How do the Pens do it?

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Some good late picks, some luck, and hired a coach that isn't a moron.

While Shero had a poor philosophy for the Pens, he deserves credit for those mid round picks that are big parts of their team now.

Rust, Guentzel, and Murray were all great picks. In fact, Guentzel was drafted using the third rounder thrown in during the Morrow for Morrow trade.

 

[Critical13]

It's kind of like how a handful of Flyers fans belittle the Pens championships because they didn't run into any truly great teams. In a few years, they might realize the Pens were the great team everyone else was running into.

To be fair, it is true that they didn't run into any truly great teams. The last two years have been a bit of a dud.

This year will be different. Washington is a very good team, then Leafs/Bruins or Tampa in conference finals. Then either the Jets/Nash I hope in the finals, but it's possible the legendary Vegas run will continue. IMO these playoffs will be a bigger test for Pittsburgh than their previous two years.

 

[Critical13]

That's not necessarily true. Crosby is one of the most superstitious people ever, to the point of it being ridiculous. He's obsessed with that 87 number, so chances are he'd stick with his $8.7 million cap hit even under the new CBA.

If Crosby was about the money, he could have asked for a lot more than $8.7 million when he signed his deal. I believe the max at that time was close to $12 million per year. He was well under that.

I don't think Sid would screw his fellow unionmen over by taking a ridiculous pay cut like that. I imagine if he signed today, it would be 12-13 on a team friendly deal. Remember, he also signed a 12 year deal. Now he can only get 8 years. To sign for 7 million/year under what he is worth would be a slap in the face to all of his brothers who are out there fighting for their deals.

 

[Shwag33]

I'm not saying I buy into that line of thinking really but I think the reason behind accepting that if one believes it is because it still requires the Pens to be in the right spots. I don't think that poster is saying that the league shamelessly goes out of its way to give the Pens wins they don't deserve, more that if it's 50/50 or near it, they tend to get the benefit of the doubt.

Yeah i mean the pens had like the 10th most penalties this year and top 3 the year before. Also the pens had a league leading back to back games this year after playing the most games of any team the last 2 years.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I don't think Sid would screw his fellow unionmen over by taking a ridiculous pay cut like that. I imagine if he signed today, it would be 12-13 on a team friendly deal. Remember, he also signed a 12 year deal. Now he can only get 8 years. To sign for 7 million/year under what he is worth would be a slap in the face to all of his brothers who are out there fighting for their deals.

Malkin signed under the new CBA for $9.5 million per year. That's only $700k more than Sid's deal. So if the union didn't think Malkin was taking a ridiculous discount that would screw them over, I'm not sure they'd take issue with Sid taking a marginal $700k less to stick with his weird obsession with #87.

I think the only time the union would have an issue is if he basically took 3rd or 4th line money, despite being an elite player. Now *that* would screw up the pay scale for the rest. But as it is, he's still being paid top 10 money.

 

[USMC607]

the caps don't really count considering they've been 2nd round fodder for the pens stretching back to 2009.

Alot longer back than 09. But that doesnt just simply discredit how good the caps were in 16-17.

 

[USMC607]

if you want to look at the facts the pens emergence in 2016 coincided with a declining western conference and not much resistance in the east. only a dubious bolts squad stood in their way and the regular season champs from DC. the pens with their current roster would probably not win a single cup from 2010-14. even the 2011 nucks would have had their way with crosby and co.

Ya....no...

 

[USMC607]

LOL. Now I've heard it all. Talk about some bitter fans who just can't handle how good Pittsburgh actually is - especially in 2016. This year might not be their year - and it's their deepest team they've iced out of the past 3 years (although thinner on the blueline and in net).

Shades of 93 right?

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Penguins are crazy to me, I look at their blue line and think, this isn't a Stanley Cup team, yet here we are again. Obviously having two generational forwards and one of the best scoring wingers of the last decade helps a ton. And Murray is a post-season beast.

