Penguins/NHL
WILL BENNETT GET EXTENDED LOOK WITH CROSBY?
What’s wrong with Sidney Crosby? That’s something almost everyone is asking these days. It’s a combination of a number of things. Among them is age which is something that’s difficult for some Penguin fans to accept as three and half hours away Alex Ovechkin remains one of the most if not the most dominant player in hockey and he’s 30 years old.
What Crosby doesn’t have that Ovechkin has is one of the best shots ever in hockey. Crosby is a playmaker first, shooter second. It’s likely as Crosby gets into his 30’s, linemates are going to be more important than ever for the Penguins star center.
Right now there just hasn’t been a good mix.
Chris Kunitz is now a bottom-6 type player at this stage in his career, Patric Hornqvist is not skilled enough to get the puck to Crosby in key spots like Kunitz’ was so great at in the past, while Pascal Dupuis and Crosby have clicked at a 44% possession rate at even strength together. They have also not been effective together.
Crosby’s poor possession numbers have been a hot topic among NHL types. What scouts are saying is Crosby needs someone who can get him the puck in the middle of the ice and be able to attack the opposition with speed and authority through the neutral zone, a staple of Crosby’s game in the past.
Beau Bennett has his flaws as a player, but one of his biggest strength’s is how he see’s the ice. This talk that Crosby needs to play with mucker and grinder’s is a bad narrative.
Right now he needs someone who can create his own shot and actually gain the offensive zone without needing to dump the puck-in. Someone who’s willing to hold on to the puck to make a play. Those are two areas Bennett excels at (creativity/zone entries) and why this is a golden opportunity for Bennett. What remains to be seen is how much of a leash Bennett has. He’s a fourth year player who was a first round pick. It’s time for an extended look and see where it goes.
MORE BUZZ
Evgeni Malkin when he scored 50 goals in 2011-2012, averaged 4.52 shots per game. With four goals in 14 games, Malkin is at a 23 goal pace this season. The bigger red flag is Malkin averaging just 2.35 shots per game.
A trend?
2011-2012: 4.52 shots/G
2012-2013: 3.19 shots/G
2013-2014: 3.18 shots/G
2014-2015: 3.07 shots/G
2015-2016: 2.52 shots/G
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kunitz and bonino has been good on the 3rd line
Agree. Just need to replace Sprong with a legit bottom 6 winger
So good that they got promoted to 2nd line action last night.
I love all of the shots at Malkin by the french queen that posts here. Malkin had a bad game. So bad that he looked like Sid in EVERY OTHER GAME THIS SEASON. But I digress. You can bitch about his penalty all you what – what’s not forgivable is the Cole Harbor fraud throwing another one of his tantrums after the third goal and giving them a power play that could have iced the game. What a LEADER. It’s like fucking going to war with Patton. 28 years old. Declining skill set. Still a punk kid at heart. FRAUDSBY.
I’m curious as to why you always feel the need to defend Malkin when talking to Sam. Who gives a fuck what he says?
I’m not defending him. There’s no defending Malkin last night. He looked god awful.
Going with another unpopular but correct view. Sprong may have NHL talent but he’s not helping this team in the bottom six. He’s the wrong fit and like the power play its another example where management thinks throwing out the most talent is more important than chemistry and having the right type of players filling roles.
Really liked what I saw from Bennett on the Cindy’s line.
Agreed, there is potential there
A lot of production out of that third line last night. The blod clot mush head broken bone line.
Hilarious.
I’m not joking.
Good to see Fleury in playoff form in November.
Agree. They wouldn’t have made overtime without him.
A Kessel needs to practice how to receive passes I don’t know if it’s because he played with shitt players in Toronto but he has to be better with pens many times he kills momentum on the pp when he chokes on the simple passes
You mean the ones That French puke Letang was feeding into Kessel’s feet? You really don’t know what you’re talking about do you.
Gaydogg with pens roster you expect better wins during the season. Must agree pens finally showed some caracter in the 3rd period after the flat 2nd period but the overtime was bad by malkin I don’t know what was going through his Russian head maybe it was time for a vodka
really loved Fleury in the shootout
Good thing playoff games end in a shootout.
Yeah – that’s the issue. Not Sid’s annual playoff leg-shitting. It’s Fleury. The guy that kept them respectable the last few years while Sid rolled around naked in his $12 million.
coming from a clown that wanted Fleury be gone a few years back man you change your mind like you change your everyday underwear
I’ve literally never wanted Fleury gone. Not a once. And the fact that you think I was ever on that bandwagon pretty much reiterates what a rube you are.
