I'll call a spade a spade. To this point he hasn't been good this year. I gave him a 10 game grace period.
- Ryan_Wilson

More than reasonable if you ask me. He makes big money and he plays big minutes. Not a crazy thing to expect big games from him. As a defenseman he has responsibilities. If he disregards them he's going to hear about it. If he made $2.3 like Niskanen he'd hear about it too. Big whoop.

I'll call a spade a spade. To this point he hasn't been good this year. I gave him a 10 game grace period.
- Ryan_Wilson

i agree. he has had enough games in now, hell enough seasons in now, to not make the mistakes he does. yes he has the talent and flash, but that isnt needed with this team from the back end. what is needed is reliability, and smart efficient play. he needs to learn to find a middle ground. if it costs him a few highlight rushes so be it.

We are gonna witness a ton of Beau Bennett curl and drag goals over the next few years.

We are gonna witness a ton of Beau Bennett curl and drag goals over the next few years.
- Ryan_Wilson

Let's hope so. All the ability is there. Just needs the time.

We are gonna witness a ton of Beau Bennett curl and drag goals over the next few years.
- Ryan_Wilson

I got to be honest, I really want to see Bennett play with Sid right now.

We are gonna witness a ton of Beau Bennett curl and drag goals over the next few years.
- Ryan_Wilson

i see the talent every time this kid touches the puck. i cant wait until it translates to numbers

I got to be honest, I really want to see Bennett play with Sid right now.
- madmike71

Hard to imagine that happening but I would love to see it too. PP time seems to be most ideal scenario for that.

Getting back to playing with Malkin and Neal can't hurt though. That'll keep developing.

Good win tonight. Nashville isn't an offensive juggernaut but you take a solid game like that any night.

Hard to imagine that happening but I would love to see it too. PP time seems to be most ideal scenario for that.

Getting back to playing with Malkin and Neal can't hurt though. That'll keep developing.

Good win tonight. Nashville isn't an offensive juggernaut but you take a solid game like that any night.
- HopintheCordoba

Yeah, it won't happen. I'm not sure I understand why it won't happen especially since Duper has struggled so much.

Anyway... Yeah nice win, but even my wife (who doesn't watch or care) came into the room and said.... "wow, who's this high school team they're playing". Nash is not good.

Yeah, it won't happen. I'm not sure I understand why it won't happen especially since Duper has struggled so much.

Anyway... Yeah nice win, but even my wife (who doesn't watch or care) came into the room and said.... "wow, who's this high school team they're playing". Nash is not good.
- madmike71

Haha ! That's true they are struggling right now , but 2 points are 2 points.

Wow, the Letang bashing really needs to lighten up. Its less than a quarter of the season in and he's played like 10 games.
- Sell My Monkey

He is making a ton of money and making many boneheaded plays. I think its warranted.

He is making a ton of money and making many boneheaded plays. I think its warranted.
- Oneonta Penguin

Oh good gawd, Letang has more goals than Malkin, what are you people expecting out of an OFFENSIVE defenseman.

What is the source of this insanity? Do you know who tied for the team lead in points during last post season? Letang tied with Malkin at 16. 58 was a plus 2 Malkin a -2.

Absolutely without a doubt the most spoiled fan base in the NHL.

Perhaps you aren't old enough to remember Paul Coffey and the insane amount of times he'd botch things up on defense. Would you crucify him over every turnover?

The venom on every single miscue is over the top. Don't give Letang the Philly treatment. I see it building with very little cause in a room I've been a part of since 2008.

