He is only 22. He had 38 points and was a plus 11 last year for Florida. Decent size. So now with Pearson, McCann and especially Bjugstad, the Pens got much more physical and much tougher to play against.
Ot: penguins
- Thread starter SoufOaklin4Life
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Bjugstad is a great pick up. Seems like the Pens gave away more than I would have expected (i.e. also having to part with Sheahan), but this deal certainly changes the dynamic of the team in a positive way. They didn't give up any scoring, and just got tougher and more physical, which is what they need for balance.
Brassard is a top six guy for most teams, but clearly wasn't a fit as a 3C on this team. Onward and upward.
According to the Pens Blog site McCann is the guy they wanted. They think his upside is much higher than Sheahan............Will be interesting to see how theses guys mesh. This is one of those trades where youre going to have to wait to see who got the best side of the deal. Certainly Brassard did not fit in well and really did nothing that stood out much when he was here. From that perspective he was a pretty big disappointment.
They (McCann and Bjugstad) were both 1st round draft picks. McCann has more goals and points than Tanner Pearson, so it is not like he is a slouch. Bjugstad stats are down this year, but he scored 19 goals last year, and 24 goals a few years back.
Also, both guys are at least signed through next year and the Pens got younger, McCann is 22 and Bjugstad is 26, while Sheahan is 27 and Brassard was 31.
Overall, it is a nice trade and a nice shake up.
That's it. Likely Florida will try and flip Brassard in the next few weeks.....but he was gone after this year, hence why a couple of extra draft picks were required.
The Pens have looked into Bjustadt for a couple years now at trading deadline. He was their target in the draft, but Florida picked him and the Pens ended up with Beau Bennett. Funny, Sheahan was the pick after Bennett.
He's been hit by the injury bug recently, but i'm a fan. Throw Horni and Pearson on his wings and you havr a bad ass 3rd line.
He's been hit by the injury bug recently, but i'm a fan. Throw Horni and Pearson on his wings and you havr a bad ass 3rd line.
How about these guys arrived at the arena at around 6:45 for a 7:05 start. They just got their equipment on, the Anthems were playing (thank god for the Canadian team, doubling the anthems giving a bit of extra time) and no warm up skate......
What a whirlwind.
What a whirlwind.
Even more amazing Bjugstad actually got a point and screened the goalie on another!
Without a single minute of practice with new linemates. I guess hockey is hockey.
They both practiced as Panthers yesterday morning too. McCann said Rutherford sent a private jet for them.
Really? The guy has yet to show up and be a top goalie in the regular season yet. A goalie needs to be able to play 80 games a year, not 40. If the strategy is to let DeSmith and others carry the team and then turn it over to Murray who hopefully plays lights out in the playoffs, i'm all for it. His salary should also be adjusted.
When he isn’t playing sharp it isn’t bashing .
Ya know like last game when he had a save percentage of 81%.
That’s poor play which is going to lose games
who is in the basement ? Not the Penguins.
Murray has won the Penguins franchise 40 percent of there cups .
Fleury won 1 , I give him that, and then season after season lost on fluke goals.
Take your pic......... Ill go with Murray. and the Pens had no choice, Murray cap hit was 3 million less.
Had to get rid of 29.
know your audience.
DeSmith has won 50% of the games this year. Murray has yet to prove he can carry a team.
And the #1 goalie hasn’t been good for a season and a half.
That’s not bashing .
It’s acknowledging he isn’t playing well when he isn’t .
easy for you to say when you dont take in to account about a hundred other factors, but ok sir.
I’m taking into account his below average play the past season and a half.
The number 1 goalie has 15 wins and a 91.5% save percentage
The backup has 13 wins and a 91.8% save percentage.
Desmith is a nice backup- but when his stats have little separation from the franchise goalie-
It’s not a good thing they are interchangeable
Murray needs to find a consistent game and start playing his A game. Still lots of time for him to get hot, but he needs to stay hot or all the moves in the world won't help the Pens in the playoffs.
It would be a crying shame if the twilight of Crosby, Malkin, LeTang's careers and one of their last shot at a Cup were sabotaged by poor goaltending in the playoffs!
It would be a crying shame if the twilight of Crosby, Malkin, LeTang's careers and one of their last shot at a Cup were sabotaged by poor goaltending in the playoffs!
Murray seems to have "mental" ups and downs which IMO have become worse after his father passed away in early 2017.
Sometimes in his interviews he's on top of the world, other times he barely talks, doesn't look at the interviewer, and stares at the ground. Win or lose most athletes are able to project a positive attitude when interviewing.
It's difficult enough for a enthusiastic mentally balanced athlete to get themselves up for a contest.
It's much harder for someone who is fighting demons.
One of the PENS announcers mentioned Murray looks larger in goal and more aggressive when he has a positive mental attitude and commented further he can gauge if Murray is up or down depending how he interacts with the press before and after games.
Accessing physical and athletic attributes of star athletes is easy, the mental component of a person is the intangible.
"it's five o'clock somewhere"
Signed: Mr Buffett
Go PITT & CSU Rams!
