Well that result was a major letdown...

...too bad SJ is laying an egg in their biggest series as a franchise.

Not a very entertaining series, unless you're a Pens fan.

Well that result was a major letdown...

...too bad SJ is laying an egg in their biggest series as a franchise.

Not a very entertaining series, unless you're a Pens fan.
- ArlingtonRob

Well if these playoffs have shown me anything its Crosby is back to being the best player in the game

Well that result was a major letdown...

...too bad SJ is laying an egg in their biggest series as a franchise.

Not a very entertaining series, unless you're a Pens fan.
- ArlingtonRob

didn't see the whole game but scoring first and chasing the game is really hurting the sharks in this series...limited the pens chances and SOG's and still lose...

i know its bleak...still think this goes 7...

Well if these playoffs have shown me anything its Crosby is back to being the best player in the game
- HamiltonHawk

he has been quite dynamic all over the ice...

I miss MexicoHawk and his insight.
- airmidget1

Agreed. DBH as well.

Agreed. DBH as well.
- MOhawk

Where did Mex go? I must've missed when he posted why

he has been quite dynamic all over the ice...
- bogiedoc

Crosby has been amazing ...clearly the best player in the World at this point.

Well if these playoffs have shown me anything its Crosby is back to being the best player in the game
- HamiltonHawk

As I watched last night, and I haven't missed a minute of the Pens going back to the TB series, was thinking Crosby has the look of Toews in cup winning years in these playoffs. Determined and playing all 3 zones on an elite level.

IMO SJ is just too far behind the Pens in every phase of the game. So far Pens better and it ain't close.

As I watched last night, and I haven't missed a minute of the Pens going back to the TB series, was thinking Crosby has the look of Toews in cup winning years in these playoffs. Determined and playing all 3 zones on an elite level.

IMO SJ is just too far behind the Pens in every phase of the game. So far Pens better and it ain't close.
- Mr Ricochet

Spot on. Even though the points aren't there every game, aside from last night, Malkin looks like he's on a mission. He's been playing aggressive and is an absolute force when he has the puck.

There are gambles as a GM that you make and some are going to make you look really bad. Of some of the questionable moves by Bowman.

Giving up 2 2nds for a 40 year old that had not played in a year plus taking on a $750 cap bonus for the next year.
giving up a 2nd for a guy who could not get off the bench on a bad team at the trade deadline (value is generally the highest) and then giving him a contract over what we could bury in the AHL.
Not trading sharp for what ever was the best offer at the draft (lets call it 3rd)
Giving Roz a 2 year deal at 35 years old. (made us lose Leddy)
back loading Bickells contract instead of front loading it is probably a 2 mil swing in this years salary. IE if he was owed 2.75 Mil this year do you think we would have to give up TT to get him off the books.
giving Seabs a 1.1 mil raise when he was already paid extremely fairly and giving him as much or more then he would have gotten on the UFA market (which usually means a massive overpay)

all of the above don't even seem like gambles. They just seemed like a lack of thought and doing his Job. at the time they all looked like mistakes and have all proven to be big mistakes. its those things that make me question the front office. I feel like you spend 5 more minutes thinking and all of those could have been done properly.

To philly. If you want more then a 2nd for Timmo get him back on the ice for 3-4 games and lets see how he looks?
to AZ, play bladder for 2 weeks in row and then we will talk about a 2nd or we can revisit in the off season. We can give you a raise but only to $950K and not $1050. he is a RFA.
I want everybody's best offer for sharp for picks/player ELC or players making under $950 K by 1 day prior to draft.
Roz we would like you back but are only willing to do 1 year deal at this point at 2.3K if you want to test FA that is Ok. We will also look at UFA 35 year old D men and see what we can get.
Bryan we want you back and are willing to do 16 mil but we want to front the load the deal (every player agent wants the money sooner then later) and this is the only legal cap circumvention available to Big market teams.
Seabs we want to give you the A and get you to be a hawk for life we just need to to take a small raise to $6mil (top 15 in the league)but we will give you 8 years instead of 7 years what you can get on the FA market, if he says no you tell him you may have to look to trade him or play out the year. you traded SAAD at 6 mil and he is worth closer to 6 mil then SEABS is at 7 mil.

