I thought LA, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Boston were heavy favorites in the 2nd round, and of the 4 I thought that Boston might be the most vulnerable - funny how things work out. I'm fairly stunned about the Hawks and Kings, thought those series would be over in 4 or 5 games.

It's odd that he put up good numbers under Torts in Tampa Bay, and was the leader of a Cup winning team (and Conn Smyth winner).

Obviously Torts' system has changed greatly from the "safe is death" days, but you'd think Richards would at least look like an NHL player.

Torts has taken any and all creativity out of his players. Their whole approach is play defense, block shots, and hope to get a goal on a 3 on 2 coming back. Players who play a straight, north/south type game do ok, but anyone who wants to create is doomed.
- rival22

Brad Richards is of the few passers I could compare with the best in the business. Anyone who's watched a lot of him knows his intangibles. Pure talent. I'd take him in the Pens for $3M

It's odd that he put up good numbers under Torts in Tampa Bay, and was the leader of a Cup winning team (and Conn Smyth winner).

Obviously Torts' system has changed greatly from the "safe is death" days, but you'd think Richards would at least look like an NHL player.

Torts has taken any and all creativity out of his players. Their whole approach is play defense, block shots, and hope to get a goal on a 3 on 2 coming back. Players who play a straight, north/south type game do ok, but anyone who wants to create is doomed.
- rival22

Brad Richards is of the few passers I could compare with the best in the business. Anyone who's watched a lot of him knows his intangibles. Pure talent. I'd take him in the Pens for $3M

Brad Richards is of the few passers I could compare with the best in the business. Anyone who's watched a lot of him knows his intangibles. Pure talent. I'd take him in the Pens for $3M
- Orpik44

Where would he fit on the Pens roster ?

I thought LA, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Boston were heavy favorites in the 2nd round, and of the 4 I thought that Boston might be the most vulnerable - funny how things work out. I'm fairly stunned about the Hawks and Kings, thought those series would be over in 4 or 5 games.
- MadCap2008

Sharks are playing well, LA has their hands full. I still expect Chicago to bounce back. In hindsight Bruins are a horrible match for the Rangers. Rangers won't be able to generate offense with their status quo systematic play.

Where would he fit on the Pens roster ?
- MadCap2008

3rd line C or play with Sid..that would be dope. Off course we'd have to let Iggy or Morrow go..

Sharks are playing well, LA has their hands full. I still expect Chicago to bounce back. In hindsight Bruins are a horrible match for the Rangers. Rangers won't be able to generate offense with their status quo systematic play.
- Gunner Staal

Absolutely, no fluke that the Sharks are hanging with them - I sort of expected the Sharks to be the Sharks, though (they and the Blues are sort of West Coast versions of the Caps when it comes to playoff time).

Absolutely, no fluke that the Sharks are hanging with them - I sort of expected the Sharks to be the Sharks, though (they and the Blues are sort of West Coast versions of the Caps when it comes to playoff time).
- MadCap2008

I think the shift from Thornton and Marleau as the core to Pavelski and Couture has been a nice positive for them. They also have Niemi playing better goal than Nabokov ever provided them IMO.

If Kuznetsov ever got his butt over to Washington perhaps that could provide the same affect for the Capitals as it has the Sharks.

I have a feeling Torts time is up


- Killian

haha he's screwed. Look at his face shouting at the bench.

this is Killian's brother. Him and Bartley are in the penalty box until later today

Where would he fit on the Pens roster ?
- MadCap2008

Player development department with Billy G.

How u been Andre???

I thought LA, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Boston were heavy favorites in the 2nd round, and of the 4 I thought that Boston might be the most vulnerable - funny how things work out. I'm fairly stunned about the Hawks and Kings, thought those series would be over in 4 or 5 games.
- MadCap2008

Sharks and Kings were going to be pretty good games I thought, but I didn't see the Red Wings having the defensemen to hang with the Blackhawks.

Sharks are playing well, LA has their hands full. I still expect Chicago to bounce back. In hindsight Bruins are a horrible match for the Rangers. Rangers won't be able to generate offense with their status quo systematic play.
- Gunner Staal

The 'experts' and myself had Boston and NY as an even match. The younger defense of Boston has overloaded the NY defense when they become aggressive offensively. In the past if you did too much of that the Rangers they would break the other way. They are not generating any speed(NY) in the neutral zone. The result is a mismatch.

The 'experts' and myself had Boston and NY as an even match. The younger defense of Boston has overloaded the NY defense when they become aggressive offensively. In the past if you did too much of that the Rangers they would break the other way. They are not generating any speed(NY) in the neutral zone. The result is a mismatch.
- powerhouse

I picked Boston but I thought it would be closer. This has been very one sided.

I picked Boston but I thought it would be closer. This has been very one sided.
- Gunner Staal

I picked Boston too. But that is because I hate the Rangers.

poor henrik. hes going to eventually start getting up there in years too.

Rags really limited offensively (partially self-inflicted by their knucklehead coach), not much ability to expose Boston's injuries on the back end. Agree that Depres should probably be playing for Pens, though.
- MadCap2008

Rags traded alot of secondary scoring in that Nash deal. This mess isn't only Tort's problem. I think Sather did a poor job as well and think he should be on the firing line as well.

Sharks are playing well, LA has their hands full. I still expect Chicago to bounce back. In hindsight Bruins are a horrible match for the Rangers. Rangers won't be able to generate offense with their status quo systematic play.
- Gunner Staal

Sharks are probably deeper 1-12 as far as forwards now as opposed to when they made it to the WCF years.

Boston is playing great hockey. If we get through Ottawa, this team better get their sh*t together quickly. All the mental errors and poor personnel decisions won't fly against them.
- madmike71

Even though we lead 2-1 in the series, tonight's game will tell me alot on the rest of the series.

I have a feeling Torts time is up


- Killian

Interesting chatter I had with a buddy. If Pittsburgh loses this series to Ottawa somehow (probably another colossal screwup by DB), if the Rags called and offered a first round pick for DB, would you do it and who would you want to replace DB?

Even though we lead 2-1 in the series, tonight's game will tell me alot on the rest of the series.
- Oneonta Penguin

I haven't pushed the panic button just yet. Truth is, we skated onto their home ice in a hostile environment (in a game 7 situation for them because they were done if they dropped 3-0 to us) and we lost a game 2-1 in double OT that we had no business losing.

Now with that being said, that's not to say that Ottawa doesn't come out and play a better game tonight because they very well could. But I think our guys are focused on the task at hand, and that's closing out this series ASAP so that we can get healthy. Clearly, we have been the dominant team is this series and NYI gave us much more of a challenge than the Sens have thus far. We need 1 guy to step up tonight, and that guy wears #18. A lot of people have been bashing Geno and Iginla but I haven't heard a peep about our 40 goal scorer who has 1 goal and 3 points through the first 9 playoff games. If the 2nd line can find a way to generate some offense tonight, I think we come back home up 3-1 because you know 14 87 9 are gonna bring it tonight

Man...the Buzzzz is dead today without Killian and Bartley