Maatta's foot speed is slow, but he has great overall awareness. He's pretty damn good anticipating the play and doesn't get beaten clean too often. Gudbranson doesn't have that quick recognition and lets faster guys get right on top of him before he pivots. I saw this 3 times last night where somebody got around him with virtually no resistance. Gonna be interesting to see how Sullivan uses him for 2 more effing years.

His debut hasn't been all that bad, but I can't imagine how he doesn't become a total liability in a 7 game series against a fast team. There's going to be some cringeworthy moments ahead if we make the playoffs.
- madmike71

Though not holding my breath on this, I hope that HCMS will scratch the guy when Tang and Maatta are back....if he doesnt get scratched, then who does?

Though not holding my breath on this, I hope that HCMS will scratch the guy when Tang and Maatta are back....if he doesnt get scratched, then who does?
- MattStrat

Pettersson.

Pettersson.
- j.boyd919

Gross.

Pettersson.
- j.boyd919

I'm worried its gonna be Maatta. Olli always seems to be the odd man out when he's coming back from injury.

Pettersson.
- j.boyd919

Possibly......which will be a comically bad decision.

On another note... That ovation the fans gave Kessel last night was pretty cool. Reminds me of when MAF was going through a bad stretch and the fans just starting chanting "Fleury, Fleury, Fluery". I was at the Fluery game and it gave me chills. Awesome moment. I wasn't at the game last night, but I've heard they did something similar after Phil missed on one of those chances last night.

On another note... That ovation the fans gave Kessel last night was pretty cool. Reminds me of when MAF was going through a bad stretch and the fans just starting chanting "Fleury, Fleury, Fluery". I was at the Fluery game and it gave me chills. Awesome moment. I wasn't at the game last night, but I've heard they did something similar after Phil missed on one of those chances last night.
- madmike71

You could decipher the crowd changing the pronunciation of his name?
Not bad

I'm worried its gonna be Maatta. Olli always seems to be the odd man out when he's coming back from injury.
- Victoro311

Maatta won't get sat. He'll get moved, but he won't get sat lol

Most likely Pettersson and depending on how Gudbranson performs until then, it could wind up being him.

Penguins vs Lightning Lineups.... Healthy Lineup Construction.... Tampa usually talked about as best roster built. If I made 1 or 2 mistakes dont let it totally wreck your entire day. Pens dont look as bad as talked about here and tampa doesnt look unbeatable to me anyways

Mccann Crosby Guentzel..........Johnson Point Kucherov
ZAR Malkin Kessel....................Palat Stamkos Gourde
Rust Bjugstad Hornqvist...........Killorn Cirelli Miller
Blueger Cullen Simon...............Erne Pacquette Callahan/Joseph

Dumo Letang..........................Hedman Girardi
Pettersson Schultz..................Mcdonaugh Coburn/cernak
Maatta/ Gudbranson................Sergachev Stralman
Johnson

Murray...................................Vasilevsky

Penguins vs Lightning Lineups.... Healthy Lineup Construction.... Tampa usually talked about as best roster built. If I made 1 or 2 mistakes dont let it totally wreck your entire day. Pens dont look as bad as talked about here and tampa doesnt look unbeatable to me anyways

Mccann Crosby Guentzel..........Johnson Point Kucherov
ZAR Malkin Kessel....................Palat Stamkos Gourde
Rust Bjugstad Hornqvist...........Killorn Cirelli Miller
Blueger Cullen Simon...............Erne Pacquette Callahan/Joseph

Dumo Letang..........................Hedman Girardi
Pettersson Schultz..................Mcdonaugh Coburn/cernak
Maatta/ Gudbranson................Sergachev Stralman
Johnson

Murray...................................Vasilevsky
- pens4life-66

When healthy and clicking, we’re definitely a contender. Not gonna argue that. Thing is that the right personnel decisions need to be made on the blue line, and I’m not super confident that Sullivan and Martin have it in them. Johnson has been grossly over deployed all season.

When healthy and clicking, we’re definitely a contender. Not gonna argue that. Thing is that the right personnel decisions need to be made on the blue line, and I’m not super confident that Sullivan and Martin have it in them. Johnson has been grossly over deployed all season.
- Victoro311

Yup, definitely agree. There is and always will be decisions to be made... I say this because it goes for both teams.... I could argue Girardi playing with Hedman on the D pairing 1 for starters isnt the greatest move for them but Ill leave it there.

Maatta won't get sat. He'll get moved, but he won't get sat lol

Most likely Pettersson and depending on how Gudbranson performs until then, it could wind up being him.
- Rinosaur

I can't see Gudbranson being sat to force Johnson to play his off side. We have already seen Johnson and Riikola are not the answer to play right D. Maatta and Petterson didn't play the right side at all, so to put them in that position now would strictly be a desperation move.

Yup, definitely agree. There is and always will be decisions to be made... I say this because it goes for both teams.... I could argue Girardi playing with Hedman on the D pairing 1 for starters isnt the greatest move for them but Ill leave it there.
- pens4life-66

Haha most definitely, but what the Lightning have that we don't is at least one high end two way defenseman on each pairing. Given that Hedman is a top 5 D man in the league, they can get over Girardi getting over deployed on his pairing, especially when the other two pairings can pick up the slack. We don't have that luxury. We have one elite defenseman in Letang and then a bunch of fine to mediocre players on the blue line. Schultz is a good puck mover, but he's not fooling anyone into thinking he's a high end two way player. Dumo has the opposite issue where he's really sound but pretty mediocre at facilitating offense. Maatta is a good blend of two way ability, but he's proven that he's not good enough to be the top dog on a good pairing, so considering him high quality is a stretch. We just don't have the horses on that blue line to make up for a bad defenseman getting too much ice time.

