Post-Game Talk: If only Sullivan could get goaltending.

[Tender Rip]

The reality is, based on the last offseason, THIS season is as good as it gets for the next 6 seasons...............and THEN the rebuild begins.

Might be. But if that is the scenario you are looking at, then it should be an even easier decision for management to say that the only thing that can really possibly extend the window is to gamble on having a positive effect of a coaching change.
Nothing suggests that Sully can get more out of what he has now, and given the cap realities of this league at present, there is no other potential easy fix. At least there is the chance that he is holding them back. I think that is definitely the case, but there are no guarantees another coach would do better, nor that the positive effect would be transformational enough if it did happen. It is just virtually guaranteed that Sully won't be able to get them to where they'd need to go. There needs to be a coaching change also for vets to know that there can be consequences (maybe a new coach would actually see a connection between performance and TOI, role in the team etc), and for young players to know that there is a chance to win spots if they do well, play with fire... something. Maybe we don't have any great talent to move up.... fair enough. But just some enthusiasm, energy.... excitement...

Obviously, you look at Jarry's record vs. DeSmith's and there’s some extra points to be had from goal tending, for sure. But how we play in front of the goalies.... it is not possible to just stay the course any longer. We've had 50 games and we are a bubble team.

 

[Gurglesons]

I know everyone hates Rondu and Rondu created the "EvgeniMinusApologist" alt...

But Minuses really follow Malkin around and have since COVID, really. The turnover that lead to the, whatever goal it was - that was pointless. Really stupid.

This is my thing about stars these days. Stars take chances. If chances don't pan out, they hurt you. Therefore, if the stars aren't converting on their chances they aren't really helping.

Hard to get mad at the guy when he’s the only one doing the heavy work lately.

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

Glad the most boring person in the world gave the most predictable quote ever.

Don't rob McDavid of his deserved title

 

[AuroraBorealis]

They got opportunities largely due to injuries. But they also did something with their minutes when they arrived.

That said, they were all producing at WBS.

Sheary had 45 points in 58 games in his first full season in WBS. The next year he had 36 points in 30 games before getting the call.

Rust had 27 in 43, got a cup of coffee under Mike Johnston due to injuries, went back down and had 6 in 16 before getting called back up again to play on the fourth line.

Kuhnhackl had 15 points in 23 games after spending a couple years in the minors before getting called up.

Wilson had 22 goals and 36 points in 34 games before getting called up. People were begging for him.

And all of these guys, except Sheary, were killing penalties in the AHL.

Puustinen has been solid offensively - 34 points in 41 games this year. I'd be fine with him getting a shot on the third line instead of Heinen. But he's 5'9, 180. Nylander is 6'1, but he's still floating defensively. It's what curtailed his shot in Buffalo and in Chicago. How bad of an overall player do you have to be if the Blackhawks don't want you?

Hallander is hurt and has been pretty vanilla when he's been up. And I'm not sold on Gruden. He was way out of sorts on the PK in the limited chances he had.

No one is seizing the moment. Yeah, they get 8-10 minutes to start. That sucks. But do something with those 8-10 minutes. Show some awareness and energy and fly around.

I liked Caggiula's pre-season a ton and he was fine while up here for his 3 games. Would settle for him at this point.
The speed and desire would be very welcome on L3.

 

[66-30-33]

Don't rob McDavid of his deserved title

*insert McDavid awkward headnod gif*

 

[ChaosAgent]

Hard to get mad at the guy when he’s the only one doing the heavy work lately.

For the most part Zucker and Rakell do the work on his line.

He's -7 in the last 4 games. It's pretty impressive.

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

Don't rob McDavid of his deserved title

Until McDavid has any pic with this kind of energy, he's got nothing on Sid

 

[66-30-33]

Until McDavid has any pic with this kind of energy, he's got nothing on Sid

View attachment 643433

He has that UFC one where he waves awkwardly.

