Softest team in league history

[Asuna]

That said, anyone else really miss Simon Despres?

Everyday.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

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.

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.

I'm not exactly sure what the Rangers' cap situation is right now, but Dylan McIlrath could be that player we're missing. They currently have guys like Tanner Glass, Viktor Stalberg/Jayson Megna on the fourth line and two fourth liners from '14-15 (Etem and Fast) as third liners for the time being.

SO, I would think the Blueshirts would have some interest in Kunitz. Kunitz for McIlrath would be ideal.

Kunitz to Montreal for Jarred Tinordi also works for us.

 

[billybudd]

and guys like Richards and Brown declining so badly.

Brown could have been the worst player in the league and Voynov would still be what cost them a playoff berth.

I just realized they haven't replaced him yet. Isn't he getting deported?

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Brown could have been the worst player in the league and Voynov would still be what cost them a playoff berth.

I just realized they haven't replaced him yet. Isn't he getting deported?

He is totally in limbo right now, and their in-house replacement is Derek Forbort...who's more of a Dumoulin type.

Maybe we can send Lovejoy to the Kings.

 

[Zen Arcade]

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.

Reid McNeill might be ready to fill that role soon, if only as a 6th defenseman.

 

[Asuna]

Reid McNeill might be ready to fill that role soon, if only as a 6th defenseman.

What about Ruopp?

 

[Zen Arcade]

What about Ruopp?

He hasn't been healthy enough to establish himself as an AHL defenseman yet. This is going to be an important year for seeing where he's actually at in terms of development.

 

[Asuna]

He hasn't been healthy enough to establish himself as an AHL defenseman yet. This is going to be an important year for seeing where he's actually at in terms of development.

Thanks...what do you see his upside as?

 

[Your Boy Troy]

Even Chicago had rugged players on their roster last season. Desjardins, Shaw, Seabrook, Carcillo, and Hartman. Ross and Tropp will get playing time next season as well. Brandon Mashinter is on the outside looking in. Team is way tougher than the current make-up of Pittsburgh's roster. Tampa Bay had Boyle, Paquette, Morrow, Angelidis, Coburn (when he feels like it), Callahan, Brown, and Witkowski.

Los Angeles will have Lucic, Clifford, Nolan, McNabb, Andreoff, Greene, Brown, and King. Anaheim will have Stewart, McGrattan, Jackman, Maroon, Stoner, Getzlaf, Perry, and Manson.

It's not a guarantee that Plotnikov and Sundqvist are going to make an impact physically right away on the roster. I mean, Randy Robitaille was a power-forward in the KHL. Thowing his body around and beating the crap out of 6'6" Russians in fights. That being said; I do expect both Sundqvist and Plotnikov to contribute next season, just not with a lot of physicality.

The roster needs more balance. Net-front presence can be checked off the list. Now, the team needs someone handle the dirty work and someone on the back end who can block shots, hit, clear the crease as well as bringing size to the table. Establishing a more efficient forecheck is critical.

Whether or not enforcers actually deter cheap shots and injuries; many players in the league feel that way. I want Crosby and Malkin to focus on hockey and believe that they finally have players willing to help them whenever they need it. That's important. It builds loyalty amongst each other. It should be a requirement to get tougher now that Kessel is on the roster. Too bad the competent JR doesn't feel that way.

Softest team in the league is definitely not out of the question. Dumbass Rutherford will acknowledge this in December, and will acquire Steve Ott (which will be a massive overpayment) thinking that he's the solution.

 

[Terrapin]

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.

Yeah, the only 'grit' last years team had was either traded or not retained. None was added.

Guys bringing up Chicago? That team is much bigger and more physical than the Pens. You wanna talk Red Wings back in the day? Ok, I'll give you that they were pretty much an anomaly, especially in the late 90s early 00s era. However, they still had guys like Darren McCarty, and didn't have 3 or 4 superstars with significant injury histories.

And to your final point about responding on the score sheet. Ok, we've been trying that for the last 5 years. How's it worked out? Even a great PP is only scoring 1-4 or 5 times. Someone knocking the Rinaldo's of the league on their ass when they start taking runs will do much more good for this team than a random PP goal in a meaningless game in November.

But hey, what do I know? Let's keep trying the small and meek method. Maybe it'll work one of these years....

 

[Penguinator]

None was added?

Again ignoring Plotnikov...

*sigh*

 

[Terrapin]

None was added?

Again ignoring Plotnikov...

*sigh*

I'm ignoring him because we have no idea what he is or is going to be. It's not like he was the Lucic of the KHL or something. We'll see how he translates to the NHL, assuming he earns a roster spot

 

[Waffle Fries]

I don't think of this roster as 'soft.' Maybe I define it differently, but in my mind a soft team/player purposefully shies away from or wilts under the pressure of physical play. We may not have many players who are going to throw massive hits or drop the gloves, but we have a decent amount of players who have no qualms about going to the dirty areas and are willing to take a hit.

For example, none of Perron, Crosby or Hornqvist are particularly big or phsyical, but I wouldn't consider the way any of the three play to be 'soft.'

 

[Zen Arcade]

Thanks...what do you see his upside as?

Probably similar to McNeill, gritty third pairing guy. Although Ruopp seems to like looking for big open ice hits more than McNeill. McNeill is more likely to let the hits come to him and cut a player off along the boards and make them wish they got rid of the puck sooner.

