Can't wait too. However, there is simply nothing out there that is any good. They are there for a reason.
- Oneonta Penguin

Bring in Sullivan. He's already under contract. If you don't like what you see, return him to WB next year. Whatever he's doing, WB is playing out of their minds. As we know that roster is nothing special.

Can't wait too. However, there is simply nothing out there that is any good. They are there for a reason.
- Oneonta Penguin

Agreed. And it sounds like the compensation rule will be abolished for fire coaches come January, so I'd think any coaching changes around the league happens after that.

Honestly, I dont see a different coach changing anything. Its an attitude/personality issue.
- sammy87

i cant see it being a attitude or a clash in the room. the core has been there for years and i cant see the guys (sid, malkin, letang, ect) in the room dealing with those types of issues for very long. people will say what they want about crosby but he has to be one of the top captains in the league. pretty sure he would pull this team together if thats what the issue is. i think it is a coaching issue, wrong system for this team and unwilling to alter his methods to suit the play style.

Can't trade somebody that nobody wants.

For the record, I didn't hate the jump of Bryan Rust. Maybe he won't put a lot of pucks in the net but tell me how that's different than what we already have. At least he'll beat people to the puck.
- madmike71

What's a team need puck retrieval for, when they rarely have it anyways?

In all seriousness, you're spot-on. This team needs fresh legs + energy + intensity - especially when it comes to puck battles/ retrieval. It sustains/ drives possession + scoring chances. Take LAK's for example, all 12 F's are relentless when it comes to getting the puck back. Absolute hounds. Pens have ______ __________. Guys like #9, #14, #19, #57 can no longer or are not willing to do it consistently enough. #71 is the only puck hound on the team (IMO).

But I really feel this team has much bigger deep rooted issues and it's time for a major re-tool... (I've said it for 2 season now), but time to deal some of the core.. This team needs a juggle, it needs an identity.. We've had 3 differnt supporting casts the last 3 years all with the same result.. Time to deal a Malkin (yes, he has been our best player this season, but he would bring back a mint), or a Letang, or even a Crosby..
- Willaged

I agree w/ you in that the "core" has become stale and is in need of a desperate refresh. Teams/ groups have a shelf-life and this club has been a version of Groundhog's Day. At some point, someone has to ask if the problem is the wrong core rather than the supporting cast. I disagree with you however, in that #71 should be traded. IMO, he's the guy to build a team around. If you're moving pieces, I'm going w/ #87 and #58 (short-term) and then #29 (as soon as Murray or Jarry are ready to take over). And don't forget to shed the dead weight: #4 - #9 - #14 adios. And for whats it worth, might as well take out the garbage: #19 don't let the door hit ya. Same w/ #12.

i cant see it being a attitude or a clash in the room. the core has been there for years and i cant see the guys (sid, malkin, letang, ect) in the room dealing with those types of issues for very long. people will say what they want about crosby but he has to be one of the top captains in the league. pretty sure he would pull this team together if thats what the issue is. i think it is a coaching issue, wrong system for this team and unwilling to alter his methods to suit the play style.
- mf1313

Yeah but the core has been pulling the same crap for years. Quit on MT, Disco, now MJ. If they fire him it would be 4 coaches in 6.5 years, thats not good. Not sure if you watch any Pens playoff games the past few yrs but they are brutally bad. There are all kinds of rumors spilling out about the locker room and disgruntles with the team. Coincidence?

I agree w/ you in that the "core" has become stale and is in need of a desperate refresh. Teams/ groups have a shelf-life and this club has been a version of Groundhog's Day. At some point, someone has to ask if the problem is the wrong core rather than the supporting cast. I disagree with you however, in that #71 should be traded. IMO, he's the guy to build a team around. If you're moving pieces, I'm going w/ #87 and #58 (short-term) and then #29 (as soon as Murray or Jarry are ready to take over). And don't forget to shed the dead weight: #4 - #9 - #14 adios. And for whats it worth, might as well take out the garbage: #19 don't let the door hit ya. Same w/ #12.
- out_of_market

The players that have any value in a return are: Crosby, Malkin, MAF, Kessel, Letang, PH. The rest are worthless. Now break it down more. You move Letang, you just lost your best Dman so you need another top guy coming back. Nobody is making that trade with his health history. PH, might get you a top pairing Dman but then you need a top 6 guy. Kessel, Malkin and Crosby all have NTC's. So one has to either want out or be convinced. I dont think many want Kessel, Babcock showed him the door first thing. The Pens would need a #2 C and top 4 Dman minimum coming back. Crosby and Malkin would command that +. I always felt it was flawed to build a team around 2 super stars, as predicted it leaves too many holes. I think you move 1 of Crosby or Malkin. The fans are turning on the team, the players are turning, its a crap product.

