Or possibly not make the playoffs at all?
- camfor

For a 1st round series between the Pens and Isles to happen, they'd need to be 2nd and 3rd in the Metro, thus leaving 1st place open for either us or the Caps. So yes, possibly not make the playoffs at all

Pens fans gotta realize, Crosby's, Malkin's, and MAF's nuts are currently hanging from the rafters of Nassau next to the retired #'s of Trottier and Bossy!

Isles are better than the Pens RIGHT NOW.

Isles know it. Pens know it.

For those of you saying "Its just a meaningless game in January", Isles have given Pens fits for years. Energy level in Nassau gets in Pens heads and since we're so mentally weak and have no leadership with any nards, Pens wilt there.

For those downplaying the Isles credentials, you apparently haven't been watching them on CI. They're legit and the Pens #1 threat in Metro.

They're already the favs to win the division. They add a veteran D-man, they are a Cup favorite.

With that said, for all the Isles and Rags fans trolling here today, it is still only January. Slow your roll.
- 87_71_11_29

In all fairness though if the Pens would have won 6-0 last night, people would be saying "Well it's only the regular season, let's wait until the playoffs."

People in Pittsburgh say the regular season doesn't matter, that's until the Pens are losing, then it does.

So the Pens can't win either way. Not feeling sorry for them, that's just the truth.

It's just sad that their fans on Hockeybuzz are belligerent trolls and 12 year old kids with inferiority complex issues.
- Ben37

Most of the back and forth last night was in good fun, with plenty of compliments for both teams.

Everyone here keeps saying trades but I feel like the reason you don't have forward depth is because you keep trading your picks. Depth is grown, hard to trade or add in FA unless you have massive amount of cap space, which you guys never will with Letang/Crosby/Malkin.

Everyone here keeps saying trades but I feel like the reason you don't have forward depth is because you keep trading your picks. Depth is grown, hard to trade or add in FA unless you have massive amount of cap space, which you guys never will with Letang/Crosby/Malkin.
- Danformo

We have forward depth, the issue has been injuries 3 of which are still an issue with Hornqvist, Comeau, and Dupuis. Two will be back in 2-3 weeks the other possibly for the playoffs. If Horny and Comeau are plugged back into the line up that will push Spalding down to where he is suppose to be and which will strengthen up the fourth line as well. Then that will result in making 2 of Adams, Sill, the new stiff, and Spalding scratch material.

Most of the back and forth last night was in good fun, with plenty of compliments for both teams.
- Isles_since_6

Yeah. There are just some Islander fans that are really really annoying. And I am sure you guys could say the same about some of us.

That said I honestly feel that until the Penguins are willing to play the puck low in their opponents zone we are going to continue to see games like that. They will continue to get caught if they keep trying to be cute at the top of the circles.

Everyone here keeps saying trades but I feel like the reason you don't have forward depth is because you keep trading your picks. Depth is grown, hard to trade or add in FA unless you have massive amount of cap space, which you guys never will with Letang/Crosby/Malkin.
- Danformo

This is true, but at this stage in Crosby and Malkin's career, we don't have the time to grow our forward depth. If Shero wouldn't have traded away all of our picks a few years ago, yeah we might have some forwards worth playing now. But with Crosby 27 and Malkin 28... by the time a forward would be ready, they would be over 30. So making trades to fill our wings while still in a championship window is the best solution.

Instead of dreaming of Tlusty and Jagr, which unless we can get them for late round draft picks are a horrible waste of resources. Maybe Zack Kassian is a better option, I mean sure he's a complete bone head but maybe he could be the power forward we've been waiting for. Could try him with Malkin and if that didn't work he could play with Sutter and Downie. The 4th line would become some combination of Comeau, Goc, Marcobello, and Spalling. And best of all Adams would be a goner. Maybe Vancouver would take him and his expiring deal. Kassian could come in, throw some hits, piss some people off on the other team, score a few goals, crack a few skulls. At the very least he adds some toughness to the team. His cap hit is only 1.75 mill, signed through next year and Vancouver wants to get rid of him for some reason.
Horny Crosby Perron
Kassian or Kuni Malkin Bennett or Comeau
Kuni or Kassian Sutter Downie or Bennet
Spalling Goc or Arco Comeau or Downie
- Dcoms

I'd love to take a chance with Kassian depending on what the Canucks want for him. The problem is the person you've described is who Vancouver are desperately trying to turn him into. He is not that type of player right now. I think he and Malkin would hit it off though, he has great hands and passing ability, maybe the effort Malkin and Crosby put in rubs off on him.

Yeah. There are just some Islander fans that are really really annoying. And I am sure you guys could say the same about some of us.

That said I honestly feel that until the Penguins are willing to play the puck low in their opponents zone we are going to continue to see games like that. They will continue to get caught if they keep trying to be cute at the top of the circles.
- Ben37

That's why I'm not too upset about games like last night. It's absolutely fixable. My concern however is they've made these kind of mistakes for years. While I love what HCMJ has done for their breakouts and neutral zone play, they still resort to poor puck management on offense. They didn't lose that game because of lack of talent. They lost it because they made a bunch of poor decisions. Sid's line -7 5v5.

I have to say my one reservation about MJ was his desire to have the D joining the rush. That sounds good until you understand our forwards, historically, don't like to defend.

I was going to post last night before the third that we were playing a sound game and weren't getting caught running around. But then, Whadda ya know the third was just awful.
It just seems that when the game gets big (let's not pretend last night wasn't a big game) that our breakdowns always end up in the back of the net. Fleury is the easy scapegoat, and he let I a couple last night I think he should of had. But it's just uncanny how all out rivals can get back into games with us.
I think the whole team needs sport psychology.

