The same old problems indeed.

Montreal and their back-up goalie skated into the CEC and outscored Pittsburgh. Fleury remains inadequate, at least to the median level of team defense. That was always going to be a problem, though. It's baked into the model. Which, of course, isn't good enough. If only the Penguins would have, as should have been the case, lost to the Islanders last season...

Dan Bylsma has over-developed my palate for questionable player and line slotting. After the Iginla left-wing experiment and the defense pairings last post-season, Engelland and plenty of Tanner Glass on the Crosby line seem rather bland. It is for this reason that I am convinced that acquiring better forwards (Cammalleri, Kesler) would result in a similar fate: being eliminated from the post-season in similar high goals-against fashion with fewer assets moving forward.
- Johnny Wrath

I actually don't think Fleury could have done anything with three or four of those goals last night. The loss can be blamed to lack of effort in overtime and the guys just mailing it in during the shootout. I haven't seen three worse attempts in shootouts as I did last night - especially Malkin's.

The way I see it, Pittsburgh has a short list of top line assets. You have a first for this year; you have Despres/Pouliot and Harrington and Bennett. That is it. You send a first, one of those Dmen and Bennett to Vancouver, which is the type of return that it would take, your asset list is severely limited moving forward. Trading away first round picks and not having a second doesn't replenish the farm system. We need more than one trade to fix things. Send three to vancouver, we won't be able to make a move for the final missing piece next year. You all the sudden turn into the Yankees farm system. It's as simple as that.


With possibly three blueliners moving on next year due to free agency, two of the forementioned could very well land spots in the top six.

Stand pat. If you want to do minor tinkering to the third line, send secondary assets, like guys in the same category as the two we sent to Calgary for Iggy and rework the roster in the offseason. Don't try to fix things now. We don't have the assets or cap space to do it.
- Oneonta Penguin

Bennett is injured... Canucks aren't taking that risk right now

Bennett is injured... Canucks aren't taking that risk right now
- drummer829

I'm not just suggesting this for a deal with Vancouver. This is the list we have right now. Some of those blueliners could very well have spots in the top six in the next year or 1.5 years due to Orpik, Engo, Niskanen possibly leaving via free agency this year; Martin after next year. Bennett, who people have mixed opinions of, still remains our top forward prospect. Pretty significant drop off after him. This is what happens when you continue to deal first and second round picks for rentals that really weren't needed. The list of assets shrinks.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, the worst Conference leading team in the NHL.
- cap1681

Haven't they been since the end of the 2012-13 regular season?

I actually don't think Fleury could have done anything with three or four of those goals last night. The loss can be blamed to lack of effort in overtime and the guys just mailing it in during the shootout. I haven't seen three worse attempts in shootouts as I did last night - especially Malkin's.
- Oneonta Penguin

It's hard to get worked up over one bad loss, but I think we have a right to be concerned about the play of the third and fourth lines. It's just hard to see how Ray fixes some of these holes with limited cap space. I agree with Gunner, Duper's loss is very big. Not just for Sid's wing, but for the PK.

I'll also note, both Sid and Geno took bad penalties last night. That game had a familiar tone...

I actually don't think Fleury could have done anything with three or four of those goals last night. The loss can be blamed to lack of effort in overtime and the guys just mailing it in during the shootout. I haven't seen three worse attempts in shootouts as I did last night - especially Malkin's.
- Oneonta Penguin

Sorry, but this is just stupid... Like Neal, Crosby or Malkin didn't care enough to try to score?

We've seen that slapshot work before on a breakaway for Malkin... guys like Chara and Hossa have scored on shootouts like that. Gimme a break...

I actually don't think Fleury could have done anything with three or four of those goals last night. The loss can be blamed to lack of effort in overtime and the guys just mailing it in during the shootout. I haven't seen three worse attempts in shootouts as I did last night - especially Malkin's.
- Oneonta Penguin

Budaj has a great advantage in the shootout: he's super goofy looking. Once you skate in close enough to get a look through the cage, the mind freezes up with surprise and so on. The hands follow.

Well, the Hemsky to the Pens rumor is back. I think this is the 3rd straight trade deadline for it. NH should be pretty excited.

Well, the Hemsky to the Pens rumor is back. I think this is the 3rd straight trade deadline for it. NH should be pretty excited.
- cap1681

Did you know that Jack Johnson and Crosby are friends?

It's hard to get worked up over one bad loss, but I think we have a right to be concerned about the play of the third and fourth lines. It's just hard to see how Ray fixes some of these holes with limited cap space. I agree with Gunner, Duper's loss is very big. Not just for Sid's wing, but for the PK.