That being said, Mario and friends are still raking it in. They added a big name Kessel and you have to consider that they would rather have a team that can put a bunch of nice highlights at the end of year banquet vs building a legit contender with young ELC's that might come and go. The formula of a crappy playoff team has worked for some time now.

Can someone please explain to me how literally every fan can see Kunitz and dupuis are not working with Sid, yet the coaching staff is reluctant to make any change. Didn't they hire some analytics guy to help them with this crap? Fehr-Sid-sprong, bonino-sid-Fehr, bonino-sid-Bennett. For (frank)s sake, just try something different.

Can someone please explain to me how literally every fan can see Kunitz and dupuis are not working with Sid, yet the coaching staff is reluctant to make any change. Didn't they hire some analytics guy to help them with this crap? Fehr-Sid-sprong, bonino-sid-Fehr, bonino-sid-Bennett. For (frank)s sake, just try something different.
- drummer829

Just read on DK's site that Ruth and others want Sprong with Sid, but the coach isn't on board.

OK so let me get this straight, night in night out everyone is on here complaining about Crosby, even discussing trading him.
Top line is obviously not working, so the coach is trying something that clearly worked awesomely in the past, and before anyone sees it on the ice everyone is calling it the stupidest idea ever.

Ill go on the record saying, it took way to long for MJ to put these three back together and I think this move will work.

I completely agree with what everyone is saying about this being a ridiculous attempt. However, watch Crosby go out tonight and thow 4 points up for Irony's sake.

Remember RW gloating after the Kessel trade to us supporters of a major shake up (his gloating was mostly towards Oneonta Penguin), I remember at that exact point posting to RW and all his cool-aid drinkers that he should probably wait for the start of the season before the gloating as we obtained all this "forward depth" at the expense of having a competent compliment of defensemen. Well, it's been even worse, our defense, as expected can't move a puck up the ice to save their life, are not physical, have added zero offence and have been average defending in their own zone at best. What makes our suspect defense even worse is the fact the group of forwards we sold out on defense hasn't panned out as expected. Malkins been good, Kessel decent- the rest have been average or worse- Nick Bonino, very underwhelming... Beau Bennett, same song and dance, Kunitz and Dupuis- been beaten to death on here, but as we all know- on the decline big time.. Is it the coaching? Possibly... But I really feel this team has much bigger deep rooted issues and it's time for a major re-tool... (I've said it for 2 season now), but time to deal some of the core.. This team needs a juggle, it needs an identity.. We've had 3 differnt supporting casts the last 3 years all with the same result.. Time to deal a Malkin (yes, he has been our best player this season, but he would bring back a mint), or a Letang, or even a Crosby. I understand only 1 team wins the cup each year, but this team is awful.. No fun to watch, zero heart, zero ID, zero character. I've been a die hard Pens fan for 25 years, and this is my low point. I enjoy the Richard Tarnstrom/ Ramzi Abid teams more than this one.
- Willaged

Firstly, jumping on the RW sucks bandwagon doesn't make you cool and it is entirely unnecessary. If you disagree with the blog, be an adult and do so with some respect, if you have no intention of doing that, go elsewhere. Its making everyone look like a bunch of children.

Secondly, I agree with parts of what you were saying but with a different conclusion. Our defense sucks, yes, but our coach has implemented a system that is meant to make life easy for them at the expense of our ability to generate offense. MJ has also refused to play the logical lineup of D to support the forwards (or wingers to support our centremen) too. It's not that the forwards haven't panned out, it's that we are playing in a way that makes it impossible for them to do their job.

We have all the key forwards locked up for several years, our team is waiting for our D to develop. Long term, we have guys like Maatta, Dumoulin and Pouliot who are improving and likely to be high impact sooner rather than later,and Letang can only get better from here (and has Norris-level potential in there, when he wants to show it). There's a good chance Clendening will improve and getting rid of Scuds (and Lovejoy to a lesser extent) will help tremendously. Being smart long term would mean keeping them all and making sure they develop quickly.

