I am not blowing up the entire team, I am blowing up the supposed "core". Maybe this is not the year to follow the Pens while they are being anchored by the contracts of Scuderi, Kunitz, and no matter how much I love him, Duper. But the top 3 guys need to be held accountable. They are not being held accountable. This is on FO/GM/Coach/Captain Golden Boy. Run them all out.

I miss Ian Moran, Marty Straka days

Ok. Seacrest out ... for now.
- chimpira

Any team who trades their captain is blowing up the team. The coach is the one who is supposed to hold those players accountable. So because he is not why not replace him before trading key players? Its the common sense thing to do. Now if you want to trade Kunitz or Duper I'm all for it. If you want to leave Scuds in a different city after an away game with no way back to Pittsburgh I'm all for it. But you are giving up on the core far to soon. If a new coach that actual has some stones comes in and cant fix it then it'd be worth discussing.

100% right on.
The thing that bothers me most about this team is the puck movement. Either the team is in a system they are incapable of succeeding in or they don't understand what they are supposed to be doing.
Even teams with few talented individuals like TOR move the puck with far greater efficiency than the Pens.
This team can't move the puck at all unless someone like Malkin takes it from the d zone to the o zone. The team remains incapable of consistently moving the puck. There's no excuse for that after 17 games.
- jfkst1

Thats the thing for me. Johnstons past systems have been around effective puck movement through the defense. They just simply dont have the players for that. So his system is null with this roster. Its like trying to make a house cat as deadly as a lion. Just not gonna happen with what you have.

Ok people, moral dilemma...

Family friend selling some seats in his season tickets... he wanted 80 a ticket. Not bad seats, however looking at stubhub and such, I can get surrounding seats for 20 less.

Do I tell him his prices are bad, or just decline buying some this year?


edit: Before some saying just a certain game... checked the first 4 games he had listed of about 14. :/

Any team who trades their captain is blowing up the team. The coach is the one who is supposed to hold those players accountable. So because he is not why not replace him before trading key players? Its the common sense thing to do. Now if you want to trade Kunitz or Duper I'm all for it. If you want to leave Scuds in a different city after an away game with no way back to Pittsburgh I'm all for it. But you are giving up on the core far to soon. If a new coach that actual has some stones comes in and cant fix it then it'd be worth discussing.
- Zac_O

Neither Bylsma nor Johnston held the players accountable. Therrien tried and was laughed out of town. Perhaps the Pens are un-coachable? Perhaps the best they can do is to led Sid coach the team.

Ok people, moral dilemma...

Family friend selling some seats in his season tickets... he wanted 80 a ticket. Not bad seats, however looking at stubhub and such, I can get surrounding seats for 20 less.

Do I tell him his prices are bad, or just decline buying some this year?
- Guile

If you're a good friend, you should tell him his prices are too high.

If you're a good friend, you should tell him his prices are too high.
- chimpira

Ok dilemma #2... I am not a good friend to this guy

Ok dilemma #2... I am not a good friend to this guy
- Guile

Heh. then no dilemma at all. Tell him "no thanks" and buy elsewhere.

Neither Bylsma nor Johnston held the players accountable. Therrien tried and was laughed out of town. Perhaps the Pens are un-coachable? Perhaps the best they can do is to led Sid coach the team.
- chimpira

Lemieux ran Scotty Bowman off the ice in practice. Its a cultural make up of the Pens. How many good teams are on their 4th coach in 6 years?

Lemieux ran Scotty Bowman off the ice in practice. Its a cultural make up of the Pens. How many good teams are on their 4th coach in 6 years?
- sammy87

How many teams had the best player in the NHL that you had to cater to?

Lemieux ran Scotty Bowman off the ice in practice. Its a cultural make up of the Pens. How many good teams are on their 4th coach in 6 years?
- sammy87

Well, then the only way to do it is to stop the Golden Boy/entitled/face of the franchise mentality. And that probably starts with the new Front Office.

I kept thinking to wait and see the improvements Clendening/Pouliot could have on the roster before firing Johnston. But slowly I realized Johnston is the problem in the first place.

