I don't know, if I could pick the two defensemen that the Penguins can least afford to have out of the lineup it would be Martin and Scuderi.

Categorize that as an excuse or however you want but the reality is that the Penguins are not close to being as good without them in the lineup .
- Ryan_Wilson

I'll give you that. Still, the blues are a big team. Seems like big, skilled teams give the Pens fits (like the B's last year). Just an observation.

I'll give you that. Still, the blues are a big team. Seems like big, skilled teams give the Pens fits (like the B's last year). Just an observation.
- madmike71

Big skilled teams will give anybody fits, even other big skilled teams.

I'll give you that. Still, the blues are a big team. Seems like big, skilled teams give the Pens fits (like the B's last year). Just an observation.
- madmike71

I think youre right in the sense that big teams give our d trouble in moving the puck quickly and efficiently out of the zone. That was pretty similar to a lot of the Bruins series last year. Niskanen doesnt like to be hit. He is not really effective digging pucks out of the corners against bigger teams. Its not a problem if hes doing that as a 5-6, but when Engelland and Bortuzzo are behind him, its really tough to get going offensively.

Orpik and Engelland had a hell of a time getting out of the zone a few times last game. As did Letang and Niskanen. And Maatta and Bortuzzo are Maatta and Bortuzzo. Its not a conducive back end against the better teams.

When the team's goal is to get the puck in the other end and grind them down, its going to be tough when the only way you get it out of your own end is chips at the blue line. No control.

I think there's been an issue of effort/execution/focus the past 2 or 3 games.

There's a noticeable lack of effort by non-puck carriers with getting to their "spots". They're losing races to loose pucks. Getting to those traffic areas late. And avoiding the spots on the ice that they'll take bumps for some reason. It reminds me of the way we played the B's in the ECF last year. They're playing perimeter hockey and trying to win pretty rather than do what needs to be done to get a goal or 3. They were doing the work earlier in the year and they stopped recently for some reason.

I also noticed that their passing has been getting progressively worse. And as much as I love Letang (He's tied with Sid for my favorite player and probably one of the most exciting players. I'm rarely one to ever say a negative thing about his play), he's been doing the "lazy pass" thing again where he's not putting anything on it. It's especially visible on the PP.

Yeah, I'm not on board with the Fleury assessment here. Anytime your goaltender plays at a .938% level he has done more than enough to allow the team to win. If he mixes in a terrible goal and is in the low .900% area or dare I say upper .800's then you have a problem.
- Ryan_Wilson

Guys, whats the # 1 job of the goaltender? Stop ALL the shots you are SUPPOSED to save. The breakaways, 2 on 1's all those spectacular saves are BONUS. All through his career, MAF has made tons of spectacular saves only to let in a back breaking soft goal. Saturday was no different.

This is what drives me nuts, everyone constantly rushes to Fleury's defense, always yelling "what about the offense, what about the defense, where was Geno, Letang gave it way too often, the Penalty kill or power play stunk, etc etc etc..." Normally these are all valid complaints, however, people overlook Fleury's role in it all. In sooo many of those cases, a simple save on a routine shot and the Pens get a point or even two points. Such is the life of a goaltender. Everyone else gets to make a mistake, if a goalie does, its on the board. Nonetheless, his mistake on such soft goals are just as responsible for a defeat as a Letang give away or a poorly timed Geno Penalty.

I never said the Pens played a perfect game, nor did I say MAF played poorly. I did say, however, that Fleury needs to stop that shot. This was precisely the case on Sat night. If MAF makes that routine save, then the Pens steal a point, maybe a 2nd one.

Guys, whats the # 1 job of the goaltender? Stop ALL the shots you are SUPPOSED to save. The breakaways, 2 on 1's all those spectacular saves are BONUS. All through his career, MAF has made tons of spectacular saves only to let in a back breaking soft goal. Saturday was no different.

