The Pens Thread

You know how I know I'm getting discouraged? I'm hoping for the bucs to give me a pick-me-up come April..

Why not put back the best line in hockey from last year?

14/71/18
9/87/# (hope they would find a worthy sidekick for this line... yea)
24/16/48
27/46/10

Line 1- potential to be one of the best in the league again
Line 3- solid shut-down line.. would love to see more offense
Line 4- would like to see some improvement all around
Crosby's line would be a risk by putting in one of the few players they have left. But he averaged 1.7 ppg playing next to Dupuis and Sully, so it could become productive

Stop changing the lines constantly and allow for chemistry to build, Danimal

Embarrassing, disgraceful, disgusting, terrible!!!!!!! I'm glad I'm not a season ticket holder. The fans should get their money back after that performance. Something needs to be done!!! This is what you get with 2 of the best players in the world?

CUP4PENS

<blockquote class="QuoteMessage">It is time for Bylsma to go. He's overcoaching and undercoaching all at the same time. The only coaching adjustments he makes is to mix the lines up. TK, Jeffrey, Crosby, and Glass all saw time with Malkin and Neal in the first 25 minutes of the game. Pick your damn lines and stick with them. This switching lines every few shifts is driving me crazy.<br /><br /></blockquote>

<br /><br />Petey,<br /><br />You're 100% correct. He's wearing out his welcome. Defense sucks, and they don't play as a team. Same thing happened right before Therrian was fired. Team defense seriously blows. Need a guy who stresses offensive pressure but limits turnovers and also defesive mistakes. They surely have the talent. But losing to shit**** bag teams is out of control.

This is what you get with 2 of the best players in the world?

I would change that to 2 of the best offensive players in the world.

I think it does beg the question ... why are the Pens a better team without Crosby than they are with Crosby?  The sample size is large enough ... they simply play better when he is out of the lineup.  And I'm not just knocking Crosby with this.  The rest of the team simply plays better when he's not in the lineup.  Malkin and Neal are better.  Guys like TK and Cooke and it used to be Staal step up and play better.  Their team defense overall is better.

I do think we are seeing the beginning of the end for Bylsma.  Fair or not, the players just aren't responding to him anymore.  This is very much like Therrien's last season.  Therrien was a disciplinarian-type coach, and the players just got tired of his message and stop responding.  Bylsma is a player's coach, and the inmates are now running the assylum.

 

Crowdog hit on it earlier.  Look how the Isles attack on the PK.  With the firepower the Pens have on the PP, it was pathetic to watch them get abused so badly.  And yes, it is about coaching.  I think the Isles will finally make the playoffs this year.

If they can find a coach that can motivate guys like Crosby and Malkin and Neal to put forth an effort, I'm all for it.  But that's a tall task.  They are just getting out worked, and it isn't the 3rd and 4th lines that are getting out worked.

I know. It is the entire team. It's not just the 3rd and 4th lines and it's not just Crosby, Malkin, and Neal. It's everyone. That's the point. 

Even guys like Cooke, Adams, and Dupuis who are known for hustle seem disinterested. Ultimately you rely on your best (and highest paid), but you also have "energy" guys to help pick the team up when they are down. Whether that is Talbot getting his face punched in, Adams blocking a Chara slapshot, or Staal, Cooke, and TK creating some offensive pressure by cycling the puck. Bylsma's not getting it from anyone.

He's doing a terrible job of coaching one of the more talented teams in the NHL. No intensity, no discipline, no accountability, no consistency.

Part of the reason the Pens have been better without Crosby is the players mentality/focus. They all sit back and relax because they think Sid and Geno will win every game for them. They have more talent than the opposition the majority of the time, so they don't need to work hard. But, again, it is also on the coach. He lets them get away with that attitude and he lets them throw the puck around and he lets them focus on offense only. You'd like to think that players getting paid millions don't need more motivation, but that's not how the world works. That is why there is a coach that gets paid a ton of money, too. His job isn't just to tap guys on the shoulder when it's their turn to go on the ice.

