Post-Game Talk: Pens 2, Oilers 1: The Junior Player Edition

[Dipsy Doodle]

Let's not spend any more assets on a defense that's going to be **** until Scuderi's removed from the equation. Maatta's babysitting Scuderi right now when he needs to be able to concentrate on himself.

Fix the problems you can in-house before you start making it rain futures to solve a problem you might be able to address with a little patience and common sense.

 

[Sam Spade]

What asset to the Pens have, beyond Sprong as the key piece, that is bringing back a top four Dman?

 

[DesertPenguin]

I honestly don't have a problem with Lovejoy being in the lineup as long as it's in a limited role instead of being forced onto the top pairing like he was last playoffs. We need to stop blaming him for the Despres trade - he didn't make that decision the Nazgul did.

LJ is a oerfectly competent 3rd pairing RHD, and a right shot at that which we are short on. He's fine.

I'd run this for now

Cole - Letang
Dumoulin - Lovejoy
Maatta - Clendening

If the end game is Maatta - Letang, get Maatta sheltered minutes now with Letang - lite and see if he improves. Ideally, he is ready to move up the same time Pouliot is ready to come up, and we see this for the second half.

Maatta - Letang
Dumoulin - Cole
Pouliot - Lovejoy
Clendening

Scuderi has got to go, but I doubt he does while our PK is putting up the unreal stats it currently is.

 

[plaidchuck]

Let's not spend any more assets on a defense that's going to be **** until Scuderi's removed from the equation. Maatta's babysitting Scuderi right now when he needs to be able to concentrate on himself.

Fix the problems you can in-house before you start making it rain futures to solve a problem you might be able to address with a little patience and common sense.

This is the correct answer. If they refuse to get rid of scuderi, then they can sleep in the bed they have made.

 

[Waffle Fries]

The overreactions on this site are hilarious. We're not winning the way I want to win, MJ needs fired! The team is 9-4 when a good chunk of the team (top-6, D outside of Dumoulin) is struggling. Yes, the insane save% of Fleury and Zatkoff isn't sustainable. However, neither are the struggles of the D or top-6. You guys really need some perspective, the reactions here are way too much.

Just a few weeks ago you were saying that MJ was so bad that you wanted Bylsma back over him.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Just a few weeks ago you were saying that MJ was so bad that you wanted Bylsma back over him.

And that was when Kunitz was glued to Crosby's hip and MJ refused to take him off and Perron was playing RW on the 4th line, along with the team was losing. Things change.

 

[Jacob]

What asset to the Pens have, beyond Sprong as the key piece, that is bringing back a top four Dman?

All our bad players plus very late picks.

 

[Waffle Fries]

And that was when Kunitz was glued to Crosby's hip and MJ refused to take him off and Perron was playing RW on the 4th line, along with the team was losing. Things change.

Things change, but it's a bit hypocritical to accuse and complain about others overreacting when you aren't immune to it yourself.

 

[crawz87]

None of the Pen's defensemen can shoot the puck. We need a heavy and accurate shot from the point.

 

[madinsomniac]

All our bad players plus very late picks.

Not true, we have a logjam at the Goalie position in the minors and really no opening on the NHL team in the near future... we could move Murray or Jarry for a good return if needed, but before then we best find out if guys like Clandenning are able to be used regularly. We also really can spare one forward off this team... we don't need a fourth line as good as it looks to be.

And for what its worth Scuds would have value to the right team... and Kunitz would also have some value to teams that overvalue veteran guys with good reps, which there are always a few GMs out there looking for that for whatever reason. Lovejoy still has some value too, though as a UFA that is limited.

 

[Jacob]

Not true, we have a logjam at the Goalie position in the minors and really no opening on the NHL team in the near future... we could move Murray or Jarry for a good return if needed, but before then we best find out if guys like Clandenning are able to be used regularly. We also really can spare one forward off this team... we don't need a fourth line as good as it looks to be.

And for what its worth Scuds would have value to the right team... and Kunitz would also have some value to teams that overvalue veteran guys with good reps, which there are always a few GMs out there looking for that for whatever reason. Lovejoy still has some value too, though as a UFA that is limited.

I'm 100% certain if they placed Kunitz and Scuderi on waivers right now they would clear.

 

[ColePens]

I believe Kunitz would be picked up. Scuds- no way.

 

[mpp9]

Let's not spend any more assets on a defense that's going to be **** until Scuderi's removed from the equation. Maatta's babysitting Scuderi right now when he needs to be able to concentrate on himself.

Fix the problems you can in-house before you start making it rain futures to solve a problem you might be able to address with a little patience and common sense.

