Because the Pens don’t have a left half wall threat. You gotta respect Backstrom/Kuzy/Oshie in the triangle on the right side which helps keep Ovi open. The Pens don’t have that on the LW side because they don’t have talent that can make those passes or even come off as a shooting threat.
- j.boyd919

Which is why trading Kessel was a huge self-own. thanks to Jack Johnson....
So many thought 71 and 81 didnt work together, but at even strength that year, their most frequent d men on the ice were the JJ pair... Funny 71 and 81 #'s didnt dip at all on the power play--where JJ didnt see the light of day.

What are the signs Malkin is hurt, injured or not in shape? Just playing like shiit? I have video evidence he still has a rocket this season in different games from slap shots to one timers so that cant be it? Hes played extended shifts some over 2 minutes and into overtime and still had enough wind left for breakaways and not shown hes completely gassed? Usually its very noticeable when a player is constantly outta breath but I havent seen that yet at all? Could it just be hes playing like shiit which happens to many players? Seems out of all the pens hes the only player we think is out of shape?
Onto the PP... we all look at the caps for the perfect PP %. fair enough. Leafs, Caps, Stars, Panthers, Blackhaws, Sabres, Bruins, Avs, oilers, Flames, Hurricanes, Canadiens, Flyers, Lightning, Kings are top 15 PP teams all about 10%or more higher then our PP % rate.... Do they all have a right handed Ovechkin that makes there PP work or is there other ways to have a good PP with the amount of skill we have?
- pens4life-66

For Malkin, I feel like he pulls up on 50-50 pucks and back-checking as if he's conserving energy compared to last year. I'm watching those because those are the things he said he had trouble with a couple years ago when he admitted he wasn't in shape.

Decided to look real quick at the teams you mentioned.
Leafs: Marner
Caps: Ovechkin
Stars: Seguin
Fla: Ekblad
Hawks: DeBricant
Sabers: Eichel
Bruins: Pasta/ Bergeron
Avs: MacKinnon
Oilers: Barrie
Flames: Lindholm
Habs: Weber/Toffoli
Canes: Trochek
Flyers: Girioux/ Koceny
Lightning: Stamkos

So yes. Most have a stud righty. A few either run 2 D or have a guy that is at least performing well. (Example Trochek has 2 G 1A in 6 games on PP.) But all have a righty to spread out the PP that is performing.

Kunitz filled that gap completely. He wasn't one of the best like Hornqvist or Malone that year, yet very capable. Crosby was more involved in running the PP before and switched to playing down low more when Kessel came.
- Tojo.

Right, but I think Zucker can do Kunitz like work.

Zucker is not Kunitz.....sorry two different players. Zucker more like #9

We need to get Malkin going....let him get some time with Sid.

For Malkin, I feel like he pulls up on 50-50 pucks and back-checking as if he's conserving energy compared to last year. I'm watching those because those are the things he said he had trouble with a couple years ago when he admitted he wasn't in shape.

Decided to look real quick at the teams you mentioned.
Leafs: Marner
Caps: Ovechkin
Stars: Seguin
Fla: Ekblad
Hawks: DeBricant
Sabers: Eichel
Bruins: Pasta/ Bergeron
Avs: MacKinnon
Oilers: Barrie
Flames: Lindholm
Habs: Weber/Toffoli
Canes: Trochek
Flyers: Girioux/ Koceny
Lightning: Stamkos

So yes. Most have a stud righty. A few either run 2 D or have a guy that is at least performing well. (Example Trochek has 2 G 1A in 6 games on PP.) But all have a righty to spread out the PP that is performing.
- Tojo.

Yeah, we knew we needed a stud righty going into the season. We didn't get one and the results have been predictable.

Here's what we also knew during the offseason and/or going into the season:

* We didn't have a playoff-ready team due in large part to a lack of grit and physicality

* We had exactly one net-front guy in Horny

* We didn't have any defensemen who clear the front of the net

* Riikola made great strides last season and POJ was close to ready, so with Dumo and Petts, LD was not a need

* Ruh was likely good enough at 3RD

* Our bottom six looked rough and needed improvement

* The Big 3 are aging, declining, and need more help

* Sully has proven incapable of making good usage and tactical decisions

So is the current state of the Penguins a surprise to anyone?

These PP woes are mostly because our players pass the puck waiting for the perfect opportunity to score. They need to throw the puck on net more. I do think Zucker would do well on the PP since he was known for his deflection skills in Minnesota.

I am surprised they didn't claim Chiasson to try him as a net front guy. He was known as a good PP guy.

For Malkin, I feel like he pulls up on 50-50 pucks and back-checking as if he's conserving energy compared to last year. I'm watching those because those are the things he said he had trouble with a couple years ago when he admitted he wasn't in shape.

Decided to look real quick at the teams you mentioned.
Leafs: Marner
Caps: Ovechkin
Stars: Seguin
Fla: Ekblad
Hawks: DeBricant
Sabers: Eichel
Bruins: Pasta/ Bergeron
Avs: MacKinnon
Oilers: Barrie
Flames: Lindholm
Habs: Weber/Toffoli
Canes: Trochek
Flyers: Girioux/ Koceny
Lightning: Stamkos

So yes. Most have a stud righty. A few either run 2 D or have a guy that is at least performing well. (Example Trochek has 2 G 1A in 6 games on PP.) But all have a righty to spread out the PP that is performing.
- Tojo.

