Scoring the first goal has a tendency to do that to teams. St. Louis did play well in the second period, Jarry was better.

The good news for the Golden Boy is even though he was 0-4 in SOG, his shooting percentage didn't go down much.
- Thunderbolt

Blues have their own set of injuries going on, but good on the Pens and Jarry for the shutout.

Whats the stat for having a negative impact on high probability scoring chances?

Was Tanev hurt as well?

I got no issues with that. I'm just pushing back against this idea he's been bad for 3 years.
- Tojo.

I didn't say that. I said, "It's been over 3 years since Murray has been consistently good." I guess a 4-month stretch last year might be considered "consistently good," but his season average was still below .920 and he gave up over 3 goals per game in the playoffs. A team with Cup aspirations needs better goaltending.

Let's face it, Murray isn't athletic, so he relies on fundamentals and positioning. When the latter two aspects go haywire for whatever reason, he gets exposed pretty easily.

So we just beat the defending champs and best record in the West with about 37-38M watching the game.

More often than not the Pens have had terrible depth scoring, but now that our bottom six is legitimate, we shouldn't be putting non-goal scorers in the top six.

And all of those guys you mentioned scored goals at a rate at least double of what Simon does and has throughout his career. You just can't have a guy in the top 6 who has no goal-scoring ability.

It was funny at the end of this game that Sully puts him on the PP in garbage time to try to help him out and he skies his only chance from the slot.
- Hockey66

lol When the Pens won their 3 cups, Sid's most played with wingers:
2008-09: Satan 36 points and Dupuis 28 points
2015-16: Kunitz 51 points and Horny 40 points
2016-17: Sheary 53 points and Horny 44 points

Those are also all situations points.

So, like I said, unless you have a super-line of Stamkos-Kucherov-Point or Rantanan-MacKinnon-Landeskog or whatever else... Simon's production is right in line with what a typical 3rd wheel winger puts up when playing with Sid (even when we have awesome scoring depth--evidenced by the wingers he had during the cup years) and that production allows Sully to play that line and worry about finding chemistry on other lines and THAT seems to be working, so while I understand how people complain about his lack of finish just like yinz complained about Sheary falling over, yinz will always complain about the guys who aren't as big of a problem as you make it out to be lol

So we just beat the defending champs and best record in the West with about 37-38M watching the game.
- Tojo.

bUt SiMoN cAnNoT FiNiSh.

So we just beat the defending champs and best record in the West with about 37-38M watching the game.
- Tojo.

I think they said only 8 regular roster players for the Pens tonight?

Disagree, Simon does plenty of thing significantly better than Galchenyuk, like playing defense.

Look, I wouldn't have Simon on the top line either, but I'm not bending over backwards to make Galchenyuk work. Give me Kahun or Tanev there first.
- Tojo.

Kahun absolutely. Tanev is debatable. But has Galch really been given a solid chance? If for no other reason than to boost his trade value if he is a bad fit going forward.

Regardless, Simon can't score goals and therefore should never be in the top six ever again. I think it's pretty cut and dried and not even up for debate.

lol When the Pens won their 3 cups, Sid's most played with wingers:
2008-09: Satan 36 points and Dupuis 28 points
2015-16: Kunitz 51 points and Horny 40 points
2016-17: Sheary 53 points and Horny 44 points

Those are also all situations points.

So, like I said, unless you have a super-line of Stamkos-Kucherov-Point or Rantanan-MacKinnon-Landeskog or whatever else... Simon's production is right in line with what a typical 3rd wheel winger puts up when playing with Sid (even when we have awesome scoring depth--evidenced by the wingers he had during the cup years) and that production allows Sully to play that line and worry about finding chemistry on other lines and THAT seems to be working, so while I understand how people complain about his lack of finish just like yinz complained about Sheary falling over, yinz will always complain about the guys who aren't as big of a problem as you make it out to be lol
- j.boyd919

Name a regular top six forward who has averaged less than 10 goals per season. I'll wait.

And I'm not talking about having a "super-line." I'm talking about someone who can put the puck from his stick into a gaping maw of a net 10-15 feet in front of him.

