Ryan Wilson: Penguins Make Chum Out of Sharks But Still Lose And That's OK Penguins Make Chum Out of Sharks But Still Lose And That's OK

Ryan Wilson: Penguins Make Chum Out of Sharks But Still Lose And That's OK
Penguins Make Chum Out of Sharks But Still Lose And That's OK
- Ryan_Wilson

What is dCA60? I don't recall hearing that stat much if ever before today.

Great blog again Ryan

I agree. Kunitz is a good top 6 player still. Next blog throw some stats in about Perron, he's been a ghost.

Pouliot should be first PP. No doubt. He will be a great player. He should also stick with us in the playoffs.

Not sure who will sit between Scuds and Cole.. Cole has looked good, but has a small sample size. They know what they are getting in Scuderi. I think our team is moving to a full 6 man puck moving squad. Letang, DP, Martin, Lovejoy, Cole, Ehrhoff are all great at moving the puck. Scuderi makes the right plays, safe ones. Still a good defender, just doesn't have that puck moving skill that they all have.

What is dCA60? I don't recall hearing that stat much if ever before today.
- Guile

It is expected Corsi Against given the player's usage. So in the case of Lovejoy, Winnik, and Cole, a larger negative rating indicates a better ability to suppress shots than the average player in their situation.

Great blog again Ryan

I agree. Kunitz is a good top 6 player still. Next blog throw some stats in about Perron, he's been a ghost.

Pouliot should be first PP. No doubt. He will be a great player. He should also stick with us in the playoffs.

Not sure who will sit between Scuds and Cole.. Cole has looked good, but has a small sample size. They know what they are getting in Scuderi. I think our team is moving to a full 6 man puck moving squad. Letang, DP, Martin, Lovejoy, Cole, Ehrhoff are all great at moving the puck. Scuderi makes the right plays, safe ones. Still a good defender, just doesn't have that puck moving skill that they all have.
- znagle

The defense next year (and in the future) might be the strongest point of this team rather than Malkin and Crosby.

It is expected Corsi Against given the player's usage. So in the case of Lovejoy, Winnik, and Cole, a larger negative rating indicates a better ability to suppress shots than the average player in their situation.
- jfkst1

Ah... got it... so on the flip side, them having the negative DCorsi means they forced their opponents into a low 40s (and some high 30s) normal Corsi.

Thats a pretty substantial dominance in play.

Refreshing to see Johnston having no qualms about putting Pouliot on the ice against big, heavy teams.

Last night Pouliot (23:26) was second only to Letang on the team for ice time, and looking at the three game California swing, he finished averaging 19:49 per game. Behind only Letang at a freakish 28:17 and Martin at 22:28.

Good blog Ryan. Kunitz has hit a dry spell, but he's doing a lot of the right things and going to the scoring high traffic areas around the net. Goals will come. I'd personally like to see more from Perron on Sid's line. I wouldn't say he's been a passenger on that line, but he's been pretty invisible on this trip and needs to contribute more. Maybe we'll see him get energized against his old team.

If the Pens ever get the PP figured out, they are going to be really tough to beat. They are doing a great job in the goal prevention department and as noted have really taken it up a notch at even strength. Burying even one PP marker a game would be a huge help.

The defense next year (and in the future) might be the strongest point of this team rather than Malkin and Crosby.
- jfkst1

Martin will be a big loss, but you can basically plug Maatta back in and have:

Letang - Maatta
Pouliot - Lovejoy
Cole - Harrington/Dumoulin/Scuderi

That's pretty solid

The defense next year (and in the future) might be the strongest point of this team rather than Malkin and Crosby.
- jfkst1

And depending on who resigns, or doesn't resign, one of the cheapest too. 11.5 mil in Letang and Scuds... than less then 5 mil in the other 4 players in the D. Going at near 16 mil for your defense means you can get a 2 year FA rental type, cough Sharp trade cough, for two strong cup runs before the rest of the youngins needs resigned. Excluding Maatta, hes only got 1 more year before the resigning. Dumo and Cole I don't expect to make much a raise after this year.

Refreshing to see Johnston having no qualms about putting Pouliot on the ice against big, heavy teams.

Last night Pouliot (23:26) was second only to Letang on the team for ice time, and looking at the three game California swing, he finished averaging 19:49 per game. Behind only Letang at a freakish 28:17 and Martin at 22:28.
- rival22

Pouliot had very good the last few games. What I'm most impressed with is his decision making on when to pinch in from the blue line and when to not. You usually don't see that from young offensive D men

The defense next year (and in the future) might be the strongest point of this team rather than Malkin and Crosby.
- jfkst1

Agreed. I wouldn't mind Martin at 5.5 3 years at all. Hoff walks, then you have

Letang-Martin/Maatta
Lovejoy-Pouliot
Scuds/Dumoulin-Harrington/Cole

Looks like we really don't even need Martin.. Unless Scuds is off the books. All depends on if Harrington is ready or not. But god damn, that is a great and cheap D either way you slice it.

Edit: also depends on Maattas health. DO NOT rush him back. Martin the allows Harrington/Dumoulin to develop more. Injuries happen, we would have backups as well. When Dumo/Harrington are ready, Martin can be traded for a first +.

