Post-Game Talk: Pens vs Bruins: Frustrating loss

[Sidney the Kidney]

It’s hilarious how many people that were so excited for the Karlsson trade are mad that Karlsson is exactly the type of player we knew we were getting in the Karlsson trade.

Also, maybe if Karlsson was actually allowed to play his game exactly how he wants to rather than his "fixed" version that Sullivan insisted on creating, we'd be seeing even more benefit.

But yeah, once again some folks would rather blame the player(s) than the dolt behind the bench. I'm sure once next year's roster with a whole set of other players comes in, we'll be fine.

 

[Giskard]

Well it was fun till it last. I'm not even disappointed .. it was just .. expected.
2 to go, still some hopes .. but not (again) a lot of expectations.

 

[Rudy Russo]

You are speaking emotionally or you're delusional. No one on that list at this point in their career is better than Jarry and I still think he sucks.

Ask the Sens about Korpisalo.

I read this on another site.
Karlsson and Jarry for Chychrun or Chabot and korpisalo

 

[Gurglesons]

Well it was fun till it last. I'm not even disappointed .. it was just .. expected.
2 to go, still some hopes .. but not (again) a lot of expectations.

Detroit and Washington will lose Monday. We will win.

We will have to beat the Islanders to get in and we will not.

 

[Tender Rip]

Well… our result was not good, but paired with what happened elsewhere it was really bad.

Suppose the sunny side up part is that if we make the playoffs, Sully wont be fired, and if we dont…. there must be a chance.

 

[HandshakeLine]

It rules that for two years in a row, our playoff hopes come down to the very last games because we didn't fix solvable problems early in the season.

 

[DearDiary]

It's easy to say X player is dumb because they're leaving guys open or not reading plays, but it happens so often to everyone that the teams system has to be at play. So even if it looks like a player is making a mistake, it could be mistake they're forced into because of the 4 different things the other skaters are doing.

 

[Will Hunting]

Has he been disappointing offensively? Yeah, probably. I think a lot of that is on the system restricting his freedom, but his passing hasn't been as sharp as it usually is. The PP is the responsibility of everyone, and it hasn't been better with Letang on the 1st unit. It's just a bad PP setup, has been all season, no matter what they do. I hope Dubas gets a right-shot one time option. Maybe Puustinen is the guy but Sully doesn't seem to want to do that.

EK has more defensive point shares than offensive ones this season though, and he really hasn't had an awful 5-game stretch in his own zone this year. He's done a lot of good work with his stick, defending 1-on-1, and even battling net front, which has always been his biggest weakness. They had the same issue with blowing leads last year without him. They have had 7 SOs and in most of those they weren't leaking many high danger chances (which they would have if EK was playing awful defensively).

They are going to rue the losses to Anaheim, Buffalo, LA, Colorado, and Calgary, the last four of which were blown leads. The two final minute losses to ANA and CGY really hurt now, as they'd be at least at 88 not 86. Funny that EK screwed up the first and Letang screwed up the second.

I do really hope there is a new coach next season. Nevertheless I have had a decent time watching this team, as frustrating as they can be. Maybe that's just because I watched the Sharks the last four years. But watching Crosby every game do his thing has been fun. If they can replace Smith and move Rakell/get a bounce back, they'll have their chance to make it next season.

I agree, those were easy points thrown out of the window, there were more than that but these games you mentioned were criminal blows. It was an uphill battle at the end, hard to blame them for Boston game when there are games like ANA, CGY, BUF, LA, COL. I would add season opener with Chicago to that list. Leading 2-0 vs that team and getting zero points.

Back to EK. One point you didn´t mention. It happens a lot this season. A lot of his errors lead to terrible penalties, often in critical times. A lot of bad decisions that he makes. I would understand that, saying that he plays risky brand of hockey if his offense was there in a bigger way. But it isn´t, therefore I think it´s absolutely fair that his errors get scrutinized here. He is a disappointment, everybody expected more. Including Sullivan who mentioned that multiple times that EK can bring more. And I would guess including EK himself, he is too intelligent to not know that he should be better than this.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

He's like Letang used to be as well in that people laser in on his f***ups instead of remembering the other 99% of the game where he's helping us control play while he's out there.

Like I get it. His defensive miscues suck. Some of them have been crippling. But he's also enabling us to do very well at 5v5 generally while he's out there.

