OFF DAY THREAD! Where we complain on non game days!

[Sidney the Kidney]

I know I've said this at least once - I'll root for every Pen that tries, but having Rodrigues on line 1 is really testing that. I completely agree with easing Kapanen in but there's so many other things they can do that aren't Rodrigues on the 1st line and they've got to be really, really bad before it's worse than Rodrigues on the 1st line.

My biggest gripe is Sullivan doesn't even really change it up even if the situation requires it. Start Rodrigues there, as stupid as that is, okay whatever. But when that line continues to die because Rodrigues has zero ability with the puck, and when the team is trailing, you switch things up. You don't keep putting Rodrigues there.

 

[Gurglesons]

My biggest gripe is Sullivan doesn't even really change it up even if the situation requires it. Start Rodrigues there, as stupid as that is, okay whatever. But when that line continues to die because Rodrigues has zero ability with the puck, and when the team is trailing, you switch things up. You don't keep putting Rodrigues there.

It is mind numbing stuff. Also, NST says Crosby played 4 minutes with Kapanen last night which I don't remember tbh.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

It is mind numbing stuff. Also, NST says Crosby played 4 minutes with Kapanen last night which I don't remember tbh.

He got a couple of shifts with Crosby, usually after a PK if the lines had to be juggled depending on who just finished a PK shift. So I recall 2 or 3 shifts with them together.

But when the lines were back to normal rotations, Sullivan kept putting Rodrigues out there with Crosby and Guentzel. Even in the third when the Pens were trailing 3-2, he didn't try and alter things.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Really really really good discussion here.

@Jesse I am DYING to hear your thoughts on our forwards not supporting our defense in any way. I mean like zero rotation. Zero support. Zero anything.

Yeah I just listened to the whole thing, good discussion. @Jesse is obviously a bit more level headed than many of us here because of his job but that’s also probably how he is anyway.

Some of the discussion points:

• D doing too much in the D zone. Trying to outnumber the opposition in battles but doing a real poor job and the puck getting out leading to big chances.
• Confused by ERod still being on L1
• Would be patient with ZMR as they are getting chances
• Jarry struggles more team related than his play
• Ceci doing ok so far
• Blueger as more of the 3C if he had to choose between him and Jankowski.
• Generally the Pens have had some good play but the mistakes are disasters and it doesn’t stop at 1. The mistakes seem to cluster up.

Back to my takes: We just aren’t consistent enough yet. The division is ours for the taking if we get that consistency back. Rangers 3 more time in the next 5 should hopefully help that (Boston 2 times).

Just need to simplify things from the back end and get everyone performing better on the same days and just cut out those high danger chances. Like the old Pens, if teams want to shoot out wide let them and try to win the puck back but keep em wide. They try to skate in someone steps up on the opposition. Don’t panic, don’t chase too much in the D zone once we’re set up. It takes 5 skaters to defend though.

 

[McGroarty2]

Yeah I just listened to the whole thing, good discussion. @Jesse is obviously a bit more level headed than many of us here because of his job but that’s also probably how he is anyway.

Some of the discussion points:

• D doing too much in the D zone. Trying to outnumber the opposition in battles but doing a real poor job and the puck getting out leading to big chances.
• Confused by ERod still being on L1
• Would be patient with ZMR as they are getting chances
• Jarry struggles more team related than his play
• Ceci doing ok so far
• Blueger as more of the 3C if he had to choose between him and Jankowski.
• Generally the Pens have had some good play but the mistakes are disasters and it doesn’t stop at 1. The mistakes seem to cluster up.

Back to my takes: We just aren’t consistent enough yet. The division is ours for the taking if we get that consistency back. Rangers 3 more time in the next 5 should hopefully help that (Boston 2 times).

Just need to simplify things from the back end and get everyone performing better on the same days and just cut out those high danger chances. Like the old Pens, if teams want to shoot out wide let them and try to win the puck back but keep em wide. They try to skate in someone steps up on the opposition. Don’t panic, don’t chase too much in the D zone once we’re set up. It takes 5 skaters to defend though.

I think, or hope, a lot of the mistakes we are seeing are a combination of new faces (players/coaches) adjusting to tweaks by the new coaches and not having a proper training camp to work on the tweaks. But I’m not really sure.

 

[Flying Dego]

Yeah I just listened to the whole thing, good discussion. @Jesse is obviously a bit more level headed than many of us here because of his job but that’s also probably how he is anyway.

