That's why I said they're at least 2 years away. (Hopefully) Lecavalier and (for sure) Umberger will be gone by then. After those 2, the only really bad one is MacDonald.

Edit: I think Columbus will become much more of a player than some people think in the next half decade.
- jmatchett383

I agree. Lets not forget how ridiculously good Columbus looked after all the injuries last season. The Sens or Jackets were the best teams in the league the last few months of regular season.

Phil Kessel is going to have a monster season on Sidney Crosby's wing. People caught up with Phil Kessel's physique are childish.



Wait until he gives up the puck in his own end to save himself from a body check...it's not his physique we are caught up with

Go Pens Go

Phil Kessel is going to have a monster season on Sidney Crosby's wing. People caught up with Phil Kessel's physique are childish.



Wait until he gives up the puck in his own end to save himself from a body check...it's not his physique we are caught up with

Go Pens Go
- Garnie

Wait until he has two NHL caliber forwards that he can dish the puck to in his own end when avoiding a body check...oh wait, never mind, he has that now that he's no longer in Toronto.

I agree. Lets not forget how ridiculously good Columbus looked after all the injuries last season. The Sens or Jackets were the best teams in the league the last few months of regular season.
- MattStrat

Penguins were ridiculously good to start the season before injuries last year.

Wait until he has two NHL caliber forwards that he can dish the puck to in his own end when avoiding a body check...oh wait, never mind, he has that now that he's no longer in Toronto.
- jmatchett383

Malkin and Crosby and Kessel all on the same line?

plus it doesn't matter who's on his line...he's soft as soft.

he should score 50 for you guys...still be -20 probably

Malkin and Crosby and Kessel all on the same line?

plus it doesn't matter who's on his line...he's soft as soft.

he should score 50 for you guys...still be -20 probably
- Garnie

Mhm. Think about what you're saying guy. Do you honestly think a line that boasts Crosby and Kessel together will have a negative zone differential? Kinda hard to score on them when the puck is in the offensive zone over 70% of the time they're on the ice.

Mhm. Think about what you're saying guy. Do you honestly think a line that boasts Crosby and Kessel together will have a negative zone differential? Kinda hard to score on them when the puck is in the offensive zone over 70% of the time they're on the ice.
- Victoro311

I'm hoping so...it won't be because of Kessel though.

Mhm. Think about what you're saying guy. Do you honestly think a line that boasts Crosby and Kessel together will have a negative zone differential? Kinda hard to score on them when the puck is in the offensive zone over 70% of the time they're on the ice.
- Victoro311

ohhhhhhhhh put that in you pipe guy

Malkin and Crosby and Kessel all on the same line?

plus it doesn't matter who's on his line...he's soft as soft.

he should score 50 for you guys...still be -20 probably
- Garnie

No, not all 3 of them. Two of Perron, Crosby, Malkin, and Hornqvist. Unless they're cherry picking at the opposition blue line, he can move the puck to those guys instead of having to play 1-on-5 in Toronto.

If defenders want to take a run at him so that two of those players can go in on a 2-on-1, I'm sure the Penguins will take that all day.

Mhm. Think about what you're saying guy. Do you honestly think a line that boasts Crosby and Kessel together will have a negative zone differential? Kinda hard to score on them when the puck is in the offensive zone over 70% of the time they're on the ice.
- Victoro311

To play devil's advocate, you can have all the zone time you want. But you need to turn that zone time into shots and those shots into goals. If the other team only has the puck 15% of the time but limits your scoring chances and gets 5 quality shots past your goalie, you're not going to win most nights (on any given night).

I'm hoping so...it won't be because of Kessel though.
- Garnie

On the contrary, Kessel will be a big part of why the puck is in the offensive zone so often. Kessel isn't James Neal, he's not the type of player that just sits on the dot waiting for one timers. He's a dynamic puck mover and skater who, if placed on a line with similarly dynamic puck movers, will contribute emensily to controlled defensive zone exits and offensive zone entries. When it comes to Kessel, the line "the best defense is a great offense) applies. He may not be a gifted defensive player, but his offensive abilities will effectively keep the puck out of his own net with his new line mates.

To play devil's advocate, you can have all the zone time you want. But you need to turn that zone time into shots and those shots into goals. If the other team only has the puck 15% of the time but limits your scoring chances and gets 5 quality shots past your goalie, you're not going to win most nights (on any given night).
- jmatchett383

Ok well I intentionally didn't say anything about possetion metrics because everyone jumps down my throat but Crosby and Kessel are both Corsi monsters. They're gonna own the puck and launch a poop ton of shots on goal in the process. I'm not worried on that front.

@ Garnie

The avatar is fitting for you.

This is how things are. Wait! let me pull my blinders down. Ahhhh! Now things are the way I want to see them.

Ok well I intentionally didn't say anything about possetion metrics because everyone jumps down my throat but Crosby and Kessel are both Corsi monsters. They're gonna own the puck and launch a poop ton of shots on goal in the process. I'm not worried on that front.
- Victoro311

They probably will. However, I wouldn't say anything definite until they've spent at least 12 seconds of time on the ice together in a regular season game.

No, not all 3 of them. Two of Perron, Crosby, Malkin, and Hornqvist. Unless they're cherry picking at the opposition blue line, he can move the puck to those guys instead of having to play 1-on-5 in Toronto.

