Right now, I will 100% agree with you. Our defense is still awfully suspect. We have probably one of the best top D pairings when healthy. After that, we have inexperience absent two third pairings of Lovejoy and Scuderi. If the second D pairing can play to its potential, it could be solid. Time will tell.
- Oneonta Penguin

Totally agree. I think the success of defense this year largely rests on Maata and Letang playing 75+ games.

Totally agree. I think the success of defense this year largely rests on Maata and Letang playing 75+ games.
- astgood9414

I think most of us agree that we are one injury away (Letang or Maatta) from having potentially a disastrous defense.

Pens have a great 1/2 in letang and maatta
A solid 3 in Cole
A nice 5/6 in love joy
Dumo is a solid 5/6 ... Can he be a four?
Pouliot, clendening, erixon ???
Scuderi 6-8
The issue is can one of the kids step up and be a solid 4?
If you look at the pens d over the last year it's been solid in both the regular season and the playoffs... In fact goals against was pretty comparable to the rags in the regular season .... And that's despite all the injuries... I'm not sure where the "myth" among non pens fans comes from that there d sucks??? Maybe because there not overpaying "big name" guys like girardi and Boyle....
- Brianandr1

Most fans of other teams don't know anything about the Pens. They think of the 2012 Flyers series and base their opinions off of that (Fleury sucks, Pens don't play defense, team has zero discipline). The reality is that the defense last year was very good when healthy. Granted losing Ehrhoff and Martin will hurt, but even when Pens had injuries last year the defense was still at least average overall.

If the pens are going to make a trade for a top 4 d-man I want them to look at Jared Spurgeon of the wild (My second favorite team). he will be an rfa after this season and they don't know if they want to keep him. He is a very talented 2 way defender that I believe fits the system very well. Problem is he will be due a bigger contract this off season. Maybe if we dump scuds somehow and give him scuds deal. I don't know. It's really just my bias making me rant.

If the pens are going to make a trade for a top 4 d-man I want them to look at Jared Spurgeon of the wild (My second favorite team). he will be an rfa after this season and they don't know if they want to keep him. He is a very talented 2 way defender that I believe fits the system very well. Problem is he will be due a bigger contract this off season. Maybe if we dump scuds somehow and give him scuds deal. I don't know. It's really just my bias making me rant.
- Zac_O

I will be very interested in seeing how Rutherford looks at deals starting now, as in trades. Our system isn't stocked at all and we have few trade assets. Outside of Sprong and maybe Sundqvist we don't have much outside of what I would term AHL type lifers that could fill a role on a 4th line, if needed. Since everyone is looking for defensive help, well, most, two of our top assets could be lost to waivers (Clendenning and Dumoulin). No first round pick in the next draft either.

If the pens are going to make a trade for a top 4 d-man I want them to look at Jared Spurgeon of the wild (My second favorite team). he will be an rfa after this season and they don't know if they want to keep him. He is a very talented 2 way defender that I believe fits the system very well. Problem is he will be due a bigger contract this off season. Maybe if we dump scuds somehow and give him scuds deal. I don't know. It's really just my bias making me rant.
- Zac_O

Spurgeon is excellent. Only way Wild don't want him is because they can't afford him. Asking price would be massive.

Phil Kessel Will Turn Evgeni Malkin Back Into A Power Play Monster
- Ryan_Wilson

Its funny I have this experience in real life too. The only people that I can talk intelligent, unbiased hockey with are Flyers fans.
- Victoro311

I'm convinced it's easier to have a conversation about hockey at large with someone who doesn't share your rooting interest. You tend to spend less time disagreeing on the things both of you see the most and wading into that "I called it, you're just biased towards your favorite player(s)" territory.

Most fans of other teams don't know anything about the Pens. They think of the 2012 Flyers series and base their opinions off of that (Fleury sucks, Pens don't play defense, team has zero discipline). The reality is that the defense last year was very good when healthy. Granted losing Ehrhoff and Martin will hurt, but even when Pens had injuries last year the defense was still at least average overall.
- jfkst1

Well... our discipline hasn't improved that much sadly ~_~

Well... our discipline hasn't improved that much sadly ~_~
- Guile

The removal of Steve Downie will do wonders in this area.

