Softest team in league history

[Tasty Biscuits]

I'm just sayin

Also, am I wrong in thinking there's a good chance Plotnikov is tougher than any forward we had here last year? And that Sundqvist at least has the size to be very hard to play against as well?

Definitely excited to see how Sundqvist fares in that department (once he gets his damn hamstring issue figured out).

 

[Mischa]

Lucic was turning more and more into a dog each passing year after they won the cup. Semin-levels of effort last season. He had one year left on his contract, why wouldn't you move him for that return? He won't be missed that much, not for the one season he had left in a Bruins jersey anyway.

Not to mention all the lovely pointless penalties lucic takes. Did wonders for my fantasy team but no chance I'd want him on my NHL team (at least with that cap hit)

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I'm just sayin

Also, am I wrong in thinking there's a good chance Plotnikov is tougher than any forward we had here last year? And that Sundqvist at least has the size to be very hard to play against as well?

Not wrong at all. Both need to be on this team this season. It would surely help.

Not to mention all the lovely pointless penalties lucic takes. Did wonders for my fantasy team but no chance I'd want him on my NHL team (at least with that cap hit)

So you WOULD NOT want to see the following?

Lucic-Crosby-Kessel

or

Lucic-Malkin-Kessel


I'd take Lucic on my team any time, anywhere, any era.

 

[Deutschland Dangler]

I'd take Lucic on my team any time, anywhere, any era.

Glad you're not in charge then. Lucic is fading fast.

 

[Mischa]

So you WOULD NOT want to see the following?

Lucic-Crosby-Kessel

or

Lucic-Malkin-Kessel


I'd take Lucic on my team any time, anywhere, any era.

Absolutely not. At 6M per year he shouldn't be losing his mind as often as he does. The fact that he has even more problems with rivals makes it even worse.

Tbf though he seemed to calm down at the end of last season when their playoff spot was on the line.

Still I don't want a player who acts like downies reputation for minimally more production than Kunitz with a caphit larger than those two combined

 

[IcedCapp]

Had we traded Despres for Cole, and kept Bortuzzo, I think most would agree the Despres trade would feel a LOT less painful.

We're a Bortuzzo-type away from having a very nice blueline imo.

I will literally pay people to stop posting this junk. Despres is better than Cole. Magically tricking your brain to justify it by saying it hurts less if you trade Despres for Cole is ...

Anyhow. If I never have to read this incorrect, fallacious **** again, it'll be too soon.

 

[IcedCapp]

This is not the softest team in league history. Go pop in some tape of the oilers from the past few years.

 

[PensBandwagonerNo272*]

Doesn't matter how physical you are (Anaheim) or how soft you are (Chicago) - it matters how you play the game.

Yeah. This isn't the 80s anymore. Enforcement isn't allowed. Enforcement is dead. Physicality sure, but it's a style of play, and only one of many.

 

[Gold Diamond]

I will literally pay people to stop posting this junk. Despres is better than Cole. Magically tricking your brain to justify it by saying it hurts less if you trade Despres for Cole is ...

Anyhow. If I never have to read this incorrect, fallacious **** again, it'll be too soon.

It could have been worse - Despres could have been traded for Ben Scrubjoy.

 

[drpepper]

I'd rather have the skill and physicality (aggressiveness, board work, strong on the puck, puck protection, etc) of Crosby, Malkin, Letang and even Hornqvist and be "soft."

Despres may be partially missed because of his physicality, but mostly he's missed because he's better with the puck than either Lovejoy or Cole.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I will literally pay people to stop posting this junk. Despres is better than Cole. Magically tricking your brain to justify it by saying it hurts less if you trade Despres for Cole is ...

Anyhow. If I never have to read this incorrect, fallacious **** again, it'll be too soon.

Dude, if you're the Dr. Evil of the Despres fan club, then I'm probably "No. 1" (or is that No. 2???).

Anyway, all I was suggesting is it would hurt a LOT less had we only made the one deal for Cole, with no Lovejoy whatsoever. I believe the deal was a double-whammy not only because we traded Despres, but because we traded FOR Lovejoy. I think most people agree with me.

You may not, but then again you're not normal.

 

[Ogrezilla]

basically he's saying we'd be better off with Cole and Bortuzzo instead of Cole and Lovejoy. Hard to argue really. Also pretty much irrelevant at this point.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

basically he's saying we'd be better off with Cole and Bortuzzo instead of Cole and Lovejoy. Hard to argue really. Also pretty much irrelevant at this point.

Thank you.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Doesn't matter how physical you are (Anaheim) or how soft you are (Chicago) - it matters how you play the game.

Anaheim vs. Chicago was the exact case in point to this discussion. Anaheim came out and bruised up Chicago's defense in the first couple games. Chicago was playing with basically 4 defenders. Chicago kept at their identity and didn't try to match the hitting of Anaheim. They just played tenacious and fast. That's how they win games. They ended up winning the series and Anaheim looked beyond tired at the end of the series from skating around w/ Chicago.

It's all about how you play. Find the identity that works for your team, and stick to it. The Pens are so infatuated with doing everything that they have no identity.

