OH MY GOD SPRONG IS SKATING AT LW THIS IS NOT A DRILL

I'm not sure I'd mess with Dumo and Lovejoy. I think they've been quietly our most consistent pairing. I think Letang and Cole needs a shakeup however.
- madmike71

I'm split on that. I think Lovejoy is an ok 2nd pairing guy. But cole is better than Dumo so either Dumo and Lovejoy on third line or split.

Trade Sprong for a Detroit youngster that plays LW. Or keep him in Juniors this year & 3rd or 4th line next year depending on BB, keep his RW top 6 seat warm with Horny's arse & trade Horny last year of his contract.

No need to keep Sprong up (I'd love to see him stay mind you), if he is being scratched or playing 8 minutes a night. Send him down like the Rags sent Duclair down last season - Duclair seems to be doing ok this year. Injuries will allow a few of our baby Pens the look they deserve - let the insults on those poor buggers begin but you know Farnsy just scored & assisted for the Devils first game he had so...........

Trading Sid at this point is a step backwards in developing a cup winning team - he brings so much more than just points & we need that. I believe he will get better as a player/leader as time goes on.

No D trades required just yet until we see half a season of this defence - love to see my man Dinger get a bone but looks like that only happens when he goes to Halloween parties with Geno!! Lucky (frank)er Geno!

Maatta-Letang
Cole-Lovejoy
Dumo-Clendening

This what you're thinking?
- Zac_O

I think Cole and Dumo would be a great pairing but they are 2 lefties and that would put 2 righties together with Suckjoy and Clendening. I would just get crazy and try this:
Letang Maatta
Cole Clendening
Dumoulin Pouliot
2-3 years from now that's what it's going to be anyway. Let's get it goin.

Crosby down low on the PP and Dinger skating with Maatta. Make out of that what you will.
- Victoro311

That's what I'm talking about Vic!

I'm split on that. I think Lovejoy is an ok 2nd pairing guy. But cole is better than Dumo so either Dumo and Lovejoy on third line or split.
- Zac_O

Keep them together. Cole-Lovejoy would be a bad pairing. Too slow and not enough puck skill. There's also the potential pitfall that Dumoulin-Clendening would be too inexperienced. I like how Dumoulin and Lovejoy play together. Dumo looks composed and relaxed and just makes plays. I'm scared that juju would get (frank)ed up if you stick him with another pretty much rookie.

God I had purged this article from my memory. Why did you show this to me again?
- Victoro311

I'm at my nephews hockey practice and I ran out of things to read.

OH MY GOD SPRONG IS SKATING AT LW THIS IS NOT A DRILL
- Victoro311

Crosby down low on the PP and Dinger skating with Maatta. Make out of that what you will.
- Victoro311

Hmmm... I think I have a three quarter chub right now... If only the D pairings here could be the new standard (or just anything without Scuds, can swap Clend and Lovejoy, doens't matter).

Maatta-Letang
Cole-Lovejoy
Dumo-Clendening

This what you're thinking?
- Zac_O

I'm split on that. I think Lovejoy is an ok 2nd pairing guy. But cole is better than Dumo so either Dumo and Lovejoy on third line or split.
- Zac_O

There is literally not one single way that Cole is better than Dumoulin. Dumoulin is bigger, faster, a better passer, and more likely to score.

I'm split on that. I think Lovejoy is an ok 2nd pairing guy. But cole is better than Dumo so either Dumo and Lovejoy on third line or split.
- Zac_O

Cole has had some shaky games recently. Maybe it's not fair to judge him as a first pairing player (cause I don't believe he is one), but I'd like to see Maatta released from the burden that is Rob Scuderi and finally get a chance with Letang.

Trade Sprong for a Detroit youngster that plays LW. Or keep him in Juniors this year & 3rd or 4th line next year depending on BB, keep his RW top 6 seat warm with Horny's arse & trade Horny last year of his contract.

No need to keep Sprong up (I'd love to see him stay mind you), if he is being scratched or playing 8 minutes a night. Send him down like the Rags sent Duclair down last season - Duclair seems to be doing ok this year. Injuries will allow a few of our baby Pens the look they deserve - let the insults on those poor buggers begin but you know Farnsy just scored & assisted for the Devils first game he had so...........

Trading Sid at this point is a step backwards in developing a cup winning team - he brings so much more than just points & we need that. I believe he will get better as a player/leader as time goes on.

No D trades required just yet until we see half a season of this defence - love to see my man Dinger get a bone but looks like that only happens when he goes to Halloween parties with Geno!! Lucky (frank)er Geno!
- Aussiepenguin

they are trying sprong on LW today

Here's a nice little nugget from the hockey press clowns. Proposed trade: Hamhuis for Scuderi, Dumoulin, Sundquist AND A SECOND!!!!!! Our worst contract- fine. Our second best dman right now- NO FREAKING WAY!!!!! AND our best forward prospect for a 34 year old defenseman who is a free agent at the end of the year. I'm all for trading for Hamhuis, I think he's the best, most attainable solution. But this deal is just stupid. Rutherford should be hung from a street light if he did this. Yes I know it's BS. http://thehockeypress.ca/...-penguins-edm-nj-cbj.html
- Dcoms

D man you know that as soon as you click on that site you're going to be pissed or very excited with what it contains. It's full of poop big time & only there for a laugh - it's better rumour mongering than dare I say an E-2 rumour!

so... MJ sits clendening, keeps sprong and tries him at LW, tries something diffrent by putting sid down low at the PP. Is he reading these blogs

There is literally not one single way that Cole is better than Dumoulin. Dumoulin is bigger, faster, a better passer, and more likely to score.
- Dcoms

Cole is better for a second pairing role. Simply because he could handle more minutes than Dumo. I'm a huge Dumo fan but let's stay realistic.

