I know Hornqvist is hurt but why change up the 2 net front presence (kuni and horn) on the pp when it was working so well...

The beginning of the season it was crash the net shoot amd score or shoot get rebound and score.. now its back to last yr where they hold it shoots once it gets blocked or they miss and pp ends... ridiculous.

They need help now. I don't care what the standings look like..

I wouldn't mind heatley or paajarvi just bc it's low risk high reward... All the guys they can send down can be called back up later if those guys don't pan out..

I know Hornqvist is hurt but why change up the 2 net front presence (kuni and horn) on the pp when it was working so well...

The beginning of the season it was crash the net shoot amd score or shoot get rebound and score.. now its back to last yr where they hold it shoots once it gets blocked or they miss and pp ends... ridiculous.

They need help now. I don't care what the standings look like..

I wouldn't mind heatley or paajarvi just bc it's low risk high reward... All the guys they can send down can be called back up later if those guys don't pan out..
- nh4442

Its easy to say low risk high reward but the problem is, you sign guys like that and get their salaries on the books, what happens when they don't work out? Especially if they can't be moved later on. Now you have less cap room available down the line at the trade deadline because you handcuffed yourself. All because you couldn't be patient and wait for guys to become healthy in a week or two to firmly assess where the team is out.

There is no need to sign every waiver wire player out there. There is a reason why they are where they are and especially with someone like Heatley, who has already had lots of scenery changes, a new one won't do him any good.

Outside of Kris Letang, is there a defender more confident in pushing play through the neutral zone than Simon Despres? (on this team of course)

Time and time again last night it looks as though he wanted to pass, got mad that there were no options, then just put his head down and broke through on his own. He had 7 shots and just looked so damn impressive.

I know the narrative is getting old, but if you feel the need to trade a top 4 guy it is very clear Despres is ready to succeed in such a role. Hopefully Maatta returns to form and his injury just needed time because these two young defenders mean a lot to this team.
- usethe1-2-2

I thought 3 guys came to play last night. Sid, Geno and Despres......although I didn't think it was one of Simone's better games. Everybody else either looked over-matched or disinterested.

The most disappointing players were Sutter, Kunitz and Letang. Kunitz looks like he's aged 5 years since last season and Letang looked like the guy from the last couple of seasons. Sutter has been largely invisible for several games.....they need him to step up. I realize they're playing with bunch of guys that don't belong, but I at least expect a little more out of those guys.

What is wrong with our power play?

- stackthepads

Like the 5 on 5 system, it's been figured out. The early-season benefit of teams not knowing what the Penguins were going to do is gone. Early in the year, teams weren't pressuring the point men. They were sitting back. Now they're pressuring the puck and it's left the PP totally discombobulated. They're having a hard enough time just getting set up.

I agree the time of Kunitz playing second fiddle to Crosby is just about over. I think its time for him to play third fiddle to Malkin. I think a line of Kunitz-Malkin-Bennett would be great with Kunitz cleaning up for Geno and Sweet Beau.
- Victoro311

The whole team is struggling ... Ten guys out ... And the only guy we call out as to not playing well is kuni ... WOW ... "He s getting old " until he has a two goal game next week then everything is fine!!! Typical fan overreaction ... Blame kuni ... I love it

bortuzzo sure didnt look ready to fight last night, he got beat up twice by the same guy whos 10" shorter than him...granted tootoo seemed to have landed about 5 bunches by the time botz was rdy to throw down

The whole team is struggling ... Ten guys out ... And the only guy we call out as to not playing well is kuni ... WOW ... "He s getting old " until he has a two goal game next week then everything is fine!!! Typical fan overreaction ... Blame kuni ... I love it
- Brianandr1

No, pretty sure we have been saying Kuni is a step behind all season. Not an overreaction, he is. It shows more now. It gets hidden well when the team is healthy. Not saying he is a fourth liner, but he is clearly not the physical player he once was. It was expected though, all players age. It is his shot that we need more than ever and he has been snakebitten.

