cycle cycle cycle...force icings, force offensive zone faceoffs, draw penalties. Tilt the ice.
- Emperor Filonius

They need to cycle, especially the bottom 3.

bad bad bad bad D!!

cycle cycle cycle...force icings, force offensive zone faceoffs, draw penalties. Tilt the ice.
- Emperor Filonius

Kennedy used to excel in all those areas, this year not so much.

Defensive breakdown. No one challenged Kessel.

Kuni (frank)ed up..

Bad line change, no back pressure.

Defensive breakdown. No one challenged Kessel.
- powerhouse

Thats our Norris trophy candidate Brooks Orpik... Absolutely weak attempt at D

Kunitz ultimately lost his man/passing lane

You still were unable to say how scoring more goals would be a bad thing... disappointing thats how you chose to get out of the corner you were in but no hard feelings... I've tried to defend undefendable points in the past myself.
- ChrisMS

Dude, scoring goals isn't a problem. We scored tons of goals last year in the play-offs and lost. In the play-offs, things get tighter. It's not hard to figure out. Last year's series was rare. Pittsburgh doesn't need to acquire a goal scorer - especially for the rate its going to cost for a rental. It needs to add a physical component to the third line and add a physical defenseman. Iggy isn't necessary.

I get it now ... you are all about winning games 7-6.

Letang can be so maddening. Makes such great plays and then has two bad turnovers on PP that are so avoidable

ok.... but are you saying that if our scoring hadn't been better than we wouldn't have a better chance to win? I am only saying that any chance to improve our team should be looked at even if its an area of strength. improve the d? great do it. improve the goaltending... we tried... juries still out... the pk? juries still out, but I'm certainly not comfortable... discipline? obviously not after watching the flyers games this year. I'll take more scoring if it helps overcome those areas
- ChrisMS

I'm saying that there is an upper limit to improvement where you reach a point of diminishing returns. In other words, getting Iginla (for example) will only be a marginal improvement over the number of goals the team can realistically score with the current lineup, and the cost will be expensive in terms of the assets the Pens give up.

Conversely, getting a top 4 defenseman and upgrading the defensive capability of the bottom 6 stands to have a greater impact on the goals against statistic because of the improvement to the PK...

So I'd rather use the assets available to move where you get the biggest bang for the buck.

nice play by despres

Dude, scoring goals isn't a problem. We scored tons of goals last year in the play-offs and lost. In the play-offs, things get tighter. It's not hard to figure out. Last year's series was rare. Pittsburgh doesn't need to acquire a goal scorer - especially for the rate its going to cost for a rental. It needs to add a physical component to the third line and add a physical defenseman. Iggy isn't necessary.

I get it now ... you are all about winning games 7-6.
- Oneonta Penguin

I am all about winning games. ANY WAY POSSIBLE. I am for improving the team. ANY WAY POSSIBLE. Iggy is an improvement we could probably obtain without subtracting from our team. I am fine with debating that the cost is too much, but to say he wouldn;t make the team better is just plain dumb. And my argument about goals was only that scoring more goals is better than scoring less... how could anyone possible argue that....?

I'm saying that there is an upper limit to improvement where you reach a point of diminishing returns. In other words, getting Iginla (for example) will only be a marginal improvement over the number of goals the team can realistically score with the current lineup, and the cost will be expensive in terms of the assets the Pens give up.

Conversely, getting a top 4 defenseman and upgrading the defensive capability of the bottom 6 stands to have a greater impact on the goals against statistic because of the improvement to the PK...

So I'd rather use the assets available to move where you get the biggest bang for the buck.
- Emperor Filonius

and what if there isn't a top 4 d-man out there or shero misses out on them. or, even better, what if we can get iginla and a top 4 d-man (one who can clear the crease) why not?

I am all about winning games. ANY WAY POSSIBLE. I am for improving the team. ANY WAY POSSIBLE. Iggy is an improvement we could probably obtain without subtracting from our team. I am fine with debating that the cost is too much, but to say he wouldn;t make the better is just plain dumb. And my argument about goals was only that scoring more goals is better than scoring less... how could anyone possible argue that....?
- ChrisMS

You improve your weaknesses not necessarily your strengths. Improving the best offense in the NHL at the cost of shoring up a defensive weakness throughout the lineup is utterly retarded. Acquiring Iggy for a first in a DEEP DRAFT, one that could yield a FORWARD PROSPECT worth a poop and one of our top D prospects is utterly stupid at this point. He is a FREAKIN RENTAL. You get two months and he is gone. Those assets could be used to solve longer term roster problems.

This team doesn't win poop if it acquires Iginla. It goes further if it acquires a Morrow type and a Smid type of player because two weaknesses on the roster are upgraded or solidified. It's not that hard to figure out. As Penguin fans continue to see this team, they mostly agree Iggy isn't needed, when the same people were screaming a month ago he was needed. You are in the vast minority with your thoughts.

Dejan Kovacevic‏@Dejan_Kovacevic
Despres just crushed guy with clean open-ice hit. If he’d only have torn off a limb or two, he might get to play vs. “physical” teams. #Pens

and what if there isn't a top 4 d-man out there or shero misses out on them. or, even better, what if we can get iginla and a top 4 d-man (one who can clear the crease) why not?
- ChrisMS

once again, with the missing the point.....

Dupuis should have had that one...

We are caught too many times out of position. We have to fix that. Attention to details.

Tks Flower

There goes our 4th-line again, another one of their all too common terrible shifts.

Only Geno can do it Sid...calm down

One bad line change, one bad shift by 4th line, and leaving Kadri open in front only real blemishes. Everything else has been fine

I'm not just saying this because we are down 0-1, but this has been a pretty boring game. Despres had that one big hit that was pretty exciting. I liked that part.

There goes our 4th-line again, another one of their all too common terrible shifts.
- ursomp71

Our 4th line is absolutely HORRIBLE.

You improve your weaknesses not necessarily your strengths. Improving the best offense in the NHL at the cost of shoring up a defensive weakness throughout the lineup is utterly retarded. Acquiring Iggy for a first in a DEEP DRAFT, one that could yield a FORWARD PROSPECT worth a poop and one of our top D prospects is utterly stupid at this point. He is a FREAKIN RENTAL. You get two months and he is gone. Those assets could be used to solve longer term roster problems.

This team doesn't win poop if it acquires Iginla. It goes further if it acquires a Morrow type and a Smid type of player because two weaknesses on the roster are upgraded or solidified. It's not that hard to figure out. As Penguin fans continue to see this team, they mostly agree Iggy isn't needed, when the same people were screaming a month ago he was needed. You are in the vast minority with your thoughts.
- Oneonta Penguin

the vast minority? the pole still says 45% agree with moving a prospect and pick for iginla... I do think a first, ideally a late one, and a top prospect, when we have so many, is not a bad price to pay for a cup. its a gamble for sure, but I'd give up three prospects and our 1st if it yielded a cup... thats what it is all about. I would love smid... whats he gonna cost? It's gonna be pretty high with the lack of top 4 d-men available a man who is also a FREAKIN RENTAL as you put it. smid's cost will be close to, though not as high, as iginlas. again, the pole suggests we are arguing from fairly equal ground. the team doesn't win poop if it aquires iginla... really...