Post-Game Talk: Game IV Pens vs Wings: The Karlsson show

[Sidney the Kidney]

It took Sully awhile to figure out Detroit coach was abusing Ruh-Poj with his first line. Sully finally broke up the pairing from hell and things magically got a little better.

It would be nice to think we have something in the org that would be a step up from our bottom pair on D or our bottom 6 (- Eller, who’s looked ok), but I don’t think anyone fits that bill, although I haven’t seen Ludvig play.

The fact that Ruhwedel is a regular starter and not the 7th guy who only plays when one of the top 6 D is injured is a major issue.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The fact that Ruhwedel is a regular starter and not the 7th guy who only plays when one of the top 6 D is injured is a major issue.

The problem is that they don't have anyone better and POJ isn't exactly playing better than Ruhwedel right now either.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

The thing with Ruh is it isn't even really about him as a player. It's more the principle.

Like... they held on to THIS guy like grim death for something like eight seasons? Why?

 

[BusinessGoose]

The problem is that they don't have anyone better and POJ isn't exactly playing better than Ruhwedel right now either.

Playing 5 D might be better!

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I'm tellin' you; Zohorna on defense. He's the next Brent Burns. Those per 60 numbers are insane!

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

The problem is that they don't have anyone better and POJ isn't exactly playing better than Ruhwedel right now either.

That's what I'm saying. How do you go into a season with Ruhwedel as your best option for the #6D spot and not think that's an issue?

If the idea is that Karlsson/Letang are going to play 45-50 minutes of the game anyway so you just need someone "safe" playing the remaining 10-15 minutes, that's flawed thinking because you still don't want that piece of turd playing those minutes.

The thing is Ruhwedel isn't even "safe". He makes some really poor decisions with the puck, and he's small so he's not even going to provide you with 10-12 minutes of "physically punish the opponent" minutes.

All of this to say I hate Chad Ruhwedel.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

That's what I'm saying. How do you go into a season with Ruhwedel as your best option for the #6D spot and not think that's an issue?

If the idea is that Karlsson/Letang are going to play 45-50 minutes of the game anyway so you just need someone "safe" playing the remaining 10-15 minutes, that's flawed thinking because you still don't want that piece of turd playing those minutes.

The thing is Ruhwedel isn't even "safe". He makes some really poor decisions with the puck, and he's small so he's not even going to provide you with 10-12 minutes of "physically punish the opponent" minutes.

All of this to say I hate Chad Ruhwedel.

Yeah, Ruhwedel should be studied by scholars for years to see how he managed to fake his way into an NHL career for so long. Dude's bad at everything; offense, defense, transition, physicality.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Yeah, Ruhwedel should be studied by scholars for years to see how he managed to fake his way into an NHL career for so long. Dude's bad at everything; offense, defense, transition, physicality.

I think Ruhwedel fools people into thinking he plays a safe game because he's just so shit offensively and with the puck so he kind of doesn't join the offense, but the reality is he's not dependable defensively either.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I think Ruhwedel fools people into thinking he plays a safe game because he's just so shit offensively and with the puck so he kind of doesn't join the offense, but the reality is he's not dependable defensively either.

If it's that easy to fool a team's coaching staff and FO, yeesh. Dude's sucked forever but he's got like 8 seasons of a career under his belt or something.

 

[Richard]

Dubas even said on national tv that the bottom 6 was the issue --- hes letting some guys play. Give it 15-20 games then identify your needs and get on the phone. This isn't rocket science.

Unlike the last two years, I see the glint of a contender with this team.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

If it's that easy to fool a team's coaching staff and FO, yeesh. Dude's sucked forever but he's got like 8 seasons of a career under his belt or something.

Craig Adams, Tanner Glass, Mark Eaton, ZAR. This organization loves their marginal players who they think play "safe" games and keep them around way longer than they should.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Craig Adams, Tanner Glass, Mark Eaton, ZAR. This organization loves their marginal players who they think play "safe" games and keep them around way longer than they should.

