Have you ever seen him play? If so what exactly about BB says talent? He is extremely weak on the puck, can't generate anything on his own, 0 physicality to his game. For a 3rd liner there is nothing there. Believe me, I wish the Pens had some internally developed talent, they just don't.
- sammy87

I think he has a good hockey IQ and has a good shot. Hes still a young kid. Id rather give him more time to fail than ship him off before we see what he has.

Definitely cant disagree about his physicality. He needs to put on like 20 lbs of muscle and hit the weights a ton. But I also think we cant expect a guy to be physical just because we put him on the 3rd line. Thats why I want him out there with Spaling and Downie. 2 scorers, and 2 slammers.

I do disagree that he cant do anything by himself. Whatever game it was where he had 9 shots shows that he has that ability. But when youre a young kid thrown on the 3rd line and you have less than mediocre talent dragging you down, its going to be hard to produce.

Think about this:

In 1985/86, Wayne Gretzky had 22 more assists than anyone else had points.

Now, yes, some of that can be attributed to playing with Jari Kurri and Glenn Anderson. But when you compare Lemieux's linemates (during his 160-point season) of Jagr and Stevens...they're not too bad either.

Im pretty sure you are right. With the way his face got busted up, can only imagine he would have a hard time snorting anything. There were hookers too, but then again there always are.
- Rawdog9755

There are a lot of people who know a lot about hockey who would argue that blaming the bottom 6 is a stupid argument when you have so much invested in your top 6 and they are not getting the job done.

Pens scored 1 goal last night...1

3 in three games

Isn't the expectation that your top six should get you at least 2 a game?

Isn't the problem really that guys in the top six are NOT playing like top 6 guys night n and night out?

Blame it on Spaling...Sutter...whoever that's not in the top 6...ha...that's a real joke.

No, but just pointing out that a collection of players like that rivals what the 80s Oilers had. Great players are great players in any era.
- jmatchett383

No denying that at all. Those 3 years were great for the Pens. Then what 5 years later they trade Jagr for Kris Beech?

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

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll consider that.

Would you read my blog if I sent it to you? Apparently you like my material

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll consider that.

Would you read my blog if I sent it to you? Apparently you like my material
- 87_71_11_29

No, not enough Ws... too many Rs and Ls...

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

Best player in the game doesn't go that many games w/o scoring. Just cant.

Sid is supposedly better than all of those guys you list.

I guess I'm the only one who still has high expectations of him and is tired of making excuses for him.

Relative to his past performance and also his contract, he aint cutting it. Period.

And no I'm not singling him out for the teams funk. Just sayin he deserves to be somewhere on the blame list also.

If you took away a top 4 dman like Maatta from any NHL team, they would have a hole in their defense too though.
- jfkst1

aside from letang, imo he was your best defenseman. that's a tough loss for sure.

No denying that at all. Those 3 years were great for the Pens. Then what 5 years later they trade Jagr for Kris Beech?
- sammy87

Don't forget Sivek and Lupaschuk....worst trade ever !!!

No, not enough Ws... too many Rs and Ls...
- Guile

My blogs:

www.krypkieluvspucks.com

www.nickkrypkios.com

www.whatwouldwagrdwo.com (bartley has an account here)

www.swidneycwosbywisovewated.com

My blogs:

www.krypkieluvspucks.com

www.nickkrypkios.com

www.whatwouldwagrdwo.com (bartley has an account here)

www.swidneycwosbywisovewated.com
- 87_71_11_29

Something must be wrong with the filters at work... all are coming off as 404 webpage errors.

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


- Isles_since_6

Bigger question...

Which one is 87 and which is 71?

The explosion in the background is the Metro Division.

No, but just pointing out that a collection of players like that rivals what the 80s Oilers had. Great players are great players in any era.
- jmatchett383

Ok, so Mario's "Hodgkins season" doesn't trump Gretzky's best, what about '88-'89? 199 Points(210 point pace), 79 PP points and 18 SH points with NO supporting cast. Besides Coffey and 2 months of rookies Stevens and Recchi, that team consisted of Brown, Quinn, Errey, Cullen, Cunneyworth, Bourque, Hannan, Loney, Caufield,, Frawley, Callander up front. Not much of a collection there and dare I say that I doubt #99 sniffs 200 points with that team...especially considering Mario as the sole weapon was double and triple covered all season long.

He fits better in Philadelphia. Trust me. The last thing the Pens need is a malcontent like him.
- Oneonta Penguin

He's soft and heartless, a perfect fit in the Berg.

