I agree. We can never have enough scoring but with a healthy roster we can score with anyone in the league.
- dbell646

We havent had our real lineup since before October of 2010.

Thinking of lines when (if) Sid comes back, the Malkin line is interesting. Chances are Kunitz goes with Sid, who do you put there with Geno & Neal?

I know Sullivan was ok there early, but that type of player isn't ideal. Kunitz is perfect, he took that line to another level... Malkin is the puck carrier, Neal is the finisher, and while the whole line is physical, Kunitz goes into the dirty areas, makes room, and has good enough hands and hockey IQ to contribute. Sullivan would be a distributor on a line that already has one.

Style of play-wise, I'd almost rather see someone like *gulp* Tangradi with those two. Even Dupuis would be a better fit then Sullivan. He has the speed to play there, and can be a disruptive fore-checker.

Shelly Anderson @pgshelly
Sidney Crosby, Arron Asham skating with conditioning coach Mike Kadar at CEC before #Penguins practice.

That's good to see Asham skating again... Following the non-Sid concussion return timetable, he'll probably be back in a few weeks.

Scary though, for a guy who plays physical and fights, to have a couple recent concussions. Will he take it a little easier or be more susceptible to another concussion?

Thinking of lines when (if) Sid comes back, the Malkin line is interesting. Chances are Kunitz goes with Sid, who do you put there with Geno & Neal?

I know Sullivan was ok there early, but that type of player isn't ideal. Kunitz is perfect, he took that line to another level... Malkin is the puck carrier, Neal is the finisher, and while the whole line is physical, Kunitz goes into the dirty areas, makes room, and has good enough hands and hockey IQ to contribute. Sullivan would be a distributor on a line that already has one.

Style of play-wise, I'd almost rather see someone like *gulp* Tangradi with those two. Even Dupuis would be a better fit then Sullivan. He has the speed to play there, and can be a disruptive fore-checker.
- rival22

Not suggesting you put Jeffrey there but when Sid and Staal come back he really doesn't have a spot. Unless you put Staal on Geno's wing. Vitale doesn't come out of this line up if Im coaching.

Not suggesting you put Jeffrey there but when Sid and Staal come back he really doesn't have a spot. Unless you put Staal on Geno's wing. Vitale doesn't come out of this line up if Im coaching.
- dbell646

Staal on Geno's wing would make that an amazing line... but it would come at the expense of a great third line.

You'd almost have to keep Staal on the third line, or you'd have what you have now... a small, soft 3rd line. Not great for playoff hockey.

It's tough no matter how you slice it... a couple good players are on the outside looking in.

I guess it's pointless to really think about playoff line combinations until after Feb 27th anyway.

I kind of like the idea of putting Cooke with Malkin and Neal. He is similar, style wise, to Kunitz. He has picked up his physical play a good bit since the first couple months where he was timid as could be. But if you are looking for a fit syle wise, he is pretty similar to Kunitz, just less offensive upside, but I think he has enough to hang with the big boys. The only problem is then I put Jeffrey with Staal and Kennedy, and that leaves Sullivan on the 4th line, which lately he deserves to be playing more. Wow, if we get healthy, I have no freaking clue who to leave off the roster, you have 4 spots for Sullivan, Jeffrey, Adams, Vitale, Asham, and Park. Park and Asham would probably be the guys, but then either Jeffrey or Sullivan is going to the 4th line, not where they belong in my opinion, but I guess I like Sullivan there more than Jeffrey.

I kind of like the idea of putting Cooke with Malkin and Neal. He is similar, style wise, to Kunitz. He has picked up his physical play a good bit since the first couple months where he was timid as could be. But if you are looking for a fit syle wise, he is pretty similar to Kunitz, just less offensive upside, but I think he has enough to hang with the big boys. The only problem is then I put Jeffrey with Staal and Kennedy, and that leaves Sullivan on the 4th line, which lately he deserves to be playing more. Wow, if we get healthy, I have no freaking clue who to leave off the roster, you have 4 spots for Sullivan, Jeffrey, Adams, Vitale, Asham, and Park. Park and Asham would probably be the guys, but then either Jeffrey or Sullivan is going to the 4th line, not where they belong in my opinion, but I guess I like Sullivan there more than Jeffrey.
- PensFan1103

Jeffrey if I am being honest is not making much of an imprint on games other than his two goal game. In 19 games he has 4 points. A good enough chunk of that time he was in a "top 6 role".

http://espn.go.com/nhl/st...uires-complex-explanation

I know it's ESPN but this is a pretty decent article.

I kind of like the idea of putting Cooke with Malkin and Neal. He is similar, style wise, to Kunitz. He has picked up his physical play a good bit since the first couple months where he was timid as could be. But if you are looking for a fit syle wise, he is pretty similar to Kunitz, just less offensive upside, but I think he has enough to hang with the big boys. The only problem is then I put Jeffrey with Staal and Kennedy, and that leaves Sullivan on the 4th line, which lately he deserves to be playing more. Wow, if we get healthy, I have no freaking clue who to leave off the roster, you have 4 spots for Sullivan, Jeffrey, Adams, Vitale, Asham, and Park. Park and Asham would probably be the guys, but then either Jeffrey or Sullivan is going to the 4th line, not where they belong in my opinion, but I guess I like Sullivan there more than Jeffrey.
- PensFan1103

If Asham is healthy I want him in the line up come playoffs. I agree with dbell, Vitale plays with to much jam to leave him off the playoff roster too. Factor into that the fact that I still think we will see another forward added before March and it makes this playoff roster a complete guessing game. I'm not even going to bother trying to figure it out until I see what this team looks like March 1st. One thing is for sure, being able to slot Crosby and Staal in creates all kinds of options that we currently don't have.