The issue at the moment is the team/coaches aren't being realistic about how our roster is built and are trying (and failing) to play like the late 90's/early 2000's Devils instead of the way the Dallas Stars are playing now.

I thought we had all this forward depth that can move up and down the roster? Oh wait, we added Kessel.
- sammy87


Remember RW gloating after the Kessel trade to us supporters of a major shake up (his gloating was mostly towards Oneonta Penguin), I remember at that exact point posting to RW and all his cool-aid drinkers that he should probably wait for the start of the season before the gloating as we obtained all this "forward depth" at the expense of having a competent compliment of defensemen. Well, it's been even worse, our defense, as expected can't move a puck up the ice to save their life, are not physical, have added zero offence and have been average defending in their own zone at best. What makes our suspect defense even worse is the fact the group of forwards we sold out on defense hasn't panned out as expected. Malkins been good, Kessel decent- the rest have been average or worse- Nick Bonino, very underwhelming... Beau Bennett, same song and dance, Kunitz and Dupuis- been beaten to death on here, but as we all know- on the decline big time.. Is it the coaching? Possibly... But I really feel this team has much bigger deep rooted issues and it's time for a major re-tool... (I've said it for 2 season now), but time to deal some of the core.. This team needs a juggle, it needs an identity.. We've had 3 differnt supporting casts the last 3 years all with the same result.. Time to deal a Malkin (yes, he has been our best player this season, but he would bring back a mint), or a Letang, or even a Crosby. I understand only 1 team wins the cup each year, but this team is awful.. No fun to watch, zero heart, zero ID, zero character. I've been a die hard Pens fan for 25 years, and this is my low point. I enjoy the Richard Tarnstrom/ Ramzi Abid teams more than this one.

- quote Willaged

Well after all that how are we still in a playoff position - sorry wildcard after isles won today but we have 2 games in hand, if our team is so terrible as you have stated above??

Please, I'd love to know if we are that bad how we have a record that is better than a lot of other 'better' teams??

What's a team need puck retrieval for, when they rarely have it anyways?

In all seriousness, you're spot-on. This team needs fresh legs + energy + intensity - especially when it comes to puck battles/ retrieval. It sustains/ drives possession + scoring chances. Take LAK's for example, all 12 F's are relentless when it comes to getting the puck back. Absolute hounds. Pens have ______ __________. Guys like #9, #14, #19, #57 can no longer or are not willing to do it consistently enough. #71 is the only puck hound on the team (IMO).
- out_of_market

They do that because that is their system. If they didn't do that pretty sure Sutter would change his personnel.

Our system it appears is a reactive system that is passive - polar opposites that you cannot compare.

The players that have any value in a return are: Crosby, Malkin, MAF, Kessel, Letang, PH. The rest are worthless. Now break it down more. You move Letang, you just lost your best Dman so you need another top guy coming back. Nobody is making that trade with his health history. PH, might get you a top pairing Dman but then you need a top 6 guy. Kessel, Malkin and Crosby all have NTC's. So one has to either want out or be convinced. I dont think many want Kessel, Babcock showed him the door first thing. The Pens would need a #2 C and top 4 Dman minimum coming back. Crosby and Malkin would command that +. I always felt it was flawed to build a team around 2 super stars, as predicted it leaves too many holes. I think you move 1 of Crosby or Malkin. The fans are turning on the team, the players are turning, its a crap product.

That being said, Mario and friends are still raking it in. They added a big name Kessel and you have to consider that they would rather have a team that can put a bunch of nice highlights at the end of year banquet vs building a legit contender with young ELC's that might come and go. The formula of a crappy playoff team has worked for some time now.
- sammy87

Ok you point out the issues nearly every post but with them do not provide viable or realistic solutions. Trade Geno! Ok who will trade their best player to get Geno?

Fill the team with ELC's, that would mean drafting & keeping then PLAYING these young guys. We are currently playing a couple of young guys that every man & his dog hated. Dumo was going to fail, Cole isn't what he is playing & Bennet is bust. No one wanted Pouliot start of season & that is now divided so how do young guys get experience if they don't play? There has to be a mix that allows acceptable errors throughout a block of games. Dumo has exceeded & how many (read that as 3), were confident in him start of season? I believe you even wrote him off before a puck had been hit but you want guys on the ELC to play??? WTF?

Everyone wanted a solid winger brought in so now we have 1 everyone is complaining about what they wanted? WTF?

