Ryan Wilson: Penguins making (good) lineup changes after opening night loss Penguins making (good) lineup changes after opening night loss

I just laughed out loud at the Jack Johnson mention.

I am very pleased they are tinkering with the lineup this quick.

I assume this will become:

Guentzel-Crosby-Kapanen
Zucker-Malkin-Rust
McCann-Jankowski-Tanev
Lafferty-Blueger-Rodrigues

when Kap is able to play?

I assume this will become:

Guentzel-Crosby-Kapanen
Zucker-Malkin-Rust
McCann-Jankowski-Tanev
Lafferty-Blueger-Rodrigues

when Kap is able to play?
- chimpira

I think thats a safe bet...only if Sully doesnt have a Sceviour boner for no reason...

I'm surprised actually. Hopefully they will surprise me again and shelter Matheson's pair.

I would also like to see them switch Zucker and Jake, but I'm sure the chances of that happening are slim for the moment.

I think thats a safe bet...only if Sully doesnt have a Sceviour boner for no reason...
- MattStrat

I was looking at various teams rosters last night. There are many teams that are just stacked. While the Pens are wasting Sid's and Geno's years with mediocre players like Rodrigues and ... to less extent, Rust. And the other offseason pickups - still can't believe it. This season might be tough to watch.

WAR what is it good for?

Why not put the $3.5M man on the top line? Why not give Lafferty a look? Sully (and JR) need to get a clue that if Buffalo (or any other team) doesn't want a certain player, then that player might suck.

WAR what is it good for?
- Striiker

Ha!

Why not put the $3.5M man on the top line? Why not give Lafferty a look? Sully (and JR) need to get a clue that if Buffalo (or any other team) doesn't want a certain player, then that player might suck.
- Hockey66

ERod is awful. I'd much rather Tanev or Lafferty, but the top lines are stacked even with ERod up there, so I'd rather keep that third line together one more game to see if they have continue success. Depth scoring is going to be key to the Pens success.

I'm surprised actually. Hopefully they will surprise me again and shelter Matheson's pair.

I would also like to see them switch Zucker and Jake, but I'm sure the chances of that happening are slim for the moment.
- Rinosaur

Well said. Shelter third pair. Mix up zuck and guentzel at some point

Like the switch in defense pairs.

And I agree with RW, we're splitting hairs talking about Lafferty v ERod. For now, ERod is the new Simon that will bounce around to an open spot, at least at RW where the depth is non existent. But Lafferty isn't a top line player either just because he's fast.

They could bump McCann up because that's had some success, but he is already getting used to new linemates and it's not a long-term opening.

Well said. Shelter third pair. Mix up zuck and guentzel at some point
- MHurl

I've actually been wanting the pairings they had last game and think they're the best way to run it IF and ONLY IF if they aren't going to shelter Matheson. If they're willing to shelter them then great. Putting in Ruhwedel is a huge plus. Ceci should be the #7 IMO.

Like the switch in defense pairs.

And I agree with RW, we're splitting hairs talking about Lafferty v ERod. For now, ERod is the new Simon that will bounce around to an open spot, at least at RW where the depth is non existent. But Lafferty isn't a top line player either just because he's fast.

They could bump McCann up because that's had some success, but he is already getting used to new linemates and it's not a long-term opening.
- Tojo.

I think Lafferty has a better nose for the net than ERod, but yeah, I agree it's splitting hairs to a degree. I just think ERod is so vanilla.

Splitting hairs yes, but I’d still let lafferty be on the top line tonite. He does play differently and who knows maybe it could help. He is tenacious and more physical.

Glad to see some changes though. Maybe sully is learning or maybe the velluci and rierden have more say than the previous team.

Ha!
- Rinosaur

Good God

Splitting hairs yes, but I’d still let lafferty be on the top line tonite. He does play differently and who knows maybe it could help. He is tenacious and more physical.

Glad to see some changes though. Maybe sully is learning or maybe the velluci and rierden have more say than the previous team.
- 10inchTerror

The biggest thing to me is that Laff is an unknown 25 year old at this point. ERod is 27 and has played in 4x the number of games and has proven that he sucks. Short season means we don't have the luxury of sinking the top line with known suckitude. And yes, to your points, he plays a different, and frankly much needed, style.

Been a Crosby fan since he came into the league but Rutherford has depleted the team. Roster today is nowhere near good enough to compete in that division.

You have Washington, Philly, NYR, NYI, Boston and a surging Buffalo team. Pittsburgh is going to need to beat 2 of them to get in. Would hate to see Sid not make it but I don't think this looks good.

At one point there will be hard decision of what to do with Letang, Malkin and possibly Sid but Rutherford is not the guy to make those decisions.

Been a Crosby fan since he came into the league but Rutherford has depleted the team. Roster today is nowhere near good enough to compete in that division.

You have Washington, Philly, NYR, NYR, Boston and a surging Buffalo team. Pittsburgh is going to need to beat 2 of them to get in. Would hate to see Sid not make it but I don't think this looks good.

At one point there will be hard decision of what to do with Letang, Malkin and possibly Sid but Rutherford is not the guy to make those decisions.
- willey101

Yup, I could be completely off, but I think if they are out of playoff contention by end of February, Geno and/or Tanger are getting shopped. At some point you have to think forward and not let a trio of vets that you can't support with a decent roster sink the club down more. I do think Sid stays and retires a Pen.

Been a Crosby fan since he came into the league but Rutherford has depleted the team. Roster today is nowhere near good enough to compete in that division.

You have Washington, Philly, NYR, NYR, Boston and a surging Buffalo team. Pittsburgh is going to need to beat 2 of them to get in. Would hate to see Sid not make it but I don't think this looks good.

At one point there will be hard decision of what to do with Letang, Malkin and possibly Sid but Rutherford is not the guy to make those decisions.
- willey101

The Rangers are so good you had to list them twice! Hahaha

I mean, you're right and most of us here have echoed this sentiment. Piss poor asset management has closed this window faster than it should have been.

The Rangers are so good you had to list them twice! Hahaha

I mean, you're right and most of us here have echoed this sentiment. Piss poor asset management has closed this window faster than it should have been.
- Rinosaur

Ya my bad, I meant Islanders.

The biggest thing to me is that Laff is an unknown 25 year old at this point. ERod is 27 and has played in 4x the number of games and has proven that he sucks. Short season means we don't have the luxury of sinking the top line with known suckitude. And yes, to your points, he plays a different, and frankly much needed, style.
- Hockey66

There's a reason Lafferty is an unknown at 25. Half his goals last year came in his first week. I remember everyone clamoring for his in the playoffs too, and then we saw how that went.

Not that ERod is a great choice either, but at least he's broken 20 points a couple times. But neither one is the answer.

I'm up 238-175 in HBSL.

I'm up 238-175 in HBSL.
- j.boyd919

My goalies are killing me. Sheshterkin and Jarry lol. Jake has zilch, Rust has 1 and I forgot to remove one of the Dallas guys. I'm still going to win though. Luckily my opponent picked players with way less games.

Good to see the defense change. I’m always a proponent of putting your best D men on the top two pairings and then shelter the ever loving (frank) out of the bottom pair, so obviously I endorse moving Pettersson up. Also like Sullivan’s willingness to bench Ceci, although it’s not apples and oranges to Johnson. Their contracts aren’t nearly in the same league. The guy that’s in the Johnson zone of definitely won’t get press boxed even if he deserves it because his contract is too big is Matheson. But at least Matheson is better than JMFJ.