Whine again. So how are things going for anaheim huh? Still winless as we are and they are the ones that gave the champs the fight of their life. Should they fire everyone.
- martox

There are definitely a few teams/organisations that would have preferred a better start. The Ducks didn't change too much although I think 3 players left that they would count as big losses, Kings have changed a few more than that as have the BJ's. Our presumed weak link hasn't been that to date & I think the D has held it's own. So no suicides just yet & I would much rather have wins than losses but it's a long season & unless we start getting to the 5/6 game mark without a win then the team & coach should be given some breathing room. Let them sort themselves out & if they can't.........................we will!!

#getdingerinthegroovemjcausehewannabestartinsomething

The only thing worse about the pens the last two years are the blogs here for our team. Never have the blogs been so embarrassingly useless. I want advanced stats to die already. Hockey is a sport filled full of intangibles that no stat..advanced or otherwise..can measure. Many of such intangibles this team is completely void of. Heart passion pride work ethic effort etc. This team filled full of skill has no one left to actually acquire the damn puck and dish it effectively to said skill. I could go.on and on.
- taleisyreXIII

Are you surprised? You traded for Kessel. I just didn't expect the Kessel effect to take hold so drastically and suddenly.

Poor Kessel. The guy thought he was coming here to win and now he'll have a tough time cracking 25 goals with the way his centers are playing...
- Victoro311

So basicallyBozak > Crosby?

I doubt your centres are the problem. Its most likely the Kessel effect where he brings down to work ethic of the entire team.

Sid is a grinder, he plays better with other grinder type players. His time with Team Canada has shown that he doesnt play better nor positively impact higher end players like he does with 2/3 line tweeners.

Malkin is more the type of player that will excel with Kessel. Malkin is selfish, he wants the puck, he takes his time, draws attention and will generate space for Kessel to sneak into which he is temendous at. Sid just pushes the play too hard for higher end talent, he plays balls to the wall and thats just not how elite scorers play.

I dont know who is the best fit for the left side on a Sid and Hornqvist line, Kunitz was good and I would kepp him there at first but he has slowed down. Id like to see Sprong tried but he may be too much of a finess player for Sid as well.
- stackthepads

Crosby AKA Mr. Golden Goal with 2 Olympic golds has done fine for team Canada

Yeah Im sure a 35 yr old that had knee surgury and blood clots and hasnt played a full season in over 3 years is the answer! To think that the teams problems are missing Dupes is a bit naive.

Playing to get MJ fired is interesting cuz they played the same under DB...Yet nobody wanted to coach here. Cant wait to see how they would play under Tortz.

There is a cancer with this team, maybe its 71 maybe 87 but this is a joke.
- sammy87

The cancer is 81. Players dont suddenly turn into cancers. Phils been one his entire career.

Win or lose what a joke. The Leafs have played in my one playoff series since the salary cap was implemented. That's 13 years. You're proud to support a loser that's never ever going to win but happy to take your money? Maybe if Leafs fans weren't such blind idiots the team would get its act together.
- Dcoms

Well actually 9 years. But nice try. Fans support this team win or lose because of its rich history, something Pittsburgh "fans" wouldn't understand.

And IMO we are going in the right direction finally. Look at our front office. Our coach. Our prospects who we aren't rushing. Our direction. We just offloaded the cancer 81 to you guys. For the first time in a while, were getting our act together and will win the cup again before the pens who are on the decline, big time

Prepare for tough years ahead... I wonder if this time you guys will be lucky enough to get a savior or will the team finally pack its bags.

The cancer is 81. Players dont suddenly turn into cancers. Phils been one his entire career.
- cesareborgia

So what you are saying is now that he is gone you guys are now playoff contenders?

So what you are saying is now that he is gone you guys are now playoff contenders?
- Thunderbolt

Nope. We are basement dwellers and will be for a couple of years as we accumulate high draft picks. But for the first time in years our team is actually trying. The difference compared to last year is huge. We actually have a high work ethic, something we never had with Kessel on the team. Championships are won with blood and guts type players, not heartless cancers.

Win or lose what a joke. The Leafs have played in my one playoff series since the salary cap was implemented. That's 13 years. You're proud to support a loser that's never ever going to win but happy to take your money? Maybe if Leafs fans weren't such blind idiots the team would get its act together.
- Dcoms

no need to blame the fans. the pens had some pretty lean years as well and were gifted with a lottery win for crosby. Any true "fan" would be proud to support their team no matter what, any other way and youre a bandwagon fan no?

Nope. We are basement dwellers and will be for a couple of years as we accumulate high draft picks. But for the first time in years our team is actually trying. The difference compared to last year is huge. We actually have a high work ethic, something we never had with Kessel on the team. Championships are won with blood and guts type players, not heartless cancers.
- cesareborgia

You are still confusing me with your double talk. One second you blame it all on Kessell then you blame it on previous management, then Kessell and now back on previous management.

You are still confusing me with your double talk. One second you blame it all on Kessell then you blame it on previous management, then Kessell and now back on previous management.
- Thunderbolt

Well previous management acquired Kessel. And they tried to rush things. Now we are doing things right.

Let me make it simple for you: the Cancer 81 needed to go. He's a terrible role model for the kids. Now we may suck, but we play with passion and heart which is a huge improvement over last year. When we bring our kids up, they won't be exposed to a cancerish environment where the highest paid player is someone who has no heart or physicality and mails it in at the first sign of difficulty.

From my eyes.....

Crosby looked like the worst player on the team last night.

Malkin turned it up a bit.

Fluery still sucks. That gwg he let in was weak ad hell.

Team over all played and tried harder. But man did crosby look like poop.

3rd line was good.

Bennet looks pretty bad ass.