Like it or not, D pairings will likely be. I happen to think this is their best bet. Gud will 100% be their 3RD and I actually think Johnson and Schultz will become a good 2nd pair over time.

Dumo-Letang
Johnson-Schultz
Petersson-Gudbranson

Long way to go until the playoffs though, so you will see Maata, Petersson and Rikola all sub in and out. Also, the way the season is going, what are the odds everyone stays healthy until playoff time?

I can't see Gudbranson being sat to force Johnson to play his off side. We have already seen Johnson and Riikola are not the answer to play right D. Maatta and Petterson didn't play the right side at all, so to put them in that position now would strictly be a desperation move.
- Thunderbolt

This is what scares me. I think we suffered significantly forcing those LD to play on the right. I don't see JJ getting scratched and I don't see Ruh getting games over Gudbranson.

Since JJ won't be scratched, that basically leaves us with...

Dumo, Letang
Maatta/JJ, Schultz
Maatta/JJ, Gudbranson

What would a third pairing of JJ and Gudbranson look like?

This is what scares me. I think we suffered significantly forcing those LD to play on the right. I don't see JJ getting scratched and I don't see Ruh getting games over Gudbranson.

Since JJ won't be scratched, that basically leaves us with...

Dumo, Letang
Maatta/JJ, Schultz
Maatta/JJ, Gudbranson

What would a third pairing of JJ and Gudbranson look like
- madmike71

I'm actually very much rooting for this to happen. That means that we've maximized our top two pairings and then we can just hide the poop out of that bottom pairing. Who knows, if Gudbranson keeps playing well, maybe it wouldn't even be a complete disaster in sheltered minutes. We've had a female pope in the past, after all, so I guess anything could happen.

I also think that from a chemistry standpoint, Maatta-Gudbranson would be a disaster pairing due to skating ability.

Obviously the best case scenario is a Petterson-Gudbranson bottom pairing with Johnson eating nachos, but that won't happen.

Reading these comments, and I'm just hoping the pens hang on to Maatta. I think he has more value as a player to us than any possible package JR would receive.

So WSH finna go for a first overall divisional finish and PHI finna draft 15th overall.

Reading these comments, and I'm just hoping the pens hang on to Maatta. I think he has more value as a player to us than any possible package JR would receive.
- Thrill81

Absolutely. With the right partner (Kristopher), Maatta is a serviceable top 4 dman and the star of every pens christmas parody video. He has foot speed and mobility issues, but with the right partner he can remain invisible (in a good way). Thankfully the TDL has passed, although he will have a struggle earning his keep from HCMS.

Absolutely. With the right partner (Kristopher), Maatta is a serviceable top 4 dman and the star of every pens christmas parody video. He has foot speed and mobility issues, but with the right partner he can remain invisible (in a good way). Thankfully the TDL has passed, although he will have a struggle earning his keep from HCMS.
- DeflatedPucks

I know it's not happening, but I'd almost rather they shut him down for the season and have him work purely on skating, lifting some weights and shoulder rehab. He is at the point where his career is in jeopardy because of his shoulders, think this is about his 4th serious one, could be more.

It is kind of sad with him, he has a good skill set and is a smart player but he is just so incredibly unathletic and frail. Let him get strong and healthy so he can be a contributor next season, because I'm afraid they are going to put him in only to get injured again when someone runs him in the playoffs.

Imagine if Crosby would have been properly supported and protected by management and coaching staff his whole career? Not that Crosby, a good old Canadian boy, (one of the types of hockey heads American stat goons say needs out of the game) particular needs it. However Steve McKenna spent a lot of time on Mario’s wing because instead of the management trying to set an example for the league they were protecting the bread and butter of the organization. #sprongnevergotachance

Absolutely. With the right partner (Kristopher), Maatta is a serviceable top 4 dman and the star of every pens christmas parody video. He has foot speed and mobility issues, but with the right partner he can remain invisible (in a good way). Thankfully the TDL has passed, although he will have a struggle earning his keep from HCMS.
- DeflatedPucks

... who the hell calls Letang Kristopher?

Can’t you all just be happy to see Gudbranson and JJ NOT poopting the bed 🛌? Thank you 🙏🏻 LETS GO PENS

I know it's not happening, but I'd almost rather they shut him down for the season and have him work purely on skating, lifting some weights and shoulder rehab. He is at the point where his career is in jeopardy because of his shoulders, think this is about his 4th serious one, could be more.

It is kind of sad with him, he has a good skill set and is a smart player but he is just so incredibly unathletic and frail. Let him get strong and healthy so he can be a contributor next season, because I'm afraid they are going to put him in only to get injured again when someone runs him in the playoffs.
- MacPatty

You think Olli Maatta is unathletic?... His career is in jeopardy?

You think Olli Maatta is unathletic?... His career is in jeopardy?
- MattStrat

His career having risk at this point is fair to say. That shoulder is becoming an issue.

Unathletic is a daft statement though.