Top 5 reasons pens are losing so much.... 1. crosby/malkin not playing up to snuff, 2. PP, 3. no backup goalie, 4. crosby dictating the lines to his terms, and 5. Steve Downie
- ChrisMS

I would replace #4 with a lack of goals from defensemen not named Letang, and I'd replace Downie as #5 with gutless, uninspired coaching, but otherwise I agree.

Sutter is better than Spaling. Downie belongs on the 4th line with sheltered minutes. And even if neither of those were true, Sutter's *lack of* strengths are wasted on a 4th line that has been remade as a physical energy line.
- hardnosed

Fixed that for you..

Sutter is better than Spaling. Downie belongs on the 4th line with sheltered minutes. And even if neither of those were true, Sutter's strengths are wasted on a 4th line that has been remade as a physical energy line.
- hardnosed

i say this as honestly and seriously as possible...

what exactly are Sutter's strengths...?

I never wanted Goc to stay for his offensive output, it's the same as Sutter.
- walshy66

I would replace #4 with a lack of goals from defensemen not named Letang, and I'd replace Downie as #5 with gutless, uninspired coaching, but otherwise I agree.
- hardnosed

#FireTocchet

i say this as honestly and seriously as possible...

what exactly are Sutter's strengths...?
- poopmouth

Skating, shot, positioning, getting his stick into lanes, zone coverage w/ his speed, penalty killing, faceoffs, being clutch (which is everything in life), being the only shorty threat on the team, making the right play, reach.

Skating, shot, positioning, getting his stick into lanes, zone coverage w/ his speed, penalty killing, faceoffs, being clutch (which is everything in life), being the only shorty threat on the team, making the right play, reach.
- hardnosed

And sucking copious amounts of the ass during the regular season

I thought he was on LTIR already? Or just IR? I thought any player on LTIR got their cap hit added to the cap cieling based on how far the team is current below it.

Hell, I don't know...Botterill will find a way to circumvent the cap, #InBottWeTrust
- YouMeAndDupuis9

That is true, but he isn't going to be staying there the rest of the season, so you can't realistically utilize that space unless you don't expect him to come back.

He is coming back, so you can't use that space unless you plan on dumping someone else once he is ready to come back.

I said before, considering that the majority of the fan base think the Pens have no shot doing anything in the playoffs, they should let the kids get invaluable playoff experience this year. Trade Martin away and let Despres fill his spot, and so down the line. I think if they let Despres play 20+minutes a night, he would surprise a lot of people.
- cap1681

If that is the case, then Martin should be sent for more than Andrew Shaw. Also have to convince Ehrhoff to void his NMC and get a return on him as well. If just going picks/prospects, you would get a minimum of late 1st rounders for each of them. And honestly, Scuderi and Sutter could also get a return and setup the team nicely in the future.

Let's send

Absolutely.

Everyone was saying that LA was in trouble and almost guarantee missing the playoffs according to the numbers.. 6 straight wins later and wolla they are in the playoffs. Numbers don't always rule. Don't get me wrong they can definitely help in the decision process and they show alot of things that you can't see with the naked eye. Just like people that are against advance stats completely people that are for them are a bit over the top with the "if you don't agree with my charts you don't know poop about anything".
- kgrpitt

Their possescion numbers were awesome when they were struggling.....

What changed in theis 6 game run?

Their netminders started giving them at least av goaltending. If Quick gets his ass into gear they'll make it, if not, a dominant posession team can't carry terrible tending. Just ask the Wild, all year they had the 30th ranked tending in the league. No surprise with Duby coming in and giving Vezina level numbers (won't sustain it) they are back in the race. If he regresses back to the av they are still a chance. If he goes below, then a v good possession team will miss out.

Shaw can actually play physical, plus he is at the same FO% as Sutter
- cap1681

Shaw doesn't play physical, he takes runs at people. He's no better in the corners than Sutter.

And look at Shaw's FO% historically.

