The struggles of Crosby, Kunitz, Hornqvist, and Perron

[WayneSid9987]

Very odd to not see Sid's patented "buzzing" in 5 straight games.

I believe he's playing with an injury.
Just pure speculation on my part but that jump just isn't there.
You might see little spurts where he's turning along the boards from right to left but theres not that explosiveness you always see coming out of those turns.

He's also not hitting the NZ with the same speed he always has.

He's not old enough for age to be slowing him down.
So i'm going with an injury.

 

[66-30-33]

Add in Kessel and you got 3 points.

 

[The Greatest 101]

They all are killed by Hockey politics.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Nobody thinks pcs is a joke but it is the last thing you should worry about with Crosby. He would not be allowed to play and would never get medically cleared if he was suffering from pcs. It's just not acceptable to allow a player on the ice with that condition anymore.

Marc Savard and Chris Pronger would both be playing through their injuries had they been suffered a mere 10 years ago. They will never play again in today's league, and rightfully so. As you say, it is no joke.

Savard did play while still having symptoms though, which is why his career is now over.

 

[Ragamuffin Gunner]

thanks cass. had no idea. def deserves it's own thread

 

[ImporterExporter]

Winning is what matters. The Power Play has been by far the biggest joke......

 

[66-30-33]

Winning is what matters. The Power Play has been by far the biggest joke......

Who thought a PP of Malkin, Crosby, Letang, Kessel, Hornqvist would be utter failure? Maybe Gonchar can be the new PP coach.

 

[plaidchuck]

Crosby just can't play with stars.

/s

 

[66-30-33]

Crosby just can't play with stars.

/s

Hossa, Hall come to mind. He also played well with Eberle, although he isn't a star.

 

[Pancakes]

I can't for the life of me figure it out. Even with a terrible coach and bad line combinations these guys shouldn't be *this* bad at producing.

Bylsma made the same head scratching line combos but the Pens still managed to score in spite of him, and this forward group is better than any of those.

 

[Sam Spade]

Am I the only one that isn't that worried? I would bet money Crosby still ends up top five in league scoring when all is said and done.

 

[KIRK]

Statistically - this is almost impossible. Yet it happened.

Obviously something is wrong here - is it a coaching problem? Or are the players just not performing at the level that they should be?

Interested to hear your thoughts - this is just bizarre.

I personally blame Clendening. And Sprong.

 

[KIRK]

Am I the only one that isn't that worried? I would bet money Crosby still ends up top five in league scoring when all is said and done.

I'm more worried now than I've ever been, because Johnston lack of proactivity when it comes to getting Sid going reminds me of what I saw from Therrien in the 45 days or so leading into his termination.

 

[canadianguy77]

Well the first line is essentially short-handed every second they're on the ice, and I don't expect that to change unless 14's role is greatly reduced. As for Perron and Horny, they've had some real good looks and I think they'll start putting up some numbers relatively soon.

 

[FreeBobbyFarnham]

Any recent interview with Sid? I'd like to hear what he has to say.

 

[eXile59]

MJs system is too simplistic and conservative. Since he's come aboard every player has struggled with production. Would be a hell of a coincidence to not be him.

 

[KIRK]

MJs system is too simplistic and conservative. Since he's come aboard every player has struggled with production. Would be a hell of a coincidence to not be him.

It's surely not Kunitz or Scuderi.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

I'm blaming this on the coaching with the team.

Something is up when this team can't score more than 2 goals a game and has been averaging something like 1.5 goals a game the last 25-30 games going back into last season.

Normally I'd put this shit right on the players for not producing but it's more than Crosby and it's been going on team wide for so long. I think Johnston's system is predictable and it doesn't allow the Pens to get odd man breaks because the C's are always so deep in the defensive zone.

 

[Boocock]

Hossa, Hall come to mind. He also played well with Eberle, although he isn't a star.

/s = sarcasm

 

[Speaking Moistly]

One of these things is not like the others.


It's Kunitz because this was to be expected with him.

Who thought a PP of Malkin, Crosby, Letang, Kessel, Hornqvist would be utter failure? Maybe Gonchar can be the new PP coach.

I suspected it, but then again, I think that the org has a flawed philosophy with the PP and they suck at fixing things. I was moderately hopeful that the split units might help with the problem, but that did't happen. Also, Tocchet.

You could put Karlsson back there and it would still be feeble.

 

[Captain Hook]

Maybe Sid and Kessel will get going if they put an actual live body on line one instead of the lifeless corpse of Chris Kunitz. Unfortunately the Pens organization just can't admit Kunitz and Scuds are both done. I guess they don't want to believe that since they still have to pay them each over 3 million per this year and next.

 

[KIRK]

I'm blaming this on the coaching with the team.

Something is up when this team can't score more than 2 goals a game and has been averaging something like 1.5 goals a game the last 25-30 games going back into last season.

Normally I'd put this shit right on the players for not producing but it's more than Crosby and it's been going on team wide for so long. I think Johnston's system is predictable and it doesn't allow the Pens to get odd man breaks because the C's are always so deep in the defensive zone.

As concerning as that is, what's more concerning is Mike Johnston's approach to bench management where Sid is concerned. He's coaching Sid as if nothing is wrong for Sid right now. There's nothing proactive, nothing imaginative in terms of how and with whom Sid is used. When a player like Sid goes 5 scoreless, the last thing a coach should do is **** around. It's too important to the team to have Sid on his game.

 

[KIRK]

Maybe Sid and Kessel will get going if they put an actual live body on line one instead of the lifeless corpse of Chris Kunitz. Unfortunately the Pens organization just can't admit Kunitz and Scuds are both done. I guess they don't want to believe that since they still have to pay them each over 3 million per this year and next.

Respectfully, a corpse also would be an L1 upgrade on Kunitz.

 

[vodeni]

One of these things is not like the others.


It's Kunitz because this was to be expected with him.




I suspected it, but then again, I think that the org has a flawed philosophy with the PP and they suck at fixing things. I was moderately hopeful that the split units might help with the problem, but that did't happen. Also, Tocchet.

You could put Karlsson back there and it would still be feeble.

it would not. aaaaaaaaaaaaa

BTW, Gonch is there let him coach a frigging PP, how about that as an idea????

 

[vodeni]

As concerning as that is, what's more concerning is Mike Johnston's approach to bench management where Sid is concerned. He's coaching Sid as if nothing is wrong for Sid right now. There's nothing proactive, nothing imaginative in terms of how and with whom Sid is used. When a player like Sid goes 5 scoreless, the last thing a coach should do is **** around. It's too important to the team to have Sid on his game.

but...but he had a very good "200 feet game tonight". This guy still thinks he teaches some junior team, and his main goal is to develop all this young talent: Kunitz, scuderi,e tc...

if there was ever wrong person at a wrong position this is it. are you all in penguins organization this blind?????