I will say this after watching DeSmith live last night I was impressed. Similarly with Pettersson, who looked fairly comfortable and poised.

JJ does generally look lost though, the people I was at the game with agreed.

I'm losing patience with ZAR, man Simon and Horny can't get back soon enough. Also was noticing Pearson everywhere last night, he's certainly not Horny but he was giving that game everything he had.

I have to say as no-frills as the arena is, it's LOUD. Significantly moreso than Brooklyn. There is at least a home-ice advantage for them there.
- iworkatinitech

Home ice advantage being the other more skilled team can't complete passes over 10 feet without the puck skipping and jumping.

I think Maatta is gone too, but we have so many defensemen at this point, we still need to get rid of one more this offseason probably. The cap implications of carrying eight defensemen is bad.
- Victoro311

It sounds like the likelihood of there being some sort of lock-out is inevitable, so hopefully the new CBA will allow the Pens to buyout JJ.

It sounds like the likelihood of there being some sort of lock-out is inevitable, so hopefully the new CBA will allow the Pens to buyout JJ.
- Rinosaur

Will they even do it if they can? I don't think Sullivan is as enamored with JJ as Rutherford but The Old Man really put it all on the line to sign this dude in the face of pretty much unanimous criticism. Even all the most enthusiastic beat guys could say was "Well, Rutherford has earned our trust, so we'll see how it goes. It will definitely make Sid happy, and that's worth something." This isn't Hunwick where a blah contract was given to a blah player that casual fans didn't really feel one way or another about. This was a really bad contract that pretty much everyone hated. There's a lot of JR's personal honor tied to this one and I'm not sure he won't double down on it given a chance.

I have to give credit where credit is due. The Islanders actually became a better team without JT in the lineup.

Last night's game was so sloppy with that terrible ice and not having Horn and Simon in the lineup definitely hurts this team, but the Pens played well despite some gnarly mistakes.

DeSmith IMO is really starting to make a case for himself. He's been quite impressive and while he still has a long road, I feel better about him.
- Rinosaur

They are definitely not a better team without Tavares. Bottom 6 in shot attempts. Bottom 10 in scoring chances. Middle of the pack in high danger chances. Top 3 in PDO.

A few peeps here don't like Simon. He may be over his head a bit as a first liner but he does a lot of things well and is holding his own. With Rust being a complete no show offensively his value to the team is even higher.

Actually I left off how good Dea looked last night, he was FLYING everywhere. All of the Isles fans near me kept asking who he was...

As much grief as Maatta gets here, and yes he's extremely slow back there, I still think he's one of the better defenders on the team (probably not saying much considering). Just my opinion. From what I've seen it's: Letang>Dumo>Schultz>Maatta>Pettersson>Ruw>Olek>JJ

A few peeps here don't like Simon. He may be over his head a bit as a first liner but he does a lot of things well and is holding his own. With Rust being a complete no show offensively his value to the team is even higher.
- Thorny87

The Simon hate perplexes me. He's supposed to be a bottom six skill guy and has done nothing but preform admirably whenever he's called on to do more. He's a great value contract.

A few peeps here don't like Simon. He may be over his head a bit as a first liner but he does a lot of things well and is holding his own. With Rust being a complete no show offensively his value to the team is even higher.
- Thorny87

I don’t think he’s over his head in the first line at all. I think he plays well with Sid. 13 points in 26 games is solid. (Even though I know not all were on the first line.)

They are definitely not a better team without Tavares. Bottom 6 in shot attempts. Bottom 10 in scoring chances. Middle of the pack in high danger chances. Top 3 in PDO.
- j.boyd919

From the eye test they seem be a tougher team to pay against, but if the PDO is that high I guess it's just a matter of time.

Will they even do it if they can? I don't think Sullivan is as enamored with JJ as Rutherford but The Old Man really put it all on the line to sign this dude in the face of pretty much unanimous criticism. Even all the most enthusiastic beat guys could say was "Well, Rutherford has earned our trust, so we'll see how it goes. It will definitely make Sid happy, and that's worth something." This isn't Hunwick where a blah contract was given to a blah player that casual fans didn't really feel one way or another about. This was a really bad contract that pretty much everyone hated. There's a lot of JR's personal honor tied to this one and I'm not sure he won't double down on it given a chance.
- Victoro311

Yeah, I'm honestly not sure if they'd buy him out. I only hope they would. I hate to say it, but the fact Petterson is playing well and propping JJ up it may mask his issues and make it look like he's adjusting.

I notice JJ making solid individual plays, but when it comes to playing as a unit he's as lost as can be.

