Honestly, i come to the conclusion that i have no problems with Craig Adams being on the 4th line. Yes, he does lack any kind of production, but he prevents goals, plain and simple, which doesn't show up in the fancy stats. Add into the fact that he is the Penguins best pk forward, and that this is probably his last year on the team, there is no reason to get rid of him. The penguins aren't losing because of Craig Adams.
- cap1681

It does show up in fancy stats. He's awesome at suppressing shots against.

But if he fails and gets scored on, he's got nothing to try and get that goal back.

I'd really like to see the Penguins harass star players more though. That stuff gets called less and less and is almost never called in the postseason. Crosby and Malkin get that treatment all the time, other top players deserve the same.
- jfkst1

You all get why the Pens don't do this right?

But, hey, look how nice our charts and graphs look.

I'd really like to see the Penguins harass star players more though. That stuff gets called less and less and is almost never called in the postseason. Crosby and Malkin get that treatment all the time, other top players deserve the same.
- jfkst1

We seem to get called for it. Kunitz gets a boarding call, Downie gets called for being punched in the head.

I dont buy into conspiracy theories but the ref's have been f-ing since that Crosby stick swinging incident. Of course when we do get a PP we cant score so that doesnt matter so much.

I keep seeing that the Pens lead the league in penalties. I wonder where we stand if coincidental minors are removed from that. Alot of them seem to have been fights or coincidental roughings. Would be interesting to see our differential with and without coincidentals.

Who does Sutter work well with on the current roster?
- jfkst1

Technically, Bennett... but hes the only positive player when with Sutter, and apparently a LOT higher when away from him.

I'd really like to see the Penguins harass star players more though. That stuff gets called less and less and is almost never called in the postseason. Crosby and Malkin get that treatment all the time, other top players deserve the same.
- jfkst1

Other top players get the same treatment.

Maybe not from the Pens, but they all get it.

Sid's crushing it and is the victim of bad luck? OK got it. Rinse, wash, repeat. RW's been saying this for, what, almost a year now? Musta been one hell of a black cat that crossed 87's path in Sochi.

Let's just let him keep humming along, trying hard, making crappy passes, looking disinterested for chunks of time, and not producing. He hasn't scored in what, 24 of the games this season? Are you kidding me? You think that's acceptable? I'd love for you to be my boss. "Nice try Krypkie! Go get em next time."

Using Jumbo Joe, Kessel, and Seguin as your evidence to not trade star players? Really?

I'll give you the 3rd and 4th line issues you describe. Mgmt has done a crappy job in that regard. Cant argue that at all.

But, absolving the core 4 players of any blame is asinine.
- 87_71_11_29

and Patrick Kane has gone pointless in 22 games. Big deal.

Toews has gone pointless in 24 games. Big deal.

Malkin has 16 pointless.

Backstrom. 21 pointless.

Ovi. 24.
the crosby stat is just stupid and i have seen it cited so much recently.

It does show up in fancy stats. He's awesome at suppressing shots against.

But if he fails and gets scored on, he's got nothing to try and get that goal back.
- walshy66

I know +/- isn't the greatest stat in the world, but i find it interesting that Adams is a +2 considering he isn't on the ice for many goals for. Adams is doing exactly as advertised, which isn't a bad thing.

You all get why the Pens don't do this right?

But, hey, look how nice our charts and graphs look.
- 87_71_11_29

If you hate RW's blog so much, you do have other things you can read. Or just dont read it and go to the comments.

Hows your blog coming along anyway?

If you hate RW's blog so much, you do have other things you can read. Or just dont read it and go to the comments.

Hows your blog coming along anyway?
- thickman1178

Agreed, he needs to stop having an opinion on a public forum.

RW, I agree with you that the depth on this team is still not up to par, but it is better than it has been in years past and the difference between this year and years past is that Crosby and Malkin are not producing as much as they did. They may still be putting up dominant numbers possession wise, which is great and yeah I do trust that at the end of the day if you are controlling possession you will win more games than not, but how long of lower production before we accept that Crosby and Malkin are in more than just an unlucky scoring drought, especially Sid?

I have never wanted to get rid of Sid or Malkin, and I still feel that way, but what if that is the wrong decision? The league is clearly not built for dynamic players with generational talent anymore. Those players don't shine through night in and night out anymore, because players have so many more liberties than they had just 2 or 3 years ago. Players are allowed to do almost whatever they want to Star players anymore and the NHL just expects the stars to deal with it. The Pens are not big and physical enough to dish it back out to other teams, so their stars/scorers get their jobs done. But other teams physically dominate Crosby practically every night. Look at the games he has produced in the past month, it's because those teams aren't taking it to him shift after shift (Calgary and Ottawa). Geno is bigger and more physical so it is a little easier for him to overcome, but even he gets thrown off his game at times because of it.