if no moves are made, we all know these will be the lines if healthy
kuni sid dupes
sulli geno neal
cooke staal tk
adams oreilly asham

dont know where park jeffrey vitale fits in....

if no moves are made, we all know these will be the lines if healthy
kuni sid dupes
sulli geno neal
cooke staal tk
adams oreilly asham

dont know where park jeffrey vitale fits in....
- nh4442

Starting early on the sauce nh?

if no moves are made, we all know these will be the lines if healthy
kuni sid dupes
sulli geno neal
cooke staal tk
adams oreilly asham

dont know where park jeffrey vitale fits in....
- nh4442

Yeah I'm with Canadian, O'Reilly is gone as soon as the depth comes back. For my money I have Vitale in that spot and if Asham cannot go then Park gets the nod. I just think that Park provides more in a 4th line role than Jeffrey would.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/7556814/sidney-crosby-neck-injury-requires-complex-explanation

I know it's ESPN but this is a pretty decent article.
- canadianpenfan

A very good read on a complex topic. Balance is a function of the eyes, inner ear, ans sensory input from the rest of the body. The brain then processes the input and responds. If the relay of this information is off, slowed down and messing the calibration of the nerve impuses your brain will make stuff up.

Certain types of special training are necessary to try to restore rythym and timing btween the brain and the body. However if the relay hardware in the brainstem is damaged more severely full recovery is simply not possible.

The reality is I do not know the extent of the damage but as long as it has been one has to think a full recovery will be difficult for Sid.

If Asham is healthy I want him in the line up come playoffs. I agree with dbell, Vitale plays with to much jam to leave him off the playoff roster too. Factor into that the fact that I still think we will see another forward added before March and it makes this playoff roster a complete guessing game. I'm not even going to bother trying to figure it out until I see what this team looks like March 1st. One thing is for sure, being able to slot Crosby and Staal in creates all kinds of options that we currently don't have.
- canadianpenfan

Asham's durability is a serious question moving foward.

A very good read on a complex topic. Balance is a function of the eyes, inner ear, ans sensory input from the rest of the body. The brain then processes the input and responds. If the relay of this information is off, slowed down and messing the calibration of the nerve impuses your brain will make stuff up.

Certain types of special training are necessary to try to restore rythym and timing btween the brain and the body. However if the relay hardware in the brainstem is damaged more severely full recovery is simply not possible.

The reality is I do not know the extent of the damage but as long as it has been one has to think a full recovery will be difficult for Sid.
- powerhouse

That's the thing though. Would it have been this long if it was properly diagnosed from the get go? I'm no doctor but I would say no. Everything seems to be going pretty well since that announcement, maybe I'm just trying to hard to be an optimist but I think things are looking up on the Sid front.

Asham's durability is a serious question moving foward.
- powerhouse

No doubt. I'm just saying IF he's healthy he needs to be in there. His game was designed for playoff hockey. The Asham's of the world are the reason defensemen aren't as anxious to retrieve a puck in the corner in the third period of game 6.

Starting early on the sauce nh?
- canadianpenfan

just pepto and gingerale

but i thought he was one way? why would we pick him up if we r going to lose him sending him down??

No doubt. I'm just saying IF he's healthy he needs to be in there. His game was designed for playoff hockey. The Asham's of the world are the reason defensemen aren't as anxious to retrieve a puck in the corner in the third period of game 6.
- canadianpenfan

I'm probably crazy but I worry about Asham more than Crosby as far as the long term ramifications of their injuries and how they can be effective moving forward.

if no moves are made, we all know these will be the lines if healthy
kuni sid dupes
sulli geno neal
cooke staal tk
adams oreilly asham

dont know where park jeffrey vitale fits in....
- nh4442

That was good for a laugh. O'Reilly doesn't have a chance of staying in this lineup once Staal and Crosby come back unless he miraculously puts up some absurd numbers in the coming weeks. I would be surprised if he made it past this weekend with Staal coming back to be honest.

just pepto and gingerale

but i thought he was one way? why would we pick him up if we r going to lose him sending him down??
- nh4442

I would be surprised if someone else claimed him off waivers when we do put him on.

Jeffrey if I am being honest is not making much of an imprint on games other than his two goal game. In 19 games he has 4 points. A good enough chunk of that time he was in a "top 6 role".
- Gunner Staal

I was going to write something similar earlier. He's been a non-factor except for that one game. He's not physical and that bad knee has really slowed him down. I don't know if he'll regain some speed over time, but he really doesn't look like he belongs in the NHL at the moment.

It's a shame because last year we saw glimpses of a solid player with an upside of skill.

I would be surprised if someone else claimed him off waivers when we do put him on.
- PensFan1103

It wouldn't matter either way.

I would be surprised if someone else claimed him off waivers when we do put him on.
- PensFan1103

lets hope

That was good for a laugh. O'Reilly doesn't have a chance of staying in this lineup once Staal and Crosby come back unless he miraculously puts up some absurd numbers in the coming weeks. I would be surprised if he made it past this weekend with Staal coming back to be honest.
- PensFan1103

Probably end up in Wilkes Barre I would imagine.

That's the thing though. Would it have been this long if it was properly diagnosed from the get go? I'm no doctor but I would say no. Everything seems to be going pretty well since that announcement, maybe I'm just trying to hard to be an optimist but I think things are looking up on the Sid front.
- canadianpenfan

One would want to contol swelling in a brainstem injury and rest. Assuming it happened with hit from Steckel, the Tampa game was a real no no. Nothing to do looking back, just have to hope for the best moving foward. It would explain why he was probably allowed to play vs Tampa. Probably didn't have concussion typical symptoms at first.