Salary Cap: Pens '23-'24 Salary Cap Thread: "But if you don't get the President of the Pittsburgh Penguins on that phone, you know what's gonna happen to you?"

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I’m happy to stop watching the third periods if they start playing garbage hockey and win…I’ll watch the first two lol…because they sure ain’t winning playing non garbage hockey lol


They can’t, they’re old…that’s the biggest issue with third periods

I mean, they're not winning anything regardless, so I'd rather they just accept it and play whatever firewagon hockey they can before getting exhausted as opposed to pretending this team's roster is capable of playing some lockdown style. (Or that the coach is able to coach that style/system )

Figure we'd all kinda laugh at that prospect after Johnston tried to make them play a stifling style--which resulted in the worst Penguins hockey I've ever seen (relative to the talent available), including the post-Jagr, pre-Sid XGen years.

 

[Pancakes]

I mean, they're not winning anything regardless, so I'd rather they just accept it and play whatever firewagon hockey they can before getting exhausted as opposed to pretending this team's roster is capable of playing some lockdown style. (Or that the coach is able to coach that style/system )

Figure we'd all kinda laugh at that prospect after Johnston tried to make them play a stifling style--which resulted in the worst Penguins hockey I've ever seen (relative to the talent available), including the post-Jagr, pre-Sid XGen years.

Yeah we can hate on the d-zone coverage and Sully's system all we want but the truth is this core wants to play this way. They would swiftly drive out any coach that wanted to implement a defensive system. It's not in their DNA to play that way. They hated playing for Therrien and Mike Johnston. It's no coincidence that the two coaches who preached attacking hockey (Bylsma/Sully) are the ones that the core embraced the longest.

I'm fine with replacing Sully but if they do it should be with another offensive minded coach. This team won't buy in to playing any other way. They just won't.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Yeah we can hate on the d-zone coverage and Sully's system all we want but the truth is this core wants to play this way. They would swiftly drive out any coach that wanted to implement a defensive system. It's not in their DNA to play that way. They hated playing for Therrien and Mike Johnston. It's no coincidence that the two coaches who preached attacking hockey (Bylsma/Sully) are the ones that the core embraced the longest.

I'm fine with replacing Sully but if they do it should be with another offensive minded coach. This team won't buy in to playing any other way. They just won't.

Especially at 36+, with a team on a spiraling decline. I'd be surprised if it wasn't "f*** it, just have fun" for Sid, Geno and Letang.

 

[Pancakes]

Especially at 36+, with a team on a spiraling decline. I'd be surprised if it wasn't "f*** it, just have fun" for Sid, Geno and Letang.

I think they are serious about wanting to win. This isn't a have fun thing for the core. Or not totally.

But I think they believe (and judging by public comments so does Dubas) that embracing the Penguins identity of being an offensive team is how they get there.

Which is why it's always weird to hear Sully talk about how they need to defend better in post game comments after losses. It's like...if the identity is to score how about preach about how we need to score more than 2 goals on the Chicago Blackhawks? Embrace what you are.

 

[Andy99]

I think they are serious about wanting to win. This isn't a have fun thing for the core. Or not totally.

But I think they believe (and judging by public comments so does Dubas) that embracing the Penguins identity of being an offensive team is how they get there.

Which is why it's always weird to hear Sully talk about how they need to defend better in post game comments after losses. It's like...if the identity is to score how about preach about how we need to score more than 2 goals on the Chicago Blackhawks? Embrace what you are.

They can’t be an offensive team either, just look at the finishing lol…that’s the problem…they’re really not that good at either lol…that’s why I like my idea of playing their preferred way in the first and second periods, and playing a different style in period three when leading

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I think they are serious about wanting to win. This isn't a have fun thing for the core. Or not totally.

But I think they believe (and judging by public comments so does Dubas) that embracing the Penguins identity of being an offensive team is how they get there.

Which is why it's always weird to hear Sully talk about how they need to defend better in post game comments after losses. It's like...if the identity is to score how about preach about how we need to score more than 2 goals on the Chicago Blackhawks? Embrace what you are.

