Letang always possessed his incredible skating ability. Pouliot (like most) isn't on the same planet. When you see skating like Letang's, you give that player a lot of rope.
Madden was talking about Pouliot the other day and he said he knows for a fact Pens management is very "down" on DP. - madmike71
Yes Letang's skating is incredbile, but Pouliot is actually a very solid skater. That is probably his best asset. And I don't buy anything Madden says, that guys a joke.
If you compare DPs first 59 games in the NHL to Letangs first 59... you'll see that they put up very similar numbers. So there really is no reason to write him off just yet. 22 is still very young in the NHL, being yoyo'd around the NHL and AHL don't help at all.
I remember hearing people female dog about Victor Hedman for YEARS, until he was about 23... when he finally broke out and looked like the guy they hoped he'd become. I kept telling coworkers (when I was working with the Lightning) just give the kid time, he's young, it takes defensemen a while to acclimate to the NHL. Same goes with Pouliot. I wouldn't give up on a cheap, talented 22 year old, even with his "struggles" which are severely overblown IMO.
He hasn't seemed out of place. Other than the two ref incidents he's been pretty solid. - Thorny87
I just wish I saw something great from him to justify his draft position. Like a wicked shot, great skating or exceptional vision. I don't see any of that. I see a guy that skates well enough, but everything else is kinda just meh.
I agree he hasn't seemed out of place, but I'm looking for more than that. Guys like WarSOFsky don't look out of place......but over an extended period of time they prove not to be full time NHL players.
I agree he's young and may need more time and patience, however I'm not sure management is going to give him that. I think he gets dealt this year.
I just wish I saw something great from him to justify his draft position. Like a wicked shot, great skating or exceptional vision. I don't see any of that. I see a guy that skates well enough, but everything else is kinda just meh.
I agree he hasn't seemed out of place, but I'm looking for more than that. Guys like WarSOFsky don't look out of place......but over an extended period of time they prove not to be full time NHL players.
I agree he's young and may need more time and patience, however I'm not sure management is going to give him that. I think he gets dealt this year. - madmike71
Good point. He doesn't seem to excel at any single skill. I think with more time an confidence he MAY result in a good PMD but his time to prove it is now. You can see a glimpse of the heads up player he was in junior, he just doesn't seem all that capable of adjusting to NHL speed.
Yes Letang's skating is incredbile, but Pouliot is actually a very solid skater. That is probably his best asset. And I don't buy anything Madden says, that guys a joke.
If you compare DPs first 59 games in the NHL to Letangs first 59... you'll see that they put up very similar numbers. So there really is no reason to write him off just yet. 22 is still very young in the NHL, being yoyo'd around the NHL and AHL don't help at all.
I remember hearing people female dog about Victor Hedman for YEARS, until he was about 23... when he finally broke out and looked like the guy they hoped he'd become. I kept telling coworkers (when I was working with the Lightning) just give the kid time, he's young, it takes defensemen a while to acclimate to the NHL. Same goes with Pouliot. I wouldn't give up on a cheap, talented 22 year old, even with his "struggles" which are severely overblown IMO. - j.boyd919
Yes exactly completely overblown to the point of ridiculousness. This is a spoiled, doom and gloom, sky is falling fan base. Imagine if they were as bad as the Leafs have been for 6 decades. There definitely would be no franchise in Pittsburgh. This team has accumulated 14 of the last possible 16 points and everyone, Wilson included, are acting like we are on a 12 game losing streak. No team is perfect, not even the golden state warriors.
The ref didn't get in the way. He was in a perfect position. Pouliot had complete control of the puck and was supposed to just skate by. He bobbled the puck at the last second giving the ref no time to react. There's no reason for him to be stickhandling the puck behind the net like that.
There should be very little stickhandling in hockey in general unless you're deking a defender or goalie. This is how hockey is taught now.
Summary. Pouliot's error. Ref was fine exactly where he was. Marner was lucky he lost control of the puck and it landed right on Gardiner stick for an easy tap in. - Njuice
Um yeah. Whatever. Ref was in the way and shouldnt have been. Doesnt mean Poulliot was without fault... But Ref was in the way
I just see less and less reason for Jakey to be in the AHL, he's eating them alive down there. Bring him up for good. Lukas Bengsston is really coming on as of late, still think we have something there, he was dominant in the Sept tournament. Blueger has been good defensively but he has no figured out the offensive side yet. Lots of time though.