Some of the discussion points:

• D doing too much in the D zone. Trying to outnumber the opposition in battles but doing a real poor job and the puck getting out leading to big chances.
• Confused by ERod still being on L1
• Would be patient with ZMR as they are getting chances
• Jarry struggles more team related than his play
• Ceci doing ok so far
• Blueger as more of the 3C if he had to choose between him and Jankowski.
• Generally the Pens have had some good play but the mistakes are disasters and it doesn’t stop at 1. The mistakes seem to cluster up.

Back to my takes: We just aren’t consistent enough yet. The division is ours for the taking if we get that consistency back. Rangers 3 more time in the next 5 should hopefully help that (Boston 2 times).

Just need to simplify things from the back end and get everyone performing better on the same days and just cut out those high danger chances. Like the old Pens, if teams want to shoot out wide let them and try to win the puck back but keep em wide. They try to skate in someone steps up on the opposition. Don’t panic, don’t chase too much in the D zone once we’re set up. It takes 5 skaters to defend though.

Also important to note you can't have 6 Letang's.

 

[Pens x]

Glad you’ve finally come around on Bleuger, my good friend.

That being said I see no reason to change up the bottom six aside from bumping Kapanen out.

From my post on Jan 9th:

“Im convinced that Blueger will be our 3C, Matheson will get stuck with Ceci, and Rodrigues will play way too much.”

I think TB is an average 3C. I hate the idea of him getting stuck with two offensive holes. I don’t think he’s a great 3C on THIS team getting little to no from McCann. Hopefully Tanev can pick it back up.

 

[Flying Dego]

From my post on Jan 9th:

“Im convinced that Blueger will be our 3C, Matheson will get stuck with Ceci, and Rodrigues will play way too much.”

I think TB is an average 3C. I hate the idea of him getting stuck with two offensive holes. I don’t think he’s a great 3C on THIS team getting little to no from McCann. Hopefully Tanev can pick it back up.

 

[Peat]

My biggest gripe is Sullivan doesn't even really change it up even if the situation requires it. Start Rodrigues there, as stupid as that is, okay whatever. But when that line continues to die because Rodrigues has zero ability with the puck, and when the team is trailing, you switch things up. You don't keep putting Rodrigues there.

Preaching to the choir. Made all the more galling by the fact he's changed up every forward line bar that one despite it being so clearly painfully the worst one.

 

[ncm7772]

On Murray, I find it really odd that some are taking shots at him as the Penguins goaltending this year has been downright dogshit. Glass houses and whatnot, especially when the guy taking shots at Murray also claimed Jarry was the most talented goalie in Penguins history.

Yep. Funny, right?

As President of the Ken Wregget fan club, I take offense to that last part.

Murray is being paid to hit the salary cap floor, let's be real. Also the constant bashing of Murray, while our own team's goaltending is in the shitter to the point that we have to praise our starter for "only" letting in three goals while looking like a wacky waving inflatable tube man in net, is just laughably, pathetically transparent.

I can only imagine how bad certain people would be lambasting Murray if he was still here and putting up the stats Jarry and CDS have thus far. Funny how to many people, it's the team D that's so bad this year. Last year was 100% on Murray .

 

[Peat]

I can only imagine how bad certain people would be lambasting Murray if he was still here and putting up the stats Jarry and CDS have thus far. Funny how to many people, it's the team D that's so bad this year. Last year was 100% on Murray .

Well given Jarry got an All Star nod behind the exact same defence last year, which was top 5 in pretty much all metrics, and how both goalies have bad save percentages behind a team that's bad in terms of preventing high danger chances, top ten in giving away power plays... then yeah, it looks like last year was about Murray screwing up, and that a lot of it's about bad team defence this year.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I think, or hope, a lot of the mistakes we are seeing are a combination of new faces (players/coaches) adjusting to tweaks by the new coaches and not having a proper training camp to work on the tweaks. But I’m not really sure.

Eh, maybe but Sully has always been about having a numbers advantage to pucks and this is a very similar group. We just removed the two weakest links as well.

 

[Peat]

Eh, maybe but Sully has always been about having a numbers advantage to pucks and this is a very similar group. We just removed the two weakest links as well.

