Ah yes... The "cringy" Botts meme......as he was responsible for both those cup teams and all the good moves. Rutherford owns all the bad ones.

As far as Buffalo goes.... They've been tanking and drafting high for years now. Shouldn't their system be on the upswing? Still haven't sniffed the playoffs though. You can't blame the GM of the minor league team when the influx of talent is low draft picks and undrafted free agents.
- madmike71

Bots made a ton of moves that I think will really improve that team over the past year or so. The Sabers should be in business this year, but they’re in a super tough division and they definitely haven’t caught up to Tampa, Toronto, or Boston yet. They’ll be fighting for the Wild Card with a couple of Metro teams and could very well miss again. I think he’ll probably get fired this year or next year due to playoff expectations but his overall body of work will be considered good in hindsight.

No way. Bill Guerin doesn’t look at charts and used to fight people. Even given his long and successful nhl career he knows sh it about hockey.
- Grinder47

Ex-players become poop GMs all the time across every major sport. “He used to be good at the game so he’ll be a good GM” might be your dumbest take yet.

My nut for per60 was probably a bit too high.
- burgh4life87

Haha well played

Haha well played
- Feds91Stammer

I have my moments lol

nothing like complaining about the possibility of people potentially giving undue credit to a newly hired person who has never been in a player development role

seriously, are we going to assume that in the future the fanbase will automatically label matt cullen the "forward whisperer"?

What that really means is.....
1.) making the assumption that there is an underachieving forward that comes to pittsburgh and thrives.
2.) we assume people will collectively give credit to Matt Cullen without having any idea whether or not he helped or didnt help.
3.) Then, we assume that the fanbase will think Cullen will fix all our reclamation projects in the future.

what a moronic thing to write a blog about.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Agree with what you’re saying. Unfortunately that’s just kinda how people can be these days. It’s completely fair with JJ where there’s a history of poor performance shown to expect that not to change. We have one instance of Gonch being the D whisperer, right? But because this one thing happened with a minority of people, all of a sudden we should assume the same will happen with Cullen. I really like the Cullen addition btw

Agree with what you’re saying. Unfortunately that’s just kinda how people can be these days. It’s completely fair with JJ where there’s a history of poor performance shown to expect that not to change. We have one instance of Gonch being the D whisperer, right? But because this one thing happened with a minority of people, all of a sudden we should assume the same will happen with Cullen. I really like the Cullen addition btw
- WSCTeton17

Except I’m not sure it did. Schultz didn’t change a ton as a player after getting here, he just got proper deployment. The other candidates for Gonchar rehabilitation are Cole and Oleksiak, which once again I’m not positive changed a whole lot once they got here they were just given sweaters more consistently. I don’t doubt Gonch is a good coach, but people act like he turns garbage into gold and I don’t see it.

Ex-players become poop GMs all the time across every major sport. “He used to be good at the game so he’ll be a good GM” might be your dumbest take yet.
- Victoro311

It wasn’t a take it was sarcasm. No matter what Ryan Wilson’s going to assume Bill Guerin is a horrible GM because he doesnt mind fighting in hockey

Only RW could find a way to put some sort of negative spin on Cullen’s hiring.

Your stats say Dominick Simon is a future hall of famer. That’s enough to hold a gun to the head of whoever’s making them and empty the clip.
- Grinder47

Nah, I have him as a bottom six guy unless he starts scoring more. You're mistaking me for someone else because you think we all have the same opinions.

Grinder thinks that because literally no one ever agrees with his hot takes that must mean that we always agree with each other’s takes, which is not the case.
- Victoro311

Yeah, I know, it's striking me as funny today because he's saying he's the only one who observes the game so we should listen to him, yet he misses something so obvious like this board fighting every other day.

Yeah, I know, it's striking me as funny today because he's saying he's the only one who observes the game so we should listen to him, yet he misses something so obvious like this board fighting every other day.
- Tojo.

I don’t think Boyd and Feds have ever publicly disagreed before on here but pretty much everyone else has gotten into it with everyone else at least once.

Except I’m not sure it did. Schultz didn’t change a ton as a player after getting here, he just got proper deployment. The other candidates for Gonchar rehabilitation are Cole and Oleksiak, which once again I’m not positive changed a whole lot once they got here they were just given sweaters more consistently. I don’t doubt Gonch is a good coach, but people act like he turns garbage into gold and I don’t see it.
- Victoro311

Interesting thought. I felt that how they changed Oleksiak's deployment this year is what led to his downfall because his weaknesses got exposed. Schultz definitely benefitted by getting away from hard match-ups. Cole is the one I'd say blossomed here.

