NHL Source: Penguins mulling options to add impact forward
The last two games for the Penguins in losses to the Boston Bruins and the St. Louis Blues has highlighted some things of why the Penguins are trying to add a top-9 forward by the March 1 deadline and are also evaluating the market for a defensemen.
In two games vs the Bruins in a four day span, the Bruins out-attempted the Penguins 152-85, with a +23 advantage in shots, putting up 45 and 37 shots respectively against the Penguins.
5 v 5 the Penguins had just 13 shots in Thursday night’s loss, including 5 shots at even strength over the final 44 minutes of regulation.
What this game showed was how much the Penguins missed Evgeni Malkin.
Some 5 v 5 Shot Attempts For percentages vs the Bruins on 1/26/17
Sidney Crosby – 11/22, 33 CF%
Conor Sheary – 8/23, 26 CF%
Bryan Rust – 10/21, 32 CF%
Jake Guentzel – 3/11, 21 CF%
Pittsburgh’s top-2 lines were bleeding shot attempts all night.
When Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel lines were on the ice, the Penguins controlled just 30% of shot attempts, while the Bergeron and Backes lines gave the Penguins fits all night.
Mike Sullivan afterwards defended the use of Crosby’s line in not trying to get away from the Bergeron line much.
“Sid’s used to playing against that [oppositions top lines] night in and night out. He does it all the time. That’s what makes him as good as he is. When you look at that line (Marchand-Bergeron-Pasternack), that’s their top defensive line as well. So, we like that match sometimes too. I don’t think that was a huge strategy advantage on either side. There were some instances off of [icings], on occasion where we tried to free him [Sidney Crosby] up a moment to see if we could get some momemntum. Boston is a team that likes their matches and they go to the bench to get their matches.”
Stating the obvious, Evgeni Malkin was desperately missed in this one, especially with the HBK line on the decline this season as a whole. The line covered up so much when Malkin was injured last season and when Malkin was largely inconsistent in the playoffs. This season it’s a different story.
Phil Kessel has played over 270 minutes with Nick Bonino and has scored just 2 goals with Bonino as his center with a 44 CF%. Last season when Kessel and Bonino were on the ice together, the Penguins had a Goals For/60 percentage of 4.30. This season 1.75.
What Penguin management continues to weigh heading [hide] into the March 1 deadline is things like whether the production and dominance at times of the HBK line was nothing more than an outlier last season. Other discussions internally the Penguins are said to be weighing in their deadline preparation is the fact that injuries have slowed Evgeni Malkin down the stretch which has been a problem in past seasons.
Jake Guentzel is also a factor. The organization thinks the world of him long-term but he’s still in that evaluation period for the next couple weeks in regards to whether the Penguins are fully confident he’s ready to lock down a top-6/top-9 role. If he struggles the next little bit, it will impact what they do at the deadline.
A new name to surface in recent days on the rumor mill?
NHL sources say the Penguins have discussed pursuing Red Wings winger Gustav Nyquist. The Red Wings are shopping for a defenseman and have put Nyquist’s name out there before his no trade clause kicks in on July 1, 2017.
The Penguins are looking to add even more speed and Nyquist is an amazing elusive skater whose numbers have dipped the last two years but has 30 goal ability in the right situation, scouts feel.
Nyguist’s career high in goals is 28 in 2013-2014 and had a career high 54 points in 2014-2015.
The negative?
Two years left on his contract with a $4.75 million cap hit. Lots of teams are interested, though. Carolina, Chicago among the teams with strong interest.
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Carter Rowney getting a shot an C? Any particular reason they decided not to look at Sundqvist here?
Same disagrees because he also hates Swedes… I should message the nearest IKEA to be on the look out for our lil sammich here
PQ authorities have one suspect in custody…. just checking in to see if it was sammich or his accomplice.
Shut up Ron Klatt you fucking liberal. Disgrace for Alberta.
So were you and Mr Boissonnette close? Did you learn all your intolerance for those with different skin or religious beliefs from him? Bet you two exchange spit and other fluids while you dreamed up this horrible crime!
