The struggles of Crosby, Kunitz, Hornqvist, and Perron

[Shrimper]

At what point does someone on the team have a word with Crosby about his production.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

At what point does someone on the team have a word with Crosby about his production.

Never, of course. Can't imagine anyone on the team or in the organization has even noticed. They're all glued to social media feeds.

 

[#66]

I dint think Sid has to be told. Again.... The only thing I question Sid about is if he challanges an organization that has once again fallen onto bad habits.

When the Pens are rocking and rolling, 91 and 92 or 08 and 09... They were a bunch of bastards and everyone and their mother hated them. They need that chip on their shoulder again.

 

[Shrimper]

“For me, the power play, you’re talking about your top scorers. If your top scorers are on a roll and your power play is not working, obviously you have some concerns,” Johnston said. “But I think right now, once those guys start to get going, feeling comfortable with each other, we’re going to be fine.”

From the Trib.

So, the guys, of which three have played together for what must be 10 years. One who has been here for one full season already and a talented new guy need to feel "comfortable". Four of those guys should have chemistry already.

 

[Phil68]

When Crosby or Malkin has gone cold, the thing that worked for either to find their touch back was playing them on the same line during the game.

 

[Jacob]

From the Trib.

So, the guys, of which three have played together for what must be 10 years. One who has been here for one full season already and a talented new guy need to feel "comfortable". Four of those guys should have chemistry already.

I keep hearing that mantra on the radio too. "They haven't practiced much together! They need to build chemistry!" Bullshit. First, it doesn't really matter who's on the PP because everyone has specific roles. Half-boards, front-net, point, etc. You should be able to interchange parts and still keep things rolling. Second, like you said, they've played plenty together. And third, it goes both ways too. The opposition needs time to figure out how the powerplay clicks, so throwing together a group that hasn't worked much together should be advantageous to the Penguins.

The powerplay has been garbage since last November.

 

[mpp9]

They lack a PP QB. That's the main issue. Until we get one, Id tell Phil to run things. He has the speed and skill to carry the puck in. Has the shot threat to fire coming off the left boards or set 87 and 71 up.

 

[vodeni]

They lack a PP QB. That's the main issue. Until we get one, Id tell Phil to run things. He has the speed and skill to carry the puck in. Has the shot threat to fire coming off the left boards or set 87 and 71 up.

I am tired of posting this over and over again....this PP will suck fo as long as Letang is appointed to run it. Until they figure out how to run it without him it won't get any better

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

They lack a PP QB. That's the main issue. Until we get one, Id tell Phil to run things. He has the speed and skill to carry the puck in. Has the shot threat to fire coming off the left boards or set 87 and 71 up.

Maatta's not as dynamic as Letang or as gifted a playmaker as Pouliot, but he's smart and has a shot. I'd put him on the 1st unit over Letang right now.

 

[deakka]

I am tired of posting this over and over again....this PP will suck fo as long as Letang is appointed to run it. Until they figure out how to run it without him it won't get any better

Ive been saying this for some time now. And thats why i was quite vocal about the extension at the time. Letang is ELITE at even strength, but he has never been, and will never be, a PPQB.

And i dont know if the pens are forcing it because hes paid as a No.1 and should play in all situations, or why they keep him there tbh.

 

[Jacob]

if he keeps playing like last night, the points will come. It wasn't peak Crosby certainly, but he was a hell of a lot better than he'd been the first 4 games.

Agreed. Even with Kunitz. Sid could've had a few points last night but Kessel was gripping his stick a little tight in my opinion, and Sid's stick failed him.

No question his first 4 games were on him though.

 

[Pancakes]

Agreed. Even with Kunitz. Sid could've had a few points last night but Kessel was gripping his stick a little tight in my opinion, and Sid's stick failed him.

No question his first 4 games were on him though.

The reason he started getting chances last game is he started forechecking extremely hard and throwing his body around. It's really quite sad that he has to resort to that because Kunitz can't dig pucks out for him and it's not really Kessel's game either.

It's inevitable that he'll get hurt if that's how he has to play too.

 

[Til the End of Time]

strange/sad/whatever how kunitz was initially that great third wheel player on a line that did all the little things to make the team successful (ie his taking out his d-man and making that smart pass to send talbot on that rush for the 2nd goal in game 7 against detroit) and now he's the opposite.. his play has done a complete 180.

also i do think the power plays failure has a lot to do with sids weak point totals for the past few years. back in his second season when sid racked up 120 pts, a huge portion of his points were on the pp.... does anyone remember where he spent most of his time on the pp back then? i remember a lot of his goals were from the goal line, but who was the main guy manning the half wall boards? i know crosby drifted from the side of the net to the half wall boards alot, but not sure where he spent most of his time..... actually i am pretty sure he was set up near the side of the net the majority of the time. he needs to get back to that.

 

[Til the End of Time]

man i just rewatched the highlights from that game 7... what a team and run that was. amazing stuff. sad how much promise that team had and how little has come of that promise. still, it was pretty amazing that the pens were able to win that cup. imagine how much pressure would be on sid, malkin and co. if the had no cups right now. as much as this team is a disaster currently and how the cup window is very obviously closing/closed... no one can take away that awesome 09 run from sid and malkin. great stuff.


i also just realized maxime talbot plays for boston now... i had no idea that was the case.

 

[KareemTrustfund]

It drives me absolutely insane that Perron uses such a tiny stick. It puts at him such a huge disadvantage. He's almost always reaching to get passes and it's easy as hell to get by him with such a small reach.

