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Post-Game Talk: Pens loss to Tampa: Vasi didnt want the shutout

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So many minuses tonight.

Sullivan was the biggest minus. Galaxy brained his way to a Malkin-DOC-Eller line after Malkin-Rust showed flashes in the first.

DOC proving why he should never be near a top 6 line all night.

Letang was terrible, so many boneheaded plays.

Jarry was dismal.

Jeannot was hurting guys out there, and nobody on the Pens did a thing.

This is a terribly coached team, which looks even worse if you’re watching from the lower bowl, like I unfortunately was tonight.
 
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So, they suck.

They actually aren't horrid. They are worse. Mediocre. They are better than they are showing but not by much.

Just like the other teams in this town they aren't good enough to seriously compete for a championship but not bad enough to begin a rebuild.

So they are spinning their wheels. And ours. With no end in sight.
 
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So, I have some things to say.

When Dubas traded for Karl, I assume it was because he saw how dominant he was last season, and how he could help Crosby, Malkin, and company elevate the offense. Let me ask you all, does this stylistically look like the way Karlsson has typically played throughout his career? It takes a very special coach to have Erik Freaking Karlsson on his team and not utilize his skating and stickhandling skills at all. How many times has Erik actually skated past centre ice with the puck this year? It happened early on I'm sure and then Sully probably took him aside in practice and said "no risk, no creativity, we need you to play more like Kris Letang." Except Dubas didn't trade for Kris Letang, did he? Damn mindboggling. I am not saying EK should be joining or leading every rush, or that he should play like a 4th forward, just that he acttually be given the freedom to do what he's best at.

Here's an idea for the PP ... have one of the most gifted skaters and stickhandlers in the league take the puck up and bring it in. Here's not a great idea: utilize him as a forward on the PP where he has NEVER played before in his professional career. Throughout his long career there have been stretches where the offensive execution has been off - that's pretty normal - but I've never seen him look as uncomfortable as he is right now. He looked more comfortable a month ago which makes me think Sully is at play in neutering his skills and trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. If you have EK and all you want from him is to send stretch passes up and take one-timers from the point, yo are doing hockey wrong.

Just breathe Kyle..... (that's my name, not referring to Dubas haha)

I believe there is better from this team, but they need a new coach that will get them playing with more speed and cohesion. Malkin isn't that slow once he gets going but the problem is that he doesn't get going because most breakouts and entries are stagnant. Generally speaking, the goaltending has been pretty good, and the defensive structure isn't that bad. This is a faster game now than when Sullivan won the two Cups, and the lack of speed they have is exacerbated by the way they play - without any kind of acceleration, speed, or net-drive. The over-passing is a symptom of the coach, too, being so hard-wired to play a pretty possession game. Going back to Karlsson, you have one of the best shot generators ever. It's about time to use him for that as well.
 
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Kristopher Letang said:
When Johnston was fired for Sully we were 15-10-3 and 3 points out of a playoffs spot.

When Therrien was fired for Bylsma we were 27-25-5 and 3 points out of the playoffs.
Click to expand...
1701917984510.png
 
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Karl Prime said:
So, I have some things to say.

When Dubas traded for Karl, I assume it was because he saw how dominant he was last season, and how he could help Crosby, Malkin, and company elevate the offense. Let me ask you all, does this stylistically look like the way Karlsson has typically played throughout his career? It takes a very special coach to have Erik Freaking Karlsson on his team and not utilize his skating and stickhandling skills at all. How many times has Erik actually skated past centre ice with the puck this year? It happened early on I'm sure and then Sully probably took him aside in practice and said "no risk, no creativity, we need you to play more like Kris Letang." Except Dubas didn't trade for Kris Letang, did he? Damn mindboggling. I am not saying EK should be joining or leading every rush, or that he should play like a 4th forward, just that he acttually be given the freedom to do what he's best at.

Here's an idea for the PP ... have one of the most gifted skaters and stickhandlers in the league take the puck up and bring it in. Here's not a great idea: utilize him as a forward on the PP where he has NEVER played before in his professional career. Throughout his long career there have been stretches where the offensive execution has been off - that's pretty normal - but I've never seen him look as uncomfortable as he is right now. He looked more comfortable a month ago which makes me think Sully is at play in neutering his skills and trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. If you have EK and all you want from him is to send stretch passes up and take one-timers from the point, yo are doing hockey wrong.

