem to be so sad.



Perhaps the decision could be made depending on who can bring in. Perhaps you can get Pageau on a good deal to be the 3C. Then you put McCann on the wing and swing for the fences and hope Jakes makes it back. Just spitballin.

I think it also depends on who they bring in. If it's a LW (say Saad), stick Simon on the RW. If it's a RW (say Toffoli), stick McCann on the LW. Stick Bjugstad at center or wing depending on who ends ups where. I couldn't hate trying a 3rd line of: Bjugstad-McCann-Horny because you're right, I do think McCann is a tad bit better at center than at wing but that's sometimes hard to judge when he's on Sid's LW.



Translation: Dude is making me a balla this year. I don't know how he does it all. Don't jinx it. ****.



I'll take "things we *****ed about the lack of in the 2019 playoffs" for $100 Alex.

Not to toot my own horn but over the off season while so many here were at obsession levels with Jack Johnson, I did point out that a new defensive commitment and structure were needed more than anything. You can rearrange the chairs on the Titanic all you want but if you have no support, no defensive zone awareness, and slow playing players...you're gonna go down whether you have 100 or 0 Jack Johnsons.

I feel like you have to learn some basics to look somewhat believable, like the footwork Sylvester does and his boxing technique, it's pretty decent for a guy that only does it for the movies and then abandons all of it in the fighting scenes (seriously, as ex boxer, the boxing scenes are god awful, literally every fighter in the movie would have severe brain damage).

 

[stardog]

I'm a fan of both players (when they are playing the right way) and I don't take this for granted. Everything isn't as black and white and simple as some wish it would be. Also, I'm a big fan of reality over fantasy.

Imagine being front row balcony on the blueline (Pens shoot twice) last night. Talk about enjoying the star talent.

"playing the right way"....look who bought in to the most ridiculous and overhyped Penguins annual catch phrase for the media....such a dumb, dumb cliché

 

[stardog]

Who knew all Geno needed was some sweet beach workouts with Kovalchuk, like this glorious montage.

Wrong Stallone bruh....Frank makes the magic happen

 

[stardog]

To add, I think this game should cement Simon's status as one of Crosby's wingers. I think a lot of Simon's negatives have been beaten to death at this point, but he is really good at making the smart and small plays that generate scoring chances. If you put him with Crosby, he will generate more chances for Sid. I think that's exactly what you want out of a winger for Crosby. Being able to generate offense if Sid is being neutralized is a nice thing to have, but what sounds better to me is being able to generate chances for the best offensive player of the last decade. It's why Simon's GF/60 numbers with Crosby are so good.

Get a good goal scorer to play with those 2 and I think your 1st line is set. I personally don't like McCann on the wing as much as I like him at center, but keep him on LW for the 2nd or 3rd line.

One game cements his status? Did you forget his last 5 they played together or his 2 goals the entire first quarter of the season?
Analytics all love him but production (the one thing that actually matters) say otherwise
Simon should be nowhere near a championship teams top 6 in the playoffs.
McCann is what you should be taking from this. His production on either Sid or Geno's wing is phenomenal

 

[ronduguayshair]

"playing the right way"....look who bought in to the most ridiculous and overhyped Penguins annual catch phrase for the media....such a dumb, dumb cliché

yeah it is dumb but check out my audience.

How would you describe Malkin’s play last year? You can’t say lazy or selfish unless you absolutely hate Russians.

 

[stardog]

I'm totally in McCann on sid's wing with simon. We're 17-1-1 when McCann scores.

Uhhh...did several of his 14 goals count twice?
Cuzzz your math don't work yo

 

[Empoleon8771]

One game cements his status? Did you forget his last 5 they played together or his 2 goals the entire first quarter of the season?
Analytics all love him but production (the one thing that actually matters) say otherwise
Simon should be nowhere near a championship teams top 6 in the playoffs.
McCann is what you should be taking from this. His production on either Sid or Geno's wing is phenomenal

No, the actual production shows that Crosby is on the ice for more goals per minute with Simon than without Simon. That's what the actual production shows, Simon causes lines with Malkin or Crosby to produce more.

 

[stardog]

No, the actual production shows that Crosby is on the ice for more goals per minute with Simon than without Simon. That's what the actual production shows, Simon causes lines with Malkin or Crosby to produce more.

Look at the averages. Look at the goals allowed as well.