Post-Game Talk: Pens Sens. That’s how we lost.

[Gurglesons]

This past off-season, there were two playoff teams in particular that were considered to be at the crossroads - Pens and Bruins (maybe the Caps also, but who cares about them?!) Both teams with an aging core, although admittedly Boston did have more younger talent. But the two primary differences were far better cap management/roster building, and being willing to replace a fairly successful coach, Look at the difference now - it didn't need to be this way!

Boston has just as bad cap management as us. They just have a team that actually commits to accountability.

They’d have Dumo in the minors and bench Carter within 2 months.

They’d also have Jake on L2.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Boston has just as bad cap management as us. They just have a team that actually commits to accountability.

They’d have Dumo in the minors and bench Carter within 2 months.

They’d also have Jake on L2.

In other words Boston seems most interested in... you know... winning. Not stroking egos and indulging in petty point-proving while games slip away. Sullivan isn't this dumb. He's just trapped by his own ego. Which I guess is a FORM of dumb.

 

[LOGiK]

Our regulation wins are so low compared to the East playoff teams

We’ve won 25 of 70 games, 33 with bullshit 3v3.

34-36 without losing in extra time going into another category.

That just isn't a good team.
I mean it was never really in question they weren't great. Flashes of being good enough, but even that was fleeting rather than routeinly.

 

[Pancakes]

In other words Boston seems most interested in... you know... winning. Not stroking egos and indulging in petty point-proving while games slip away. Sullivan isn't this dumb. He's just trapped by his own ego. Which I guess is a FORM of dumb.

The worst part is he obviously does recognize that Carter is an issue because he's been gradually lowering his ice time and responsibilities.

But he won't go all the way with it because he's too loyal to Carter for....reasons.

He's basically valuing Carter's feelings over a playoff spot. It's insanity. Never seen anything like it.

 

[LOGiK]

Our regulation wins are so low compared to the East playoff teams

We’ve won 25 of 70 games, 33 with bullshit 3v3.

I just looked, 9 wins out of 34 have been in 3-3ot... that is terrible!

Roughly 25% of their wins are OT?

 

[Richard]

Didn't one of the intrepid local reporters say something along the lines earlier this season that the organization looks at Bryan Rust as kind of the "ultimate Penguin" and sees him as the standard to which young players coming through the system should hold themselves?

Gross.

That is funny because I know, as a young player on WBS, he was a pretty big dick to other players, especially call-ups from Wheeling.

Maybe he grew up or maybe, as per the usual, our local reporters are f***ing full of shit

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

I just looked, 9 wins out of 34 have been in 3-3ot... that is terrible!

Roughly 25% of their wins are OT?

Without looking, I'm pretty sure more than half of those OT wins have been on a PP

 

[LOGiK]

Hextall is secretly a flyer sleeper agent his work here is done.

I don't for one minute think a life long flyer, active during the biggest recent rivalry between penguins-flyers would at all harbour no ill will towards the penguin franchise.
I absolutely believe it is completely within the realm of possible that he is purpously, spitefully, with all intention out to sink the penguins. At least if not intentionally... hardly gives a damn whatever it is he is doing isn't working and the Penguins are nosediving.

Do his moves or anything he's done say otherwise?
To be this bad....

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

The worst part is he obviously does recognize that Carter is an issue because he's been gradually lowering his ice time and responsibilities.

But he won't go all the way with it because he's too loyal to Carter for....reasons.

He's basically valuing Carter's feelings over a playoff spot. It's insanity. Never seen anything like it.

Sure we have. But this is admittedly as bad as I've seen even by doofball NHL coaching standards.

That is funny because I know, as a young player on WBS, he was a pretty big dick to other players, especially call-ups from Wheeling.

Maybe he grew up or maybe, as per the usual, our local reporters are f***ing full of shit

IIRC the line of reasoning was that the team is extremely proud of being responsible for his full arc as a player. From 3rd round draftee to overpaid turd. Ya know... that scrappy underdog story that everyone is such a sucker for. But you are undoubtedly correct that the local reporters are utterly full of it.

