Crosby is night and day these past 3 weeks, its hard to calculate the Sully variable, which must be done. Kessel's production has not changed with the coaching change.
- Weisenheimer

Perhaps coaching should address Phil's status. He's used to be a top guy. We need to give him better looks on his strong side. Set him up a little bit more. He'll be fine.

Jarry and Kunitz could have landed Oshie. Use the 1st and Harrington for a Shattenkirk level Dman. A deal like that could have been made. its not rocket science.
- sammy87

Harrington wasn't that great of a prospect. Slow and lack luster puck moving skills. Harrington and a first would not have gotten a Shattenkirk/Jones level player. That package only gets you a top 4 defenseman if a team is trying to dump an overplayed guy like Dion Phaneuf.

Jarry and Kunitz could have landed Oshie. Use the 1st and Harrington for a Shattenkirk level Dman. A deal like that could have been made. its not rocket science.
- sammy87

It's not but name a D man that was available at the start of the season that we could have got? Shat level D man? Who & where Sammy? They don't grow on trees & lots of teams are after them!! So again who is the D man that could have fixed our D?

So, how are you guys liking Phil?

Harrington wasn't that great of a prospect. Slow and lack luster puck moving skills. Harrington and a first would not have gotten a Shattenkirk/Jones level player. That package only gets you a top 4 defenseman if a team is trying to dump an overplayed guy like Dion Phaneuf.
- Victoro311

Maybe not Shatt, but possibly Fowler or Vat. I dont know if Shatt has Jones lever return to him.

Jarry and Kunitz could have landed Oshie. Use the 1st and Harrington for a Shattenkirk level Dman. A deal like that could have been made. its not rocket science.
- sammy87

i do not personally feel that either of those are guarantees, but thats just my opinion.

and FA is god awful as it is.

i really dont think this team is terribly constructed. i think its a matter of the individual players either not exactly fitting with one another, or generally underproducing.

So, how are you guys liking Phil?
- As_I_See_It

That's just hockey, Aussie. For example, the Islanders have what many consider to be one of the best 4th lines in hockey and they only get ~10 minutes a night.
- Victoro311

It's just funny hearing the reviews of how great they are sometimes, then I see a game where we load up our guns & fire blanks. Maybe give these 'low lifes' of offence a bone & they may jag a goal or 2. Also gives the guns a spell to reset themselves??

So, how are you guys liking Phil?
- As_I_See_It

He's used to be a top dog on his line and have guys bust their asses for him but it ain't the case in Pittsburgh. Fortunately he'll get used to it. He's been just alright.

i do not personally feel that either of those are guarantees, but thats just my opinion.

and FA is god awful as it is.

i really dont think this team is terribly constructed. i think its a matter of the individual players either not exactly fitting with one another, or generally underproducing.
- stayinthefnnet

Thats kind of a big deal when your wasting away the prime years of Sid/Geno/Tanger

It's just funny hearing the reviews of how great they are sometimes, then I see a game where we load up our guns & fire blanks. Maybe give these 'low lifes' of offence a bone & they may jag a goal or 2. Also gives the guns a spell to reset themselves??
- Aussiepenguin

Yeah no... You can't limit the ice time of guys like Crosby and Malkin. NHL top liners are built to handle ~18 minutes a night and that's what we give Crosby and Malkin. That's why they make the big bucks

So, how are you guys liking Phil?
- As_I_See_It

Is Spaling injured or scratched?

i do not personally feel that either of those are guarantees, but thats just my opinion.

and FA is god awful as it is.

i really dont think this team is terribly constructed. i think its a matter of the individual players either not exactly fitting with one another, or generally underproducing.
- stayinthefnnet

They're not guarantees just hypotheticals compared to what other deals were out there. I know there was a rumor that an Oshie deal was all but done but JR cancelled due to Kessel possibility.

The issues I see if they make the playoffs are Kunitz not holding up, Bonino sucks, the D being pretty thin, and a no show by Kessel. I think once again everything will hinge on 87/58/71.

Maybe not Shatt, but possibly Fowler or Vat. I dont know if Shatt has Jones lever return to him.
- sammy87

Lol if Dupuis he proposed a Harrington + 1st package for Vatanen your rip into him for not understanding value of players. You really think a middling first and a B- level prospect gets you a #3 defenseman? No way.

Is Spaling injured or scratched?
- Aussiepenguin

He's on IR

Yeah no... You can't limit the ice time of guys like Crosby and Malkin. NHL top liners are built to handle ~18 minutes a night and that's what we give Crosby and Malkin. That's why they make the big bucks
- Victoro311

I don't doubt the 18 minutes a night or even a little more, but tonite 21 each with Kuni over 20. There's room to play there & it was 4 players with less than 10 so I think Kuni played more there. Play the 4th liners a few more shifts to shake it up. Or throw Pouliot in as a 7th D man & drop a winger & give him a roving commission as an attacking D man.