Can we take a second to acknowledge how dirty Crosby is?



Puck nowhere near that play and yet he takes Niskanen and throws him to the ice. Very dangerous play.

Can we take a second to acknowledge how dirty Crosby is?



Puck nowhere near that play and yet he takes Niskanen and throws him to the ice. Very dangerous play.
- rangerdanger94

Can u go troll on ur own board.....and take ur Lil annoying islander fan with u...thanks.

Can we take a second to acknowledge how dirty Crosby is?



Puck nowhere near that play and yet he takes Niskanen and throws him to the ice. Very dangerous play.
- rangerdanger94

The puck is not visible. Great check to me.

The puck is not visible. Great check to me.
- powerhouse

Nisk sucks anyway, Theres a reason beat his a$$ when he was in Dallas.

Serious question, does this blog have any moderators?

2 days of Islander kids and now this puke ranger danger. Good god. A quick ban might let Penguin fans actually talk about the Penguins.

F Hockeybuzz

Guess I'll try back when the Flyer fans come back, they actually might make decent comments.

Serious question, does this blog have any moderators?

2 days of Islander kids and now this puke ranger danger. Good god. A quick ban might let Penguin fans actually talk about the Penguins.

F Hockeybuzz

Guess I'll try back when the Flyer fans come back, they actually might make decent comments.
- Sell My Monkey

Or you could just ignore them. All they want is attention and stir the pot. They're like crying children. Leave them be and they will grow to be less dependent.

Serious question, does this blog have any moderators?

2 days of Islander kids and now this puke ranger danger. Good god. A quick ban might let Penguin fans actually talk about the Penguins.

F Hockeybuzz

Guess I'll try back when the Flyer fans come back, they actually might make decent comments.
- Sell My Monkey

You will be missed.

Just a question. Could the team have suffered due to the lack of games they have played - the Islanders playing back to back after a short break but the Pens hadn't played since Tuesday 2 games in 6 days? It seems like we are getting games here & there so actual game time is limited & getting destroyed in the 3rd period may be due to lack of game time?

Everyone here keeps saying trades but I feel like the reason you don't have forward depth is because you keep trading your picks. Depth is grown, hard to trade or add in FA unless you have massive amount of cap space, which you guys never will with Letang/Crosby/Malkin.
- Danformo

This is false.. Horny is the best Pens winger, Comeau and Dupius are solid... When healthy they have forward depth... that BEING SAID ITS NOT AN EXCUSE... Illes are a better team at this point...1) Playoffs are about match ups ... Rags fans would love to get the Pens in the first round... not so sure they d be happy vs Tampa or the Illes 2) these teams will tweek their rosters before April... Pens fans are used to being the best team in January ... Welcome to the club

This is false.. Horny is the best Pens winger, Comeau and Dupius are solid... When healthy they have forward depth... that BEING SAID ITS NOT AN EXCUSE... Illes are a better team at this point...1) Playoffs are about match ups ... Rags fans would love to get the Pens in the first round... not so sure they d be happy vs Tampa or the Illes 2) these teams will tweek their rosters before April... Pens fans are used to being the best team in January ... Welcome to the club
- Brianandr1

You could argue Perron is the #1 winger now. But yeah Dupes being out has helped. No way they get Perron with him healthy.

Id argue the Pens depth issues are due to 87 and 71. Lets see how the Hawks manage that next year. But SHero didn't help trading away picks and only picking Dmen that still can't crack the lineup over Scuds.

You could argue Perron is the #1 winger now. But yeah Dupes being out has helped. No way they get Perron with him healthy.

Id argue the Pens depth issues are due to 87 and 71. Lets see how the Hawks manage that next year. But SHero didn't help trading away picks and only picking Dmen that still can't crack the lineup over Scuds.
- sammy87

We yeah depth, just a few still hurt. You can't keep trading to make this team better, when you have 2-3 wingers still on injury reserve.

Horny back, then Comeau back... "possibly" Dupuis back at the playoffs or during, where the hell would ANOTHER winger on this team go to?

The Despres bashing is as silly as the trolls today. Bad game in an otherwise fantastic season. People that don't acknowledge his ability to shield the puck and/or skate it out of danger after Scuds throws him a grenade are just angry because they predicted he would be a bust.
- madmike71

Why in the world would I (assuming you're talking to me) be angry about Despres' solid play this year? I want the team to win far more than I want to be "right." It's one of my pet peeves in all of sports. I have acknowledged when he's been great. Sue me for acknowledging when he's been bad. The bad play last night totally changed the momentum of the game. The Penguins were carrying play at that point, had just killed a penalty and I thought it was a matter of time before it was 3-0. Then boom.

We yeah depth, just a few still hurt. You can't keep trading to make this team better, when you have 2-3 wingers still on injury reserve.

Horny back, then Comeau back... "possibly" Dupuis back at the playoffs or during, where the hell would ANOTHER winger on this team go to?
- Guile

I do like how JR made the trades early so the new guys can learn the system before the playoffs. SO often traded players look lost.

Spaling dumlion 2nd to Nj jagr to pit. Before 3-2-15 or on the day if 3-2-15 Kuntiz Crosby Perron - hornquist Malkin jagr wow
- Palmer117

I just don't know what to say to you anymore.

Hey did anyone hear or see the Kessel to pens trade rumor on twitter. Saw one thing but not sure where it came from