I hope to keep this somewhat coherent, it could be long, I know what I want to say, don't know how long it will take. The last few years in Penguinland have not been fun. So much missed opportunities, empty promises and chances and sitting on the periphery watching what was once the flagship franchise for the NHL become also rans. It was so frustrating. Whether it was talent, lack of, coaching, drafting, development, all could be debated.
2010. The Pens lost to the Canadians in the 2nd rd, most people understood after back to back trips to the finals with a Cup, and it is just a hard, hard grind for a 3rd year in a row. No team has gone to 3 straight finals in the era of the four 7 game series. But to be honest, Marc Andre Fleury was absolutely horrible those last 2 games of the series where the Pens were up 3 games to 2.
2011. The Pens lost in 7 games to the TB Lightening, despite having a 3-1 lead. This was the series without both Sid and Geno, so this year was not going to a year they were going to do anything anyways.
2012. The Flyer debacle. Lost to the Flyers in 6 brutal games. Lots of blame to go around, but Marc Andre Fleury's performance this series made Henrik Lundquist's performance this past series seem like Martin Brodeur or Patrick Roy. The Pens had no business losing this series.
2013. People forget that the Pens DID make the Conference Finals. They certainly don't forget that they were swept and shut completely down by the Boston Bruins. This was the Pens stars shrinking at the very worst of times. It was Dan Bylsma refusing to change and match lines. It was Ray Shero giving away too much, and getting too much without a plan to use the players. It was a actions with good intentions without a plan and execution.
2014. Again, the Pens make the second round, go up 3-1 on the Rangers then get stoned. Whether it was the ghost of Martin St. Louis's mom or what, the Pens just stopped scoring, stopped playing, the stars wilted again. This was not on Fleury, he was more than good enough to win the series. But tt was the 3rd year in a row the core melted down, coaching had no answers, and the organization had no answers in the pipeline. This was it. Shero and Bylsma were fired. The Pens......once, the 24/7 HBO favs, star studded organization looking like multiple cups now need a fresh makeover. So they hired geriatric Jim Rutherford? Who clearly didn't seem up to the task. He hired the most passive hockey coach ever, Mike Johnston. Mike Johnston makes John Russell seem quotable.
2015. Pens barely make the playoffs on the last day. They get bounced in 5, again 87 and 71 were no shows, 58 literally was a no show as he didn't play.
In the offseason the Pens make another curious move, they acquire Phil Kessel. Career underachiever, big contract, more draft picks. They also acquired some more veterans, Matt Cullen and Eric Fehr. And as this season started, the Pens looked horrible. Crosby was doing his best Craig Adams impersonation, Letang looked awful, Dupuis retired, Kessel was underwhelming and the Pens sat in December, out of the playoffs, looking like a bloated, top heavy, over the hill, dispassionate team who was not going to make the playoffs.
Enter Mike Sullivan. Enter Trevor Dailey. Enter Carl Hagelin. Enter...the Wilkes Barre kids. Sullivan's style and philosophy was completely opposite than Mike Johnston's. Johnston preached low risk, defense first, passive game. Sullivan was a north south, attack and possess the puck mentality. Go get it. The Pens respond. Sidney Crosby all of a sudden became Sidney Crosby. Kris Letang all of a sudden becomes what everyone thought he COULD become. Kessel became Kessel. Hagelin became the perfect foil for Kessel.
The Pens started to win, score, win, score, win, win. Their advanced metrics (analytics) are off the charts now. The narrative surrounding this franchise has completely changed. The kids, Bryan Rust, Conor Sheary, Oscar Sundquist, Scott Wilson all can play. Matt Murray is acknowledged as perhaps the best young goalie in the world. Sid, Geno, Kessel, Hagelin, Letang, Maata, MAF all are signed for the foreseeable future. The window that looked closing now looks wide open again.
It is amazing how balanced this team is. As much as Shero gets trashed (I like the guy) but these are his draft picks. They just never gave these guys a chance. I often argued with Doc on these boards the Pens problems were related to Sid and Geno (and before MAF) coming up smallest in the biggest of moments. He argued they had no help and had to carry the load by themselves. I think we were both right.
I am right, your stars have to be stars. He is right, to take the pressure off of the stars, the bottom 6 have to contribute. But it is funny after 6 years or so of trying to find the answer to finding linemates for Sid and Geno, the realization came about, that they need the puck. They don't need a lot of wingers who also need the puck. They need guys who can create space. And the realization of this maybe directly related to Phil Kessel. As he needs the puck with linemates who can create space. And voila....you got 3 lines who can score and convert and dominate at times.
I don't know if they are going to beat the Caps or not. This should be a 6-7 game series. Should be great. I do know the outlook for the Pens has completely changed going forward. Their window is hardly closing. Oh sure, when Sid and Geno hang it up or start getting old, things will change, but those days are still 4-5 more years away, and Letang, Hagelin, Maata and Kessel will be here. The young guys will continue to develop. Younger guys like Daniel Sprong are on the horizon. While guys like Chris Kunitz eventually move on.
Most of all, this is a fun style to watch. Having a lineup with Sid, Geno and Letang and playing that type of hockey that Mike Johnston played was like having a Ferrari and Lamborghini and using them to plow fields. Jim Rutherford's almost every move last season was the wrong one. He got a decided "F" for his first year. This year, from hiring Sullivan to coach WB/S, trading for Kessel, drafting Sprong, trading Scuderi for Dailey, Perron for Hagelin, signing Fehr and Cullen then firing Johnston and replacing him with Sullivan, he gets an "A", and should be considered for Exec Of the Year.