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.
- rival22

You're preaching to the choir dude. I've been saying this is no longer "a small sample" size regarding 87's funk. It spans an entire calendar year!

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll consider that.

Would you read my blog if I sent it to you? Apparently you like my material
- 87_71_11_29

I would. I think that while I dont agree with a lot of what you say, you write well and make clear points that seem to be well thought out.

There are a lot of people who know a lot about hockey who would argue that blaming the bottom 6 is a stupid argument when you have so much invested in your top 6 and they are not getting the job done.

Pens scored 1 goal last night...1

3 in three games

Isn't the expectation that your top six should get you at least 2 a game?

Isn't the problem really that guys in the top six are NOT playing like top 6 guys night n and night out?

Blame it on Spaling...Sutter...whoever that's not in the top 6...ha...that's a real joke.
- icedog97

yes but it's all connected , if the bottom six can score that it takes pressure off the top six. the other team is now worried about other lines and the top two lines will have more space and possibly better match ups, it's a TEAM effort and it takes four viable lines to win a cup now.

Something must be wrong with the filters at work... all are coming off as 404 webpage errors.
- Guile

I think we got played! I was like well these are odd page names, but Ill give em a shot lol.

Bigger question...

Which one is 87 and which is 71?

The explosion in the background is the Metro Division.
- 87_71_11_29

Malkin is definitely Batman.

Best player in the game doesn't go that many games w/o scoring. Just cant.

Sid is supposedly better than all of those guys you list.

I guess I'm the only one who still has high expectations of him and is tired of making excuses for him.

Relative to his past performance and also his contract, he aint cutting it. Period.

And no I'm not singling him out for the teams funk. Just sayin he deserves to be somewhere on the blame list also.
- 87_71_11_29

It's not like Sid's the 1 going around saying he's the best. Maybe he is maybe he isn't. Would anybody last year say OV was the best or close to it? And it's not like Sid is getting paid way more than the mentioned players. By next year Sid will be only ahead of Backstrom for salary among mentioned players.

He's soft and heartless, a perfect fit in the Berg.
- BulliesPhan87

In all fairness, Soft and heartless is the only way to survive a Pittsburgh winter.

I agree that Lemieux had a great season. Heck, I saw him play that year and it was amazing. But Gretzky 81/82 and 85/86 season are still the best because, as much as Lemieux COULD HAVE put up those numbers, he didn't. No matter the reason's, he didn't.
- jmatchett383

I hate that argument! The game was a lot different in '93 compared to the early to mid-eighties. 160 in 60 with cancer and chemo! That's insane! Someone posted a week or so ago that when he came back against the Flyers till the end of the season he put up something like 54 in 15.

Edit: 56 in 20. That's a projected 224 over 80 AFTER chemo.
Dead horse beaten.

damnit brother bullies -_-
- Guile

"The people who think Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang are the problem don't matter. Don't listen to them. They are stupid, so incredibly stupid." -RW

Ryan, please send me your address so I can mail you a copy of this:



Your content is often compelling and instructive, if you weren't such a jagoff in terms of the condescending, insulting method of your delivery, maybe people might have more respect for your hard work. Just my $.02, but your delivery makes a lot of people want to tune you out, myself included.

I happen to agree the Pens absolutely need better players in the bottom 6 to take the pressure off the stars, *but* to completely absolve 87/71/58 of the blame is incredibly myopic on your part. Here's why: The bottom 6 guys don't play on the powerplay, the STARS DO. This is a team that because of the noted shortcomings in its construction, NEEDS to score powerplay goals to win. You can show all the HERO/Corsi/Fenwick graphs and number you want, and you would be correct in the stance that Crosby and Malkin are driving possession and are playing well at even strength. That's great, but at some point you need to score goals too, and there is a DIRECT correlation to the Penguins success early in the year record-wise and their success on the PP. Since the PP has fallen off the cliff, they have been incredibly mediocre in terms of record. Bottom line is they are playing good hockey 5 on 5 for the most part, and losing on the play of special teams, ESPECIALLY the PP. If the Pens cash in and score a powerplay goal in any of the last 3 games, they likely win ALL 3 and we are talking about how they are turning the corner. This is where your stars are supposed to shine. And by the way, if your powerplay is a threat, it keeps the other teams honest in terms of taking liberties too.

I don't think by any means that the Pens struggles is ALL the fault of the stars, but based on the failure of the PP they have at least a significant amount of culpability and they should not be given a pass.

I guess this stance makes me incredibly stupid. So be it.
- Emperor Filonius

Bazinga!

Spot f-ing on!