Lol if Dupuis he proposed a Harrington + 1st package for Vatanen your rip into him for not understanding value of players. You really think a middling first and a B- level prospect gets you a #3 defenseman? No way.
- Victoro311

There were no D men except Hoff & Franson. Now everyone believes Hoff didn't want to come back, & Sammy would just embarrass himself if he said Franson (the way he's been playing), so there was no trade or FA pick up available, but that doesn't suit his argument so he just throws vague proposals out there to try & make his point that he knows more than everyone else & the Pens 'should' have done anything but what it did!

They're not guarantees just hypotheticals compared to what other deals were out there. I know there was a rumor that an Oshie deal was all but done but JR cancelled due to Kessel possibility.

The issues I see if they make the playoffs are Kunitz not holding up, Bonino sucks, the D being pretty thin, and a no show by Kessel. I think once again everything will hinge on 87/58/71.
- sammy87

Wait a second. You're scared of a no show from Kessel in the playoffs and your answer to off set this is TJ Oshie? Oshie has 9 points in 30 playoff games. Kessel has 21 in 22. Man I've tried not to rip on you like the other people here do but maybe after we lose you should take a break from posting for a bit because you say some donkeyish things.

And the (frank)ed up thing is, in this hypothetical world where we go out and get Oshie instead of Kessel, he would have had a mediocre season here like the rest of the team and no showed in the playoffs as is his mo and then you'd point to his past playoff stats and female dog about how we should have never given up assets for him in the first place.

Well, who thinks Pouliot plays against Philly Thurs? Cole wont be as exposed with Fleury in net, but I think its time. This has been the most talked about player all year, atleast in terms of our prospects, is it finally time?

He's on IR
- Weisenheimer

Ok thanks, I haven't seen him in the line up & wasn't bothered looking it up.

So all in all, Harro has played a handful of games, Spaling a few more, Kap in ahl & the Leafs looking like not getting the first this season & they're paying for Philbo still!



It's no wonder they're are such bitter people!

I think it's Philbos way of pissing the Leafs organisation off even more, tank himself so they don't get their 1st!

Wait a second. You're scared of a no show from Kessel in the playoffs and your answer to off set this is TJ Oshie? Oshie has 9 points in 30 playoff games. Kessel has 21 in 22. Man I've tried not to rip on you like the other people here do but maybe after we lose you should take a break from posting for a bit because you say some donkeyish things.

And the (frank)ed up thing is, in this hypothetical world where we go out and get Oshie instead of Kessel, he would have had a mediocre season here like the rest of the team and no showed in the playoffs as is his mo and then you'd point to his past playoff stats and female dog about how we should have never given up assets for him in the first place.
- Victoro311

Ok thanks, I haven't seen him in the line up & wasn't bothered looking it up.

So all in all, Harro has played a handful of games, Spaling a few more, Kap in ahl & the Leafs looking like not getting the first this season & they're paying for Philbo still!



It's no wonder they're are such bitter people!

I think it's Philbos way of pissing the Leafs organisation off even more, tank himself so they don't get their 1st!
- Aussiepenguin

Ok thanks, I haven't seen him in the line up & wasn't bothered looking it up.

So all in all, Harro has played a handful of games, Spaling a few more, Kap in ahl & the Leafs looking like not getting the first this season & they're paying for Philbo still!



It's no wonder they're are such bitter people!

I think it's Philbos way of pissing the Leafs organisation off even more, tank himself so they don't get their 1st!
- Aussiepenguin

We don't care about Phil Kessel we wanted him out because he's not a player you want on your team and I think it's obvious he doesn't work anywhere trading him away is one of the best things that's happened to this team he is a cancer in the locker room

We don't care about Phil Kessel we wanted him out because he's not a player you want on your team and I think it's obvious he doesn't work anywhere trading him away is one of the best things that's happened to this team he is a cancer in the locker room
- Santo_44

While I agree that moving him was/is beneficial to the Leafs, he is still a good hockey player, and has shown no indications of being a CANCER in the locker room, that part is just not true! With that being said, in hindsight, I wish the Pens had done other things this past offseason, its still not to late though.

We don't care about Phil Kessel we wanted him out because he's not a player you want on your team and I think it's obvious he doesn't work anywhere trading him away is one of the best things that's happened to this team he is a cancer in the locker room
- Santo_44

I don't believe you!

(Or the other 10 posters that ask about him)!