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Can't remember if I said it here or not, but he has an alcohol problem. It started around the time his father was told ge wasn't going to make it. During his latest "injury time off", the Penguins sent him for help. Think back to the Sullivan rumors saying Murray wasn't practicing hard, wasn't getting upset over poor losing performances etc. After short rehab, he came back looking strong, but that appears to be waring away. I hope/expect the Pens continue to push him to get help...
The NHL has a policy on alcohol and substance abuse so if what you’re saying is true it’s in the organization’s best interest to get him help or the league will send him packing. It just happened to a guy in Nashville.
Murray has pleaded pretty well for the most part since he’s been back. He gave up three goals against Toronto that all were in traffic where he had trouble finding the puck. I’d like to hear what gaolieman has to say about his play last night and overall.
I’d wait to judge him till the playoffs are over.
I’d wait to judge him till the playoffs are over.
Why is it so difficult to simply judge the play ?
Malkin has stunk all year.
Or do we have to wait for the playoff to judge ?
Why put so much stock in the regular season? People had no idea who Matt Murray was 4 years ago.
And if he continues on his current path they will have no idea who Matt Murray is 4 years from now!
Murray has overall played well since he came back from his "injury" ..... in the 1st 7 or 8 games back he was phenomenal and the last few games has somewhat come back down to earth ..... his advanced stats have improved a lot since he has come back.
I have discussed my thoughts about his improved play since he came back in a prior post in this thread but regarding the Toronto game the other night ........
- He made 30 saves on 33 shots, a 90.9% save%, certainly modest.
- Murray made several outstanding saves in that game.
- Could he have played the 3 goals that he gave up better ?
Goal #1 - was a shot from near the blue line that knuckled as it came in ..... Murray was in good position to make the save but could not control the knuckling puck and let it get through and behind him where a Maple Leaf knocked it into the net ..... I think he probably should have had that one and he would have liked to have that one back.
Goal #2 - Crosby lost a face-off in his own end, Toronto got a shot from near the blue line again, Murray was in good position but was screened by two players (a Penguin and a Maple Leaf) and never saw the puck until it went past him ....... not much he could do about that.
Goal #3 - Crosby lost another face-off in his own end ..... a Maple Leaf ended up taking a shot from near the left wing boards (to Murray's right) just outside the circle about the level of the face-off dot ....... Murray once again was in good position on the initial shot with Jack Johnson boxing a Maple Leaf out of the play just to the near post side of Murray ...... the shot either hit Johnson's stick or Murray's left pad (I couldn't tell even on the replays) and rebounded into the low slot to Murray's left where Kris Letang and a Maple Leaf were standing ....... Letang lifted the Maple Leaf's stick but did not take the body allowing the Maple Leaf to get inside position, eventually control the puck and shooting it high into the net over Murray who didn't get over in time ...... after the initial save and rebound into the slot, Murray needed to get over and out by power pushing to cut the angle down in order to make the save ...... unfortunately, on the initial save, Murray's right skate slipped and got caught outside and behind the near post in a position where he could not power push across ..... he had to reset his skate to power push and couldn't get across and out to block the shot in time (he got somewhat across along the goal-line and fell on his back side as he tried to make the save) and there was a lot of open net high and that is where the puck went ..... If his right skate was set after the initial save so that he could immediately push over and out, I think he makes the save.
- So, Goal #1 he didn't play well although the puck was knuckling, I thought he should have made that play, Goal #2 he was screened and couldn't have done much else, Goal #3 was a problem with not being able to power push across and out because of his skate slipping outside and behind the post ..... the good news is that he was in good position on the initial shots on all three goals but the bad news was that he had technical problems on Goals 1 and 3.
The team played well in periods one and three against the Maple Leafs but poorly in the 2nd period ...... we'll have to see what lines Sullivan puts together when Geno comes back and how they mesh down the stretch and hopefully in the playoffs ..... I like what I have seen so far from Blueger, McCann, and Bjugstad ...... hopefully the goalies play well.
As far as Murray, he has to stay healthy, concentrate on the fundamentals not only in games but also work hard on them in practice ...... maintain proper and aggressive angles/positioning, work on goalie movement, read and anticipate plays, work on various save selections, rebound control, playing the puck outside the net, and communicating well with his teammates during the game .... he and his goalie coach should be reviewing tape and seeing what he is doing well and what he is not doing so well and work on his game.
Thanks goalie always enjoy your insights. One of the few objective and knowdgable analyses of Murray’s play. Which brings me back to my comment that since returning Murray has played pretty well. Let’s see how the rest of the year land out to judge his overall play. For sure he had a bad year last year and got off to a rough start this year. But he’s playing near the level than win two cups. If he continues to do so the pens will make a long run in the cup
Another 4 goal conceded night.
But I’m sure it was not him again.
Carolina’s goalie plays for the first time in a month - pitches a shutout on the road.
That's in the past. History is fun to read about isn't it. The good ole days when the PENS won Stanley Cups.