Sucks losing to the Leafs, but a point is a point when Letang isn't in the lineup. Any points that we can pick up over the next few weeks is a win, especially with how tight the Met is right now. Not worried we won't make the playoffs, but I really want to win the Met this year and give ourselves the easiest possible rout to the Finals given how much hockey this squad has played over the last year.
Sucks losing to the Leafs, but a point is a point when Letang isn't in the lineup. Any points that we can pick up over the next few weeks is a win, especially with how tight the Met is right now. Not worried we won't make the playoffs, but I really want to win the Met this year and give ourselves the easiest possible rout to the Finals given how much hockey this squad has played over the last year. - Victoro311
I don't really think winning the division makes it an easy route. With the way the season is going, the 2 wild cards could come out of the metro AND be better than the 2nd and 3rd place teams in the atlantic.
Yes Letang's skating is incredbile, but Pouliot is actually a very solid skater. That is probably his best asset. And I don't buy anything Madden says, that guys a joke.
If you compare DPs first 59 games in the NHL to Letangs first 59... you'll see that they put up very similar numbers. So there really is no reason to write him off just yet. 22 is still very young in the NHL, being yoyo'd around the NHL and AHL don't help at all.
I remember hearing people female dog about Victor Hedman for YEARS, until he was about 23... when he finally broke out and looked like the guy they hoped he'd become. I kept telling coworkers (when I was working with the Lightning) just give the kid time, he's young, it takes defensemen a while to acclimate to the NHL. Same goes with Pouliot. I wouldn't give up on a cheap, talented 22 year old, even with his "struggles" which are severely overblown IMO. - j.boyd919
Mark Madden has a tested IQ of 166, he is a bonafide G and a certified stud.
I'm all for giving DP his look this year while we're down a couple of Dmen, but I'm not convinced he's an NHL player yet. - madmike71
I'm not convinced he ever will be. He lasks the single, easiest quality that any athlete from any age group with any level of skill can have. The willingness to work hard and hustle. I think he is dumb as rocks too
I just wish I saw something great from him to justify his draft position. Like a wicked shot, great skating or exceptional vision. I don't see any of that. I see a guy that skates well enough, but everything else is kinda just meh.
I agree he hasn't seemed out of place, but I'm looking for more than that. Guys like WarSOFsky don't look out of place......but over an extended period of time they prove not to be full time NHL players.
I agree he's young and may need more time and patience, however I'm not sure management is going to give him that. I think he gets dealt this year. - madmike71
This isn't our managements. Its league wide. I think one of the best bang for the buck moves a team can make is trading for high potential failed 1st round pick defenseman. Too many are late bloomers and cheaper to acquire when they are older but viewed as "failed". Better than drafting a guy in the 1st round and waiting 5-7 years (at which point you might give up).
This isn't our managements. Its league wide. I think one of the best bang for the buck moves a team can make is trading for high potential failed 1st round pick defenseman. Too many are late bloomers and cheaper to acquire when they are older but viewed as "failed". Better than drafting a guy in the 1st round and waiting 5-7 years (at which point you might give up). - sditulli
I mentioned MM's name earlier and got laughed at. I don't like him either, but I can't deny he has legit insight on the Pens. It's not just him saying our management has cooled on DP. Yohe, DK have mentioned similar things.
I think if there's a deal to made to improve this years roster, I could easily see DP added as a sweetener. It's just an opinion. Some people get upset around here when you offer an opposing opinion.
I mentioned MM's name earlier and got laughed at. I don't like him either, but I can't deny he has legit insight on the Pens. It's not just him saying our management has cooled on DP. Yohe, DK have mentioned similar things.
I think if there's a deal to made to improve this years roster, I could easily see DP added as a sweetener. It's just an opinion. Some people get upset around here when you offer an opposing opinion. - madmike71
I mentioned MM's name earlier and got laughed at. I don't like him either, but I can't deny he has legit insight on the Pens. It's not just him saying our management has cooled on DP. Yohe, DK have mentioned similar things.
