Salary Cap: Pittsburgh Penguins Salary Cap Thread: Clever Thread Title Needed

[HandshakeLine]

Maybe we are at a point in their respective careers where deploying Sid and Geno together to maximize each makes sense... time to show off that center depth.

If anything calls for at least spot deployment of Sid + Geno together, well, a playoff elimination game seems like a good places to do it.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

If anything calls for at least spot deployment of Sid + Geno together, well, a playoff elimination game seems like a good places to do it.

This bench doesn't DO spot deployment, sir.

 

[pistolpete11]

One mystery that I'm not sure will ever be completely cleared up is exactly how much input Crosby really has re: his linemates.

It seems clear at this point that there are preferences sure but like... do we REALLY think Crosby would throw a fit if GMR worked? It would help his team win, right? Malkin has taken assignments before for the betterment of the team and seemed happy enough to do it. I really don't know that Crosby is this like... domineering force when it comes to his linemates. I think it's just unimaginative, lazy, somewhat spineless coaching.

There is also the very real consideration to make that Malkin seems much easier to adjust to his linemates while Crosby seems to require guys of a much more certain mold. It's a factor but even then... I dunno. I have a hard time believing Crosby would suck with linemates like Zucker and Kap or Carter or whoever, ya know? He's Sid f***ing Crosby.

Sid has worked with everyone from Sheary to Hornqvist. He can play with anyone. He just doesn't like to play with everyone. Whether he has explicitly told that to Sully, hinted at it, or just by his body language (for example, Crosby and Hornqvist yelling at each other because Horny didn't get him the puck ), I'm sure Sully knows who he likes to play with. Either consciously or subconsciously, I think Sully is trying to keep Sid happy. If he makes a change and they still lose, he risks losing Sid. You lose Sid, you lose the team. You lose the team, you lose your job. But Sully, if you're out there, you'd find another job instantly. Just go for it.

The part I still can't wrap my head around is that he didn't even make any changes down 4-0 with 10min left.

 

[The Old Master]

i think this is 100 percent an option Sullivan should have considered awhile ago.

Half of rust goals are individual efforts you’d get from any line. That’s why he is so valuable. If the pens could demote kessel to line three. You sure as hell can with rust.

Jake - Sid - Erod (for familiarity of gaudreau)
Zucker - Geno - kap
McCann - carter - rust
Bart.

that’s barely messing with the lineup but I bet line 3 would improve a ton. I also think line 1 would improve

there are a whole bunch of good moves sully could make, but will he?

 

[The Old Master]

One mystery that I'm not sure will ever be completely cleared up is exactly how much input Crosby really has re: his linemates.

i thought it was sid, but seeing how sully hasn't moved anyone else. (with all the possibilities ) i no longer blame sid.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

i thought it was sid, but seeing how sully hasn't moved anyone else. (with all the possibilities ) i no longer blame sid.

I think @pistolpete11 is probably mostly right.

I think Sid certainly has his preferences. And of course you don't want to get the face of the franchise mad and I get that. But I mean... I guess my sympathy on this matter is limited. Is the guy the coach or not?

 

[Darren McCord]

there are a whole bunch of good moves sully could make, but will he?

Yes he will. Down 2 with 3min left in an elimination game. They wont suspect it.

 

[The Old Master]

I think @pistolpete11 is probably mostly right.

I think Sid certainly has his preferences. And of course you don't want to get the face of the franchise mad and I get that. But I mean... I guess my sympathy on this matter is limited. Is the guy the coach or not?

in all honesty he didn't even move guys around in the regular season. (unless there were injuries.) so he can't look back and say well this worked here or that didn't work there. so he has nothing to go on (well very little ) those of us that want him to change things are just going on a small sample size. but we also know doing nothing and hoping somehow lightning strikes may not be the best way to go.

 

[The Old Master]

Yes he will. Down 2 with 3min left in an elimination game. They wont suspect it.

you mean like play zar on his off side?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

in all honesty he didn't even move guys around in the regular season. (unless there were injuries.) so he can't look back and say well this worked here or that didn't work there. so he has nothing to go on (well very little ) those of us that want him to change things are just going on a small sample size. but we also know doing nothing and hoping somehow lightning strikes may not be the best way to go.

Yeah that's maybe my main contention in some ways.

I get not wanting to deviate from the plan too much when the games are this tight and matter this much. But the PRE planning when the games are less crucial seems rather... lacking. They won the division FFS. They had some wiggle room to try things and put them in their bag of tricks for later.

 

[SEALBound]

If anything calls for at least spot deployment of Sid + Geno together, well, a playoff elimination game seems like a good places to do it.

Absolutely, if nothing else to take advantages of mismatches.

Sid-Malkin-Kappy
McCann-Carter-Sid/Geno
Bleuger-Sid/Geno-Tanev

Malkin-Crosby-Rust/Jake

Lots of opportunities to create mismatches. I think BART and even the 3rd line are good enough pivot lines where you can reset well enough with them.