Don’t get excited guys, I just heard from a source that the NHL isn’t going to award them Pens the 2pts for the win because they didn’t deserve it. He actually heard their reviewing tape as we speak and may strip the Pens of their other 9 wins and the other 18 pts because they didn’t deserve those either. By morning the Pens will actually be 0-15-0 with 0pts not 10-5-0 with 20 pts.
Best shootout goalie of the league let’s trade Fleury Yoda
st.blurry is -0-8 in playoff OT games since the cup. 5 of the games he let in the 1st or 2nd shot he faced.
Hey yogurt – how did you like your boy toy Sid displaying some of the same childish behavior that basically derailed the Flyers serious. Couldn’t lead a hooker to bed with a fistful of $50 bills.
st.blurry’s had a 834% that series. with numbers that bad, the result of the series is 100% on the goaltender.
Letang was shit tonight… Offensively anyway. Malkin with a massive blunder in OT on the PP tho… So stupid. I would love to learn what the deal is with the stars of this team but sloppy play is too regular these days
And then Sid ices it with a move that’s hard to believe is still in the Arsenal…. Wow
Russians love to play sloppy when game matters malkin was painful to watch in overtime
No harder to watch than the Canadian Fraud not being able to take a beautiful pass that was right on his tape.
Letang is do fucking miserable on the power play. How many passes did he put into the feet of Kessel. For the love of God someone in this organization has to stop catering to egos and make the right personnel moves
I love Letang but ya, he just isnt getting it done. I know the PP numbers may not be in favour of him not being there but I would like to see Maatta or even Cole get a fair look
Lazy Russian
Can the fans chant go pens go or something this is when the team needs the fans support to light them up more. Oh I forgot this is a museum event
Enjoy the garbage games that they are playing .if pens had habs roster and win the games this way I be convinced. Because roster would be full of grinders. But with pens roster and talent those games and wins are unacceptable Mr. Gaydogg
You’re so dumb it’s impossible to even talk to you. I feel bad for other Canadians, they have to endure having you out there destroying them imagine as intelligent hockey people. If I were them I would start a petition to have you deported from Canada immediately.
Can someone help me out? I’m looking everywhere and can’t find the deserve it standings. I can’t find the convincing win standings either. Someone please help!
Who cares if they deserve it, a win is 2pt regardless of how the team plays. 16 undeserved wins is still going to win they Cup, I don’t recall a single time in history that they took the Cup away from a team because they weren’t convincing in their wins. Keep believing that deserving to win actually means something, I mean the only chance Canadian teams have of celebriting the Cup is if the league just awards it to them because they deserve it. God knows they can’t win it.
Hey gaydogg I know you are stupid and you say a win is a win iff pens pull a victory do you think they deserve it?
Is zigomannis still available this team needs more lessons for faceoffs they are getting killed on the faceoffs tonight
How often do Crosby drop passes lead to an odd man rush for the opposition?
Not to mention the passing of the puck out of the slot and further from the net… Most players seem to be guilty
Yes it’s age… He is an old 28 because players of his skill level never maintain any ability by twenty fucking eight. I’m not happy with Sids game, he has clearly not shown the jump but if you really think an athlete of his caliber is shutting down before 30 you’re clueless D
Malkins a year older… Old as fuck. Time to blow it up.
Joe Thornton… 114 points and a Hart Trophy at the same age. Crosby is a better player overall and has a far better shot. I hope Sid pulls his head from his ass for the team, I would hope he does it more now just so we can come back to how ridiculous this is
The year Crosby had 120… Hossa had 100, Sakic had 100, Lecavalier was top 5 and we already discussed Thornton… All the same age or older than Sid is now
You can keep going on this but I think you get the point. Crosbys pouting, playing half assed hockey yes… Too old? That’s letting him off the hook IMO and it’s also lazy reporting in a major way.
What does any of that have to do with how Sid may or may not be aging, every person/player ages differently basically everything you said is no different than saying since Jagr is still playing at 43 every skill player should play until they are 43 or they’re complete pussies. I mean Mario didn’t score 67pts when he was 41 so clearly he wasn’t elite.
