seems we got lucky with the Penguins Champiionships . It goes all the way back to Bryan Trottier sliding on the tarp in Three Rivers Stadium that I attended with my grade school friends on the subway.
OT: Penguins
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Thanks guys. I was hoping more would appreciate this road trip. Doc/Goalieman where the hell are you?
I love this team. I got a really good feeling about this team. It is rolling, man deep, just no real weaknesses if it can stay healthy.
I love this team. I got a really good feeling about this team. It is rolling, man deep, just no real weaknesses if it can stay healthy.
Question, I haven’t been able to follow as much as I’d like to lately. Is Galchenyuk not performing up to expectations? A buddy of mine said that he’s disappointed in his play lately but I don’t know for sure. If that’s the case, we could get even better if he finds a way to turn it on.
No, Galchenyuk has been a bust until the point. My question is what do you do with Bjugstad when he is ready to return. Who do you demote? They are playing so well as a team right now and to change the make up of the team is a risk.
Galchenyuk will likely be moved. He was a mistake but Rutherford has really been fantastic over the past year with his moves.
they do seem to have a glut of forwards now. The question is what do you do when Hornquist and Bugsted come back? Do they really fit the style of play they have now? What can you get in return?
Will be interesting to see what moves JR makes as there is no doubt he has some pieces to move to upgrade the roster. I can even see Shultz being part of a deal
I know he's a favorite, but, what's Lafferty been providing that Bjugstad can't
Couldn't agree more. I am wondering what the blend of guys will look like when all the injured are ready to return. That said, at the end of last year I was very critical of Sully and thought the team had tuned him out. Obviously that is not the case. It appears the younger faster guys who were brought up are more equipped to play Sully's style and it is showing in a big way. Perhaps a guy like Hornvquist, despite his net front presence will not fit in anymore due to old legs.
I love Phil's personality, with all the quirks, but he couldn't play on this team right now. This team dumps the puck in when necessary, gets it deep, and plays responsible defensive hockey, particularly in the neutral zone. None of those attributes pertain to Phil. Absolutely none.
That makes sense. Have there been any rumors about who they might target in a trade?
Not that I've read so far. The team has played so few games as a full unit, I'm not sure they know what to do. The few things I have read seem to lean to acquiring more defensive depth pieces, although if Galchenyuk was even close to 20 goal form, this team would likely be one of the Cup favorites if they ever get fully healthy. The good news is Tanev and Kahun will probably wind up having their best-ever goal scoring seasons to help make up for Galchenyuk's failure. I'm not sure what his problem is; maybe he just can't play the game at the speed which the Pens play. It sure seems counterintuitive, but I have no other explanation. The guy is trying, but he just seems to always be step behind.
That's why Kessel had to go. He tuned him out, and he was causing other players to follow him and not Sully.
Well he was the one that was traded for Galchenyuk, so I was wondering if they should’ve kept Kessel since you said Galchenyuk has been a mistake.
Murray spelling Jarry has been tremendous. Maybe Murray is a guy that can't be a 50-60 gamer? He does amazing in relief. Galchenyuk seems like a very good player that just can't fit into the system. You might be able to get a good return for him.
Marino has been a factor in the surprise success. I would be wary of messing with the right side of the defense.
Marino has been a factor in the surprise success. I would be wary of messing with the right side of the defense.
It was an absurd omission. He’s better than 40 or 50 guys on that list, at a minimum.
Crosby is excellent but he hasn’t won all of these Stanley Cups by himself.
You’d have to be crazy to put all your eggs in the Jarry basket, based on such a limited sample size. However, the truth is he has looked terrific pretty much all season long.
People keep calling it a “hot stretch,” but we are almost to the new year now and he has sustained his high level of play. At some point, it’s no longer just a hot stretch. Maybe what we are really seeing is a blossoming young goaltender?
When he is playing the way he has played pretty much all season long, Jarry makes the Pens much more difficult to play against because he handles the puck so well and it makes Pittsburgh difficult to forecheck. They’ve got a great mobility on defense, very good speed at forward and now they have a goaltender who can really handle the puck. It’s very difficult to sustain pressure on a team that has all those traits.
Still, Matt Murray is a 23-year-old two-time Stanley Cup winning goaltender. Smart organizations don’t just give those away either. However, Murray’s injury history is as clear as it is problematic and makes me think that you’re always going to have to use him as part of a goaltending tandem.
Murray is an RFA after this year, which makes him a UFA after 2021. If he is looking for the type of contract Vasilevskiy or Bobrovsky have gotten in recent years, I don’t think that’s going to fit Pittsburgh’s salary structure. Also, I don’t think him playing 40 or 50 some games per year is worth it.