2010. The Pens lost to the Canadians in the 2nd rd, most people understood after back to back trips to the finals with a Cup, and it is just a hard, hard grind for a 3rd year in a row. No team has gone to 3 straight finals in the era of the four 7 game series. But to be honest, Marc Andre Fleury was absolutely horrible those last 2 games of the series where the Pens were up 3 games to 2.
2011. The Pens lost in 7 games to the TB Lightening, despite having a 3-1 lead. This was the series without both Sid and Geno, so this year was not going to a year they were going to do anything anyways.
2012. The Flyer debacle. Lost to the Flyers in 6 brutal games. Lots of blame to go around, but Marc Andre Fleury's performance this series made Henrik Lundquist's performance this past series seem like Martin Brodeur or Patrick Roy. The Pens had no business losing this series.
2013. People forget that the Pens DID make the Conference Finals. They certainly don't forget that they were swept and shut completely down by the Boston Bruins. This was the Pens stars shrinking at the very worst of times. It was Dan Bylsma refusing to change and match lines. It was Ray Shero giving away too much, and getting too much without a plan to use the players. It was a actions with good intentions without a plan and execution.
2014. Again, the Pens make the second round, go up 3-1 on the Rangers then get stoned. Whether it was the ghost of Martin St. Louis's mom or what, the Pens just stopped scoring, stopped playing, the stars wilted again. This was not on Fleury, he was more than good enough to win the series. But tt was the 3rd year in a row the core melted down, coaching had no answers, and the organization had no answers in the pipeline. This was it. Shero and Bylsma were fired. The Pens......once, the 24/7 HBO favs, star studded organization looking like multiple cups now need a fresh makeover. So they hired geriatric Jim Rutherford? Who clearly didn't seem up to the task. He hired the most passive hockey coach ever, Mike Johnston. Mike Johnston makes John Russell seem quotable.
2015. Pens barely make the playoffs on the last day. They get bounced in 5, again 87 and 71 were no shows, 58 literally was a no show as he didn't play.
In the offseason the Pens make another curious move, they acquire Phil Kessel. Career underachiever, big contract, more draft picks. They also acquired some more veterans, Matt Cullen and Eric Fehr. And as this season started, the Pens looked horrible. Crosby was doing his best Craig Adams impersonation, Letang looked awful, Dupuis retired, Kessel was underwhelming and the Pens sat in December, out of the playoffs, looking like a bloated, top heavy, over the hill, dispassionate team who was not going to make the playoffs.
Enter Mike Sullivan. Enter Trevor Dailey. Enter Carl Hagelin. Enter...the Wilkes Barre kids. Sullivan's style and philosophy was completely opposite than Mike Johnston's. Johnston preached low risk, defense first, passive game. Sullivan was a north south, attack and possess the puck mentality. Go get it. The Pens respond. Sidney Crosby all of a sudden became Sidney Crosby. Kris Letang all of a sudden becomes what everyone thought he COULD become. Kessel became Kessel. Hagelin became the perfect foil for Kessel.
The Pens started to win, score, win, score, win, win. Their advanced metrics (analytics) are off the charts now. The narrative surrounding this franchise has completely changed. The kids, Bryan Rust, Conor Sheary, Oscar Sundquist, Scott Wilson all can play. Matt Murray is acknowledged as perhaps the best young goalie in the world. Sid, Geno, Kessel, Hagelin, Letang, Maata, MAF all are signed for the foreseeable future. The window that looked closing now looks wide open again.
It is amazing how balanced this team is. As much as Shero gets trashed (I like the guy) but these are his draft picks. They just never gave these guys a chance. I often argued with Doc on these boards the Pens problems were related to Sid and Geno (and before MAF) coming up smallest in the biggest of moments. He argued they had no help and had to carry the load by themselves. I think we were both right.
I am right, your stars have to be stars. He is right, to take the pressure off of the stars, the bottom 6 have to contribute. But it is funny after 6 years or so of trying to find the answer to finding linemates for Sid and Geno, the realization came about, that they need the puck. They don't need a lot of wingers who also need the puck. They need guys who can create space. And the realization of this maybe directly related to Phil Kessel. As he needs the puck with linemates who can create space. And voila....you got 3 lines who can score and convert and dominate at times.
I don't know if they are going to beat the Caps or not. This should be a 6-7 game series. Should be great. I do know the outlook for the Pens has completely changed going forward. Their window is hardly closing. Oh sure, when Sid and Geno hang it up or start getting old, things will change, but those days are still 4-5 more years away, and Letang, Hagelin, Maata and Kessel will be here. The young guys will continue to develop. Younger guys like Daniel Sprong are on the horizon. While guys like Chris Kunitz eventually move on.
Most of all, this is a fun style to watch. Having a lineup with Sid, Geno and Letang and playing that type of hockey that Mike Johnston played was like having a Ferrari and Lamborghini and using them to plow fields. Jim Rutherford's almost every move last season was the wrong one. He got a decided "F" for his first year. This year, from hiring Sullivan to coach WB/S, trading for Kessel, drafting Sprong, trading Scuderi for Dailey, Perron for Hagelin, signing Fehr and Cullen then firing Johnston and replacing him with Sullivan, he gets an "A", and should be considered for Exec Of the Year.
