Glad Jeffrey finally got out.... Maybe he'll get a better opportunity there, and maybe he'll actually capitalize of his opportunities there.
- rival22

he'll be Dallas's Letestu!

I'd like to see Duper on the 3rd line. He's been flubbing a lot of passes and Crosby needs SOMETHING to get his creativity going again. We need a reset on our breakouts too. What happened to the little touch pass plays from the first couple games? Where's the speed gone?

Not a blog without bashing Letang, he is the reason Flower gave up a ridiculously easy goal. He's the reason Niskanen went tape to tape with a devil forward at the blueline. He's the reason 19 year old Maata plays like a 19 year old.

Yes he forced a pass, because with 3 minutes left in the game you have to try to make something happen. (he was also tripped up on that giveaway). Down 1 or two goals is not exactly the time to bank it back out to center.

He is the reason Sid and Malkin aren't scoring and Dupes looks like a 34 year old man. He's the reason Joki shows up every 5th game. He's the reason Malkin back checks lazier than ever.

He's the reason Blysma refuses to change anything.

Making Letang a scapegoat is pathetic. The whole team needs to be accountable for this slop.

Not a blog without bashing Letang, he is the reason Flower gave up a ridiculously easy goal. He's the reason Niskanen went tape to tape with a devil forward at the blueline. He's the reason 19 year old Maata plays like a 19 year old.

Yes he forced a pass, because with 3 minutes left in the game you have to try to make something happen. (he was also tripped up on that giveaway). Down 1 or two goals is not exactly the time to bank it back out to center.

He is the reason Sid and Malkin aren't scoring and Dupes looks like a 34 year old man. He's the reason Joki shows up every 5th game. He's the reason Malkin back checks lazier than ever.

He's the reason Blysma refuses to change anything.

Making Letang a scapegoat is pathetic. The whole team needs to be accountable for this slop.
- Sell My Monkey

Here, here!

Encore!

I am not sure of what else I can say to show that I agree with my entire soul.

Even though the pens are still very skilled, they are showing the same signs of choking in the playoffs as before. Every year they have awesome play in the regular season and then have these poor performances where nothing clicks. This postseason will be exactly the same as the last 3 years. Something needs to be done whether it's a trade or line shakeup.

Not a blog without bashing Letang, he is the reason Flower gave up a ridiculously easy goal. He's the reason Niskanen went tape to tape with a devil forward at the blueline. He's the reason 19 year old Maata plays like a 19 year old.

Yes he forced a pass, because with 3 minutes left in the game you have to try to make something happen. (he was also tripped up on that giveaway). Down 1 or two goals is not exactly the time to bank it back out to center.

He is the reason Sid and Malkin aren't scoring and Dupes looks like a 34 year old man. He's the reason Joki shows up every 5th game. He's the reason Malkin back checks lazier than ever.

He's the reason Blysma refuses to change anything.

Making Letang a scapegoat is pathetic. The whole team needs to be accountable for this slop.
- Sell My Monkey

How come 4 out of his 5 most common linemates are more successful without him?

Letang has his faults, but he is a dynamic player who is just trying too hard to win, since DB does not know how to make that happen.I have to put the blame on DB squarely for the Letang, Malkin, Crosby lack of performance.
They need direction, structure and focus to win. MT 2009 all over again!

Not a blog without bashing Letang, he is the reason Flower gave up a ridiculously easy goal. He's the reason Niskanen went tape to tape with a devil forward at the blueline. He's the reason 19 year old Maata plays like a 19 year old.

Yes he forced a pass, because with 3 minutes left in the game you have to try to make something happen. (he was also tripped up on that giveaway). Down 1 or two goals is not exactly the time to bank it back out to center.

He is the reason Sid and Malkin aren't scoring and Dupes looks like a 34 year old man. He's the reason Joki shows up every 5th game. He's the reason Malkin back checks lazier than ever.

He's the reason Blysma refuses to change anything.

Making Letang a scapegoat is pathetic. The whole team needs to be accountable for this slop.
- Sell My Monkey

How come 4 out of his 5 most common linemates are more successful without him?
- Ryan_Wilson

Because 4 of those 5 take on a ton more minutes and are playing against better competition most likely. And letang takes a lot of chances but management obviously likes that given the huge contract. This should be about all of our highly paid stars and not just letang

Lets Go Pens! Beat the Ducks! (please?)

Brian Gibbons gets a call up...be prepared to see Webster hit the ice!

Good blog

To me, it seems as if the Pens have been figured out. Their entire play in the offensive zone is perimeter based whether it is on the rush, on the cycle, or on the power play. Sure they generate shots but this is not 1986...to me their shots are originating from low percentage areas and the rebounds are being directed away.

That is just my assessment with no graphs or stats to back it up just empirical evidence. Not that I am against stats...just that you can possess the puck all you want but if the goalie sees every shot you will not score as much.

Solution ...don't know...but mixing the lines up can't hurt

Good blog

To me, it seems as if the Pens have been figured out. Their entire play in the offensive zone is perimeter based whether it is on the rush, on the cycle, or on the power play. Sure they generate shots but this is not 1986...to me their shots are originating from low percentage areas and the rebounds are being directed away.

That is just my assessment with no graphs or stats to back it up just empirical evidence. Not that I am against stats...just that you can possess the puck all you want but if the goalie sees every shot you will not score as much.

Solution ...don't know...but mixing the lines up can't hurt
- Tiogadog

They certainly don't play in front of the net very often. You're right, opposing tenders don't have much difficulty seeing the Pens shots.

This is a hard team to "shake up" considering the contracts. Let's hope we get a little line juggling......what can it hurt at this point?

