I read something on Petry, it said he lacked Niskanens physicality. If thats the case please pass on him. Nisk wasn't physical at all. Huge weakness the Pens have.

I don't think its make or break, but nothing Pouliott has shown so far says, yeah who needs Martin of Hoff with this kid! Id say maybe a Scuds replacement at this point. And I think he will be a NHL regular, how good, no idea.
- sammy87

I see no reason to hold onto Martin or Erhoff at this point. Nothing I've seen from this team says second round to me. Get what you can now.

You can't win with 6 Dmen who do not play physical and you also cannot win with 2 lines of scoring. I think the lack of emotion game after game says this team knows it is a joke.

I've been waiting for them to kick into gear, looks like its going to be a long wait.

I disagree about not being able to build a winner with Sid, Geno and Letang. However, you can't have players like Sutter, Spaling, Ehrhoff, and Scuderi making 13 mil while being inconsequential players.
- madmike71

Sutter and Scuderi together are a huge drain on the cap.

I just amended my post and said the only questionable move was bringing in Johnson. Question for the board ... people were female doging up a storm when the Desjardins thing happened and he bolted for Vancouver. Do you see this team any better with him in charge? I'm not so sure.

There wasn't a veteran coach out there that interested me. Keenan? Torts? Yuck and Yuck. Blame Mario on that. They could have canned DB earlier and maybe made a run at Trotz earlier.
- Oneonta Penguin

I thought Lavs would have been the right call. Not sure if Nashville already scooped him up. Or even if he would even want to coach this steaming turd pile.

I thought Lavs would have been the right call. Not sure if Nashville already scooped him up. Or even if he would even want to coach this steaming turd pile.
- Sell My Monkey

Lavs has done a marvelous job in Nashville. He was hired there exactly a month before Rutherford was named our GM, so he was off the board.

If Mario would have done the inevitable - what he should have done earlier, Trotz and Lavs were still on the board.

I think its becoming more clear, that HCMJ is not the coach for this team. I think he has all the hockey knowledge in the world, and could be a really good NHL Coach, it just isn't here. His refusal to change the lines, him running the same lines over and over and over is maddening. I don't think he has the respect of the players that have been here for a while. I think there are some major changes coming, and I am honestly ok with them dealing Martin, Kunitz, Borts and any of the other dead weight on this roster. I would love to see Sutter traded for a bag of pooh, then taken to his front porch to be lit on fire...so he can get a sniff of how bad his play has been the last two months.

Two UGLY goals in these last two games. One at the end of a PK sending OV on a breakaway. The other at the end of a PP sending a Jacket off to the races.

This is not a focused team. Good teams don't make those kind of absurd mistakes. Once again we have players that don't put any emphasis on smart, simple hockey.

As much as I love the guy, Sid can't continue to make some of these ridiculous blind passes. He probably makes 4 or 5 blatantly careless blind pass attempts every game. I don't know how a coach can continue to allow that and expect the rest of the team to not make similar poor decisions.

Two UGLY goals in these last two games. One at the end of a PK sending OV on a breakaway. The other at the end of a PP sending a Jacket off to the races.

This is not a focused team. Good teams don't make those kind of absurd mistakes. Once again we have players that don't put any emphasis on smart, simple hockey.

As much as I love the guy, Sid can't continue to make some of these ridiculous blind passes. He probably make 4 or 5 blatently carless pass attempts every game. I don't know how a coach can continue to allow that and expect the rest of the team to not make similar poor decisions.
- madmike71

He loses posession of pucks left and right in the offensive zone these days. Passes handcuff teammates more than they hit sticks. Orpik took him off the puck multiple times last game. It seemed unimaginable not long ago.

His line did well possession wise. Plan the parade. They generated 1 great scoring chance? Didnt draw a penalty? Its not good enough.

#Babcockwatch2015

Book it

Two UGLY goals in these last two games. One at the end of a PK sending OV on a breakaway. The other at the end of a PP sending a Jacket off to the races.

This is not a focused team. Good teams don't make those kind of absurd mistakes. Once again we have players that don't put any emphasis on smart, simple hockey.
As much as I love the guy, Sid can't continue to make some of these ridiculous blind passes. He probably makes 4 or 5 blatantly careless blind pass attempts every game. I don't know how a coach can continue to allow that and expect the rest of the team to not make similar poor decisions.
- madmike71

This right here is and will continue to be our problem. Too cute, Sid with that drop pass and force the pass play every game. Malkin trying to deke out everyone, DP dipsy doodling everytime he gets the puck.
Whats up with Comeau now, he thinks since he is playing top line minutes he is no longer required to finish his checks. I saw him fly by 3 checks when I started counting half way through the second, beginning of the year he finished those.

