What a great blog to wish Ryan Reaves a happy birthday today!

Well at least one Ryan out there will be happy today. Come on RW write something from a happy and positive perspective....you can do it!!!!!!!!!

Just because anything written is correct doesn't mean you need to read every single day. Most here didn't like the move, most here believe it wouldn't work out, do we need a reminder in every blog?

People enjoy reading things on subjects they're interested and don't want to read about the same thing every single time. I have barely been reading his blogs as of late and just skipping right to the message board.

There are other things to write about regarding this team.
- Rinosaur

I javen't seen it every single day... but the past two games awful plays against the pens with this cat on the ice validates his point. not writing about it would be silly. he has a forum and can use it how he wants... for a long time he has turned the pens blog into the analytics blog with a dash of pens on the side. I love this type of blogging. far more interesting.

I can read it each day cause it’s right.
- ChrisMS

That probably because you're a family member.

That probably because you're a family member.
- Murphy_Dump

You’ve got a good grasp on my long history of supporting mr Wilson. Good eye

That probably because you're a family member.
- Murphy_Dump

Are you the same Murphy Dump from the LGP board?

I javen't seen it every single day... but the past two games awful plays against the pens with this cat on the ice validates his point. not writing about it would be silly. he has a forum and can use it how he wants... for a long time he has turned the pens blog into the analytics blog with a dash of pens on the side. I love this type of blogging. far more interesting.
- ChrisMS

Again, he's 100% correct about the issue and I think you'd struggle to find anyone here at least who didn't agree with him. I understand you don't look every day, but so many of his blogs touch on this and he's been bringing it up more frequently as of late... it's just grown tired.

I think he could write about more interesting stuff than just this...

Again, he's 100% correct about the issue and I think you'd struggle to find anyone here at least who didn't agree with him. I understand you don't look every day, but so many of his blogs touch on this and he's been bringing it up more frequently as of late... it's just grown tired.

I think he could write about more interesting stuff than just this...
- Rinosaur

The funny thing is that I would think that the majority of this board agrees that Reaves sucks and shouldnt be in the lineup, I feel like there are only like 3 or 4 people that seem to enjoy Reaves game.

The funny thing is that I would think that the majority of this board agrees that Reaves sucks and shouldnt be in the lineup, I feel like there are only like 3 or 4 people that seem to enjoy Reaves game.
- j.boyd919

I have a hard time believing there's one person here that likes Reaves being in the lineup, but I guess I wouldn't be shocked.

I'm really hoping the Pens go back to Jake at center against the Sharks. The 3rd line was pretty terrible last game and the Sharks are a better team than the Kings.

I get tired of hearing about the negatives of Reaves because 1) he's no worse than other guys who play on the 4th line 2) his 1 spot on the team doesn't make a huge negative impact in terms of their ability to play the up tempo puck possession game 3) his teammates seem to like him

The Pens have been good with having the correct puzzle pieces...isn't Reaves one of them? Is he any less of a piece than any of a number of offensively talented, better skating forwards, who have managed to under perform for large parts of this season?

I get tired of hearing about the negatives of Reaves because 1) he's no worse than other guys who play on the 4th line 2) his 1 spot on the team doesn't make a huge negative impact in terms of their ability to play the up tempo puck possession game 3) his teammates seem to like him

The Pens have been good with having the correct puzzle pieces...isn't Reaves one of them? Is he any less of a piece than any of a number of offensively talented, better skating forwards, who have managed to under perform for large parts of this season?
- icedog97

If you're comparing Reaves to the rest of the 4th line guys to prove his worth than you're way off. It's about who the Pens could have kept and used in his place.

His salary $1.125M, so his spot does have a negative affect on how they could have spent that money. Kuntiz at $2M would have been MUCH better use of money and he has been a correct piece to the puzzle.

Not sure if you've watched this season, but they clearly don't have the right pieces to the puzzle and Reaves is one of them. He's a departure from the type of pieces acquired previously that led to this team's identity and success.

If you're comparing Reaves to the rest of the 4th line guys to prove his worth than you're way off. It's about who the Pens could have kept and used in his place.

His salary $1.125M, so his spot does have a negative affect on how they could have spent that money. Kuntiz at $2M would have been MUCH better use of money and he has been a correct piece to the puzzle.

