I don't proclaim to know every "paper champ" in history, but Tampa going down as one of the paper....ist.
- madmike71

Tracing paper champs

I agree with Jesse Marshal. We need a major defensive overhaul this summer. It's unrealistic to think Sullivan will get the ax, but Martin needs to be shown the door and everyone on the blue line should be evaluated besides Letang and probably Dumoulin.
- Victoro311

The poor individual efforts are on the players. The lineups are the head coaches decision, not the assistants. The system played is the head coaches job. The job of the assistant coach is to help enforce under the head coach’s guidelines. This is the exact reason why assistants can take over for head coaches and things can change. It’s not their agenda.

When Tocchet was here, Sullivan allowed him to run the power play. That isn’t always the case. Can any one of us say with 100% certainty that Martin is the reason why we have these D pairings? For real, if Sullivan thought his assistants needed to be replaced I’m sure he would let management know. This wouldn’t have been the first time that a HC stayed while the assistants got replaced

We're stuck with these guys

Maatta could be moved but for minimal return
Gudbransson could be moved with a sweetener or bad contract back
Jack Johnson is untradable - worse than Scuderi level

Letang, Dumo, Schultz and Pettersson going forward?
- RoloTahmasee

I think Maatta is definitely gone. Since I'm pro-defensive overhaul now I don't really care that much, but he's being shown the door for all the wrong reasons.

Schultz is a fine top 4 guy, but pretty seriously flawed. The guy absolutely sucks ass in his own end and if put with a a guy that can't help him dig himself out of the defensive zone he's basically as effective as a bottom pairing guy. We've seen this bare out since he's been paired with Johnson. Wouldn't mind seeing a new look over him if we can manage the right deal.

Gudbransson may have regained some value with us. He's actually grown on me a lot, but this thing needs to be torn to the ground, and Gudbransson's too limited and being paid too much for him to be part of this moving forward. If a team offers anything of remote value for him I'm dumping him in a heart beat.

Pettersson is fine, but he's nothing special at all. Again, if someone expresses interest I'm selling him to stockpile assets that can be used to upgrade the blue line.

Johnson we're stuck with. Hopefully whoever takes Martin's place in my hypothetical where he gets fired realizes that he sucks and he's banished to the press box.

Wow. I’m watching CBC intermission. On that first goal.. Letang messes up, sure. But Mayfield reaches out and holds onto his arm as he tries to backcheck. It’s been happening all series. That’s not hockey. That’s wrestling. It’s a flag in football. CALL IT HERE
- WSCTeton17

What about the reasoning they gave saying barzals was called a slash so they would have to eject him to give em 4m LMAO wtf

The poor individual efforts are on the players. The lineups are the head coaches decision, not the assistants. The system played is the head coaches job. The job of the assistant coach is to help enforce under the head coach’s guidelines. This is the exact reason why assistants can take over for head coaches and things can change. It’s not their agenda.

When Tocchet was here, Sullivan allowed him to run the power play. That isn’t always the case. Can any one of us say with 100% certainty that Martin is the reason why we have these D pairings? For real, if Sullivan thought his assistants needed to be replaced I’m sure he would let management know. This wouldn’t have been the first time that a HC stayed while the assistants got replaced
- WSCTeton17

Martin has significant decision making power with lineup decisions and molds the blue line's fit into Sullivan's system. When Sullivan and Martin took the bench, it was announced that Martin would act with significant autonomy.

I'm by no means excusing Sullivan. I just think that there's next to no chance he gets fired. Martin could actually get fired and I think that would be great.

Fvck after watching these last 2 playoffd I'd give a kidney to have iian cole still, stupid sully always sitting him, why is jack Johnson a thing. Even Hagel in the guys great in the dressing room and been on the runs they have thrown this thing in a blender... I love reavo and am interested in the knights series but it all started with him
- Jordy8

I bring up Ian Cole every week. Never should’ve traded him

I bring up Ian Cole every week. Never should’ve traded him
- WSCTeton17

Amen. Coach ran him off. All Sully. Apparently too friendly with the media.....ffs. Frankly, you deserve to be saddled with JJ if that's why you don't like a player.

I bring up Ian Cole every week. Never should’ve traded him
- WSCTeton17

Yeah agree with ur last post 100% too

Martin has significant decision making power with lineup decisions and molds the blue line's fit into Sullivan's system. When Sullivan and Martin took the bench, it was announced that Martin would act with significant autonomy.

