Especially Malkin. It's a completely different team without him. Sutter is completely exposed when he has to step up.
- madmike71

The only time Sutter steps up is on a step stool to get the cookies up high.

I must say, I'm pretty tired of watching pens games the past year or so. Last years regular season was good but this one has just been awful. Obviously due to injury but it seems like these injuries happen every year and that's why we lose in the playoffs or have horrible games. I'm just sick of watching terrible hockey and losing games when our team should be a dominant team each year even with the cap Letang, Sid, and Geno take up. Does anyone else agree? I wish we had smarter management and could fill the roster out with above average players with low cap hits.

I must say, I'm pretty tired of watching pens games the past year or so. Last years regular season was good but this one has just been awful. Obviously due to injury but it seems like these injuries happen every year and that's why we lose in the playoffs or have horrible games. I'm just sick of watching terrible hockey and losing games when our team should be a dominant team each year even with the cap Letang, Sid, and Geno take up. Does anyone else agree? I wish we had smarter management and could fill the roster out with above average players with low cap hits.
- chanceb

It comes down to drafting and you guys have either done poorly in drafting forwards or deal too many picks away. It's tough because in you're current situation, it would take 5 or 6 years of drafting to have a solid number of draft picks that can step in when injuries occur and provide more value than their ELC cap hits.

What's with the 17 players? Is it due to cap issues?

I must say, I'm pretty tired of watching pens games the past year or so. Last years regular season was good but this one has just been awful. Obviously due to injury but it seems like these injuries happen every year and that's why we lose in the playoffs or have horrible games. I'm just sick of watching terrible hockey and losing games when our team should be a dominant team each year even with the cap Letang, Sid, and Geno take up. Does anyone else agree? I wish we had smarter management and could fill the roster out with above average players with low cap hits.
- chanceb

I think Bylsma's system is more entertaining to watch. I don't think it works well in the postseason but for entertainment value it is more fun than Johnston's low event hockey.

It's very difficult to get cost effective players in UFA. There are some out there, but it's not like every player wants to play for the Penguins either so sometimes to attract them, larger salaries must be provided, which obviously makes them less cost-effective. What really hurts is having next to nothing in forward prospects to play on ELC.

if we dont get swept in the first round itll be a miracle

It comes down to drafting and you guys have either done poorly in drafting forwards or deal too many picks away. It's tough because in you're current situation, it would take 5 or 6 years of drafting to have a solid number of draft picks that can step in when injuries occur and provide more value than their ELC cap hits.

What's with the 17 players? Is it due to cap issues?
- rangerdanger94

This is what happens with a short-sighted ownership and management group that demands mortgaging the future every year for short-term gains.

Pens are against the cap and can't put injured players on LTIR with fewer than 10 games in the regular season.

It comes down to drafting and you guys have either done poorly in drafting forwards or deal too many picks away. It's tough because in you're current situation, it would take 5 or 6 years of drafting to have a solid number of draft picks that can step in when injuries occur and provide more value than their ELC cap hits.

What's with the 17 players? Is it due to cap issues?
- rangerdanger94

True dat.

Yeah the D issue is due to the cap. They've mangled it so much, they cant afford to call up anyone. Probably not a good idea with a team loaded with fragile pieces.

I truly don't know now if this is a team of underachievers or they are simply overrated to begin with. I'm leaning towards overrated.....

Who cares about the regular season. They have killed it in the regular season past few years and burned out in the playoffs. They will turn it on in the playoffs.. I don't care what you all say I am holding out hope.

This is what happens with a short-sighted ownership and management group that demands mortgaging the future every year for short-term gains.

Pens are against the cap and can't put injured players on LTIR with fewer than 10 games in the regular season.
- jfkst1

I seriously think you guys are over dramatic about playing shorthanded.

With Geno out last night, we should be able to make an emergency recall. I'm not blaming mgmt for this poop. I'd much rather they go for it every year and spend every penny.

Who cares about the regular season. They have killed it in the regular season past few years and burned out in the playoffs. They will turn it on in the playoffs.. I don't care what you all say I am holding out hope.
- kgrpitt

hope is lame. now despair, that's where it's at

It comes down to drafting and you guys have either done poorly in drafting forwards or deal too many picks away. It's tough because in you're current situation, it would take 5 or 6 years of drafting to have a solid number of draft picks that can step in when injuries occur and provide more value than their ELC cap hits.

What's with the 17 players? Is it due to cap issues?
- rangerdanger94

Dealing too many picks away is what we've done way too much of. I still cant believe we gave up 2 2nd rounders for Murray

I seriously think you guys are over dramatic about playing shorthanded.

With Geno out last night, we should be able to make an emergency recall. I'm not blaming mgmt for this poop. I'd much rather they go for it every year and spend every penny.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I don't care about spending money to the max and don't blame management for that at all. I do fault Shero heavily for making so many rental trades that have depleted the organizational depth. And I think ownership needs to have a more reasonable approach to personnel management and not expect to go all out every year. Other constant contenders such as Anaheim, Chicago, Tampa, Detroit, and Montreal have solid organizational depth and competed in the postseason as well. So it's not impossible to do.