Gunnar (I'm directing this at you) I respected you as a board member, and a solid Penguin blogger, but you are leading a brutal witch hunt against a guy who does not deserve it. I've seen you back Flower (when he was a post season trainwreck). All I ask is you reevaluate what you expect out of an offensive defenseman, I know 29 other teams would gladly take off our spoiled Penguin flippers.

i agree. he has had enough games in now, hell enough seasons in now, to not make the mistakes he does. yes he has the talent and flash, but that isnt needed with this team from the back end. what is needed is reliability, and smart efficient play. he needs to learn to find a middle ground. if it costs him a few highlight rushes so be it.
- stayinthefnnet

Ugh, well I guess we root for the same team. I do hate to break the news to you there isn't a perfect NHL player. Never has and never will be.

We are gonna witness a ton of Beau Bennett curl and drag goals over the next few years.
- Ryan_Wilson

See, this is my point. Bennett has 3 career goals yet you hype him like the second coming of Jari Kurri. How about we see if Bennett can be healthy over 50 games. Pretty sure he was dinged up most of his college career.

Let's see him score 10 goals. Hey I think that would be great. How bad is he, he's had 8 games this year?

Oh good gawd, Letang has more goals than Malkin, what are you people expecting out of an OFFENSIVE defenseman.

What is the source of this insanity? Do you know who tied for the team lead in points during last post season? Letang tied with Malkin at 16. 58 was a plus 2 Malkin a -2.

Absolutely without a doubt the most spoiled fan base in the NHL.

Perhaps you aren't old enough to remember Paul Coffey and the insane amount of times he'd botch things up on defense. Would you crucify him over every turnover?

The venom on every single miscue is over the top. Don't give Letang the Philly treatment. I see it building with very little cause in a room I've been a part of since 2008.

Gunnar (I'm directing this at you) I respected you as a board member, and a solid Penguin blogger, but you are leading a brutal witch hunt against a guy who does not deserve it. I've seen you back Flower (when he was a post season trainwreck). All I ask is you reevaluate what you expect out of an offensive defenseman, I know 29 other teams would gladly take off our spoiled Penguin flippers.
- Sell My Monkey

agreed, I think he will clean up his act as we go along , there are still over 60 games left , I think people are extremely impatient in this blog, we are spoiled as Pens fans and expect perfection.

See, this is my point. Bennett has 3 career goals yet you hype him like the second coming of Jari Kurri. How about we see if Bennett can be healthy over 50 games. Pretty sure he was dinged up most of his college career.

- Sell My Monkey

I can't shake the fear I have about Bennett being one of those players who will constantly leave you wanting more or expecting more production out of him.

I really hope that I am wrong. He had injuries in college, and was still recovering last year in Wilkes-Barre (combined with the adjustment to the pro game), so it's always seemd like he's had a valid excuse. But, he's had 24 total goals in the last 4 seasons of playing hockey. Dustin Jeffrey has 42 in that same time period.

I really want to see put a streak of productive games together during this season.

I can't shake the fear I have about Bennett being one of those players who will constantly leave you wanting more or expecting more production out of him.

I really hope that I am wrong. He had injuries in college, and was still recovering last year in Wilkes-Barre (combined with the adjustment to the pro game), so it's always seemd like he's had a valid excuse. But, I really want to see put a streak of productive games together during this season.
- rival22

What would you consider productive? He's responsible defensively and creats a few opportunities a game while learning the NHL on the fly right now. His worst case scenario is a 3rd line winger with offensive abilities. Ill take that but I agree I'd like to see him bury a few.

What would you consider productive? He's responsible defensively and creats a few opportunities a game while learning the NHL on the fly right now. His worst case scenario is a 3rd line winger with offensive abilities. Ill take that but I agree I'd like to see him bury a few.
- dbell646

I don't know... string together like 15 points in 20 games or something. It just seems like he has the hands, has the shot, has the vision with his passes, but he has 3 points in his last 16 games going back to last season.

wait...

Maybe I should just shut up lol... I went back through his game log for that last sentence, and before those 16 games, he had 14 points in the 20 games prior.