Question, but maybe it's been covered. Since Jarry is playing so well, if he remains the starting goalie, does Murray request a trade?

bUt SiMoN cAnNoT FiNiSh.
- j.boyd919

If he could the game would have been decided a lot sooner and would have ended up about 5-0 or 6-0. I can't believe people are defending hands-of-stone Simon being in the top six.

Where would we be in the standings if he was just an average finisher? Do you plan on him playing top line or top six winger in the playoffs when the games really matter? If not, why bother playing him there now?

Name a regular top six forward who has averaged less than 10 goals per season. I'll wait.
- Hockey66

You can continue to be fixated on irrelevant poop but okay,

Satan had 11 ES goals the year they won the cup
Dupuis had 12 ES goals the year they won the cup
Horny had 11 ES goals the year they won the cup
Horny had 13 ES goals the year they won the cup

Simon is pace for 10 goals.

Right in line with the rest of em. Nice try though.

EDIT: He's not on pace for 10 goals, but if he averages 10 goals a season at ES then he would be.

Question, but maybe it's been covered. Since Jarry is playing so well, if he remains the starting goalie, does Murray request a trade?
- nateca44

IDK...MM is a RFA and will be getting a raise somewhere. He needs to prove he is a legit starting G with 2 cups. His next deal will take him through his prime, he knows the Pens can't afford to shell out over $5m for him so it may be in his best interest. Preds are in a win now mode and Rinne sucks. Wild need a G too.

MM can justify demanding a 6x6 deal somewhere.

You can continue to be fixated on irrelevant poop but okay,

Satan had 11 ES goals the year they won the cup
Dupuis had 12 ES goals the year they won the cup
Horny had 11 ES goals the year they won the cup
Horny had 13 ES goals the year they won the cup

Simon is pace for 10 goals.

Right in line with the rest of em. Nice try though.

EDIT: He's not on pace for 10 goals, but if he averages 10 goals a season at ES then he would be.
- j.boyd919

Since when is goal scoring irrelevant?? I don't know of anything more relevant in hockey.

Simon is on pace for 6 goals. So yeah, doubling that total with an average finisher would be nice.

Horny also had 12 goals in those 43 playoff games and another 5 goals in 10 playoff games the following year. Simon has 0 goals in 12 playoff games. He is a BLACK HOLE. There is no defending him being in the top 6.

You can continue to be fixated on irrelevant poop but okay,

Satan had 11 ES goals the year they won the cup
Dupuis had 12 ES goals the year they won the cup
Horny had 11 ES goals the year they won the cup
Horny had 13 ES goals the year they won the cup

Simon is pace for 10 goals.

Right in line with the rest of em. Nice try though.

EDIT: He's not on pace for 10 goals, but if he averages 10 goals a season at ES then he would be.
- j.boyd919

Haha - what?? If ifs and buts were candy and nuts we'd all have a Merry Christmas.

Kahun absolutely. Tanev is debatable. But has Galch really been given a solid chance? If for no other reason than to boost his trade value if he is a bad fit going forward.

Regardless, Simon can't score goals and therefore should never be in the top six ever again. I think it's pretty cut and dried and not even up for debate.
- Hockey66

He can have another shot with Malkin, since that's what he was brought in to do, once Crosby comes back. Personally, I'm not a fan of offense only players unless they're great offensive players like Phil was. Galchenyuk isn't even a consistent 20 goal guy so he doesn't qualify.

Galchenyuk has skill, but whatever line he plays on struggles to get out of it's zone. McCann has an xGF% under 40% with Galchenyuk and over 60% without him, so why should they keep forcing them together?

Haha - what?? If ifs and buts were candy and nuts we'd all have a Merry Christmas.
- Hockey66

He’s shooting at 4%. Last year he shot at 6% and potted 8 goals. Shooting percentages vary from year to year on every play. So regardless of what you are consistently complaining about, he’s on pace for 39ish points which is fine for a top 6 winger with no PP time.

No skill
- WSCTeton17

Dude has one more goal than Noessen, chill out. Nobody here has ever said Galch has no skill.