I guess that makes McNeill a safer player, because he's less likely to get burned playing the way he does. Hynes trusted him enough to pair him with Pouliot so that DP could do his thing offensively.

 

[Asuna]

Probably similar to McNeill, gritty third pairing guy. Although Ruopp seems to like looking for big open ice hits more than McNeill. McNeill is more likely to let the hits come to him and cut a player off along the boards and make them wish they got rid of the puck sooner.

I guess that makes McNeill a safer player, because he's less likely to get burned playing the way he does. Hynes trusted him enough to pair him with Pouliot so that DP could do his thing offensively.

Hmm interesting. Thanks again.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Interesting indeed.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Even Chicago had rugged players on their roster last season. Desjardins, Shaw, Seabrook, Carcillo, and Hartman. Ross and Tropp will get playing time next season as well. Brandon Mashinter is on the outside looking in. Team is way tougher than the current make-up of Pittsburgh's roster. Tampa Bay had Boyle, Paquette, Morrow, Angelidis, Coburn (when he feels like it), Callahan, Brown, and Witkowski.

Los Angeles will have Lucic, Clifford, Nolan, McNabb, Andreoff, Greene, Brown, and King. Anaheim will have Stewart, McGrattan, Jackman, Maroon, Stoner, Getzlaf, Perry, and Manson.

It's not a guarantee that Plotnikov and Sundqvist are going to make an impact physically right away on the roster. I mean, Randy Robitaille was a power-forward in the KHL. Thowing his body around and beating the crap out of 6'6" Russians in fights. That being said; I do expect both Sundqvist and Plotnikov to contribute next season, just not with a lot of physicality.

The roster needs more balance. Net-front presence can be checked off the list. Now, the team needs someone handle the dirty work and someone on the back end who can block shots, hit, clear the crease as well as bringing size to the table. Establishing a more efficient forecheck is critical.

Whether or not enforcers actually deter cheap shots and injuries; many players in the league feel that way. I want Crosby and Malkin to focus on hockey and believe that they finally have players willing to help them whenever they need it. That's important. It builds loyalty amongst each other. It should be a requirement to get tougher now that Kessel is on the roster. Too bad the competent JR doesn't feel that way.

Softest team in the league is definitely not out of the question. Dumbass Rutherford will acknowledge this in December, and will acquire Steve Ott (which will be a massive overpayment) thinking that he's the solution.

Chicago was 29th in hits and for fighting majors last season. Anyone trying to make Chicago out to be some tough team doesn't watch them... at all.

Chicago annually ranks near the bottom for hits and fighting majors, yet they are a modern day dynasty. Skill with resolve almost always wins out over brute squads. Ask LA, Boston and Ducks fans.

The Pens need someone willing to bust heads in front of the net, but other then that, they look to have what they need.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Reid McNeill might be ready to fill that role soon, if only as a 6th defenseman.

That'd be great. I don't watch much WBS at all so I had no idea about McNeill's readiness.

 

[Jacob]

None was added?

Again ignoring Plotnikov...

*sigh*

His physicality might not translate over. That's tough to predict. It's easy to push around KHLers.

 

[MtlPenFan]

The softest team in the League has won 3 of the last six Stanley Cups.

The OP's mindset is the exact reason why guys like Tanner Glass exist.

 

[Jacob]

I wouldn't consider Chicago soft. Their forecheck is designed to swarm but not initiate contact, which leads to low hit totals. But they're a big, heavy team to play against.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I wouldn't consider Chicago soft. Their forecheck is designed to swarm but not initiate contact, which leads to low hit totals. But they're a big, heavy team to play against.

If you aren't calling Chicago soft, you really can't call us soft either right?

 

[Terrapin]

The softest team in the League has won 3 of the last six Stanley Cups.

The OP's mindset is the exact reason why guys like Tanner Glass exist.

Who cares about my mindset? I'm not in charge of the league. But the guys that are still don't mind that kind of hockey. I know people like to pretend otherwise, but hockey IS a physical sport. It's mind boggling how a team in a physical sport wants to be the least physical as possible? Can you imagine a pro football team, an MMA fighter, etc taking that approach? lol.

Frickin Daniel Carcillo is more physical than anyone on this roster. As is Seabrook, Shaw, and a host of others. Am I advocating John Scott? No. But can having someone, anyone on the team that is somewhat intimidating be a bad thing? I just don't get it.

 

[hooverdam]

I don't think of this roster as 'soft.' Maybe I define it differently, but in my mind a soft team/player purposefully shies away from or wilts under the pressure of physical play. We may not have many players who are going to throw massive hits or drop the gloves, but we have a decent amount of players who have no qualms about going to the dirty areas and are willing to take a hit.

For example, none of Perron, Crosby or Hornqvist are particularly big or phsyical, but I wouldn't consider the way any of the three play to be 'soft.'

We have a few players who can be physical when they want to be, too. Malkin is the biggest example, he usually spends his time brushing off hits but when he wants to he can crush people (remember what he did to Girardi?) He just chooses to expend his energy on scoring, and I can't really blame him for that.

I much prefer that attitude than the attitude of a guy like Orpik, who will go out of his way to hit people because that's his thing, but that sacrifices other stuff like positional defense and that important thing called playing hockey well. Those players just aren't as useful anymore, unless you decide Shane Doan abandoning the play to put Letang on IR is useful.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Off the top of my head, Sutter is the only forward on the team who really shies away from physical play. Kessel I guess. The rest generally don't actively seek it, but they aren't afraid of that style of game.