Where we're at

[JBM73]

Seems to me from what I saw of the Pens last year, the scorers did their job and scored. It was those charged with the tough defensive assignments - Sutter, Orpik, Cooke, Eaton - who let the Pens down.

 

[JBM73]

BEHIND THE NET: Hockey Analysis and Statistics [new host]

Looks like Corsi stats support my point, while also identifying another glaring weakness - bottom of the roster guys like Glass, Vitale and Adams that were neither able to play against top competition nor able to chip in timely goals. This is probably the by-product of having such a top-heavy salaried team.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

BEHIND THE NET: Hockey Analysis and Statistics [new host]

Looks like Corsi stats support my point, while also identifying another glaring weakness - bottom of the roster guys like Glass, Vitale and Adams that were neither able to play against top competition nor able to chip in timely goals. This is probably the by-product of having such a top-heavy salaried team.

True, it's a top heavy roster, we rely too much on skill & not enough grit.

 

[mattymorr]

Doobs a few questions for you in regards to lineup.....

You don't have Morrow or Vitale in the mix thoughts?

On Defense I don't see Bortuzzo Niskanen Murray or Eaton there. Once again thoughts.

I am assuming you will say some of these guys are not resigned and you do not expect them back.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Doobs a few questions for you in regards to lineup.....

You don't have Morrow or Vitale in the mix thoughts?

On Defense I don't see Bortuzzo Niskanen Murray or Eaton there. Once again thoughts.

I am assuming you will say some of these guys are not resigned and you do not expect them back.

Hmm,

I expect Vitale & Bortuzzo to comeback for next season, not the case with Morrow, Niskanen, Murray, & Eaton. I just don't see any place for them in the lineup given our cap situation. Best thing to do now is to go to the farm to fill up roster spots; at the same time, that's not what the Pens usually do. I'll admit a lot of my projected lineup is a guessing game, we'll see how things turn out.

 

[mtm166]

Morrow is gone. Eaton is gone. Nisky's gonna get traded b/c we're like 1.6 mil over the cap right now and will need to be under by camp. Bortuzzo was just resigned so I think he might have a chance to stick this year.....that is, if Disco gets over his man crush on Engallend

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Morrow is gone. Eaton is gone. Nisky's gonna get traded b/c we're like 1.6 mil over the cap right now and will need to be under by camp. Bortuzzo was just resigned so I think he might have a chance to stick this year.....that is, if Disco gets over his man crush on Engallend

Yeah, Engelland is the reason I'm not too sure about guys like Bortuzzo & Dumoulin this year. Only reason I'm hopeful to see Despres crack the lineup is because I expect Niskanen to be gone, but who knows, watch them trade Despres instead LOL

 

[mattymorr]

I think a major issue right now is the cap squeeze because when you look at those projected third and fourth lines I do not see outside of some random Sutter goals anything on the score sheet at all. Pretty pathetic actually and we all know come playoffs even Sid can be taken out or at least minimized.

Not very optimistic this year of even a return to the ECF.

 

[mtm166]

Our 3rd/4th liners are gonna half to come from within the system. Guys like Jeffrey will have to contribute on a more consistent basis.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Are you guys actually suggesting we go to the system to solve our problems? When do the Pens ever do that? I actually have a lot of confidence in guys like Jeffrey & Vitale to step up in the backlines, if they're given a chance.

 

[bsanko]

What do you guys think about Jacques Martin becoming the Assistant HC? Not really sure why a HC would want to become an Asst. At this point, I am not sure what he can provide. I am still not happy we traded Kennedy. Hopefully they know what they are doing long term.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

What do you guys think about Jacques Martin becoming the Assistant HC? Not really sure why a HC would want to become an Asst. At this point, I am not sure what he can provide. I am still not happy we traded Kennedy. Hopefully they know what they are doing long term.

I would've rather called up John Hynes, I think he deserves a chance to shine, he's done a great job for the WBS Pens, wish he would get an opportunity at the NHL level (hopefully with us).

We never go to the farm tho. We could easily solve our backline issues with guys like Jayson Megna, Riley Holzapfel, Tom Kühnhackl, Brian Gibbons, Paul Thompson, & Dominic Uher.

Guys like Brian Dumoulin, Philip Samuelsson, & Harrison Ruopp should be competing for the 3rd defensive paring.

Instead we always go to old has been washups to solve our problems.

 

[evolver115]

What do you guys think about Jacques Martin becoming the Assistant HC? Not really sure why a HC would want to become an Asst. At this point, I am not sure what he can provide. I am still not happy we traded Kennedy. Hopefully they know what they are doing long term.

Was surprised by the Martin addition to the coaching staff. After reading into it a bit, sounds like Bylsma was the guy who first got in touch with Jacques about joining the club. Shero and Martin also have a history with one another during their time in Ottawa. Martin was praised for his work with then young defensemen Wade Redden and Chris Phillips during his time spent coaching the Sens.

