I don't understand the vitriol towards Fleury. If it wasn't for his play early in the season, the Penguins most likely don't make the playoffs. He carried the team in the Mike Johnson era.
- cap1681

trueeeeee

I don't understand the vitriol towards Fleury. If it wasn't for his play early in the season, the Penguins most likely don't make the playoffs. He carried the team in the Mike Johnson era.
- cap1681

Maybe because Fleury isn't Swedish.

Haha and really though, Cullen's 4th line is no joke either. Really wish we could have Daley back for this series.
- MattStrat

Maatta's been back to form. Ian Cole and Justin Schultz have been great. Ben Lovejoy has been, dare I say it, outstanding? If those guys keep playing at this level we can weather the Trevor Daley loss.

The Sharks have done a good job shutting down teams top scorers, but the Pens are the deepest lineup they have faced. Should be interesting. I think Kessel has a huge series, especially if the Sharks focus on shutting down Malkin and Crosby.
- cap1681

I thought the Blues looked slow and tired in their series. Even Terasenko looked helpless. That won't be the case with this Penguin team. It's going to be hard to beat the Pens to the puck like they SJ did to the Blues.

I know that we all recognize that Sully's biggest impact has been to make this team more mentally tough, but I think I figured out the reasons why: He looks like he cares on the bench. He looks like he'll fight for them on the bench. He's the one that yells and screams when necessary & functions as their "release valve" for the pressure that builds up from bad calls/non-calls/the antics of the opposition/etc. He blows his cork on the bench so that the players don't blow theirs on the ice. The last 2 guys behind that bench didn't do that. Dan and Johnston were both these silent guys that never showed anything. I think they felt like maybe those coaches didn't fight for their players & the players too it into their own hands. They don't have to do that now with Sully back there.
- ScienceJesus

Very good points, a good example was when Malkin was chirping a couple of games ago he put Geno in his place. And quite frankly I haven't seen as much mouth from Malkin as I have in the past. May even have helped him to focus on his play as he has looked good lately.

I have a rough time seeing PK not chosen since there are five forward spots remaining, right?

PK; Tyler Johnson; Okposo; and two of Saad; Backes; JVR?
- Oneonta Penguin

Id much rather have any of those guys over Kyle Okposo.

I don't understand the vitriol towards Fleury. If it wasn't for his play early in the season, the Penguins most likely don't make the playoffs. He carried the team in the Mike Johnson era.
- cap1681

Mike Johnston really paved the way to this Cup run. 33 points ain't no joke. Mike Johnston held the door.

BLASPHEMY. TANNER SAYS GARDINER IS NO. 1 D.
- j.boyd919

TBH he has the skillset... but he's not a particularly cerebral player. If his brains weren't absolute mush then he'd be quite capable, but as it is... well, it could be worse

Maatta's been back to form. Ian Cole and Justin Schultz have been great. Ben Lovejoy has been, dare I say it, outstanding? If those guys keep playing at this level we can weather the Trevor Daley loss.
- Victoro311

Lovejoy is another player who the fans have garnished hate towards which i never understood. I get that back when it happened, the Lovejoy/Despres trade looked horrible. But Lovejoy has shown that, in a role that he is best suited for, can be a great asset to this team. He's not a top 4 defenseman, but he is a hell of a bottom pairing guy. Plus he is one of the best character guys on this team. If the Pens win the Cup, GMJR won the Lovejoy/Despres trade...

Maatta's been back to form. Ian Cole and Justin Schultz have been great. Ben Lovejoy has been, dare I say it, outstanding? If those guys keep playing at this level we can weather the Trevor Daley loss.
- Victoro311

Taking a few games off did wonders for Maatta. Its pretty clear he needed to regroup and probably came back too soon from his injuries. Hopefully having a 3 day break will likewise help the various guys playing through stuff. I think that's what we are seeing with Geno as well. Just because he was able to come back and play after his wrst injury doesn't mean it hasn't been an issue. He has been carrying the puck a lot more recently and I think that is a sign that maybe whatever the problem was is starting to finally feel better.

Maatta's been back to form. Ian Cole and Justin Schultz have been great. Ben Lovejoy has been, dare I say it, outstanding? If those guys keep playing at this level we can weather the Trevor Daley loss.
- Victoro311

True.

