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!
- spatso

Definitely better than the team that was playing, the guys that were out injured were a big loss & probably not as good as team although that's debatable due to the D but the offence is definitely better this season.

I think this bad start could/should have started last season - new coach, system & new personnel. This season a lot bigger changeover but still the same system. The leadership has been questioned & rightly so. The team is trying to play a skill system without the 'grit', so what happens when we meet another skill team?

It will get a lot better no question it's just frustrating & the longer we go the worse it gets. 0-3 happen all the time through the season for every team, it's just poopty when it happens first 3 games.

The Flames were sellers last deadline & they played round 2. Means nothing if you have the players to step in which is debatable we do.

I hope we go 0-10, it would really clean up this board. No more suicidal fans

I hope we go 0-10, it would really clean up this board. No more suicidal fans
- Pens_Burgh

Then go 72-0!

Then go 72-0!
- Aussiepenguin

Only to get swept in the 1st round of the playoffs by Hurricanes!

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.
- cesareborgia

Heading in the right direction? I stopped there when I considered who your GM is. You guys have been complete non factors for more than a decade, absent one of the worst choke jobs in the play-offs one year and will continue to be one.

Definitely better than the team that was playing, the guys that were out injured were a big loss & probably not as good as team although that's debatable due to the D but the offence is definitely better this season.

I think this bad start could/should have started last season - new coach, system & new personnel. This season a lot bigger changeover but still the same system. The leadership has been questioned & rightly so. The team is trying to play a skill system without the 'grit', so what happens when we meet another skill team?

It will get a lot better no question it's just frustrating & the longer we go the worse it gets. 0-3 happen all the time through the season for every team, it's just poopty when it happens first 3 games.

The Flames were sellers last deadline & they played round 2. Means nothing if you have the players to step in which is debatable we do.
- Aussiepenguin

The team as a whole is not bad. In fact, this past offseason, with the Kessel trade/Sutter trade/Fehr signing, everyone agreed almost unanimously that the roster (on paper) was far superior to every Pens team since the Cup team. I still believe that to be true.

However, this isn't NHL15 and chemistry is very important. I never liked the idea of splitting up Crosby and Hornqvist as they seemed like the one consistent offensive duo last year. So maybe Kessel and Crosby, even though they're both dynamic offensive players, just don't have chemistry. Then again, it's also been 3 games. More so, you had a fairly big roster turnover with some fresh faces or players who only played a portion of the season last year with the team. It's going to take more than some preseason games for them to all get in sync. Again, it's been 3 games. Give it some time.

In the end, this team will make the playoffs. You can't win or lose a playoff spot in 3 or even 5 games. They may not win the division, but they'll make it., Unless the team starts off 0-7 or something, they'll be fine.

In the end, take solace in this face: The Penguins are a better team than the Flyers, and our Scuderi (named Andrew MacDonald) is signed for 4 more season at $5M per.

Only to get swept in the 1st round of the playoffs by Hurricanes!
- chimpira

It's a shame how horrible Pens fans are, Twitter is a disaster right now.

Booing a hometown player on opening night; is disgraceful. I didn't even do that to #16. I hope they muted it on TV.

The fans in the crowd sat on their hands all night long, except when we scored a goal then it sounded like a PGA event.

Half of the game half of the lower bowl is empty.

There is something about Consol that sucks the sound right out of the building.

Good news is Beau looks like he is actually ready.

On HCMJ, I think he has a great mind for the game; but I also think our coach matters very little when our team can't clear the crease to save their lives.

How awesome is Alexei Emelin

F Patches wicked shot

It's a shame how horrible Pens fans are, Twitter is a disaster right now.

Booing a hometown player on opening night; is disgraceful. I didn't even do that to #16. I hope they muted it on TV.

The fans in the crowd sat on their hands all night long, except when we scored a goal then it sounded like a PGA event.

Half of the game half of the lower bowl is empty.

There is something about Consol that sucks the sound right out of the building.

Good news is Beau looks like he is actually ready.

On HCMJ, I think he has a great mind for the game; but I also think our coach matters very little when our team can't clear the crease to save their lives.