I don't care about spending money to the max and don't blame management for that at all. I do fault Shero heavily for making so many rental trades that have depleted the organizational depth. And I think ownership needs to have a more reasonable approach to personnel management and not expect to go all out every year. Other constant contenders such as Anaheim, Chicago, Tampa, Detroit, and Montreal have solid organizational depth and competed in the postseason as well. So it's not impossible to do.
- jfkst1

It's also difficult not to go for it all with Malkin, Crosby, Letang, and Fleury in their primes. Do you sit pat and rebuild the pipeline for the next 3 or 4 years with these guys only getting older?

It's also difficult not to go for it all with Malkin, Crosby, Letang, and Fleury in their primes. Do you sit pat and rebuild the pipeline for the next 3 or 4 years with these guys only getting older?
- rangerdanger94

The team wouldn't have needed to go through an extensive 3-4 year long rebuild where they weren't competing in the postseason. Simply not making so many rental trades and letting basically every asset walk for free would have made a major difference. Ownership pushes personnel management to make short-term gains that hurt long-term. Trading a 1st rounder for a top 6 forward in his prime with some term like Perron is fine. The types of trades that will get the team in trouble are trading a 23 yr old #5 dman still developing for a 31 year old #4/5 dman. Same with trading a 2nd and 5th for a bottom 6 forward when that forward is a rental that could have been acquired cheaply in UFA before the season began.

jmatch should of thrown his lemiuex jersey on the ice

Who cares about the regular season. They have killed it in the regular season past few years and burned out in the playoffs. They will turn it on in the playoffs.. I don't care what you all say I am holding out hope.
- kgrpitt

Me too, all we can do is hope for the team to play better in the playoffs.

The last few years, all we've heard is that the regular season doesn't matter, but then we freak out over almost every single loss.

The team wouldn't have needed to go through an extensive 3-4 year long rebuild where they weren't competing in the postseason. Simply not making so many rental trades and letting basically every asset walk for free would have made a major difference. Ownership pushes personnel management to make short-term gains that hurt long-term. Trading a 1st rounder for a top 6 forward in his prime with some term like Perron is fine. The types of trades that will get the team in trouble are trading a 23 yr old #5 dman still developing for a 31 year old #4/5 dman. Same with trading a 2nd and 5th for a bottom 6 forward when that forward is a rental that could have been acquired cheaply in UFA before the season began.
- jfkst1

Yea, although I'm looking at your draft pick history and have you haven't traded away as many picks as I thought you have. The real issue is just horrible scouting. Outside your 1st round picks, you guys haven't drafted anyone in close to a decade that's a player for you or even a decent prospect besides Sundqvist in the 3rd round in 2012. Harrington is a nice 2nd round pick too. But no hits 4-7 or even 3-7 outside Sund.

jmatch should of thrown his lemiuex jersey on the ice
- BulliesPhan87

Forgot he was in town. I passed on tickets last night and I'm glad I did. Flyers should try and play their home games here

The team wouldn't have needed to go through an extensive 3-4 year long rebuild where they weren't competing in the postseason. Simply not making so many rental trades and letting basically every asset walk for free would have made a major difference. Ownership pushes personnel management to make short-term gains that hurt long-term. Trading a 1st rounder for a top 6 forward in his prime with some term like Perron is fine. The types of trades that will get the team in trouble are trading a 23 yr old #5 dman still developing for a 31 year old #4/5 dman. Same with trading a 2nd and 5th for a bottom 6 forward when that forward is a rental that could have been acquired cheaply in UFA before the season began.
- jfkst1

Ownership isn't controlling the poor drafting....especially forwards. That's the bottom line to me. They have been terrible at drafting and developing a supporting cast. The only forwards on this team that the team has drafted are Sid, Geno and Bennett. That's disgusting.

Then... Instead of trusting your young depth on D, they go out and get Hoff and Scuds.

http://dkonpittsburghspor...short-handed-why-exactly/

Great read... This is what I have been saying.. management has not done enough... they could have easily put scuds or adams o waivers in beginning of year and cleared cap space to let young guys play... and hope someone picked up one of them...

Forgot he was in town. I passed on tickets last night and I'm glad I did. Flyers should try and play their home games here
- dbell646

If we played all our road games there we might have gotten a little postseason hockey

Another meaningless game. 5 D and no Geno. he only thing left to do this season is to get Crosby the points lead.

Move along, move along.

Another meaningless game. 5 D and no Geno. he only thing left to do this season is to get Crosby the points lead.

Move along, move along.
- chimpira

Yep! (frank) Ovi

Ownership isn't controlling the poor drafting....especially forwards. That's the bottom line to me. They have been terrible at drafting and developing a supporting cast. The only forwards on this team that the team has drafted are Sid, Geno and Bennett. That's disgusting.

Then... Instead of trusting your young depth on D, they go out and get Hoff and Scuds.
- madmike71

Yea. The concept of rounding out your roster through UFA signings is flawed. Because if you sign a UFA to a $1.5M contract, you're getting a $1.5M player. When you fill yor roster out through the draft, you get a young kid making $900K but producing like a $3M+ player.