Not sure if you've watched this season, but they clearly don't have the right pieces to the puzzle and Reaves is one of them. He's a departure from the type of pieces acquired previously that led to this team's identity and success.
- Rinosaur

They weren't going to keep Kunitz

They lost Bonino, Cullen, Kunitz, Daley and Fleury...clearly an argument can be made that they have not replaced the depth at center...and that is their greatest weakness compared to last year's team (aside from the obvious goalie depth).

Focusing on Reaves is similar to the focus that used to be on Adams. Neither of these players are/were the problem

They weren't going to keep Kunitz

They lost Bonino, Cullen, Kunitz, Daley and Fleury...clearly an argument can be made that they have not replaced the depth at center...and that is their greatest weakness compared to last year's team (aside from the obvious goalie depth).

Focusing on Reaves is similar to the focus that used to be on Adams. Neither of these players are/were the problem
- icedog97

It is rare that any team has ONE problem that's keeping them from reaching their full potential. It's usually a mix of many smaller issues. Death by paper cuts as you will. The job of a GM and the coaching staff is fixing as many of these paper cuts as possible.

4th line players like Adams and Reaves get so much attention because they are the easiest paper cuts to patch up. Many times you have internal options who are better and going out and acquiring an improvement for the 4th line or bottom pairing usually costs next to nothing. Its a super easy thing to fix and frustrating when the FO/coaching staff sits on their hands and doesn't take care of an easily fixable issue.

You want to call out what our biggest issue is? Its not being able to score at even strength. Is that Reaves' fault? No. He is what he is and he's not there to score. Could replacing Reaves in the lineup with a more capable scorer like Sprong help the lack of 5v5 scoring? Maybe, maybe not, depending on how he continues to develop this season, but its a virtual guarantee that he'd be better than Reaves. As we get healthy, there is no reason why Reaves and Kuhnhackl should be getting sweaters over Rust and Sprong on a night to night basis. That would be accumulating paper cuts.

If you're comparing Reaves to the rest of the 4th line guys to prove his worth than you're way off. It's about who the Pens could have kept and used in his place.

His salary $1.125M, so his spot does have a negative affect on how they could have spent that money. Kuntiz at $2M would have been MUCH better use of money and he has been a correct piece to the puzzle.

Not sure if you've watched this season, but they clearly don't have the right pieces to the puzzle and Reaves is one of them. He's a departure from the type of pieces acquired previously that led to this team's identity and success.
- Rinosaur

So a team that you say is tired and has no fire because they just won back to back, should have re-signed a 38 year old ?

I javen't seen it every single day... but the past two games awful plays against the pens with this cat on the ice validates his point. not writing about it would be silly. he has a forum and can use it how he wants... for a long time he has turned the pens blog into the analytics blog with a dash of pens on the side. I love this type of blogging. far more interesting.
- ChrisMS

If Reaves isn't doing his job because of the cheap shots the last 2 games does that mean he's done his job in the other games where there has been no dirty plays ?

It is rare that any team has ONE problem that's keeping them from reaching their full potential. It's usually a mix of many smaller issues. Death by paper cuts as you will. The job of a GM and the coaching staff is fixing as many of these paper cuts as possible.

4th line players like Adams and Reaves get so much attention because they are the easiest paper cuts to patch up. Many times you have internal options who are better and going out and acquiring an improvement for the 4th line or bottom pairing usually costs next to nothing. Its a super easy thing to fix and frustrating when the FO/coaching staff sits on their hands and doesn't take care of an easily fixable issue.

You want to call out what our biggest issue is? Its not being able to score at even strength. Is that Reaves' fault? No. He is what he is and he's not there to score. Could replacing Reaves in the lineup with a more capable scorer like Sprong help the lack of 5v5 scoring? Maybe, maybe not, depending on how he continues to develop this season, but its a virtual guarantee that he'd be better than Reaves. As we get healthy, there is no reason why Reaves and Kuhnhackl should be getting sweaters over Rust and Sprong on a night to night basis. That would be accumulating paper cuts.
- Victoro311

I don't necessarily disagree with that...but Rust is hurt. Sprong is young - clearly the coach thinks he needs to see some things from a different perspective...it happens often.

Reaves is just barely about entry level salary and gives them some flexibility.

I don't necessarily disagree with that...but Rust is hurt. Sprong is young - clearly the coach thinks he needs to see some things from a different perspective...it happens often.

Reaves is just barely about entry level salary and gives them some flexibility.
- icedog97

Yeah I mean I said I didn't mind the Sprong scratch. He definitely has a lot to learn, but I'd be pretty upset if this became a regular occurrence.

