Frozen Urine Filled Balloons=my suggestion for every problem life throws at you.
- nbartley9

That made me laugh out loud. Bravo.

I think the true of Sutter is somewhere in between what advanced metrics and the eye see. Sounds confusing but I think Ryan hit the nail on the head where Sutter's goals are aesthetically pleasing. Meaning they stick in your memory, meaning they make him look better offensively than he is.

He's not a true shut down center, and he's not a big point producer. He's average. Comparing against Staal or Goc is meaningless. It is very important that whoever the 3rd line center is nets at least 15 goals a year, imo.

Goc can't be the 3rd C just based on offensive output, imo. I'd take my chances on Vermette as an ideal 3rd line center for us if possible.

Spaling on the other hand, has bad advanced metrics and it certainly matches the eye test. Dude lucked into 12 goals last year and now he's way overpaid. I'd rather have Klink than Spaling.

Ryan Wilson ‏@GunnerStaal 2h2 hours ago

Monthly reminder: If you want your Penguins coverage sugar coated, I'm not your guy.


No matter if I agree with you or not, this is why I respect Ryan as a writer. I can't stand the way you guys bash him sometimes. Honesty and opinion (backed by something) make for an interesting read and more valuable conversation points. If you want fluff pieces, go to the Pens website.

Sutter is soff as wet toast along the boards. Nice wrist shot. Kind of like a smaller James Neil, only with a brain. Soff, very soff this guy.

He's not a true shut down center
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Johnston seems to disagree - one of the few times Johnston has aggressively matched lines this season was Sutter v. Stamkos:

“He’s not afraid to play that shutdown role, but I bet you tonight he had about three really good scoring chances as well. So I think his offensive upside is still going to continue to grow as he gets more confidence in that role, and that’s what we need as a team. We need him to really push his numbers offensively, because defensively, he’s going to be rock solid.”

I would imagine that Sutter's supposed weakness in shot differential is due to the fact that he plays a defensive style that is going to result in some perimeter shots. I'd rather give up 3 perimeter shots than one fat chance, but that's me.

Spaling on the other hand, has bad advanced metrics and it certainly matches the eye test. Dude lucked into 12 goals last year and now he's way overpaid. I'd rather have Klink than Spaling.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Spaling's shot differential numbers are actually pretty good this year.

Ryan Wilson ‏@GunnerStaal 2h2 hours ago

Monthly reminder: If you want your Penguins coverage sugar coated, I'm not your guy.


No matter if I agree with you or not, this is why I respect Ryan as a writer. I can't stand the way you guys bash him sometimes. Honesty and opinion (backed by something) make for an interesting read and more valuable conversation points. If you want fluff pieces, go to the Pens website.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Nobody asked for sugar coating.

The issue is that some folks who share their opinions eventually become more concerned with being right than being accurate. The pro-Goc, anti-Sutter vendetta is motivated by the former.

I'm only saying this because I've been there before. I used to blog at a site dedicated to another Pittsburgh team in another sport, and I had to give it up after it started sucking the fun out of being a fan. Arguments like this are never ending - both sides can indubitably find endless evidence in support of their opinion, it becomes consumptive.

Sutter is soff as wet toast along the boards. Nice wrist shot. Kind of like a smaller James Neil, only with a brain. Soff, very soff this guy.
- powerhouse

I wouldn't necessarily call him soft. He doesn't have a build where you could see him bulking up and getting a lot stronger. You're right however, he doesn't have the strength along the boards to win a lot of battles. That's probably why his possession numbers suffer.

I could easily see him being traded after the season. He'll be an UFA soon and I think he'll want a more prominent role......like Staal. I think he'll fail to meet the expectations of his next team however.....kind of like Staal did.

I have no problem with him as our 3rd line center. He's scores some clutch goals. He had a great spring last year......can't take that away from him.

I wouldn't necessarily call him soft. He doesn't have a build where you could see him bulking up and getting a lot stronger. You're right however, he doesn't have the strength along the boards to win a lot of battles. That's probably why his possession numbers suffer.

I could easily see him being traded after the season. He'll be an UFA soon and I think he'll want a more prominent role......like Staal. I think he'll fail to meet the expectations of his next team however.....kind of like Staal did.