This is what drives me nuts, everyone constantly rushes to Fleury's defense, always yelling "what about the offense, what about the defense, where was Geno, Letang gave it way too often, the Penalty kill or power play stunk, etc etc etc..." Normally these are all valid complaints, however, people overlook Fleury's role in it all. In sooo many of those cases, a simple save on a routine shot and the Pens get a point or even two points. Such is the life of a goaltender. Everyone else gets to make a mistake, if a goalie does, its on the board. Nonetheless, his mistake on such soft goals are just as responsible for a defeat as a Letang give away or a poorly timed Geno Penalty.

I never said the Pens played a perfect game, nor did I say MAF played poorly. I did say, however, that Fleury needs to stop that shot. This was precisely the case on Sat night. If MAF makes that routine save, then the Pens steal a point, maybe a 2nd one.
- Amanion

I can count on 1 hand the number of "soft" goals Fleury has let in this year. And he's held up his end of the bargain a few times this year when the team collapsed around him and he could have let in 1 or 2 soft goals to lose a game. This was one of those "it happens to every goaltender" games where he's solid all game long and 1 trickles past. The Rangers game was no different. He was as good as you could expect anyone to be. But you can only stop so many redirections and deflections and screened shots before one is going to have eyes and slip through.

I think youre right in the sense that big teams give our d trouble in moving the puck quickly and efficiently out of the zone. That was pretty similar to a lot of the Bruins series last year. Niskanen doesnt like to be hit. He is not really effective digging pucks out of the corners against bigger teams. Its not a problem if hes doing that as a 5-6, but when Engelland and Bortuzzo are behind him, its really tough to get going offensively.

Orpik and Engelland had a hell of a time getting out of the zone a few times last game. As did Letang and Niskanen. And Maatta and Bortuzzo are Maatta and Bortuzzo. Its not a conducive back end against the better teams.

When the team's goal is to get the puck in the other end and grind them down, its going to be tough when the only way you get it out of your own end is chips at the blue line. No control.
- Deadstar

It's not just the D that had problems in that game. Our forwards aren't that big and they get shut down pretty easily by bigger players, especially when the refs let the obstruction slide like they did Saturday night. Backes was all over Sid the entire game and Sid was largely ineffective.

This is where I feel they miss Staal the most. He was such a big body that wasn't so easily knocked off the puck.

It's not just the D that had problems in that game. Our forwards aren't that big and they get shut down pretty easily by bigger players, especially when the refs let the obstruction slide like they did Saturday night. Backes was all over Sid the entire game and Sid was largely ineffective.

This is where I feel they miss Staal the most. He was such a big body that wasn't so easily knocked off the puck.
- madmike71

Again another side effect of Sheros drafting style, with lack of Forward draft picks, we dont have depth to choose from in cases such as this. I appreciate the wealth of d-men that Shero has built up over the last few seasons, but I would rather have spent them on a couple forwards as draft picks rather than unloading them on rentals. So far Shero hasnt been bitten yet from the few prospects hes traded but he is running out of subpar prospects and will soon be into prospects with potential.

Guys, whats the # 1 job of the goaltender? Stop ALL the shots you are SUPPOSED to save. The breakaways, 2 on 1's all those spectacular saves are BONUS. All through his career, MAF has made tons of spectacular saves only to let in a back breaking soft goal. Saturday was no different.

This is what drives me nuts, everyone constantly rushes to Fleury's defense, always yelling "what about the offense, what about the defense, where was Geno, Letang gave it way too often, the Penalty kill or power play stunk, etc etc etc..." Normally these are all valid complaints, however, people overlook Fleury's role in it all. In sooo many of those cases, a simple save on a routine shot and the Pens get a point or even two points. Such is the life of a goaltender. Everyone else gets to make a mistake, if a goalie does, its on the board. Nonetheless, his mistake on such soft goals are just as responsible for a defeat as a Letang give away or a poorly timed Geno Penalty.