 

[Andy99]

Pens win this game if Geno makes better decisions with the puck at our own blueline.

So the entire loss is all on Geno? Lol…He may have been sloppy with the puck but he scored our only ES goal and scored or had primary assist on our PP goals…so even if 3 goals against were directly caused by him (they weren’t), he directed caused 3 goals for us…so that would make him a net neutral contributor to the game…

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Fiala had multiple chances to be an impact player for them in the playoffs. Letting him walk was the right move. Minnesota has navigated the Suter and Parise buyouts superbly and honestly if we would’ve let Guerin take over for JR we’d likely be in a much better place.

Guerin’s moves don’t always make sense, but in the large scheme of things he has a plan and an identity for his team.

Dude let a guy who would be his team's 2nd leading scorer walk because he was too much of a chud to handle the Parise and Suter situations differently than "Kick rocks, assholes." He's a f***ing moron who inherited a superstar in Kaprizov, and that dude, along with Zuccarello (with some help from Ek and Boldy) are doing yeoman's work despite Guerin's worst efforts. Now he's got $12-14 million in dead cap for the first three years of his superstar's new -edit- five year deal (gonna be interesting to see Kaprizov walk spun into some Guerin genius at work). But, the schmuck learned under JR, so no big surprise. All action, no brains, the mark of a JR apprentice through and through.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

I liked Caggiula's pre-season a ton and he was fine while up here for his 3 games. Would settle for him at this point.
The speed and desire would be very welcome on L3.

I'd rather have DOC, a healthy Hallander get a chance ahead of Caggiula.

Really, the Pens have a potential fourth line in DOC, Poehling and Archibald.

It's the third line that needs replaced.

 

[Tender Rip]

For the most part Zucker and Rakell do the work on his line.

He's -7 in the last 4 games. It's pretty impressive.

Rakell is -7 over that stretch too and has certainly been a bigger individual reason for these goals against than Geno has. He has been putrid (and unlucky) in his own zone.

Today (first 2 periods) were not good from Geno at all though, and the 3-4 goal started from a bad giveaway from 71, for sure. But it is lazy to say that "minuses follow him around" when it stems from two -3 games with terrible D and goaltending, in which he also contributed 6 points.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I thought the Pens Robo Pigeon was bad... This looks like a Palm tree and a really weird looking putter.

 

[ChaosAgent]

So I got some tacos, studied some accounting, had a couple of drinks.
Wife and I watched "The Menu" which actually depicts how I feel about this entire team.
Made a martini. Beefeater and Lillet Blanc.

Then I watched this game, sped up on FuboTV. It was so bad that I could only stomach like 23 minutes of game action. Kept waiting for us to not be terrible; it didn't happen.

 

[Andy99]

For what it's worth, Crosby said it's not the system after the game, according to Yohe.

“No,” Crosby said. “We have to execute. That’s what it comes down to. It’s not Xs and Os. It’s not the system. We are making mistakes that are going to cost you.”

Yohe's 10 observations: Penguins embarrass themselves in loss to lowly Sharks

The Penguins lost in embarrassing fashion against the Sharks on Saturday at PPG Paints Arena in a 6-4 setback.

theathletic.com

But did anyone ask him if the system is too difficult to be played consistently by such an old group of players and such dumb players as the Pens have? I didn’t think so…lol

 

[ChaosAgent]

Rakell is -8 over that stretch and has certainly been a bigger individual reason for these goals against than Geno has. He has been putrid (and unlucky) in his own zone.

Today (first 2 periods) were not good from Geno at all though, and the 3-4 goal started from a bad giveaway from 71, for sure. But it is lazy to say that "minuses follow him around" when it stems from two -3 games with terrible D and goaltending, in which he also contributed 6 points.

Post-COVID he's a -21.

There are kernels of good in his play; he looks like the same guy as his prime a lot of the time. And he's putting in the effort defensively. The problem is his footspeed is so bad that he just doesn't have the ability anymore.