The team isn't playing well but still good enough for a playoff position - complain all you want you cannot change the results!!!

Personally I'm glad you aren't the GM of the team I support!

Oh & everybody STOP WRITING THESE (frank)ING LONG COMMENTS - our resident Flyers fan got the poops about having to read these long comments & wrote a (frank)in novel about how we shouldn't do that!

Firstly, jumping on the RW sucks bandwagon doesn't make you cool and it is entirely unnecessary. If you disagree with the blog, be an adult and do so with some respect, if you have no intention of doing that, go elsewhere. Its making everyone look like a bunch of children.

Secondly, I agree with parts of what you were saying but with a different conclusion. Our defense sucks, yes, but our coach has implemented a system that is meant to make life easy for them at the expense of our ability to generate offense. MJ has also refused to play the logical lineup of D to support the forwards (or wingers to support our centremen) too. It's not that the forwards haven't panned out, it's that we are playing in a way that makes it impossible for them to do their job.

We have all the key forwards locked up for several years, our team is waiting for our D to develop. Long term, we have guys like Maatta, Dumoulin and Pouliot who are improving and likely to be high impact sooner rather than later,and Letang can only get better from here (and has Norris-level potential in there, when he wants to show it). There's a good chance Clendening will improve and getting rid of Scuds (and Lovejoy to a lesser extent) will help tremendously. Being smart long term would mean keeping them all and making sure they develop quickly.

The issue at the moment is the team/coaches aren't being realistic about how our roster is built and are trying (and failing) to play like the late 90's/early 2000's Devils instead of the way the Dallas Stars are playing now.
- cygnus41

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes etc etc etc!

That Brown for Malkin trade article was pure gold. Thank you for that.

Here is a very pertinent question for all you Debbie go downers........

If at the start of the year someone said (without qualifying systems or points or play), we could have a better record after 23 games than;

Hawks (1 game in hand)
Predators
Wild
Ducks
Ass Jackets
Flames
& here is the biggest 1 after the Hawks
.
.
.
Tampa Bay

Would you be happy about it? How many would have said yes get us to that point & I'll be happy?

Just read on DK's site that Ruth and others want Sprong with Sid, but the coach isn't on board.
- madmike71

The coach doesn't even want Sprong in the lineup, let alone playing with our second line center.

I liked what porter brought to the 4th line... I would rather have sunds poliout porter Wilson rust Simon dea sheary in the lineup even with the flaws they are going to bring over guys like kuni dupes lovejoy scuderi and even cullen...

Let them learn and grow, so what if we come in last, we can get matthews
- nh4442

Just because you have season tickets dont try and pretend to know about hockey. Take your snot nosed brats who ruin it for everyone else, get thhem pn the jumbo tron , check ur emails and leave before ypu hit traffic.

You guy's need a guy like Komarov.

10 goals, can play centre or wing, PK, PP, defensively sound and the complete heart and soul of a team. Never takes a shift off. Beauty.

You guy's need a guy like Komarov.

10 goals, can play centre or wing, PK, PP, defensively sound and the complete heart and soul of a team. Never takes a shift off. Beauty.
- walshyleafsfan

And signed for another 2 years on a very friendly contract if my memory serves me. I like him a lot - does seem to have a few disappearing acts though??

Just the type of player (when he's visible that is), that makes a good team better! Pretty sure The Cock will keep him till deadline next season unless he's extended - Komarov not The Cock!

Honestly, I dont see a different coach changing anything. Its an attitude/personality issue.
- sammy87

From the outside it looks like a new coaching staff would do wonders. The one thing most coaches can change is attitude. Hynes has been brilliant in NJ and we have so little forward talent it's shocking. But beyond that your coach and his system just don't look like a good match with this team. Similar to Adam Oates in Washington. Smart hockey guy but a bad fit. It happens, and it's best to move on.

You guys have several phenomenally talented players. Building around them is a lot easier then building without any elite players. Decent players are always available for trades. Elite players aren't. This is fixable for you guys but not Without some changes.

The Dupuis/Scuds buyouts after this year will move the team forward a ton. Kunitz is also a potential buyout. Plug-in the young fowards in the systems and maybe add another cullen level good analytics signing for basically free. Then use the cash we suddenly have to add a 2/3 dman whose in the 28-30 age range.

Those moves should suddenly get rid of the deadweight on the roster (provided crosby/malkin do not fall off a cliff).