Complicating matters for Pittsburgh is the fact that Casey DeSmith is playing out of his mind in Wilkes-Barre. He is also out of options, which means Pittsburgh will likely not be able to retain him should they call him up and demote him again.
Also, bear in mind that Seattle is joining the league in two years and they are going to do an expansion draft very similar to the one they have for Vegas when they joined the NHL.
Pittsburgh, with its three good young goaltenders, would definitely be an attractive target to Ron Francis and the rest of the Seattle braintrust.
That is why I think Jarry playing well is the best case scenario for everyone. Murray is fragile and he will definitely get hurt again. I’m worried about him getting hurt, them calling up DeSmith, Murray eventually coming back, and Pittsburgh being forced to either keep three goaltenders on its NHL roster or basically give one of them away.
That is not a good scenario for the Pens.
That is why I am warming to the idea, assuming Jarry continues to play well, of dangling Murray on the trade market. He may fetch a nice return – particularly if he’s paired with Galchenyuk — who has a good pedigree but who has also been a complete flop here and definitely needs to go.
Bjugstad hasn’t been great for Pittsburgh either and people tend to put him in the same basket with Galchenyuk.
I don’t think that’s at all fair to Bjugstad. He has obviously not been a consistent contributor, but he is clearly a good hockey player and he has definitely flashed for Pittsburgh. Galchenyuk has shown nothing whatsoever and doesn’t even look like an NHL player right now.
I don’t think that’s at all fair to Bjugstad. He has obviously not been a consistent contributor, but he is clearly a good hockey player and he has definitely flashed for Pittsburgh. Galchenyuk has shown nothing whatsoever and doesn’t even look like an NHL player right now.
Oh, they are not touching the right side of their defense. That’s the strength of the entire team – after center.
How many teams can go three deep down the right side with Justin Schultz as being arguably your bottom pairing defenseman? Not many, I’ll tell you that.
Right-shot defenseman are like left-handed pitchers in baseball. For whatever reason, they are very rare and we now have three very good ones. That, more than anything else, makes Pittsburgh very dangerous in the spring should everyone else return to full health.
I still cannot believe they got John Marino for just a sixth round pick. That was highway robbery and I’m also surprised that no one else in the hockey world seems to think that’s all that big a deal. That has changed the Penguins’ entire prospects from where I sit.
Also, I am with Owtie in that I think it’s easy to look at this Pittsburgh team and see a team that has real potential to make noise in April and May if everyone could just get back to full health. I just like the way they’re playing right now and the way they’re built. I think with the addition of another goal scorer or two and/or another speedy forechecker as well, they could become a fairly exceptional unit.
That’s what makes this whole goaltending situation so important. If they can get consistently good goaltending and healthy, they are going to have a chance against anyone — whether it’s the Bruins, the Capitals, the Islanders, you name them. However, you have to get good goaltending or none of those other things are going to matter one bit.
Thanks for the response on my first post, the Seattle Draft was looming in the back of my head with how the last one went down for us.
I was optimistic about Galchenyuk before the season started. His numbers had been in a decline for a few seasons now but I gave him the benefit of the doubt for the teams he was on. I guess it’s a good problem to have right now since the other young forward are playing well and it gives you some options to bolster defensive depth at the deadline, as someone here mentioned.
IMO, what’s funny is that’s the second time we’ve robbed Edmonton of a defenseman. First Schultz, now Marino. He’s been a huge help this season, especially with the lack of depth due to the Maata trade and injuries.
It is hilarious considering Edmonton has been desperate in trying to find competent defensemen.
Way too early to project to next year. I am having Cup dreams right now. Not saying we will, am saying we could.
But as disappointing as Galchenyuk has been, his contract is up this year. So he is not baggage you have to carry forward and this may make him easier to move as part of a package or just considerations.
Nick Bjugstad has been a disappointment, but he hasn't been bad. He has also been hurt. He has a 4.1 million cap hit for this year and next. So again, long term he is not that much of a problem. Hornquist is a bigger issue and I can see the Pens braintrust secretly rooting for Horny to come back, have a great playoff and then move him this off season.
It's ironic, as Doc mentioned while the Pens are in a weird situation in net, Murray's mediocrity to start and Jarry's ascension to A level goalie has actually played into the Pens hands, because they were looking at a like 8 year $65 million contract for Murray after this year, now they have so many other options.
It is luck like this, not to mention the emergence of guys like Bryan Rust, Jake Guentzel, Brian Dumoulin and now John Marino plus the young goalies, that has continued to extend the Pens window of contention as compared to the Blackhawks and Kings. Ordinarily, this would be it. Remember, the Pens were in two finals (one cup) before the Blackhawks and Kings runs, and now the Pens are still a factor while they aren't. I see the Pens as a contender still over the next few years.