 

[Invalid cuz QoC]

Ouchie I got hit by the puck, owwwie it hurts so bad. Yeah let’s put that guy on the ice at the end.

 

[ThosePuckingPenguins]

Outside of DK, the rest of the Pens media just refuses to place any blame on Sullivan. It’s wild. Look at all the criticisms Rossi has here and nothing about poor coaching.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Outside of DK, the rest of the Pens media just refuses to place any blame on Sullivan. It’s wild. Look at all the criticisms Rossi has here and nothing about poor coaching.

They're scared to be kicked out of the locker room from management if they go out there and attack all the time. But that's what they should be doing, especially when there is clearly a problem

 

[Gurglesons]

Ouchie I got hit by the puck, owwwie it hurts so bad. Yeah let’s put that guy on the ice at the end.

Who else would we put on? The guy who has nearly 10 more goals in Zucker and fights every shift? Why?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Who else would we put on? The guy who has nearly 10 more goals in Zucker and fights every shift? Why?

Because Bryan Rust did things like six years ago, OK? And that matters more than you (a non coach and non STH) could ever understand.

 

[Tender Rip]

While not perfect, Kapanen, Blueger and McGinn are all showing that they are NHL players away from Sully.

Granlund most definitely looked an NHL player in Nashville.

Sully has one and only one excuse. Goaltending. It is a big one and in seasons past I thought it shielded him because we were objectively the better team in three of the four first round losses. And were usually good in the regular season too - especially when stars were healthy.

But this season has been different. With healthy and productive stars. This season we have sucked. The main “suck centers” have been the same throughout, and nothing has been done to change that.

There are no guarantees it will work if we fire Sully, but it is a guarantee that good things wont happen with Sully anymore. Hex on the spot, but more likely owners.

 

[SEALBound]

Gets 35 million pay day and stop playing.

Really makes you wonder if contracts should start getting shorter.

He did that in his first season at $3.5mil as well. I fully expected him to phone it in this season.

What did he do?

On the PK late in the third, he blocks a shot that hit him in the hand. He turtles and quits on the play letting the Ottawa dman skate it straight to the net and gives the pass to Batherson (I believe) who scores the winning goal. Magically, 30sec later, he's well enough to finish the game on the 6 on 5. He even commented on it during his post-game interview. As I've said, this is at least the 3rd time this season Rust has pulled something like this that has led to a major impact goal against.

Outside of DK, the rest of the Pens media just refuses to place any blame on Sullivan. It’s wild. Look at all the criticisms Rossi has here and nothing about poor coaching.

The two are not mutually exclusive. Lineup decisions and combinations are that of Sullivan and that can easily have the impact on the ice.

No one is forcing Sullivan to play Dumoulin and Carter but Sullivan. Yeah, Hextall is a POS for building the roster he did but it's Sullivan's choice on who to play.

Jake-Sid-Rakell
Zucker-Geno-Nylander
DOC-Granlund-Rust
Heinen-Poehling-Archibald

is not an outlandish lineup to create and it solves issues while providing the accountability needed. When the defense is as hurt as it is, it is what it is so Dumo in at the moment is fine. What's not fine is running Dumo on the 1st or 2nd pair and putting him up against top lines with Letang.

 

[Gurglesons]

Because Bryan Rust did things like six years ago, OK? And that matters more than you (a non coach and non STH) could ever understand.

While not perfect, Kapanen, Blueger and McGinn are all showing that they are NHL players away from Sully.

Granlund most definitely looked an NHL player in Nashville.

Sully has one and only one excuse. Goaltending. It is a big one and in seasons past I thought it shielded him because we were objectively the better team in three of the four first round losses. And were usually good in the regular season too - especially when stars were healthy.

But this season has been different. With healthy and productive stars. This season we have sucked. The main “suck centers” have been the same throughout, and nothing has been done to change that.

There are no guarantees it will work if we fire Sully, but it is a guarantee that good things wont happen with Sully anymore. Hex on the spot, but more likely owners.