Great blog again Ryan

I agree. Kunitz is a good top 6 player still. Next blog throw some stats in about Perron, he's been a ghost.

Pouliot should be first PP. No doubt. He will be a great player. He should also stick with us in the playoffs.

Not sure who will sit between Scuds and Cole.. Cole has looked good, but has a small sample size. They know what they are getting in Scuderi. I think our team is moving to a full 6 man puck moving squad. Letang, DP, Martin, Lovejoy, Cole, Ehrhoff are all great at moving the puck. Scuderi makes the right plays, safe ones. Still a good defender, just doesn't have that puck moving skill that they all have.
- znagle

I don't think Scuderi is going anywhere especially with all the deadline talk of experience on the blue line. Also I think he has had a pretty solid year considering how he was last year.

Agreed. I wouldn't mind Martin at 5.5 3 years at all. Hoff walks, then you have

Letang-Martin/Maatta
Lovejoy-Pouliot
Scuds/Dumoulin-Harrington/Cole

Looks like we really don't even need Martin.. Unless Scuds is off the books. All depends on if Harrington is ready or not. But god damn, that is a great and cheap D either way you slice it.
- znagle

That's a major reason why I don't really want Martin or Ehrhoff retained. They could have significant money to put towards forward depth. Especially if they could somehow move Scuderi out.

I don't think Scuderi is going anywhere especially with all the deadline talk of experience on the blue line. Also I think he has had a pretty solid year considering how he was last year.
- all-pgh

I definitely agree. This year he has been good. It'll be interesting to see how Hoff fits back into the lineup. Next year him being here really depends on Hoff/Martin and the development of Harrington/Dumo and the health of Maatta.

Letang, Lovejoy, Cole and DP will be full time.

That's a major reason why I don't really want Martin or Ehrhoff retained. They could have significant money to put towards forward depth. Especially if they could somehow move Scuderi out.
- jfkst1

They'll save a good amount if they let one of them walk. You keep Martin at a slight increase (~5.5M) and you save $3.5M on Ehrhoff's deal alone.

To me, you have to keep one of them, or else you've got Letang, Scuderi, and a bunch of kids more or less. Martin would help to add some good veteran presence.

Just my take.

Downie is def an upgrade over Adams skill wise but I don't think he's on the ice for the playoffs. Playing shorthanded is the kiss of death in the playoffs and Downie is a liability when it comes to that

I don't see any way the coaching staff can take Pouliot out of the lineup. The kid just gets better every game. When Hoff is healthy, this team may have the deepest defense going into the playoffs.

They'll save a good amount if they let one of them walk. You keep Martin at a slight increase (~5.5M) and you save $3.5M on Ehrhoff's deal alone.

To me, you have to keep one of them, or else you've got Letang, Scuderi, and a bunch of kids more or less. Martin would help to add some good veteran presence.

Just my take.
- jmatchett383

Lovejoy... he ain't no kid anymore and is playing quite solid for the mid pairing.

87 and 71 were beasts last night. I thought it was a great game!

DP played his best game. I think last night we saw the end of the PM Pens era. DP really shined.

I thought Kunitz struggled last night, he was all over the ice.

Why wasnt PH on the shootout? Downie over him?

BB......After BB's attempt, I think the BB era is over as well. That was the saddest thing I have seen on the ice since taking my niece and nephew to disney on ice. The game on your stick, youve been a whipping boy, healthy scratch, health issues, and you cant even get a shot off. Just pathetic and a waste of a sweater at this point.

That's a major reason why I don't really want Martin or Ehrhoff retained. They could have significant money to put towards forward depth. Especially if they could somehow move Scuderi out.
- jfkst1

Yeah, what I'm saying really is if we can get rid of Scuds and sign Martin short term that would be the only way I see them here. A top dman gets a slight raise and we lose Scuds. So we gain like 2 million cap space really. Once more of our young guys are ready, Martin can be dealt for a first + at the deadline.

Lovejoy... he ain't no kid anymore and is playing quite solid for the mid pairing.
- Guile

Is he signed past this season? Same question on Cole.

Agreed. I wouldn't mind Martin at 5.5 3 years at all. Hoff walks, then you have

Letang-Martin/Maatta
Lovejoy-Pouliot
Scuds/Dumoulin-Harrington/Cole

Looks like we really don't even need Martin.. Unless Scuds is off the books. All depends on if Harrington is ready or not. But god damn, that is a great and cheap D either way you slice it.

Edit: also depends on Maattas health. DO NOT rush him back. Martin the allows Harrington/Dumoulin to develop more. Injuries happen, we would have backups as well. When Dumo/Harrington are ready, Martin can be traded for a first +.
- znagle

If you're PM you dont sign that. Its your last contract, you dont sign anything under 6 for 4 years.

I definitely agree. This year he has been good. It'll be interesting to see how Hoff fits back into the lineup. Next year him being here really depends on Hoff/Martin and the development of Harrington/Dumo and the health of Maatta.

Letang, Lovejoy, Cole and DP will be full time.
- znagle

Im wondering if Hoff plays at the expense of DP.

Is he signed past this season? Same question on Cole.
- jmatchett383

Lovejoy has 1 more season, Cole is a RFA, so assumed he is kept on cheap.