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2018-19 Penguins and NHL Offseason

Uncle Ben said:
With Tanger and Dump out. I'll take ever point we can get, The last sequence with Malkin and Kessel was great hockey to watch.

Tomorrow doesn't look good vs, the Habs.
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That last sequence was the Pens for the taking.
Malkin hits the post, Phil even battled and got Malkin a second chance from point blank range.

The letdown in crunch time is very concerning though.
It's constant.
 
MTC said:
That last sequence was the Pens for the taking.
Malkin hits the post, Phil even battled and got Malkin a second chance from point blank range.

The letdown in crunch time is very concerning though.
It's constant.
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Agreed. We had this one. Hopes are hanging by a very thin thread.

That game winner was offsides. He did not have control. **** Connor Cheri
 
Murray's reaction time is so slow when they shoot glove hand. The Sabres were practically celebrating the goal by the time he raised up his glove on that game tying goal.
 
JMM said:
Murray's reaction time is so slow when they shoot glove hand. The Sabres were practically celebrating the goal by the time he raised up his glove on that game tying goal.
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Without the #1 Defense pair. This is survival. I've put my comments in on Murray. This year he is not "the man".
 
Kessel and Malkin had a ton of chances tonight, but couldn't finish. Starting to really get pissed the closer we get to the playoffs. Going to suck if they don't get in.
 
So many disappointing endings to games this year. Oh well it looks like they'll be on vacation early.
 
Well that was pretty predictable. Murray, GREAT SAVE! Lets one by.....GREAT SAVE! Lets one by...

Its to the point now you just wait for it to happen in the 3rd and you know they will lose in OT.
 
The playoff cut is still predicted to be 94 points. If the Pens get 19 points out of the remaining 18 games they are probably in. The last week of the schedule is really soft. Hot streaks like the Canes are having can impact the NHL prediction. It's going to be fun to watch, right to the end. If they limp in as the 2nd Wild Card it won't be pretty
 
Djfan said:
The officiating tonight was horrific.
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The goaltending was worse. The Sabres goalie was snagging shots or blocking shots left and right. Murray has to elevate his game somehow or they need to see if DeSmith can be The Guy, otherwise its going to be a really short season.
 
On the bright side...the Pens have enough experienced playoff tested personnel on the team and behind the bench, that if they can just get healthy on the blue line, there is a good possibility they could win a round or three if they get in.
 
BTW if your in the area. Seats for Tuesday's Panther game are as cheap as you'll get this time of year. I want to go but I have to play the weather for driving over the mountains.
 
steel dino said:
On the bright side...the Pens have enough experienced playoff tested personnel on the team and behind the bench, that if they can just get healthy on the blue line, there is a good possibility they could win a round or three if they get in.
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I don’t know. The Pens have been pretty inconsistent with a healthy blue line. Yeah, Schultz has been out, but no one is going to confuse him with Nick Lidstrom. Or John Carlson. Or Brooks Orpik for that matter. He is better defensively than Johnson or Gudbrundson, I’ll give him that.
 
Sarge said:
I don’t know. The Pens have been pretty inconsistent with a healthy blue line. Yeah, Schultz has been out, but no one is going to confuse him with Nick Lidstrom. Or John Carlson. Or Brooks Orpik for that matter. He is better defensively than Johnson or Gudbrundson, I’ll give him that.
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I look back at this season and the ties just drive me nuts. Then the one goal losers. During that span, had Schultz been out there. I think we flip a decent percentage of those game. He isn't a Carlson by any stretch but he rarely matches up to the other team's first line. . As a 4th Dman he isn't bad. The reclamation of Shultz is a good story.
 
Uncle Ben said:
What confuses me is how Gudbranson, a number 3 overall pick can be so bad. Somewhere along the line, he had to have some skill. .Granted he played for some lousy teams but how the hell did he get to $4M a season. Even though he is statistically the worst Defenseman in the NHL I'll give him a chance. Not like I have a have a choice.

Olesiak never looked horrible to me and even added a little offense. I honestly feel he got traded back to Dallas because Tom Wilson knocked him out. This trade irritates me almost to the level of Cole and Reaves. Not to mention I have a #6 jersey that is useless.
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I think part of it might be that the league mentality has been gradually changing over the past few decades or so. Back in 2010 when Gudbranson was taken with the third pick, maybe some GMs were still looking for that tall, physical, stay-at-home defenseman, and he fit the bill. Although his junior stats weren't all that impressive, either -- in his two OHL seasons before he was drafted, Gudbranson only scored 5 goals in 104 games, and still played to a minus-5.

So it looks like Florida reached with the pick, then for some reason Vancouver signed him to a 3-year extension just last season, and now somehow the Penguins have traded for that contract. Important NHL people continue to see something in this guy.

What I saw last night is a player who is scared to carry the puck. As soon as the puck gets to his stick, he's looking to get rid of it, usually immediately to his defense partner. To me, that's not a good sign. Quality defenseman are able to hold onto the puck, assess the situation, and take the best option available. Guys like Dumo and Schultz have their heads up, take their time, and know where to move it, but they will take the open ice when it's available.

He also got blown by with speed on a couple of occasions, and Pettersson was coming over to help, overcompensating and putting himself way out of position in the process.

