Matt Henderson: On Redemption

I like it

You're missing the point. The redemption wasn't a redemption against reality and who those two hockey players are. It's a redemption against the moronic media and fan bases who love a controversial story or scapegoat.

Matt Henderson: On Redemption
- Matt_Henderson

Good blog Hendo.
Bit angry and long in coming, but good blog.

You're missing the point. The redemption wasn't a redemption against reality and who those two hockey players are. It's a redemption against the moronic media and fan bases who love a controversial story or scapegoat.
- bochangs

Schultz sucked in Edmonton because he is often defensively inept and we couldn't shelter him. Not controversial just fact.

happy for Schultz, leaving a crappy situation in Edm and winning a Cup but lets be realistic here, Stevie Wonder could have played the same minutes and had the same result, in no way was Schultz a "key member" on the Pens Cup winning team.

The sad thing is, Schultz is going to take the success to his head and when the Pens don't qualify him for $4m, he's gonna be demanding $4-5 long term

The sad thing is, Schultz is going to take the success to his head and when the Pens don't qualify him for $4m, he's gonna be demanding $4-5 long term
- DeflatedPucks

The sad thing is, Schultz is going to take the success to his head and when the Pens don't qualify him for $4m, he's gonna be demanding $4-5 long term
- DeflatedPucks

I mean, he's probably not sad about it.

Good blog Hendo.
Bit angry and long in coming, but good blog.
- Wildschwein

I meant to write sooner, wasnt able. Believe me when I say I hate taking so long between posts.

subban a oiler yet ?

Matt,

I think your points about Kessell are spot on, but honestly you sound a bit bitter about Schultz. Truthfully, I don't think anyone in Pittsburgh give a rat's ass what went on with him in Edmonton. The bottom line is he was an important piece for the Penguins who did well in the role he was asked to play.

Was he the 7th defenseman? Yes, but having him came in awfully handy when Trevor Daley got hurt, and when Letang was suspended for a game and when Maatta got hurt/benched etc...the point is that you generally can't win the cup without a good 7th defenseman because someone in the 1-6 group is going to get hurt along the way and if we didn't have Schultz, we would have been screwed.

Did he play sheltered minutes? Absolutely. The Pens tended to play him against the opponents lower tiered lines and gave him mostly offensive zone faceoff starts, but he averaged an average TOI of over 13 minutes for the playoffs, and had a very nice CF of 54.9. The Pens would cut his minutes back in key situations in favor of double shifting Kris Letang, and I don't think you can argue with that strategy.

In other words, the Penguins put Schultz in a situation where he was likely to succeed and profited from the way they managed him. Again, I don't follow the Oilers closely and don't have the time to do so. Maybe he was just lousy, but also, maybe the Oilers dealt him a sh*tty had and set him up to fail before he was ready to defensively carry a team that by all accounts has been pretty inept for years. All I can judge him by is his play in Pittsburgh, and I can unequivocally say we are glad to have him.

Matt,

You sound a bit bitter about Schultz. Truthfully, I don't think anyone in Pittsburgh give a rat's ass what went on with him in Edmonton. The bottom line is he was an important piece for the Penguins who did well in the role he was asked to play.

Was he the 7th defenseman? Yes, but having him came in awfully handy when Trevor Daley got hurt, and when Letang was suspended for a game and when Maatta got hurt/benched etc...the point is that you generally can't win the cup without a good 7th defenseman because someone in the 1-6 group is going to get hurt along the way and the

Did he play sheltered minutes? Absolutely. The Pens tended to play him against the lower tiered lines and gave him mostly offensive zone faceoff starts, but he averaged an average TOI of over 13 minutes for the playoffs, and had a very nice CF of 54.9. The Pens would cut his minutes back in key situations in favor of double shifting Kris Letang, and I don't think you can argue with that strategy.

In other words, the Penguins put Schultz in a situation where he was likely to succeed and profited from the way they managed him. Again, I don't follow the Oilers closely and don't have the time to do so. Maybe he was just lousy, but also, maybe the Oilers dealt him a sh*tty had and set him up to fail before he was ready to defensively carry a team that by all accounts has been pretty inept for years. All I can judge him by is his play in Pittsburgh, and I can unequivocally say we are glad to have him.
- Emperor Filonius

I look forward to seeing him qualified then

Who am I supposed to believe? You saying Schultz wasnt a key figure or Ryan Wilson's blog about it being a total team effort. I say we have a blogger show down to settle this!

I was a fan of Schultz. Yes his defensive game needs work, but he wasn't afraid to let it rip and has a great shot. He didn't score, but hit a few posts and made some nice pinch plays to set up some goals for us. He was also a great add to the powerplay, especially when Geno was down.