More I read about this kid the more he sounds like you sammich… he is a bigot that seems to be enamoured with anything that is inline with hating on minority groups. He is very Pro-Trump, anti-immigration… he is basically the living embodiment of sammiches body of work out here
You know sammich it is really tragic that this sort of thing happens. When people promote hate as opposed to trying to live with one another. And so close to home for you… I mean I knew that Quebec has traditionally been one of the more racist places in the country but this is insane. Within the last few months you have been shouting about people using racial slurs from the window of their vehicle in Alberta or shitting on the US citizens here because of tragedies like this in the US but here we are… something very ugly and… Read more »
Quebec has the most multicultural different type of nationalities .in he all the world. Nice try about the racist
Alberta is a racist province and hypocrites Ron Klatt talks about how quebec is separatist yet hypocrite Alberta is the real separatist. Waiting the right opportunity to unit with the USA
“unit with the USA” lol. The amount of racism and bigotry that you spit out here daily really shows otherwise. I mean you typed this “Wtfff is this world coming to a ****** winning the mvp.” (SIC) not even 24 hours ago. As for separation… the so called movement in Alberta has always been and continues to be a very small minority. In Quebec you morons have held multiple referendums and even had a separatist party elected as the official opposition in our government. It’s not even close to the same lol You are very wrong on all counts once… Read more »
First off I’m against separation and 2nd I always vote for conservative party not PQ or your liberal hero Justin Bieber. I mean Trudeau
Good fer you… you go ahead and shit on the guy born in the french area of Ontario, right next door to your Province (educated at McGill FFS) while lamenting a guy that openly bashed Quebec (and was born in Toronto, educated in Calgary) until he needed your vote you fucken moron HAHAHAHA. you’re so fucken stupid lol Only you would make a statement that makes you feel superior about something while at the same time making it clear you really don’t understand the political climate of this country overall. Trudeau has better interest in mind for your Province than… Read more »
I think same had gotten owned in every argument he’s ever had. He’s a blatant racist, then bashes people for being racist, then calls people hypocrites. His level of idiocy is unparalleled.
It’s even better when one only has to scroll down the page a bit to find him contradicting himself about the rampant racism in his province. In fact it’s gotten to the point where their government feels they had to open an investigation into the systemic racism that has been holding minority groups down in that part of the country recently lol.
On that note… I am more of a centrist… I vote for whoever makes sense. I have voted conservatives and Liberals at different points of my life. I find being married to a party simply because you wave their coloured flag defeats the purpose of democracy. Some days you wont align with the guys on the left and others the same can be said for the right dumbass.
Quebec is 87.2% white… Alberta is 75.4%… Jesus sammich you need to stop lying and making shit up. You’re getting worse than yoda
*Bissonnette… apparently they got the spelling of his fucken name wrong too. The PQ police keep fucking this up… 1st they have arrested a “suspect” that was considered a suspect because his name was Mohammed then they can’t even release the kids name right lol.
Fleury looked good today.
So did our Russian on his vacation
They probably designated a player read stories to letang while he drooled on himself. Malkin probably drew the short straw.
you are aware sids skipped the all-star game before
Not a bad game. I honestly thought holtby deserved the mvp. Nick Jonas blows.
Yes he blows He was the only white. the band was all black .but must be all normal to you since you’ve caught your mom in similar scenarios
Sammich… you weren’t in Quebec City today were you? I mean with the bigoted shit you tend to spit out here I wouldn’t be surprised to see you end up in a news story like that!
Get fuckedd you fake canadian liberal.
Awe sammich that’s no way to treat the people that pay for you live in “French Canada” lol
They are talking about you on the news this morning sammich… something about a pigs head. You’re pretty fuckedup
Every time you post, I’m thankful that you didn’t do this great country the disservice of being born here.
More like a joke of a country a pure circus entertainment with no manners and nothing but fat arrogant clowns
You wish. You and the rest of the french pu$$ies up there mean nothing to anyone. You’re an embarrassment to your own country and are known to be a shitty, 3rd world country to endow else. The only thing there is to do is play hockey and you haven’t event won at that in 23 years. The fact that you comment on others manners when you’re the piece of garbage you are is laughable. They could wipe you and your kind off the earth and everyone would be better off.
I am also thankful that he is in “French Canada” and not the areas that actually do things for the country.
Trade Bonino
The blues don’t want the st bleury, the patron saint of clowns. #cantgivehimaway, #playoffdistraction, #buyhimoutrighteffingnow
#triggeredfraudfearspink
According to thefourthperiod.com
Wtfff is this world coming to a nigger winning the mvp.
Better than a cowardly French Frog.
Will your Russian be ready or still be on vacation
Glenn Anderson, Mike Gartner, Phil Housley, Dave anderchuck, Doug Gilmour
Are you just listing random names?
