Random Penguins Fodder

[dark_forces]

Mario
Jagr
Crosby
Malkin
Francis

I'm mildly surprised you put Jagr over Crosby.

[Dynasty1970]

Mario
Jagr
Crosby
Malkin
Francis

I'm mildly surprised you put Jagr over Crosby.

Jagr, holds a special place.....I hated to see him traded for nothing but he was a dynamic player. I don't think I can blame anyone for ranking Crosby higher. I still think that if Crosby didn't get those concussions that he would have been even more impressive than he has been by a couple of gears. But just look at that list.....Its pretty special to have any three of those in one franchise, let alone five. Francis I feel gets shortchanged because he wasn't here that long but you take away any ONE of those players and we don't win a couple of cups because of them missing. Face it, we have been spoiled. That is why it is so hard to watch this team flounder these last few years.

[FLPensFan]

Calgary signed Mark Pysyk. Placed on waivers foe purpose of being sent to AHL.

[Antonio]

Mario
Jagr
Crosby
Malkin
Francis

I'm mildly surprised you put Jagr over Crosby.

Jagr, holds a special place.....I hated to see him traded for nothing but he was a dynamic player. I don't think I can blame anyone for ranking Crosby higher. I still think that if Crosby didn't get those concussions that he would have been even more impressive than he has been by a couple of gears. But just look at that list.....Its pretty special to have any three of those in one franchise, let alone five. Francis I feel gets shortchanged because he wasn't here that long but you take away any ONE of those players and we don't win a couple of cups because of them missing. Face it, we have been spoiled. That is why it is so hard to watch this team flounder these last few years.

I mean if no lockout, and khl stint, Jagr had a chance at some of the top records so yeah, he deserves to be number 2. I revere Crosby and he is a true generational, not elite, talent but Jagr deserves to be above him in the all time NHL pantheon. Maybe not in the penguins specific list but in the NHL one... if only by a hair.

[FLPensFan]

On the continued topic of the powerless-play...

The numbers going around today are 7 and 4. The Penguins have only scored SEVEN PP goals all season...and they've given up FOUR SHG. Only 63% of the goals scored while the Penguins are on the PP...are actually by the Penguins.

The PP is now ranked 30th, clicking at only 10.9 percent. Only Washington at 5 PPG have less on the PP.

Then, good ole Dan Kingerski has an article today talking about how Karlsson has yet to find his groove, and that Letang is now running point on PP1. Soooooo....my question is, is this Jarome Iginla all over again? Karlsson has the 3rd most PPG by a defenseman over the last 10 years, but KARLSSON is the problem on the PP? Not the PP that has 7 goals in total while 7 teams, including ARIZONA!!!, have 20 or more PPG. You know what Arizona has...2 big wide-*** bodies they can stick in front of the net in Crouse and Karlsson.

But yep, Karlsson is the problem.

[Coffey Break]

On the continued topic of the powerless-play...

The numbers going around today are 7 and 4. The Penguins have only scored SEVEN PP goals all season...and they've given up FOUR SHG. Only 63% of the goals scored while the Penguins are on the PP...are actually by the Penguins.

The PP is now ranked 30th, clicking at only 10.9 percent. Only Washington at 5 PPG have less on the PP.

Then, good ole Dan Kingerski has an article today talking about how Karlsson has yet to find his groove, and that Letang is now running point on PP1. Soooooo....my question is, is this Jarome Iginla all over again? Karlsson has the 3rd most PPG by a defenseman over the last 10 years, but KARLSSON is the problem on the PP? Not the PP that has 7 goals in total while 7 teams, including ARIZONA!!!, have 20 or more PPG. You know what Arizona has...2 big *** bodies they can stick in front of the net in Crouse and Karlsson.

But yep, Karlsson is the problem.

Well, everything else about Sullivan's tenure with the Penguins has followed the Bible of Dan Bylsma. So EK65 being replaced by Letang is very on-brand.

[Pitts]

On the continued topic of the powerless-play...