Perfect. For those exact reasons he definitely needs to be healthy scratched immediately then. We have full video evidence he doesn’t appear to be tired at all near the end of periods, shifts, games, OTs giving half assed effort. Konecny got sat for 4 bad games in a row I’m sure we can sit Malkin after 10 of them. If there is players going at 50% that will be contagious to the rest of the team over time.

Reasons I think he’s just playing bad are covid was world wide and none of the other players seem to have this conditioning issue. Even his first shifts of the game/period/power play I’m not noticing a difference in his “engagement” level at all. I’ve always been a massive Malkin fan and there is noticeable times during his career for whatever reason he’s had stretches where he just doesn’t seem engaged and going crazy like he can.

Power play!!! Lots of those righty’s either don’t have a good 1 timer or don’t play the left half wall on the PP. Or does it just need to be a righty because we have Letang!

Looks like Mm and ZAR close to being ready to go.

“Jagr and Penguins have mutual interest”

“Jagr and Penguins have mutual interest”
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Huh?

Signing kovy for the pp and 3rd line duty don’t seem like such a bad idea right now lol

“Jagr and Penguins have mutual interest”
- Byfuglien Ate Me

Lol, where did you get this info from, Eks cousins mom's friend lol

Signing kovy for the pp and 3rd line duty don’t seem like such a bad idea right now lol
- 10inchTerror

It sure doesn't. What's big Buff doing? Can he play power forward again lol

Huh?
- Rinosaur

Oh I get it now, Jagr is gonna come and be the GM and then lace them up for us as well. Lol

Perfect. For those exact reasons he definitely needs to be healthy scratched immediately then. We have full video evidence he doesn’t appear to be tired at all near the end of periods, shifts, games, OTs giving half assed effort. Konecny got sat for 4 bad games in a row I’m sure we can sit Malkin after 10 of them. If there is players going at 50% that will be contagious to the rest of the team over time.

Reasons I think he’s just playing bad are covid was world wide and none of the other players seem to have this conditioning issue. Even his first shifts of the game/period/power play I’m not noticing a difference in his “engagement” level at all. I’ve always been a massive Malkin fan and there is noticeable times during his career for whatever reason he’s had stretches where he just doesn’t seem engaged and going crazy like he can.

Power play!!! Lots of those righty’s either don’t have a good 1 timer or don’t play the left half wall on the PP. Or does it just need to be a righty because we have Letang!
- pens4life-66

Most of those righty’s do play the half wall... and it’s not just about one timers. Being able to pass from that position is probably more important than the one timer unless your Stammer, Ovi, or Weber.

For Malkin, I feel like he pulls up on 50-50 pucks and back-checking as if he's conserving energy compared to last year. I'm watching those because those are the things he said he had trouble with a couple years ago when he admitted he wasn't in shape.

Decided to look real quick at the teams you mentioned.
Leafs: Marner
Caps: Ovechkin
Stars: Seguin
Fla: Ekblad
Hawks: DeBricant
Sabers: Eichel
Bruins: Pasta/ Bergeron
Avs: MacKinnon
Oilers: Barrie
Flames: Lindholm
Habs: Weber/Toffoli
Canes: Trochek
Flyers: Girioux/ Koceny
Lightning: Stamkos

So yes. Most have a stud righty. A few either run 2 D or have a guy that is at least performing well. (Example Trochek has 2 G 1A in 6 games on PP.) But all have a righty to spread out the PP that is performing.
- Tojo.

We should have went all in on Stone. An absolute unit.

Huh?
- Rinosaur

Word.

We should have went all in on Stone. An absolute unit.
- 668710

Toffoli looking like a hell of a signing. Mtl gonna have fun playing the same teams over and over

Toffoli looking like a hell of a signing. Mtl gonna have fun playing the same teams over and over
- 10inchTerror

Yea he's looking really good. That would have been a nice signing.

Yea he's looking really good. That would have been a nice signing.
- 668710

That's the one that doesn't bother me too much that we missed out on because it seems he really wanted to join the team he grew up rooting for. Then again, probably 80% of Canadian players are either Habs or Leafs fans growing up.

Just read a Yahoo Fantasy article regarding their top 8 sell high now candidates who would most likely slow down. On the list...Horny...a man with a career average of 9.8% shooting who is currently at 23.8% on the season....

Crushing HBSL this week after only 2 days...




EDIT: Its strange, I know that it stated 4 games for both Patches and Smith this week when I picked the team. I just trust the league and dont look into it.

That's the one that doesn't bother me too much that we missed out on because it seems he really wanted to join the team he grew up rooting for. Then again, probably 80% of Canadian players are either Habs or Leafs fans growing up.
- Hockey66

Pretty close to accurate I would say haha. Almost 40% of our entire country's population is in the province of Ontario, home of the Leafs (and Sens)...and the Habs have 24 Stanley Cups...usually cup winners pick up a lot of new fans, not to mention favorite teams get passed on to kids through generations.

Id say of the other 20% its like 6% Oilers, 6% Flames, 2% Jets, 2% Canucks, 1% Sens and 3% other (Bruins, Wings, Pens, Hawks, Avs etc.)

Looks like Mm and ZAR close to being ready to go.
- 10inchTerror

Yeah, full contact participants I believe. With the extra days of practice I think we'll see them both on the weekend.

MM definitely has to be at the very least a slight upgrade over Churchman or Weber....or we at least hope so at that price tag....having said that, he didnt get much of a camp with new team and hasnt played many games either...could be rough haha