Now Gudbranson is a minus player on all three of his NHL teams, and my first impression is I can't really see that changing going forward.
 
topseed said:
I think part of it might be that the league mentality has been gradually changing over the past few decades or so. Back in 2010 when Gudbranson was taken with the third pick, maybe some GMs were still looking for that tall, physical, stay-at-home defenseman, and he fit the bill. Although his junior stats weren't all that impressive, either -- in his two OHL seasons before he was drafted, Gudbranson only scored 5 goals in 104 games, and still played to a minus-5.

So it looks like Florida reached with the pick, then for some reason Vancouver signed him to a 3-year extension just last season, and now somehow the Penguins have traded for that contract. Important NHL people continue to see something in this guy.

What I saw last night is a player who is scared to carry the puck. As soon as the puck gets to his stick, he's looking to get rid of it, usually immediately to his defense partner. To me, that's not a good sign. Quality defenseman are able to hold onto the puck, assess the situation, and take the best option available. Guys like Dumo and Schultz have their heads up, take their time, and know where to move it, but they will take the open ice when it's available.

He also got blown by with speed on a couple of occasions, and Pettersson was coming over to help, overcompensating and putting himself way out of position in the process.

Now Gudbranson is a minus player on all three of his NHL teams, and my first impression is I can't really see that changing going forward.
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I saw that too but he did disrupt things in front of Murray, gave up his body for a shot block on a power play and put one of the Sabres on his can with a good hip check. I think he will cause opponents to keep their head on a swivel when he is out there and I have no doubt he will drop the gloves when called on. Will he save the season? Likely not, but I think he does give the team some much needed grit.
 
topseed said:
I think part of it might be that the league mentality has been gradually changing over the past few decades or so. Back in 2010 when Gudbranson was taken with the third pick, maybe some GMs were still looking for that tall, physical, stay-at-home defenseman, and he fit the bill. Although his junior stats weren't all that impressive, either -- in his two OHL seasons before he was drafted, Gudbranson only scored 5 goals in 104 games, and still played to a minus-5.

So it looks like Florida reached with the pick, then for some reason Vancouver signed him to a 3-year extension just last season, and now somehow the Penguins have traded for that contract. Important NHL people continue to see something in this guy.

What I saw last night is a player who is scared to carry the puck. As soon as the puck gets to his stick, he's looking to get rid of it, usually immediately to his defense partner. To me, that's not a good sign. Quality defenseman are able to hold onto the puck, assess the situation, and take the best option available. Guys like Dumo and Schultz have their heads up, take their time, and know where to move it, but they will take the open ice when it's available.

He also got blown by with speed on a couple of occasions, and Pettersson was coming over to help, overcompensating and putting himself way out of position in the process.

Now Gudbranson is a minus player on all three of his NHL teams, and my first impression is I can't really see that changing going forward.
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Really hard to argue any of that. He's become an expensive role player. Problem for us is right now the ask is higher than his proven ability. Things don't look good but Gonchar has proven he can develop. Hopefullu Dumo, letang and Maatta can get back in push Gudbranson into the role he needs to be in. Like you said about people see something there, Gonchar is capable of finding it. Fingers crossed.
 
JMM said:
I saw that too but he did disrupt things in front of Murray, gave up his body for a shot block on a power play and put one of the Sabres on his can with a good hip check. I think he will cause opponents to keep their head on a swivel when he is out there and I have no doubt he will drop the gloves when called on. Will he save the season? Likely not, but I think he does give the team some much needed grit.
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Uncle Ben said:
Really hard to argue any of that. He's become an expensive role player. Problem for us is right now the ask is higher than his proven ability. Things don't look good but Gonchar has proven he can develop. Hopefullu Dumo, letang and Maatta can get back in push Gudbranson into the role he needs to be in. Like you said about people see something there, Gonchar is capable of finding it. Fingers crossed.
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Yeah, I mean, there's some positive qualities to his game, but to me, Gudbranson looks like a somewhat serviceable 6th /7th defenseman. Which would make him 8th or 9th on this roster when everyone is healthy, and that makes zero sense fiscally.
 
topseed said:
Yeah, I mean, there's some positive qualities to his game, but to me, Gudbranson looks like a somewhat serviceable 6th /7th defenseman. Which would make him 8th or 9th on this roster when everyone is healthy, and that makes zero sense fiscally.
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Desperation move for sure...

But what are you to do when your....desperate?

Doing nothing is not an option IMO...
 
JMM said:
I saw that too but he did disrupt things in front of Murray, gave up his body for a shot block on a power play and put one of the Sabres on his can with a good hip check. I think he will cause opponents to keep their head on a swivel when he is out there and I have no doubt he will drop the gloves when called on. Will he save the season? Likely not, but I think he does give the team some much needed grit.
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Gudbrandon and the WBS guys provide a needed grit.
Wilson, Trottman and hopefully we some Prow are not afraid to get in post whistle scrums.

Gudbranson was signed for the very reason we brought in Reaves.
Sullivan has probably realized his stubborness is why this team gets pushed around.

The season is still salvageable. Gonna be a rough month as a Pens fine.
 
This is more like it. Not getting too amped though, looks like Montreal has a lot of momentum going.
 
4 shots 3 goals after 1. That works for me. Got two more periods to go. If they put in 3 more in the 2nd and give up zeri I'll feel a lot better
 
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