I'm by no means excusing Sullivan. I just think that there's next to no chance he gets fired. Martin could actually get fired and I think that would be great.
- Victoro311

Sounds like an assumption. I was happy when Tocchet left but we KNEW that Sullivan took the PP from him and that we saw a big improvement. I don’t know if there’s any proof that the fault lies with Martin more than Sullivan. Martin’s teams have always been good defensively

Regarding your trading comment: I don’t think we should walk away from Petts. He’s so raw still. Lots of room for improvement and he could be cost controlled for some time now. The main bottom line is we never should’ve moved on from Cole and that was a result of Sullivan, no doubt

I bring up Ian Cole every week. Never should’ve traded him
- WSCTeton17

I had this thought last night watching him play for Colorado

He's exactly what we're missing, Guds has been good, but Ian Cole is a better verion and he's miles better than JJ

Pettersson is an ideal 3rd pairing guy. Young, Cheap and has upside

Sounds like an assumption. I was happy when Tocchet left but we KNEW that Sullivan took the PP from him and that we saw a big improvement. I don’t know if there’s any proof that the fault lies with Martin more than Sullivan. Martin’s teams have always been good defensively

Regarding your trading comment: I don’t think we should walk away from Petts. He’s so raw still. Lots of room for improvement and he could be cost controlled for some time now. The main bottom line is we never should’ve moved on from Cole and that was a result of Sullivan, no doubt
- WSCTeton17

I mean I'm going off what was announced four years ago when Sullivan took over. Obviously things could have changed since then, but usually guys don't get power taken away unless they're getting ousted. We also have a poster on here with a friend in the organization who has said this is the case.

I'm also not claiming Martin is more at fault than Sullivan. I'm simply saying that Martin is part of the problem and firing him would be good. I'd be way more happy with firing Sullivan and just getting an entirely new staff, but I don't think that'll happen. In fact, if Sully did get fired, I wouldn't be shocked at all if Rutherford did an internal hire and promoted Martin, which given his head coaching record, would suck.

I had this thought last night watching him play for Colorado

He's exactly what we're missing, Guds has been good, but Ian Cole is a better verion and he's miles better than JJ

Pettersson is an ideal 3rd pairing guy. Young, Cheap and has upside
- RoloTahmasee

Why we didn’t keep him to play with Schultz is absolutely nuts. Then we have a decent top 4 and still have Maatta and the Rig on our third pairing. To me that’s not a bad D corps when you play a system of “communicate and get it up to the wingers with speed at all costs”

If the Isles get stomped next round it’ll be more infuriating. We are making them look like gods.

Martin has significant decision making power with lineup decisions and molds the blue line's fit into Sullivan's system. When Sullivan and Martin took the bench, it was announced that Martin would act with significant autonomy.

I'm by no means excusing Sullivan. I just think that there's next to no chance he gets fired. Martin could actually get fired and I think that would be great.
- Victoro311

I completely disagree that losing Martin would be great, I'd rather give him the head coach and lose Sullivan. Its plainly obvious that the days of the Pens overwhelming teams with offence are over, its time to transition into a veteran defensive team until the end of the Crosby era.

I feel like we're watching a game in week three of the regular season.

I completely disagree that losing Martin would be great, I'd rather give him the head coach and lose Sullivan. Its plainly obvious that the days of the Pens overwhelming teams with offence are over, its time to transition into a veteran defensive team until the end of the Crosby era.
- stackthepads

If you want a good defensive coach, why do you want to promote the guy who's literally in charge of a defense that's been a mess for two straight years?

Also Martin has years under his belt being a mediocre head coach.

Decline. Decline. Decline. Fuuuuck.

Get held by Aisles forward 99 times shame on us, hold us the 100th time shame on you lol

I feel like we're watching a game in week three of the regular season.
- Rinosaur

Regular season is generous. Prospect game

Dirty Cluster(frank), no call.

Sid with the post...

By all means, let's make 1,0344 passes for the fancy set-up.

How’s that ok?

By all means, let's make 1,0344 passes for the fancy set-up.
- Rinosaur

I mean, that was one of our better PPs. You don't want to shoot mindlessly on the PP. You want to circle around until you can exploit a 2 on 1.

If you want a good defensive coach, why do you want to promote the guy who's literally in charge of a defense that's been a mess for two straight years?

Also Martin has years under his belt being a mediocre head coach.
- Victoro311

I dont believe this is his coaching system, this is the best he can do with the balls to the wall defense that sully wants to play.
I watched Martin alot when he coached Ottawa and his system was very tight, I liked it.