Add Blueger and Dom Simon too. The pile is massive.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Dubas even said on national tv that the bottom 6 was the issue --- hes letting some guys play. Give it 15-20 games then identify your needs and get on the phone. This isn't rocket science.

Unlike the last two years, I see the glint of a contender with this team.

Should be working the lines already. It's clear Carter and Harkins are problems. DOC isn't gonna magically turn into a 40pt guy. Nobody in WBS stands to come in and fix things. Nieto, Acciari, and Eller are what they are; and it ain't guys who can chip in respectable production to pick up the inevitably slack when Sid/Geno have off nights. Feels like a pretty big mistake to wait a quarter of the season to decide to pick up the phone tbh.

 

[Richard]

Should be working the lines already. It's clear Carter and Harkins are problems. DOC isn't gonna magically turn into a 40pt guy. Nobody in WBS stands to come in and fix things. Nieto, Acciari, and Eller are what they are; and it ain't guys who can chip in respectable production to pick up the inevitably slack when Sid/Geno have off nights. Feels like a pretty big mistake to wait a quarter of the season to decide to pick up the phone tbh.

Why would someone trade you their bottom six center right now 5 games into the season?

20 games in, you sort of know where you are gonna finish. You can set up a deal.

Everyone operates like this is playstation. We won't be making a "hockey" deal - picks or prospects will be our assets to trade. Which Owner wants to sell the season down the river in the second week?

 

[Andy99]

The fact that Ruhwedel is a regular starter and not the 7th guy who only plays when one of the top 6 D is injured is a major issue.

Well expect to see a lot more of him as Letang is injured lol…

Why would someone trade you their bottom six center right now 5 games into the season?

20 games in, you sort of know where you are gonna finish. You can set up a deal.

Everyone operates like this is playstation. We won't be making a "hockey" deal - picks or prospects will be our assets to trade. Which Owner wants to sell the season down the river in the second week?

San Jose? Lol

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

The problem is that they don't have anyone better and POJ isn't exactly playing better than Ruhwedel right now either.

Well they had a viable backup plan for Ruh, but they just shipped him off to Vancouver

 

[Empoleon8771]

That's what I'm saying. How do you go into a season with Ruhwedel as your best option for the #6D spot and not think that's an issue?

If the idea is that Karlsson/Letang are going to play 45-50 minutes of the game anyway so you just need someone "safe" playing the remaining 10-15 minutes, that's flawed thinking because you still don't want that piece of turd playing those minutes.

The thing is Ruhwedel isn't even "safe". He makes some really poor decisions with the puck, and he's small so he's not even going to provide you with 10-12 minutes of "physically punish the opponent" minutes.

All of this to say I hate Chad Ruhwedel.

The thing is that he has been safe over his career analytically. He has a negative xGA/60rel in every single season since becoming a NHLer outside of 2017-2018. Hell, his raw results in terms of GA/60 have also been good over that window as well in most seasons.

Ruhwedel was trash last night but this website goes way overboard with him. He is a safe player, it's just sometimes he gets exposed due to his weaknesses, the big one being him being really undersized. If he was 6'2" and 215 lbs, he'd be a legitimately good bottom pair DFD.

Well they had a viable backup plan for Ruh, but they just shipped him off to Vancouver

Friedman is just as undersized as Ruhwedel and he stinks defensively.

They need a Luke Schenn type of bottom pair RD. They don't have anyone like that in the system, outside of Ludvig having that potential.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Why would someone trade you their bottom six center right now 5 games into the season?

20 games in, you sort of know where you are gonna finish. You can set up a deal.

Everyone operates like this is playstation. We won't be making a "hockey" deal - picks or prospects will be our assets to trade. Which Owner wants to sell the season down the river in the second week?

I mean, I don't really give a shit either way because I haven't pinned this team as a contender for years, so making the playoffs simply to be a 1st round exit versus missing entirely is no different in my eyes.