 

[powerstuck]

Malkin signed under the new CBA for $9.5 million per year. That's only $700k more than Sid's deal. So if the union didn't think Malkin was taking a ridiculous discount that would screw them over, I'm not sure they'd take issue with Sid taking a marginal $700k less to stick with his weird obsession with #87.

I think the only time the union would have an issue is if he basically took 3rd or 4th line money, despite being an elite player. Now *that* would screw up the pay scale for the rest. But as it is, he's still being paid top 10 money.

Well only issue I see is that Malkin's 9.5M cap hit 2014-15 was okay. When he's due to resign in 21-22 (for 22-23) if he takes 9.5M...it's going to be less okay.
Same goes for Crobsy, in 2013-14 his 8.7M cap hit was fine, but in 24-25 (for 25-26) if he was to resign at 8.7M...if he's still considered elite it will be rediculous knowing that superstars in 24-25 will most likely be earning an average of 15mil.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Well only issue I see is that Malkin's 9.5M cap hit 2014-15 was okay. When he's due to resign in 21-22 (for 22-23) if he takes 9.5M...it's going to be less okay.
Same goes for Crobsy, in 2013-14 his 8.7M cap hit was fine, but in 24-25 (for 25-26) if he was to resign at 8.7M...if he's still considered elite it will be rediculous knowing that superstars in 24-25 will most likely be earning an average of 15mil.

Well, I mean if we're talking about them signing 5+ years from now when the cap is around $100 million, then yeah.

I thought the original argument was that the only reason Crosby was able to sign the $8.7 million contract is due to it being for 12 years, and that if he could only sign for 8 years he would have taken more. I'm saying that he wouldn't, based on what Malkin took on his 8 year deal.

 

[winnipegger]

Penguins are crazy to me, I look at their blue line and think, this isn't a Stanley Cup team, yet here we are again. Obviously having two generational forwards and one of the best scoring wingers of the last decade helps a ton. And Murray is a post-season beast.

The scary part is, how good would they be with a true #1 D back there. Letang is a good player but he's got his warts. Imagine Doughty behind them.

Murray was a big part of the last two cup wins.

 

[Riptide]

I don't think Sid would screw his fellow unionmen over by taking a ridiculous pay cut like that. I imagine if he signed today, it would be 12-13 on a team friendly deal. Remember, he also signed a 12 year deal. Now he can only get 8 years. To sign for 7 million/year under what he is worth would be a slap in the face to all of his brothers who are out there fighting for their deals.

And yet he did exactly that when he signed his current deal. He could have easily signed for 10-12.5m over 12 years... not doing so cost him 15-45m. Not to mention that when he signed that deal it took years for a forward to exceed his cap hit. There were several forwards who signed deals close to his (Getzlaf, Perry and Giroux 8.2-8.6m), but it wasn't until Kane/Toews signed their deals that any played (other than Ovie/Malkin) exceeded Crosby's cap hit. Shortly after Toews/Kane signed their deals you had Benn, Subban and Kopitar sign theirs. But to suggest that Crosby would be "looking out for his fellow unionmen" today when he wasn't in 2012 seems pretty absurd.

Well only issue I see is that Malkin's 9.5M cap hit 2014-15 was okay. When he's due to resign in 21-22 (for 22-23) if he takes 9.5M...it's going to be less okay.
Same goes for Crobsy, in 2013-14 his 8.7M cap hit was fine, but in 24-25 (for 25-26) if he was to resign at 8.7M...if he's still considered elite it will be rediculous knowing that superstars in 24-25 will most likely be earning an average of 15mil.

Yes... but they will also be in their mid 30s. If they want any sort of term, they're not going to get the AAV that a star player in his mid 20s will get.