He’s shooting at 4%. Last year he shot at 6% and potted 8 goals. Shooting percentages vary from year to year on every play. So regardless of what you are consistently complaining about, he’s on pace for 39ish points which is fine for a top 6 winger with no PP time.
- j.boyd919

No one who averages 8 goals (or fewer) per season should ever be in the top six. Period. Simon has 14 goals in 135 career games. He has 0 goals in 12 career playoff games. I don't care how many secondary assists he gets playing with two generational centers and a top 10 winger in Guentzel.

You can continue to be fixated on irrelevant poop but okay,

Satan had 11 ES goals the year they won the cup
Dupuis had 12 ES goals the year they won the cup
Horny had 11 ES goals the year they won the cup
Horny had 13 ES goals the year they won the cup

Simon is pace for 10 goals.

Right in line with the rest of em. Nice try though.

EDIT: He's not on pace for 10 goals, but if he averages 10 goals a season at ES then he would be.
- j.boyd919

Satan only played 65 games that year, he was on pace for 21g for an 82 game season. Im pretty sure he was not on the #1 PP and ended up being a scratch towards the end of the season and into the playoffs.

Dupuis had 0 PP goals in 09.

Pens weren't a playoff team in 09 till they fired their coach and traded for Kunitz and Guerin which Dupuis and Satan weren't even part of the top 6 then.

Simon is on pace for fewer goals than either of them

Haha - what?? If ifs and buts were candy and nuts we'd all have a Merry Christmas.
- Hockey66

Simon has good fancy stats which are all that matter. The only thing the eye test says about Simon is that he can't score a point blank goal on an empty net but that's not really relevant in modern hockey.

He can have another shot with Malkin, since that's what he was brought in to do, once Crosby comes back. Personally, I'm not a fan of offense only players unless they're great offensive players like Phil was. Galchenyuk isn't even a consistent 20 goal guy so he doesn't qualify.

Galchenyuk has skill, but whatever line he plays on struggles to get out of it's zone. McCann has an xGF% under 40% with Galchenyuk and over 60% without him, so why should they keep forcing them together?
- Tojo.

I agree about putting him back with Malkin once Crosby comes back, but I would have him up there now with Rust and Bjug out. That's just me. I can see an argument that it should be Kahun or Tanev, too. But no way should Simon be there.

I'm not a fan of offense-only players, but I wouldn't characterize Galch as "offense only." He works hard on defense and is willing to go into the dirty areas to get a puck (something Kessel never did).

He has averaged 20.7 goals per season in his career and he's usually right around there.

As far as his fit on the Pens, I think a 17 game sample is too small to draw any conclusions, especially as injury-riddled as the Pens have been. I'm not in love with Galch and would be totally fine if he gets traded, but he needs to be put in a position to succeed on a consistent basis to either help the team or increase his trade value. Banishing him to the 4th line and cutting his minutes ensures that he will not succeed, or at least not do what he does best, which is score.

As bad as you think he's been, he's still over .5 points per game.

Someone has to say it... No JJ on this skeleton crew and the Pens beat the Blues? Jus sayin

Someone has to say it... No JJ on this skeleton crew and the Pens beat the Blues? Jus sayin
- Rinosaur

RW will have your back on this tomorrow

Someone has to say it... No JJ on this skeleton crew and the Pens beat the Blues? Jus sayin
- Rinosaur

As "not terrible" as JJ has been this season, I'm coming around to the idea that Riikola would maybe be "ok" as 3LD. I'd still like us to acquire a defenseman to make both a 7th D. The right side looks a lot better.

He can have another shot with Malkin, since that's what he was brought in to do, once Crosby comes back. Personally, I'm not a fan of offense only players unless they're great offensive players like Phil was. Galchenyuk isn't even a consistent 20 goal guy so he doesn't qualify.

Galchenyuk has skill, but whatever line he plays on struggles to get out of it's zone. McCann has an xGF% under 40% with Galchenyuk and over 60% without him, so why should they keep forcing them together?
- Tojo.

Galchenyuk’s goal pace since entering the league, all of which are per 82 games:
22 goal pace
19
23
30
20
16
15 - rookie season

Mr.Chairman, I yield back