I'm just saying, if the team's trying to keep up appearances that they're trying super duper hard to maintain dignity in the face of more than half a decade of a steady, downward trajectory, they probably shouldn't sacrifice 20 games of the season--in a hotly contested division like the Metro--to see whether or not guys like Nieto, Acciari, DOC or Harkins pick it up offensively.

 

[Richard]

I mean, I don't really give a shit either way because I haven't pinned this team as a contender for years, so making the playoffs simply to be a 1st round exit versus missing entirely is no different in my eyes.

I'm just saying, if the team's trying to keep up appearances that they're trying super duper hard to maintain dignity in the face of more than half a decade of a steady, downward trajectory, they probably shouldn't sacrifice 20 games of the season--in a hotly contested division like the Metro--to see whether or not guys like Nieto, Acciari, DOC or Harkins pick it up offensively.

And I am saying you have to see what you got AND you have to find someone to dance with. That is a lot more difficult in October when you aren't looking to move roster players in an actual hockey trade.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Well they had a viable backup plan for Ruh, but they just shipped him off to Vancouver

Great. Instead of watching Ruhwedel get burned by the likes of Debrincat, we could have watched Friedman chase a hit and leave his actual man unmarked.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

And I am saying you have to see what you got AND you have to find someone to dance with. That is a lot more difficult in October when you aren't looking to move roster players in an actual hockey trade.

I understand that. But you said "give it 15-20 games" to assess before addressing issues. He should already be gauging interest in this team's meager assets and seeing who is potentially available to add to the middle-6.

We know what the team's got. We're not discussing young guys who may end up finding another gear and surprising, and it's just a matter of adjusting to the speed or finding their legs. The offensive production and ability to lean on the opposition for lengthy shifts and take pressure off of the top-6 was a concern, from everyone, throughout the entirety of the off-season. This isn't a "woah, how unexpected, guess I have work to do" thing. /shrug

 

[Josey Wales]

Dubas even said on national tv that the bottom 6 was the issue --- hes letting some guys play. Give it 15-20 games then identify your needs and get on the phone. This isn't rocket science.

Unlike the last two years, I see the glint of a contender with this team.

Don't think he has 15-20 Games to piss around

 

[Victor Z]

POJ's got to be thankful today for the existence of Chad Ruhwedel and the fact that everyone is focusing on Ruh as the sole problem with that atrocious pairing.

And that includes the coach; those who claim that POS is coming out of the lineup before Ruhwedel does are hilarious. They both need to sit, or be shot into the sun, or whatever.

 

[Josey Wales]

again the third period is when L1 and L2 brought it up a notch...we still did not get anything from L3 and L4, He can do something about it. He dropped Nieto to third and it immediately looked a bit better, so credit there, he switched Graves and POJ, that looked better, credit there, but why do all of this in desperation, can some of this be done upfront since its obvious to even us idiots on HF Boards, I think thats the loudest complain about him...

REALLY & who caused thee 1st 2nd line to turn it "Up a Notch" in the 3rd ??

 

[Andy99]

Yep…hits all the main points lol…not much change from last season

Scoring depth and the power play are still early season concerns for the Penguins

It has only been four games but those same problems are still carrying over.

www.pensburgh.com

“I am not as down on the third-pairing of Ruhwedel and Joseph as much as everybody else seemed to be on Wednesday. Yes, they were burned for two goals, but overall they have been fine this season and even posted some good underlying numbers. They also spent a lot of time together a year ago and played at a perfectly reasonable level for a third-pairing. They just happened to have their mistakes on Wednesday end up in the back of the net. But everybody struggled for most of that game.

The forward depth is the far bigger question mark and far bigger concern.

This is also where I really would have liked to have seen them find a way to add somebody like Tomas Tatar at the end of the free agency signing period. Not only would it have given them more scoring punch for their third line, it would have also given them another option to slide up into the top-six if and when that is needed in an injury situation.

We have not even talked about the power play yet.

That was another big problem on Wednesday, and outside of the game in Washington where that unit scored a pair of goals they really have not done anything this season to make an impact.”