While I dont go for all this analytics hocus pocus, I do agree with RW on this one and here is why...

It seems that no matter our lead it never seems safe... if we are up 3-1 going into the third its almost a certainty that the opponent is making it 3-2 and we are playing on our heels the whole period, we never, NEVER just put our foot on the opponents throat and never let them up for a breath.
On the flip side if we are going into the third down 3-1 we never really seem to be able to grind out a win, all that talent and none of the confidence and swagger that should come along with it.

I want an arrogant coach, I want this team to come into games with the mindset of a cat toying with a mouse... like the Oilers of old.

I'd love to see the league wide comparison.

Just look at the standings with Tampa not even in a wildcard spot, Islanders the same, Ducks & Flames, Hawks hanging on by default (opposing teams losing games they 'probably' should win), keeping them in a spot.

Lots of 'good' teams struggling. Are their systems also flawed?

MJ doesn't need to be fired for us to stop playing so passively. Just do everything the same but put more pressure on the puck carrier and tighten up the overload around the puck a bit more. We can still play structured hockey and be more aggressive and you don't have to get rid of MJ to do that.

Whether he will actually do that is another thing though.

Sure it will happen to every team at points in a season. That doesn't explain the overwhelming evidence that suggests Johnston is using a system that is not in this roster's best interest with the exception of one bottom pairing dman. This team doesn't play tough in any zone. They sure do spend a lot of time in the defensive one though.
- jfkst1


I don't profess to know a ton about specific systems in the NHL (I know the basics). One thing I do know that's pretty much universal in ANY business. If your employees don't "buy in", you will fail. From what I've seen on a nightly basis, these players aren't exactly on board the MJ train.
- Madmike71

This is the 2nd year of MJ trying to get 'his' system in place. Last year was a write off due to disruption or was it? It started fine until Winipeg pressured our PP & showed the league how to defeat it, then Sid went on a scoring drought through the middle of the season (but his process was good - he just needed patience right?), fall into the playoffs & play a lockdown first round & nearly caused an upset.

So was last year as good as everyone seems to think???

MJ has consistently said he wants to win & winning is all that counts. LA played 'boring' hockey & won a lot of low scoring games before eventually Stanley - did the LA fans care? They just won the Cup!! Admittedly they did have good possession stats I believe??

So this team is used to having players topping the scoring race, scoring plenty of goals & playing a high powered attacking hockey game. The coach has now asked them to play a completely different game - he wants to win, doesn't care if it's by shoot out every game, winning us the goal! Is there a problem if they surrender 50 shots but still win? There are a lot of teams giving up a lot of shots & still winning this year.

So this may just be the norm now. Give up shots but get goals if you can & win. Teams are scoring 1 & 2 goals in a few shots after surrendering 10 or 12 in first periods!! We aren't getting the goals that we need, but are giving them up. Is that the systems fault we can't score in 10 shots & the other team can?

From the last blog;

Ok you experts, just had a colleague ask me for my tips so he could have a bet.

Sabres, Flyers, Rags ( ), Panthers, Bruins, Pegs & Caps. But I think I'm wrong on half those!
- Aussiepenguin

Analytically speaking I was spot on!



Do I get an analytical gold star?

But hey...Scuderi's numbers are up!!!!!
- Emperor Filonius

Scuderi for Norris. Remember you heard it here first.

The next two games are against goon coaches (Hitchcock and Tortorella). We are going to be challenged before, during and after each whistle. For the most part this year we have been successful at not retaliating and the key here to get the lead and force these two teams to play from behind because it is easier to keep your composure when you have the lead.

The three keys for Wednesday against St. Louis are:
Defense: Slow Tarasenko down, we have no one that can skate with him.
Forwards: Score first and on the Power Play, it is going to be a big challenge to get to the front of the net and get rebounds and deflections.
Goaltending: Stop Scuderi's two game goal scoring streak. The man is a beast.

Scuderi for Norris. Remember you heard it here first.

The next two games are against goon coaches (Hitchcock and Tortorella). We are going to be challenged before, during and after each whistle. For the most part this year we have been successful at not retaliating and the key here to get the lead and force these two teams to play from behind because it is easier to keep your composure when you have the lead.

The three keys for Wednesday against St. Louis are:
Defense: Slow Tarasenko down, we have no one that can skate with him.
Forwards: Score first and on the Power Play, it is going to be a big challenge to get to the front of the net and get rebounds and deflections.
Goaltending: Stop Scuderi's two game goal scoring streak. The man is a beast.
- Thunderbolt

I'm starting to think you're having a lend of us???

"TRADE SIDNEY" -Guy Lafleur

not sure it was mentioned, but looks like McKay resigned from the Trib to head to DK's site to cover the Steelers.

