So the Canes aren't actually that good either? They look pretty average against the Rangers.
- Thorny87

I thought they were solid and that would have been a fun matchup against us. But I also thought the battle of Florida would have gone 6 games soooo... I know nothing.

So the Canes aren't actually that good either? They look pretty average against the Rangers.
- Thorny87

Canes are built similar to the Penguins, they are very good at controlling play and generating chances but lack the bonafide finishers.

Canes are built similar to the Penguins, they are very good at controlling play and generating chances but lack the bonafide finishers.
- j.boyd919

Rangers look a lot better against them then they did us.

There’s 0 logic to why you would offer them a deal without a clause.
-Feds91Stammer
.

Well, if you lose Malkin or Letang as a free agent there is no value to them. If they are signed to a contract that allows them to be traded there is a value. That was the only point.

The Pens overachieved this year. Tristan Jarry had an insane .940 save percentage half way thru the season. That carried them into a playoff position.

You can and must continue to build this team around Crosby. At some point you need to start to build around Jarry. That can start now by making good decisions on your defensemen. We need to pare the d-core down to young cheap players. This needs to be our focus in the draft. Second rid yourself of mediocre overpaid older guys like Pettersson and Dumoulin. Then bring in one or two as rentals at the TDL to fill out a playoff run.
- Thunderbolt

If that's the case, even when spending your cap space this year you need to have a plan in place to create the space to pay Jarry a big raise next year.

Man Trouba is an animal. Why don’t we sign guys like that?

Id love for MAF to come back but I just cant see him playing for Sully. Sully benched him the 2nd he could for Murray that cup year.

If Hallander and Nylander can fill bottom 6 roles that helps quite a bit. Is Legare and Poulin even in conversations anymore?

Im OK with Rust but hes been super streaky. DIdnt he go like 25 games and then like 3 hatricks in 5 games a few yrs back?

Either way seems odd Rust gets signed before Malkin and Letang. Youd think Letang would be priority #1 and then you can build around his cap hit. Unless they have other plans.
- sammy87

Poulin finished the year as the top line center and 2nd or 3rd in scoring, depending if you count Nylander's full year. Legate finished on the 4th line when he played.

Poulin may be a player but no rush to push him now. Legare looked like he couldn't play at the AHL level. Hallander isn't really much either to be honest, at best a 4th liner.

Man Trouba is an animal. Why don’t we sign guys like that?
- Grinder47

RIP Domi

RIP Domi
- MattStrat

Poor Trouba. Looks like his stick got caught in a ghosts bumhole and it plunged him into Domi.

Rangers are just that team that always gets the next goal when they need it. That was the biggest difference in the pens series.

Poor Trouba. Looks like his stick got caught in a ghosts bumhole and it plunged him into Domi.
- Rinosaur

Nah he’s just mean. It’s ok to be mean in hockey.

Rangers are just that team that always gets the next goal when they need it. That was the biggest difference in the pens series.
- Grinder47

I said they reminded me of the 2017 Pens and they could go right to the finals with Igor in net playing lights out and the opportunistic scoring they get, if it countinued. Crazy though, despite all the major injuries, Pens played them much better than Canes, so far anyways. Canes have controlled play a lot but aren't going to the net like Pens did a lot and effectively.

This series is tied. Canes aren't getting 4 on Igor with him playing like that hahaha have to give props to the Rags for being where they are right now. While the were favs in Pens series they were definitely underdogs in this one. To be tied after tonight is huge for them.

Went to an English pub in Tokyo last night and ran into a bunch of marines. One was a Flyers fan and we started talking poop to one another. My client thought we were on the verge of getting into a fight the whole time. Didn’t even know I cared about the Flyers anymore. Felt nice.

I said they reminded me of the 2017 Pens and they could go right to the finals with Igor in net playing lights out and the opportunistic scoring they get, if it countinued. Crazy though, despite all the major injuries, Pens played them much better than Canes, so far anyways. Canes have controlled play a lot but aren't going to the net like Pens did a lot and effectively.

