Really sounds like you should trade Maatta for DeKeyser. DeKeyser would be a perfect match for JJ.
- Feds91Stammer

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I'm obviously not on the coaching staff but 'cheating' was mentioned in Philbo's after game interviews - "sometimes you cheat sometimes you get lucky sometimes you don't".

I'm thinking that that may be 1 thing Sully may have issues with if the rumours of a fued were correct.

No way in hell would Sprong get away with cheating to much at his young age, especially if it resulted in points against.

It's hard because it got Phil goals yesterday. So if you do & you score you're great. If you do & get scored against you're on Sully's pooplist.

- DeflatedPucks

Phils obviously talking about the PPG hotdog vendor out front of the stadium because everyone's laughing. Must be repeating his threat to the guy after Phils dog wasn't up to scratch!

So Maatta back in tomorrow and Oleksiak is out. Seems about right.

So Maatta back in tomorrow and Oleksiak is out. Seems about right.
- madmike71

Smart move here. Why not try a Määttä-Riikola pairing? It might work.


I don't get the Johnson hate. He hasn't played bad so far. He should stick with a partner and go from there. Schultz hasn't been good defensively and he might not be Johnson's best partner.

Smart move here. Why not try a Määttä-Riikola pairing? It might work.


I don't get the Johnson hate. He hasn't played bad so far. He should stick with a partner and go from there. Schultz hasn't been good defensively and he might not be Johnson's best partner.
- Barnaby36

Maatta and Riikola were practicing together so it looks like that will be the pairing tomorrow. I'm not a fan of Johnson on the right so I don't think they have much choice other than Schultz.

I also think it's going to take time. Only 3 games in.

Maatta and Riikola were practicing together so it looks like that will be the pairing tomorrow. I'm not a fan of Johnson on the right so I don't think they have much choice other than Schultz.

I also think it's going to take time. Only 3 games in.
- madmike71

I know you said it's Maatta/Riikola in practice, but I really hope the do the pairs I mentioned earlier.

Maatta/Letang
Dumo/Johnson
Riikola/Schultz

So Maatta back in tomorrow and Oleksiak is out. Seems about right.
- madmike71

It's good that they are rotating to some extent. Early in the season & hopefully the staff won't lock in certain players as past history suggests.

In saying that, it would be hard for the players to get into a groove if they are shuffled around too much.

Maatta and Riikola were practicing together so it looks like that will be the pairing tomorrow. I'm not a fan of Johnson on the right so I don't think they have much choice other than Schultz.

I also think it's going to take time. Only 3 games in.
- madmike71

Nice. I didn't know they were paired together in practice. Communication won't be a problem at least.

I also liked the idea of putting Määttä with Letang and Dumoulin with Johnson. The Riikola and Schultz pairing would be real good in transition and seems like #50 is good defensively.

I know you said it's Maatta/Riikola in practice, but I really hope the do the pairs I mentioned earlier.

Maatta/Letang
Dumo/Johnson
Riikola/Schultz
- Rinosaur

I'm fine with any pairings at this point because I don't think they've been very good as a group. I don't see Sullivan dropping Dumo off the first pairing however. I'm concerned about JJ playing RD. He doesn't look comfortable handling the puck along the boards on his backhand. Honestly, I think Oleksiak seemed the most comfortable playing RD largely based on his performance last season. Yohe mentioned the same thing.....Oleksiak's best hockey for the Penguins was last year at RD.

So Maatta back in tomorrow and Oleksiak is out. Seems about right.
- madmike71

That's what i expected and would have done... and i also can't see Dumo leaving the first d-pair, so the actions & combinations will be in the other two pairs... really looking to our J³S and Finnish combs vs. Montreal, especially as they have to pay a recent bill.

The D is still a work in progress. As I have stated several times before, Sullivan is sending a message. He first benched Maatta and now Oleksiak. If they don't get the message tonight Shultz will be next then Johnson. The coaching staff has this under control.

How do people feel about the swapping of Rust and Hornqvist? I think it is more of a promotion for Rust than a demotion of Hornqvist. I feel Sullivan is doing this to give Horny a break from the tougher ice time and to also keep him fresher for the long run. Also Brassard seems to like to throw the puck at the net rather than hang onto it. Hornqvist fits with Brassard better than Rust.

Sorry, I didn't mean to kill the blog.

The D is still a work in progress. As I have stated several times before, Sullivan is sending a message. He first benched Maatta and now Oleksiak. If they don't get the message tonight Shultz will be next then Johnson. The coaching staff has this under control.

How do people feel about the swapping of Rust and Hornqvist? I think it is more of a promotion for Rust than a demotion of Hornqvist. I feel Sullivan is doing this to give Horny a break from the tougher ice time and to also keep him fresher for the long run. Also Brassard seems to like to throw the puck at the net rather than hang onto it. Hornqvist fits with Brassard better than Rust.
- Thunderbolt

Horny hasn’t been great through the first three games. Not bad but not great. He had 12 SOG I think. It’s his constant dumping of the puck that drives me nuts. He’s like a robot, see the blue line, dump it in. Cross Center, dump it in. He never tries to make a play that retains possession. Against Price most dump ins are passes to the opposition.

Sorry, I didn't mean to kill the blog.
- Thunderbolt

Thunderbolt the Blog Killa

Horny hasn’t been great through the first three games. Not bad but not great. He had 12 SOG I think. It’s his constant dumping of the puck that drives me nuts. He’s like a robot, see the blue line, dump it in. Cross Center, dump it in. He never tries to make a play that retains possession. Against Price most dump ins are passes to the opposition.
- Thorny87

Yeah.. Old habits die hard...

The D is still a work in progress. As I have stated several times before, Sullivan is sending a message. He first benched Maatta and now Oleksiak. If they don't get the message tonight Shultz will be next then Johnson. The coaching staff has this under control.

How do people feel about the swapping of Rust and Hornqvist? I think it is more of a promotion for Rust than a demotion of Hornqvist. I feel Sullivan is doing this to give Horny a break from the tougher ice time and to also keep him fresher for the long run. Also Brassard seems to like to throw the puck at the net rather than hang onto it. Hornqvist fits with Brassard better than Rust.
- Thunderbolt

I think it's both a demotion and promotion for the respective players. I've never minded Rust in the top 6.

Sorry, I didn't mean to kill the blog.
- Thunderbolt

No worry Thunder, our glasses-wearing boys have just no school tonight.

In preseason a lot people were full of praise for that third line, but now we see how fast things are broken up when expected contribution is not there. The jumping of wingers throughout the lineup will go on all season, especially when injures ramp up... i don't worry about that, Horny will find his game and luck. Let's go Pens&friends!

I would like to see ZAR in for Cullen. Something about that 4th line seems off.

Yeah.. Old habits die hard...
- MattStrat

Yeah you gotta take the good with the bad with Hornqvist. He’s a specialist. A damn good one, but still a specialist.

Yeah you gotta take the good with the bad with Hornqvist. He’s a specialist. A damn good one, but still a specialist.
- Victoro311

Exactly... But man, if he doesn't start banging the them in on the PP or at least become a factor in it, let alone maybe chip in some 5 on 5 which he really stunk at last year.... That contract is... ouch...

Exactly... But man, if he doesn't start banging the them in on the PP or at least become a factor in it, let alone maybe chip in some 5 on 5 which he really stunk at last year.... That contract is... ouch...
- MattStrat

Completely agree... in NHL you sadly get paid for the past in the "wrong age", so its just the hope that his hard-nosed game consolidates on a higher level.