Spurgeon is excellent. Only way Wild don't want him is because they can't afford him. Asking price would be massive.
- jfkst1

Ya I know. It's probably a pipe dream of mine but watching him play I'm always impressed. A player like him is what I'm hoping Pouliot turns out to be.

- jmatchett383

I feel as if Kessel is saying "Grrr, I'm a monster" in the most monotone way possible.

I always think its odd when jmatchett, a Flyers fan, argues for the Pens in this instance. He should just make the change. He has been a closet Penguin fan all along.
- Oneonta Penguin

I was a Penguins and Flyers fan back in the mid 90s, and I'm married to a girl from Pittsburgh. I've made the football transformation, but the Penguins are still my #3. That's not likely to change, but I still enjoying discussing them and hate when people bash them for no reason.

I feel as if Kessel is saying "Grrr, I'm a monster" in the most monotone way possible.
- usethe1-2-2

Well, Crosby and Malkin are looking down at the competition they are looking to demolish. Kessel is staring outward trying to locate the nearest McDonald's.

The special teams figure to be strong again. I would guess top ten in the league for both. That power play has the potential to be very special.

As for the talk about our D, I don't get what people are so hard about. Chicago won the cup with three guys, a couple of nobody kids, and the ghost of Kimmo Timmonen. It's about being healthy and rolling four good forward lines.
I guess no one remembers the cup win when Gonchar and Orpik took every other shift.

Well, Crosby and Malkin are looking down at the competition they are looking to demolish. Kessel is staring outward trying to locate the nearest McDonald's.
- jmatchett383

Kessel is just picking on the weak gazelle while Sid and Geno go to battle lol.

The special teams figure to be strong again. I would guess top ten in the league for both. That power play has the potential to be very special.

As for the talk about our D, I don't get what people are so hard about. Chicago won the cup with three guys, a couple of nobody kids, and the ghost of Kimmo Timmonen. It's about being healthy and rolling four good forward lines.
I guess no one remembers the cup win when Gonchar and Orpik took every other shift.
- usethe1-2-2

Yeah, but Chicago also had superstar Craig Darling to bail them out when Crawford poop the bed for a playoff series. No other team has a backup that can come close to St. Darling.

The removal of Steve Downie will do wonders in this area.
- jmatchett383

More than just the removal of Downie. Also the removal of guys like Bortuzzo (68PIM) Comeau (65PIM) Zach Sill (60PIM in only 40 games). Really the leader in penalty minutes next year based on history will probably be Letang. Thats of course in farnham isn't on the NHL roster.

Kessel is just picking on the weak gazelle while Sid and Geno go to battle lol.
- usethe1-2-2

"Get over here gazelle, don't make me come after you. I mean, really, please, don't make me. P-please???"

Yeah, but Chicago also had superstar Craig Darling to bail them out when Crawford poop the bed for a playoff series. No other team has a backup that can come close to St. Darling.
- jmatchett383

Superstar is a word that has been completely devalued. Darling was a once in a lifetime talent, literally only had talent for just like a week once in his lifetime.

I was a Penguins and Flyers fan back in the mid 90s, and I'm married to a girl from Pittsburgh. I've made the football transformation, but the Penguins are still my #3. That's not likely to change, but I still enjoying discussing them and hate when people bash them for no reason.
- jmatchett383

Follow your wife. She is a smart woman. So, you were half Penguins, half Flyers in the 1990s and now we are third? Who is second? You seriously act like more of a Penguin fan than a Flyer fan after reading your posts.

Well... our discipline hasn't improved that much sadly ~_~
- Guile

How can it not improve when you look at who is gone?

Superstar is a word that has been completely devalued. Darling was a once in a lifetime talent, literally only had talent for just like a week once in his lifetime.
- usethe1-2-2

I think he was being superstarcastic.

More than just the removal of Downie. Also the removal of guys like Bortuzzo (68PIM) Comeau (65PIM) Zach Sill (60PIM in only 40 games). Really the leader in penalty minutes next year based on history will probably be Letang. Thats of course in farnham isn't on the NHL roster.
- Zac_O

Despres had a major negative penalty ratio too.

I think he was being superstarcastic.
- BulliesPhan87

I cant think of a good reply. Well done