Are you worried at all about some of these guys not being ready? Kunitz and Martin are too much or a worry, but Neal and Letang aren't guarantees.
- PhillySportsGuy

beyond worried. its plain and simple. without a healthy lineup ready to go, this team doesnt make much noise. and the injuries being dealth with arent necessarily ones with concrete timelines. i think martin will be back and ready to go in time, which is huge. same with kunitz. but the other ones, you never know.

Would you rather have Akeson and McGinn playing with G or Rinaldo and Rosehill?
- PhillySportsGuy

Well, to be fair, Glass has never been a scorer at any professional level. His best AHL production was 13 points in 44 games with Rochester in 2008-09. At least Akeson has shown the ability to score 20 goals as a pro.

If you were the Pens and you had Akeson and McGinn in the system, would you play them in the top 6 or Craig Adams and Tanner Glass?
- PhillySportsGuy

I'd rather have a skill player up there. But my point really is just because a player like Akeson is a scorer in the AHL, doesn't automatically make him a better option. The truth is, if Akeson is capable of playing on a top line with Giroux, why isn't he in the NHL?

Nope.

She says colder than a witches tit though.
- PhillySportsGuy

LOL
I say that and I grew up in Huntingdon Valley too
hmmm

what a weekend, just hope there's no letdown against the Hawks. Giroux, Coots, Simmonds and Read were awesome!
- BiggE

Our best players right there.

i mean i can tell you what id do, but thats almost certainly not what the pens would do.
- stayinthefnnet

Sit Despres and played both Engelland and Bortuzzo.

beyond worried. its plain and simple. without a healthy lineup ready to go, this team doesnt make much noise. and the injuries being dealth with arent necessarily ones with concrete timelines. i think martin will be back and ready to go in time, which is huge. same with kunitz. but the other ones, you never know.
- stayinthefnnet

Yea. Its amazing how Crosby and Malkin can be neutralized without their scoring partners.

Sit Despres and played both Engelland and Bortuzzo.
- jmatchett383

yeah. despres would be in wheeling if i was at the helm.

If you were the Pens and you had Akeson and McGinn in the system, would you play them in the top 6 or Craig Adams and Tanner Glass?
- PhillySportsGuy

To be fair, they've already recalled Gibbons and Megna, who are decently skilled, but they can't trust them in top-9 minutes against a deeper team. Glass and Adams are at least somewhat dependable defensively. They must already be bumping up against the post-TDL recall limit, too.

I'd rather have a skill player up there. But my point really is just because a player like Akeson is a scorer in the AHL, doesn't automatically make him a better option. The truth is, if Akeson is capable of playing on a top line with Giroux, why isn't he in the NHL?
- MJL

Because he can be exploited over time. I'm saying this in regards to plugging a guy in for a short period of time. I'm not saying Akeson is a top line player. If Kunitz is going to miss 4 or 5 games, Id rather use Akeson than Glass. Thats all I'm saying.

LOL
I say that and I grew up in Huntingdon Valley too
hmmm
- BiggE

She has a lot more. I can't think of them off the top of my head.

I'd rather have a skill player up there. But my point really is just because a player like Akeson is a scorer in the AHL, doesn't automatically make him a better option. The truth is, if Akeson is capable of playing on a top line with Giroux, why isn't he in the NHL?
- MJL

If there was a gaping hole in their top-six, I'm guessing Akeson would be up.

To be fair, they've already recalled Gibbons and Megna, who are decently skilled, but they can't trust them in top-9 minutes against a deeper team. Glass and Adams are at least somewhat dependable defensively. They must already be bumping up against the post-TDL recall limit, too.
- Tomahawk

Yea. The difference between the Pens and Flyers forwards is the Pens have more high end talent but the Flyers have much more depth. Its nice to have a guy like Raffl who can fill in on any line.