When was the last time you can remember a high end athlete losing his ability before the age of 30 that was not injury related? These guys tend to tail off later in the career. The idea that Sid, who is having a bad year, is washed up is a tad premature. I mean lets approach this from another angle so I can take out the part where you will argue because you have to be right about the premise (Which I am not arguing with… I know a lot or player age differently but its not an easy sell… Read more »
Also I would like to point out the strawman absurdity of the point you tried to make here. While I am talking about a 28 year old elite player you counter with a 43 year old that was actually having his best season in 5 years till Barkov went down. You may not believe this but the two are actually mutually exclusive here
If I was trying to compare a 38 year old Sid to the 43 year old man then your point would carry merit… tight now it is not what I am talking about. Elite players generally dont “get old” at 28 regardless of how different everyone ages.
D anyway you can come up with the stats of malkin how many dumb penalty he takes
Fuckinnn lovejoy
$50 bucks bennett gets hurt tonight. any takers??????????
Crosby is a pass first player and doesn’t possess a great shot. Hmmm. Where have I heard that before. Depaoli, you should just repost my comments from the 2010-11 season. Save yourself the hassle.
AT the end of the day a win is a win Thats how Gaydogg looks at even tho all pens victories hasnt been convincing this year so far
Oh yeah the 4-0 against Toronto wasnt convincing at all…should of been 12-0
Yes Toronto a team that is expected to finish last. You’re such a clown
You said no convincing wins moron…that was a convincing win..you never specified what teams they were allowed to have a convincing win against retard
You have to understand – he basically takes time out between handfuls of Doritos to reply. You can’t expect a lucid thought.
Only brainless clowns like you gets exited on those type of victories and when Season end is near you clowns start crossing teams pens. Should avoid to play against
There’s something much more convincing about winning close games than there is winning shootouts.
Yeah with DB pens went to multiple shootouts that Fleury became king of shootouts at least dB did that great for Fleury lol
Almost feels like we have 3 top 6 forwards (Crosby, Malkin, Kessel) and a glut of mid-6 forwards.
Didn’t Kessel fit the description though of a skilled guy with speed to carry the puck that this article states Crosby needs.
He’s in some kind of funk. I’m really not sure what it is. Its lacking a narrative. Crosby isn’t so old that he should have a precipitate decline from best in the world to good 3rd line center. A player of Crosby’s talent should should downshift into an average 1c and at worst a 2c into his mid 30’s.
kessel hasnt been dynamic yes he leads pens in goals but i havent seen that kessel that wants the puck and carries it .also habs 3rd lines and 4th lines have more points then pens top 2 lines its pretty embarrassing when you seen pens top 2 lines salary compare to the 3rd and 4line habs salary .As i always said somethings money cant buy and that is Heart and pens players dont play with heart since 2010
it’s obvious he isn’t having fun and playing for the pens is old to him. plus playing a NJD style system has to make any good player miserable. he needs a change of scenery.
He isn’t having fun! Poor guy! $12 million a year and it’s not enough for him to have fun! Do you know how many twinkies Sam could buy with $12 million???
I hope today is the day pens elevate their game because if they play like the last 2 games habs will Eat them alive all 4 lines would outwork pens overpaid heartless talents .Pens really need contribution from their top guys tonight
i cant believe pens are using Sprong this year
I can’t believe you’ve ever managed to close an open bag of potato chips.
Perron – Malkin – Kessel
Kunitz – Bonino – Hornqvist
Dupuis – Crosby – Bennett
Sprong – Cullen – Fehr
Bennett didn’t get bumped up to the first line. Sid got demoted to the third.
On to RW #3 for Sid. When are we going to realize that the central figure in these mess of lines is…well, your fearless captain. And why the hell are we still listing him as if he’s the 1st line center??
TK lol
Crosby needs someone who can create his own shot? How about sprong
the best thing for cindy would be to play with sprong and bennett. two skilled guys who are excited to have a chance. anything else is boring.
does this mean bennett is playing crosby tonight?
Malkin is amazing are you kidding i have been wrong when i keep saying malkin play is been dropping over the last few years yet Crosby has a slow start and its the end of the world last i checked malkin gets paid big money as well
if pens want a chrsit kunitz type player but the younger version Dustin Brown
when ovi was struggling a few years ago people were saying he is done as well and as for crosby he is setting up plays not his fault if the line mates cant finish it
hahahahha – more excuse making for Princess Cindy! Never gets old.