I have no problem with him as our 3rd line center. He's scores some clutch goals. He had a great spring last year......can't take that away from him.
- madmike71

Yes he scored some great goals. And he is good at shadowing good players and tying up their stick and neutralizing them. Probably one of the reasons he is in the opponents end so much. He is a poor man's Dubinsky.

Yes he scored some great goals. And he is good at shadowing good players and tying up their stick and neutralizing them. Probably one of the reasons he is in the opponents end so much. He is a poor man's Dubinsky.
- powerhouse

Still, I see no reason to complain about him. He's doing his job at a respectable cap hit. As long as everyone knows who and what Sutter is and no one gets grand delusions of extending him for 5 mil + a year we are fine. I for one, am glad with the season he is having. He's producing and upping his value in the eyes of others. If/when he he is traded after this season (and don't kid yourselves, we can't afford to lose him this year), we are going to win that trade.

Ryan Wilson ‏@GunnerStaal 2h2 hours ago

Monthly reminder: If you want your Penguins coverage sugar coated, I'm not your guy.


No matter if I agree with you or not, this is why I respect Ryan as a writer. I can't stand the way you guys bash him sometimes. Honesty and opinion (backed by something) make for an interesting read and more valuable conversation points. If you want fluff pieces, go to the Pens website.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

No I copy and paste other peoples work and act like it makes every opinion I have the absolute truth. To have such an infatuation with fancy stats you have to question every single original thought about the game you've ever had. I like arguing with people though so I still read.

Still, I see no reason to complain about him. He's doing his job at a respectable cap hit. As long as everyone knows who and what Sutter is and no one gets grand delusions of extending him for 5 mil + a year we are fine. I for one, am glad with the season he is having. He's producing and upping his value in the eyes of others. If/when he he is traded after this season (and don't kid yourselves, we can't afford to lose him this year), we are going to win that trade.
- Victoro311

I long for bigger and more physical forwards on our team. maybe someday it will happen. For now I would describe Sutter as useful but not ideal. How is that?

I long for bigger and more physical forwards on our team. maybe someday it will happen. For now I would describe Sutter as useful but not ideal. How is that?
- powerhouse

I basically hold the same opinion. I'd call him useful with upside. I really think that at the draft we can get a first or a second from a dumb enough GM for him, but some people don't have very much faith in Sundqvist, so maybe that wouldn't be the best move. I dunno, I'm all about letting go of Flats at the draft, signing a serviceable 3C and then having him and Oskar the Grouch fight over who's gonna be 3C and who's gonna be 4C. We can use the draft pick on forwards.

I basically hold the same opinion. I'd call him useful with upside. I really think that at the draft we can get a first or a second from a dumb enough GM for him, but some people don't have very much faith in Sundqvist, so maybe that wouldn't be the best move. I dunno, I'm all about letting go of Flats at the draft, signing a serviceable 3C and then having him and Oskar the Grouch fight over who's gonna be 3C and who's gonna be 4C. We can use the draft pick on forwards.
- Victoro311

Yeah, I'm drooling over Sundqvist as well.

Yeah, I'm drooling over Sundqvist as well.
- powerhouse

He's gonna bring fire to the lineup and if he ends up playing 3C he could be a much more traditional shut down type, and with our top two lines being centered by the best two players in the world, we need that way more than we need a Sutter type.

Also could turn out to be a top 6 power forward which would excite me equally. He may currently be my favorite prospect.... Besides Rust, of course

Forget advanced stats. It doesn't matter what sport we're talking about; you either can play or you cant, you either are good enough to make the team or your not. One thing stats cannot measure are intangibles or heart, both in which you need for any sport. Point is, it doesn't matter if someone like Goc has better advanced stats than someone like Sutter; Sutter is overall a better player than Goc and if i had to put money on it, the other 29 teams in this league would take Sutter any day over Goc.

Go Pens!

Greetings all from down under.

I have been granted access to contribute (thanks HB), please go easy on me as I have not grown up with this wonderful sport but picked it up when 66 was running around with 68. Excuse my lack of knowledge as I know there are a few here that have all the knowledge & love expressing it

I unfortunately only have observations as I have skated twice in my whole life - the beach is my love.

