This Pittsburgh Penguins Act is Getting Old

[nturn06]

Dubas brought in Karlsson and returned the core with reasonable cap hits, I can’t say he doesn’t know what he’s doing.

I don’t think he has the latitude to do what most Pens fans want him to do.

Karlsson is exactly how this team should had spent 10 mils, eh?

 

[BallardEra]

I don’t think he has the latitude to do what most Pens fans want him to do.

Bingo, and I'm not even a Dubas fan.

He took that job knowing what the plan was from FSG.

 

[Rob Brown]

They were on fumes before the Karlsson trade as is.

Gonna ride it until the car officially breaks down for good.

Pretty much this.

I guess it's a tough situation because you can't really give up on Crosby, Malkin, and Letang. You can't trade them, in my opinion (or at least Crosby). But you also can't try to rebuild and force them to go through that while they are still great players.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Kind of hard to rebuild when you've traded away 8 of your most recent 12 first round draft picks.

 

[Rob Brown]

Kind of hard to rebuild when you've traded away 8 of your most recent 12 first round draft picks.

In theory, sure, but they have assets they could move to recoup picks/prospects. The problem is there is no way they are trading the guys they could trade (barring Guentzel I suppose), so they are handcuffed.

 

[Johnny Rifle]

Karlsson is exactly how this team should had spent 10 mils, eh?

He’s the Norris trophy winner on a team with lackluster defensemen and a bad power play.

 

[Buck Naked]

Yeah I guess the main difference is Makar is pretty good in his own end whereas Karlsson is possibly the worst defenseman in the NHL when it comes to preventing goals against - to the point where last season Karlsson was on the ice for more goals against than any player of the past 20 years, by a wide margin.

I suppose the fact that the Pens added the "best" defenseman in the NHL and somehow didn't improve at all is a mystery to you?

Well, according to the numbers this season.. Not as bad as Makar. But don't let your prejudice cloud your judgement. Oh, wait. It must be the numbers lying.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Well, according to the numbers this season.. Not as bad as Makar. But don't let your prejudice cloud your judgement. Oh, wait. It must be the numbers lying.

That's just you misunderstanding the numbers.

 

[Buck Naked]

That's just you misunderstanding the numbers.

No. It's the exact same argument as you just tried to use against Karlsson. That he was bad at preventing goals against because his GA was high. When Makar's now is higher than his, all of a sudden I'm misunderstanding the numbers?

 

[Midnight Judges]

No. It's the exact same argument as you just tried to use against Karlsson. That he was bad at preventing goals against because his GA was high. When Makar's now is higher than his, all of a sudden I'm misunderstanding the numbers?

Wrong.

Karlsson's goals against wasn't just high. It was, by far, the worst of the past two decades, aside from other seasons from Karlsson.

The difference you are having a hard time comprehending is within a few percentages. All sorts of factors can swallow those margins up. In other words, your precision is far exceeding your accuracy.

 

[Lacaar]

How about Nick Suzuki over Cody Glass?

I don't think they actually played for Vegas? if so not long.

Perhaps the comment could be more precise is don't take any veteran off Vegas.

 

[Buck Naked]

Wrong.

Karlsson's goals against wasn't just high. It was, by far, the worst of the past two decades, aside from other seasons from Karlsson.

The difference you are having a hard time comprehending is within a few percentages. All sorts of factors can swallow those margins up. In other words, your precision is far exceeding your accuracy.

Huh? That makes zero sense. But it's good to know now that numbers only work when they're in your favor. Otherwise it's all about comprehending them wrong.

Also. The difference you are having a hard time comprehending between this and last year is QoT.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Huh? That makes zero sense.

Then read it is a few more times until it does.

And if it still doesn't, here is a fun video:

 

[Buck Naked]

Then read it is a few more times until it does.

And if it still doesn't, here is a fun video:

Okay Chad. Let me know if you ever untangle yourself from the web your own arguments.

 

[BHD]

It’s the Kyle Dubas Experience, except the core is older. Somebody compared them to the Caps, and that’s accurate. They’re not a lottery team by any means, but they aren’t a playoff team either.

 

[Offtheboard412]

The Pens core are also getting paid a bit less than before, so I don’t mind Malkin and Letang at their current salary. Crosby is also cost-effective with his contract.

There are stretches where Geno looks really good and Crosby has made many passes to open wingers who don’t want to shoot the puck.

Talent is not the issue, it just seems like our castoffs have more success elsewhere and players we get struggle. Throw in an anemic power play and you have a recipe for frustration.