Well previous management acquired Kessel. And they tried to rush things. Now we are doing things right.

Let me make it simple for you: the Cancer 81 needed to go. He's a terrible role model for the kids. Now we may suck, but we play with passion and heart which is a huge improvement over last year. When we bring our kids up, they won't be exposed to a cancerish environment where the highest paid player is someone who has no heart or physicality and mails it in at the first sign of difficulty.
- cesareborgia

Thank you, and he's gone and yet you still harbor ill wills toward him. I would love to continue with you but I have to go to work and deal with all the paranoid conspiracy theorists there now.

Thank you, and he's gone and yet you still harbor ill wills toward him. I would love to continue with you but I have to go to work and deal with all the paranoid conspiracy theorists there now.
- Thunderbolt

Paranoid, or capable of independent thought?

Put bobby in there.

Well previous management acquired Kessel. And they tried to rush things. Now we are doing things right.

Let me make it simple for you: the Cancer 81 needed to go. He's a terrible role model for the kids. Now we may suck, but we play with passion and heart which is a huge improvement over last year. When we bring our kids up, they won't be exposed to a cancerish environment where the highest paid player is someone who has no heart or physicality and mails it in at the first sign of difficulty.
- cesareborgia

Time you left to get your daily ass spanking by the older gentleman home boy, so do what MJ (& the older gentleman), says &............

Thank you, and he's gone and yet you still harbor ill wills toward him. I would love to continue with you but I have to go to work and deal with all the paranoid conspiracy theorists there now.
- Thunderbolt

And I don't harbour I'll will towards him at all. I just don't think he's a goodplayer to have on your team, especially a young team. I don't like the fact that he has such tremendous skill but isn't living up to his potential.

Time you left to get your daily ass spanking by the older gentleman home boy, so do what MJ (& the older gentleman), says &............
- Aussiepenguin

perhaps I've overstayed my welcome. So long!

And to all the people saying we're too soft and not enough #gritness, we lead the Habs in hits by 10 and the best hits of the night barring two destructive hip checks by I believe Gilbert were from Kunitz, Perron, and Bennett. The issue here isn't the four scoring lines model, and its not team defense. It's the top two lines not giving a damn and I put that on Johnston's shoulders to fix.
- Victoro311

2nd goal had a Habs player (Gallagher), playing cards with himself in front of Flower, he was just about to shuffle (again), when the goal was scored. Isn't someone suppose to at least 'ask' him to leave from that location??? We leave a lone Hab with Flower, even if it's a PK, jump the (frank)er & piss him off out of there, rather than stand in no mans land & watch the (frank)in game!!! They have no inclination of putting any physical pressure on an opposing player. I bet every team in the NHL at the moment can't wait to play us.

Yeah Im sure a 35 yr old that had knee surgury and blood clots and hasnt played a full season in over 3 years is the answer! To think that the teams problems are missing Dupes is a bit naive.

Playing to get MJ fired is interesting cuz they played the same under DB...Yet nobody wanted to coach here. Cant wait to see how they would play under Tortz.

There is a cancer with this team, maybe its 71 maybe 87 but this is a joke.
- sammy87

Go back a few years, and they pretty much did the same to get rid of Therrien.

Sid is a grinder, he plays better with other grinder type players. His time with Team Canada has shown that he doesnt play better nor positively impact higher end players like he does with 2/3 line tweeners.

Malkin is more the type of player that will excel with Kessel. Malkin is selfish, he wants the puck, he takes his time, draws attention and will generate space for Kessel to sneak into which he is temendous at. Sid just pushes the play too hard for higher end talent, he plays balls to the wall and thats just not how elite scorers play.

I dont know who is the best fit for the left side on a Sid and Hornqvist line, Kunitz was good and I would kepp him there at first but he has slowed down. Id like to see Sprong tried but he may be too much of a finess player for Sid as well.
- stackthepads

Perfectly put. That's what I think and what Mngmnt should've known by now. F this.

Win or lose what a joke. The Leafs have played in my one playoff series since the salary cap was implemented. That's 13 years. You're proud to support a loser that's never ever going to win but happy to take your money? Maybe if Leafs fans weren't such blind idiots the team would get its act together.
- Dcoms

And if the fans did not show up we'd hear how we are not a real hockeytown. You can't win.

And I don't harbour I'll will towards him at all. I just don't think he's a goodplayer to have on your team, especially a young team. I don't like the fact that he has such tremendous skill but isn't living up to his potential.
- cesareborgia

He spent 3 and a half years as a PPG player with Tyler Bozak. Not sure if he's underachieving like you think,

2nd goal had a Habs player (Gallagher), playing cards with himself in front of Flower, he was just about to shuffle (again), when the goal was scored. Isn't someone suppose to at least 'ask' him to leave from that location??? We leave a lone Hab with Flower, even if it's a PK, jump the (frank)er & piss him off out of there, rather than stand in no mans land & watch the (frank)in game!!! They have no inclination of putting any physical pressure on an opposing player. I bet every team in the NHL at the moment can't wait to play us.
- Aussiepenguin

It has to get a lot worse before the fans are willing to accept the need for a rebuild. I do believe the Pens will be sellers at the deadline. Is this team as good as the guys that limped into the playoffs last year? Perhaps not!

The main thing I see that tells me the Penguins aren't 'right' is that they simply don't move the puck quickly enough.

Not just the whole D to F argument...but among the forwards as well.

Maybe it's a sync issue...clearly they are out of sync.

I watch other teams play...with less skilled forwards...and I see three things

1) they get the center of the ice more often
2) they seem intent on shooting
3) they score more goals

Not saying this one example proves my point...but

Bennetts line looked the best at times last night and to me it was because they were more intent on getting the puck on net. Or at least it seemed that way.