I think if there's a deal to made to improve this years roster, I could easily see DP added as a sweetener. It's just an opinion. Some people get upset around here when you offer an opposing opinion. - madmike71
I would need a legit reason to throw DP in as a sweetener. The gogo-neal trade probably gets done without including nisky. No reason to just throw away lottery tickets. The whitney-Kunitz trade probably needing them to add. Top 4 dman worth more than top 6 forward.
I mentioned MM's name earlier and got laughed at. I don't like him either, but I can't deny he has legit insight on the Pens. It's not just him saying our management has cooled on DP. Yohe, DK have mentioned similar things.
I think if there's a deal to made to improve this years roster, I could easily see DP added as a sweetener. It's just an opinion. Some people get upset around here when you offer an opposing opinion. - madmike71
Oh I wasnt laughing at you by any means. I just personally think madden is a joke. He never actually offers insight on hockey, makes broad generalizations that normally wrong or just dumb. And when people call him out for his bullpoop, he can't come up with a valid argument other than "I'm right, you're wrong. That's why I get paid and you don't." It's absurd. I've heard the guys from the pens blog call his show and call him out on his bullpoop and he has no retort.
I mentioned MM's name earlier and got laughed at. I don't like him either, but I can't deny he has legit insight on the Pens. It's not just him saying our management has cooled on DP. Yohe, DK have mentioned similar things.
I think if there's a deal to made to improve this years roster, I could easily see DP added as a sweetener. It's just an opinion. Some people get upset around here when you offer an opposing opinion. - madmike71
MM is a turnd that's into shock journalism. That doesn't make him dumb (probably quite the opposite actually because he knows what sells), but it does mean I'm gonna take the stuff he says with a massive grain of salt. DK is an opinionated person and he is very vocal about not liking Pouliot at all, so when it comes to DP, I'll take what he says with a grain of salt as well. Yohe, on the other hand, is a straight shooter, and is a pretty objective guy who gives everyone a fair shake. When he's talking about DP being in hot water, there's something to it.
Oh I wasnt laughing at you by any means. I just personally think madden is a joke. He never actually offers insight on hockey, makes broad generalizations that normally wrong or just dumb. And when people call him out for his bullpoop, he can't come up with a valid argument other than "I'm right, you're wrong. That's why I get paid and you don't." It's absurd. I've heard the guys from the pens blog call his show and call him out on his bullpoop and he has no retort. - j.boyd919
This is exactly what I thought, before I started listening to him. Listen to him throughout the whole year, youll realize that you can probably count on one hand, how many people in the city are more knowledgeable of the sport. Yea he acts like a Richard, but its just a "character". And in the past 2 years no one has called him from the pens blog. The only one who will only jokingly call him on anything is DK.
This is exactly what I thought, before I started listening to him. Listen to him throughout the whole year, youll realize that you can probably count on one hand, how many people in the city are more knowledgeable of the sport. Yea he acts like a Richard, but its just a "character". And in the past 2 years no one has called him from the pens blog. The only one who will only jokingly call him on anything is DK. - joecool2931
April 2015
I've tried to listen to him for years, and every time he's just annoying, and usually has terrible opinions or extremely general opinions that don't say anything. During the playoffs last I listened to him everday because, unfortunately, he's the only guy who talks about the Pens and holy (frank) was it brutal. The guys a donkey.
I've tried to listen to him for years, and every time he's just annoying, and usually has terrible opinions or extremely general opinions that don't say anything. During the playoffs last I listened to him everday because, unfortunately, he's the only guy who talks about the Pens and holy (frank) was it brutal. The guys a donkey. - j.boyd919
He clearly admitted he didn't know who to trade for. And unless you're part of the general management for an organization there is no way of knowing who is available, who is being shopped or who is being shopped for. So how can you be any more specific than saying "we need to get rid of this player"' or "we need to get this type of player". And for as long as I remember he has been saying youth over age, play the young guys over acquiring old vets, grow through your draft picks and prospects. We did exactly that last year, literally verbatim, and look where we are now. and there is no pens analyst/journalist that is closer to the people inside of the organization than him, so as a fan with no ties to any inside information, he is without a doubt, the best source of information. He may be an ass on the air but that is just part of the show. And hell he coined the "HBK Line".