Even Sullivan’s usual golden star players in Rust and Jake have declined hard. It’s obvious his reach in the room is slowly dwindling and I imagine a lot of it comes from what Marchand said about Cassidy. Even if you are a player like Jake and Rust who is getting endless rope why try when there is no accountability.

But everything is Hextall’s fault.

 

[Coastal Kev]

The worst part is he obviously does recognize that Carter is an issue because he's been gradually lowering his ice time and responsibilities.

But he won't go all the way with it because he's too loyal to Carter for....reasons.

He's basically valuing Carter's feelings over a playoff spot. It's insanity. Never seen anything like it.

I will not separate Sully/Hex when it comes to Carter. Carter was cemented into the lineup the minute they gave him a laughable 2 year extension.

Where I have a hard controlling my emotion is when I read people who are now leading the charge in regards to the folly that is Carter, when one year earlier CHEERED his new contract. (hi DK, among many others). Have they no shame??

 

[Gurglesons]

I will not separate Sully/Hex when it comes to Carter. Carter was cemented into the lineup the minute they gave him a laughable 2 year extension.

Where I have a hard controlling my emotion is when I read people who are now leading the charge in regards to the folly that is Carter, when one year earlier CHEERED his new contract. (hi DK, among many others). Have they no shame??

It is quite funny. This board loved that deal and endlessly defended it.

“A 50 pt center at 3 million is fair market value” I was told multiple times.

 

[SEALBound]

Even Sullivan’s usual golden star players in Rust and Jake have declined hard. It’s obvious his reach in the room is slowly dwindling and I imagine a lot of it comes from what Marchand said about Cassidy. Even if you are a player like Jake and Rust who is getting endless rope why try when there is no accountability.

But everything is Hextall’s fault.

This team is so reminiscent of 2015 Johnston. Just stale. Everything and everyone. Stale.

While I want to rake Hextall over the coals - and don't misunderstand me, he 100% deserves to be - he DID try to make impact changes with Chychrun and Miller. Adding those to at the TDL would have drastically changed the landscape of the team and could easily have been moves similar to adding Kessel and Daley. Both teams said no to us though and it's tough to say what else Hextall should have done but I think the reaction of Granlund, Bonino, and Kulikov wasn't the right direction. And now...he have to deal with the fallout of Granlund.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

It is quite funny. This board loved that deal and endlessly defended it.

“A 50 pt center at 3 million is fair market value” I was told multiple times.

I generally don't tally up this stuff in my brain but it was like me you Peat and HSL that hated it and that's it haha

People piss and moan about the ED but the BIG thing there was really protecting Carter and signaling that he was a big part of the puzzle. People loved that shit, too.

 

[Gurglesons]

I generally don't tally up this stuff in my brain but it was like me you Peat and HSL that hated it and that's it haha

People piss and moan about the ED but the BIG thing there was really protecting Carter and signaling that he was a big part of the puzzle. People loved that shit, too.

Peat argued for it.

The ED was fine. Carter was good last year and a big reason we made the playoffs.

 

[Gurglesons]

This team is so reminiscent of 2015 Johnston. Just stale. Everything and everyone. Stale.

While I want to rake Hextall over the coals - and don't misunderstand me, he 100% deserves to be - he DID try to make impact changes with Chychrun and Miller. Adding those to at the TDL would have drastically changed the landscape of the team and could easily have been moves similar to adding Kessel and Daley. Both teams said no to us though and it's tough to say what else Hextall should have done but I think the reaction of Granlund, Bonino, and Kulikov wasn't the right direction. And now...he have to deal with the fallout of Granlund.

Bonino was good in his 2 games. Probably does a ton to stabilize this team, and Kulikov would have at least provided us some depth if he hadn’t been injured with how the injuries have gone. Hard to argue those two deals were bad given the cost and the fact we got out of McGinn’s deal.

 

[eXile3]

It is quite funny. This board loved that deal and endlessly defended it.

“A 50 pt center at 3 million is fair market value” I was told multiple times.

I threw a fit and I feel you also weren’t a fan of at least the timing of the signing.

 

[Gurglesons]

I threw a fit and I feel you also weren’t a fan of at least the timing of the signing.

I hated the deal. It made no sense.