How awesome is Alexei Emelin

F Patches wicked shot
- freeBartley

Only once every 20 games.

It's a shame how horrible Pens fans are, Twitter is a disaster right now.

Booing a hometown player on opening night; is disgraceful. I didn't even do that to #16. I hope they muted it on TV.

The fans in the crowd sat on their hands all night long, except when we scored a goal then it sounded like a PGA event.

Half of the game half of the lower bowl is empty.

There is something about Consol that sucks the sound right out of the building.

Good news is Beau looks like he is actually ready.

On HCMJ, I think he has a great mind for the game; but I also think our coach matters very little when our team can't clear the crease to save their lives.

How awesome is Alexei Emelin

F Patches wicked shot
- freeBartley

Twitter is a disaster every day. And not just the Penguins ones.

It's time to move Kessel to Malkins wing where a vast number of us always thought he should be. It's time to scratch Scuderi for at least a game and see how it goes. The team is obviously not in sync and you need not look any further than all at offsides calls. I honestly think Johnson is a better x's and o's coach than Bylsma but Bylsma was a much better motivator. The Pens played with much more fire under him...just not as much structure.

Anyways, it's still very early and a lot of great teams are off to crap starts. I'm not ready to burn it to the ground yet. Almost every season the past 6 or 7 the Pens have come out the gate hot and fizzled close to playoffs. With 79 games left anything can happen yet.

#firejohnston

#hiretorts

The team as a whole is not bad. In fact, this past offseason, with the Kessel trade/Sutter trade/Fehr signing, everyone agreed almost unanimously that the roster (on paper) was far superior to every Pens team since the Cup team. I still believe that to be true.

However, this isn't NHL15 and chemistry is very important. I never liked the idea of splitting up Crosby and Hornqvist as they seemed like the one consistent offensive duo last year. So maybe Kessel and Crosby, even though they're both dynamic offensive players, just don't have chemistry. Then again, it's also been 3 games. More so, you had a fairly big roster turnover with some fresh faces or players who only played a portion of the season last year with the team. It's going to take more than some preseason games for them to all get in sync. Again, it's been 3 games. Give it some time.

In the end, this team will make the playoffs. You can't win or lose a playoff spot in 3 or even 5 games. They may not win the division, but they'll make it., Unless the team starts off 0-7 or something, they'll be fine.

In the end, take solace in this face: The Penguins are a better team than the Flyers, and our Scuderi (named Andrew MacDonald) is signed for 4 more season at $5M per.
- jmatchett383

Yes agree 100% but as I said it's just frustrating.

Isn't your Scudsmuffin in the A? Where ours will never see?

Yes agree 100% but as I said it's just frustrating.

Isn't your Scudsmuffin in the A? Where ours will never see?
- Aussiepenguin

Yes, it was one of the best moves they made heading into the season. Definitely making the best of a bad situation. Putting Scuderi on waivers seems like a logical choice, but then there's the whole "good soldier" viewpoint that keeps him up.

Yes, it was one of the best moves they made heading into the season. Definitely making the best of a bad situation. Putting Scuderi on waivers seems like a logical choice, but then there's the whole "good soldier" viewpoint that keeps him up.
- jmatchett383

I just wonder when a guys job (the decision maker that is), is on the line, how long that sentiment lasts. Isn't it 'cover your own arse first & (frank) everyone else'?

I just wonder when a guys job (the decision maker that is), is on the line, how long that sentiment lasts. Isn't it 'cover your own arse first & (frank) everyone else'?
- Aussiepenguin

Well, the Penguins window is still open. So at some point, you have to kick sentimentality out and go for what's best for the team right now. At least to me, that is.