Watching the power play at the end of the game last night, how many times were Hornqvist and Kunitz cross-checked to the ice. It was ridiculous. Everytime a pass went from Letang to Crosby or Malkin all you see in front of the net is one of our guys going down to the ice. I have never noticed that as much as I did last night and lately in other games as well. That was a penalty in years past and no longer is. But I never see that being done by the Pens in front of their net.

All of this adds up to the Pens being too damn soft to play against. The formula is there for teams to beat the Pens. Beat the hell out of Crosby and he won't produce. If Crosby isn't producing you just have to worry about Malkin because the rest of the team isn't going to do much on most nights.

Are we missing the net a lot lately? Anybody happen to look at the numbers? It just seems that way to me from watching.

it isnt incredably stupid to want your stars to produce actual points routinely.

Other top players get the same treatment.

Maybe not from the Pens, but they all get it.
- jmatchett383

That's my point. This Pens team doesn't take advantage of the lack of obstruction and harassment penalties. It only gets worse in the playoffs so the disparity becomes worse.

trade ehrohff or martin and sutter and free up about 7-8 mil, get some assets, and see if we can get a bit of a different look without an complete redo. and bring up drumolin to replace one of the d that goes.

Are we missing the net a lot lately? Anybody happen to look at the numbers? It just seems that way to me from watching.
- schoobs2731

totally. Malkin's booming slappers were missing the net. That's another thing that just WILL improve.

totally. Malkin's booming slappers were missing the net. That's another thing that just WILL improve.
- poopmouth

By...magic?

That's my point. This Pens team doesn't take advantage of the lack of obstruction and harassment penalties. It only gets worse in the playoffs so the disparity becomes worse.
- jfkst1

Those types of penalties aren't lacking towards us. Last night a CBJ player took a run at Downie, that run could have been called charging, wasn't, Downie pushes the guy off him then gets a punch to the face. PP? Nope Downie is in the box too... What for?

What's especially laughable is the exact same thing happens last game with Downie tossing the punch. Result we're on the PK.

The silver lining is all these non calls are just preparing us for the playoffs where nothing gets called.

By...magic?
- jmatchett383

Those types of penalties aren't lacking towards us. Last night a CBJ player took a run at Downie, that run could have been called charging, wasn't, Downie pushes the guy off him then gets a punch to the face. PP? Nope Downie is in the box too... What for?

What's especially laughable is the exact same thing happens last game with Downie tossing the punch. Result we're on the PK.

The silver lining is all these non calls are just preparing us for the playoffs where nothing gets called.
- stackthepads

His name and reputation.

By...magic?
- jmatchett383

I dunno. I guess it's possible that Malkin's just totally lost all accuracy on his shot forever. That just isn't how things usually happen. But i guess it's possible.

Malkin and Crosby are probably past their peaks, but that doesn't mean that they are just going to go straight from what they were to just trash.

the only solution is to keep sid and malkin and blow the rest up

Sid's crushing it and is the victim of bad luck? OK got it. Rinse, wash, repeat. RW's been saying this for, what, almost a year now? Musta been one hell of a black cat that crossed 87's path in Sochi.

- 87_71_11_29

That's what bothers me... You can say the Olympics were a small sample size or that the playoffs are a small sample size, but don't a bunch of small sample sizes turn into a pattern?

He's not driving to the net like he used to. Whether he is unwilling, or unable because guys are hanging on him more, I don't know.

But those quick chip shots that go in from 8 feet out, don't go in from 15 feet out.

He's shooting as a last resort, so it seems like those shots end up being from bad angles or off balance.

it isnt incredably stupid to want your stars to produce actual points routinely.
- ChrisMS

This... I do not want either traded. Trading either one would be a mistake. But as a fan, you do have the right to want stars to produce something more than possession numbers. Actual wins and points would be a nice addition to the process.

This debate to me is indicative of the great analytic divide in modern hockey. Some fans and writers feel that with analytics everything can be managed and predicted. While others shun analytics to only rely on grit, drive, and energy. Absolutism in either direction to me is foolhardy. I am just not sure i would label you stupid and irrelevant for espousing either opinion. Middle path my friends, middle path.

It also just sucks to see your favorite team lose at such a rate.

If 2-3 more goals had trickled in every game, they'd be running away with the President's Trophy.

But they didn't.
- jmatchett383

I think the premise in the blog was more: "If Letang tucks in that goal, the his career isn't overrated and you're an idiot who shouldn't be listened to".

and Patrick Kane has gone pointless in 22 games. Big deal.

Toews has gone pointless in 24 games. Big deal.

Malkin has 16 pointless.

Backstrom. 21 pointless.

Ovi. 24.
the crosby stat is just stupid and i have seen it cited so much recently.
- poopmouth

Thank you. That crosby stat is meaningless when you put context to it.

What bothers me is the the blind passes. Sid's had so many blind passes get intercepted it's making me physically ill.