SATURDAY’S PENGUINS BUZZ
“I don’t think he [Antti Niemi] really had to battle to see pucks. We didn’t have much of a net-front presence. They block shots when they need to and when we get some through, he saw most of them. We’ve got to make it tougher on goalies.”
Those were Sidney Crosby’s comments following Thursday’s 4-1 loss.
Basically those are Sidney Crosby’s comments after a lot of games……
Until the Penguins start becoming a team that consistently provides a net presence, changing lines isn’t going to do much.
— Pascal Dupuis is already playing on the first line by default and it’s going to be the same story with Eric Fehr. The Penguins plan to use Fehr at left wing in upcoming practices to see how the transition goes.
— Saying the Sidney Crosby – Phil Kessel experiment was a failure is off-base. It was more of a left wing problem than anything. Will probably be the case for Kessel and Malkin with Sergei Plotnikov over there on the left side.
— James Neal has 5 goals and 3 assists on the season and observers say he looks a lot more comfortable this season in Nashville compared to his first year. Patric Hornqvist is great in the room, type of player the Penguins needed, but at the expense of a 40 goal scorer in his prime? Neal became the scapegoat when Jim Rutherford took the job as Rutherford was told by his bosses to move Neal that summer. The next couple years will show how low the Penguins sold on Neal. 40 Goal wingers are tough to find.
— One scouts observation of the Penguins personnel upfront: “Low energy, lethargic group.”
To outsiders the Penguins look like a team that only cares to show up to the rink everyday because it’s their job. I’ve heard this from multiple NHL types.
It’s hard to argue with that as they still lack a critical element on their roster — Young Forwards who just love to be in the NHL and are playing on an adrenaline rush almost every night —
— On the youth argument, was bringing in a near 40 year old Matt Cullen necessary?
— Jim Rutherford during his exit meeting with David Perron last season told the Penguins winger he had to get faster over the summer. Perron went through a strenuous training regiment during the summer but the problem is Perron built his legs up so much it made him lose some quickness, the Penguins feel. He looks like he’s skating in quick-sand.
— Derrick Pouliot trade talk. Some chatter in league circles about the Penguins being potential match for Columbus left winger To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
FFS… Neal lays an egg last year and the Pens start out in chaos but now we are second guessing the Neal trade. If the Pens forwards were going half as well as Nashville seems to be I would argue this is absurd to even bring up. It is early and I doubt Neal has it in him to stay at this pace. He was not able to do it himself in Dallas and while he has a real good C to play with now he is still capable of shutting off when it matters
What exactly is an NHL type?
I believe he means he plays a big body style wing that translates to the NHL level unlike tangradi who also played that style and it never translated to the NHL
BTW clowns toews sucks he just scored his first goal o the season tonight in overtime. I wonder the Hawks fans feel for their captain
Thank God for this 3on3 circus come playoffs this won’t be there an thanks to fleury that the game was close. Hope you watched this game Yoda and the rest of the fleury haters
Has there been any talk of what happens to Sprong after game 9? From what I have watched this year, the game does not seem to be “too much” for him. I’d keep him on the team.
Just wanted to share this nugget of Yoda wisdom from the last thread about 6 hours ago so that it wasn’t forgotten, “The predators will score 4. St. Blurry will fail you. Only play the Pens vs garbage teams”. And yet he still can’t understand why he’s the 2nd biggest joke on this site.
Someone double check me. Sid has gone pointless in 7/8 games.
Don’t worry the Pens are playing some doormats in the coming weeks, he’ll get his meaningless points.
Sid starts ot! Get fucked.
MJ looks like a dead vampire behind the bench. H needs a tan. Maybe when he gets fired he will have more time for that
The whole staff needs to go. RT was one of my favorite players ever, but he stinks as a coach. I want an offensive minded coach, win me the 7-5 games!
How does MJ not review that goal!!!! Even if you lose the challenge you need to make a statement and slow the momentum of the game down. I’ve tried to give him the benefit of the doubt because I thing the execution from the players is the bigger issue but that is absolutely inexcusable!
Agreed Jaydogg. I’m not a bridge jumper but this guy has got to go
I’ve been neutral on the subject until now but that is unexceptable for a coach at any level, your team is getting work and just spent an extended period of time trapped in the zone before the tying goal is scored and you do nothing to support your players and especially your goaltender who is the only reason you were in the game in the first place. If I were the players I would walk into JR’s office and refuse to take the ice again until MJ is gone.
