How do the Pens do it?

[No Fun Shogun]

Hawks only retooled after 2010, so it's not really comparable.

But that being said, in the span of the first fifteen or so years of the salary cap era, we've had three teams knock the door on almost dynasties.

Kings - 2 in 3 years, having lost in the conference finals in the year they didn't win.
Hawks - 2 in 3 years, having lost in the conference finals in the year they didn't win (and the de facto Stanley Cup Final for all intents and purposes), and 3 in 6 years.
Pens - 2 in 2 years, and a damn good chance to get another Cup in the next couple of years.

In other words, two teams that came close and another team that has a good chance at doing it.

Needless to say, the notion that dynasties are impossible in a salary cap era should be completely put to rest by now. Even if the Pens don't win again in the near future, that's three very near misses in a very short time frame for a supposed impossibility.

 

[Fatty McLardy]

Pens aren't a dynasty, if they win this or next, then the case can be made. But two years in a row does not make a dynasty.

 

[Grandma Bingo]

They scored 8 goals without Malkin in 1 game

Was against the Flyers. Doesn't count.

 

[3074326]

Then why did Martin Jones, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Craig Anderson look excellent against Pittsburgh?

I mean, every one of those goalies still lost against the Pens. Anderson was the only one who made me nervous anyways. Expecting a team to beat every goalie into submission like the Pens have done with the Vezina winners is a fairly unreasonable expectation. Heck, expecting them to win back to back is a fairly unreasonable expectation.

 

[3074326]

A team that is scared of the #2 is better than a LA team that never let go of the puck? Ringling bros is hiring they could use a few more clowns like you

I know some people are born without ***holes. Are you open for employment?

 

[chethejet]

IN 10 years Pens have gone to 4 cup finals, winning 3. Now they again are going for another cup. If they win great. that makes five cup finals and 4 wins. that certainly is a dynasty by any measure. But even of they don't win the cup, the fact remains they are a franchise that considers winning the cup as the only consideration. Close is not success to them.

 

[ColbyChaos]

As a Pens fan I'd say luck to be good when the rest of your conference is sorta down (besides the Caps who, well, capped the last two seasons).

I'd say LA and Chicago lucked out to play Eastern Teams in the finals who all had significant holes in their lineup. Nashville and San Jose were both better squads than anyone those two had to play in the finals.

Nashville with Colton Sissons as their 1C with Johansen out, no Fiala (broke his leg in round 1), and Ellis playing with a torn MCL dont constitute to being significant holes in a lineup?

2013 Bruins were better than the 16 sharks and 17 preds they even held Pit's golden boys pointless through an entire series and only gave up 2 goals in a sweep durring a year they Pit claimed the cup was theirs at the TDL...

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

2014 was not a retool year for Hawks.
They were an OT bounce away from the finals.

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

Being gifted the best player since lemieux and Gretzky doesn't hurt.

But shrewd management is the answer here.

 

[Fatty McLardy]

Nashville with Colton Sissons as their 1C with Johansen out, no Fiala (broke his leg in round 1), and Ellis playing with a torn MCL dont constitute to being significant holes in a lineup?

2013 Bruins were better than the 16 sharks and 17 preds they even held Pit's golden boys pointless through an entire series and only gave up 2 goals in a sweep durring a year they Pit claimed the cup was theirs at the TDL...

You're talking out of your ass a lot in this thread. 2016, most people didn't give the pens much of a chance against the sharks. Also why the hell are you talking about the Penguins under Bylsma in comparison to how the team is today, he was probably one of the worst coaches I've ever seen in the playoffs. Its not a coincidence that he hasn't still been able to land a job.

 

[PensandCaps]

Nashville with Colton Sissons as their 1C with Johansen out, no Fiala (broke his leg in round 1), and Ellis playing with a torn MCL dont constitute to being significant holes in a lineup?

2013 Bruins were better than the 16 sharks and 17 preds they even held Pit's golden boys pointless through an entire series and only gave up 2 goals in a sweep durring a year they Pit claimed the cup was theirs at the TDL...

Ah yes. The Pens were only down their #1 Dman vs the Preds. Clearly they lucked into that.

 

[SEALBound]

Nashville with Colton Sissons as their 1C with Johansen out, no Fiala (broke his leg in round 1), and Ellis playing with a torn MCL dont constitute to being significant holes in a lineup?

2013 Bruins were better than the 16 sharks and 17 preds they even held Pit's golden boys pointless through an entire series and only gave up 2 goals in a sweep durring a year they Pit claimed the cup was theirs at the TDL...

But Letang (Pens #1D) being out and being replace by Ron Hainsey makes no difference? Johansen for Letang was an even swap in terms of impact. Hornqvist was also out for quite a few games. Stop making injury excuses for the Preds.

Second part, that is HIGHLY debatable. Highly. 2013 Bruins could have probably beaten the Sharks but I think they would have had their hands full with the Preds. That being said, I'd take the 2016 and 2017 Pens over the 2013 8 days a week.

 

[Fatty McLardy]

Ah yes. The Pens were only down their #1 Dman vs the Preds. Clearly they lucked into that.

They were also without Bonino too besides game 1.

 

[NyQuil]

They have a top 10 coach OAT.

 

[PensandCaps]

They were also without Bonino too besides game 1.

Doesn't fit their naritive.