I'll also note, both Sid and Geno took bad penalties last night. That game had a familiar tone...
- madmike71

The third and fourth lines have been horrid all year. Last night, we saw nothing new. Duper's loss, for all the grief the guy gets with certain posters on this board, is huge. Our first line isn't as dominant because we have to plug, no offense to Gibbons or Megna, an AHL player, with Crosby and Kunitz. Sutter who gets a tremendous amount of grief, is the only competent player on that line. Not only Dupes' injury was huge, same with Bennett. He gives you flexibility on what line he can play. Put him with Geno, Jokinen goes with Sutter to make the line better. It wasn't that long ago we have a very solid third line, maybe the best in hockey (not the most talented though). Staal, Cooke and TK may have been the best line we had during the Cup win over Detroit. Hell, you could say that throughout the play-offs that year. Very effective both offensively and defensively. Those days are long gone. This is what happens when you have top heavy talent averaging 6 or 7 million per year. Your third line goes to hell.


Moving forward, Engo needs to play forward the rest of the way on the fourth line.

Sorry, but this is just stupid... Like Neal, Crosby or Malkin didn't care enough to try to score?

We've seen that slapshot work before on a breakaway for Malkin... guys like Chara and Hossa have scored on shootouts like that. Gimme a break...
- rival22

Dude, they mailed it in during the shootout. It's not stupid. Budaj isn't good. You had three of the best scorers come in and give lame attempts in my view. We have seen better from each against a better goalie.

Budaj has a great advantage in the shootout: he's super goofy looking. Once you skate in close enough to get a look through the cage, the mind freezes up with surprise and so on. The hands follow.
- Johnny Wrath

Not buying. The attempts were poor.

Budaj has a great advantage in the shootout: he's super goofy looking. Once you skate in close enough to get a look through the cage, the mind freezes up with surprise and so on. The hands follow.
- Johnny Wrath

That's why I hate playing against crappy goalies in my beer league. You make a move and they don't move or anything like they're supposed to

Dude, they mailed it in during the shootout. It's not stupid. Budaj isn't good. You had three of the best scorers come in and give lame attempts in my view. We have seen better from each against a better goalie.
- Oneonta Penguin

Budaj has a better shootout save percentage than Lundqvist, Rask, Rinne, etc... And he said he had an idea what Crosby was going to do from skating with him during the summer.

Neal has scored on that same move several times, and Crosby goes 5 hole a lot. Sometimes the shots just don't go in.

Subjectively judging shootout moves is asinine.

Well, the Hemsky to the Pens rumor is back. I think this is the 3rd straight trade deadline for it. NH should be pretty excited.
- cap1681

This is actually the year I could see it happening. No second round pick is a problem. No way do I include a first.

This is actually the year I could see it happening. No second round pick is a problem. No way do I include a first.
- madmike71

3rd and a mid-tier prospect if Edm picks up half his salary

You weren't getting Kesler for Sutter and a 1st. You clowns think he is worth four assets and some of you clowns think that any combo of Despres/Pouliot and Bennett and a first isn't good enough. Ryan Kesler is a solid player and would help. However, he isn't the missing piece and it would be poor asset management to trade for a third line center like him and give that up.
- Oneonta Penguin

Did you know that Jack Johnson and Crosby are friends?
- rival22

MALKIN TO LA!!

- Scooby_Doo

Well genius ... is he better than Crosby or Malkin? That would make him third center correct? That is unless they have fuzzy math in Vancouver or don't know how to count. He would be a third line center in Pittsburgh. Pretty obvious what I was saying.

Well genius ... is he better than Crosby or Malkin? That would make him third center correct? That is unless they have fuzzy math in Vancouver or don't know how to count. He would be a third line center in Pittsburgh. Pretty obvious what I was saying.
- Oneonta Penguin

You said for a third line centre like him.
Meaning his value is lower because he's a third line centre. He also plays the wing, and more than likely would on the Pens.

I'm pretty sure it was clear what you were saying, don't back track now.

I guess Toews would be a third line centre on the pens too.

You said for a third line centre like him.
Meaning his value is lower because he's a third line centre. He also plays the wing, and more than likely would on the Pens.

I'm pretty sure it was clear what you were saying, don't back track now.

I guess Toews would be a third line centre on the pens too.
- Scooby_Doo

Yes he would be.

Yes he would be.
- nbartley9

But that doesn't mean his trade value around the league would be that of a 3C.

Yes he would be.
- nbartley9

So he's not worth what a first line centre is then?

The last couple weeks I've had the pleasure of leaning how your fan base is. Kunitz is a top nhl winger and kesler is a third line centre.

Thanks guys, you really know how to turn it down.

So he's not worth what a first line centre is then?

The last couple weeks I've had the pleasure of leaning how dumb your fan base is. Kunitz is a top nhl winger and kesler is a third line centre.

Thanks guys, you really know how to dumb it down.
- Scooby_Doo

I'm ashamed to be your neighbor....

Brooks Orpik and Scuderi are both a disaster. They always talk a good game but hardly ever back it up. Either or both should be gone. The Pens need to get younger on D and they have the players to do it. It certainly has not worked with Brooksie back there and Scuds is no where near where he needs to be. Time to move on