Chicago hasn't made too many ridiculous moves trading away young assets for rentals, absent Vermette. They made a point to keep those assets knowing that this day was coming. On the other hand, Pittsburgh continues to throw away assets for rentals, yielding absolutely nothing in the form of future or Cups. Sure, the organization has a poopty developmental rating. However, its not like they have really made a point to keep picks.
- Oneonta Penguin

Chicago has had good management over the years. probably the best in the league.

they develop their guys, they get 2-3 good years of them to compete for a Cup and then the salary cap makes them dump some of them. They respond by getting picks and prospects and just repeating the cycle.

it is hockey operations at its finest. it is the complete opposite of what the penguins have done.

Kuhnackl.
- Victoro311

I've watched the development very closely; I think Tom has the makings of a very effective net front player. Screen and stay onside.

I've watched the development very closely; I think Tom has the makings of a very effective net front player. Screen and stay onside.
- Johnny Wrath

Thanks for the insight. Haven't heard much of him but he has the size and the reports say he has NHL caliber skill. Any shot he could be a third liner, or is he basically a fourth line level player like Uher?

Thanks for the insight. Haven't heard much of him but he has the size and the reports say he has NHL caliber skill. Any shot he could be a third liner, or is he basically a fourth line level player like Uher?
- Victoro311

Consider how many defenders the Penguins have who are projected to have NHL offense skill sets. Their skill sets are enhanced by screening the goalie. Crosby's skill set is magnified in the same way. Malkin's shooting skills. If Tom K can stay onside and set a screen, he can play on any line so long as the other 4 players have the capability to deliver a shot attempt.

So what is there left for the Penguins to do if they intend to be a playoff force while 87 and 71 are in their prime? Do you believe in the core of 71, 87, 58, 29? Johnston?
- Johnny Wrath

No, I don't believe this core can get it done. 58 isn't reliable as far as playing more than 50 games to me and we lack talent. You should know by now what I think needs to be done to help turn this around.

Fact is, that core is worthless unless you have some degree of talent around them. We don't have the necessary talent. The only way to acquire talent is to make a deal and I'm not talking Kunitz, Lovejoy, Sutter, Bennett, Scuderi, or anyone else who thinks sucks.

Consider how many defenders the Penguins have who are projected to have NHL offense skill sets. Their skill sets are enhanced by screening the goalie. Crosby's skill set is magnified in the same way. Malkin's shooting skills. If Tom K can stay onside and set a screen, he can play on any line so long as the other 4 players have the capability to deliver a shot attempt.
- Johnny Wrath

So am I to understand that you think he can one day become an effective power forward for the Pens, something that we haven't had since ever?

So am I to understand that you think he can one day become an effective power forward for the Pens, something that we haven't had since ever?
- Victoro311

No. I think we try to project too narrow a view of a line or a role upon a player. "Power forward" is to describe a big forward who hits, has a mean streak, will fight when necessary, and can bully his way toward scoring goals. This is not the kind of player Tom K is and would not be successful in the role.

What I want for him is a much more Holmstrom-like game; the very simple and outrageously effective strategy of screening the goalie. I would want him to be the F2 in a counterattack system; this is the forward who is responsible for cutting off any cross-ice pass attempts by the opponent puck carrier as the F1 and F3 close from the front and the back and trap them against the boards. Cut off that pass, stay onside, screen the goalie.

No. I think we try to project too narrow a view of a line or a role upon a player. "Power forward" is to describe a big forward who hits, has a mean streak, will fight when necessary, and can bully his way toward scoring goals. This is not the kind of player Tom K is and would not be successful in the role.

What I want for him is a much more Holmstrom-like game; the very simple and outrageously effective strategy of screening the goalie. I would want him to be the F2 in a counterattack system; this is the forward who is responsible for cutting off any cross-ice pass attempts by the opponent puck carrier as the F1 and F3 close from the front and the back and trap them against the boards. Cut off that pass, stay onside, screen the goalie.
- Johnny Wrath

the pens have needed that for so long. although with 87 and 71 doing what they do on the PP anyway, it wouldnt really matter because no one will ever actually shoot, so the point of a screen is rendered pretty irrelevant.

the pens have needed that for so long. although with 87 and 71 doing what they do on the PP anyway, it wouldnt really matter because no one will ever actually shoot, so the point of a screen is rendered pretty irrelevant.
- stayinthefnnet

I think at some point either the coaching staff will hold the power play accountable or one of those two players will be playing elsewhere.

I think at some point either the coaching staff will hold the power play accountable or one of those two players will be playing elsewhere.
- Johnny Wrath

i love them both very much, and willingly admit that i suffer from a bit of fanboy bias in my judging of both of those guys, and want to keep them around at pretty much all cost. however, the inability to come close to orchestrating even an average powerplay together has just been mind numbing. all the talent in the world, but since gonchar left theres been no true qb.

its just something that theyve never even come close to having figured out in nearly a decade now. no system, no structure, 87 and 71 playing catch. making drastic errors in personnel placement in my opinion.

