Penguins/NHL
On the Penguins
Jim Rutherford is always in trade discussions and will be until the deadline clock expires. That’s just how he operates. Pittsburgh also continues to monitor one swing for the fences trade target as the deadline is eight days away. More on that tomorrow.
Despite the Penguins entering Sunday one point out of a playoff spot, multiple NHL sources contend Rutherford continues to tell others around the league he believes he has built a legitimate Stanley Cup contender as the roster is currently constructed and that will play out as this group gets healthy.
But, is that reality?
An observation of the Penguins almost sixty games in and a clear observation from the past three games is how the Penguins are going to sink or swim depending on whether they get great goaltending or not.
Matt Murray saved the Penguins this week with how well he played vs Philadelphia and Edmonton from their being a major panic in Pittsburgh right now. As Murray’s level of play dropped significantly vs Calgary, Pittsburgh’s lack of defensive commitment to limit odd-man rushes or defend the net-front with any effort saw pucks get behind Murray that also easily could have in the previous two games.
Something that is getting overlooked with the Penguins third period rally is Pittsburgh was out-scored 4-1 during 5-on-5 play vs the Flames and you could pretty much chalk it up as 4-0 since the Guentzel goal came seconds after the power play expired.
The Penguins 5 vs 5 play in all three zones just isn’t good enough where they’re a team that now has to rely heavily on great goaltending and a great power play.
That’s not a great recipe for a long playoff run.
The wins vs Edmonton and Philadelphia also covered up the fact that the lines are a bit of a mess right now with Phil Kessel playing the left wing, Sidney Crosby To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
Those close to the situation in Pittsburgh and others around the league sense Rutherford is being truthful that he doesn’t want to make another move and feels the heavy lifting has already done.
But, more and more with this club, it becomes clear that Rutherford still needs to fix some of his mistakes ahead of the deadline and there will be more heavy lifting in the summer to do where the Penguins have $80 million tied up to 16 players for next season, with dead weight on the roster in the likes of Tanner Pearson and Jack Johnson eating up over $7 million against the cap when they are replacement level players.
Those are decisions that will eventually catch up to you and they now are.
— Trailing by one goal, Jake Guentzel the Penguins best goal scorer this season who is also one of the Penguins best players at deflecting pucks, didn’t see the ice for the final 2:58 of Saturday’s game vs Flames. Just inexcusable.
Penguins Going d-Man Hunting?
— There has not been a panic To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
Man, watching hockey over the last few days there are some really good teams out there. Pens aren’t one of them.
Glad you just noticed that
What a crazy game going on hawks vs sens. Ideal match for your typical bandwagons to drool on
You are always drooling.
Wipe your mouth Stan.
Dusty volunteering the fact he’s a fucken moron again…
Instead of an “I love you more” he caped for the sammich, awwwwe
I would, but seeing as how I am not Stan and you and Sam(e) have a bromance going on I would say that you are the one who should be wiping your chin.
Guy bitches every time the Pens score 3+… jacks off over an 8-7 game for two non-Pittsburgh teams, the only thing more pathetic is your nightly Skype is below tugging your nuts in the thread lol
Wasn’t there supposed to be an updated article today d?
“Pittsburgh also continues to monitor one swing for the fences trade target as the deadline is eight days away. More on that tomorrow.”
Who told you that tbj your uncle D
It’s in the first paragraph above. Further confirmation you don’t know how to read.
Is anyone really surprised about JJ?
What happened?
He sucks…. figures you’d need instruction here
He sucks, lol – the real ? Is how will JR clean this one up?
Rumor has it the Penguins offered Maatta, Simon and ZAR to the oilers for McDavid and their first round pick in 2020.
And quietly crosby is in the top 10 in points this season
He almost caught your boy MacKinnon.
You mean Nathan.
“Quietly”… 3rd star of the week this week… 1st star a few weeks back. People have noticed lol
Simply Dusty believes he is THN Matt Larkin and T4Ps Dave Pagnotta combined lol. Come on Dusty, what other trade ideas of theirs do you want to claim as your own?
I don’t have any idea what you just said. Is that French Canadian?
Sam, can I get a translation here?
I’d state you’re feigning a misunderstanding of plain English but you’re such a dumb Fuxk I actually believe you
I still have no idea what your original comment says. But you believe me, so that’s progress.
Again, unsurprising
Letang. Last year 79GP. 51 points
This year 57GP 52 points
I think he can and should score 20 goals this year
Ducks Ducks
Florida crushes Montreal.