Have to give Sullivan props for yanking Maatta, Sheary and Murray out of the lineup at times. He did it because they were exhausted. When they came back rested they were all great. They should be well rested for Monday too.

- Emperor Filonius

Lovejoy is another player who the fans have garnished hate towards which i never understood. I get that back when it happened, the Lovejoy/Despres trade looked horrible. But Lovejoy has shown that, in a role that he is best suited for, can be a great asset to this team. He's not a top 4 defenseman, but he is a hell of a bottom pairing guy. Plus he is one of the best character guys on this team. If the Pens win the Cup, GMJR won the Lovejoy/Despres trade...
- cap1681

Tue dat. It wasn't Loevjoy's fault that GMJR traded what appears to be a superior player for him, and then didnt do him any favors by basically saying he regretted the trade.

Id much rather have any of those guys over Kyle Okposo.
- Victoro311

I can see you wanting those names over Okposo and nothing wrong with it. I just think of Okposo a bit more than someone like JVR, even though they are two totally different players. I can see Backes making it.

I can see you wanting those names over Okposo and nothing wrong with it. I just think of Okposo a bit more than someone like JVR, even though they are two totally different players. I can see Backes making it.
- Oneonta Penguin

Part of me wants Letang to make our squad, part of me doesnt.

Tue dat. It wasn't Loevjoy's fault that GMJR traded what appears to be a superior player for him, and then didnt do him any favors by basically saying he regretted the trade.
- Emperor Filonius

I'm very interested in seeing how Despres continues to go. He didn't play too much this year due to injury. Had mixed results when he did. He was signed to a 3.7 million deal per for the next five years. Not terrible, but ...

Part of me wants Letang to make our squad, part of me doesnt.
- MattStrat

He needs the time off more than anybody. Dude needs to take 2 weeks at some beach and just lounge in a beach chair for all of it.

I'm very interested in seeing how Despres continues to go. He didn't play too much this year due to injury. Had mixed results when he did. He was signed to a 3.7 million deal per for the next five years. Not terrible, but ...
- Oneonta Penguin

I think biggest issue people had with that trade was Despres' potential and fear of what he might become not that he was a far superior D-man than Lovejoy at the time. Verdict is still out on that.

Part of me wants Letang to make our squad, part of me doesnt.
- MattStrat

The Penguins will have a ton of players in this World Cup. Hornqvist and Hagelin for Sweden; Maatta for Finland; Malkin for Russia; Crosby at least for Canada and maybe Letang ... maybe PK for the US and Murray for Team NA. That is a lot of hockey for those players.

Hey guys, we're going to the Cup

The schedule kinda sucks though. June 9th (Game 5 on a Thursday) is probably my best bet to attend either the big screen or inside Consol. Wish we had a Friday/Saturday game at home.

I think biggest issue people had with that trade was Despres' potential and fear of what he might become not that he was a far superior D-man than Lovejoy at the time. Verdict is still out that.
- MattStrat

I know ... I was stunned when that deal was announced in a bad way. I didn't like the deal at all. Lovejoy has had his ups and downs during the season, but has played very well in the play-offs. For Despres, as you said, verdict is still out and his contract while not terrible, could be if he doesn't continue to develop. Far too early to rate this right now. We couldn't afford Despres at 3.5 million.

Usually i go to bed and wake up at 02.00am to wach the game. But last night i couldnt fall asleep. now i am zombie. but very very happy zombie.

So Brent Burnss beard... pretty sure he has a live bird living inside it when outside of the rink.
- Guile

he has snakes in da house... so...

I know ... I was stunned when that deal was announced in a bad way. I didn't like the deal at all. Lovejoy has had his ups and downs during the season, but has played very well in the play-offs. For Despres, as you said, verdict is still out and his contract while not terrible, could be if he doesn't continue to develop. Far too early to rate this right now. We couldn't afford Despres at 3.5 million.
- Oneonta Penguin

The Lovejoy trade reminded me of the Shero-era annual 'playoff trades' for guys like Douglas Murray, Iginla, Brendan Morrow

I think biggest issue people had with that trade was Despres' potential and fear of what he might become not that he was a far superior D-man than Lovejoy at the time. Verdict is still out on that.
- MattStrat

I think the other aspect of it was everyone waited for SO LONG for Despres to finally get regular minutes and for him to blossom as a player, and just when it appear he was finally doing that he got traded.