Playing a pressure system is effective if you have top-notch PK forwards and fairly mobile defenseman on the PK. A passive box requires players moving primarily laterally and requires a good understanding of defensive positioning. When you play high pressure, there is much more N-S skating involved with players who must be able to cover ground from a standstill and change direction quickly. In addition, the forwards need to be very adept as defensive hockey as they are pulled further out of their more "stationary" position in the passive box, and must be able to keep themselves accountable.

Both are effective as long as you have the correct personnell.
- jmatchett383

The reason the Pens PK looks so good is Fleury. He is great on the PK and always has been. Probably related to his lateral agility and a larger percentage of shots requires goalies move laterally but I'm just speculating on that. In terms of the shots allowed, Pens haven't been great on the PK and have room for improvement.

The reason the Pens PK looks so good is Fleury. He is great on the PK and always has been. Probably related to his lateral agility and a larger percentage of shots requires goalies move laterally but I'm just speculating on that. In terms of the shots allowed, Pens haven't been great on the PK and have room for improvement.
- jfkst1

Easy there tiger. Several people jumped down my throat when I made this statement a while back. Get ready for an influx of Sutter/Adams/Scuderi apologists.

Kessel scored 30 with Joey freaken Crabb as his center, I think you're safe with Crosby
- the_eye

Agreed that it's safe to think Sid/Kessel will work together but the purpose of my post was to point out that even though them working well together is a safe bet, them not working well together is not out of the realm of possibility(which most Pens fans seem to assume). It's possible that Kessel put up 30 with guys like Bozak/Crabb because he is most comfortable being that lead dog doing the majority of the work while his lesser complementary linemates fill specific roles for him allowing him to succeed. Sid is very similar in that aspect that he's excelled so far in his career by having linemates(Kunitz & Dupuis) that are lesser players but filled specific roles allowing him to maximize his abilities. Their tremendous skill makes it seem like they used easily be able to adapt to the different roles but until they actually play some substantial time together their is no way for sure to know if either or both will still be able to excel in the new role.

Playing a pressure system is effective if you have top-notch PK forwards and fairly mobile defenseman on the PK. A passive box requires players moving primarily laterally and requires a good understanding of defensive positioning. When you play high pressure, there is much more N-S skating involved with players who must be able to cover ground from a standstill and change direction quickly. In addition, the forwards need to be very adept as defensive hockey as they are pulled further out of their more "stationary" position in the passive box, and must be able to keep themselves accountable.

Both are effective as long as you have the correct personnell.
- jmatchett383

I immediately thought of Scuderi.

I guess the downside of the pressure system is that it wears down your PKers. The passive box is almost a timeout sometimes.

At least if he is going to defer, its going to be to one of the best shots on the planet.
I think Crosby benefits the most from the Kessel deal. The book on Crosby has been 2 guys to him, reduce his time and space and remove his shooting lanes, force him to give the puck up to a less dangerous player. Kessel may be the more dangerous player in the offensive zone, teams absolutely can not employ this strategy anymore. I really think the ice is going to open up for Sid and he is going to have more time and space than maybe any other time in his career.
- stackthepads

Who wrote this book you speak of? This is a very common narrative from the fan base but I can't say I've seen it happen very often in live game action. Sid isn't being forced into giving the puck up to lesser players, in many cases he is passing up high quality shots to give the puck up with a unnecessary cross ice pass, as the original poster said especially on the pp. The no doubt that most teams will focus their defensive strength on Crosby no different than what happens to every other star player in the league but the majority of Sid's deferment issues are not forced they are by choice trying to make the perfect play.

Easy there tiger. Several people jumped down my throat when I made this statement a while back. Get ready for an influx of Sutter/Adams/Scuderi apologists.
- Victoro311

Scuderi at this point is awful at the PK. Anyone saying otherwise is brain dead. Adams is alright. Sutter was good because he converted chances offensively- not because he was good at preventing goals/shots.

I guess every team in the NHL have their 3C filled since Goc signed to play in Germany.
- acdc1206

But fancy stats say he's good!

The Penguins should have the best Power Play in the NHL this year if the big guns stay healthy. They have the perfect personnel to run the 1-3-1 Power Play (which Washington runs to perfection, and Johnston literally wrote the book on). Hornqvist as the net front guy, Crosby and Kessell as the half wall guys, Letang as the mid ice point man, and Malkin as the slot player.