Idk I think talent along with coaching are the biggest factors. It's not just the big guns aging (although that is a contributing factor) but management has failed to utilize the extra cap space to surround them with enough talent to offset their decline. And then what little talent they do have is continually misused by Sullivan. A guy like Puustinen who was actually able to produce continually saw his minutes cut down to almost nothing while Jeff Carter gets consistent playing time. Then you have moves like getting rid of McCann which I consider to be one of the worst moves this team has made. He had his struggles in the playoffs, but this team badly needs a player like that who is actually willing to shoot the puck and not constantly look for tips and deflections. Not to mention for the short time that Sullivan ran it, I thought McCann-Crosby-Guentzel was the best first line they ran in the Crosby/Malkin era besides maybe when Hossa played with Crosby.

Those are just two examples of the head scratching decisions the management and coaching have made. Like you said it seems like every player they let go manages to find success elsewhere. For the longest time it seemed like the organization did a great job of identifying struggling players who they were able to put in positions to succeed and turn their careers around. Now it seems to be the opposite.

 

[randywoodsghost]

I don't know what some of you want?

I look at their bottom #9 and I wonder how their record is good as it is.

You have a geriatric Jeff Carter playing over 40 games, Noel Accairi isn't too far behind. Didn't realize Matt Nieto was still in the league.

You have Radim Zohorna and Jansen Harkins whom I am sure are a couple of made up players playing a 65 games between them.

Heck, they willingly signed Poolparty, that is how poor their depth is.

The reason they haven't fired Sullivan yet is that Dubas doesn't want the blame squarely on him because he knows Scotty Bowman in his prime couldn't make this turd roster a playoff contender.

I think talent definitely is the issue. Not just the big guns aging but management has failed to utilize the extra cap space to surround them with enough talent to offset their decline. Moving a guy like McCann was one of the most idiotic moves the team made. He had his struggles in the playoffs, but this team badly needs a player like that who is actually willing to shoot the puck and not constantly look for tips and deflections. Not to mention for the short time that Sullivan ran it, McCann-Crosby-Guentzel was the best line Crosby ever had.

Of course it is talent.

Take Crosby out of the line-up and the roster is on par with Chicago.

 

[wetcoast]

Waiit until they trade Guentzel

I get that Crosby is loyal but he should just go play with his bud in COlorado

This would be very interesting but I really doubt that it happens.

That being said the Pens as a team look done.

 

[BB88]

The Pens core are also getting paid a bit less than before, so I don’t mind Malkin and Letang at their current salary. Crosby is also cost-effective with his contract.

There are stretches where Geno looks really good and Crosby has made many passes to open wingers who don’t want to shoot the puck.

Talent is not the issue, it just seems like our castoffs have more success elsewhere and players we get struggle. Throw in an anemic power play and you have a recipe for frustration.

I’d say the talent is an issue

The core players are great players but not top tier superstars

Nobody is just afraid of them

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Dubas brought in Karlsson and returned the core with reasonable cap hits, I can’t say he doesn’t know what he’s doing.

I don’t think he has the latitude to do what most Pens fans want him to do.

Hextall signed the core to reasonable caphits. If it was Doobler he would’ve caved and overpaid both Letang and Malkin.

 

[heysmilinstrange]

The main problem with the Penguins is that Mike Sullivan has as much job security as the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus.

 

[TheBeard]

I can't wait til Pitts finishes 9th worst, making their pick lottery protected and thus giving the sharks their first next year, which may end up being top 3.

 

[Offtheboard412]

I’d say the talent is an issue

The core players are great players but not top tier superstars

Nobody is just afraid of them

Yes my fellow Pens fans seem to be really in denial about this. This team worked for years because it had two players who were top 5 in the league, and at one point were the two best players in the league. As they've slowly dropped off, the team has declined with them. They've aged gracefully, but Crosby/Malkin are no longer the game breaking get out of jail free card they once were, which is to be expected at their age. Malkin has really hit the wall this year, but the subtle signs are also there for Sid as well. The numbers still look really good but he's much more of an opportunist now, not the guy who could control the entire game and break down a defense single handedly.

 

[Shrimper]

Kind of hard to rebuild when you've traded away 8 of your most recent 12 first round draft picks.

It's almost as if when you're competing and contending you trade to bring in the "final" piece.

 

[thefutures]

I mean can crosby really leave after basically begging the franchise to keep everyone he wanted?