If defenders want to take a run at him so that two of those players can go in on a 2-on-1, I'm sure the Penguins will take that all day.
- jmatchett383

We'll see...he's a great player from the red line in. Not sure if you watched him in Toronto...it's the NHL don't give me the crap he had no one to play with.

I'm hoping he can find success in Pitts...but a leopard doesn't change it's spots...he could care less about his own end and ususally is headed for the red line when his own D has the puck behind his their own net. Or he gets it on his side boards and leaves it to avoid contact.

I like Pitts...I hope Kessel proves me wrong...but I yelled at him for 5 years as a Leaf...now I can watch with a little less care now he's a Pen

They probably will. However, I wouldn't say anything definite until they've spent at least 12 seconds of time on the ice together in a regular season game.
- jmatchett383

Haha yeah you're right. You can say that statement about any two players who have never shared the ice. You could say that about 66 and 99 if we were to transport to a different demention where they were both put on the same team during their prime and had yet to take the ice together. Not likely though.

@ Garnie

The avatar is fitting for you.

This is how things are. Wait! let me pull my blinders down. Ahhhh! Now things are the way I want to see them.
- JoeAvg

haha you probably haven't even watched him play for more than 5 mins..but go ahead and shove your foot in there.

We'll see...he's a great player from the red line in. Not sure if you watched him in Toronto...it's the NHL don't give me the crap he had no one to play with.

I'm hoping he can find success in Pitts...but a leopard doesn't change it's spots...he could care less about his own end and ususally is headed for the red line when his own D has the puck behind his their own net. Or he gets it on his side boards and leaves it to avoid contact.

I like Pitts...I hope Kessel proves me wrong...but I yelled at him for 5 years as a Leaf...now I can watch with a little less care now he's a Pen
- Garnie

Maybe now that he's playing with a world-class player on a true contender on a team, he'll have a bit more incentive to pay more attention to the other end of the ice. He'll never be a Selke finalist, but I'm sure that he has the hockey sense to become at least competent if he so wishes.

Haha yeah you're right. You can say that statement about any two players who have never shared the ice. You could say that about 66 and 99 if we were to transport to a different demention where they were both put on the same team during their prime and had yet to take the ice together. Not likely though.
- Victoro311

But they did (66 and 99). And they combined for the biggest goal in Canadian history since Paul Henderson in 72 (with all due respect to Crosby in 2010).

On the contrary, Kessel will be a big part of why the puck is in the offensive zone so often. Kessel isn't James Neal, he's not the type of player that just sits on the dot waiting for one timers. He's a dynamic puck mover and skater who, if placed on a line with similarly dynamic puck movers, will contribute emensily to controlled defensive zone exits and offensive zone entries. When it comes to Kessel, the line "the best defense is a great offense) applies. He may not be a gifted defensive player, but his offensive abilities will effectively keep the puck out of his own net with his new line mates.
- Victoro311

He will be great on the PP.

Maybe now that he's playing with a world-class player on a true contender on a team, he'll have a bit more incentive to pay more attention to the other end of the ice. He'll never be a Selke finalist, but I'm sure that he has the hockey sense to become at least competent if he so wishes.
- jmatchett383

Hopefully

I thought maybe making $100k per game might give him some incentive, but maybe only Crosby can give him that.

But they did (66 and 99). And they combined for the biggest goal in Canadian history since Paul Henderson in 72 (with all due respect to Crosby in 2010).
- jmatchett383

But there was a time when they hadn't played together and that statement applied. Point is, you can say that about anyone until there's a concrete sample size but there are some players you just know. Obviously 87 81 isn't in the same conversation as 99 66 but you still just know.

@zac It's just one of those things where you have to wait and see. If I remember correctly the same thing was said about Hornqvist and Kunitz but there was no issue. Everyone will most likely be shuffled around so they can have their chance at locking up a certain spot. I'm looking forward to being able to move guys around if a team manages to shut down our offense.
- ImScore71

I'm thinking its a good problem to have. I wouldn't mind a guy that plays big on every line. It would make the other team very frustrated and make the take bad penalties. With the power play the pens are going to have next year they need to draw a lot of penalties. If they can draw 3-4 penalties a night they will be in good shape.

But there was a time when they hadn't played together and that statement applied. Point is, you can say that about anyone until there's a concrete sample size but there are some players you just know. Obviously 87 81 isn't in the same conversation as 99 66 but you still just know.
- Victoro311

Ah, gotcha.

I will say this: Kessel is the best pure offensive player that Crosby has played with in the NHL to date so that, ON PAPER, they should put up some pretty damn good numbers. It's not a guarantee, but the Penguins are poised to have 3 top-10 scorers this year. Whether or not that translates to wins and championships remains to be seen. Time has shown us that simply loading up a team with offensive firepower (see: 2001-2004 Rangers) is not a recipe for certain success.

I don't really understand the concern with overlapping skill sets. Maybe it would be an issue with Kessel and Hornqvist on the same line because both are very high volume shooters in their careers, but obviously that is not likely and the rest of the lineup I'm not concerned with similar skill sets being an issue.
- jfkst1

My only concern is that there is only so much room in front of the net. Both plot and horny cant be there. So if they are on the same line are you throwing one guy off his game by making him change? I'm sure it can be fixed, but its just a case of using everyone to their best abilities. Its not a big thing. just something to watch.