 

[Darren McCord]

you mean like play zar on his off side?

Yes and triple shift him

Jake - Sid - ZAR
Zucker - Geno - ZAR
McCann - Carter - ZAR

 

[SEALBound]

Yes he will. Down 2 with 3min left in an elimination game. They wont suspect it.

To be fair, he could put out the 5 best players we have down 2 with 3min left and they will go for a Sunday skate like they are up 2 on the PP like they always do. There does come a point where Sullivan is irrelevant and its on the players on the ice to put the puck in the net.

 

[Darren McCord]

To be fair, he could put out the 5 best players we have down 2 with 3min left and they will go for a Sunday skate like they are up 2 on the PP like they always do. There does come a point where Sullivan is irrelevant and its on the players on the ice to put the puck in the net.

The "best" players are subjective at times. Jake and Rust were the best wingers in the regular season. Would you consider them the best in the playoffs?

Carter is better than Jake right now. Kap maybe better than Rust. Yet you would never see them put Kap and Carter in for Jake and Rust on the PP.

So Sullivan is very relevant until he actually puts the best players out there.

 

[SEALBound]

The "best" players are subjective at times. Jake and Rust were the best wingers in the regular season. Would you consider them the best in the playoffs?

Carter is better than Jake right now. Kap maybe better than Rust. Yet you would never see them put Kap and Carter in for Jake and Rust on the PP.

So Sullivan is very relevant until he actually puts the best players out there.

Down 2, 3min left, who's going out?

Sid-Geno-Letang-Rust/Jake-and...?

Lets be honest, that's whose going out there.

 

[Kristopher Letang]

Down 2, 3min left, who's going out?

Sid-Geno-Letang-Rust/Jake-and...?

Lets be honest, that's whose going out there.

I don’t know but I bet you this PP setup is lethal.

_________Carter____Sid
Kapanen————-Malkin
________Letang________

 

[DesertPenguin]

I don’t know but I bet you this PP setup is lethal.

Carter Sid
Kapanen Malkin
Letang

I want Carter on the halfwall where you have Kappy. Net front I'd be happy with Jake, or Sid, or Kappy, or hell even ZAR.

 

[Darren McCord]

Down 2, 3min left, who's going out?

Sid-Geno-Letang-Rust/Jake-and...?

Lets be honest, that's whose going out there.

Thats my point. You know who would go out and it is not the best players possible. Thats on Sullivan.

 

[Kristopher Letang]

I want Carter on the halfwall where you have Kappy. Net front I'd be happy with Jake, or Sid, or Kappy, or hell even ZAR.

I think the players you named are too small to be a serious net front presence. Carter is huge and he can use his right handed stick to score on a Sid/Geno pass.

Anyway, it may be too late to try. Sully is a moron.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Yes, Jake should be available.

Everyone on this team not named Sid should be available for the right price.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

My concern with Jake is whether he'll ever be able to play his style that made him such a playoff beast again. He's talented enough to get points here or there in the regular season, but he's way too perimeter now compared to when he was money in the playoffs.

But honestly, Jake's the least of our worries on the wing. Unless you can land an absolute stud for him, I'd rather hold onto him and hope he rebounds, and instead get rid of some of our other whack-a-mole wingers.

 

[K Fleur]

I think @pistolpete11 is probably mostly right.

I think Sid certainly has his preferences. And of course you don't want to get the face of the franchise mad and I get that. But I mean... I guess my sympathy on this matter is limited. Is the guy the coach or not?

I remember when Kessel was moved one of the reasonings presented was that he "refused" to play with anyone other than Malkin. I just remember thinking like...what?

I don't even want Kessell around anymore but that being an indictment on only him was some weird shit. Especially from a coach whose main calling card supposedely is accountability.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I remember when Kessel was moved one of the reasonings presented was that he "refused" to play with anyone other than Malkin. I just remember thinking like...what?

I don't even want Kessell around anymore but that being an indictment on only him was some weird shit. Especially from a coach whose main calling card supposedely is accountability.

I think we make excuses for some of these guys and in some ways kind of HAVE to owing to their success.

But NHL coaches in general are kind of dingbats with some dinosaur ideas. PARTICULARLY once they have success.

 

[Gumbercules]

Dreger on TSN radio today noting that he doesn't expect big changes in Pitt if they lose tonight. Thinks that the second half surge might have cooled Hextall/Burke's initial desire to make big changes they had when they first arrived.

Dreger is not vey reliable for non-Leafs matters and seemed to be speculating more than passing along things he heard, so take with a grain of salt.

 

[MrBurghundy]

Dreger on TSN radio today noting that he doesn't expect big changes in Pitt if they lose tonight. Thinks that the second half surge might have cooled Hextall/Burke's initial desire to make big changes they had when they first arrived.

Dreger is not vey reliable for non-Leafs matters and seemed to be speculating more than passing along things he heard, so take with a grain of salt.

Wasn't Burke doing reporting though before coming here? May have formed a relationship out of it.