Said it before, a lot of people including me questioned DK when he left a good job at the Trib to start this website. looks like it has worked out big time. Good for him. glad to see ventures like this be successful.
- SuperHenderson13

Yea, MM said he feared when he woke up this morning, he would be the only person not working for DK lol

Boring/bad hockey won't help sell the team. Get rid of MJ and bring someone in who lets the boys fly. I'd much rather watch exciting hockey than this boring poop. I've probably missed just as much games already this year as I have last year. I watched the Jags Vs Titans color rush game last week over the Pens game for Christs sake. (I have Bortles, Allen Robinson and Delanie Walker btw)

Chasing (i.e. playing w/out the puck) is not desirable. Game-in/game-out, it's going to happen though. This group - especially some players - are not good away from the puck. For me, it starts w/ #87 and #58 (and not #4).

Although on-ice SV% is not directly attributable to skaters, it's highly influenced by their play (i.e. amount of time and space). Add-in quality and quantity scoring chances against, as you mentioned. The 95% conf interval for 5v5 SV% is 92.2-93.2. During 3v3 the mean drops from 92.7 to 84.5. Player effect (more time/space). Hockey is a game w/ immense variation; I think its interesting that #58 and #87 have lower than average on-ice SV%. Reference my comment about playing tough in all 3 zones.

My point was to emphasize individual player performance instead of system. I do not understand why #87 and #58 are scapegoated from criticism (generally speaking) when they deserve the brunt of it. They stink this year.
- out_of_market

There are two ways to look at it. 1) You buy into the "system" in which they are 12 - 8. A winning record. A playoff position. No one is to blame what so ever. Lack of production is just a part of this system and you have to come to terms with stars not performing like you are accustomed. #87 and #58 do not stick, they are playing the system 2) You dont buy into the "system". Now the pens are ONLY 12-8, which is under performing by their standards. And every single player on the team is not producing as you are accustomed. In which you can't blame every player on the team, so the only logical problem is johnston and his poopey system.

Did you not see the data RW presented that indicated ALL OF THE PENGUINS, not just 87 and 58, are on pace for career lows or sub-par seasons in general? Even Malkin, who on most nights this year has been dominant, is poised to have a worse statistical year than last year.
Basically, everyone on the team is having a lower statistical output than the previous year. As RW suggested, its ridiculous to suggest that it is just coincidence that all 20+ skaters are statistically having down years at the same time.
I would be interested in seeing League-wide data; is every other team also showing data in which all of its players are having down statistical years? I doubt this is the case.

No one is absolving 87 and 58 of the need to produce. But if the system employed by the coach cuts off the players ability to produce at the knees, then you have to focus on the coach/system, not just the players.

Chasing (i.e. playing w/out the puck) is not desirable. Game-in/game-out, it's going to happen though. This group - especially some players - are not good away from the puck. For me, it starts w/ #87 and #58 (and not #4).

Although on-ice SV% is not directly attributable to skaters, it's highly influenced by their play (i.e. amount of time and space). Add-in quality and quantity scoring chances against, as you mentioned. The 95% conf interval for 5v5 SV% is 92.2-93.2. During 3v3 the mean drops from 92.7 to 84.5. Player effect (more time/space). Hockey is a game w/ immense variation; I think its interesting that #58 and #87 have lower than average on-ice SV%. Reference my comment about playing tough in all 3 zones.

My point was to emphasize individual player performance instead of system. I do not understand why #87 and #58 are scapegoated from criticism (generally speaking) when they deserve the brunt of it. They stink this year.
- out_of_market

So you want to emphasize individual player performance? WHY is it that ALL player performances are down, with the exception of Scuderi? Unless you believe that all players are simultaneously having down years--possible, but highly unlikely--that suggests something else in play here. I can tell you that as a season ticket holder, the games are more boring to watch, and even in person, it seems like many of the players are not having fun.

I could very easily see a 2009 like season if/when a change is made, and the team flies like it did when Disco Dan first showed up.

Last year, it was Sutter's fault, lol, face it, the Penguins are to slow, too, small, bottom line, not good enough. Top end loaded, and average players after that. lol

So you want to emphasize individual player performance? WHY is it that ALL player performances are down, with the exception of Scuderi? Unless you believe that all players are simultaneously having down years--possible, but highly unlikely--that suggests something else in play here. I can tell you that as a season ticket holder, the games are more boring to watch, and even in person, it seems like many of the players are not having fun.

I could very easily see a 2009 like season if/when a change is made, and the team flies like it did when Disco Dan first showed up.
- Amanion

Because Scuderi is one of the few Pens players that will perform best in a highly conservative system predicated on slow methodical movements through the neutral zone, limited forecheck, collapsing in the defensive zone, and few challenges from the defense in zone entries.

Last year, it was Sutter's fault, lol, face it, the Penguins are to slow, too, small, bottom line, not good enough. Top end loaded, and average players after that. lol
- W

A Canuck fan lolling at the Penguins is ... well .. laughable.