Yes, it was one of the best moves they made heading into the season. Definitely making the best of a bad situation. Putting Scuderi on waivers seems like a logical choice, but then there's the whole "good soldier" viewpoint that keeps him up.
- jmatchett383

He's hard to watch. The 2nd period last night gave me hope. They showed they can takeover when they want to. Sad part is it was short lived. Bennett was really impressive. I'm chosing to focus on the positives.

anybody tell this team that the preseason is over?? Couple points: 1) Fleury did not look sharp last night 2) defensive puck possession looked shaky last night- breakouts were tough to watch at times 3) more than $18m tied into 2 players, with one point between them. The silver lining- Bennett's wrist shot was a thing of beauty. Perhaps, the ship will right itself by the weekend.

anybody tell this team that the preseason is over?? Couple points: 1) Fleury did not look sharp last night 2) defensive puck possession looked shaky last night- breakouts were tough to watch at times 3) more than $18m tied into 2 players, with one point between them. The silver lining- Bennett's wrist shot was a thing of beauty. Perhaps, the ship will right itself by the weekend.
- pghbirdman

MAF is the least of their worries and doesn't warrant a #1 slot on the list.

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!
- spatso

This is a ridiculous troll argument. Last season we had a middling team. This season we have a good team that's missing a piece or two. Can't do jack about players not wanting to play. I honestly have no idea what's going on right now, if players are still feeling each other out or if there's a legitimate coaching issue, but right now this is the worst I've ever seen Sodney Crosby play and Malkin looks like he can't play with his line mates. So far the only thing MJ has gotten right is Plotnikov-Bonino-Bennett. Maybe it's time to give Sid Hornqvist back and see what Geno and Kessel can do. Maybe it's time to put Olli and Letang together and insert Clendening into the lineup. Maybe it's time to give Sprong a shot at LW with Sid and Hornqvist and boot Kunitz. Just (frank)in do something!

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

So they are taking the same approach everyother team has done for years? Cool story. Mtl did it went from last 2 first. How many times? Chi has done it, LA.... The leafs sound like they are reinventing the wheel.

Yes, it was one of the best moves they made heading into the season. Definitely making the best of a bad situation. Putting Scuderi on waivers seems like a logical choice, but then there's the whole "good soldier" viewpoint that keeps him up.
- jmatchett383

It's not just a good roster move, it's a (frank)ing hard message to the rest of the team. Right now everyone besides the third line, Letang, Hornqvist, and Kessel are complacent. Send Scuderi to WBS and it shows the team that you have balls and that heads will roll if there are no results.

HCMJ needs to forget his "pairs" and shuffle these lines to try and ignite some guys. I'd go

Sprong(trial basis)-Crosby-Hornqvist
Perron- Malkin-Kessel
Plotkinov-Bonino-Bennett
Kunitz- Cullen- Farnham (chirp me all you want metric boys, but he brings speed and energy, Porter brings nothing.)


We've finally got all the metric geeks wish, Team Fancy stats. And we are falling flat on our face. We've got no identity.. We're not fast, we're not physical... But I guess on paper we have more shot attempts than the other team. I'm not saying fancy stats are completely useless, but this is what happens when you go out and put a team together completely based on metics and not...wait for it... Intangibles.

It's not just a good roster move, it's a (frank)ing hard message to the rest of the team. Right now everyone besides the third line, Letang, Hornqvist, and Kessel are complacent. Send Scuderi to WBS and it shows the team that you have balls and that heads will roll if there are no results.
- Victoro311

I don't think sending a 6/7 defenseman is the "hard" message you need. You want to send a hard message? Ship out a top-6 player (Perron).

But, seriously, it's 3 games. There's no need to be rash and/or declare that the sky has fallen.

HCMJ needs to forget his "pairs" and shuffle these lines to try and ignite some guys. I'd go

Sprong(trial basis)-Crosby-Hornqvist
Perron- Malkin-Kessel
Plotkinov-Bonino-Bennett
Kunitz- Cullen- Farnham (chirp me all you want metric boys, but he brings speed and energy, Porter brings nothing.)


We've finally got all the metric geeks wish, Team Fancy stats. And we are falling flat on our face. We've got no identity.. We're not fast, we're not physical... But I guess on paper we have more shot attempts than the other team. I'm not saying fancy stats are completely useless, but this is what happens when you go out and put a team together completely based on metics and not...wait for it... Intangibles.
- Willaged

3 games.

Edit: Agreed on the lines.