Pens now the 7 seed.
Did you they had a sold out game
Reality, they are not getting a new goalie. They could augment the D sure but unlikely. If they make changes it’s probably at forward and while I don’t think they need to go all out for a fwd…. I want Zuc
It’s about time you stopped listening to D and started taking my ideas as if you thought of them. Good to see you stopped drooling over Ferland.
Dustin = Same
Well, he legit just claimed the fourth period pagnotta as his own idea so this couldn’t be more true lol
I’d much rather have Ferland… the Brassard trade removed assets that could have been used for that you fucken retard. “Too old” = affordable… On that note, it’s funny how you’re claiming Zuccerello as “your idea” when the name had been linked to the Pens by multiple professionals before you made your statement lol. What a loser lol
Watching his game yesterday and the team struggling to find a good fit with Sid… from a potential affordable POV, Zucc makes sense at this point… when you read someone else’s work remember to revisit their ideas as scenarios change.
Too old and small.
He’s a natural RW though, he could fit with Sids line and that age may mean the Pens have leverage to make a deal without giving away too much
I really hope moron nation doesn’t get drunk on the ZAR narrative. Strictly a bottom six player.
Bull but there is no bull button to push. He has more potential than you give him.
And Zatkoff was a starter, right chief? A line with Malkin and Kessel needs someone like him. Play him there until it doesn’t work for an extended period of time.
I haven’t missed one yet Fleury-PJ boy. You worshiped Fleury for years and cried like a bitch every time I roasted the mental midget. ZAR is a bottom six player. I’ll give you a few more weeks to figure it out.
Btw, don’t think I ever called Zatkoff a starter. I made the same observation about him that Sullivan did a couple weeks ago. You just still don’t get it
You said to start him in a playoff game (!) over both Murray and Fleury. Don’t try to lie. And you can say all you want about me being a MAF fan boy, meanwhile I’ve been posting the exact opposite for who knows how long. Funny how morons like you make shit up to try to win an argument. Lol clueless.
Furthermore, you don’t understand the game enough to explain anything to, so I won’t bother. The fact that you claim to have watched the last two games and think Hornqvist looks better than ZAR is comical. Maybe it’s you with the Hornqvist pjs, since you apparently have such an infatuation with what other guys sleep in.
Maybe saddest post of the season. Are you actually arguing for ZAR over Horny? Think Horny’s play has anything to do with the talent on that third line? Yes ZAR’s two o zone penalties against Calgary were impressive
Dude, I remember you. You were the biggest flurry backer on this site until Murray came along. Don’t deny it now
He is a bottom six guy however if he fits with Malkin because he is able to grind out pucks and wins 50/50 battles then he should stay there. It was only one part of one game but it would be silly not to go back to it.
Crosby has won three cups playing with guys that are bottom six maybe second liners at best less him…. so if ZAR fits, he sits lol
They’ll go HS I tonit because they ya e little choice. He’s not the solution though. Rather see horny on Crosby’s wing and Rust on Geno’s left
I was talking about it with Dan Kingerski fwiw… he had noted that the Crosby Hornqvist combo was solid in 16 but they are all over the board since which factors into why he won’t go to that line.
Oh god, just actually read the article. Please no Ben Lovejoy. The droolers on this site are gonna be drooling non-stop now.
Put Murray on IR to free up cap space. Go trade for Zuccarello, Simmonds or Nyquist (yes, trade 1st rounder). Let Jarry and DeSmith get this team into the playoffs. At that point, bring back Murray. He’s an MLB closer, nothing more.
Actually put people in the right roles.
Guentzel – Crosby – new winger
Rust – Malkin – Kessell
Blueger/ZAR – Bjugstad – Hornqvist
Pearson – McCann – Simon
Cullen cheerleader in the locker room.
Letang – Dumo
Schultz – Johnson
Pettersson – Maatta
This team wins a cup.
ahh you do know Maatta is out like a while?
Playoffs. I’m not overly concerned with regular season. They’ll sneak in as the 7 at the very least.
He’s not concerned with the season… so IR Murray for cap space…
WAT
Wait… Is Murray injured?
You can easily get Murray ob LTIR and nobody would question it. Or they could go public with his addiction….but I doubt they will till the offseason.
If that game accomplished nothing else I hope he gets Bjugstad out of the top six. He’s a nice player but needs to anchor his own line.
He looked better with McCann and Hornqvist
We give up a ton of chances and goals. This needs addressed at the deadline.
