TIOPS Daily Five
*Rumblings, Musings, Opinions*
1.If anyone wonders why the Penguins didn’t jump at an opportunity to move Chris Kunitz this summer for cap space and to clear a spot for a young player, all you have to do is look at Mike Sullivan’s comments about Kunitz following last night’s preseason game.
This is a player who is loved in the organization.
“He’s a guy, when he’s as old as he is, he’s more of an ageless wonder for me.” Sullivan said. “He’s 37 [years old] but he plays like he’s 27. He’s full of energy. He keeps himself in such great shape, he lives his life the right way. That’s what allows him to play to his age level.”
Sullivan even with his famous line in describing Kunitz last night — “Certainly he was inspiring for our group tonight.”
The hands have gone away to the point where Kunitz isn’t the impact forward he used to be, but he skates well enough where team officials believe he may have a couple more productive years in him as a bottom-6 forward.
In the last year of his current deal that carries a $3.85 million cap hit, Kunitz turned 37 a few days ago.
2. Sidney Crosby is on top of the world. Stanley Cup champion (playoff MVP) in June and now on the verge of a World Cup Championship (likely to be named MVP) to bolster his resume as a generational player. It was only nine months ago that Crosby looked like a broken player under Mike Johnston.
Playing at an unbelievable level in the World Cup, to go with his dominant 200 ft game in the post-season, now Crosby has that “best player in the world” label solely to himself again.
For how long remains to be seen because there’s a kid named Connor McDavid over in Edmonton ready to take Crosby’s throne, but the way Crosby looks right now in playing at an all-world level, the chances of the Penguins coming out of the gates like a team having a Stanley Cup hangover diminish.
The previous two Cup winners, Chicago and Los Angeles, played around .500 hockey through the first two months of the season following their championship seasons. Chicago didn’t get out of the first round last post-season and Los Angeles missed the playoffs all together in 2014-2015.
Blackhawks 15-9-4 in first 28 games
Kings 14-9-5 in first 28 games.
What many will be watching with Crosby as the season progresses is whether he’s bound to slow down.
This is a player who played 104 games last season and didn’t even have three months to rest before going to Canada’s World Cup training camp and this tournament means the world to Crosby. He takes no days off with his training. Assuming Canada wins tonight, Crosby will have played 110 hockey games in a 355 day span.
3. What is Tristan Jarry’s ceiling? When the Penguins traded up for Jarry in the 2013 draft, the organization’s amateur scouts strongly saw a ceiling of a No. 1 goaltender. They loved the kid coming out. This was the same summer where former GM Ray Shero nearly pulled off a trade for Jonathan Bernier from the LA Kings that would have ended Marc Andre Fleury’s tenure as a Penguin.
A little over three years later, there’s a lot less No. 1 goaltender talk surrounding Jarry, especially from scouts around the league, but the tools are obviously there for Jarry to become a solid No. 2 NHL goaltender and that would be a win for the Penguins.
Mike Sullivan was gushing about Jarry last night and pointed out an interesting aspect of Jarry’s game in how he handles the puck extremely well.
“I think we are all excited about Tristan’s potential,” Sullivan said. “He has the ability to be a real good goalie. Handles the puck extremely well. When he adds that element to his game, I think it helps the defensemen. They don’t have to take as many hits. We can get out of our end zone more efficiently and cleaner.”
4. Kevin Stallings was a hiring that Pitt AD Scott Barnes was highly criticized for but I think many will be changing their tune shortly.
Stallings is going to be a breath of fresh air for that program with an offensive first mentality. Ball handlers are being influenced to push the floor and be creative, the total opposite of Jamie Dixon who often had players being scared to not make mistakes.
Maybe Stallings doesn’t get Pitt back to the 2003-2009 type level but a more exciting offensive brand of basketball is going to be seen on the court and it’s the best route to take in becoming a dangerous team again in the tournament that can get hot out of the blue. Trying to play Big East defensive brand of basketball doesn’t work in 2016 anymore as an ACC team.
On the personnel front, Stallings move to play Jamel Artis at point guard is an interesting one that could pay off big time.
“I see a lot of upside for our team with Jamel at point guard,” Stallings said earlier this week. “Initially there may be a greater risk, but eventually, I think there will be a greater reward if that’s something that pans out the way my mind’s eye sees it.”
Artis averaged 14.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3 assists per game last season.
