Ryan Wilson: Fleury and Malkin Continue To Hide Penguins Defensive Issues Fleury and Malkin Continue To Hide Penguins Defensive Issues

I didn't get to watch the game, but I am very pleased to see the pens actually score 5 goals in a game. Even though the last one was a EN Goal.

I'm guessing the reason Hornqvist gets protected from criticism is that he puts in good effort. That's great and all, but I'll take the effortless production over a try-hard that doesn't produce. He's in the top four biggest disappointments with this team (Crosby, Letang, Hornqvist, Maatta). And he sucked both with 87 AND 71.

geno and potash

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDWKc5bf9yI

I'm guessing the reason Hornqvist gets protected is that he puts in good effort. That's great and all, but I'll take the effortless production over a try-hard that doesn't produce. He's in the top four biggest disappointments with this team (Crosby, Letang, Hornqvist, Maatta). And he sucked with 87 AND 71.
- jfkst1

Man how different is this team if those 4 just play average to their capabilities.

Couldnt watch the game. It was a 01:30 start here in Brasil. But it looks like warsofsky played well right?

I will cry when Maatta comes back and warsofsky is sent back and Clendening goes back to the press box in favor of the old good and always reliable Scuderi...

An assist, 5 hits, 3 shots, a blocked shot, a takeaway, and only played 11:20

He is 6'2 and like 200lbs, physical play along the boards is something he is starting to get good at this season. He's done a great job separating people from puck and springing his teammates. Time for Beau to play with the big boys for more than just a game.

Plotnikov is proving his worth. His passes were on point again tonight. Generating chances in the offensive zone. Very happy with his recent play.

Also, Letang has been garbage this season on the power play. Use him 23 minutes a game, but not on the power play.

Also, Letang has been garbage this season on the power play. Use him 23 minutes a game, but not on the power play.
- usethe1-2-2

He has been garbage in all situations, not just on the PP.

Also, Letang has been garbage this season on the power play. Use him 23 minutes a game, but not on the power play.
- usethe1-2-2

That's what I was saying last night. I think he's a major factor in why the PP struggles at times. Guy can't get his shots on net.....and he's making some terrible decisions.

f 10pm est starts

He has been garbage in all situations, not just on the PP.
- chimpira

He's been very mediocre. Relative to the team, worse than Sid, on par with Hornqvist.

Meanwhile Dumoulin might be, might be, a poor man's Paul Martin in a few years. He has looked good.

Man how different is this team if those 4 just play average to their capabilities.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Yeah, that should be the top line with another player. Instead they've all been 2nd rate or worse players.

Meanwhile, Rob Scuderi leads the ASG votes for the Defensemen from the Metro Division. Shane Gostisbehere is in 2nd and he es 15 spots behind in the overall D-man standings.

@usethe1-2-2:

I think he's a poor man's Paul Martin now. Gotta remember that he's also paired with a bottom pairing defenseman playing second pairing minutes against top lines. Give him a better caliber partner and he'd shine even more. The genepool also smiled on him more than they did on Paul Martin so he has the potential to be even better. He's all but a top 4 lock moving forward in my personal estimation. He and Despres would have made a fantastic pairing.

An assist, 5 hits, 3 shots, a blocked shot, a takeaway, and only played 11:20

He is 6'2 and like 200lbs, physical play along the boards is something he is starting to get good at this season. He's done a great job separating people from puck and springing his teammates. Time for Beau to play with the big boys for more than just a game.

Plotnikov is proving his worth. His passes were on point again tonight. Generating chances in the offensive zone. Very happy with his recent play.
- usethe1-2-2

If Sprong could prove himself, we could move on from Kunitz, reunite the Plotnikov-Bonino-Bennett line that was effective even back when Plotter was falling down every two seconds, and bump Dupuis down to favorable fourth line duties. Plotnikov and Bennett are playing good hockey right now. Bennett is playing like a solid middle six role player and Plotnikov is an improving bottom 6 player with upside.

@usethe1-2-2:

I think he's a poor man's Paul Martin now. Gotta remember that he's also paired with a bottom pairing defenseman playing second pairing minutes against top lines. Give him a better caliber partner and he'd shine even more. The genepool also smiled on him more than they did on Paul Martin so he has the potential to be even better. He's all but a top 4 lock moving forward in my personal estimation. He and Despres would have made a fantastic pairing.
- Victoro311

I think he can be a more durable version of Paul Mart. It's early, but maybe a 2 or 3 isn't so far fetched. He's making some of those slick little plays that don't always get noticed, but are very effective at controlling the puck in the D zone. I think he's easily been our best D so far.

