Comedy IRONy out of Pittsburgh

[thedddd]

So why on earth does Shero go out before the season starts and sign Scuderi to a 4yr deal worth over 13mil? Why does D-man Simon Despres rot in the minors for the last few years when he could have been much cheaper than Scuds. Now Despres is a restricted FA and who knows if he'll be brought back.

D-man Derek Engelland played a little on the 4th line this season. Why is that happening? Robert Bortuzzo has been givin more of an opportunity than Despres has, but Borts isn't nearly the skater or puck mover than Simon is.

I get letting guys get conditioned a little bit in the AHL. But when you're playing guys like Craig Adams and Tanner Glass together on the 4th line, how much worse can it get bringing in younger fresher guys who are hungry to stay at the top level? Bylsma's more worried about getting 2pts in Decmber than winning in the playoffs. That's why 19yr old Mattaa petered out down the stretch.

More than likely Orpik won't be brought back and Scuds gets sent to the minors. That way they can let some of these young D-men have a chance.

I thought with the new CBA anyone making over 900,000 @ the AHL level counts against the NHL cap.

 

[elocomotive]

I was already assistant coach, by the way. They just screwed up the site, listed me as head coach and then said I couldn't be.

I know, I know. That's why I said busting balls. I know you weren't really "demoted."

 

[Jims_Doors]

@thedddd

If so, then bring up a D-man who doesn't add much more $$ on top of Scuds to the cap. I'd rather someone get experience than watch that old man get blown by over and over again.

 

[forty_three]

So why on earth does Shero go out before the season starts and sign Scuderi to a 4yr deal worth over 13mil? Why does D-man Simon Despres rot in the minors for the last few years when he could have been much cheaper than Scuds. Now Despres is a restricted FA and who knows if he'll be brought back.

D-man Derek Engelland played a little on the 4th line this season. Why is that happening? Robert Bortuzzo has been givin more of an opportunity than Despres has, but Borts isn't nearly the skater or puck mover than Simon is.

I get letting guys get conditioned a little bit in the AHL. But when you're playing guys like Craig Adams and Tanner Glass together on the 4th line, how much worse can it get bringing in younger fresher guys who are hungry to stay at the top level? Bylsma's more worried about getting 2pts in Decmber than winning in the playoffs. That's why 19yr old Mattaa petered out down the stretch.

More than likely Orpik won't be brought back and Scuds gets sent to the minors. That way they can let some of these young D-men have a chance.

Hindsight is 20/20. Scuderi has twice been an absolute beast in a cup run. I can't say there is any GM who wouldn't have made the same choice (Scuderi over Despres) heading into the playoffs. Obviously now we know it was the wrong choice. Scuderi just didn't have it.

They could probably move Scuderi (return will not be high - straight dump *ahem*NYI*ahem*) and I bet that Despres AND Samuelsson get a shot next year. They have to focus on keeping Niskanen though...

Letang, Niskanen, Martin, Despres, Samuelsson and Maatta. You could do a lot worse. Bortuzzo as a fill-in.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Here's a Q&A with Mario and Ron Burkle after today's press conference. Looks like he forgot to add the answer to the very last question.

Exclusive interview: Mario Lemieux, Ron Burkle | Dejan Kovacevic's Blog

 

[Jared]

Hindsight is 20/20. Scuderi has twice been an absolute beast in a cup run. I can't say there is any GM who wouldn't have made the same choice (Scuderi over Despres) heading into the playoffs. Obviously now we know it was the wrong choice. Scuderi just didn't have it.

They could probably move Scuderi (return will not be high - straight dump *ahem*NYI*ahem*) and I bet that Despres AND Samuelsson get a shot next year. They have to focus on keeping Niskanen though...

Letang, Niskanen, Martin, Despres, Samuelsson and Maatta. You could do a lot worse. Bortuzzo as a fill-in.

Agree on Scuds, but not on Niskanen. He's a good defenseman, but he's going to get overpaid this off season. I don't want it to be from the Pens.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Hindsight is 20/20. Scuderi has twice been an absolute beast in a cup run. I can't say there is any GM who wouldn't have made the same choice (Scuderi over Despres) heading into the playoffs. Obviously now we know it was the wrong choice. Scuderi just didn't have it.

They could probably move Scuderi (return will not be high - straight dump *ahem*NYI*ahem*) and I bet that Despres AND Samuelsson get a shot next year. They have to focus on keeping Niskanen though...

Letang, Niskanen, Martin, Despres, Samuelsson and Maatta. You could do a lot worse. Bortuzzo as a fill-in.

But Scuds was brought in to play on the bottom pair. They could have brought someone up for half the money and use the extra towards some forward help. RW Beau Bennett has barely been givin a shot on the top 2 lines. He's not a 3rd line guy. He's better than that and being played on the LW??.