Neal>kessel
Bonino > Crosby
You’re kinda like Sam. The minute you shit on someone they make you look…well…like you
What’s the deal with the broadcast getting so many names wrong tonight? I’ve heard them call Shea Weber Mike Webber several times, They just called Mark Melancon Mike Melancon and there ws another one earlier in the game that I’m drawing a blank on right now.
Kuntz!
Kunitz is old Yoda
Nice play, captain.
Lazy russian
Lazy Russian the impetus for the scoring again. Good call, tubby
Call me crazy but Sprong reminds me of a young right handed Patrick Kane
I don’t see Kane but he does remind me of a young Forsberg, not Phillip obviously.
Hate to say this guy’s but jagr has same amount of goals as malkin crosby kessel combined
I don’t even know or think Yoda likes one player from pens roster
This team is likely 1-6 if it isn’t for #29.
Convince that to Yoda
Neal is not a 40 goal scorer. Sure alongside Malkin, he eclipsed that mark once but he was not and currently is not one. (24, 27, 22, 40, 21[40 games], 27, 23)
Remember when MT got fired and I said in a few years you clowns will miss him and never miss DB even tho he won the cup I guess that’s what happening I bet if MJ DB MT all available I’m sure you clowns would want MT back before the other 2
I like how you still think the coach matters when you have a broken captain. Sid is saving it up for the world championships #lazycanadian
Yaya malkin is warming up for the WC and when season is at the end he disappears so the team gets eliminated so he can go play. Just like last year an this year it’s in Moscow so expect him to pull that stunt by March
Begging for MT..LMFAO!!!! I wouldn’t let that tool anywhere near this collection of talent. On the other hand, DB’s system would be perfect for the current roster of skilled forwards and unskilled D that can’t get them the puck.
Yes DB will be perfect only for the season and collapse in playoffs and reason he would make the playoffs thanks to the talent. I guess his choking with sabres this year so far not enough talent to bail him out yet someone here was saying DB candidate for Jack Adams this year must be joke of the year
Jacques Martin will take over
This team is just begging for a full coaching staff change. You can see it. No extra effort. No “hope” in their execution
No 20 points in 20 games for the princess, either.
MJ wil be gone by 10th game If the team record is bellow. 500
I want tocchett gone he is an overrated coach and coaching staff through out his career F… him
You guys think this nashville country club fans are louder than pens consol museum fans?
I think Sid is a lazy Canadian who is also an awful leader.
Neal always been a strong season starter with pens he had 9 goals in first 8 games when malkin and sid were injured.
Regardless, are they in a position to give up their only blue line blue chip prospect? All of those draft picks for dmen…there’s nobody left.
Maata
Let me double check…yep, he’s already on the roster. Thought so,
I’ve been begging for a Pouliot for Rychel type trade for a long time now. I think they should have struck before he had the opportunity to be exposed at the NHL level. As much as I like the offensive instincts of Pouliot, this team needs good 2way defenseman who are strong in their own ed and can still move the puck and join the rush when need(a younger Paul Martin who is sorely missed), at this point I have seen nothing to convince me Poulio will be anything more than Mike Green Jr.
Agree.
Crosby has generally played better with wingers who will muck in the corners and go to the net. Putting Kessel with Malkin and Hornqvist with Crosby has always been the stronger move, in my opinion. Don’t know that a strong start by Neal and a slow one by Hornqvist over six games is a good reason to revisit that trade. Can’t say I liked it at the time and yeah, it’d be nice to be able to move Neal over to LW right about now, but the deal hasn’t been disasterous. He’s not producing at the moment, but at least… Read more »
Actually … Malkin with Kessel, playing east west with that north speed, and Plotnikov plotting himself in the corners and net front.. should work beautifully … dislike this and you’re an idiot. Sadly I agree with Sam on almost all occasions. Sid needs to grind, his game is based off work ethic, it works .. with dupuis. Geno needs James Neal .. or Phil Kessel … there’s more than one way to be great at hockey
I made it as far as “Sadly I agree with Sam on almost all occasions”. No need to read any farther.
How about Perron and pouliot for rychel and Jenner
Pens would do it in a heart beat unfortunately cbj wouldnt
What the hell is a big strong finesse winger? Tangradi?
You really think “finesse” when you think of Eric Tangradi?!
Lol. Sid and kessel didn’t mesh because of Kunitz! Get the fuck out of here. The excuses people make for Crosby are fucking nauseating.