The whole team is struggling ... Ten guys out ... And the only guy we call out as to not playing well is kuni ... WOW ... "He s getting old " until he has a two goal game next week then everything is fine!!! Typical fan overreaction ... Blame kuni ... I love it
- Brianandr1

I suppose I should waste breath calling out AHL players...

The difference is that nothing is expected of these scrubs we've called up. Kunitz on the other hand is suppose to produce. Last night he had two gimme goals that he managed to fire straight into Schneider's chest and another that hit the post. If this was an isolated incident, fine, but hasn't been. He's clearly lost a step and this is a problem that won't go away when everyone's healthy where as the mediocre AHL plugs will. A two goal night from Kunitz won't change the fact that his days of being the primary wing for Sid or Geno are over.

Don't see how saying any of that is an overreaction. It's not like I'm saying we need to trade for four top 6 super stars because Kunitz should be a fourth liner.

No, pretty sure we have been saying Kuni is a step behind all season. Not an overreaction, he is. It shows more now. It gets hidden well when the team is healthy. Not saying he is a fourth liner, but he is clearly not the physical player he once was. It was expected though, all players age. It is his shot that we need more than ever and he has been snakebitten.
- usethe1-2-2

hes certainly not the forechecker he once was...i cant even remember the last time he has a decent scoring opportunity...rust looks better if you ask me

hes certainly no the forechecker he once was...i cant even remember the last time he has a decent scoring opportunity...rust looks better if you ask me
- JLT168

He had two phenomenal ones last night that went straight into Schneider's chest and another pretty good one that hit the post. His shot is way off these days. Hopefully he can fix this.

Like the 5 on 5 system, it's been figured out. The early-season benefit of teams not knowing what the Penguins were going to do is gone. Early in the year, teams weren't pressuring the point men. They were sitting back. Now they're pressuring the puck and it's left the PP totally discombobulated. They're having a hard enough time just getting set up.
- hardnosed

You can't score if you do not shoot. 4 shots in six minutes of PP time is nothing. Figuring something out and then stopping it are two different things.

He had two phenomenal ones last night that went straight into Schneider's chest and another pretty good one that hit the post. His shot is way off these days. Hopefully he can fix this.
- Victoro311

yea I quit watching the game after the 1st and started watching the canada finland game because it was actually interesting, the pens have just been kinda blah for me lately...I kept checking back but every time I would it looked the same...so yea I didnt see those scoring chances...

I thought 3 guys came to play last night. Sid, Geno and Despres......although I didn't think it was one of Simone's better games. Everybody else either looked over-matched or disinterested.

The most disappointing players were Sutter, Kunitz and Letang. Kunitz looks like he's aged 5 years since last season and Letang looked like the guy from the last couple of seasons. Sutter has been largely invisible for several games.....they need him to step up. I realize they're playing with bunch of guys that don't belong, but I at least expect a little more out of those guys.
- madmike71

22 points in 28 games ... Just back from a broken foot that he was playing with for weeks ... Yeah kuni is the problem!!! Delusional???

he is clearly not the physical player he once was.
- usethe1-2-2

He's the only top 4 winger they have left - I don't want him running around killing people and getting hurt again.

Also, this system doesn't feature a very aggressive forecheck, it's far more passive than the Bylsma system, and it doesn't exactly play into Kunitz's strengths, which were to harass opposing D into turnovers.

He's the only top 4 winger they have left - I don't want him running around killing people and getting hurt again.

Also, this system doesn't feature a very aggressive forecheck, it's far more passive than the Bylsma system, and it doesn't exactly play into Kunitz's strengths, which were to harass opposing D into turnovers.
- hardnosed

I think you are confusing the system with their current personnel. This system has a good forecheck, we don't have anyone right now to execute anything properly.

I think you are confusing the system with their current personnel. This system has a good forecheck, we don't have anyone right now to execute anything properly.
- usethe1-2-2

Even before the injuries, the forecheck was less aggressive than it's been.

I'm going to go 4-3 USA.
- dbell646

I was very close to the right score.. Hopefully they meet again in the final.

Cheers,