The D are activating a lot more this season which might account for a lot of the breakaways but some of the mistakes - the classic "oh shit my partner's losing a battle unexpectedly on the breakout, quick, lets skate towards them rather than holding position against the inevitable chance" shouldn't be big system changes - and a lot of them are just sheer individual sloppy play. Kris Letang backhanding a breakout straight to a Rangers jersey isn't him being unsure what to do in the system, it's him making a horrible mistake.

 

[Darren McCord]

Yep. Funny, right?







I can only imagine how bad certain people would be lambasting Murray if he was still here and putting up the stats Jarry and CDS have thus far. Funny how to many people, it's the team D that's so bad this year. Last year was 100% on Murray .

Have you seen Murrays numbers to start this year. He's putting up worst than DeSmith. So I wouldn't compare those too .

 

[TKalltheTime]

I’m going to refer to Crosby as “The Trash Man” from now on since he seems to fetishize having garbage on his wing.

 

[ncm7772]

Have you seen Murrays numbers to start this year. He's putting up worst than DeSmith. So I wouldn't compare those TWO .

Fixed it fer ya.

But with how bad his stats are, they're still better than Jarry's. And also, I said nothing about Murray's stats this season...........

 

[Empoleon8771]

Only the real OGs know that the Penguins need to bring Fleury back

 

[ncm7772]

Well given Jarry got an All Star nod behind the exact same defence last year, which was top 5 in pretty much all metrics, and how both goalies have bad save percentages behind a team that's bad in terms of preventing high danger chances, top ten in giving away power plays... then yeah, it looks like last year was about Murray screwing up, and that a lot of it's about bad team defence this year.

Wasn't really defending Murray's play last year. Seems like you're inferring I was.

Re-read my post. I briefly touched on Jarry's abysmal stats this year largely being blamed on a poor team defense in front of him (which I feel has a bit of merit. But he has certainly not helped himself with his play thus far). I believe last year's team D, at least in the second half of the season, was just as bad as this season's thus far. Murray was largely blamed last year, not the poor team defense.

My point is that a large number of fans have a certain narrative and will always find ways to pump that narrative.

 

[ncm7772]

Only the real OGs know that the Penguins need to bring Fleury back

I'm really surprised I haven't read/seen more of this. I know you're being facetious, but again, figured there would be more of the Cult of Yinzer Jesus pushing this.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Well, Pitt and Chicago are tied for second-worst GA, with 21 thru 5

I thought THIS was the worst, then saw Vancouver with 28 thru 6 games....



It could always be worse pens fans.....

I was told Demko was ready to carry now, since he had those 4 games in the playoffs?

Darn

 

[Gurglesons]

Only the real OGs know that the Penguins need to bring Fleury back

I just don’t see how it is possible unless VGK retains a ton.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Why question Sullivan? He's won 2 cups and has an incredible sense for lineup creation.

Clearly us peasants cannot see the genius that is ERod playing top 3 forward minutes. Really what else can he do?

Anyone that defends Sully these days I feel sorry for, children of fetal alcohol syndrome aka Sully fans, shouldn't be mocked. We need to show them empathy for their wrong ways.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Only the real OGs know that the Penguins need to bring Fleury back

Obviously we also need Murray back.

VGK retains 50% on MAF for Clang bang or whatever that wankers name is.


Jarry + Legare for Murray.

 

[EliteGoaltending]

Zucker Sid Kap
Jake Geno Rust
McCann Blueger Tanev
Sceviour Jank EFraud

please

The best scenario for BOTH lines to work...yet Sully gonna Sully.

I demand change

 

[Peat]

Wasn't really defending Murray's play last year. Seems like you're inferring I was.

Re-read my post. I briefly touched on Jarry's abysmal stats this year largely being blamed on a poor team defense in front of him (which I feel has a bit of merit. But he has certainly not helped himself with his play thus far). I believe last year's team D, at least in the second half of the season, was just as bad as this season's thus far. Murray was largely blamed last year, not the poor team defense.

My point is that a large number of fans have a certain narrative and will always find ways to pump that narrative.

Well yeah, I did think you were defending Murray, but I'd still disagree with your point in that blaming Murray and Murray alone for his struggles last year, and heaping a lot of blame on the defence this year, is just a very straight forwards interpretation of what happened. Anyone who has a narrative they wish told that fits that is a lucky person.

And while the defence did get worse last season, that wasn't when Murray played his worse. He actually improved behind that defence. Not sure I'd call it as bad as this year either as I don't recall so many suicidal turnovers. Jarry isn't helping himself but he's been put in bad situations a lot.