He's had a lot of up and downs since the Rookie Thing, and many injuries which I think aren't injuries they're mental breaks. This is the Present Thing.
If a player can't beat the demons all the talent ( he is talented) in the world won't pull him through.
We'll see!
ps- said today- Murray is off on a "medical maintenance" day for an "upper body" injury that isn't a concussion? and will travel with the team on the roadtrip.
Murray seems to have a lot of these mysterious "medical maintenance" days for unknown/unspecified upper body injuries.?
"it's five o'clock somewhere"
Signed: Mr Buffett
Go PITT & CSU Rams!
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Pens lost to Carolina 4-0 last night .....
Some comments .......
- Pens having trouble with breakouts causing too much time in their end and scoring chances for the opponents.
- Sullivan made some changes in the offensive lines in the 2nd period and I don't think we had a shot on goal in the first 11+ minutes of that period .... still trying to figure out lines with new players on board and things will change more when Geno and Shultz come back.
- Power play didn't produce.
- We had 10 giveaways to Carolina's 5.
- Carolina is pretty fast and uptempo ...... they were also getting traffic in front of Murray and took more shots then us.
- We missed some great scoring chances ...... McCann and Crosby missed wide open nets.
- Carolina's goalie was really good.
- A look at the goals Murray gave up ......
Goal #1 - a shot from the top of the left circle through the legs of Pearson and slightly deflected off his leg which caused the puck to flutter and change direction slightly ..... Murray was in good position but fluttering puck hit the top of his glove and got by him into the net ...... the slight change in direction and fluttering of the puck and the puck going between Pearson's legs made the save more difficult indeed but in the end I thought he should have and needed to make that save.
Goal #2 - a shot from the point through traffic, Murray was screened and never saw the puck until it was in the net ..... his positioning looked OK.
Goal #3 - open netter with Murray on the bench.
Goal #4 - Carolina player beat Blueger to a puck just inside our zone near the right boards and went in on an off center breakaway against Murray ...... the puck carrier cut through the lower circle and into the low slot ...... Murray was initially in good position near the post but got behind on the play and way off angle and the Carolina player went around Murray and shot the puck from near the top of the crease on the ice beating Murray ...... as the puck carrier came through the lower circle and toward the top of the crease, Murray needed to move out and over to maintain best position and angle ..... he remained deep in the crease and close to the post and the opponent easily got around him ...... that was one that Murray played poorly.
- Bottom line, it was a team loss to me .....
- Pens now go on a 3 game road trip to play Florida who has won 6 of 8, Tampa Bay who is in 1st place, and the Flyers who won 8 in a row .....
- Entire Pens team needs to get it together and start to win games !
- In addition Murray has an "upper body injury" and is out "day to day" ..... Jarry has been called up and DeSmith should be in net tomorrow night ..... it's getting interesting to see if the Pens players and coaches can put it together.
Some comments .......
- Pens having trouble with breakouts causing too much time in their end and scoring chances for the opponents.
- Sullivan made some changes in the offensive lines in the 2nd period and I don't think we had a shot on goal in the first 11+ minutes of that period .... still trying to figure out lines with new players on board and things will change more when Geno and Shultz come back.
- Power play didn't produce.
- We had 10 giveaways to Carolina's 5.
- Carolina is pretty fast and uptempo ...... they were also getting traffic in front of Murray and took more shots then us.
- We missed some great scoring chances ...... McCann and Crosby missed wide open nets.
- Carolina's goalie was really good.
- A look at the goals Murray gave up ......
Goal #1 - a shot from the top of the left circle through the legs of Pearson and slightly deflected off his leg which caused the puck to flutter and change direction slightly ..... Murray was in good position but fluttering puck hit the top of his glove and got by him into the net ...... the slight change in direction and fluttering of the puck and the puck going between Pearson's legs made the save more difficult indeed but in the end I thought he should have and needed to make that save.
Goal #2 - a shot from the point through traffic, Murray was screened and never saw the puck until it was in the net ..... his positioning looked OK.
Goal #3 - open netter with Murray on the bench.
Goal #4 - Carolina player beat Blueger to a puck just inside our zone near the right boards and went in on an off center breakaway against Murray ...... the puck carrier cut through the lower circle and into the low slot ...... Murray was initially in good position near the post but got behind on the play and way off angle and the Carolina player went around Murray and shot the puck from near the top of the crease on the ice beating Murray ...... as the puck carrier came through the lower circle and toward the top of the crease, Murray needed to move out and over to maintain best position and angle ..... he remained deep in the crease and close to the post and the opponent easily got around him ...... that was one that Murray played poorly.
- Bottom line, it was a team loss to me .....
- Pens now go on a 3 game road trip to play Florida who has won 6 of 8, Tampa Bay who is in 1st place, and the Flyers who won 8 in a row .....
- Entire Pens team needs to get it together and start to win games !
- In addition Murray has an "upper body injury" and is out "day to day" ..... Jarry has been called up and DeSmith should be in net tomorrow night ..... it's getting interesting to see if the Pens players and coaches can put it together.
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