My thoughts on Kennedy are he was too expensive to bring back this season. He counted 2 million against the cap last season, and he would have gone into 2013-14 as a RFA. Which means that he could've expected a slight raise. The Pens are cap strapped, and Tyler was a casualty of their tight cap situation.

 

[mtm166]

I love the Martin hiring...he's good with defensemen and he's defensive minded in general. This is exactly what this team needs.

As far as TK goes, good riddance. He hit the net with 1 out of every 30 shots he took.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

You guys are seriously happy about Martin? Don't get me wrong, he has a great resume, but the majority of his accomplishments are from long ago. We have a great coach in John Hynes who has proved himself yet we don't give him an opportunity in the coaching staff. Disco came up from the system & delivered us a Stanley Cup. Really don't get why we can't go to our system to find young & upcoming potential, instead we go after over the hill washups at every turn. Whatever, hope Martin works out, but in the meanwhile, I'm sure we'll lose Hynes for nothing.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I don't know about you guys, but in hindsight, we should've given guys like Beau Bennett & Simon Despres chances instead of getting Jarome Iginla & Brendan Morrow or Douglas Murray & Mark Eaton. It might not have only benefited us in the short term but it would've certainly benefited us in the long term. Now we got guys like Dumoulin, Ruopp, Samuelsson, Pouliot, Maatta, & Harrison, but they have no place on the roster. They'll probably get traded for some over the hill superstars trying to chase the Cup, which rarely ever works out and embarrasses the franchise. Whatever, I'm a die hard Pens fan & I'll continue to be a die hard Pens fan no matter what, but I'm sick of us ignoring the farm and going to washed up vets to solve our problems (our farm system is one of the most underrated & underused farm systems in the NHL & I find it sad that we don't use it like we should). That's why I am not a fan of hiring Jacques Martin instead of hiring within.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

BTW I want to add that DoobeeDoobeeDoo is drunk & angry tonight, so don't be man if I don't put up with yo' $hit like I normally DOO!

Peace

 

[bsanko]

I am not so sure about Martin. Yes, he had a heck of a resume, but don't really know what he will bring to the team. The Pens need to address the goalie issue and quick. Yes it appears they are stock piling goalie's and I like Flury, but he cost us a chance to win the Stanley in the playoffs. I hear what you are saying about bringing old players back. At least they didn't bring back Jaromir Jagr.

I have seen Kennedy play a few times and he was always decent. Glad to see they signed Letang to a long term contract. I am hoping there are three trophies brought to Pittsburgh this year with the Bucs playing well, the Pens always in the hunt with the playoffs and the Steelers are rebuilding.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I am not so sure about Martin. Yes, he had a heck of a resume, but don't really know what he will bring to the team. The Pens need to address the goalie issue and quick. Yes it appears they are stock piling goalie's and I like Flury, but he cost us a chance to win the Stanley in the playoffs. I hear what you are saying about bringing old players back. At least they didn't bring back Jaromir Jagr.

I have seen Kennedy play a few times and he was always decent. Glad to see they signed Letang to a long term contract. I am hoping there are three trophies brought to Pittsburgh this year with the Bucs playing well, the Pens always in the hunt with the playoffs and the Steelers are rebuilding.

Good post man, if I were sober I probably would've written something like this.

 

[evolver115]

You guys are seriously happy about Martin? Don't get me wrong, he has a great resume, but the majority of his accomplishments are from long ago. We have a great coach in John Hynes who has proved himself yet we don't give him an opportunity in the coaching staff. Disco came up from the system & delivered us a Stanley Cup. Really don't get why we can't go to our system to find young & upcoming potential, instead we go after over the hill washups at every turn. Whatever, hope Martin works out, but in the meanwhile, I'm sure we'll lose Hynes for nothing.

I look at the Martin hiring from the perspective of what could it hurt. We have all seen how stubborn Dan Bylsma can be when his system isn't working, and he is unwilling to change the dynamic of the breakout, or simply adjust to what the opponent is doing. If that third asst. coach were to be Hynes, where he is basically running the same system in WB/S that Bylsma is running Pgh., what kind of different perspective is he really going to provide? Also, and I think Reirden and Granato may be guilty of this... are they ready to step up to Dan and say, "hey, this isn't working, why don't we try something else?"

I almost think that because they have a history with Bylsma, that maybe they're unwilling to suggest a different plan of attack, and I would fear that Hynes would fall into that same trap because he's never been a head coach above the AHL level.

With Martin, he has a unique outsiders perspective. Plus, he is a seasoned coach who has been around the league for a long time. He has coached against Bylsma in the post-season and beaten him. Since that 2010-11 series loss to the Canadiens, this team has suffered more post-season disappointments. Perhaps Martin can be that coach who can say to Dan, "hey, look why don't we try to change it up a bit. Don't let yourself be married to one single philosophy for your plan of attack. Adjust to what is working for the opponent, and use it against him."

At least that is what I hope Martin will do.