John Marino has been a godsend. I mean, I have total man crush with him. Nik Lidstrom is one of the 5 greatest Dmen of my now somewhat long lifetime, and Marino's game is so much like him. Just as Brian Dumoulin looked to be essentially a throw in, the Pens are getting lottery level Dmen for basically pocket change. If you want to put it another way, Marino is essentially becoming what the Pens hoped Derek Pouliot would be when they selected him #8 overall.
I am not counting anything.....because I have seen the luck this team had (example when Schultz went hard into the board the other night I said out loud, "there goes another month or 2" and well, he is out about that long. BTW, Marino's emergence and Schultz's injuries make it very easy, Schultz is an impending UFA and the Pens will clear $5 mill in cap space as I doubt they resign him.
Jim Rutherford, many when he is hot, he just has the Midas touch.
But as disappointing as Galchenyuk has been, his contract is up this year. So he is not baggage you have to carry forward and this may make him easier to move as part of a package or just considerations.
Nick Bjugstad has been a disappointment, but he hasn't been bad. He has also been hurt. He has a 4.1 million cap hit for this year and next. So again, long term he is not that much of a problem. Hornquist is a bigger issue and I can see the Pens braintrust secretly rooting for Horny to come back, have a great playoff and then move him this off season.
It's ironic, as Doc mentioned while the Pens are in a weird situation in net, Murray's mediocrity to start and Jarry's ascension to A level goalie has actually played into the Pens hands, because they were looking at a like 8 year $65 million contract for Murray after this year, now they have so many other options.
It is luck like this, not to mention the emergence of guys like Bryan Rust, Jake Guentzel, Brian Dumoulin and now John Marino plus the young goalies, that has continued to extend the Pens window of contention as compared to the Blackhawks and Kings. Ordinarily, this would be it. Remember, the Pens were in two finals (one cup) before the Blackhawks and Kings runs, and now the Pens are still a factor while they aren't. I see the Pens as a contender still over the next few years.
John Marino has been a godsend. I mean, I have total man crush with him. Nik Lidstrom is one of the 5 greatest Dmen of my now somewhat long lifetime, and Marino's game is so much like him. Just as Brian Dumoulin looked to be essentially a throw in, the Pens are getting lottery level Dmen for basically pocket change. If you want to put it another way, Marino is essentially becoming what the Pens hoped Derek Pouliot would be when they selected him #8 overall.
I am not counting anything.....because I have seen the luck this team had (example when Schultz went hard into the board the other night I said out loud, "there goes another month or 2" and well, he is out about that long. BTW, Marino's emergence and Schultz's injuries make it very easy, Schultz is an impending UFA and the Pens will clear $5 mill in cap space as I doubt they resign him.
Jim Rutherford, many when he is hot, he just has the Midas touch.
Okay, football season is over. Are any of you paying attention to this team? It is now time to focus on the region's truly premiere team! Geno right now is playing at 2009 levels. What dominance. Unbelievable luck, Guentzel got crunched last night, did not look good just as Sid is ready to come back. Jim Rutherford has made three of his best trades ever:
1) John Marino for a 6th rounder.
2) Not trading Tristan Jarry
3) Not trading Bryan Rust.
It is such a deep team when (if) everyone is healthy. They are back to playing the speed game. Jack Johnson has even found his game.
Just a really fun team to watch. This team is going to be a tough out for anyone. And it has enough depth and flexibility for Rutherford to make one of his patented deadline moves.
1) John Marino for a 6th rounder.
2) Not trading Tristan Jarry
3) Not trading Bryan Rust.
It is such a deep team when (if) everyone is healthy. They are back to playing the speed game. Jack Johnson has even found his game.
Just a really fun team to watch. This team is going to be a tough out for anyone. And it has enough depth and flexibility for Rutherford to make one of his patented deadline moves.
They’ve definitely been playing well and getting scoring from a number of unlikely sources.
Didn’t see the game last night but the Guentzel crunch doesn’t sound good. Would be a big hit if he ends up missing a lot of time.
Rutherford isn’t a Hall of Game GM for nothing. The guy just knows how to push the right buttons and how to gain leverage in almost every deal he makes. Clearly, the Kessel deal was addition by subtraction. Ballsy move, but necessary. The biggest question for the rest of the season (aside from “will this team stay healthy”) is whether this is just Murray having his annual mid season slump or if Jarry is here to stay.
Lol! Time to face facts. This team will never "get healthy". The Pens have been a M.A.S.H. unit for ten years.
They've been very good so far. I just hope Murray can pull through. Boy has Malkin made a statement. Glad to have him back.
Wow. What are the odds. The injury bug makes sure to strike us one note fine before the new year. That’s an ETA of anywhere from the first round to the Cup Final?
From the reports, he is close to returning.
But he will probably slip on a banana peel on the way into the arena and get hurt the way this year is going.
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