How can this coach not switch up lines when Malkin is struggling like this and EROD IS PLAYING POCKET POOL! Did our 4th line play tonight ?

And how much are we paying our dmen??? Lol pathetic.
- buckster2342

Letang on the ice for all ES goals against this game (4). -5 on the year. 0 points. I know we're not allowed to criticize Letang, but...

“I like this player because we can play him up and down the lineup”

I know 2021 just started, but I already want a time machine.

HCMS: “ We've got to make sure we learn from the experience. A lot of it boils down making good decisions at critical moments in the game. We'll try to learn from this experience."

These must be either memorized or written on cue cards. Argh! Hulk smash!

“we like this player because we can play him up and down the lineup”
- Malkin

On a positive note, Jank looks good. Glad he's still a RFA.

And Matt Murray got a win today. If that doesn’t add insult to the injury also.
- chimpira

.870 SV% - right on track.

Coaching is the problem, Look at the way the Flyers dzone coverage cycled and look at how the Pens are just hope and praying the aggressive pressure will cause a breakdown. Offense isnt any better, if they dont score off the rush and Sid isnt there to throw the team on his back then they mine as well just skate back to the bench.

Sullivan has expired. Is Gallant still available?
- stackthepads

He is. Unfortunately, just like most good FAs, most of the good coaching candidates have been snapped up.

He is. Unfortunately, just like most good FAs, most of the good coaching candidates have been snapped up.
- Hockey66

Give up 5 and 6 goals a few more games and maybe we see a new coach. Even with gallant available I think it would be velluci taking over though.

Letang -4

Our "Bonafide #1 Defenseman"

Coaching is the problem, Look at the way the Flyers dzone coverage cycled and look at how the Pens are just hope and praying the aggressive pressure will cause a breakdown. Offense isnt any better, if they dont score off the rush and Sid isnt there to throw the team on his back then they mine as well just skate back to the bench.

Sullivan has expired. Is Gallant still available?
- stackthepads

Oh I agree. Sullivan should have been canned in the offseason.

Anyone else miss Pettersson-Gudbranson?

So, how is everyone liking this fast team?

Is this team as bad as their record? I'm not so sure, Philadelphia has a good team.

One thing I am sure of is this, a couple injuries and this team is toast.
- Thunderbolt

Yeah they don't look like they can handle an injury to the top 6. Then again, the top 6 largely looks like garbage anyways and we can't blame all that on ERod. If Malkin needs Guentzel because Zucker and Rust aren't enough, even while not getting Couts, that's on him.

Letang on the ice for all ES goals against this game (4). -5 on the year. 0 points. I know we're not allowed to criticize Letang, but...
- Hockey66

That pairing has been rough. I think Dumoulin has been worse. Other than glimpses from Sid and Marino, most of our top players just haven't been very good.

On a positive note, Jank looks good. Glad he's still a RFA.
- Hockey66

Lol, never even thought to look at that since he seemed a good one and done candidate, but nice to have that option. Nice catch!

.870 SV% - right on track.
- Hockey66

Better than .710.

Murray had to go, but I questioned whether they should put all their eggs in the Jarry basket. It's early, but feeling reassured at this point.

Funny how the third line is about the only part of the team that wasn't a problem in the first two games. And Pettersson has been their best LHD.

That pairing has been rough. I think Dumoulin has been worse. Other than glimpses from Sid and Marino, most of our top players just haven't been very good.
- Tojo.

Agree with all of that.

Lol, never even thought to look at that since he seemed a good one and done candidate, but nice to have that option. Nice catch!
- Tojo.

Yeah, it's the one bright spot so far of a dismal off-season (Kap pending).

Better than .710.

Murray had to go, but I questioned whether they should put all their eggs in the Jarry basket. It's early, but feeling reassured at this point.

Funny how the third line is about the only part of the team that wasn't a problem in the first two games. And Pettersson has been their best LHD.
- Tojo.

Well, I've got two mea culpas here. I was pretty high on Jarry and yeah, just two games, but I figured his chances of being better than average were about 80%. It's looking like I may have way overestimated his chances of success based on a small sample. I know you cautioned all of us. However, I did want us to get a good, cheap vet backup.

I think I was too harsh on Petts, too. He has definitely been their best LHD (not even close so far) and he has stood out in a good way. He's still just 24 and might be putting things together.

I don't want to jump to conclusions this early, but if POJ develops into a 2LD, I would probably be more inclined to trade Dumo than Petts. Stay ahead of the curve. Petts is 5 years younger, no injury history, and is more productive. I don't know how Dumo isn't more productive given his partner and his usual forward lines.

If you want to start your day on a positive note, take a look at this teams +/- stats. Better yet the biggest culprits have one single point between them.

The NHL network pretty much summed it up last night- they’re coasting in their defensive end.

The 3rd line is so ironic. Months of saying our 3rd line and bottom 6 was shot and now the 3rd line looks legit. I have faith the top two forward lines will get it together. We know we have a great 4th line when ZAR comes back. Goaltending was a worry of mine before season started, I was in the not enough sample size of Jarry yet camp but I'm certainly not ready to write him off . Even though theyre 0-2 I actually feel better about them today than I did before season started haha.

The 3rd line is so ironic. Months of saying our 3rd line and bottom 6 was shot and now the 3rd line looks legit. I have faith the top two forward lines will get it together. We know we have a great 4th line when ZAR comes back. Goaltending was a worry of mine before season started, I was in the not enough sample size of Jarry yet camp but I'm certainly not ready to write him off . Even though theyre 0-2 I actually feel better about them today than I did before season started haha.
- MattStrat

Nobody had Tanev on the third line. Jankowski fits in well with Tanev and McCann. Tanev and McCann played well together last year. Jank has been a pleasant surprise, I hope he continues his good play.

The fourth line is going to need some time to sort out. The only constant there is going to be Blueger. Sceviour is the right wing unless he plays his way out of the lineup. He isn't going to unseat Kapanen, Rust or Tanev. Hopefully Sceviour and Blueger can develope some chemistry, because if they don't it's going to be a three line team.

Nobody had Tanev on the third line. Jankowski fits in well with Tanev and McCann. Tanev and McCann played well together last year. Jank has been a pleasant surprise, I hope he continues his good play.

The fourth line is going to need some time to sort out. The only constant there is going to be Blueger. Sceviour is the right wing unless he plays his way out of the lineup. He isn't going to unseat Kapanen, Rust or Tanev. Hopefully Sceviour and Blueger can develope some chemistry, because if they don't it's going to be a three line team.
- Thunderbolt

That's true , Tanev was part of that awesome 4th line... Perhaps mostly rolling 3 lines for now is way to go... Try and make 4th line better through trade as season goes on...