The thing I love about Perron and Hornqvist (even Comeau to an extent) they are pests. I can see Perron annoying the hell out of every team we've played so far. Hornqvist is all hustle. Comeau lays some occasional big hits, and yes Kunitz still does hit people now and then. I think it's a completely different dynamic that what we've had in the past and more conducive to the gritty, in your face style of playoff hockey.

In terms of being a team the opposition fears, that's where the bottom 6 is sub-par.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

This is one of the reasons I think the Pens will be tougher to play against. Last year, Kunitz was probably our biggest pain in the ass forward to play against, at least in the top 6. He would probably now be the 4th biggest pain in the ass top 6 forward to play against on the Pens. This team should be so much harder to play against in a 7 game series than it has been in years past. None of our top 4 wingers should be putting up with any crap, which hopefully will translate to Crosby and Malkin having to put up with a little less than usual. Then you have Lapierre and Downie in the bottom 6 as well.

I once wrote out most of that speech where the precepts were changed to the three California teams offer sheeting each other.

Derrick Pouliot has the same kind of fat face Drew Doughty has. I think that implies that he'll be a dynamic defender in the same light.
- Johnny Wrath

I have noticed this as well and said that he looked like Doughty too

It's just sour grapes by those who hate the Flyers. A lot of people were looking forward to Pronger's deal being a bad deal the last few years of his contract, thus hurting the Flyers. So some people are butt hurt over the fact that the Flyers got a get out of jail free card when he came to his contract. At least that is how some see it.
- PensFan1103

I mostly agree. There are a lot of Flyers fans that have this false notion about needing to pretend to recover to be on LTIR. It's entirely baseless.

Now, working for the league while being on a Standard Player Contract, that's against the rules. But, y'know, Bettman can just change things sometimes. Just ask the Devils.

I have noticed this as well and said that he looked like Doughty too
- znagle

He's got the corpulent face. Now let's see if he has that same wispy, Mr Miyagi facial hair as well.

Thank you.... well said.

My definition of a captain just isn't always Sid. I always think back to the last Olympic year when Backes fought every Canadian superstar/captain in the league. That was my definition.

NOT SAYING SID SHOULD FIGHT... just wish he would take a backseat to management/coaches and focus on his game. And when his game is under-achieving be the vocal leader that rises your team.

Not mailing anything in either... were in a race and will be playing mid-April. I fully believe they are a piece or 2 from becoming "elite" and am fully confident it will work out. And we can take this thing down by the river and party all summer and such..
- stowerkraut

you want Sid following Backes lead? The same Backes that has zero cups and zero medals? It isn't always up to the captains to be the only leaders. Do yoi remember Seabrook calming Toews down in the penalty box?

you want Sid following Backes lead? The same Backes that has zero cups and zero medals? It isn't always up to the captains to be the only leaders. Do yoi remember Seabrook calming Toews down in the penalty box?
- willi

"Johnny, we don't use siege weapons in hockey." - Brent

I once wrote out most of that speech where the precepts were changed to the three California teams offer sheeting each other.

Derrick Pouliot has the same kind of fat face Drew Doughty has. I think that implies that he'll be a dynamic defender in the same light.
- Johnny Wrath

if a fat face makes you a dynamic D man, Toronto should consider moving Kessel back

My impression is that Guerin would give Sid poop all the time and it allowed the team to come out from the shell a bit. I really can't say how Sid handles the locker room except to point out that he won a Mark Messier leadership award, a sure indication that things are heading in the wrong direction.

Sid's line mates? It does seem like Sid considers the locker room a menu and selects who surrounds him. I don't like it but if it had worked until now, nobody would be saying anything.
- Johnny Wrath

Its very much a Pens culture thing.. Mario down. Pascal and Kunitz worked! But so did Horny... WTF... Malkin always seems to get sids sloppies and make them work

if a fat face makes you a dynamic D man, Toronto should consider moving Kessel back
- willi

I like the direction this is headed. Get it?

Dustin Byfligen for the Norris.

I mostly agree. There are a lot of Flyers fans that have this false notion about needing to pretend to recover to be on LTIR. It's entirely baseless.

Now, working for the league while being on a Standard Player Contract, that's against the rules. But, y'know, Bettman can just change things sometimes. Just ask the Devils.
- BulliesPhan87

Can't say I know one way or the other whether it is legitimately against the rules, so I'll take your word for it. But at the very least it is some pretty shady business. Even if you 100% believe that he will never do anything unethical or even that he would never be allowed to handle anything related to a Flyers player. Just putting him anywhere near a potential sticky situation goes against any segregation of duty risk management philosophy.

Negative. Why is Sid a pilon on the right hash on the PP? Why does Johnston not put Horny with Perron and Sid? Cause that's how Sid wants it.
- stowerkraut

Since when is Sid on the right? They moved him back (the last time I watched) to the left, just like they did to accomodate James Neal.

Thank you.... well said.

My definition of a captain just isn't always Sid. I always think back to the last Olympic year when Backes fought every Canadian superstar/captain in the league. That was my definition.