“This is a team that is going to have more freedom than past years that I’ve been here, and I like that a lot, because I don’t really think I could show my talents [under Jamie Dixon],” Artis said. “Teams let point guards push the ball down the court, and for me to push the ball down the court is a good thing.”
Before Pitt has even played a game yet, Stallings surely won a lot of fans over today in putting WVU back on Pitt’s schedule for the next four seasons.
5. When the Pirates and Ivan Nova’s representative Greg Genske engaged in contract talks earlier this month, the two sides were about To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
Apparently DB got out coached tonight
Hey Yoda how did fleury do tonight?
There is a guy in Chicago named “Lumberg”… all I hear when they announce his name is “Well Lumberg F-ucked Her” from office space
Guys – don’t tell anyone – but sam is going around thumbs-downing everyone again.
Twice
http://i.giphy.com/3sV6yZJTk2WFq.gif
we all know sid won’t have a stanley cup hangover, but malkin is another story.
Sid’s hangovers occur in years when they lose in the first round, I guess.
http://i.giphy.com/11ocEaLDZafNHa.gif
What the fuck is that?
That is what yoda looks like to the rest of us with all his “insight and prophecies”
it really sucks that moreheist blocked the 2013 deal that would have shipped st.bleury out of here. now they may have to move murray because of their strange love affair. way to go pens
Kill yourself lol
Remember when yoda thought we’d just lose Murray for nothing like three days ago because he’s a goddamn moron?
Sure do!
You finally get it that Murray is a goner.
“Way to go Pens, you have only managed to win two championships in the last 7 years… only one other team has done better… in a league of 30 teams… I am so upset that my vag is drying up and blistering” – yodirt
Funny how with 2 championship in 7 years they are good team yet when it was 1 championship in 7 years this Era was a waste of time along with clown dB with one extra cup everything is fine
That “clown” has the same number of Cups as Bob Hartley. Fact.
Only idiots like you think dB is a good coach and not a fraud to all coaches in th league I guess the us media really brainwashed dickk heads like you
Maybe the point was, Bob Hartley also sucks, yet you won’t take his pen1s from between your tits.
Okay let me fix it for you… 2 championships in 7 years with a bright future because Sullivan has sorted out the mess good. End of the day both the coaches have more fucking cups than Therrien. As frustrating as it was to watch them go out with a whimper every post season adding a second in the 7th year (so 1 in 6 you mathematically illiterate turd nugget) actually makes up for a lot of the frustrating losses so eat a fucken bag of dicks retard haha
Sully never out the mess the real mess was shero,db orpig, TK,bennett when same wanted them gone since 2010
Why do you feel the need to declare war on English like this all the time?
reenactment of the internet telling yoda that Moorehouse “blocked a 2013 deal” to move Fleury
http://i.giphy.com/g1fJwuYh3QPw4.gif
Also anyone on earth that would have taken Bernier over MAF is fucking dumber than we have ever given anyone credit for!!!
Bennett injured yet?
Montreal eliminated from the playoffs yet?
Hard to be eliminated from something you can’t even qualify for.
oilers made the playoffs yet ?
[fill in canadian team here] made the playoffs yet?
LOL, difference between you and I? I am actually a Penguins fan you fucken retard lol
I love how Sam posts something, something that no one would want tied to, and it immediately gets a thumbs up.
Sorry tbj, that was me giving you the thumbs down. Sam’s untouchable.
Somehow I get the blame to give people thumbs down even when I’m not here and no one blames gaydogg,stain or that fat slob npl
It probably has something to do with you going around and giving everyone a thumbs down, and being the only one to bitch about it when they give you a thumbs down. That’s just my guess though – ask Maloni – he’d know more – he played beer league dek hockey.
That probably has something to do with the fact that I’ve never once given either a thumbs up or thumbs down vote because I think it’s the 2nd dumbest thing in the world next to you. It could also have something to do with the fact that I’ve already caught you red-handed doing it and called you out for it.
3rd… yoda has to be 1b
Marchand should have won the mvp, and what a piece of shiit trophy that was.
Ya it’s fucking hideous lol. Crosby was the leader throughout the tourney. Lead in scoring and I believe had he top +\-… like the Conn Smythe it’s not a travesty.
Marchand really stepped up in the medal round and did most of his scoring there including he tourney clincher… would have been nice to see him get that award especially in Montreal lol
Maloni – trophy extraordinaire. Also well versed in backup goaltenders and 5th line AHL wingers.