Because he can be exploited over time. I'm saying this in regards to plugging a guy in for a short period of time. I'm not saying Akeson is a top line player. If Kunitz is going to miss 4 or 5 games, Id rather use Akeson than Glass. Thats all I'm saying.
- PhillySportsGuy

I don't disagree. But there's a lot of factors involved. The Pens have already called up a few players, and would have to make some kind of roster move to call anybody else up. Sometimes a Coach is just looking for a player to play a physical game and get in on the forecheck, when his options are limited.

yeah. despres would be in wheeling if i was at the helm.
- stayinthefnnet

especially, now when he can work through his mistakes without hurting the team's playoff chances.

Yea. Its amazing how Crosby and Malkin can be neutralized without their scoring partners.
- PhillySportsGuy

well, for as dynamic players as they are, they are in the playmaker/passer mold first before looking to score themselves. thats just how they work. and its not as if they crumble because you take away say kunitz and replace him with another decent option. youre taking away kunitz and replacing it with sheer inability. hockey is a team game. youre not going to be able to have consistent success without any assistance from a linemate, no matter how good you are.

call it homerism if you wish, but i dont think crosby's inability to turn tanner glass and joe vitale into a competent line really lessens his luster much.

If there was a gaping hole in their top-six, I'm guessing Akeson would be up.
- Tomahawk

I don't doubt that. But at this point, all anyone can say is that Akeson is a temporary call up player. It remains to be seen if he an be a regular in the NHL, and play on a top line.

I don't disagree. But there's a lot of factors involved. The Pens have already called up a few players, and would have to make some kind of roster move to call anybody else up. Sometimes a Coach is just looking for a player to play a physical game and get in on the forecheck, when his options are limited.
- MJL

I was looking at it in a simpler way. Just in terms of depth. Flyers have good NHL/AHL forward depth while Pitt has good NHL/AHL defenseman depth.

Because he can be exploited over time. I'm saying this in regards to plugging a guy in for a short period of time. I'm not saying Akeson is a top line player. If Kunitz is going to miss 4 or 5 games, Id rather use Akeson than Glass. Thats all I'm saying.
- PhillySportsGuy

the pens also have this hell bent mentality on trying to be this blue collar grinding team. its annoying. they view effort and intensity as inseparable from a grinding muck type player mentality.

Yea. The difference between the Pens and Flyers forwards is the Pens have more high end talent but the Flyers have much more depth. Its nice to have a guy like Raffl who can fill in on any line.
- PhillySportsGuy

Yeah, thank god for Waffle.

well, for as dynamic players as they are, they are in the playmaker/passer mold first before looking to score themselves. thats just how they work. and its not as if they crumble because you take away say kunitz and replace him with another decent option. youre taking away kunitz and replacing it with sheer inability. hockey is a team game. youre not going to be able to have consistent success without any assistance from a linemate, no matter how good you are.

call it homerism if you wish, but i dont think crosby's inability to turn tanner glass and joe vitale into a competent line really lessens his luster much.
- stayinthefnnet

I still think Crosby would be one of the leagues top scorers even if he had to play with these line mates. As a Flyers fan, though, he doesn't scare me nearly as much with these guys. Its much easier to match up with them.

Geno Kuznetsov with 4 assists in his first 4 games... kid is already one of their better forwards.


(love watching the Leafs lose too!)

the pens also have this hell bent mentality on trying to be this blue collar grinding team. its annoying. they view effort and intensity as inseparable from a grinding muck type player mentality.
- stayinthefnnet

They should embrace puck possession more than grind it out. They have the guys to play a puck possession style.

They need to improve defensively too. They are only a +8 in 5 on 5 play. Thats very low for a team contending for the top spot in the east. I haven't looked at the Bruins, but I imagine its much higher.

Geno Kuznetsov with 4 assists in his first 4 games... kid is already one of their better forwards.


(love watching the Leafs lose too!)
- Tomahawk

3 of them came against the Canucks.

(I love seeing the Canucks lose too!)

They should embrace puck possession more than grind it out. They have the guys to play a puck possession style.

They need to improve defensively too. They are only a +8 in 5 on 5 play. Thats very low for a team contending for the top spot in the east. I haven't looked at the Bruins, but I imagine its much higher.
- PhillySportsGuy

they need to do a lot of things. but they wont haha. HCDB has his agenda in his head, and he wont deviate from that. facts be damned. Were gonna stick to our game, fellas.