NOT SAYING SID SHOULD FIGHT... just wish he would take a backseat to management/coaches and focus on his game. And when his game is under-achieving be the vocal leader that rises your team.

Not mailing anything in either... were in a race and will be playing mid-April. I fully believe they are a piece or 2 from becoming "elite" and am fully confident it will work out. And we can take this thing down by the river and party all summer and such..
- stowerkraut

If you have ever been in the military you would know that you are surrounded by leaders of all types in all kinds of levels. You will find the raw raw types, always yelling and screaming, the quiet ones, there is no ideal leader. I would say that the leader that excels the best knows his people and how they respond and structures their style to maximize output of those they are in charge of. I know if I was a yelling type, most of my group would have shut down.

Nobody here knows what its like inside the locker room. Its anyones guess as to what 87 is like behind closed doors. Pretty stupid to even guess.

Not really, Perron would not be on the team if Dupes is healthy.
- sammy87

not ness... they might have been looking for another forward... but regardless.. if duper was still playing well enough they didnt need a top 6 they keep their first. sounds like a wash to me

Its very much a Pens culture thing.. Mario down. Pascal and Kunitz worked! But so did Horny... WTF... Malkin always seems to get sids sloppies and make them work
- ChrisMS

Every time.

Malkin: "Why Sid always hog Mark Recchi?"

and yet i still cant bring myself to trade him. ive yet to see a deal that realistically a team would do, even for him, that i would pull the trigger on.
- stayinthefnnet

it would hurt initially, for sure. But this is how i look at it.

let's say there's a good Center out there in FA in 2016 (no great centers out there in 2015).

Trade Geno for assets. Sign said good Center. Use leftovers to buy another good player instead of another meh player.

Recreate Geno's production in the aggregate via 2 FAs, and get assets for trading him.

Team would be equally good via just using the cap space on different FA players. Except now the team gets some serious draft pick/prospects via the trade.

you want Sid following Backes lead? The same Backes that has zero cups and zero medals? It isn't always up to the captains to be the only leaders. Do yoi remember Seabrook calming Toews down in the penalty box?
- willi

I SURE DO! TRIPLE YOI!

you want Sid following Backes lead? The same Backes that has zero cups and zero medals? It isn't always up to the captains to be the only leaders. Do yoi remember Seabrook calming Toews down in the penalty box?
- willi

you want Sid following Backes lead?The same Backes that has zero cups and zero medals?

No the Backes that does the cool things I mentioned.

It isn't always up to the captains to be the only leaders

But sometimes it is...

Do yoi remember Seabrook calming Toews down in the penalty box?

Double yoi and should I?

it would hurt initially, for sure. But this is how i look at it.

let's say there's a good Center out there in FA in 2016 (no great centers out there in 2015).

Trade Geno for assets. Sign said good Center. Use leftovers to buy another good player instead of another meh player.

Recreate Geno's production in the aggregate via 2 FAs, and get assets for trading him.

Team would be equally good via just using the cap space on different FA players. Except now the team gets some serious draft pick/prospects via the trade.
- poopmouth

To play devils' advocate, you're now using up 2 players to compensate for what 1 player produced, which means you are now losing production from 1 player (Malkin + player X). The assets have to be very good, should be able to collectively produce more than Malkin, and have to be cap managebale in the near future.

Since when is Sid on the right? They moved him back (the last time I watched) to the left, just like they did to accomodate James Neal.
- jmatchett383

He always winds up there.... always. Which is fine if he's feeding Perron high slot. Or if Sid is moving like to the side of the net for garbage but he isn't.

He's got the corpulent face. Now let's see if he has that same wispy, Mr Miyagi facial hair as well.
- Johnny Wrath

He has started to grow some fuzz I've noticed

Every time.

Malkin: "Why Sid always hog Mark Recchi?"
- Johnny Wrath

Maybe pens should say they traded for Horny to be Malkins winger... Then sid might tel Malkin "My team! MINE! GIMMIE!"

not ness... they might have been looking for another forward... but regardless.. if duper was still playing well enough they didnt need a top 6 they keep their first. sounds like a wash to me
- ChrisMS

So Dupes=Perron?

He has started to grow some fuzz I've noticed
- znagle

Awesome. He's going to look like the clan leader from big trouble in little China.

So Dupes=Perron?
- sammy87

if dupes was playing up to top 6 level.. does a top 6 dupes and a 1st = Perron?

To qoute someone on here... "its stupid to even guess"

No doubt... but, no offense, you haven't had a crsoby, jagr, Mario, Malkin either. Talking about trading them when they still have several years of generational hockey left in them is a shame. I can see it both ways, but (caveat) so long as they remain COMPETITIVE I'll be ok watching and enjoying
- ChrisMS

But that's my thing. You have these great, "generational" talents. Jagr and Lemieux won multiple Cups. Gretzky and Messier won multiple Cups. Sakic and Forsberg won multiple Cups. Orr and Esposito won multiple Cups. Heck, Yzerman and Fedorov won multiple Cups. There's zero reason why Crosby and Malkin shouldn't follow suit.

Edit: Toews and Kane have won multiple Cups.