MJ saying we need to get more scoring from the defense and then playing Scuds over Clendening

Saying he didnt want Clendening to sit too long --- its now been over a month

Sticking with Letang and Cole way too long

Guys in the locker room frustrated

Not playing the system the way they should be -- yes this can be blamed on Johnston

A terrible powerplay

Many issues dating back to last season, even after a big change in roster composition

=

I'm OVER the MJ experiement, just fire him before the season gets past us.

Ive been wondering if they became to accustomed to Byslma's system and the emphasis on the stretch passing which opened up the ice more and gave their elite ability the opportunity to shine. Now that it has been over simplified to a more defensive approach they feel stifled and claustrophobic. They seem to always make some ridiculous passes connect on the fly but when the game is slowed down and dependent on the transition, they don't seem comfortable making the moves needed.

The ability to adapt to me has always been their achilles heal. When we played the flyers in the playoffs, we couldn't adapt to what they threw at us. When injuries occurred they had a hard time adapting at times. When center ice is clogged, they don't adapt to that well. When the goalie is playing out of his mind and stopping all parameter shots, they don't adapt and charge the net instead. Thats a coaching issue as well as a player issue.
- Reverend Killtaker

DP has 10 points in 12 games... has he improved at all since the beginning of the year or still inconsistent?

I kept thinking to wait and see the improvements Clendening/Pouliot could have on the roster before firing Johnston. But slowly I realized Johnston is the problem in the first place.

MJ saying we need to get more scoring from the defense and then playing Scuds over Clendening

Saying he didnt want Clendening to sit too long --- its now been over a month

Sticking with Letang and Cole way too long

Guys in the locker room frustrated

Not playing the system the way they should be -- yes this can be blamed on Johnston

A terrible powerplay

Many issues dating back to last season, even after a big change in roster composition

=

I'm OVER the MJ experiement, just fire him before the season gets past us.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Who is at fault for playing Scuderi in back-to-backs while you have Clendenning? Is it on the coach, GM, FO? I am guessing in the NHL, it's the coach that makes the roster decisions. That said, there must be something else going on here - I mean, we are freaking amateurs and can see Scuderi's show every freaking game. What is going on here? Something ain't right?

Ok, I think everyone is missing what I am trying to say. Look at our forecheck. I mean it exists, yes the guys throw their bodies from time to time. But those checks by Perron and Sid do no damage whatsoever.

Also, Sid with his signature move of getting into the zone, then looping right, and the backhanding a blind pass - it's in every other team's curriculum now. YAWN!
- chimpira

I have to say I'm having a hard time understanding the point you are trying to make, in 1 post you talk about checking to separate the puck and now in this post you are talking about checking to inflict damage. Which one is it because they are 2 completely different mindsets and have completely different effects on the game? Checking to separate the puck is a hockey play that takes a certain level of skill to execute properly and has a great impact on the game, checking to inflict damage is a talentless play that requires no skill once so ever and has next to no impact on the game.

I have to say I'm having a hard time understanding the point you are trying to make, in 1 post you talk about checking to separate the puck and now in this post you are talking about checking to inflict damage. Which one is it because they are 2 completely different mindsets and have completely different effects on the game? Checking to separate the puck is a hockey play that takes a certain level of skill to execute properly and has a great impact on the game, checking to inflict damage is a talentless play that requires no skill once so ever and has next to no impact on the game.
- jaydogg1974

I am talking about separating players from the puck. Our forecheck sucks donkey turds. But in fairness, the Pens can't do either.

My use of word "damage" was not correct. I meant "effectiveness", "result". Cheers for checking it. I tend to write too fast when I am angry.

I agree. And the first thing to do to fix it is get a coach that will put them in there place so they either play the system and play better or ruin their own careers. If the choose the later the pens are f'ed this season. But its much more likley the first happens.
- Zac_O

Why would the first be more likely? This is now the 3rd time in the Crosby/Malkin era that they've basically turned on a coach so I would say it's more likely that if they don't like what the new coach is doing they will turn on him and he will be gone as well. Players have all the power and coaches are powerless in professional sports.

Neither Bylsma nor Johnston held the players accountable. Therrien tried and was laughed out of town. Perhaps the Pens are un-coachable? Perhaps the best they can do is to led Sid coach the team.
- chimpira

If they are uncoachable the problem is more than sid and they would need to move 3-5 guys. That is blowing up the team. Not something you do when the talent is there but effort isn't.