This series is tied. Canes aren't getting 4 on Igor with him playing like that hahaha have to give props to the Rags for being where they are right now. While the were favs in Pens series they were definitely underdogs in this one. To be tied after tonight is huge for them.
- MattStrat

All either team is doing is giving Point more time to get healthy.

And how many times has Buffalo been in the playoffs since? Im not saying you're wrong, but was it worth harming your franchise for years for one playoff run?

I never advocated for trading Letang and Malkin. You had to play these years out with them. If you wanted to trade Malkin, 2017 or 2018 would've been the year to do it.

I just dont see why these contract discussions are only heating up now? You could've engaged them last offseason and all this year. Hextall signed Jeff Carter to a 2 year deal, but not these two.
- SuperHenderson13

Could be he wanted to see if their play would drop off so he could sign them for less and if it didn't (what did happen), he extends other players and then tells them they only have this amount of cap space left with needing to sign x amount of players to try and force them to take less to stay and if they leave, they might look like the bad guys for leaving and taking more money elsewhere. I might be wrong but that is what it looks like to me.

Went to an English pub in Tokyo last night and ran into a bunch of marines. One was a Flyers fan and we started talking poop to one another. My client thought we were on the verge of getting into a fight the whole time. Didn’t even know I cared about the Flyers anymore. Felt nice.
- Victoro311

Is it the idea that Torts may be their new coach?

Is it the idea that Torts may be their new coach?
- Rinosaur

That wasn’t even on my radar until I read it on this board a few hours ago so no. Just two dumbasses talking nonsense to each other

Sign Malkin for 3 or 4 years with a relatively large no trade list of teams he can submit for years 3 and 4. So if the Pens bottom out he can somewhat control his future. Sign Letting for 4 or 5 with the same flexibility in last 2 years. Its a compromise that seems to make sense for everyone if the money is agreeable. If the team is really bad in three years then they're not going to want to stay through a rebuild and the Pens are going to want whatever they can get for them.

Sign Malkin for 3 or 4 years with a relatively large no trade list of teams he can submit for years 3 and 4. So if the Pens bottom out he can somewhat control his future. Sign Letting for 4 or 5 with the same flexibility in last 2 years. Its a compromise that seems to make sense for everyone if the money is agreeable. If the team is really bad in three years then they're not going to want to stay through a rebuild and the Pens are going to want whatever they can get for them.
- Sams_Dog

Honestly think Geno would retire at that point. Letang strikes me as a guy that could/might want to have a twilight career elsewhere if we bottom out. Has a lot of good hockey left in him.

Is it the idea that Torts may be their new coach?
- Rinosaur

That happens and Philly regains their long lost status as most hated team no matter how much my Ranger fan friends and neighbors make me want to assault them lol

If that's the case, even when spending your cap space this year you need to have a plan in place to create the space to pay Jarry a big raise next year.
- Tojo.

Absolutely, his number will start with a 6.

You're missing the parts where the Pens were a top 5 to top 10 even strength team pretty much all season. One of the best defensive teams. I think you watched most of the games, but I know I did, and because of their commitment to D and structure Jarry was making an awful lot of saves on parameter shots.

Where the Pens lacked was their putrid team shooting %/finishing ability. Ironically, in the sometimes bizzaro world of professional sports, this wasn't really a problem at all vs this year's clear cut Vezina winner and his team haha.
- MattStrat

If you look at the individual shooting percentages the Pens mostly were right around an average year. Yes there were a couple guys Zucker and Kapanen had below average years. Heinen and Matheson made up for it though.

I do agree we played good defense this year.

Wow, guys really need to quit hitting Trouba in the elbow with their nose. Poor guy can't catch a break.

Still the best 5 on 5 team these playoffs....


https://www.moneypuck.com/teams.htm


Husso has now taken the spot of worst goalie (thats played more than one game) in the playoffs over Domingue...


https://www.moneypuck.com/goalies.htm


Sigh.

If you look at the individual shooting percentages the Pens mostly were right around an average year. Yes there were a couple guys Zucker and Kapanen had below average years. Heinen and Matheson made up for it though.

I do agree we played good defense this year.
- Thunderbolt

They were 19th out of 31 in team shooting% all while being 6th overall in xGF%. That doesn't jive well.