Too late. Offseason.
Playing Hanging Chad this much is going to kill us.
Like ZAR with 81 & 71. Wasn’t working with Bjugstad
Maloni said Bjugstad is better as the 3rd line center. Good call.
Who That Sam….That Geno
GENO IS BACK!!!
Sully great coaching in this period. Shuffled the lines and after the kill the pens have dominated.
I think he is only coaching during third periods
Still more than the last two coaches did.
oh I agree and at least he changes with the game situation unlike Tomlin.
I still believe MJ had no idea where he was or what sport was supposed to be coaching. He had that same dumb look on his face that George W. Bush always had.
Interesting third line 19,72,27
I liked the line, give it a few to see if Offense develops
Maybe that suspension pissed him off. Good!
Who that Sam. That Geno !!!
This they see
Way to go Sid.
That second round pick we gave up to get rid of Br@SID4800$$@SID4800$$ is starting to look more and more valuable.
Magic number is 4 again regardless which moron is in net
With a disease like Letang playing defense, we’re lucky it’s not 7. At least he can make up for it offensively from time to time.
how long till the even up call? We got 3 in a row
Just now.
so happy that aston reese and simon have been reunited. it will be even better when simon is back on the 1st line by the end of the game!!!
Why Simon has brought very little to the table. ZAR bring grit at least.
Don Cherry of all people hates the Carolina celebrations. The same guy who does anything for attention and to stay relevant in the hockey world. Don Cherry… the pride of Canada lol.
If I wanted to see Carolina celebrations would go back to watching NFL.
I just find it funny that he is the poster boy for look at my and bashes anyone else for doing it.
Don Cherry reminds me of an old time WWF wrestler who is more of a cartoon than a person.
They are actually entertaining.
Brian Burke also hates it you puke
and he is American.
I think penguins can do those type of celebrations since their majority fan base are kids and have weird players like kessel
That is not much of an endorsement. BB was the joke of Toronto.
Pierre really stepping it up today with useless information.
having a hell of a time trying to sync pens radio with todays game. Still wont listen to NBC too much useless talk game can speak for itself most times.
I mean who cares where they went to high school.
They all do this… I think they do it to try and sound smart meanwhile they have all the notes infront of them.
Pierre is creepy. I know they all do it but he’s way over the top with his.
That he is.
Only time ppg is full of people since game average fan base are kids and game played day time. It’s like a outing event for those bandwagon’s
Is that supposed to be English?
Says the guy who has never been there.
Murray and Pearson for Quick and Hags
sullivan would prefer desmith and aston reese
Malkin and kessel are even strength ghosts. If those two don’t produce even strength, stick a fork in the pens hopes.
Didn’t you once say once MAF was gone all of our goalie problems will be solved? Just asking 🙂
yeah they were. they won back to back cups. what did you patron saint do in the finals last year? .840%…..and i looooooooooooove it!
Didn’t care what he went for the Knights he wasn’t a Pens goalie.
Great Goaltending? Hell I would just settle for adequate right now.
DeSmith is at .916 and Murray is at .913, good for 13th and 18th. Pretty much the definition of adequate. MAF is at .908, good for 27th. If the Pens had goaltending that stopped pucks at that clip, they’d be 8-10 points out of the playoffs.
too many second shots and rebounds given up by Pens goalies the proliferation of shots can be directly tied to that. In Murrays “Super Game” recently how many 2nd and 3rd chances could better rebound control prevent.
He faced 90 shots in those two wins. Even if he gave up 10 bad rebounds, which is being very liberal, he was still facing way too many shots. And he also faces way too many odd man breaks. Our goaltending has been average. Our team defense has been below. Our goaltending now actually reminds me of when Fleury was here. Kind of a rollercoaster.
WTF does MAF have to do with Pens lack of quality goal tending now. Stick on subject. Will give you are defense is way below average and soft at best.
The Penguins don’t have a lack of quality goaltending, which the numbers I gave you show. Since you’re still banging MAF’s drum, I made the comparison. He’s been worse, but apparently facts and numbers are irrelevant, so I wont bother.
Thanks for pointing out the Guentzel thing. I spent the last two minutes of the game wondering if Sullivan was going to pull his head out of his ass and put Jake out there.
It was especially noticeable when Hornqvist whiffed on that prime chance. Guentzel should be playing ahead of him at every turn. Love Hornqvist, but 59 is just the better option right now.
Thought Guentzel was hurt was screaming the same thing at the tv during the game.