There seem to be certain areas like stick position where Gonchar really helps. But he can only do so much with what he's given. Gudbranson will be a nice test because he definitely credited Gonchar for some tweaks that helped his game, especially in transition.

Here is to hoping that in 2 years, the firings of Rutherford and Botteril occur simultaneously and the Pens potentially get Botteril back in house. Unfortunately, at that point, the Penguins GM position won't be anywhere near as enticing.

nothing like complaining about the possibility of people potentially giving undue credit to a newly hired person who has never been in a player development role

seriously, are we going to assume that in the future the fanbase will automatically label matt cullen the "forward whisperer"?

What that really means is.....
1.) making the assumption that there is an underachieving forward that comes to pittsburgh and thrives.
2.) we assume people will collectively give credit to Matt Cullen without having any idea whether or not he helped or didnt help.
3.) Then, we assume that the fanbase will think Cullen will fix all our reclamation projects in the future.

what a moronic thing to write a blog about.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Yeah, it was weird to write considering Cullen hasn't actually done anything yet in this role to judge good or bad.

Considering his ability to connect with younger players and the importance he placed on fitness and nutrition to always be at his best, I don't see why he can't succeed. Probably most important is his ability to redefine himself when he could no longer play top 6, a hurdle most prospects need to face.

Except I’m not sure it did. Schultz didn’t change a ton as a player after getting here, he just got proper deployment. The other candidates for Gonchar rehabilitation are Cole and Oleksiak, which once again I’m not positive changed a whole lot once they got here they were just given sweaters more consistently. I don’t doubt Gonch is a good coach, but people act like he turns garbage into gold and I don’t see it.
- Victoro311

I could’ve been more specific. We have one case of a former player coming in as a development coach and people claiming that he can improve players based off who he is, I wasn’t (at least trying not to) specifically state that Gonchar was indeed the magic D whisperer. These development coaches can absolutely have an impact and I think they can turn a players career around, we’ll just never know it. Players lie all the time and say the X person was more influential than they actually were. It’s practically expected. But in other cases, like Patty Kane and Coach Q (and more importantly his mustache) it seems to be genuine

I don’t think Boyd and Feds have ever publicly disagreed before on here but pretty much everyone else has gotten into it with everyone else at least once.
- Victoro311

That Doogs guy doesn’t really. Just always preaching positivity and whatnot. Every time I read it I imagine the Hound calling nice/positive people €unts 😂

Tojo also engages often without putting people down. Always seems informational or an opinion piece related to the game and not the writer

F that. Already complaining about a possible comparison of Cullen with Gonchar? Nigga pleeaase

Here is to hoping that in 2 years, the firings of Rutherford and Botteril occur simultaneously and the Pens potentially get Botteril back in house. Unfortunately, at that point, the Penguins GM position won't be anywhere near as enticing.
- cbrown

This has been my hope as well

That Doogs guy doesn’t really. Just always preaching positivity and whatnot. Every time I read it I imagine the Hound calling nice/positive people €unts 😂

Tojo also engages often without putting people down. Always seems informational or an opinion piece related to the game and not the writer
- WSCTeton17

I have spent some time on the other side from people regarding debates, but for the most part I don’t begrudge people of their opinions. I certainly don’t know everything. I did play the game through college, and have some friends that play and coach in the NHL. I do try to stay positive because this is the team I follow and want to see succeed.

And I prefer PUSH positivity over PREACH. LMAO

How many more years do yinz think Rutherford will be GM? Who's in line to take his spot? Any chance Botteril gets the boot from Buffalo and he comes back?

How many more years do yinz think Rutherford will be GM? Who's in line to take his spot? Any chance Botteril gets the boot from Buffalo and he comes back?
- nateca44

Probably finishes out his contract and no chance on Botts IMO.

So we’ve all learned Cullen doesn’t even deserve to be in the organization at all. That’s right: the guy is a wiener and has low hockey IQ 🤦🏻‍♂️

So we’ve all learned Cullen doesn’t even deserve to be in the organization at all. That’s right: the guy is a wiener and has low hockey IQ 🤦🏻‍♂️
- Barnaby36

Nah. RW states he hasn't an issue with the hiring.

I don’t think Boyd and Feds have ever publicly disagreed before on here but pretty much everyone else has gotten into it with everyone else at least once.
- Victoro311

I don’t really qualify arguing over fake stats as even discussing hockey. Love fest on here all day.

So we’ve all learned Cullen doesn’t even deserve to be in the organization at all. That’s right: the guy is a wiener and has low hockey IQ 🤦🏻‍♂️
- Barnaby36

He was good friends with Tom Kuhnhackl so Cullen must be a terrible person<__ Tom Kuhnhackl is a terrible person because Corsi. RW logic