Brian Gibbons gets a call up...be prepared to see Webster hit the ice!
- Reverend Killtaker

God forbid they call up Despres to replace the cement footed Engo...

Good blog

To me, it seems as if the Pens have been figured out. Their entire play in the offensive zone is perimeter based whether it is on the rush, on the cycle, or on the power play. Sure they generate shots but this is not 1986...to me their shots are originating from low percentage areas and the rebounds are being directed away.

That is just my assessment with no graphs or stats to back it up just empirical evidence. Not that I am against stats...just that you can possess the puck all you want but if the goalie sees every shot you will not score as much.

Solution ...don't know...but mixing the lines up can't hurt
- Tiogadog

We need to get guys in our line up that are willing to get their noses dirty, Kunitz does a good job at it, but after that who is there? Our problem is our 3rd line, Sutter and d'Assostini are total garbage, and Bennett is being totally wasted playing on the 3rd line and a awful 3rd line at that.

Bennett-Crosby-Dupuis
Kunitz-Malkin-Neal
Hole-Jussi-Hole
Adams-Sutter-Glass

We need to get guys in our line up that are willing to get their noses dirty, Kunitz does a good job at it, but after that who is there? Our problem is our 3rd line, Sutter and d'Assostini are total garbage, and Bennett is being totally wasted playing on the 3rd line and a awful 3rd line at that.

Bennett-Crosby-Dupuis
Kunitz-Malkin-Neal
Hole-Jussi-Hole
Adams-Sutter-Glass
- nbartley9

Honestly, where did you come from? Is your head so far up your a** you can't think? Sutter is complete garbage? Really? I honestly wonder what goes on inside your head sometimes. Yes I agree we need a net presence and people need to go to the net for dirty goals but think before you type.

Honestly, where did you come from? Is your head so far up your a** you can't think? Sutter is complete garbage? Really? I honestly wonder what goes on inside your head sometimes. Yes I agree we need a net presence and people need to go to the net for dirty goals but think before you type.
- powerhouse

Yes Sutter is complete garbage, have you ever seen him play? Ever? He is very weak, slow, cant score, has no grit, cant hit, and is not a playmaker, what is it exactly he does well? Faceoffs at 52% ok I will give you that.
When Sutter leaves this town, which he most certainly will; in a not so spectacular way, he will be "who was that other throw in guy we got for Staal, I cant remember his name?"

DB should probably mix the lines up a bit. Perhaps Dupuis on the 3rd line, Jokes on the 1st with Crosby. Give it a shot. Ive only seen 2 games this yr so I don't really have a clue how everyone has been playing. Bring the Moose back as well. Fleury needs a stronger back up.

Yes Sutter is complete garbage, have you ever seen him play? Ever? He is weak, slow, cant score, has no grit, and cant hit, what is it exactly he does well? Faceoffs at 52% ok I will give you that.
When Sutter leaves this town, which he most certainly will; in a not so spectacular way he will be "who was that other throw in guy we got for Staal, I cant remember his name?"
- nbartley9

He's played between two pylons for nearly the first quarter of the season. Few people would be offensively productive. You underrate him. He's been very good in his own zone and has been tasked to play more of a defensive roll since coming over from Carolina. He would be a good candidate to get bumped up to wing for short stints in the top 6 if there was anyone else with some modicum of ability to assume his spot on the 3rd line.

a viable back-up goaltender wouldn't hurt the cause either.
- akane13

...Zatkoff didn't play against the Devils. The fact that he wasn't get a back to back game after having a shutout in his last start is mindboggling.

I would much rather have Sutter at $2mil vs Staal at $6. Sutter has more pts this point in the season and has played with replaceable players. Seeing Staal in CAR now shows just how average he really was.

He's played between two pylons for nearly the first quarter of the season. Few people would be offensively productive. You underrate him. He's been very good in his own zone and has been tasked to play more of a defensive roll since coming over from Carolina. He would be a good candidate to get bumped up to wing for short stints in the top 6 if there was anyone else with some modicum of ability to assume his spot on the 3rd line.
- akane13

Not a fan of his at all, he is not what I want out of a 3rd line center. 4th line? sure.

Malkin and Sid are in significant goal scoring slumps and Sutter is the problem.

Yes Sutter is complete garbage, have you ever seen him play? Ever? He is very weak, slow, cant score, has no grit, cant hit, and is not a playmaker, what is it exactly he does well? Faceoffs at 52% ok I will give you that.
When Sutter leaves this town, which he most certainly will; in a not so spectacular way, he will be "who was that other throw in guy we got for Staal, I cant remember his name?"
- nbartley9

So who the hell is going to play the 3rd line center role? Sutter is perfect for that role, he's looking better than Jordan staal, that's for sure. I don't care if he doesn't hit or set up fancy goals, he's a smart player and can play against any of the other teams top lines. He's also great to have on the PK and is a good 2nd PP center. All of that at his decent cap hit and it's good to have him. Only way the pens could get a better 3rd line center is through a trade and that persons cap hit will probably be much higher. Sutter has also not had much help on the wings

He's played between two pylons for nearly the first quarter of the season. Few people would be offensively productive. You underrate him. He's been very good in his own zone and has been tasked to play more of a defensive roll since coming over from Carolina. He would be a good candidate to get bumped up to wing for short stints in the top 6 if there was anyone else with some modicum of ability to assume his spot on the 3rd line.
- akane13

Agree

Malkin and Sid are in significant goal scoring slumps and Sutter is the problem.
- madmike71

Bennett hasn't scored in a while, let's trade him as well. Dupuis also isn't on the same pace as before, he needs to go as well. And that Malkin guy is only getting assists and is not scoring goals so he's useless.

I question whether or not he actually watches games...