If I remember correctly they threw Disco under the bus pretty quickly. Which he deserved. Again, most of that team didn't show either.....except somebody that led them is scoring. Hmm... Can't remember his name.
- madmike71

That JVR-Pavelski-Kessel unit was the only line we had that entire tournament and 100% should have been reformed. Oshie had a legendary shootout but a meh actual tournament. Kane didn't do much. Kesler was invisible. Sochi was when I really realized how overrated Zach Parise is. How you leave off the best performer on your one effect line is inexplicable. Preposterous when you realize he was replaced by Brandon (frank)ing Dubinsky.

It's embarrassing that they didn't call in Laviolette, but even Mike Babcock wouldn't have been able to do anything with this roster. I'm not trying to downplay how (frank)ing stupid it was to hire Jokerrella. Just pointing out that Lombardi did absolutely everything wrong. If I'm the USA brass, I move on from Lombardi after this farce. They won't though.
- Victoro311

Yeah...good point.

They built a team around an idea...a bad idea.

They should take the best players they have and hire a coach that will get those guys to play the best hockey they can. Torts is not that guy.

It's funny too, the comparison to the 1980 USA team. If you think about it, the NA U23 team is closer to the USA 1980 'idea' of how to compete in the tourney.

Overall, like everybody else, just very disappointed that the 'effort' didn't show, if it really was there.

It's really strange how I'm becoming a bigger Kessel fan after he left Toronto.

Kessel's tweet simply proved the point that many have said all along. He's a "me first" person. As Mark Twain once said..."it is better to remain silent and have some think you a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt...

I guess that's okay when he's playing on the third line and another team is picking up 1.2M of his 8M salary, but, like his time in Boston and TO, his poor attitude and lack of conditioning will catch up with him.
- BernardShakey

Looks like we got another donkey alert here. Heeeee hawwww

In regards to the comment about the contract. Is Phil worth 8mil/season? I think he showed during the stretch run and post season that he is. He was the best player on the ice half of the time. That's on a team with Crosby, Malkin and Letang.

However, could the Pens afford him at that? Very doubtful. Very good trade for both teams. We get a core piece to continue to chase more cups. Toronto frees up cap and gets some young assets.

I have a few other issues with the roster also. Not just Kessel being left off. But, they also passed over Faulk, Tyler Johnson, Stastny (who I'd take over Dubinski any day), Shattenkirk....etc

I have a few other issues with the roster also. Not just Kessel being left off. But, they also passed over Faulk, Tyler Johnson, Stastny (who I'd take over Dubinski any day), Shattenkirk....etc
- cranktheradio

I agree Faulk was the most egregious snub. He would have been a first pairing d man.

Backes is an idiot. If anything should be remembered going forward it should be the clown squad that set up this team and the useless plugs that were a part of it.

In 2 weeks no one will remember this tournament happened.

In 2 weeks no one will remember this tournament happened.
- Newgod77

No one south of the Canadian border knows its going on right now.......

The poor showing of team U.S.A. falls directly on the management and coaching. Lombardi's comments about choosing players like Abdelkader or Dubinsky over Kessel just highlight how idiotic every move he made for this tournament really is. Embarrassing.

I thought Kessel's comment was hilarious and spot on. "Oh no, heaven forbid a player actually criticize his country's poor hockey decisions or say anything interesting!"

I guess the jab hit Backes pretty hard since he probably realized he was one of the least deserving to be on that roster...

http://www.sportsnet.ca/h...-battle-usa-shouldve-won/

My god the delusion...

"You know it's really just unfair to expect that we could build a culture in just five days. If we just had more time to foster the culture I envisioned when I put all those goons together we really could have punched Canada in the mouth."

No one south of the Canadian border knows its going on right now.......
- bcallaway

Is your avatar Torts or Lombardi?

The Finns are essentially playing Russia the way Lombardi thought his joke of a team would play Canada.

Kessel's tweet simply proved the point that many have said all along. He's a "me first" person. As Mark Twain once said..."it is better to remain silent and have some think you a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt...

I guess that's okay when he's playing on the third line and another team is picking up 1.2M of his 8M salary, but, like his time in Boston and TO, his poor attitude and lack of conditioning will catch up with him.
- BernardShakey

Let's see. Kessel was passed up in favor of players like Abdelkader, Palmieri, and Dubinsky. These guys are not one or two tiers below Kessel - they are five or six tiers below him. They would at best crack the fourth line of the current Pens roster but in all likelihood be sent to WBS. If all the guys on the roster were at or even reasonably close to Kessel's skill level I would agree that he shouldn't make a tweet like this. The presence of these guys on the roster gives him every right to. Of course Kessel is better than most of the other forwards as well but the gap is smaller with those guys.

The one good thing about this is that it may prompt some "housecleaning" in USA hockey and will probably be the last time we see Tortarella coach at the international level. The last time he coaches in the nhl will be up to Columbus.

http://www.post-gazette.c...tter#link_time=1474571821

Great news on Pouliot. Terrible news on Malkin. Hopefully its just a "I don't really feel like playing in this tourny" thing, but Malkin is pretty vocal about loving to play for Russia.

No one south of the Canadian border knows its going on right now.......
- bcallaway

I'm in Florida and I've watched every game, including the exhibitions...

The Finns are essentially playing Russia the way Lombardi thought his joke of a team would play Canada.
- Victoro311

Finland is one country you know what you are going to get as far as style. They play the same style year in and year out. While they do have some skilled guys, they aren't loaded with it. They play hard; play with determination and urgency and end up winning games they shouldn't because of it. This is why Finland is always a pain in the ass to play.

That said, Russia 2-0.

(frank) russia. destroying happiness for the public since the land was created.

Finland is one country you know what you are going to get as far as style. They play the same style year in and year out. While they do have some skilled guys, they aren't loaded with it. They play hard; play with determination and urgency and end up winning games they shouldn't because of it. This is why Finland is always a pain in the ass to play.

That said, Russia 2-0.
- Oneonta Penguin

Yeah two very well executed quick strikes by Russia. Gonna be hard to come back from.

Let's see. Kessel was passed up in favor of players like Abdelkader, Palmieri, and Dubinsky. These guys are not one or two tiers below Kessel - they are five or six tiers below him. They would at best crack the fourth line of the current Pens roster but in all likelihood be sent to WBS. If all the guys on the roster were at or even reasonably close to Kessel's skill level I would agree that he shouldn't make a tweet like this. The presence of these guys on the roster gives him every right to. Of course Kessel is better than most of the other forwards as well but the gap is smaller with those guys.

The one good thing about this is that it may prompt some "housecleaning" in USA hockey and will probably be the last time we see Tortarella coach at the international level. The last time he coaches in the nhl will be up to Columbus.
- PghPens668771

Yes, none of those guys would even come close to cracking Pitts roster! How would they ever get time over kuhnackel or chris kunitz??

People like you are why most people avoid the pens blog, even tho 95% of your posters are good.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/penguins/2016/09/22/Jason-Mackey-s-Penguins-chat-9-22-16/stories/201609220181?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#link_time=1474571821

Great news on Pouliot. Terrible news on Malkin. Hopefully its just a "I don't really feel like playing in this tourny" thing, but Malkin is pretty vocal about loving to play for Russia.
- Victoro311

Who is this Andy guy?

Damn... way to kick them while they're down

Who is this Andy guy?
- j.boyd919

I don't know. Jason Mackey used to work for DK until this summer. He's trust worthy.