That’s because I actually grew up playing the game. Everything you know about hockey is from your play station manual.
No everything that stain and npl knows about hockey is from this site Playstation is to advanced for them.
To advanced. Far two advanced Sam.
Oh. That’s right. I forgot you think dabbling in beer league dek hockey makes you “knowledgeable”. That was always extra hilarious.
Can you imagine how much Canada would have dominated with #Zak in goal?
How would you know, you don’t even know what you’re watching. #Powerplay
I think it’s funny that you think you can come back from saying they’d. NEver win with this roster and this ownership and then they won a cup two months later. #MrMom. #YouKnowNadda. Sestito!
You’re right, everyone was picking the Pens to win the cup last November. I remember every single one of your posts about Sid being the inevitable mvp. #pharmsalesboy
He wanted pens take the C away from crosby and putted on Kessel as Chubby. Also wanted both letang and sid be traded while little that he knows those 2 carried the team in the playoffs
I don’t think everyone was picking them to win. But there were only two of you saying it was time to start over. And that’s pretty embarrassing. Guess dek hockey couldn’t save you that time. #Zak. #MrMom
I like the positive commentary on Sid by you D… were you not one of the drivers of the “he may have just got old fast” bus last year? lol
In his defense, Sid looked really vanilla for the first half of last year. I think a lot of people were thinking that. He’s been in the league ten years, but he’s taken a beating. I’m more worried about the end of this year with the pens. That’s a ton of hockey in one calender year. I just hope the kid has a few more years of elite hockey in him. I think our window stays open as long as he does.
Oh ya he was shit but to think it was age vs Mike Johnston who we did see slow the team down and the back end of last year too.
It could be a combination of both. Not necessarily him getting old, but him just not playing well. You can’t sell me that he looked like himself, regardless of who was coaching. He didn’t look as fast and his offensive ability looked like it took a step back. I agree Johnson had a lot to do with it, but I also think it’s on him too.
I’ve mulled it over, Johnston really preached a five man unit and slowed the offence… Sid showed all that. It’s not excusing him but there was a connection although it wasn’t so obvious until he broke out after Johnston was fired
Buying stock in kleenex as we speak… sam will be cleaning them out and jerking himself off for the next week and a half with this one
Other than Weber and price rest of team Canada player play for American teams
This proves to stain and rest of clowns without Canadian stars US teams won’t be in business and have nothing but empty arenas competing with museums and funeral homes about being the most silent place to be
Or it proves there are a lot more US based teams than Canadian ones
Lol I like how same gave you a thumbs down when you agreed with him.
Are you kidding me divide all those canadians in 7 Canadian teams and you’ll see how they will have chance to win but somehow us teams always suckk more and get better players and send us their fraud players to Canada to screw the team. Now I am stuck to watch pacioretty that fraud dragging Habs team down
I thought you were a pens fan?
We sent them all of our fraud players. That’s why nobody can run a team up there I guess.
Why would we divide them on to 7 Canadian teams? The NHL is in the BUSINESS of hockey. If Canada is still producing the lion-share and we tend to see more Canadians in the upper echelon of production vs other countries, although this is changing as other countries improve, it would make zero sense to do this. It’s an international game now… I like that fact. I prefer to see the best in the world play in the same league. With 31 teams it’s already a little watered down so I think the idea of making sure the league shows… Read more »
Subban is an idiot you dont know what was happening behind close doors
Neither do you fuckface, Subban is a better player at this point of their careers than Weber. All this “Subbans attitude” is nothing more than media justification for a stupid fucking trade. 99% of which is coming from idiot Therrien not being a fan of his… you’re so dumb.
Has to be a nice consolation prize to the entire country missing the playoffs. #OurGame
Was this a Boston bruins night all 3 goals were bruins members
50 bucks Marchand wins the MVP
Europe deserves a ton of credit here! They played very well
Wouldn’t scoff at Sid winning the MVP either… he was very good and led in scoring.
This one is for stain He took 2 month off Last season so he can play all the way Until September this season. Stain must be happy with this news
Shut the fuck up
Typical Canadians. As soon as the seasons over they rush to play for their country. Just like that puke Lemieux. Ran to play in the Olympics on a bad hip and then shut it down for the season. Lazy Canadians. How’d I do?