I def don't want to sign him for 4 million per year, but I'd love to have him back. He most certainly had a positive impact on the cup run.

I look forward to seeing him qualified then
- Matt_Henderson

It will certainly be interesting to see what the Pens do with him.

Slow day? I assume your whole blog is based on the TSN Redemption story by Frank Seravalli that you probably failed to read in it's entirety, only skimming for the couple things that set you off.

http://www.tsn.ca/redempt...2015-16-penguins-1.506325

The crux of the story was how the Pens as a team have redeemed themselves after years of not achieving what many back in 2009 thought they should in the seasons following that Cup Championship. The Pens were a team that had become underachieving has-been's in many people's minds so the "Redemption" tag fits them absolutely.

Kessel and Schultz were only a part of what allowed that to happen this season, but the story wasn't about them individually - though whether you like it or not - I'm sure Phil does feel redeemed and could care less what you think of the matter.

This was an awful blog/story and let's hope the Oilers can help you redeem any credibility you might be deserving of with a good 2016-2017 season so you can blog about things other than bitter rants of other players and teams successes.

Slow day? I assume your whole blog is based on the TSN Redemption story by Frank Seravalli that you probably failed to read in it's entirety, only skimming for the couple things that set you off.

http://www.tsn.ca/redempt...2015-16-penguins-1.506325

The crux of the story was how the Pens as a team have redeemed themselves after years of not achieving what many back in 2009 thought they should in the seasons following that Cup Championship. The Pens were a team that had become underachieving has-been's in many people's minds so the "Redemption" tag fits them absolutely.

Kessel and Schultz were only a part of what allowed that to happen this season, but the story wasn't about them individually - though whether you like it or not - I'm sure Phil does feel redeemed and could care less what you think of the matter.

This was an awful blog/story and let's hope the Oilers can help you redeem any credibility you might be deserving of with a good 2016-2017 season so you can blog about things other than bitter rants of other players and teams successes.
- NJPensfan

I'm generally unredeemable, so...

I'm generally unredeemable, so...
- Matt_Henderson

Very charitable response. I'd have told him to go (frank) himself with a spatula.

haha there definitely does seem to be a little bitterness there, at least in that remark.

however, i'm not going to disagree with anything you've written. all pretty spot on. especially the part about him being qualified. just cant do it. even if they could find a way, im not willing to take that risk.

hed need a cheapish prove it deal from me. the dude was very nice to have in the fact that he was there when daley got hurt to prevent them playing an ECHL level guy.

he was pretty good in his role, but make no mistake, his role was smartly limited. im not gonna say he was a godsend. id rather see that narrative applied to daley, who was plucked off the scrap heap from chicago.

Slow day? I assume your whole blog is based on the TSN Redemption story by Frank Seravalli that you probably failed to read in it's entirety, only skimming for the couple things that set you off.

http://www.tsn.ca/redempt...2015-16-penguins-1.506325

The crux of the story was how the Pens as a team have redeemed themselves after years of not achieving what many back in 2009 thought they should in the seasons following that Cup Championship. The Pens were a team that had become underachieving has-been's in many people's minds so the "Redemption" tag fits them absolutely.

Kessel and Schultz were only a part of what allowed that to happen this season, but the story wasn't about them individually - though whether you like it or not - I'm sure Phil does feel redeemed and could care less what you think of the matter.

This was an awful blog/story and let's hope the Oilers can help you redeem any credibility you might be deserving of with a good 2016-2017 season so you can blog about things other than bitter rants of other players and teams successes.
- NJPensfan

jesus thats a bit rough haha. he only mirrored what lots of people have already said about phil. and its not like he plucked these narratives out of thin air. theyve literally been thrown out there on NHL.com and other places. not like thats necessarily indicative of great importance because all they do are puff pieces, but its not like he's conjuring up new ways just to dig at schultz.

id be a little miffy too if say the ducks won the cup with perron as like a seldom used fourth liner and then everyone comes out and says LOOK SEE HE WAS SUPER AWESOME ALL ALONG PENS JUST SUCK SEE REDEMPTION! i dont know. maybe im just still on cup high but i can't really be negative towards outside perspectives at the moment haha

Very charitable response. I'd have told him to go (frank) himself with a spatula.
- Wildschwein

Make sure it's a "non-stick" one

Make sure it's a "non-stick" one
- DeflatedPucks

Meh. He can use what he's got. I'm not particular.

No way the Pens qualify Shultz...way to expensive for a 6-7 D-man. I agree that the "Sheltered" minutes definitely made him look better on the Pens but 4mil to qualify him is not a step in the right direction.

I wanted to come out and roast you solely based on the first few sentences. But I like it and agree with just about everything you said. Good stuff.