Why would the first be more likely? This is now the 3rd time in the Crosby/Malkin era that they've basically turned on a coach so I would say it's more likely that if they don't like what the new coach is doing they will turn on him and he will be gone as well. Players have all the power and coaches are powerless in professional sports.
- jaydogg1974

I guess I only see the first as more likley as my bias opinion. I'm not against the improbable move of trading sid but you first get a new coach then talk about that. That's common sense. Also this coach hasnt been here long. It could be they never liked him to start with and now its showing.

I am freaking mad! think I enjoyed the late 90s/early 2000's play more than this. I'm not even from Pittsburgh. Saw Mario's first year and have been a huge Pens fan since, but this product out there now - I do not like at all.
- chimpira

Thank you, I whole-heartedly agree. I'm not frustrated at losing or being slightly above 500, I'm tired of the lack of effort! I agree with your comments and miss the Straka/Lang/Kovelev/Hrdina guys who busted their butts to get plays and score goals. The term "country club" may as well be defined by this team as currently constructed.

No more kowtowing to Sid or anyone else. I disagree with moving Malkin as he is probably the only one of the core who seems to still be interested in winning. I give Letang a slight break if only because he's had absolute anchors paired with him all season and he's being asked to do a bit too much in my opinion (minutes wise).

I want a new coach that isn't scared of Mario or Mario Jr., fire Tocchet (no friends in business) and then get the ball rolling the right way with effort and hustle. I feel like I haven't seen any board battles all season by this team.

I don't want to pile on Kessel but someone posted about him not having any snipe-type goals and I do agree, it's weird his lack of a one-timer hurts on the PP and yet he doesn't seem willing to snipe at all, which is supposedly his bread and butter. That being said at least he appears to be giving effort unlike the other 15 (I exclude Letang, Malking and Kessel so far).

Also any news on Horny?

Ok people, moral dilemma...

Family friend selling some seats in his season tickets... he wanted 80 a ticket. Not bad seats, however looking at stubhub and such, I can get surrounding seats for 20 less.

Do I tell him his prices are bad, or just decline buying some this year?


edit: Before some saying just a certain game... checked the first 4 games he had listed of about 14. :/
- Guile

I've been in that situation on both ends, tell him about the prices but also make sure you take into account the fees on sites like Stubhub, a ticket listed at $60 is actually closer to $70 after the fees.

I am talking about separating players from the puck. Our forecheck sucks donkey turds. But in fairness, the Pens can't do either.

My use of word "damage" was not correct. I meant "effectiveness", "result". Cheers for checking it. I tend to write too fast when I am angry.
- chimpira

I completely agree with you point now that I understand it better.

Fire the coach.

Dump a winger for a defenseman who can move the puck.

Well, then the only way to do it is to stop the Golden Boy/entitled/face of the franchise mentality. And that probably starts with the new Front Office.
- chimpira

The problem is that the Golden Boy/face of the franchise is what keeps the casual fan and rich suits in the seats. Sure the diehards are more concerned with winning but we are unfortunately in the minority and the NHL is a business first. They will make make the decisions that make the most financial sense and that means continuing to cater to your meal tickets.

My reason for firing HCMJ is simple - every time when asked about in-game adjustments, his #1 thing to do is to change lines. Not the style of play/strategy - lines. If by this time in the season the Head Coach can not figure out whom to play with whom, he is clueless. Same for the PP split. THAT was his strategy, let's take more offensive weapons off the top PP unit and split Sid and Geno.

We basically got shutout in two straight games - the Horny goal was not really a snipe by a redirect. The poor guy got lucky. I would have fired him over the weekend.

I sure am glad I am not paying these guys' salaries.

Well, then the only way to do it is to stop the Golden Boy/entitled/face of the franchise mentality. And that probably starts with the new Front Office.
- chimpira

Grief has a multi faceted but predictable pattern. The anger stage can be clearly seen in spontaneous, unpredictable, emotional outbursts.

It is an essential stage that always proceeds acceptance. In this case, most Pens fans realize, but do not yet fully accept this is no longer an elite team. The competitive window of opportunity is near closed. Fan anger is clearly measurable. But, also, the hurt, the sense of loss, not unlike the loss of close friend is near the surface. But, we don't understand the depth of our sadness so we allow ourselves to be angry rather than feel the more painful hurt of the loss.