Scuderi at this point is awful at the PK. Anyone saying otherwise is brain dead. Adams is alright. Sutter was good because he converted chances offensively- not because he was good at preventing goals/shots.
- jfkst1

HCMJ must be brain dead then. He had Scuderi play the most short handed minutes on the leagues 3rd best PK.

Scuderi at this point is awful at the PK. Anyone saying otherwise is brain dead. Adams is alright. Sutter was good because he converted chances offensively- not because he was good at preventing goals/shots.
- jfkst1

A lot of people on here looked at the results and not the process. They saw third overall PK unit and decided that our PK skaters were elite. If you look deeper that 3rd overall number came from the first half of the season when we were putting up astronomical numbers because Fleury was competing against Price for the honor of best goalie in the league and was by far the best short handed goalie. After fleury came back down to earth we were an above average PK but nothing elite. But (frank) if we don't have some of the best damn PKers this side of the Mississippi

HCMJ must be brain dead then. He had Scuderi play the most short handed minutes on the leagues 3rd best PK.
- willi

Case in point. (frank) us for looking deeper, right?

Remember when some on here thought Goc could handle 3C with no problem?
- Pens_Burgh

He played with Adams and Sill... lets face it, Goc never had a fair chance here anyway.

HCMJ must be brain dead then. He had Scuderi play the most short handed minutes on the leagues 3rd best PK.
- willi

Adams played more on the PK. Johnston probably has to play Scuderi somewhere given his salary. As Fleury is able to cover up a lot on the PK, it only makes sense to have Scuderi out there blocking shots rather than a more useful player. Scuderi is dead last in almost every single meaningful category on the PK these last two years.
http://stats.hockeyanalys...wick&sort=A60&sortdir=ASC

He played with Adams and Sill... lets face it, Goc never had a fair chance here anyway.
- Guile

Goc remains a Better player than Lapierre. Enough said.

Adams played more on the PK. Johnston probably has to play Scuderi somewhere given his salary. As Fleury is able to cover up a lot on the PK, it only makes sense to have Scuderi out there blocking shots rather than a more useful player. Scuderi is dead last in almost every single meaningful category on the PK these last two years.
http://stats.hockeyanalys...wick&sort=A60&sortdir=ASC
- jfkst1

Hey, I wasn't defending Scuderi I was just saying HCMJ played Scuderi the most short handed minutes (more than Adams) last year and I think he has a better feel for the team....1 meaningful stat Scuderi isn't dead last in is his teams rank on the PK

Btw.

Kessel 36 goals 38 assists. 74 pts

Hey, I wasn't defending Scuderi I was just saying HCMJ played Scuderi the most short handed minutes (more than Adams) last year and I think he has a better feel for the team....1 meaningful stat Scuderi isn't dead last in is his teams rank on the PK
- willi

I probably would play him a ton on the PK too if forced to have him on the roster. Doesn't mean he isn't aware of his shortcomings on the PK. It's just the best situation where someone else (Fleury) can compensate for his suckiness more than in other situations.

I probably would play him a ton on the PK too if forced to have him on the roster. Doesn't mean he isn't aware of his shortcomings on the PK. It's just the best situation where someone else (Fleury) can compensate for his suckiness more than in other situations.
- jfkst1

Best way to describe Scuds on the PK... he can't control the play, steal the puck, or pressure the opposing zone... he will let them shoot and block shots. Thats about it

Kessel is amazing on the rush and on the PP - on that alone he'll score like crazy. On the rush he'll stop and curl high in the zone and make tape to tape passes to players driving the net, or a D-man entering the zone for a one timer. That's the best apect of his game. Better than the quick release wristers even - which are pretty awesome.

But he's not offensive zone-end possession or cycling type of player - because he refuses to dig for pucks in the corner.

If the change of scenery gives him some motivation and he plays like he did in our ONLY playoff series against Boston than I could see career highs for both Crosby and Malkin. I remember I saw him push a guy in the corner and come out with the puck. I immediately started calling all my friends: "Did you see that poop? He pushed a guy! He actually went into a corner battle and even came out with a puck! We're gonna win the F'ING CUP!"