If Sprong could prove himself, we could move on from Kunitz, reunite the Plotnikov-Bonino-Bennett line that was effective even back when Plotter was falling down every two seconds, and bump Dupuis down to favorable fourth line duties. Plotnikov and Bennett are playing good hockey right now. Bennett is playing like a solid middle six role player and Plotnikov is an improving bottom 6 player with upside.
- Victoro311

Sprong is the key. They trust him in a bottom six role right now. If they think he can play up and down the lineup enough at some point to pull the trigger on a defender trade, this team could see some drastic improvements.
The Plotnikov Beaunino line was awesome. I wouldn't mind see the return of that.

Couldnt watch the game. It was a 01:30 start here in Brasil. But it looks like warsofsky played well right?

I will cry when Maatta comes back and warsofsky is sent back and Clendening goes back to the press box in favor of the old good and always reliable Scuderi...
- Conse

I'm confused ... how many people in Brazil follow the Pens on this board? 2? Odd ... anyway how is that water down there for the Olympics?

I'm guessing the reason Hornqvist gets protected from criticism is that he puts in good effort. That's great and all, but I'll take the effortless production over a try-hard that doesn't produce. He's in the top four biggest disappointments with this team (Crosby, Letang, Hornqvist, Maatta). And he sucked both with 87 AND 71.
- jfkst1

I don't disagree with you, but a number of people on here (not necessarily you) were preaching about doing the right things over production. I'm guessing the logic was, more or less, if you keep outworking the opposition and playing well, then the production will come. Again, your star players need to produce regardless of anything else, but just a little thought.

Maybe Scuderi and/or Letang need to sit. Warf had a solid game.

One of the other responders wished for our 'other top 4' to just play to their average... agreed 110%... but if this team had their top 3 defensemen as anticipated going into this season, things would be alot different. Letang is horrible, as RW noted, poor Ollie can't seem to stay healthy, and where IS Pouliot ???

No team could perform to potential without 3 defensemen that could rank top 12 league-wide, as we SHOULD have in Letang, Maatta and Pouliot.

Just my opinion.

scuderi should ALWAYS sit in the pressbox. if it was me I would send him to a retirement home

I don't disagree with you, but a number of people on here (not necessarily you) were preaching about doing the right things over production. I'm guessing the logic was, more or less, if you keep outworking the opposition and playing well, then the production will come. Again, your star players need to produce regardless of anything else, but just a little thought.
- jmatchett383

I'll own up to having that train of thought. More specifically I was defending Perron when I was harping on that and I'm glad I did. He's playing great hockey and even though he's not lighting up the score sheet, he's finally found production.

My defense of Hornqvist is that he's not a skilled player. His particular tool set requires that two skilled players be on his line to move the puck around and shoot accurately. Without the skilled players, he's rendered useless. When he's been in the top 6, he hasn't had those skilled players. When he was on the Malkin unit, all three were still trying to get it together and all three were struggling to find offense. I didn't think Perron and Hornqvist looked bad, they just weren't finding the scoreboard. When he was on the Crosby unit, it's been with a struggling Crosby and an out of place geriatric. Thus, Crosby tried to lean on Hornqvist a bit more on zone entries and puck movement and such because Dupuis and Kunitz have been so ineffective, which Hornqvist physically cannot do. I don't think its coincidence that Hornqvist has played his best hockey the few games he's played on the Bonino unit.

Sidney Crosby actually looked like he had it going on but unlike other sports in hockey you need to have some assistance from teammates and he just wasn't getting it. Consequently Crosby's five game point streak ended.

Comments like this are making it hard by the article to even read RW's content. I'll start by admitting that I was only able to watch the last 5:00 of the 1st and the entire 2nd but in that 25:00 minutes of hockey I counted 4-5 times that either Dupuis or Kunitz put a pass right on Sid's tape to spring him that he wasn't able to handle(on him because they were perfect passes) I counted another 5-6 times that either Kunitz or Dupuis was open with speed and Sid either missed them completely with the pass or put it in their skates. Sid's linemates were there to support him last night and he failed to execute, it really is that simple, this need to justify his poor play by continuing to blame those around him even when they are at fault just shows a complete ignorance to the game.

Maybe Scuderi and/or Letang need to sit. Warf had a solid game.

One of the other responders wished for our 'other top 4' to just play to their average... agreed 110%... but if this team had their top 3 defensemen as anticipated going into this season, things would be alot different. Letang is horrible, as RW noted, poor Ollie can't seem to stay healthy, and where IS Pouliot ???

No team could perform to potential without 3 defensemen that could rank top 12 league-wide, as we SHOULD have in Letang, Maatta and Pouliot.

Just my opinion.
- skridscousin

It is extremely unrealistic/optimistic/early to mention Pouliot in the same breath as Letang and Maatta.