I never said the Pens played a perfect game, nor did I say MAF played poorly. I did say, however, that Fleury needs to stop that shot. This was precisely the case on Sat night. If MAF makes that routine save, then the Pens steal a point, maybe a 2nd one.
- Amanion

Go look at Lupul's goal against Rask in the 2nd on Saturday. Awful on Rask's part. He must not be a number 1. If the team comes back and scores (as the Bruins did), its a non issue.

Sadly, it will be argued time and time again that this team doesn't need size or toughness to be successful. I totally disagree.

Sadly, it will be argued time and time again that this team doesn't need size or toughness to be successful. I totally disagree.
- nbartley9

this team needs guys who are capable of holding their own. we don't need goons but we need guys that will play the game but will not hesitate to get the bodies rolling.

guy I always liked was mike rupp. good locker room guy, stood up for teammates, and played the game.

probably too old and slow now, but I really liked him here.

but I agree with you, this team cant be a team that allows themselves to be taken advantage of. yet big bodies isn't the penguins identity and it never will be. the reason why the penguins lost against boston is because they tried to play boston's game better than boston. they said everytime they hit us, we will hit back. the eventual problem became the fact that we were more worried about hitting than scoring and the results showed.

Sadly, it will be argued time and time again that this team doesn't need size or toughness to be successful. I totally disagree.
- nbartley9

And again you would be operating under antiquated narratives without factual support

http://blogs.thescore.com...igger-isnt-always-better/

Sadly, it will be argued time and time again that this team doesn't need size or toughness to be successful. I totally disagree.
- nbartley9

We had more size and toughness in the playoffs last year and where did that get us ?

We had more size and toughness in the playoffs last year and where did that get us ?
- Bradlee3

But all of that size and toughness was also slower than drying paint. There was nobody with a big body (and I'm sorry, but 6'-6'1 doesn't count) that could actually move.

Anybody see the Stamkos injury. Looked nasty. I wouldn't be surprised if he's out for the year, maybe into next season.

And again you would be operating under antiquated narratives without factual support

http://blogs.thescore.com...igger-isnt-always-better/
- Ryan_Wilson

Out of the 3 people that read that article the only guy that commented didn't agree with the assessment.

Its laughable that the team he was talking about in that article has guys like Chara, Lucic, McQuaid, Thornton, and Horton on the ice for them. While Horton isn't tough at all he is a bigger body. Regardless, that is not the reason we lost last year. If we would have played our game instead of trying to be as tough as the Bruins we would have been in the Stanley Cup.



Our team is very soft and very easy to play against , show me all the articles you like, I use the old fashion eye test and its very simple to see.

Yikes, hate seeing a top player get an injury like this. Get well Stamkos, the NHL needs you.

Anybody see the Stamkos injury. Looked nasty. I wouldn't be surprised if he's out for the year, maybe into next season.
- cap1681

Yeah, that ain't good. Ouch. Wish him well!

Broken Tibia

Broken Tibia
- nbartley9

Tampa Bay will be lucky if he's back for training camp next year.

Tampa Bay will be lucky if he's back for training camp next year.
- cap1681

That's a real shame the NHL is not as good without him.

That's a real shame the NHL is not as good without him.
- nbartley9

Yeah, hurts the Olympics as well. One of the most entertaining guys to watch in the NHL.

Yeah, hurts the Olympics as well. One of the most entertaining guys to watch in the NHL.
- cap1681

I thought of that too. Canada just took a huge blow.

Out of the 3 people that read that article the only guy that commented didn't agree with the assessment.

Its laughable that the team he was talking about in that article has guys like Chara, Lucic, McQuaid, Thornton, and Horton on the ice for them. While Horton isn't tough at all he is a bigger body. Regardless, that is not the reason we lost last year. If we would have played our game instead of trying to be as tough as the Bruins we would have been in the Stanley Cup.



Our team is very soft and very easy to play against , show me all the articles you like, I use the old fashion eye test and its very simple to see.
- nbartley9

The track record of your eye test in your sample size here at hockeybuzz leaves much to be desired.

Tampa Bay will be lucky if he's back for training camp next year.
- cap1681

3-6 months

Walshy will have something on it in the relatively near future