The big disappointment for me is I thought he'd help the PP and somehow the PP has become even worse than ever. And EK is at least partially at fault for that.

I'd argue he's more at fault for that than almost anybody, because he constantly retreats on the PP when the team's relying on him for point shots.
He's supposed to be this aggressive, offensive dynamo D-man. But on our PP he gets timid and surrenders ground. He lets shooting and passing windows close.
He doesn't find seams like he did last year in San Jose at all.

That being said, his career PPP/60 is kinda meh. I didn't have big expectations for him on the unit, coming into a trash unit from the year before.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

It's easy to say X player is dumb because they're leaving guys open or not reading plays, but it happens so often to everyone that the teams system has to be at play. So even if it looks like a player is making a mistake, it could be mistake they're forced into because of the 4 different things the other skaters are doing.

We knew what Karlsson was last summer.
He's a 55-60 point per 82 games played defenseman who lacks defensive awareness and coverage in his own zone.
That's exactly what we got. It's just that his points were slightly more skewed towards even-strength than usual.

I watched him in San Jose last year a fair share. The stupid decision making isn't new. He gets carried away by his emotions and loses focus on detail work.

It rules that for two years in a row, our playoff hopes come down to the very last games because we didn't fix solvable problems early in the season.

Let's be real. The only thing R1 would do for us is a stay of execution for 2 weeks.
The important thing was that this season be entertaining. It wasn't.

 

[Dessloch]

Spot on - it's extremely rare, and if it does happen, it's a sign that a team has lost faith in the other goalie. Which begs the question - what to do with Jarry? Throughout the season, I didn't really buy into the argument about his 2nd half collapses, but I've changed my mind on that. Granted, any goalie here is handicapped in part by three of the absolutely worst defensive defenseman you can find, but he's given no reason to believe over the years that the Pens can ride him for a critical stretch or an extended playoff run. So what do you do with him?

By Pens logic, sign him to long term contract.

 

[metalan2]

You are speaking emotionally or you're delusional. No one on that list at this point in their career is better than Jarry and I still think he sucks.

Ask the Sens about Korpisalo.

The point is any of the goalies as a backup to Ned or tandem is a better option than Jarry for much less money.

You can use any amount of cap space to upgrade your horrific bottom 6.

The better scenario is signing Ned and whoever out of that list and having one of our AHL prospects come up, like Blomqvist.

This isn't even a hindsight is 20/20 type of thing, this was said at the time because Jarry is and was objectively a bad goalie.

What do you think Jarry would look like on the Sens? Again, this isn't even about Korpisalo, but I would still take him over Jarry at their current salaries.

 

[Doctor Coffin]

We knew what Karlsson was last summer.

I watched him in San Jose last year a fair share. The stupid decision making isn't new. He gets carried away by his emotions and loses focus on detail work.

I didn't, but I do recall him well from 2017 and was certainly aware of his riverboat gambler reputation. The thing that has surprised me this season, though, is what a turnover dispenser he's been, which transcends mere chronic poor defensive awareness.

 

[Ulf5]

One bright spot - Drew O-f***ing-Conner. Dude is turning into a beast. One of the few guys you can watch give 100% on every shift.

Dupuis O'Connor

 

[Ulf5]

Crazy anyone thought 1-1-1 gets us in firmly.

Bunting is sick at least. They won’t, but could flip him for 1st + prospect easily.

Dubas flip his man crush? Ha. You have a better chance at seeing 66 back on the ice in an NHL game.

 

[Ulf5]

I read this on another site.
Karlsson and Jarry for Chychrun or Chabot and korpisalo

Perfect Penguins! One averages 48 games per season, the other 43. They'll fit right in.

 

[PaulD]

I hate life, myself and the universe.

 

[PaulD]

It rules that for two years in a row, our playoff hopes come down to the very last games because we didn't fix solvable problems early in the season.

In the east where play off spots are practically a free pass this season......A new and fresh coaching staff put in last summer ......and this group is in the play offs all day long.

Deciding to keep this coaching staff is the biggest reason they won't be in the play offs.

 

[vodeni]

It rules that for two years in a row, our playoff hopes come down to the very last games because we didn't fix solvable problems early in the season.

but its only September, its only October, its only November

 

[vodeni]

In the east where play off spots are practically a free pass this season......A new and fresh coaching staff put in last summer ......and this group is in the play offs all day long.