Kessel is amazing on the rush and on the PP - on that alone he'll score like crazy. On the rush he'll stop and curl high in the zone and make tape to tape passes to players driving the net, or a D-man entering the zone for a one timer. That's the best apect of his game. Better than the quick release wristers even - which are pretty awesome.

But he's not offensive zone-end possession or cycling type of player - because he refuses to dig for pucks in the corner.

If the change of scenery gives him some motivation and he plays like he did in our ONLY playoff series against Boston than I could see career highs for both Crosby and Malkin. I remember I saw him push a guy in the corner and come out with the puck. I immediately started calling all my friends: "Did you see that poop? He pushed a guy! He actually went into a corner battle and even came out with a puck! We're gonna win the F'ING CUP!"
- Allan Bester

Question... Has your team really been good enough and built to even utilize him in that kind of role though? I get a lot of the hits on him, but considering what he has had around him, how much more could he have done with the Leafs?

When I looked into his defensive stats in Boston and the Leaf's playoff year... lower end 2nd line to high end 3rd line quality. I think that is more than enough to get by with Crosby.


If he just gets a bit lazy and half assed when there is no postseason... Well, (frank) it, stay healthy and who can blame him

Kessel is amazing on the rush and on the PP - on that alone he'll score like crazy. On the rush he'll stop and curl high in the zone and make tape to tape passes to players driving the net, or a D-man entering the zone for a one timer. That's the best apect of his game. Better than the quick release wristers even - which are pretty awesome.

But he's not offensive zone-end possession or cycling type of player - because he refuses to dig for pucks in the corner.

If the change of scenery gives him some motivation and he plays like he did in our ONLY playoff series against Boston than I could see career highs for both Crosby and Malkin. I remember I saw him push a guy in the corner and come out with the puck. I immediately started calling all my friends: "Did you see that poop? He pushed a guy! He actually went into a corner battle and even came out with a puck! We're gonna win the F'ING CUP!"
- Allan Bester

Kessel detractors often over look that Kessel is a big stage preform. He's averaged a point per game in the playoffs in both Boston and Toronto and was one of the few if not the only American player to show up to the Olympics (Parise was certainly nowhere to be found). When he's in a position where he can feel the possibility of success he motivates himself and performs. I think he'll be plenty motivated in Pittsburgh.

No way you play Kessel on the 3rd line. I wouldnt mind these lines going into camp:

Dupuis-Crosby-Kessel
Kunitz-Malkin-Hornqvist
Perron-Bonino/Fehr (when he comes back)-Plotnikov

I would like that to be the top 9. 3 legitimate lines that can score and has that good balance of talent. 4th line is up in the air.

still think we need Franson and would rather address the issue now than have to spend one of our 2nd round picks at the deadline. but i trust Rutherford.

No way you play Kessel on the 3rd line. I wouldnt mind these lines going into camp:

Dupuis-Crosby-Kessel
Kunitz-Malkin-Hornqvist
Perron-Bonino/Fehr (when he comes back)-Plotnikov

I would like that to be the top 9. 3 legitimate lines that can score and has that good balance of talent. 4th line is up in the air.

still think we need Franson and would rather address the issue now than have to spend one of our 2nd round picks at the deadline. but i trust Rutherford.
- SuperHenderson13

I'd rather put Perron with Malkin and Hornqvist. I think Perron-Malkin-Hornqvist is a very good mesh of players' games. If Perrob underperforms we can go from there.

I trust Rutherford is doing everything in his power on the Franson part but I don't think there's a move to be made. Scuderi is just flat out unmoveable until further notice.

I'd rather put Perron with Malkin and Hornqvist. I think Perron-Malkin-Hornqvist is a very good mesh of players' games. If Perrob underperforms we can go from there.

I trust Rutherford is doing everything in his power on the Franson part but I don't think there's a move to be made. Scuderi is just flat out unmoveable until further notice.
- Victoro311

i dont know if I'd say unmovable, but it would be very difficult, but at this point, i dont trust that defense, especially knowing our injury history.

i dont know if I'd say unmovable, but it would be very difficult, but at this point, i dont trust that defense, especially knowing our injury history.
- SuperHenderson13

I don't think anyone trusts that defense but I think our hands are tied. Knowing what we know now, do we buy Scuderi out in July? Its debatable but back then it was tough to justify. I don't blame Rutherford for not buying him out.