Post-Game Talk: Game VII: Shot down by the jets

[wej20]

I really dislike Bryan Rust's game. He's such a soft floater and he doesn't have the talent to do that.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I really dislike Bryan Rust's game. He's such a soft floater and he doesn't have the talent to do that.

I feel vindicated and it sucks.

 

[Pancakes]

Rust will probably go on a heater or two that make his numbers look fine by the end of the season but there will be long stretches of games where he's playing like he is now

 

[SEALBound]

Rust will probably go on a heater or two that make his numbers look fine by the end of the season but there will be long stretches of games where he's playing like he is now

I hate to do it to Sid without some sort of replacement but the time to move on from Rust is this TDL or this off-season if there is a good taker.

I don't think you get a good pick out of him but I would hope to take a 3rd liner making $2-3mil on a 1yr and a 2nd waive goodbye.

 

[HandshakeLine]

The time to move on from Rust was many TDLs in the past but my silver lining is I was right about how much he doesn’t give a shit and I hate him.

The downside is, of course, I’m right when I desperately wanted to be wrong.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I really dislike Bryan Rust's game. He's such a soft floater and he doesn't have the talent to do that.

Ever notice he's having shorter seasons he's at a top line winger average (which his cap is based off of) and anything remotely to a full seasons rate he's meh.

I never really considered him a top 1st line winger because, he never has had a full 82 at the rate he has at 60. He has only one season at 81 to start with and those have him being a mortal 30/40+ PPS.

He's very rarely (like never) healthy enough. Like, his average in shorten seasons should have him being a 80 PPS. guy.

So, I can't lock him in as a bonified top line winger. He's been very fortunate to play with two generational talents. If he was anywhere near that PPG winger for 82 he'd be barking up the Guentzel contract 8.0/9.0 tree.

 

[Karl Prime]

Man, haven't been here since last season ended. I was hoping the team would have gotten off to a little better start, but here we are. Long post coming, I have 7 games worth of thoughts to get out.

The good news is that the PP is scoring, and Karl is only going to get more comfortable playing on the left, a place he had never played on the PP before a few weeks ago. You can tell he's still adjusting to the reads and knowing where to go. If it keeps up. however, it will ensure he and Malkin will have higher point totals than they did last year.

It's nice to see Rakell look better, and to see Pulj continue his good preseason play. Hayes definitely seems like an upgrade on Carter though he is surely not scoring three goals every seven games. Eller is still quite good. Beauvillier has fit in well to me, as has Grz (I'm not typing his full name if I could even remember it).

This game vs WPG was the blueprint to how Karl has to play. He was mobile, active, and offensively engaged. If he can play 45-50 more games this year with that kind of engagement he will be just fine. That was the kind of game he had 3 or 4 points two years ago, but his job isn't to create the offense here.

But if he's going to stay with Pettersson, then Pets has to be much better, because he's been off his game. He isn't passing to EK enough* when he is open (ex the 4th WPG goal where he tried to pass to the far blueline and it got picked off). I've also noticed Pets has been a little edgy and over-aggressive. In the CAR game, on the first goal they scored, Karl had his man in the right corner and Pets came over to try and hit him, then the puck went to the other side and the front of the net was open, where he should have been. That was a peculiar play to me, because he is usually a smart defender.

*Don't expect EK to put up high-end numbers if guys aren't getting him the puck when he's open. He's not Matthews, he needs the puck to create chances.

Anyway, wouldn't be surprised if Pets is with Letang soon if he doesn't turn it around. From the little EK and Grz have played together they seem to do fine. Letang and Grz would love to forget that 4-on-4 goal where they left the guy in front alone. Don't know what either were thinking there. Malkin was already up, if Eller gets the puck it's an odd-man break. Maybe Kris can jump up too but Grz certainly can't. I'm not going to look up the thread but I hope they got criticized a lot for that play.

Unfortunately it seems like this season the PP will improve, but the goaltending and D regress, which could put them exactly in last year's position. But the season is long, and Jarry can be good at least some of the time. These next three games are important though, going 2-1-1 would be ideal. But they have to be way more consistent. The first ten minutes of the 2nd vs WPG were excellent and then it just falls apart after their first goal. It wouldn't surprise me if Sully gets fired within the next two weeks if things don't improve.

Anyway, call me naive but I still believe in this team, warts and all. They have shown when they play well they are a good hockey team, going back to the end of last year. They just have to cut out the bad spells and if Sully can't get them to do that he needs to go. Don't tell me it's a coincidence Quinn was brought in to be the assistant for the team that has the guy he coached to a Norris two years ago.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I respect the optimism, even if I don't share it.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I really dislike Bryan Rust's game. He's such a soft floater and he doesn't have the talent to do that.

Rust hasn't been good on Sid's wing for a while, he produces sure, but that's all, they suck defensively with Rust and Rakell has always been the right fit for Sid's game in every way - it also makes DOC being on Sid's LW the right fit when Rakell is there. The fact that Sullivan keeps throwing him on the Top PP Unit is just typical favouritism for his boy Rusty.

 

[HandshakeLine]

It's wild that, if Sullivan had only shown Rust some accountability and/or used him where he fit best, I would have no problems with the dipshit and probably would think favorably about his playing career ala Bob Errey.

But man, I f***ing hate watching Rust just dog it and squander his opportunities while the organization puts him on a pedestal as the epitome of Penguin hockey. Which, in a way, I suppose he is, but not for the reasons that the coaching or marketing staff realizes.