Ok, he gets a pass from me, but he does need to score a few goals. Hopefully a stable line and some second unit PP time will help that.

agreed, I think he will clean up his act as we go along , there are still over 60 games left , I think people are extremely impatient in this blog, we are spoiled as Pens fans and expect perfection.
- Bradlee3

The reason people are becoming impatient with Letang is the frequency of his mistakes are getting worse not better. This is a "Cup or bust" team. If he makes an atrocious mistake in November it's not that big a deal, but make the same error in May, against a team like the B's and they will get sent home early AGAIN. The days of Paul Coffey are long gone. Better tender's, better defenses, good teams can lock it down and they might not get another chance to make up for a bad mistake.

This is why I tend to blame Bylsma for some of the repeat offenders (ie Malkin, Letang). It's the players fault when that player makes an occasional mistake, but it becomes the coach/managers fault when a guy becomes a habitual offender. That's a universal rule in every business. Unfortunately in Dan's land, the only guys that miss a shift or find themselves missing games after brutal play are the scrubs.

I'm a big fan of Letang. I wanted them to resign him. That is until he starts costing them games, especially playoff games, which he has done the last couple of years.

The reason people are becoming impatient with Letang is the frequency of his mistakes are getting worse not better. This is a "Cup or bust" team. If he makes an atrocious mistake in November it's not that big a deal, but make the same error in May, against a team like the B's and they will get sent home early AGAIN. The days of Paul Coffey are long gone. Better tender's, better defenses, good teams can lock it down and they might not get another chance to make up for a bad mistake.

This is why I tend to blame Bylsma for some of the repeat offenders (ie Malkin, Letang). It's the players fault when that player makes an occasional mistake, but it becomes the coach/managers fault when a guy becomes a habitual offender. That's a universal rule in every business. Unfortunately in Dan's land, the only guys that miss a shift or find themselves missing games after brutal play are the scrubs.

I'm a big fan of Letang. I wanted them to resign him. That is until he starts costing them games, especially playoff games, which he has done the last couple of years.
- madmike71

I think he'll be much more stable and safer when scuds comes back , we only got to see a couple games with them paired up.

I'll try and get a blog up before the game, hectic day with HS hockey in full swing.

Ugh, well I guess we root for the same team. I do hate to break the news to you there isn't a perfect NHL player. Never has and never will be.
- Sell My Monkey

i look at it this way. if we are going to say that this is all letang has to give, and we should simply take the good with the bad, i wouldnt nearly be as mad. i think he has so much more to give, because there have been stretches where his play in his own end has been beyond solid. the salary sucks, but realistically he would get that amount from 99 percent of other teams out there. however, his output (regardless of saying he has 4 goals or not) is not anywhere near what it should be, what he could be.

the main point i was trying to make in my prior post, is that if this is simply what letang is always to be, i dont know if its really a perfect fit for this team. for a team lacking offensive power upfront, then yeah it could totally be worth the defensive errors here and there because they need those points from the back end. the way this team is set up, they really shouldnt have to rely on goals from the back end, especially at the risk of defensive lapses.

letang used to be my favorite player. hes just been around too long now to be making the same critical mistakes. at the very least, he needs to better learn to pick his spots to gamble

The conclusion that I have drawn from this data is that the penguins don’t really need to change anything from an x’s and o’s standpoint.
- Ryan_Wilson

The conclusion I have drawn from this statement is that it is dangerous to reach conclusions based on shortsighted data.

the problem remains the 3rd line. name me the last Stanley cup champ that had an "okay" third line... Bennett-sutter-d'agostini is not a real third line. simple as that.

the top 6 is great, the 4th line will be good when we need them to, but this 3rd line will be our downfall.

line's gotta be better.

The conclusion I have drawn from this statement is that it is dangerous to reach conclusions based on shortsighted data.
- Coburns_Nose

the conclusion that I have drawn from this statement is that your conclusion is correct about his conclusion.

the conclusion that I have drawn from this statement is that your conclusion is correct about his conclusion.
- SuperHenderson13