I don’t think he’s over his head in the first line at all. I think he plays well with Sid. 13 points in 26 games is solid. (Even though I know not all were on the first line.)
- j.boyd919

Does he have much time with Geno? I do think his game meshes well with Sid's sorta like Duper. Geno is understandably frustrated. Getting Phil back will help but he's still trying to do too much on his own IMO.

From the eye test they seem be a tougher team to pay against, but if the PDO is that high I guess it's just a matter of time.
- Rinosaur

I feel like when a team is winning the eye has a tendency to gravitate to the positives. The Ders are scoring goals and winning right now so watching that fourth line of theirs is frustrating as hell. I bet if they were losing we'd all notice how they live in their own zone and can't generate any transition game on a consistent basis.

The Simon hate perplexes me. He's supposed to be a bottom six skill guy and has done nothing but preform admirably whenever he's called on to do more. He's a great value contract.
- Victoro311

Perplexes me as well. I think sometimes when a player with a lower projection comes in people have a hard time believing they will stick regardless of how well they play.

I feel like when a team is winning the eye has a tendency to gravitate to the positives. The Ders are scoring goals and winning right now so watching that fourth line of theirs is frustrating as hell. I bet if they were losing we'd all notice how they live in their own zone and can't generate any transition game on a consistent basis.
- Victoro311

Probably. They just look more like a unit to me than when JT was there and maybe that's because they no longer have one single person to rely on.

I mean, even Ladd was off to his best start as an Islander before getting injured .

Probably. They just look more like a unit to me than when JT was there and maybe that's because they no longer have one single person to rely on.

I mean, even Ladd was off to his best start as an Islander before getting injured .
- Rinosaur

I honestly forget Ladd is an Islander. Ladd kind of depresses me. He's been so great and underappreciated his whole career stuck on some pretty bad Winnipeg teams for half of that time, and when the Peg finally gets good, he moves on to be one of the worst contracts in the league on a crap team. Obviously him getting paid is great for him, but as a fan of the game, you never want to see a guy you admire turn into an albatross. At least he won a Cup really early on.

Does he have much time with Geno? I do think his game meshes well with Sid's sorta like Duper. Geno is understandably frustrated. Getting Phil back will help but he's still trying to do too much on his own IMO.
- Thorny87

Nah not really. 10 minutes at 5v5.

I honestly forget Ladd is an Islander. Ladd kind of depresses me. He's been so great and underappreciated his whole career stuck on some pretty bad Winnipeg teams for half of that time, and when the Peg finally gets good, he moves on to be one of the worst contracts in the league on a crap team. Obviously him getting paid is great for him, but as a fan of the game, you never want to see a guy you admire turn into an albatross. At least he won a Cup really early on.
- Victoro311

Yeah, he was fun to watch. He went to the Isles and his career died. He was off to his best start as an Isle this year and gets injured.

Yeah, he was fun to watch. He went to the Isles and his career died. He was off to his best start as an Isle this year and gets injured.
- Rinosaur

wut

I honestly forget Ladd is an Islander. Ladd kind of depresses me. He's been so great and underappreciated his whole career stuck on some pretty bad Winnipeg teams for half of that time, and when the Peg finally gets good, he moves on to be one of the worst contracts in the league on a crap team. Obviously him getting paid is great for him, but as a fan of the game, you never want to see a guy you admire turn into an albatross. At least he won a Cup really early on.
- Victoro311

Two cups. I’d take the money at that point as well. Plus he could get bought out at somepoint and join a contender again for cheap. Sounds like a great career

Actually I left off how good Dea looked last night, he was FLYING everywhere. All of the Isles fans near me kept asking who he was...

As much grief as Maatta gets here, and yes he's extremely slow back there, I still think he's one of the better defenders on the team (probably not saying much considering). Just my opinion. From what I've seen it's: Letang>Dumo>Schultz>Maatta>Pettersson>Ruw>Olek>JJ
- iworkatinitech

What I saw from the last few games when Rikk was paired with Maatta before his scratching for Pett, and I know thats not much of a sample, I'd go Rikk>Maataa>Pettersson>Olek>Ruw/JJ

Two cups. I’d take the money at that point as well. Plus he could get bought out at somepoint and join a contender again for cheap. Sounds like a great career
- jchst22

NYI was also a playoff team the 2 years before he signed there.

Rust and 3rd for saad 1mil retained

Rust and 3rd for saad 1mil retained
- jchst22

Think the 3rd needs to severely improve to make it happen

A few peeps here don't like Simon. He may be over his head a bit as a first liner but he does a lot of things well and is holding his own. With Rust being a complete no show offensively his value to the team is even higher.
- Thorny87

I always talked crap on Simon but only when he's on the first line. I like him for the bottom 6/injury fill in top 6.

wut
- Feds91Stammer

His career took a downturn when he went to the Isles.