Rakell has been horrid the last few games too. I agree.

 

[Ugene Magic]

So the entire loss is all on Geno? Lol…He may have been sloppy with the puck but he scored our only ES goal and scored or had primary assist on our PP goals…so even if 3 goals against were directly caused by him (they weren’t), he directed caused 3 goals for us…so that would make him a net neutral contributor to the game…

He was in direct cause of two goals at our blueline, and his guy is the one whom scored the other due to him looping in the defensive zone. His 3/-3 were all well earned.

 

[canadianguy77]

I'd rather have DOC, a healthy Hallander get a chance ahead of Caggiula.

Really, the Pens have a potential fourth line in DOC, Poehling and Archibald.

It's the third line that needs replaced.

That’s assuming numbnuts doesn’t go back to Rust on L1 and Rak on L2. I can almost guarantee he will. 9 days is too long for his brain to remember.

 

[Andy99]

For the most part Zucker and Rakell do the work on his line.

He's -7 in the last 4 games. It's pretty impressive.

Rakell was a -4 tonight, and Zucker a -2…this is why +/- means diddly squat…

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

As for the bottom-6, f*** it. Dump as much as you can (Carter, Blueger, Kap, Heinen, McGinn) between now and October and run some garbage, heavy on the AHL nobodies or "prospects" if we're still gonna call 'em that. Save a buncha money and take on somebody's bad contract next season at the deadline to start piling up the picks.

Still have no idea what the coaching staff sees in running with these winger combos. Jake and Rust are both floaters and awful away from the puck, while Zucker and Rakell actually chase pucks, try to win battles, forecheck, etc. Seems pretty obvious to run with one production guy (ideally) and one gruntwork guy on each line.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Rakell was a -4 tonight, and Zucker a -2…this is why +/- means diddly squat…

Whether a player is on the ice for more goals for or against means a lot.

+/- has dumb transformations such as not counting PPs, counting shorties and empty netters, but 5-on-5 goal diff corrects for that. What was Geno's tonight?

No matter. It isn't like we're going anywhere regardless. And he does look like himself out there a lot of the time.

 

[Andy99]

He was in direct cause of two goals at our blueline, and his guy is the one whom scored the other due to him looping in the offensive zone. His 3/-3 were all well earned.

I think it was a lazy narrative to say he caused this loss individually…he didn’t…he didn’t play great in the first two periods but CDS had a bigger impact on losing if you’re going to single anyone out, but I don’t think you can/should single anyone out…team effort at sucking, including the coach

 

[ChaosAgent]

I think it was a lazy narrative to say he caused this loss individually…he didn’t…he didn’t play great in the first two periods but CDS had a bigger impact on losing if you’re going to single anyone out, but I don’t think you can/should single anyone out…team effort at sucking, including the coach

I think the @Ragamuffin Gunner narrative that the team are collectively losers is gaining more weight.

These guys have a losers stench about them. I don't really think it's fixable. Fire Sully and try. If not, just start selling.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

It's lazy to cite any single factor in a loss, tbh. CDS sucked, but the defense was horrendous, the forwards were just as bad, and the team got shit-kicked at ES, thanks in part to Sullivan's refusal to mix anything up in the top-6 and the FO's roster composition in the bottom-6.

It all sucks. All of it. Top to bottom, nobody escapes harsh but valid criticism. This team's trash, but the cool part is that they're not trash *enough* to safely assume they secure a top-10 pick in a great draft, which would be huge for a team that's had a barren prospect pool since like 2015 as the era is in its extreme twilight.

Ah well, it's late and I already wasted way too much time bored posting. This team doesn't deserve even that lately.

 

[ChaosAgent]

If it takes that long the KC is rumors will be back in full force. Pittsburgh likes a winner.

Who actually cares if the team is based elsewhere at this point?

I'll stream it either way, if I want to.