Pee wee Herman, Gary Busey, Mr Dressup
Larry Murphy > Duncan Keith
Cash me ousside… how bah dah
Diego, if there was violence or any of that nonsense at the pro-life march, you bet your ass the media would cover it. It doesn’t fit the liberal agenda.
Another good read from Ryan Wilson on hockeybuzz. Might wanna check it out sam.
Remember same told you clownss that kessel was a fraud, then he lead our team in scoring and to a Stanley Cup? Kessel sucks guyss.
When HBK line was good people here were coming in their pants when Same said I doubt they will repeat again this year I guess same was right chubby been okay haggy and bonino absolute garbage. Where is Sutter? His time with pens was good I bet he would’ve clicked with haggy and chubby too. That fraud bonino
Sutter, hilarious. Please learn grammar and english, please.
He doesn’t have the mental capacity. Sutter was brutal. We trade him and win a cup, yet stupid sam wants him back. The key point in this article is the mention of how the penguins desperately miss Malkin.
Same is Malkin back in Russia yet?
Sad day for tbj,ShitStain and zerotool malkin was not part of the 100 best player of all time
Couldn’t care less. The only thing I really care about is the penguins winning and he helps that happen. You wouldn’t understand, because you’re not a fan.
He also helps by killing teams momentum with dumb offensive zone penalties
You know what else kills things like “momentum” and possession… not winning fucken faceoffs. Maybe you can compose a memo for Sid to remind him to work on the circle again fuckhead!
Ahahaha must be a joken zerotool malkin is worst when it comes to offensive zone faceoff
In the last 5 games including the two recent losses Crosby’s faceoffs have been below 50% in all but one… was below 40% in three. Of course you’d ignore the noticeable slip in that part of his game. In the last few games people have questioned the team possession and even blamed Rust for Sids drop… there’s a correlation between the teams inability to control the play and Sid getting his ass kicked in the dot!
Lol, yes sammich… Toews, Kane and Keith all made it over him so the list is nont controversial at all. The simple fact that it was broken down by decade was probably the first clue it was going to be ****!
I dare anyone to fine me one GM who would have taken Duncan Keith over Malkin knowing what they know now. It’s so obvious – if he wasn’t russian, he’d be on the list – that’s just the way it goes.
Ah I tough only Sam saw this way about Russians
Did you “tough” this about Iginla too fuckhead? If you were paying attention he’s not on the list either lol
Or Larry Murphy in his prime. Keith is good but Murphy? When you score 1200 points as a defenceman known for being a strong defender it’s kind of a slap in the face to be overlooked
Why is it sad? I’ve been laughing my asss off about it all morning – i mean, what kind of morons put this list together? Was it you and Yoda?
Love how you omit things for your narrative. Reality is the HBK line was on fire late in the season when teams and players amp things up. If anything Hagelin is as much a concern as Bonino right now. End of the day all three of those guys have something Sutter don’t, a cup. Sutter was fucken trash period, a possession black hole.
Interestingly enough you skirted around the comment about how much they missed Malkin… how bah dah?
Sutter 3rd liner with 19 goals also he did not have Kessel or haggy as wings
And the 2 years Sutter was with pens he was by far best player in the playoffs for the pens
Sutter has 12 goals this year and he has taken shifts with the Sedins you lying sack. He’s also tied with the second lowest +/- on the team. It’s fucken gold how you would try to use stats to justify Sutter when you attempt to exclude them talking about Malkin… not to mention the fact that you have to lie and make shit up lol. As for Kessel… ya Sutter hit 21 three years ago. That’s effectively Kessel career low outside his rookie and sophomore years. When you consider that he is good for 50 to 60 points at least… Read more »
We already have sutter. His name is Matt Cullen. And he’s a hell of a lot cheaper.
Fleury for shattenkirk heating up
More to come morons
lol ya right. Maybe if we throw in sid. Murray for shat would be a good trade. We would be lucky to get that type of return for Murray.
The problem is pens won with Murray and think they are good enough to win with any goalie even if u have a donkey in net pens will still get the W. And for that reason they want to dump fleury and is salary which suckks for fleury because he doesn’t deserve this. All I can say pens will regret trading Fleury and will miss him once Murray will start playing too many games and have meltdown during season and be injured often
Kind of like Fleury melted down last season, then in the playoffs, then this season, and countless times over the past 6 years? Kind of like that?
Only melting down here is you over db
You’re literally the only person that still talks about DB lol
Yoda v2.0
Still a moron. Stop posting Dusty.
Beerman was a class act and genuinely liked by everyone on the board… you’re a stupid cuntt so stop theiving his schtick dickhead