Yeah, I didn't mean they don't care. I mean they've got three Cups, and that at this point (half a decade into a steady decline team-wise), they're probably more cognizant than us that it's over.

I think part of it is that it's real hard to shift away from the way you've been doing things for like 30 years of your life--which -has- resulted in legendary success--a few years before you retire.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

I think they are serious about wanting to win. This isn't a have fun thing for the core. Or not totally.

But I think they believe (and judging by public comments so does Dubas) that embracing the Penguins identity of being an offensive team is how they get there.

Which is why it's always weird to hear Sully talk about how they need to defend better in post game comments after losses. It's like...if the identity is to score how about preach about how we need to score more than 2 goals on the Chicago Blackhawks? Embrace what you are.

To be an "offensive team" you need to convert chances. Something this team can't seem to do for the past couple of seasons

I can call myself a playa all damn day but if I look like Quasimodo and my personality is like an IT dork, I'm not truly what I call myself.

 

[Gurglesons]

They can’t be an offensive team either, just look at the finishing lol…that’s the problem…they’re really not that good at either lol…that’s why I like my idea of playing their preferred way in the first and second periods, and playing a different style in period three when leading

I still think this team is fine offensively. Something reeks about the system. There is a reason teams like Florida, Colorado, Seattle, etc that run high octane offensives are utilizing players like Rodrigues and McCann in offensive roles.

 

[HandshakeLine]

What I don’t quite get, is we go and add the preeminent offensive defenseman of his generation, and there is exactly zero change in system or tactics.

That’s not the coach’s job (or something).

 

[LOGiK]

I still think this team is fine offensively. Something reeks about the system. There is a reason teams like Florida, Colorado, Seattle, etc that run high octane offensives are utilizing players like Rodrigues and McCann in offensive roles.

Doesn't matter though. It's a two way game, not one way game like baseball, nfl, etc.
It's broken and this guy isn't going to fix it.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

That’s not the coach’s job (or something).

"Player execution"
-Sully (probably)

 

[WickedWrister]

Is there a cap related reason we are not calling up Z or some other F to run 13-7-2 instead of 12-8-2?

I guess they don't want to expose Shea/Ruh/Ludvig to waivers?

 

[Gurglesons]

Is there a cap related reason we are not calling up Z or some other F to run 13-7-2 instead of 12-8-2?

I guess they don't want to expose Shea/Ruh/Ludvig to waivers?

Yeah it’s not a cap thing, waivers thing.

Which will be an issue if there is an injury on Friday nights game. But I guess technically we could use an emergency recall?

 

[DesertPenguin]

Is there a cap related reason we are not calling up Z or some other F to run 13-7-2 instead of 12-8-2?

I guess they don't want to expose Shea/Ruh/Ludvig to waivers?

It will get addressed when it needs to be. Right now we have 12 healthy forwards and 8 D we want to protect. Ludvig vs Shea will have to get figured out in practice, maybe a game or two.

 

[Pancakes]

I still think this team is fine offensively. Something reeks about the system. There is a reason teams like Florida, Colorado, Seattle, etc that run high octane offensives are utilizing players like Rodrigues and McCann in offensive roles.

One thing I don't like is how little we rely on point shots. Feels like Sullivan's system emphasizes slot shots. But some games those just aren't there.

We have a lot of dmen now with good shots from the point. Pretty much every guy on our blueline is a threat to score goals. If we don't make heavy use of that this year that's a mistake.

Even Ruh has a decent shot for a defensive dman. Poj has a laser wrister. Graves scored a few nice goals last year. EK/Letang's offensive ability speaks for itself. Petts can sometimes blast it.

Defensive scoring should be something we really make use of this year.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Yeah it’s not a cap thing, waivers thing.

Which will be an issue if there is an injury on Friday nights game. But I guess technically we could use an emergency recall?

Believe the Pens would have to play short, unless its a goalie, for at least one game before that.

 

[Gurglesons]

One thing I don't like is how little we rely on point shots. Feels like Sullivan's system emphasizes slot shots. But some games those just aren't there.