 

[Sol]

Gary Buttman

 

[Kaners Bald Spot]

If Crosby needed to sign under the new rules the Pens probably would have had to say goodbye to Malkin, and didn't have them both. If anything for longevity the Hawks' biggest mistake was the 2nd Toews/Kane contracts. If they would have been 3 years instead of 5 they could have gotten the extension in before the new CBA happened in 2013. This would have afforded them the opportunity to pay them again before they won Cups 2 and 3 and lock them into a more affordable deal around $7.5M/year. It would have added 3M to the cap from 13-15 so we don't know what that would have done to them, however I think they could have made it work, because those teams were so darn good.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

That SJ team wasn't better. Losing Hertl in game 1 was a huge blow and neutered the Sharks' best line. No such thing happened to the kings in 2014 or they might not have won it all either.

Regardless there's nothing to suggest the 2014 kings were better than the 2016 penguins. It's hard to compare as well since the league has changed a bit over the last few years moving more to a speed game. Historically Pens haven't had any issues with these big heavy western teams.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

To be fair, it is true that they didn't run into any truly great teams. The last two years have been a bit of a dud.

This year will be different. Washington is a very good team, then Leafs/Bruins or Tampa in conference finals. Then either the Jets/Nash I hope in the finals, but it's possible the legendary Vegas run will continue. IMO these playoffs will be a bigger test for Pittsburgh than their previous two years.

I think last year was really a huge test with losing their #1 dman and goalie right before the playoffs, and Crosby getting clubbed in the head in game 3 of the caps series. If anything i think this year is shaping up more favorable. Philly wasn't very good, Washington is weaker than last year, Toronto/Boston/Tampa are going to be weakened coming out of that division. West is..we'll see when/if we get there. Of course the pens can lose, but i actually like the circumstances way better than last year.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

To be fair, it is true that they didn't run into any truly great teams. The last two years have been a bit of a dud.

This year will be different. Washington is a very good team, then Leafs/Bruins or Tampa in conference finals. Then either the Jets/Nash I hope in the finals, but it's possible the legendary Vegas run will continue. IMO these playoffs will be a bigger test for Pittsburgh than their previous two years.

The Caps the last two years were better than any team Chicago played in their cup runs.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

The Caps the last two years were better than any team Chicago played in their cup runs.

I've always found it amusing that the reason people give for dismissing the Capitals as a formidable opponent is "they can't even get out of the 2nd round!".

Well, duh! Because they keep running into the eventual Stanley Cup champion in round 2.

The Capitals, the past two seasons, were IMO the Pens' biggest challenges in any of the 4 rounds. The fact they couldn't get out of the 2nd round while those other teams could speaks more about the divisional format screwing them over than it does their actual ability as a team.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

being the most talented team in the league is a start. they also work hard and have a great system that minimizes their weaknesses and emphasizes their strengths

 

[Fatty McLardy]

Gary Buttman

i'm disappointed it took all the way to 10th page for this answer...

Don't hate, just hope that your team works harder to win Bettman's love. Its worth it

 

[tom_servo]

To be fair, it is true that they didn't run into any truly great teams. The last two years have been a bit of a dud.

This year will be different. Washington is a very good team, then Leafs/Bruins or Tampa in conference finals. Then either the Jets/Nash I hope in the finals, but it's possible the legendary Vegas run will continue. IMO these playoffs will be a bigger test for Pittsburgh than their previous two years.

I don't see how any of these teams this year are better than Washington in '16-'17, or maybe even San Jose/Nashville.

 

[tom_servo]

That SJ team wasn't better. Losing Hertl in game 1 was a huge blow and neutered the Sharks' best line. No such thing happened to the kings in 2014 or they might not have won it all either.

They lost Hertl after game two. They were down 2-0 before his injury. It didn't make a huge impact.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Ah, I see the Western Conference excuse wheel is rearing its ugly head in here.

 

[GordieHowsUrBreath]

they're just better than everybody else, we are witnessing history

why on earth are people so convinced the 2014 kings were so good? team needed three 7 game series and a miracle against the sharks to win that cup, one of the weakest cup teams ever