This is a swing BUT I don't think relying on these types of stats is prudent. Realistically at the end of someone's career you may be able to 'generalise' what type of player he was but how do you know what determined a players performance - was he sick, excited, in love etc etc all points that determine how a player performs - they are NOT robots & cannot play the same every game. Too many determining factors that change every minute of every game.

If the wind blows from the south consistently then it's a southerly. If the wind blows from the south for an hour then the east for 5 then the west for 3 do you say the wind is from the east?

Does Sutter provide the Pens with a better team? Do opposition players target Sutter allowing other players free reign?

Because I'm a newbie;

F Islanders fans, F Habs fans that rubbish Leafs fans on a Pens V Habs blog!

Greetings all from down under.

I have been granted access to contribute (thanks HB), please go easy on me as I have not grown up with this wonderful sport but picked it up when 66 was running around with 68. Excuse my lack of knowledge as I know there are a few here that have all the knowledge & love expressing it

I unfortunately only have observations as I have skated twice in my whole life - the beach is my love.
- Aussiepenguin

I was born in '93, so I've had about the same amount of time if not less than you. Welcome aboard


Also, get use to advanced stats homie. Its RW's bread and butter. Not that that's bad or anything

Can't rely on sundqvist so much. Has never played on a smaller rink size. There have been higher rated prospects that have flopped. Hope he is all these things people are saying, but you can't gamble like that

Can't rely on sundqvist so much. Has never played on a smaller rink size. There have been higher rated prospects that have flopped. Hope he is all these things people are saying, but you can't gamble like that
- jchst22

That's such a valid point but there's something about Sundqvist that makes me believe. I have blinders when it comes to that kid. Maybe not 3C next year, but 4C or top 9 winger for sure.

No I copy and paste other peoples work and act like it makes every opinion I have the absolute truth. To have such an infatuation with fancy stats you have to question every single original thought about the game you've ever had. I like arguing with people though so I still read.
- Grinder47

I literally have no idea what this means.

Maybe you should start a blog about how great Craig Adams is and see how many readers you get.

Yeah, I'm drooling over Sundqvist as well.
- powerhouse

It's hard not to after the preseason showing but I keep reminding myself of how good Mike Comrie and Chuck Kobasew looked during preseason. Has the same chance of busting as most 3rd round picks, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

Edit-- didnt scroll far enough someone else basically said the same thing. I think we're all a little blinded by his size, as we are all pining for a big, mean forward (even though hes technically the same size as Sutter lol). If he was 6'0", I wouldn't be as excited.

This is a swing BUT I don't think relying on these types of stats is prudent. Realistically at the end of someone's career you may be able to 'generalise' what type of player he was but how do you know what determined a players performance - was he sick, excited, in love etc etc all points that determine how a player performs - they are NOT robots & cannot play the same every game. Too many determining factors that change every minute of every game.

If the wind blows from the south consistently then it's a southerly. If the wind blows from the south for an hour then the east for 5 then the west for 3 do you say the wind is from the east?

Does Sutter provide the Pens with a better team? Do opposition players target Sutter allowing other players free reign?

Because I'm a newbie;

F Islanders fans, F Habs fans that rubbish Leafs fans on a Pens V Habs blog!
- Aussiepenguin

Welcome to the dance, your in for absurd trades, fierce battles, scapegoating, Daily graph and pie chart enemas, and urine filled balloons.


By the way I like your style....F backward flushing toilets



WWJJD

Welcome to the dance, your in for absurd trades, fierce battles, scapegoating, Daily graph and pie chart enemas, and urine filled balloons.


By the way I like your style....F backward flushing toilets



WWJJD
- nbartley9

I nominate this post for top post of 2015

Did you guys see the Sledge hockey thing that Gatorade did with Crosby, Giroux, Hartnell, MacKinnon, Couture and Miller? Just great stuff...



There are a couple other video's on GatoradeCanada's channel including one that focuses more on the NHL players' side.
- rival22

Thought you meant 'sledge' as in abuse the opposition - not sure you guys use that word in that respect. In Australia if you play sport & 'sledge' someone - you are having a go at him, all in a good cause of course (winning). So I was surprised (disappointed) when I watched the video.