 

[Richard]

It drives me absolutely insane that Perron uses such a tiny stick. It puts at him such a huge disadvantage. He's almost always reaching to get passes and it's easy as hell to get by him with such a small reach.

My college coach used to yell at me for this as well; my stick didn't barely hit my nipple lol. Trust me, it makes stick handling and passing a treat. I carried the puck at my feet-as Perron does.

Perron isn't going to work with Sid or Geno, especially Geno, because he carries and holds the puck way too damn much. He is mucho soft as well. What a bad acquisition.

 

[ColePens]

I sort of hate the idea that Sid doesn't have to be told or coached. Yes he does.... he's a player and he needs to be coached. Just like Geno. Just like Kane, Toews, Subban, Datsyuk, Kunitz (lol), etc. These are players and if they are making mistakes - they need coached.

One of the big problems w/ the Pens organization is they are too scared to coach and hold anyone accountable. Everyone must be happy and friendly.

I don't think Sid needed to be benched this year or anything, but most definitely last year he should have lost his place on the powerplay when he had that spurt of turning the puck over. MT benched Subban and Subban responded with playing his best hockey.

 

[IcedCapp]

I sort of hate the idea that Sid doesn't have to be told or coached. Yes he does.... he's a player and he needs to be coached. Just like Geno. Just like Kane, Toews, Subban, Datsyuk, Kunitz (lol), etc. These are players and if they are making mistakes - they need coached.

One of the big problems w/ the Pens organization is they are too scared to coach and hold anyone accountable. Everyone must be happy and friendly.

I don't think Sid needed to be benched this year or anything, but most definitely last year he should have lost his place on the powerplay when he had that spurt of turning the puck over. MT benched Subban and Subban responded with playing his best hockey.

in a weird way, I think great players sometimes need MORE coaching, to keep them playing within the team. I don't know that we've had that with Sid or Geno, but there are certainly a number of stars in a number of sports who... go off the menu... because of their own greatness.

 

[Ogrezilla]

My college coach used to yell at me for this as well; my stick didn't barely hit my nipple lol. Trust me, it makes stick handling and passing a treat. I carried the puck at my feet-as Perron does.

Perron isn't going to work with Sid or Geno, especially Geno, because he carries and holds the puck way too damn much. He is mucho soft as well. What a bad acquisition.

The bold is just plain not true. Its not an opinion I disagree with, its a blatantly false statement. If you think this, you are wrong. He's one of the more physical players on the team both in terms of hitting and willingness to go to dirty areas.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Perron is 2nd on the Pens in hits. I have no idea why people try and argue he's soft, it's just blatantly untrue. There are certainly things you can point out as flaws with his game, him being soft isn't one of those.

 

[MrWilson*]

I sort of hate the idea that Sid doesn't have to be told or coached. Yes he does.... he's a player and he needs to be coached. Just like Geno. Just like Kane, Toews, Subban, Datsyuk, Kunitz (lol), etc. These are players and if they are making mistakes - they need coached.

One of the big problems w/ the Pens organization is they are too scared to coach and hold anyone accountable. Everyone must be happy and friendly.

I don't think Sid needed to be benched this year or anything, but most definitely last year he should have lost his place on the powerplay when he had that spurt of turning the puck over. MT benched Subban and Subban responded with playing his best hockey.

So what would you tell him?

 

[ColePens]

So what would you tell him?

Just take a look at the Subban situation and you can see a good example.

IC made a good point. Good players, especially creative ones such as Sid, see the game so differently than everyone else. Maybe it's good to keep things simple when you are forcing pucks east/west so much. IC made a good point, maybe bring them back down to playing within the team. Or.... set Kunitz up w/ a suicide pass. I don't know.

Do you give the best player in the world more cushion than others? Absssssssssssolutely. But has 87 or 71 or even 58 for that matter had any coaching over the DB/MJ tenure? I doubt it. Sid at one point screamed at DB and DB crawled into a hole.



MT Benches Subban - Now granted you can say MT has been known to take it a bit too far and lost the Pens before, but he gained accountability in that Habs team.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

From the Trib.

So, the guys, of which three have played together for what must be 10 years. One who has been here for one full season already and a talented new guy need to feel "comfortable". Four of those guys should have chemistry already.

I've never seen a powerplay that comes through the neutral zone/over the opposition blueline with such little speed, and with a lot of the guys simply standing still.

When I watch other teams on the PP and see what ease they have at entering the offensive zone and setting up, and then I watch the Pens look as though the opposition PK has 10 guys lined up at the blueline and unable to penetrate, I just shake my head.

A team with this much individual talent shouldn't struggle this much 5 on 4.

 

[MrWilson*]

I've never seen a powerplay that comes through the neutral zone/over the opposition blueline with such little speed, and with a lot of the guys simply standing still.

When I watch other teams on the PP and see what ease they have at entering the offensive zone and setting up, and then I watch the Pens look as though the opposition PK has 10 guys lined up at the blueline and unable to penetrate, I just shake my head.

A team with this much individual talent shouldn't struggle this much 5 on 4.

Agreed. Its not pretty or even acceptable most nights.

 

[Shady Machine]

From JB on Crosby's last 5 game pointless streak:

http://blog.triblive.com/chipped-ice/2015/10/19/crosby-and-slumps/#axzz3p2qegIC1

I'm really confused because it starts with a quote from Recchi from 2009. Recchi didn't play for the Penguins in 2009.