They weren't going to keep Kunitz

They lost Bonino, Cullen, Kunitz, Daley and Fleury...clearly an argument can be made that they have not replaced the depth at center...and that is their greatest weakness compared to last year's team (aside from the obvious goalie depth).

Focusing on Reaves is similar to the focus that used to be on Adams. Neither of these players are/were the problem
- icedog97

Adams was absolutely trash his last 2 years at minimum plus he was a little biotch coaches pet and why he got his a$$ beat by geno

Reaves is a symptom of the problem. I hate repeating myself, but here goes...

The Pens chose to go in a different direction as far as the type of personnel they staffed and allowed others to leave that made up the type of identity that made this team so successful.

Here's what happens by not properly replacing guys like Daley, Cullen, Bonino and Kunitz with similar types, and I don't mean necessarily the same calibre. You create a new dynamic that changes the type of team you are.

JR didn't have a choice with Cullen, but he clearly didn't do his due diligence. You didn't have to replace Bonino with an exact replica, but there were more than a few decent options out there.

They could have kept Kunitz, but they chose not to and not only spend slightly less on a guy like Reaves, but the Pens gave up a 1st round pick.

The Pens didn't have to keep Bonino and Cullen, but they could have gone after Boyle and/or Moore and made it work financially.

They didn't have to re-sign Daley, but to go in a completely different direction in Hunwick when there's a better option and fit in a player like Del Zotto?

The trickle down effect of all this is having a bottom six that is much easier to play against than the Pens' teams of the last two years. What does this do? It makes the top-six not only an easier match-up for teams to plan, but it stretches the team thin.

It's all about choices and while Reaves isn't the main problem, he's a part of the reason why the top-six has struggled.

Reaves is a symptom of the problem. I hate repeating myself, but here goes...

The Pens chose to go in a different direction as far as the type of personnel they staffed and allowed others to leave that made up the type of identity that made this team so successful.

Here's what happens by not properly replacing guys like Daley, Cullen, Bonino and Kunitz with similar types, and I don't mean necessarily the same calibre. You create a new dynamic that changes the type of team you are.

JR didn't have a choice with Cullen, but he clearly didn't do his due diligence. You didn't have to replace Bonino with an exact replica, but there were more than a few decent options out there.

They could have kept Kunitz, but they chose not to and not only spend slightly less on a guy like Reaves, but the Pens gave up a 1st round pick.

The Pens didn't have to keep Bonino and Cullen, but they could have gone after Boyle and/or Moore and made it work financially.

They didn't have to re-sign Daley, but to go in a completely different direction in Hunwick when there's a better option and fit in a player like Del Zotto?

The trickle down effect of all this is having a bottom six that is much easier to play against than the Pens' teams of the last two years. What does this do? It makes the top-six not only an easier match-up for teams to plan, but it stretches the team thin.

It's all about choices and while Reaves isn't the main problem, he's a part of the reason why the top-six has struggled.
- Rinosaur

Well said. Although I would have been a fan of signing MDZ, the eventual move for Oleksiak makes any D signing unnecessary in hindsight. Our blue line has the personnel, its just that we insist on not playing our 6 best defenseman and we keep giving Hunwick a sweater over Cole, which is inexplicable.

The Pens have 400k in cap space. Just because he's better than Reaves, I still wouldn't have signed Kunitz for 2M.

Well said. Although I would have been a fan of signing MDZ, the eventual move for Oleksiak makes any D signing unnecessary in hindsight. Our blue line has the personnel, its just that we insist on not playing our 6 best defenseman and we keep giving Hunwick a sweater over Cole, which is inexplicable.
- Victoro311

Even if they would have signed MDZ, they likely still would have made that move because of the Cole situation.

The Pens have 400k in cap space. Just because he's better than Reaves, I still wouldn't have signed Kunitz for 2M.
- Tojo.

Signing Kunitz means there's no Sheahan or at least not without other roster moves. Right now we'd have Mckegg and probably Dea centering the bottom 2 lines.......maybe Guentzel would be centering the 3rd but from Sullivan's comments the last game 1 reason Dea was put in so Jake could move back to the wing.

Even if they would have signed MDZ, they likely still would have made that move because of the Cole situation.
- Rinosaur

But where would the extra cap space have came from to sign MDZ ?

Happy birthday King Reaves!