Maatta ain't babysitting ****. He's his own problem right now. He'd get **** on if you put him against the opponent's best players 20-25 minutes/night.

That leaves moving Dumoulin up, which again, means you basically are hemmed in your own zone when the other two pairings are out there.

I'm in favor of calling up DP at some point and letting Maatta get his conditioning and strength back before making a trade. Then you have options.

 

[Whale Mingo]

I believe Kunitz would be picked up. Scuds- no way.

Correct.

I didn't read the whole thread, any decision on Sprong?

 

[Headshot77]

Dumolin-Letang
Maatta-Cole
Pouliot-Clendenning/Lovejoy

That is what we should be running right now.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Maatta ain't babysitting ****. He's his own problem right now. He'd get **** on if you put him against the opponent's best players 20-25 minutes/night.

That leaves moving Dumoulin up, which again, means you basically are hemmed in your own zone when the other two pairings are out there.

I'm in favor of calling up DP at some point and letting Maatta get his conditioning and strength back before making a trade. Then you have options.

Maatta is babysitting ****.

He does have his own problems, but they're being exacerbated by being the only outlet option every single time he takes the ice, and trying to compensate for Scuderi's non-existent footspeed defending the rush when he has issues there himself. I've seen Scuderi have two steps on a guy and Maatta recognizing that Scuds still wouldn't be able to cut his man off, so he had to swoop in himself and dive to block off the passing lane. That's something he shouldn't have to worry about coming back from a year-long hiatus.

Despres could manage that sort of thing regularly because he was a stellar skater. Maatta...not so much.

 

[ColePens]

I don't know why we even talk about it anymore. Kunitz is highly valued on the Pens. They probably just see him in a slump. Scuds is obviously valued as he will probably play over Dumo if they had to put Clendening in.

 

[Son Goku]

Facebook pens fans are insufferable. They still believe Kunitz is a key component to this team and that nothing is wrong with the team in general.

 

[Headshot77]

I don't know why we even talk about it anymore. Kunitz is highly valued on the Pens. They probably just see him in a slump. Scuds is obviously valued as he will probably play over Dumo if they had to put Clendening in.

Are we so sure about this? I mean, he has been demoted to the third line. I don't think he will be scratched any time soon, but they at least see that he isn't an effective top six player anymore.

 

[3074326]

I didn't think they looked all that bad last night. I don't recall anyone looking horrible. Our third line was excellent, and I thought the 4th was solid again. Crosby and Malkin were dangerous. Kessel scored. Zatkoff had some shaky moments, but aside from the bad goal he was good enough.

The style they're playing can be boring, but there were long periods of dominance last night. It wasn't that bad. The goals will come if they keep it up.

I even thought Scuderi had a not horrible game.

I'm curious if the fact that I did not read HFBoards during the game changed how I viewed the game... We're negative on here.. lol

 

[ColePens]

Are we so sure about this? I mean, he has been demoted to the third line. I don't think he will be scratched any time soon, but they at least see that he isn't an effective top six player anymore.

If dupers or fehr pk, it's kunitz going out with Crosby next. Not plots. Not Sprong. Not boning. Not even Bennett. It's kunitz.

Actions speak louder than words, imo.

 

[ColePens]

I didn't think they looked all that bad last night. I don't recall anyone looking horrible. Our third line was excellent, and I thought the 4th was solid again. Crosby and Malkin were dangerous. Kessel scored. Zatkoff had some shaky moments, but aside from the bad goal he was good enough.

The style they're playing can be boring, but there were long periods of dominance last night. It wasn't that bad. The goals will come if they keep it up.

I even thought Scuderi had a not horrible game.

I'm curious if the fact that I did not read HFBoards during the game changed how I viewed the game... We're negative on here.. lol

I thought edm controlled the play. They had four dingers and that game could have been in their favor.

 

[madinsomniac]

Part of the problem is we aren't going to get sustained control in the opponents zone because two of our pairings are literally looking to fall back at every chance to protect themselves... Maata isn't going to be jumping up for a 50/50 puck when scuds is covering him and scuds is thinking about dropping back out of the zone the second the puck is close to an opponent cause he doesnt have the foot speed to catch up... lovejoy's pairing may actually have better physical abilities but they play overly passive too...

 

[Joejosh999]

I agree Maatta is babysitting ***** but I still think he's looked average at best. He had what, one game w Clendening and looked far better....?
I want to see him away from Scuds to get a better read, but I still think he's not right physically. Whether that is the shoulder or the thyroid/energy level thing, not sure. But looks more energy to me.

 

[crawz87]

With that one crazy cross ice pass Scuderi made last game, MJ is never going to bench him again.