Generally speaking this is true, but we currently don't even have a Seabrook combo of size and physical play on the blueline. I think our net-front game is going to be an issue.

 

[Penguinzilla*]

I remember the 1993–94 Sharks being wicked soft

 

[Ogrezilla]

Generally speaking this is true, but we currently don't even have a Seabrook combo of size and physical play on the blueline. I think our net-front game is going to be an issue.

We really need Dumoulin to at least add a little bit of physicality I think. Not even so much hitting, but as you said, net front play. Guys like Wayne Simmons are going to give us fits.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Last year was one of the softest teams I've ever seen in 30+ years of watching hockey and that was after watching Sid get gang-raped in the playoffs 2 years ago. I still have visions of Rinaldo punking the entire bench, Letang launched into the boards head first, etc.

So, we rid ourselves of Despres, Borts, Downie, Lapierre, Sill, etc, and now don't have any, not 1 single hint of toughness or physicality.

Yes, I will enjoy watching this team score highlight-reel goals this year. But that will quickly be offset by watching teams physically humiliate and injure us, again. Thanks Mario and JR.

Your perception of soft is interesting.

The team had grit, but it was also a team that the refs gave very little to no rope for any rough stuff at all just because of the team and then the addition of Downie. There was never a time I watched the team and thought, man they are charmin soft. Never. I mostly just noticed them holding back, because when the games got rough and the Pens responded back, they are the ones that got penalized hard for it, the other team always got the benefit of the doubt because of the Penguins just being the Penguins and now the refs were just angrier with us because Downie makes them actually do their job and then some.

I think some might be too young to remember the dominant Red Wings and how grit was never a factor in their success, because the moronic notion that it is needed is only on this board. You want to really stick it to teams, get better possession players like the old Wings used to have, now they are too decrepit and reliant on Zetterberg and Datsyuk with some solid youth coming up, but that team didn't need a hard hitting defenseman to keep teams honest, it had guys that once they got the puck from you, were going to make you pay for losing it by rushing up the ice and creating a scoring chance and pot one in the net.

Pens added some decent guys for possession and well, got back some too just from injury - Dupuis should help there in the bottom 6, same for Kessel in the top 6. Maatta back should help on the blueline as well.

You want to respond?

Scoresheet.
Not the hit stats.

 

[chethejet]

Letang can be edgy but the D has decent size. Cole 215, Maatta as well. Lovejoy is not small and DP will fill out as well as Dumo. Not exactly a killer group, but unload Scuderi and add a decent RH shot with some size and grit fits nicely.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

We really need Dumoulin to at least add a little bit of physicality I think. Not even so much hitting, but as you said, net front play. Guys like Wayne Simmons are going to give us fits.

For situations like that, I want Andersen up. The guy is 6'1" but built like a tank, just like Cole and both are physically strong on their skates, enough to shove guys like that around to keep them honest without going over board like Bortuzzo did and was traded because of that.

Dumoulin doesn't need to do anything but be confident in his abilities, he's a smooth skating guy that is good with his stick, shadowing players, and has an offensive touch that he is hesitant to really use.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

We really need Dumoulin to at least add a little bit of physicality I think. Not even so much hitting, but as you said, net front play. Guys like Wayne Simmons are going to give us fits.

It'd be nice if he could do that, for sure. But I'd rather have one beast who we might have to rein in a bit rather than paint tiger stripes on a kitty cat, you know? McQuaid would've been ideal had he not re-signed with Boston.

 

[Ogrezilla]

It'd be nice if he could do that, for sure. But I'd rather have one beast who we might have to rein in a bit rather than paint tiger stripes on a kitty cat, you know? McQuaid would've been ideal had he not re-signed with Boston.

agreed. But we don't have that guy, and we don't really have a good way to acquire one.

 

[billybudd]

A heavyweight team like the Kings are now finding it hard to get to PO. What is grinding down an opponent any good for if you're not playing a 4 out of 7?

Also, goons are going down the drain & the trend is on mobility, not physicality.

The Kings were finding it hard to get to the PO because an irreplaceable player threw his wife through a television.

 

[Ogrezilla]

The Kings were finding it hard to get to the PO because an irreplaceable player threw his wife through a television.

and guys like Richards and Brown declining so badly.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

agreed. But we don't have that guy, and we don't really have a good way to acquire one.

Yeah, that sucks. Nobody wants another Doug Murray situation, but if a relatively young bruiser who can play comes on the market, we should be interested.

 

[tom_servo]

The defense is pretty soft as far as direct, physical encounters go. But they're great at getting and keeping the puck. Really, in game situations, I can't remember wanting the defense to lay someone out. I can only remember wanting them to make the right read. I'm not really worried about them having to weather a storm of abuse. I'm worried some will spontaneously combust while at home.

I would've liked to keep one forward agitator around. But we get to see if Plotnikov and maybe Sundqvist can bring a rough element along with an all-around game. And Farnham will get a couple looks.

I think, if we needed to, getting a physical guy will be an easy thing to do down the road.

That said, anyone else really miss Simon Despres?