If you look at the teams that have won the Cup recently, they had a nice mix of veteran leadership and young, exhuberant talent.  It appears this team has neither.  Even though they might be middle of the pack agewise, they are really an old team.  The guys that used to be their young talent - Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Letang - should be assuming a leadership role.  Instead they are not leading.  The rest of their team is really older average players.  I rarely agree with Ulf, but the Pens have not really developed any quality players from their system for a few years, and it shows.  It is easier for a 24-yr-old youngster to show energy for 60 minutes, than it is for a 32-yr-old veteran.

he lets them focus on offense only.

Comsidering we were more worried about the defense, I beg to ask the question,,,,,What offense Pete???? In the last 2 games, Nabokov and Anderson have looked like Vezina winner's! The Pens have scored 3 goals, if you want to count the SO goal that won the game against the Sens. But I don't think you can count that because nobody gets credit for a SO goal......So make that 2 goals in 2 games? And 1 of them was meaningless, like last night's goal. So 1 goal that meant anything in 2 games. Kunitz should be on Malkin's line if your going to take last year into consideration. And I hate to say it, but Sid will need a half decent winger. They need a top defenseman also, but when you put Kunitz on Malkin's line, Sid needs a decent winger. Theres no 2 ways about it. Completely unorganized last night which might have to do with the line switching every shift and the PP with Sid and Geno just doesn't work. Anything rarely works when Sid and Geno are on the ice at the same time. Is Bylsma blind or what? The forwards are so bad playing defense, that it's starting to affect the defensemen. Martin did not have his usual good game. And he was probably playing better than anyone on the team. You can't fire the team, so you know who must go! His initials are Dan Bylsma!

CUP4PENS  

FINALLY, danimal is changing the PP

Letang and Malkin are on point
Crosby and Neal are down low
Kunitz is at net

This is more of what I like to see for our power PP (though as some of you were pointing out, Sid and Geno on the ice seems to be ineffective).. I still think the PP with these 2 could be effective

It is easier for a 24-yr-old youngster to show energy for 60 minutes, than it is for a 32-yr-old veteran.

What do you mean? Crosby, Neal, and Letang are all 25, Malkin is 26, Sutter is 23, Despres is 21, Niskanen is mid-20's.  They have plenty of young talent. They are only 6 games into the season. They had a day off. There is no reason they played like they did yesterday. They were just lazy, unfocused, and unwilling to play hard. The Red Wings were an old team when they had great regular seasons year after year and went to the Finals in back-to-back years. They just had guys willing to put in an effort.

igloo, good point, but my comments are based off of more than the last 2 games. Basically since Sid came back last year and especially the playoffs. Nobody can watch that playoff series and think they were a disciplined team.

Dustin Jeffrey skated with Malkin and Neal during line rushes at Wednesday's practice. The third line consisted of Matt Cooke-Brandon Sutter-Tanner Glass, while the fourth line had Craig Adams-Joe Vitale-Tyler Kennedy.

Doesn't seem to be slowing down with the full-strength line changes.. Continuity doesn't seem to be a word written on Bylsma's whiteboard

Crosby blamed "bad bounces" for last night's loss. I guess bad bounces is the new term for turnovers and sloppy play. Malkin says he's having trouble adjusting to the ice surface after playing in the KHL. At least most of the excuses are covered.

Uhhhh yeah, and I have a wart on my right pinky! Can I get some time off from going to work every day? I think that's about the stupidest thing Crosby has supposedly ever said. I don't think anybody here is dumb enough to believe some nonsense like that. We all know good teams make their own breaks and bad teams don't. What's the excuse for 1 goal in the Ottawa game? I think one of those bad bounces hit Crosby in the head from the way he sounds? And I'm sure every fan at the game can tell you it was all bad bounces going the Pens way, right? Gimme a break, please! The fans really are not that stupid! They will tell you when the sellout streak ends and there is not a waiting list anymore. When you can decide to walk in and watch a game because there are plenty of seats available. I usually defend Crosby, but saying something like that? I'm at a loss for words because I can't defend "bad bounces"...This isn't basketball or baseball is it?

Bad bounces in hockey usually mean bad ice. I don't think I've ever heard of anybody complaining about the ice at the Energy Center....