If I were the coach I would be sitting the team down and getting them to watch Team Canada, ALL superstars no fancy crap at all (maybe Doughty a bit).

He loses posession of pucks left and right in the offensive zone these days. Passes handcuff teammates more than they hit sticks. Orpik took him off the puck multiple times last game. It seemed unimaginable not long ago.

His line did well possession wise. Plan the parade. They generated 1 great scoring chance? Didnt draw a penalty? Its not good enough.
- Deadstar

I think Mario needs to sit down with the captain and discuss the condition of his game. Mario wasn't the most disciplined player ever, but I'm not sure they have anyone else that is up to the task. Maybe Billy G.

I'm not seeing any accountability with this team. It's interesting that Nisky and Orpik moved to the Caps and they've improved dramatically in that department.

I think Mario needs to sit down with the captain and discuss the condition of his game. Mario wasn't the most disciplined player ever, but I'm not sure they have anyone else that is up to the task. Maybe Billy G.

I'm not seeing any accountability with this team. It's interesting that Nisky and Orpik moved to the Caps and they've improved dramatically in that department.
- madmike71

Trotz.

Trotz.
- acdc1206

Yup.

the Canucks are not trading kassian and Matthias for Bennett and Sutter. Sorry but the Canucks are doing quite well of late with those 2 and well not the same with the pens.

Trading Bennett is futile. Not only as you trading at low value relative to his potential, but he still makes peanuts. And will in his next contract too. No benefit

Look at the roster, PH and Perron are fine complimentary players, nothing amazing from them. Kunitz will be 36 next year, Comeau is OK nothing special, 3rd line is complete garbage. I would imagine 1 of the big 3 is moved.

Pens just lost to a bad CBJ team with 5 AHL players and a backup goalie.
- sammy87

So let's say grit & determination just beat skill & control?

What does advanced stats say about how many shots on goal are needed before a goal is actually scored? Maybe too many lessons on advanced stats in Penguins HQ & not enough on balls & desire to win?

Let's just hope we can crawl to the playoffs & see from there.

Bout time Kuni saw Genos wing!

He's been the best Pen this year, but his cuteness lead to the 1st CBJ goal. Cant be fancy in the middle of the ice. He's done it a few times this year. And yeah, he is the one to move IMO. The return would be immense.
- sammy87

1st - who will replace him? Can anybody? If the answer is no then we have 1 line that produces if you believe everything here. Who wants 1 line?

2nd - what is your expectation of a return? Throw one out there. If the return will be huge there is a good reason for that!

All very down as expected but when you lose to a better team or 1 that plays better you get your just deserts. At least last time I looked we are still in the race & as long as the race is still going anything can happen. Best team in the league got smacked by a team who scored 3 goals from their D? Wow?

Everyone wanted the team to get motivated & not cruise through the 82 game comp well that is occurring so let's enjoy it. Rather be where we are than the defending champions.

This type of struggle is remeniscent of recent playoff performances, which is good, because we're not in the playoffs yet. We still have time to turn this around, learn from it, and go into the playoffs as humble, determined competitors, who have something to prove.

Losing like this before the trade deadline could be a blessing. This team needs a shake up I think one is coming. Think back since the cup we've only really added players we never really subtracted them. Maybe seeing some of their buddies shipped out will wake them up.

OMG the penguins lost another game in February. The world is coming to an end!!!

See now I understand your a teenage kid whose only outside source of hockey knowledge is Ryan Wilson. Its making sense.
- Grinder47

Wow... how bout that Ryan... I'm being accused of being a Wilson Disciple! Grinder keeps digging himself a bigger hole. Guess I forgot the sarcasm font... in that post.

So we're blaming the coach again? Seriously?

How about our captain score a goal every once in a while? Lets start there...

OMG the penguins lost another game in February. The world is coming to an end!!!
- AmericanHabsFan

The manner in which they are losing them is not giving us good vibes

So we're blaming the coach again? Seriously?

How about our captain score a goal every once in a while? Lets start there...
- 87_71_11_29

I really want your posts to have the "R"s made into "W"s like Barry's speech impediment from your av... Because it would make it being (frank)ing -11 out a bit more pleasant.

edit: oh, and the "L"s too, forgot about them

So we're blaming the coach again? Seriously?

How about our captain score a goal every once in a while? Lets start there...
- 87_71_11_29

No... Definately Bylsma's fault!