News Article: Rutherford confident Penguins are ready for playoffs

[plaidchuck]

2010-11 was the truly lost season. Had they stayed healthy they would've gone to the finals easily. Instead we got to see the bruins make kessler and the sedin sisters cry.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

The team has nothing to rally around and looks lost for an identity, I agree with Pierre on that the team has no identity.

But something to rally around, it can be an amazing thing. Like Marty and his tragedy for the Rangers that helped the Rangers add another gear to rally around their "leader" and win it for him in the Pens series.

I wonder if Pascal Dupuis is that guy, if he is suddenly allowed to work out and skate with the team and suit up again, that alone could be a big enough boost for this team. Because right now, they don't have a fiery old vet to lead them in the way of Roberts or Guerin and they lack someone to rally around. It's a team that is supposed to play as a team but plays like it has no one to play for.

Most teams, play for each other, this team can't grasp that concept.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

 

[zero8771]

The team has nothing to rally around and looks lost for an identity, I agree with Pierre on that the team has no identity.

But something to rally around, it can be an amazing thing. Like Marty and his tragedy for the Rangers that helped the Rangers add another gear to rally around their "leader" and win it for him in the Pens series.

I wonder if Pascal Dupuis is that guy, if he is suddenly allowed to work out and skate with the team and suit up again, that alone could be a big enough boost for this team. Because right now, they don't have a fiery old vet to lead them in the way of Roberts or Guerin and they lack someone to rally around. It's a team that is supposed to play as a team but plays like it has no one to play for.

Most teams, play for each other, this team can't grasp that concept.

Dupuis would be a huge add if he somehow got healthy. In the locker room especially. Don't see it happening though

 

[MtlPenFan]

Pierre loved everything Shero did. What identity did we have then?

 

[vodeni]

The team has nothing to rally around and looks lost for an identity, I agree with Pierre on that the team has no identity.

But something to rally around, it can be an amazing thing. Like Marty and his tragedy for the Rangers that helped the Rangers add another gear to rally around their "leader" and win it for him in the Pens series.

I wonder if Pascal Dupuis is that guy, if he is suddenly allowed to work out and skate with the team and suit up again, that alone could be a big enough boost for this team. Because right now, they don't have a fiery old vet to lead them in the way of Roberts or Guerin and they lack someone to rally around. It's a team that is supposed to play as a team but plays like it has no one to play for.

Most teams, play for each other, this team can't grasp that concept.

wow, I have been listening for a while now about this Duper's potential influence, now I know how badly doomed and dissilusional this team and its fan base is, we are talking about Pascal f..... Dupuis here...

 

[zero8771]

wow, I have been listening for a while now about this Duper's potential influence, now I know how badly doomed and dissilusional this team and its fan base is, we are talking about Pascal f..... Dupuis here...

it's better than hyperbole about how we have no chance against anyone in the east

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

If team plays like they did on the west coast they can beat anyone. Especially with any improvement to the PP or crosby's play.

No, I'm not confident they will. But the opportunity is there for them

Sure, but that's the book on this team. It is Jekyll and Hyde. The odds of the right team showing up 4 series in a row are

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Lol I'd **** my pants if he said "yeah.... We will probably be out in the first round"

I hate articles like this. No **** he's going to say that.

It isn't surprising but then again, maybe this team needs some tough love. We always hear about how they are arrogant/entitled/stubborn, aren't doing what the coaches ask, aren't ready to play, etc.

If the gm calls them out and says they should get their golf clubs ready, maybe it lights a fire in them and makes them feel they have something to prove. Of course, that could backfire, but pumping their tires hasn't done much good.

Just a thought

 

[zero8771]

Sure, but that's the book on this team. It is Jekyll and Hyde. The odds of the right team showing up 4 series in a row are

really though, this is most teams. Every team in the league has gone through stretches like that this year.

I think we'll know exactly what we have by game 3 of rd1. And that's the team you'll see the rest of the way. Pens have been consistent from series to series but not year to year

 

[SEALBound]

He's not 100% incorrect. A healthy team THAT ACTUALLY COMES TO PLAY with everyone playing their game...he's right, we can compete with anyone.

But the disturbing amount of inconsistency and players loving to take nights / shifts off on top of never know what the refs are going to do...it's a very steep uphill battle. One that I don't think we can make this year.

I'll say it again, if we win the Cup, MAF is the no brainer Conn Smyth winner. With this team he will need to steal games, perhaps even a series or two for us. Goals less than 2 min into the game...can't happen.