The numbers going around today are 7 and 4. The Penguins have only scored SEVEN PP goals all season...and they've given up FOUR SHG. Only 63% of the goals scored while the Penguins are on the PP...are actually by the Penguins.

The PP is now ranked 30th, clicking at only 10.9 percent. Only Washington at 5 PPG have less on the PP.

Then, good ole Dan Kingerski has an article today talking about how Karlsson has yet to find his groove, and that Letang is now running point on PP1. Soooooo....my question is, is this Jarome Iginla all over again? Karlsson has the 3rd most PPG by a defenseman over the last 10 years, but KARLSSON is the problem on the PP? Not the PP that has 7 goals in total while 7 teams, including ARIZONA!!!, have 20 or more PPG. You know what Arizona has...2 big *** bodies they can stick in front of the net in Crouse and Karlsson.

But yep, Karlsson is the problem.

Well, everything else about Sullivan's tenure with the Penguins has followed the Bible of Dan Bylsma. So EK65 being replaced by Letang is very on-brand.

I thought they were using BOTH on PP1?

[Coffey Break]

On the continued topic of the powerless-play...

The numbers going around today are 7 and 4. The Penguins have only scored SEVEN PP goals all season...and they've given up FOUR SHG. Only 63% of the goals scored while the Penguins are on the PP...are actually by the Penguins.

The PP is now ranked 30th, clicking at only 10.9 percent. Only Washington at 5 PPG have less on the PP.

Then, good ole Dan Kingerski has an article today talking about how Karlsson has yet to find his groove, and that Letang is now running point on PP1. Soooooo....my question is, is this Jarome Iginla all over again? Karlsson has the 3rd most PPG by a defenseman over the last 10 years, but KARLSSON is the problem on the PP? Not the PP that has 7 goals in total while 7 teams, including ARIZONA!!!, have 20 or more PPG. You know what Arizona has...2 big *** bodies they can stick in front of the net in Crouse and Karlsson.

But yep, Karlsson is the problem.

Well, everything else about Sullivan's tenure with the Penguins has followed the Bible of Dan Bylsma. So EK65 being replaced by Letang is very on-brand.

I thought they were using BOTH on PP1?

I meant replace as in taking Karlsson's spot as the PP QB on PP#1.

[KG]

https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/ ... 3/1/123636

On Mike Sullivan....

The Penguins took a big swing this summer when the brought in Erik Karlsson, and so far the team has gone backwards....especially on the baffling worst league power play....with 3, sometimes 4 future Hall-of-Famers as a part of it.. Mike Sullivan has in general been considered among the most secure jobs in the country...Are things starting to turn?


Just for discussion purposes obviously

[ahawk9]

Someone mentioned this in another thread, but one of the frustrating things about this team is that it shouldn't yet be this bad. They have talent, and they look really solid at times. This should have been a playoff team last year, should have won at least a round sometime in the last 5 years, and should be better in the standings this year. Well, they're not, and things are so much the same as they've been that in NHL land the easiest thing to do is to change your coach.

The "who will replace him?" question isn't the biggest deal, IMO. For some reason, especially in the NHL, a change at coach often locks a team into a good groove. I don't know if it's fresh eyes slotting players where they belong, or if the players just find a new system different enough to improve.

I'm one who felt they should have begun the rebuild about 3 years ago, but they didn't, so something has to change. Again, the easiest at this point is the coach. It's worth a try before they lose another season. I don't see them as Cup contenders at their best, but they should be good for a round or two. Right now, they're not even that.

[FLPensFan]

On the continued topic of the powerless-play...

The numbers going around today are 7 and 4. The Penguins have only scored SEVEN PP goals all season...and they've given up FOUR SHG. Only 63% of the goals scored while the Penguins are on the PP...are actually by the Penguins.

The PP is now ranked 30th, clicking at only 10.9 percent. Only Washington at 5 PPG have less on the PP.