CUP4PENS     

Today at practice the Penguins had Tangradi with Crosby/Dupuis. And Jeffery with Malkin/Neal. Kunitz did not practice. Tangradi also practiced In Front of the net on the top PP. No clue if Kuntiz will be able to play tonight and it was just a simple fix for practice or if Kunitz is sick/injuried. Neal moved back to we're he was so successful last year on the PP and Malkin to the right point with Letang open for a one timer on the rleft point. The Penguin also picked up forward Zack Boychuk on waivers from the Hurricanes. Boychuk is a former 14 overall pick, jt that was back in 2008 and he hasn't done much with the Canes.

Coach gotta look in the mirror...he breaks up the best line in hockey last year for no apparent reason...Kunitz looks like crap, Malkin line looks like crap...Crosby line looks like crap...

put Kunitz back w/ Malkin and Neal and solve 1 problem in a hurry...Crosby needs some speed to play with, christ Tangradi sure isn't the answer...my feeling is bring the kid Bennett up, he has the speed and skill to skate w/ Crosby JMHO.

Blasma is panicking himself...switching lines by the minute, looks like his head is gonna explode behind the bench, he is overcoaching/panicing.

These guys look like they are not skating...only thinking too much instead of just playing full-speed...maybe time to quit relying on watching so many video's and start letting the guys play w/ their natural talent...get that TOP LINE IN HOCKEY back together and get some speed w/ Sid...and for god sakes, lets the kids play and get used to their line mates...

One last thing I've noticed, the Pens have been on their off-wings way too much, esp in defensive zone, they aren't clearing/controlling pucks on boards (using backhands)...and passing has been poor and across the middle...not sure if it by design or the players are leaving their position that FAR...gotta be fixed too IMO.

It's early, they have talent...alot but they have to fix quite a few things in a hurry

This is more of what I like to see for our power PP (though as some of you were pointing out, Sid and Geno on the ice seems to be ineffective).. I still think the PP with these 2 could be effective

I have been saying for a while I would have 2 equal PP's. I think when there is so much talent out there, nobody knows their role. When it was Malkin, Neal, and Kunitz last year, Kunitz knew his role was to be in front, Neal knew to shoot the puck, and Malkin knew he was the playmaker. Throwing Crosby into the mix now everyone is looking to get him involved instead of just doing what they are supposed to do. It doesn't help they can't even gain the zone either.

I would use Malkin, Neal, and Tangradi and then Crosby, Kunitz, and TK/Dupuis. Then Letang with Martin and Niskanen with Despres. Everyone has a role. It creates a little competition. Both are more than capable of scoring. You can be a threat for the entire 2 minutes if the first PP doesn't score. Plus you have 2 defensemen out there. There have been a coule of times where the other team was close to having a 1-on-1 with Neal or having a breakaway. And we already know (and found out again tonight) how Malkin handles being the only man back.

Boychuk will be interesting if he ever gets a shot. Supposedly he's pretty sold all around and has a little bit of goal scoring ability. Although, he could very easily be another TK.

my feeling is bring the kid Bennett up, he has the speed and skill to skate w/ Crosby JMHO.

By all accounts, talent isn't the question. It's more whether he is physically mature enough to handle the NHL. This is only his first year of professional hockey, so he probably needs to bulk up a little bit. We'll probably get a look at him at some point this year though. He's probably the first forward that they would call up.

I don't know about the contracts either. Despres might be the only one that can be sent down without having to clear waivers. Maybe Vitale. 

This is a bad hockey game being played by two grossly overrated hockey teams at MSG ... just bad hockey.

Not a good game (and a terrible game to watch), but at least Bylsma stopped messing with the lines and he had the team protect a lead for once. He even put Martin out there on the PP late in the game. 

It's been a while since I've posted anything, but my wife is tired of hearing me bitch about the pens.  I read the last couple pages of this thread and it's obvious that we all share the same sentiment.  Bylsma should be looking over his shoulder, and be very nervous about his job security.  I think we all have noticed that.  With the amount of money on that ice, the Penguins shouldn't look the way they do.  Even if Bylsma isn't the cause, we all know he will take the hit for this poor play.  

Anyone else beside me think Fleury may become our overpaid backup goalie?  Not looking good for him either.