We have a lot of dmen now with good shots from the point. Pretty much every guy on our blueline is a threat to score goals. If we don't make heavy use of that this year that's a mistake.

Even Ruh has a decent shot for a defensive dman. Poj has a laser wrister. Graves scored a few nice goals last year. EK/Letang's offensive ability speaks for itself. Petts can sometimes blast it.

Defensive scoring should be something we really make use of this year.

Our entire offensive system is based on point shots?

 

[Andy99]

Our entire offensive system is based on point shots?

it does quite a bit when we actually get sustained O zone possession…one of our biggest problem is that we don’t get enough possession due to bad puck management and lack of support…when we do get sustained time, we go low to high and try for point shots…problem has been while we have D men with decent shots, they rarely get through to the net lol or they’re not good at hitting players sticks for a tip …Letang is the worst culprit

 

[cygnus47]

We don't even have an offensive system, we just don't have a defensive one even more.

 

[Freeptop]

The thing that drives me nuts is how little the Pens ever try to generate rebounds. They're pretty much always trying to shoot high and pick the corner - and then get surprised when the goalie anticipates this and either gloves the shot or knocks it away with the blocker. When every goalie knows that you're going to try to shoot high, it makes the job easier on them. Add in the fact that everyone knows that if the Pens get a 2-on-1, they are always going to pass the puck, and the success of mediocre goalies against the Pens starts looking not so surprising, really.

If they mixed it up and shot low and hard to generate rebounds, then crashed the crease to pop those in, even just occasionally, it would make a big difference in terms of what the goalie is anticipating, and would open up more chances for the elevated pucks to go in. I swear, the only time I see them hit the pads, it's when they're in too close to elevate the puck, and from that range, they aren't generating enough speed for a rebound, either.

 

[Pancakes]

Our entire offensive system is based on point shots?

I'm pretty sure historically under Sullivan we've generated a lot of opportunities from the slot and around the net which is why expected goals tends to like us so much because shots from those areas have a higher chance of going in.

Check out the map from last season: PIT 22-23. Look at that blob of red around the other team's net. We tend to generate a lot of shots from there.

Of course as we all know those haven't been going in for us. Last season we finished well below where expected goals thinks we should have in terms of goal scoring. Believe it or not in seasons prior to last we were just fine on that metric. For some reason last year the finishing abandoned us.

Anyways...let's win a game tomorrow.

 

[SomeDude]

Yeah it’s not a cap thing, waivers thing.

Which will be an issue if there is an injury on Friday nights game. But I guess technically we could use an emergency recall?

What exactly has Ryan Shea done that makes them worried he’d get claimed on waivers? I’m not knocking the guy, but I can think of about a dozen other players who cleared who would be more attractive.

 

[Gurglesons]

What exactly has Ryan Shea done that makes them worried he’d get claimed on waivers? I’m not knocking the guy, but I can think of about a dozen other players who cleared who would be more attractive.

Trying to make sense of Mike Sullivan? Good luck.

 

[SomeDude]

Trying to make sense of Mike Sullivan? Good luck.

The funny thing is people actually thought Dubas was going to waltz in with big boy pants on and be the “boss” in the organization.

Guy can’t even tell his chowdahead coach how stupid it is to keep 2 extra D and no forwards, especially when one of your forwards is coming back weeks early from surgery.

That’s not even really a knock on Dubas, because that’s not who he is, but you would be a fool to think Sully doesn’t have final say on all things roster related.

We’re a warm up tweek or errant puck away from Chad Ruhwedel sucking at wing.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I'm pretty sure historically under Sullivan we've generated a lot of opportunities from the slot and around the net which is why expected goals tends to like us so much because shots from those areas have a higher chance of going in.

Check out the map from last season: PIT 22-23. Look at that blob of red around the other team's net. We tend to generate a lot of shots from there.

Of course as we all know those haven't been going in for us. Last season we finished well below where expected goals thinks we should have in terms of goal scoring. Believe it or not in seasons prior to last we were just fine on that metric. For some reason last year the finishing abandoned us.

Anyways...let's win a game tomorrow.

Are we sure those aren't tips from point shots though?