Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Hagelin-Malkin-Kessel
Simon-Brassard-Hornqvist
Grant/Sprong-Cullen-Sheahan

So Sprong might be sitting next game?
- Thorny87

Yup in favor of a 3 centers 4th line ugh

Yup in favor of a 3 centers 4th line ugh
- MattStrat

Yeah. Isn't Grant a natural center too? They really are in love with Cullen.

Yeah. Isn't Grant a natural center too? They really are in love with Cullen.
- Thorny87

As far as I know, yeah.

Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Hagelin-Malkin-Kessel
Simon-Brassard-Hornqvist
Grant/Sprong-Cullen-Sheahan

So Sprong might be sitting next game?
- Thorny87

The writing has been on the wall for Sprong so I don't really have the energy to get mad about it. I'm just glad Brassard is back at center.

The writing has been on the wall for Sprong so I don't really have the energy to get mad about it. I'm just glad Brassard is back at center.
- Victoro311

Yeah, Sprong has gotten a fair shake and won’t. Basically seems like unless he’s the best player on the ice every shift, he’s gonna get flak.

I’m being a bit overdramatic, but you get my point.

Yeah, Sprong has gotten a fair shake and won’t. Basically seems like unless he’s the best player on the ice every shift, he’s gonna get flak.

I’m being a bit overdramatic, but you get my point.
- Rinosaur

I just can't see how the staff can overlook Cullens play.

I just can't see how the staff can overlook Cullens play.
- Thorny87

Sullivan is a good coach and JR has been a fantastic GM, but the flaws they have are playing favorites.

It’s ok for a coach or GM to focus on players with styles they believe benefit the team, but Sullivan hones in one thing and has no patience for anything else.

Cullen is a favorite for JR. Simple.

TIOPS points out a system issue that I’ve been complaining about since last year and that’s too much pinching/playing too deep.

They overcommit and get left flatfooted which leads to odd man rushes.

The Pens simply aren’t fast enough to make up for that anymore. Sullivan is also slowly pulling a Bylsma and trying to turn this team into a dumo and chase/grinding team.

Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Hagelin-Malkin-Kessel
Simon-Brassard-Hornqvist
Grant/Sprong-Cullen-Sheahan

So Sprong might be sitting next game?
- Thorny87

What happened to ZAR is he still out?

Rust needs to be on the 3rd....that 3rd line sucks as well.

It is possible to score in a game and not play great. Those 2 have made the most of their chances. Neither is playing all that great IMO.
- Thorny87

From the games that I’ve watched, I haven’t seen anything from either of those guys that says they aren’t playing great. Kessel is a +4 goal diff at even strength and has good high danger numbers. Guentzel is about even in the high danger chances, positive scoring chance differential, while a -1 goal diff at 5v5.

My eye test sees that they’ve been fine (Kessel even better than fine) and the numbers back it up, IMO.

TIOPS points out a system issue that I’ve been complaining about since last year and that’s too much pinching/playing too deep.

They overcommit and get left flatfooted which leads to odd man rushes.

The Pens simply aren’t fast enough to make up for that anymore. Sullivan is also slowly pulling a Bylsma and trying to turn this team into a dumo and chase/grinding team.
- Rinosaur

Pens in zone defensive coverage is lazy. Everyone gets caught puck watching too much. No one picks up the guys in front of the net. Forwards fly below the dots to chase pucks and other forwards don’t cover for them at the point. It’s like watching beer league.

What happened to ZAR is he still out?

Rust needs to be on the 3rd....that 3rd line sucks as well.
- sammy87

Staff wants him to get his confidence back

What happened to ZAR is he still out?

Rust needs to be on the 3rd....that 3rd line sucks as well.
- sammy87

Down in WBS. 1 goal in 3 GP

Staff wants him to get his confidence back
- Rinosaur

I'm pretty sure we will get our confidence back tomorrow, as we somehow play way better back2back in Toronto than at home vs. 'nucks.
Let's go Pens&friends.

Edit: Määttä paired with Oleksiak and Riikola with JJ.

In other news. Jamie Benn still plays hockey.

Jamie Benn still plays hockey.
- Grinder47

Great fight!

In other news. Jamie Benn still plays hockey.
- Grinder47

And he does it well. He and Wood were chucking bombs last night.

I just can't see how the staff can overlook Cullens play.
- Thorny87

Yeah.... It's early, but it looks like he's toast. Tough to watch. I thought he looked good in the preseason, but that was against a bunch of scrubs.

Wait what..........is that Evgeni Malkin sitting right next to Jack Johnson on the truth graph??

Nothing to say about that?

Sutter has always scored goals.

And he does it well. He and Wood were chucking bombs last night.
- Thorny87

Good to see real hockey players where the emblem you love dresses such boring vanilla puffballs.

Wait what..........is that Evgeni Malkin sitting right next to Jack Johnson on the truth graph??

Nothing to say about that?

Sutter has always scored goals.
- Aussiepenguin

That’s what I was thinking. Sutter always had decent goal stats in the burgh. I don’t look at the charts he uses.

Yeah.... It's early, but it looks like he's toast. Tough to watch. I thought he looked good in the preseason, but that was against a bunch of scrubs.
- madmike71

Yeah, that first PS game he looked like the Cullen of old.

Now he just looks like old Cullen

From the games that I’ve watched, I haven’t seen anything from either of those guys that says they aren’t playing great. Kessel is a +4 goal diff at even strength and has good high danger numbers. Guentzel is about even in the high danger chances, positive scoring chance differential, while a -1 goal diff at 5v5.

My eye test sees that they’ve been fine (Kessel even better than fine) and the numbers back it up, IMO.
- j.boyd919

I definitely wouldnt say they have been playing great at all. Id say overall Kessel has been one of the best forwards for sure but that isnt saying much so far. I do think hes been good though. Guentzel has been finishing which definitely matters but he hasnt been "great" in my opinion either. Being even in mostly everything is far from great. He hasnt been bad at all but Ive seen a lot more from him as well especially with Sid as his center.

As for the point totals from earlier comments, Malkin I think has 8 or 9 points in the 5 games so far which is great! I 100% definitely dont think hes been playing great either though. Giving up on plays and some real careless passes multiple times a game. From both ends of the ice and power play and even strength. Hes made some real nice plays and looked great for a period or 2 but to me hes looked VERY lazy in at least 2 games so far.

I definitely wouldnt say they have been playing great at all. Id say overall Kessel has been one of the best forwards for sure but that isnt saying much so far. I do think hes been good though. Guentzel has been finishing which definitely matters but he hasnt been "great" in my opinion either. Being even in mostly everything is far from great. He hasnt been bad at all but Ive seen a lot more from him as well especially with Sid as his center.

As for the point totals from earlier comments, Malkin I think has 8 or 9 points in the 5 games so far which is great! I 100% definitely dont think hes been playing great either though. Giving up on plays and some real careless passes multiple times a game. From both ends of the ice and power play and even strength. Hes made some real nice plays and looked great for a period or 2 but to me hes looked VERY lazy in at least 2 games so far.
- pens4life-66

Malkin feeds off of aggressive energy. The pens have zero.

I cannot stand when people say they need to learn a new system or that players are shaking off rust. That’s what the preseason is for. If JJ really wanted to learn the system, he would’ve watched game film in the offseason.

It never looked like a soft goal, it was a snipe all the way