Deciding to keep this coaching staff is the biggest reason they won't be in the play offs.

funny at the post game, Steigy and Metzer were praising Islanders how they replaced the coach late in the season only to follow up with praises to Pens heroic stretch and endorsment of Sully, did not even realize the hypocrisy there, they are nobodys but that really appears to be overall team attitude

 

[Andy99]

“Maybe we lose our heads a little bit and give the other team some easy looks, when we go chasing,” Pettersson said. “I feel like everybody wants it so much we go chasing a couple plays you shouldn’t. We’ve got to keep our heads cool.”

Kudos to Petts to saying what we all know and can never fix lol: they panic in big game situations….just like the PP we can never fix, it starts with the coach…for the love of God FSG, move on from Sullivan if you care about this team winning in the near future!

 

[Ryder71]

The cores inability on the PP has been the culprit all year. 31st?

 

[Ryder71]

for the love of God FSG, move on from Sullivan if you care about this team winning in the near future!

Sure, tell Sid that, he wants Sullivan around. When do we start looking at the Core?

Letangs constant and damaging Turnovers
Geno's retaliatory penalties and questionable puck management
Sid not showing up in a must win game
EK's ill advised pinches.

When does the core get blamed?

 

[dr robbie]

The season-long lack of a PP is what really unnerves me. We might not have crazy depth on this team, but we have some really good top-end talent. Yet we have like the 2nd worst powerplay in the league? That is just really unacceptable with this team. We had ~80 games to make adjustments or figure out something and we didn't. Someone is getting paid to not do their job and needs to be replaced.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

It's funny, and a little ironic, I am watching Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace, and early in the game, Liverpool leaves a man wide open in the box and a perfect pass from the left side is put away for a goal against. Players are looking around wondering who should have had that man, and players are out of position all over the pitch. I immediately thought to myself, "is this an FSG thing?"

Nobody can convince me that acquiring Erik Karlsson was a bad move last summer. Sorry. They had to move out dead weight, they did. They had to get younger, they did. They needed another dynamic player. They got one. Yeah, it cost a first and I will HATE draft night for the umpteenth time in my life, but it was still a trade you make 100 times over.

Dubas needs to learn from what this team has done post-deadline. Shaking things up sometimes DOES wake teams up. Moving out veterans sometimes DOES improve short-term results. Had he done more, maybe we would have improved even more.

I am not ready to start talking about next season just yet. Yeah, we need help now but so did every other team and they got it from Boston yesterday. Now the Bruins need to return that favor tomorrow. Obviously, there is no room for anymore losses for us.

I would start Jarry tomorrow. Nedeljkovic has nothing left to prove. He is an elite backup goaltender, a very solid No. 1A-1B netminder and a shaky 60-game starter. Just like 90% of the league's goaltenders today. Jarry is the guy under contract, so for two reasons he needs to start tomorrow: a) if he can perform well, we won't need to re-sign Ned (who is going to get a very nice contract this summer because everybody has noticed this Penguins run and who was in goal for it), or (more importantly) a strong performance can put Jarry's trade market this off-season in a better light. His late-season numbers the last two years are not good. A strong two games to end this one should help.

A memo to Todd Reirden, Mike Sullivan or whoever in the hell is running this ridiculous power play: it is not too late to shake things up. Dubas shook up the roster and woke the team up. You can do the same thing with the PP. Three of the four PK forwards are also on the PP...one on the top unit, two on the second. None of those are named Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin. This does not need to be. You have younger players with some scoring upside (debatable as to how much guys like Puustinen, Bemstrom and even Puljujarvi actually have, but we will never find out if they continue playing less than 10, around 5 and zero minutes, respectively). Rust should never be on the first unit. He has no role to play on it. Lars Eller, Jeff Carter and Reilly Smith have done absolutely nothing with their PP time. Give someone else a chance.

Not done yet, but it is situation critical now. On a positive note, Brayden Yager scored a hat-trick last night against Owen Pickering's Swift Current Broncos. His third goal was a gorgeous snipe. Kinda like the OT winner by Kyle Palmieri against Montreal the other night. We need more draft picks like Brayden Yager in the near future.