Okay, I think I got it:

Letang
Scuderi
Maata
Lovejoy
Cole
Harrington
Pouliot
a 2018 7th

-for-

Hall
Eberle
RNH
Draisaitl
Hendricks (offsets the 7th)
- jmatchett383

Then Dumoulin and Chorney can be our top pairing with McNeil and say Harrison Ruopp as the number 2 and we can goon it up with Clark Srymour and Alex Boak on the bottom pair. We won't win many games but we will win some fights.

i love them both very much, and willingly admit that i suffer from a bit of fanboy bias in my judging of both of those guys, and want to keep them around at pretty much all cost. however, the inability to come close to orchestrating even an average powerplay together has just been mind numbing. all the talent in the world, but since gonchar left theres been no true qb.

its just something that theyve never even come close to having figured out in nearly a decade now. no system, no structure, 87 and 71 playing catch. making drastic errors in personnel placement in my opinion.
- stayinthefnnet

Pens had the best PP in the league last year. 2nd two years ago and 5th the year before that. I think this year was more of an aberration than anything else but if it is a problem, it has more to do with the strategy than the personnel who have been successful in that role.

Pens had the best PP in the league last year. 2nd two years ago and 5th the year before that. I think this year was more of an aberration than anything else but if it is a problem, it has more to do with the strategy than the personnel who have been successful in that role.
- jfkst1

What I don't understand is they had a great PP for like 6 weeks. We're doing great things. Shooting often, Kuni and Hornqvist creating havoc. It was beautiful. Then they quit shooting and started trying cross ice passes through 3 bodies. Drove me nuts. I don't get it....I really don't. I know they weren't being coached to do that. Tochett of all people isn't telling them to attempt only pretty plays. That mentality is on the players.

let's go Tampa!

What I don't understand is they had a great PP for like 6 weeks. We're doing great things. Shooting often, Kuni and Hornqvist creating havoc. It was beautiful. Then they quit shooting and started trying cross ice passes through 3 bodies. Drove me nuts. I don't get it....I really don't. I know they weren't being coached to do that. Tochett of all people isn't telling them to attempt only pretty plays. That mentality is on the players.
- madmike71

It was never a great PP systematically though. The only thing ACTUALLY working was Hornqvist being a beast in front of the net and our ability to take advantage of broken plays and good bounces. I and a bunch of others pointed out (here and on HF) within the first few weeks of the season that most of the goals were from broken plays and not structured zone time and it wasn't going to last. We pointed out very early on that Letang was a weak link at the point, we weren't using the low areas of the zone and were instead making risky plays in the high slot and blue line, that there was a lot of questionable decision making from Sid, Letang and Geno and that unless we fixed those things the PP was going to go downhill fast. And it did, and we never really addressed it. We didn't even address the personnel properly.

What I don't understand is they had a great PP for like 6 weeks. We're doing great things. Shooting often, Kuni and Hornqvist creating havoc. It was beautiful. Then they quit shooting and started trying cross ice passes through 3 bodies. Drove me nuts. I don't get it....I really don't. I know they weren't being coached to do that. Tochett of all people isn't telling them to attempt only pretty plays. That mentality is on the players.
- madmike71

The only thing I can definitely blame the coaching staff for is changing up the PP units too quickly. Get the first unit and leave them out there. The rest of the issues that I perceived were lack of movement. Probably could have tried moving someone to the high slot but no one on the team has a shot like Neal either so they might not believe they can capitalize on that. I'd also like to see Crosby down low and Malkin at the half board with Pouliot and Letang on the points.

Our PP has a problem in the fact that Letang isn't Gonchar. When Gonchar QB'ed the PP, all the Penguins did was generate traffic in front, have Malkin or whomever pass the puck to Gonchar on a platter and he'd fire it on net, usually with good results.

The Penguins PP today is too passive. A lot of passes on the outside. Like someone else said, Hornqvist was one of the few good things about the PP. He was a monster in the front and in the slot.

The Penguins either need to do that and utilize Crosby and Malkin to free up guys in the slot for one timers, or they need to fire pucks from the outside and generate chances that way.

let's go Tampa!
- Oneonta Penguin

- rangerdanger94

sometimes it's just your year....

sometimes it's just your year....
- SuperHenderson13

That remains to be seen. It's just funny seeing clowns like Oneonta and bartley chirp when the odds are against the Rangers and then disappear when it's time to eat crow.

That remains to be seen. It's just funny seeing clowns like Oneonta and bartley chirp when the odds are against the Rangers and then disappear when it's time to eat crow.
- rangerdanger94

Who is disappearing? Why are you on this board anyway? Insecure? You certainly act like it, otherwise, no reason to come over to see what we are saying. You haven't won jack poop.

That remains to be seen. It's just funny seeing clowns like Oneonta and bartley chirp when the odds are against the Rangers and then disappear when it's time to eat crow.
- rangerdanger94

Mimicking how Rags fans are on hockey buzz. Half your fan base was swallowing their cyanide capsules and disparaging everything about the team a few days ago. Which is what they were doing in the Caps series down 3-1 also.

Who is disappearing? Why are you on this board anyway? Insecure? You certainly act like it, otherwise, no reason to come over to see what we are saying. You haven't won jack poop.
- Oneonta Penguin

Actually the Rangers have won the President's Trophy this year and the Prince of Wales Trophy last year.

Mimicking how Rags fans are on hockey buzz. Half your fan base was swallowing their cyanide capsules and disparaging everything about the team a few days ago. Which is what they were doing in the Caps series down 3-1 also.
- jfkst1

Exactly. Numbnuts can't seem to grasp that.

Actually the Rangers have won the President's Trophy this year and the Prince of Wales Trophy last year.
- rangerdanger94

and in the grand scope of things it means what exactly if you don't win the Cup? Nothing. We should know that.