Nisky's going to command a big contract after seeing Andy McDonald get 6yr at 5mil per. Not sure if they want to pay that much.

 

[Darkstone42]

Hindsight is 20/20. Scuderi has twice been an absolute beast in a cup run. I can't say there is any GM who wouldn't have made the same choice (Scuderi over Despres) heading into the playoffs. Obviously now we know it was the wrong choice. Scuderi just didn't have it.

They could probably move Scuderi (return will not be high - straight dump *ahem*NYI*ahem*) and I bet that Despres AND Samuelsson get a shot next year. They have to focus on keeping Niskanen though...

Letang, Niskanen, Martin, Despres, Samuelsson and Maatta. You could do a lot worse. Bortuzzo as a fill-in.

We don't have a very good cap situation, even if we move Scuderi, so Niskanen may have to be let go. He's worth more than we can afford, and we have enough depth in the minors to account for it.

Letang being paired with Martin and playing the way Letang can will soften that blow, though.

 

[Darkstone42]

But Scuds was brought in to play on the bottom pair. They could have brought someone up for half the money and use the extra towards some forward help. RW Beau Bennett has barely been givin a shot on the top 2 lines. He's not a 3rd line guy. He's better than that and being played on the LW??.

Nisky's going to command a big contract after seeing Andy McDonald get 6yr at 5mil per. Not sure if they want to pay that much.

Scuds was brought in to be Letang's partner, not to play in the bottom pairing. They wanted to go:

Letang-Scuderi
Martin-Orpik
Maatta-Niskanen

Which admittedly looks pretty good on paper, but Scuderi didn't pan out, and Orpik continued to regress defensively.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Here's a Q&A with Mario and Ron Burkle after today's press conference. Looks like he forgot to add the answer to the very last question.

Exclusive interview: Mario Lemieux, Ron Burkle | Dejan Kovacevic's Blog

DK: On that note, this team has been guilty, at least in my estimation of not giving its younger players a chance. I’m not going to paint Simon Despres as Bobby Orr, but he didn’t get a chance. It’s the regular season, you’re on your way to 51 wins, and no one every found about the kid, you know?

Lemieux: Yeah.

Burkle: Agree with that 100 percent.
____________

If they're agreeing about the young players not getting a chance then there is no chance Bylsma comes back.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Scuds was brought in to be Letang's partner, not to play in the bottom pairing. They wanted to go:

Letang-Scuderi
Martin-Orpik
Maatta-Niskanen

Which admittedly looks pretty good on paper, but Scuderi didn't pan out, and Orpik continued to regress defensively.

You're correct. Had a brain fart there for a second. Thanks for the correction.

 

[thedddd]

@thedddd

If so, then bring up a D-man who doesn't add much more $$ on top of Scuds to the cap. I'd rather someone get experience than watch that old man get blown by over and over again.

Shame of it is they had that chance this season with Despres and as we all know they never gave him a shot.

Scuderi, like you Darkstone and others stated, he was to be Letangs partner and it did not work. With the design of the CBA now the only hope the Penguins have is if he retires to clear that off the books since it wasn't a +35 deal.

 

[Jims_Doors]

He's got the rest of the interview up now.

Exclusive interview: Mario Lemieux, Ron Burkle | Dejan Kovacevic's Blog

 

[dash]

Lucky Pierre is not happy about the Shero firing (on Team 1040 right now).

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Lucky Pierre is not happy about the Shero firing (on Team 1040 right now).

Sounds like hes gonna cry jeesh

"Thats not how you do business in the nhl"

/ok dont book that one

 

[dash]

Sounds like hes gonna cry jeesh

"Thats not how you do business in the nhl"

/ok dont book that one

Also sounds like Air Canada is giving him the round-around (haven't we all experienced that at one time or another).

 

[pixburgher66]

Sounds like hes gonna cry jeesh

"Thats not how you do business in the nhl"

/ok dont book that one

Wait, what isn't how you do business in the NHL? You're not allowed to fire your GM?

 

[thedddd]

Sounds like hes gonna cry jeesh

"Thats not how you do business in the nhl"

/ok dont book that one

Note to anyone wanting to learn how to run an NHL franchise. Listen to three M's McGuire/Milbury/Melrose and then do the exact opposite.

 

[dash]

Wait, what isn't how you do business in the NHL? You're not allowed to fire your GM?

Just speculation based on what Pierre said, but he believes Shero's record with the Penguins (two Stanley Cup finals, three trips to the Eastern Conference finals) should have not resulted in him getting fired.

 

[thedddd]

Just speculation based on what Pierre said, but he believes Shero's record with the Penguins (two Stanley Cup finals, three trips to the Eastern Conference finals) should have not resulted in him getting fired.

with his logic that means neither should Bylsma.