I hope that's a joke, the best player in hockey has a slow start and you he's not as Good for 'today's NHL' , so your talking about RIGHT now as in today ? was last season 'yesterday's ' NHL ?
- Bradlee3

Are you saying that our game tomorrow isn't till....next season??

Keep them together. Cole-Lovejoy would be a bad pairing. Too slow and not enough puck skill. There's also the potential pitfall that Dumoulin-Clendening would be too inexperienced. I like how Dumoulin and Lovejoy play together. Dumo looks composed and relaxed and just makes plays. I'm scared that juju would get (frank)ed up if you stick him with another pretty much rookie.
- Victoro311

Should I knock on wood just for saying it?

Cole is better for a second pairing role. Simply because he could handle more minutes than Dumo. I'm a huge Dumo fan but let's stay realistic.
- Zac_O

I agree with him. I think Dumo has been the better player so far. I'm not sure it's close either.

D man you know that as soon as you click on that site you're going to be pissed or very excited with what it contains. It's full of poop big time & only there for a laugh - it's better rumour mongering than dare I say an E-2 rumour!
- Aussiepenguin

I actually just read an older one that said Kunitz plus a roster player for Dennis Wideman. That sounds much more like it. But yeah it's worse than the enquirer as far a credibility goes.

Cole is better for a second pairing role. Simply because he could handle more minutes than Dumo. I'm a huge Dumo fan but let's stay realistic.
- Zac_O

Dumoulin is the better player. He has grown up right before our eyes the last 10 games. I think he has earned a bigger role.

Dumoulin is the better player. He has grown up right before our eyes the last 10 games. I think he has earned a bigger role.
- Dcoms

It hasn't been discussed around here, but Dumo has been quite good under pressure. Whether skating the puck out of trouble or making a slick little pass like Paul Mart used to do. He's really playing well IMO.

Dumoulin is the better player. He has grown up right before our eyes the last 10 games. I think he has earned a bigger role.
- Dcoms

I would love for Dumo to be a quiet but important piece of the team. But I'm not gonna assume it's a done deal after only ten games.

It is early, don't anoint him as the second coming of Jacques Plante Wait till playoffs roll around

Dumoulin is the better player. He has grown up right before our eyes the last 10 games. I think he has earned a bigger role.
- Dcoms

Dumo is going to be a beast with our D in the foreseeable future. This is why we shouldn't panic now, Tanger, Maatta, Dumo, Cole, Pouliot & even my man Dinger will be a formidable defence against all comers going forward.

Patience is the key & (frank) shots against totals as long as the opposition doesn't score! Teams seem to be letting more shots against this season & still win, controlling the scoring chances is the key - that & having a decent goal tender. Anyone saying Flower can't keep it up? Zatkoff saved 50 the other day! More shots = more goals

It is early, don't anoint him as the second coming of Jacques Plante Wait till playoffs roll around
- holeinone

I think it's more along the line of people always trashing Fleury when he has done nothing but be a fringe top tier goalie for the past few years, and hasn't been the reason the Pens get bounced from the playoffs.

Dumo is going to be a beast with our D in the foreseeable future. This is why we shouldn't panic now, Tanger, Maatta, Dumo, Cole, Pouliot & even my man Dinger will be a formidable defence against all comers going forward.

Patience is the key & (frank) shots against totals as long as the opposition doesn't score! Teams seem to be letting more shots against this season & still win, controlling the scoring chances is the key - that & having a decent goal tender. Anyone saying Flower can't keep it up? Zatkoff saved 50 the other day! More shots = more goals
- Aussiepenguin

Had to sort the table in this link because their average shots was wrong by a landslide (said 2633 for me, average is 2459).

http://www.hockey-referen...com/leagues/NHL_2015.html

So, based on last year's data, 14 teams had more then the avearge number of shots, but I'll use 15 teams since Ana was 1 shot short.

Now... average goals was 224... Where do these 15 teams line up in goals that were above the average in shots?

Chicago - 229 - above
NYI - 252 - above
Nashville - 232 - above
Penguins - 221 - below
San Jose - 228 - above
Rangers - 252 - above
Dallas - 261 - above
Boston - 213 - below
Ottawa - 238 - above
LA - 220 - below
St Louis - 248 - above
Carolina - 188 - below
Minnesota - 231 - above
Florida - 206 - below
Anaheim - 236 - above

So... 10 had more goals with above average shots, 5 had less.

Seems to be leaning a bit towards more shots means more goals...