In fact, our ability to fight back is so poor, I don't think we can go down a goal at all in the playoffs. We don't have the bounce back ability either. We go down, we are toast.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Rutherford is a senile old man if he believes we are prepared for the playoffs.

We're prepared to go golfing early.

I'd be shocked if this team won a playoff round let alone 1-2 games.

They can't win against clutch and grab teams in the regular season what makes them think it will be any better against those teams in the playoffs when none of that is called?

 

[WayneSid9987]

Rutherford is a senile old man if he believes we are prepared for the playoffs.

We're prepared to go golfing early.

I'd be shocked if this team won a playoff round let alone 1-2 games.

They can't win against clutch and grab teams in the regular season what makes them think it will be any better against those teams in the playoffs when none of that is called?

Uh they beat LA and the Caps recently and handled the Wings a loss(not Sunday's game but the last one at Consol) when they had a full complment of players.

I agree with JR. This is a good playoff team, IF everyone is healthy.

 

[Giskard]

I'm confident in this team, just because we lost a back to back afternoon games with the alternate jersey and almost without our top two guys, I will not jump out of the bridge. I like how we played in the last month, some off games always happen.

I don't expect to dominate the post season, but I expect this team to fight for it. We dominate the last regular seasons, and expected to walk over everyone in the play off. That didn't happen as we know. Now it's a different team, let's see what we have and be optimistic

 

[#66]

I just drove in from NJ to watch them pass into the trap all game and then try to goon it up. It was laughable and I want my money back.

 

[ColePens]

It isn't surprising but then again, maybe this team needs some tough love. We always hear about how they are arrogant/entitled/stubborn, aren't doing what the coaches ask, aren't ready to play, etc.

If the gm calls them out and says they should get their golf clubs ready, maybe it lights a fire in them and makes them feel they have something to prove. Of course, that could backfire, but pumping their tires hasn't done much good.

Just a thought

You aren't wrong. But this organization is family friendly. They aren't in the business of tough love. Just get used to it.

 

[Will Hunting]

He's not 100% incorrect. A healthy team THAT ACTUALLY COMES TO PLAY with everyone playing their game...he's right, we can compete with anyone.

But the disturbing amount of inconsistency and players loving to take nights / shifts off on top of never know what the refs are going to do...it's a very steep uphill battle. One that I don't think we can make this year.

I'll say it again, if we win the Cup, MAF is the no brainer Conn Smyth winner. With this team he will need to steal games, perhaps even a series or two for us. Goals less than 2 min into the game...can't happen.

In fact, our ability to fight back is so poor, I don't think we can go down a goal at all in the playoffs. We don't have the bounce back ability either. We go down, we are toast.

The bolded is so so true. This team is mostly fine when leading/tied but their ability to fight back is terrible. So many poor games after trailing early, sometimes you just know that the game is over after 10 minutes and that the team is not gonna score a goal in that game. First goal is gonna be huge come playoffs. Just like the series vs the Rangers last year, every game was won by the team that scored first.

It´s gonna be like that vs Bruins, Habs, Rangers, Capitals, Wings.. basically against every solid defensive team. The Isles are a bit different maybe, you can overcome deficits against them and the leads are not safe against them, they are one specific crazy team out there. But in general, the Pens live and die with the first goal these days.

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

He legitimately believes this. If he didn't he wouldn't have made the trades that he did.

Healthy or not, this team just isn't a contender. Our post season pretty much hinges on us getting hot and lucky.

Yeah ours and everybody elses.

 

[Shady Machine]

JR saying they are ready is also giving himself a vote of confidence. He built this team (as much as he could in one season). It's his coach, and presumably the players he wanted. He has to say they are ready.

 

[Penguinzilla*]

If healthy we're a much better team than last year, you gotta give him that. There's only so much he can do. He can't go out and get every single player that HFBoards wants

 

[IcedCapp]

He legitimately believes this.

This is 10000000% true. Everyone in the organization believes this.

 

[Shady Machine]

This is 10000000% true. Everyone in the organization believes this.

 

[Cardboard Orpik]

My expectations are incredibly low. Maybe they win a round, but I don't see them making the ECF.

 

[IcedCapp]

I'm happy. If they fail, it's 100% with their team and their moves. If that doesn't wake them up, nothing will

 

[Michael8771*]

If healthy we're a much better team than last year, you gotta give him that. There's only so much he can do. He can't go out and get every single player that HFBoards wants

I think there's been so much upheaval to the line up, that regardless of if they're better on paper or not, there's very little to suggest the chemistry or cohesion is there to make a long and sustained playoff run. It doesn't even feel like the Pens anymore. What is their identity? I doubt that even know.