Then, good ole Dan Kingerski has an article today talking about how Karlsson has yet to find his groove, and that Letang is now running point on PP1. Soooooo....my question is, is this Jarome Iginla all over again? Karlsson has the 3rd most PPG by a defenseman over the last 10 years, but KARLSSON is the problem on the PP? Not the PP that has 7 goals in total while 7 teams, including ARIZONA!!!, have 20 or more PPG. You know what Arizona has...2 big *** bodies they can stick in front of the net in Crouse and Karlsson.

But yep, Karlsson is the problem.

Well, everything else about Sullivan's tenure with the Penguins has followed the Bible of Dan Bylsma. So EK65 being replaced by Letang is very on-brand.

I thought they were using BOTH on PP1?

From what I am seeing, they are using both...but it's Letang at the point and Karlsson on the left half wall.

From Taylor Haase yesterday: Letang was quarterbacking the first power play unit, with Erik Karlsson moving to the left half wall of the same unit.

[Pitts]

Thanks for clarifying both of you.

[DelPen]

The problem now and has been for a few years is when the players are good they are really good. But when they are bad they are excruciatingly bad. There’s no middle ground or consistency.

That’s a coaching problem.

[KG]

The problem now and has been for a few years is when the players are good they are really good. But when they are bad they are excruciatingly bad. There’s no middle ground or consistency.

That’s a coaching problem.

Both the core and Sully are clearly complacent. Sullivan has a long term contract and the players have NMC's and know that Sully won't do anything negative to the core.

They need a new voice and strategy, but not sure if the ownership will make the move. Would think they would if they want to win!

[Unbeliever]

Woodcroft is still available.

[Dynasty1970]

What does anyone like about Sully over the last few years? Is there anything to like? Is it his repetitive locker room speeches? What is there to like about the guy outside of the fact that he was a coach for our last two cups. And now I am not convinced he had anything to do with those cups. I think we won those cups despite his lousy coaching.

[maopens]

On the pre-game show, Brian Trottier just said the power play is going "through a little dip".

Thank God. I thought it was bad, really bad. But it's only a "little dip" ...

[KBone]

I know FSG can just write off Sullivan's salary without a second thought, but they wouldn't even have to.

Some other team would hire him and he'd be off the books for the Pens.

So, just keep in mind... keeping Sullivan has nothing to do with money.

[FLPensFan]

I know FSG can just write off Sullivan's salary without a second thought, but they wouldn't even have to.

Some other team would hire him and he'd be off the books for the Pens.

So, just keep in mind... keeping Sullivan has nothing to do with money.

I'm not saying to trade the core...but I honestly feel like Sullivan would be a much better coach here without the core. When he won his 2 Cups, he had young guys like Guentzel, Rust, Sheary, Wilson, Kuhnhackl just breaking into their own, plus a younger core in their prime.

You look back a year or two ago when injuries were forcing Blueger to be a 2nd line center...and the team was actually playing well.

It seems like Sullivan has a better impact with youthful players that have some skill and can implement his system, and, I think Dubas and FSG would have seller's remorse if they fired Sullivan, and he went to somewhere like an Ottawa or Arizona or Detroit and made a huge impact on a younger team.

I truly believe that is part of the issue.

[dark_forces]

I know FSG can just write off Sullivan's salary without a second thought, but they wouldn't even have to.

Some other team would hire him and he'd be off the books for the Pens.

So, just keep in mind... keeping Sullivan has nothing to do with money.

I'm not saying to trade the core...but I honestly feel like Sullivan would be a much better coach here without the core. When he won his 2 Cups, he had young guys like Guentzel, Rust, Sheary, Wilson, Kuhnhackl just breaking into their own, plus a younger core in their prime.

You look back a year or two ago when injuries were forcing Blueger to be a 2nd line center...and the team was actually playing well.

It seems like Sullivan has a better impact with youthful players that have some skill and can implement his system, and, I think Dubas and FSG would have seller's remorse if they fired Sullivan, and he went to somewhere like an Ottawa or Arizona or Detroit and made a huge impact on a younger team.