Let's not forget Malkin playing with one arm in 2016 and Letang playing on a mangled foot in the ECF on.

 

[Fatty McLardy]

its basically a salty Hawks fan that's come to realization that his piece of shit overrated clown of a captain will never live up to his contract and they traded their 2nd best player for Saad....so they have to try and put down the penguins. who have managed to do what their team couldn't.

 

[ColbyChaos]

You're talking out of your ass a lot in this thread. 2016, most people didn't give the pens much of a chance against the sharks. Also why the hell are you talking about the Penguins under Bylsma in comparison to how the team is today, he was probably one of the worst coaches I've ever seen in the playoffs. Its not a coincidence that he hasn't still been able to land a job.

People here said the winner of the 2nd round vs washington would be the cup favorite with either team being a favorite over an injury plagued bolts squad in 16. San Jose was seen as the underdog here and most people had the Blues making the finals over them. Youre trying to make the 16 pens seem like they passed insurmountable odds when every analytics person had them as the favorite for winning. Bylsma's pens were only brought up as Richard and HYB mentioned only weak eastern teams made the finals during the years Pit didnt make it(As if Pit's glaring holes and lack of actual bottom 6 wouldnt have been exploited those years either) when the 2013 Bruins were possibly the best losing team in the cup finals in recent history

 

[Riptide]

Bowman had to sell the Blackhawks future for the 3 cups they won. Pittsburgh's FO was much smarter, kept their core who were top notch and brought some talented guys up through the system. Kessel was a great acquisition. They roll some tough lines. I could easily see them winning it again. Who's going to beat them 4 out of 7?
Boston? Tampa? /Nashville? San Jose?

Every one of those teams has the ability to do so (and add WPG to the mix). Less so SJ/BOS I think, but there's no easy path for PIT to a cup. Winnipeg is deep, big, fast and skilled. Nashville is even deeper then they were last year. Tampa is even better then they were 2 years ago.

 

[Nadal On Clay]

Another year, another illpucks thread trying to jinx the pens. Nothing new here.

Him and @Sam Spade are doing an helluva job this year.

 

[useless]

Kunitz and now Hornqvist, I can't state how important Hornqvist is to this team. He's quietly become an offensive beast out there for us, I never would have imagined he'd turn out to be the player he is for us.

 

[ColbyChaos]

But Letang (Pens #1D) being out and being replace by Ron Hainsey makes no difference? Johansen for Letang was an even swap in terms of impact. Hornqvist was also out for quite a few games. Stop making injury excuses for the Preds.

Second part, that is HIGHLY debatable. Highly. 2013 Bruins could have probably beaten the Sharks but I think they would have had their hands full with the Preds. That being said, I'd take the 2016 and 2017 Pens over the 2013 8 days a week.

There is a difference losing a player in the middle of the playoffs over being aware said player isnt going to play the rest of the season right before the TDL. Pens had plenty of time to add Dmen Preds couldnt just pluck more centers when Johansen and Fiala went down. Given how your fanbase views Letang you certainly didnt miss his bad defensive play and boneheaded penalties. Johansen's loss for Nashville had a much larger effect on Nashville and their offense than the loss of Letang had for Pit and their defense.

its basically a salty Hawks fan that's come to realization that his piece of **** overrated clown of a captain will never live up to his contract and they traded their 2nd best player for Saad....so they have to try and put down the penguins. who have managed to do what their team couldn't.

Just simply calling bull **** on the people who said the eastern cup finalists La and Chicago faced from 10-15 were jokes until Pit came back from their 6 year absense as if pit didnt also lose to those same teams that were considered weak finalists.

 

[Extra Texture]

2013 Bruins were better than the 16 sharks and 17 preds they even held Pit's golden boys pointless through an entire series and only gave up 2 goals in a sweep durring a year they Pit claimed the cup was theirs at the TDL...

Yeah, they really blew their wad during that "all in" nonsense with Iginla and some mediocre additions.

Good thing they made up for in in the meantime, eh?

 

[winnipegger]

Everything depends on Malkin. Having the two best players in the world gives you a huge advantage. If he's hurt they aren't doing it again.

 

[useless]

Everything depends on Malkin. Having the two best players in the world gives you a huge advantage. If he's hurt they aren't doing it again.

Ehhhh, possibly. He certainly does effect the power play as he makes it very easy for the team to gain the line. Outside of that however I could see the team being successful still as long as the rest of the team doesn't fall to injury.

 

[PenguinSpeed]

There is a difference losing a player in the middle of the playoffs over being aware said player isnt going to play the rest of the season right before the TDL. Pens had plenty of time to add Dmen Preds couldnt just pluck more centers when Johansen and Fiala went down. Given how your fanbase views Letang you certainly didnt miss his bad defensive play and boneheaded penalties. Johansen's loss for Nashville had a much larger effect on Nashville and their offense than the loss of Letang had for Pit and their defense.





Just simply calling bull **** on the people who said the eastern cup finalists La and Chicago faced from 10-15 were jokes until Pit came back from their 6 year absense as if pit didnt also lose to those same teams that were considered weak finalists.

-Lidstrom could of played for Nashville last year and they would have lost. The Nashville goalie got pulled nightly in that Stanley Cup Finals. Pekka Rinne for Conn when pulled every game? LoL