Does the above happen because bowman gets overruled or he just does not like confrontation? the above seem like layups not things you would really agonize over. Including dano in the ladd trade is one you agonize over or giving up a 1st for Vermette (2nd to 3rd line center)

Something to read Hawks related It's fantasy based but provides solid stats, both conventional and advanced. http://www.dobberhockey.c...look-chicago-and-anaheim/

In years past Chicago was a beast at even strength driving play and burying the opposition in shots. In the 2014/15 season their defense faltered as they allowed shots at a much higher rate than they had in past years as their defense was thinned out as a result of cap hutting measures. The past two years they have allowed 30 shots per 60 minutes at even strength. For the past two years they have needed Corey Crawford to perform at an elite level whereas in past years they could afford for him to be closer to league average. When the offense at even strength was buzzing along at even strength generating shots at a rate of more than 33 shots per 60 minutes they were better equipped to succeed despite the elevated shots against rate. Last season that changed as they went from taking 55% of the shots at even strength in 2013/14 to 52% in 2014/15 to 50% last year. At even strength they now generate shots at the same rate as which they allow them. Their dominant power play allowed them to remain a top team in the league last year but this is a slippery slope on which they currently stand.

Spot on. Even though the points aren't there every game, aside from last night, Malkin looks like he's on a mission. He's been playing aggressive and is an absolute force when he has the puck.
- 93Joe

For the past 5 or so years I've thought Malkin was the most dangerous offensive player on earth when healthy and "motivated". He has size and puck holding ability most scorers don't have to go along with off the charts instincts and IQ.

I may have to bump him from that spot and put Kane up there but wanna see Kane do what he did last year for another season or even two.

The Pens' blog is active and has its share of homers to plow through when reading but there is always a debate on Malkin. Their blogger, Wilson, is as solid as they come with tons and tons of advanced stats. IMO he bases too much of his opinion on fancy stats but is very solid. He's a huge Malkin guy and comes from a fancy stat position.

But I was listening to Ray Ferraro talk about Malkin not being effective as he should these playoffs and mentioned, that I somehow missed, that the Malkin line is skating as a 3rd and going up against the Tierney centered 3rd line of the Sharks. I watched closely last night and noticed he saw quite a bit of Polack so he's seeing 3rd rotation guys quite a bit as well.

But to the eye he seems kinda engaged and effective. No matter, he's a centerpiece on a team about to win the cup.

I don't understand how he doesn't realize that putting the best product on the ice is what brings in big money. Someone earlier mentioned dynasties and rivalries, and how the Finals (and the lack of viewers) right now show what happens when those things don't exist. And lots of posters have pointed out that allowing all the interference/clutching/grabbing has neutralized a lot of the skill players and thus taken a lot of skill out of the game. Also, I would guess that fewer skilled players = less jersey/sweater sales.

So now you have a league that is headed to having no dynasties and rivalries, skilled players unable to showcase their talent, and an on-ice product that is targeted at the lowest common denominator in the hopes of "growing the game." Except it is resulting in all but the die-hard fans starting to lose interest (in their team and/or the way the game is being played), and it doesn't appear that they are attracting a ton of new fans to offset those losses.

Using the Kings as an example because I know quite a few season ticket holders, and most of them aren't planning to buy them this year for the first time in a long time, and they are doing so because the Kings haven't been very good and they don't think that's going to change without changes to the salary cup structure. So, parity has brought the Kings back down to the pack, and as a result they (and the league) are losing fans/money. Has the Coyotes fan base grown enough and started spending enough money to make up for that loss? When Hawks bandwagoners stop spending money because the team is no longer number 1, are the small market teams going to bring in enough revenue to even that out?

Perhaps I'm wrong and a parity-driven league where all 30 teams are roughly equal (due to the cap AND officiating) will be the thing to finally land the league a better TV deal or whatever, and will be a big financial win in the end. But right now I'm not seeing how the cap-destruction of big market teams is gonna bring in more revenue.

TL;DR: parity for the sake of parity alone is/will be losing this league a poop ton of money and I don't understand how Bettman et al don't realize that
- maria_wyeth

Outstanding as usual Maria...... GREAT POST !