I truly believe that is part of the issue.

I'll add to what FLPensFan wrote.
One of the biggest mistakes committed by both Hextall and Dubas has been bringing in older players. If anything, we need younger, hungrier legs to surround the core, or at least populate the bottom 2 lines and 3rd defense pairing.
Last year, Hextall brings in an aging 30+ Petry, Rutta, Granlund, + keeps Carter around, etc.
This year, Dubas brings in 30+ Eller, Nieto, Acciari, Karlsson, etc.
This doesn't work. They both made an aging team even older. Many years back, during the Shero/Bylsma era, injuries hit pretty significantly and they had to rely on Wilkes-Barre players joining the big club—and they won. They played safe, structured, winning hockey. The young players brought energy, enthusiasm and it felt like everyone was rooting each other on. We need to see more of that. If they continue to struggle, I'd be looking to unload some players for younger legs/draft picks. The main culprits: Eller, Nieto, Rakell, Acciari. Most of these roles could be filled cheaply by White, Poulin, Puustinen, or younger legs acquired from other teams.

[largegarlic]

I know FSG can just write off Sullivan's salary without a second thought, but they wouldn't even have to.

Some other team would hire him and he'd be off the books for the Pens.

So, just keep in mind... keeping Sullivan has nothing to do with money.

I'm not saying to trade the core...but I honestly feel like Sullivan would be a much better coach here without the core. When he won his 2 Cups, he had young guys like Guentzel, Rust, Sheary, Wilson, Kuhnhackl just breaking into their own, plus a younger core in their prime.

You look back a year or two ago when injuries were forcing Blueger to be a 2nd line center...and the team was actually playing well.

It seems like Sullivan has a better impact with youthful players that have some skill and can implement his system, and, I think Dubas and FSG would have seller's remorse if they fired Sullivan, and he went to somewhere like an Ottawa or Arizona or Detroit and made a huge impact on a younger team.

I truly believe that is part of the issue.

I've thought for a while that Sullivan would be a good coach for the rebuild when hopefully a lot of faster, younger guys will be coming in, even if they aren't as skilled as the older star players on this team. I wonder if FSG is willing to suffer and stick with him through this period of decline to make sure they still have him in a few years when the rebuild starts.

[Unbeliever]

What does anyone like about Sully over the last few years?

This question keeps me up at night too. I am in some pens discords and reddit threads and people are absolutely against the idea of firing Sullivan. Insisting year after year that he is not the problem. "Just fire Reirden, that's enough". Like he is somehow insulated from the rest of the coaching staff.

[Cow_Master66]

Reirden is the Matt Canada of the NHL.

[KG]

The cap is going up next year by over $4mill, to $87.5mill. Great, now we can give Jake a life-time concert and bring the band back together forevvvaaaa.

Maybe we can use any leftover cap space to give Sully a raise, clearly he deserves one...

[Pitts]

I know FSG can just write off Sullivan's salary without a second thought, but they wouldn't even have to.

Some other team would hire him and he'd be off the books for the Pens.

So, just keep in mind... keeping Sullivan has nothing to do with money.

I'm not saying to trade the core...but I honestly feel like Sullivan would be a much better coach here without the core. When he won his 2 Cups, he had young guys like Guentzel, Rust, Sheary, Wilson, Kuhnhackl just breaking into their own, plus a younger core in their prime.

You look back a year or two ago when injuries were forcing Blueger to be a 2nd line center...and the team was actually playing well.

It seems like Sullivan has a better impact with youthful players that have some skill and can implement his system, and, I think Dubas and FSG would have seller's remorse if they fired Sullivan, and he went to somewhere like an Ottawa or Arizona or Detroit and made a huge impact on a younger team.

I truly believe that is part of the issue.

Trade Guentzel. It's the next logical move if you are not going to fire the coach. Package Guentzel, POJ and you could get some nice assets in return and send a hard message to the core.