Last year, it was Sutter's fault, lol, face it, the Penguins are to slow, too, small, bottom line, not good enough. Top end loaded, and average players after that. lol
- W

And even in their struggles they still beat the Canucks and have a significantly better record.

I do think some of the problem is losing solid dmen like Martin and Ehrhoff. You can't have guys like scuds constantly leading a breakout, but there's no reason why the numbers should drop that much for everyone. I think it's completely idiotic to force players to block more shots and make Crosby play more defensively. Sid was playing great defensively before for the sole reason that he had the puck most of the time. Seems like Johnston is trying to keep the team from playing a run and gun style which the roster is in fact built for

Last year, it was Sutter's fault, lol, face it, the Penguins are to slow, too, small, bottom line, not good enough. Top end loaded, and average players after that. lol
- W

Yet another fan of a different team that thinks they know everything wrong with a team they don't follow closely. The internet is such a great place for people who talk more than they think.

Did you not see the data RW presented that indicated ALL OF THE PENGUINS, not just 87 and 58, are on pace for career lows or sub-par seasons in general? Even Malkin, who on most nights this year has been dominant, is poised to have a worse statistical year than last year.
Basically, everyone on the team is having a lower statistical output than the previous year. As RW suggested, its ridiculous to suggest that it is just coincidence that all 20+ skaters are statistically having down years at the same time.
I would be interested in seeing League-wide data; is every other team also showing data in which all of its players are having down statistical years? I doubt this is the case.

No one is absolving 87 and 58 of the need to produce. But if the system employed by the coach cuts off the players ability to produce at the knees, then you have to focus on the coach/system, not just the players.
- Amanion

Look no further than Patrick Kane, he's on pace for 125 points this year.

Anyone going to be at the game tomorrow?

Last year, it was Sutter's fault, lol, face it, the Penguins are to slow, too, small, bottom line, not good enough. Top end loaded, and average players after that. lol
- W

Says the guy of the team that has been committed to an over the hill core for years and has done barely anything to fix it.

The Penguins depth at forward this year is actually above average if you pay any attention. Having a guy like Eric Fehr playing on your fourth line means you're in good shape. It's our big guns that are underperforming. Some of that is on them. Some of that is on the system we run. But for the first time ever our issue is not our depth, which is the really frustrating part. We've finally fixed our biggest issue and now a faulty coaching hire is mucking everything up

Chasing (i.e. playing w/out the puck) is not desirable. Game-in/game-out, it's going to happen though. This group - especially some players - are not good away from the puck. For me, it starts w/ #87 and #58 (and not #4).

Although on-ice SV% is not directly attributable to skaters, it's highly influenced by their play (i.e. amount of time and space). Add-in quality and quantity scoring chances against, as you mentioned. The 95% conf interval for 5v5 SV% is 92.2-93.2. During 3v3 the mean drops from 92.7 to 84.5. Player effect (more time/space). Hockey is a game w/ immense variation; I think its interesting that #58 and #87 have lower than average on-ice SV%. Reference my comment about playing tough in all 3 zones.

My point was to emphasize individual player performance instead of system. I do not understand why #87 and #58 are scapegoated from criticism (generally speaking) when they deserve the brunt of it. They stink this year.
- out_of_market

This...for so long...

It is -- maybe -- the biggest problem in my estimation.

Not just #87 and #58 though.

Other teams are so much better at positioning themselves on the ice...and continually moving into the right places.

The Penguins are awful at it...in general...in my opinion.

How many games into the season was it when Therrien was fired? What the hell are they waiting for with this clown? Sidney Crosby, arguably the best player in the world, isn't scoring or registering points because the coach's system is fatally flawed and he's having to play some form of hockey that has him completely baffled. They're losing to teams they have no business losing to, and everyone on the roster (not named Fleury and Malkin) is playing poorly. What more does ownership need!? The whole world is screaming "THIS ISN'T WORKING!" and Johnston doesn't have a goddamn clue.

How many games into the season was it when Therrien was fired? What the hell are they waiting for with this clown? Sidney Crosby, arguably the best player in the world, isn't scoring or registering points because the coach's system is fatally flawed and he's having to play some form of hockey that has him completely baffled. They're losing to teams they have no business losing to, and everyone on the roster (not named Fleury and Malkin) is playing poorly. What more does ownership need!? The whole world is screaming "THIS ISN'T WORKING!" and Johnston doesn't have a goddamn clue.
- simethos

We're solidly in a playoff spot now. Correct me if I'm wrong but that wasn't the cast with Therrien. It's just not realistic that there'll be a coaching change when we're doing "fine" even if it's obvious that we're getting bailed out by Fleury on a lot of nights and that our star players aren't succeeding.