Just breathe Kyle..... (that's my name, not referring to Dubas haha)

I believe there is better from this team, but they need a new coach that will get them playing with more speed and cohesion. Malkin isn't that slow once he gets going but the problem is that he doesn't get going because most breakouts and entries are stagnant. Generally speaking, the goaltending has been pretty good, and the defensive structure isn't that bad. This is a faster game now than when Sullivan won the two Cups, and the lack of speed they have is exacerbated by the way they play - without any kind of acceleration, speed, or net-drive. The over-passing is a symptom of the coach, too, being so hard-wired to play a pretty possession game. Going back to Karlsson, you have one of the best shot generators ever. It's about time to use him for that as well.
Click to expand...
All coaches have an expiry date. Sullivan it’s your time to be fired. And I’m not even a pens fan. A coaching change could really do wonders for this team
 
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Another night of zero production on the PP including a late 5-on-3? Sounds like I continue to be vindicated by refusing to watch until the coaching staff is replaced.

I'll take it a step further - if Dubas doesn't replace the coaching staff at the soonest reasonable time (after the road trip or whatever), I won't watch until he's gone, either. Not because he's rotten, but because if change isn't made, the whole organization is rotten.

It's funny, for the last few years I've been of the mindset that these are the twilight years and I won't be upset if the Pens no longer contend. But this is uglier than not contending. This is hamstringing a group of hall of famers who are STILL playing well in order to kowtow to a coaching staff that has been stale for half a decade. It's not acceptable.

I'm guessing a change is imminent, though, and I look forward to beginning to watch again once a change is made.
 
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Karl Prime said:
So, I have some things to say.

When Dubas traded for Karl, I assume it was because he saw how dominant he was last season, and how he could help Crosby, Malkin, and company elevate the offense. Let me ask you all, does this stylistically look like the way Karlsson has typically played throughout his career? It takes a very special coach to have Erik Freaking Karlsson on his team and not utilize his skating and stickhandling skills at all. How many times has Erik actually skated past centre ice with the puck this year? It happened early on I'm sure and then Sully probably took him aside in practice and said "no risk, no creativity, we need you to play more like Kris Letang." Except Dubas didn't trade for Kris Letang, did he? Damn mindboggling. I am not saying EK should be joining or leading every rush, or that he should play like a 4th forward, just that he acttually be given the freedom to do what he's best at.

Here's an idea for the PP ... have one of the most gifted skaters and stickhandlers in the league take the puck up and bring it in. Here's not a great idea: utilize him as a forward on the PP where he has NEVER played before in his professional career. Throughout his long career there have been stretches where the offensive execution has been off - that's pretty normal - but I've never seen him look as uncomfortable as he is right now. He looked more comfortable a month ago which makes me think Sully is at play in neutering his skills and trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. If you have EK and all you want from him is to send stretch passes up and take one-timers from the point, yo are doing hockey wrong.

Just breathe Kyle..... (that's my name, not referring to Dubas haha)

I believe there is better from this team, but they need a new coach that will get them playing with more speed and cohesion. Malkin isn't that slow once he gets going but the problem is that he doesn't get going because most breakouts and entries are stagnant. Generally speaking, the goaltending has been pretty good, and the defensive structure isn't that bad. This is a faster game now than when Sullivan won the two Cups, and the lack of speed they have is exacerbated by the way they play - without any kind of acceleration, speed, or net-drive. The over-passing is a symptom of the coach, too, being so hard-wired to play a pretty possession game. Going back to Karlsson, you have one of the best shot generators ever. It's about time to use him for that as well.
Click to expand...
Karlsson looks hesitant and handicapped out there. It is definitely a coaching issue that is hurting his output this year.
 
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Has there been a more negative situation with Pittsburgh sports in the last 20 years as it is right now? I really think you have to go back to 2003 before the Steelers drafted Ben to get such futility with Pittsburgh sports as it has now.

All of the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates are highly mediocre, with the Steelers and Penguins trending down (or at least not trending positively).
 
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With the Oilers, I don't think they needed to fire Woodcroft. I think they would have turned around their play had they kept him. With this team, the fact they are still close to a wild card spot is exactly why you make the move after the Florida game, whether they win or not. Get a new coach in, get angry, make systematic changes, and they may go on a good run for 6-7 games and turn around the season.
 
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Empoleon8771 said:
Has there been a more negative situation with Pittsburgh sports in the last 20 years as it is right now? I really think you have to go back to 2003 before the Steelers drafted Ben to get such futility with Pittsburgh sports as it has now.

All of the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates are highly mediocre, with the Steelers and Penguins trending down (or at least not trending positively).
Click to expand...
Yeah it's dark days here in Pittsburgh for pro sports right now and it's not looking like its going to get better anytime soon. Both the Steelers and the Pens do not have bright futures right now and well the Pirates are the Pirates. At least this Pens core gave us 3 cups.
 
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Dubas has to make a move. You don't go out and get Erik Karlsson just to watch your team wallow below the playoff line well into December. Reirden is a goner, but I think that's rearranging the deck chairs, and I have to think Dubas is smart enough to know that too. Something else has gotta give - preferably Sullivan.
 
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