Skating, shot, positioning, getting his stick into lanes, zone coverage w/ his speed, penalty killing, faceoffs, being clutch (which is everything in life), being the only shorty threat on the team, making the right play, reach.
- hardnosed

You just described Jordan Staal, not Sutter

You just described Jordan Staal, not Sutter
- willi

No, I described Sutter. Staal's shot certainly wasn't a strength.

I see ek put the curse on berg to pens...

And sucking copious amounts of the ass during the regular season
- Guile

Sutter's postseason stats: 28 GP 7 G 4 A 44.3% CF 16:06 ATOI. Not worth $3.3m/yr.

I thought he was on LTIR already? Or just IR? I thought any player on LTIR got their cap hit added to the cap cieling based on how far the team is current below it.

Hell, I don't know...Botterill will find a way to circumvent the cap, #InBottWeTrust
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I'm almost postive he was on LTIR the day after it happened. They knew he would be out for an extended period. In reality he could be back next week, but I agree on the saving cap for the deadline theory in keeping him out an extra week. If they didn't, DP would probably go down as Bortz has to clear waivers.

That is true, but he isn't going to be staying there the rest of the season, so you can't realistically utilize that space unless you don't expect him to come back.

He is coming back, so you can't use that space unless you plan on dumping someone else once he is ready to come back.
- PensFan1103

No cap in the playoffs right? Not that they will hold him out til playoffs if he's ready before...just asking if its possible that Ehrhoff could be on LTIR until playoffs roll around, then come back (similar to Dupuis).

I'm almost postive he was on LTIR the day after it happened. They knew he would be out for an extended period. In reality he could be back next week, but I agree on the saving cap for the deadline theory in keeping him out an extra week. If they didn't, DP would probably go down as Bortz has to clear waivers.
- znagle

The Pens do not save any money by keeping Ehrhoff out any longer or any shorter than any other period of time. If Ehrhoff was on LTIR he wouldn't be eligible to return until Saturday's game against St. Louis at the earliest, but he has been questionable to return the past 2 games, which wouldn't have even been an option if he were on LTIR because you have to miss either 10 games or 23 days if you go on LTIR.

No cap in the playoffs right? Not that they will hold him out til playoffs if he's ready before...just asking if its possible that Ehrhoff could be on LTIR until playoffs roll around, then come back (similar to Dupuis).
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Yes that is possible, but won't happen. They wouldn't be giving updates on him every time he practices and saying he is a possibility for games if he was going to be out until the playoffs.

Sutter's postseason stats: 28 GP 7 G 4 A 44.3% CF 16:06 ATOI. Not worth $3.3m/yr.
- jfkst1

7 goals in 28 games equates to 21 in an 82 game season.

Not bad for $3.3 mil.

Yes that is possible, but won't happen. They wouldn't be giving updates on him every time he practices and saying he is a possibility for games if he was going to be out until the playoffs.
- PensFan1103

Had they LTIR him right away, he'd be availble to return soon, and these updates would be relevant for the return... But I don't think you can after the fact LTIR someone?

7 goals in 28 games equates to 21 in an 82 game season.

Not bad for $3.3 mil.
- hardnosed

If you round up, but close enough I guess to make your argument seem better.

7 goals in 28 games equates to 21 in an 82 game season.

Not bad for $3.3 mil.
- hardnosed

He has 11 goals in 55 games this year. That "equates" to 16 goals in 82 games. Is that also not bad?

Had they LTIR him right away, he'd be availble to return soon, and these updates would be relevant for the return... But I don't think you can after the fact LTIR someone?
- Guile

Yes, you can put someone on LTIR retroactive to the last time they played, which for Ehrhoff was Jan 28 against Washington. The 10th game since then would be tonight's game against Columbus, so he would not be eligible to return tonight, yet it has been a topic of conversation whether he would be ready to go or not for the past 2 days, so that tells me he wasn't on LTIR.