Same, but I like the five idea better. Honestly, I think the league should set up four or five bubble cities for the first few months of the season.
- Rinosaur

Doubtful the players will agree to hub cities, especially since the NFL and MLB were able to play without them.

I could see 5 divisions working for play purposes, but would be a real mess for deciding play-off seeding. That should get scrambled anyways with a Canadian division.

From J. Fresh, the last summary statement I think also summarizes why this board gets so split on ZAR.

A lot of the best defensive players in the league by xG suppression (Foligno, ZAR) follow similar patterns:

1. Keep the puck along the boards
2. Forecheck the hell out of opposing D so they make bad plays or dump-outs
3. Retrieve pucks off dump-ins
4. Pin opponents to kill time and/or allow more talented linemates to pick up the puck
5. Don't make ambitious plays in the middle of the ice

That's a great combo for low-event, borderline unwatchable but effective hockey.

From J. Fresh, the last summary statement I think also summarizes why this board gets so split on ZAR.

A lot of the best defensive players in the league by xG suppression (Foligno, ZAR) follow similar patterns:

1. Keep the puck along the boards
2. Forecheck the hell out of opposing D so they make bad plays or dump-outs
3. Retrieve pucks off dump-ins
4. Pin opponents to kill time and/or allow more talented linemates to pick up the puck
5. Don't make ambitious plays in the middle of the ice

That's a great combo for low-event, borderline unwatchable but effective hockey.
- Tojo.

Yea but that's ok to have one of those guys on a line. I like ZAR as a 4th line shutdown piece.
Edit: The thing that sucks with him is he seems to get a major injury every year.

Real talk fellas. Is there anyway to get in market games without having cable? Covid just shut my work down for a week(my steady work). And no my lady’s shutdown for a week. We don’t watch cable unless there’s hockey on. If I get center ice will I be able to watch all pens games. Also Tanev is every bit up to playing with Crosby.

Real talk fellas. Is there anyway to get in market games without having cable? Covid just shut my work down for a week(my steady work). And no my lady’s shutdown for a week. We don’t watch cable unless there’s hockey on. If I get center ice will I be able to watch all pens games. Also Tanev is every bit up to playing with Crosby.
- Grinder47

VPN with center ice. I also have sling TV so I can watch games on NBCSN and NHL.

Real talk fellas. Is there anyway to get in market games without having cable? Covid just shut my work down for a week(my steady work). And no my lady’s shutdown for a week. We don’t watch cable unless there’s hockey on. If I get center ice will I be able to watch all pens games. Also Tanev is every bit up to playing with Crosby.
- Grinder47

I think beyond what Rino said, your only other option would be a $55 a month subscription to AT&T TV Now’a basic package. It’ll be cheaper than paying for cable and it’ll be way easier to cancel after the season is over with a click of a button. I don’t know what Center Ice is priced at, but I’d assume it’s more cost effective to buy a season pass of Center Ice than $55 a month to get access to AT&TSN, but if you’re technologically challenged and don’t want to deal with a VPN (which also costs money), then AT&T TV Now is an option.

I don’t think the Steelers are undefeated record good, but this team certainly isn’t a pretender. I don’t know if we’ll eventually be buried by the run game on both sides of the ball, but I’m certainly interested in what this team can do in the post season.

Real talk fellas. Is there anyway to get in market games without having cable? Covid just shut my work down for a week(my steady work). And no my lady’s shutdown for a week. We don’t watch cable unless there’s hockey on. If I get center ice will I be able to watch all pens games. Also Tanev is every bit up to playing with Crosby.
- Grinder47

You won't be able to watch in market games on center ice.

I don’t think the Steelers are undefeated record good, but this team certainly isn’t a pretender. I don’t know if we’ll eventually be buried by the run game on both sides of the ball, but I’m certainly interested in what this team can do in the post season.
- Victoro311

It's a good team. The lack of a run game will eventually catch up to them. It's kind of funny.... They literally have no chance of converting 3rd and short with a run. I don't see how you win a Super Bowl like that.

It's a good team. The lack of a run game will eventually catch up to them. It's kind of funny.... They literally have no chance of converting 3rd and short with a run. I don't see how you win a Super Bowl like that.
- madmike71

We’re practically running the college air raid. Our version of the run is a 3/4 yard cross rout.

Real talk fellas. Is there anyway to get in market games without having cable? Covid just shut my work down for a week(my steady work). And no my lady’s shutdown for a week. We don’t watch cable unless there’s hockey on. If I get center ice will I be able to watch all pens games. Also Tanev is every bit up to playing with Crosby.
- Grinder47

Sportsurge
https://sportsurge.net/#/groups/0

Just have a good anti-virus and ad-blocker. Then it's just laptop to TV via HDMI.

All games, all free, all the time.

Thanks for the responses about no cable pens games. I have no problem putting kap next to Sydney Crosby, but the fact that Tanev hasn’t gotten a sustained look there is just a reflection of Sullivan’s incompetence as a coach. Long history of players with Tanev qualities having great success with Sid.

Thanks for the responses about no cable pens games. I have no problem putting kap next to Sydney Crosby, but the fact that Tanev hasn’t gotten a sustained look there is just a reflection of Sullivan’s incompetence as a coach. Long history of players with Tanev qualities having great success with Sid.
- Grinder47

I agree. I'll take a guy with lesser hands who can actually win a puck or board battle any day of the week.

Thanks for the responses about no cable pens games. I have no problem putting kap next to Sydney Crosby, but the fact that Tanev hasn’t gotten a sustained look there is just a reflection of Sullivan’s incompetence as a coach. Long history of players with Tanev qualities having great success with Sid.
- Grinder47

I know this convo keeps coming up. I don't disagree Tanev might succeed as a 3rd wheel and normally I'd be willing to give it a shot. However, I think what he's doing now is extremely valuable so I'd like to keep him there.

IMO, the Blueger line will continue to be the 3rd line in ice time regardless of what they are labeled. So I'd rather just run my 6 best offensive players in the top 6, continue to feed the Blueger line tough minutes, and hope to get some secondary offense from McCann's line which stinks as a 3rd line but is pretty good for a 4th line.

And before In get flamed, yes, it would be nice if that McCann line was better, but since that's not what we have right now, that's how I'd use the talent we do have. Now if Poulin makes the team and either Jankowski or Rodrigues is better than expected or we add another player, maybe that changes.

I agree. I'll take a guy with lesser hands who can actually win a puck or board battle any day of the week.
- Hockey66

Kapanen can at least win some. Not as many as Tanev, but definitely more than Sheary.

How much would Sheary cost? I'd rather see him on the 3rd line. He would be a guy we could use on the Top 6 if Kapanen fails or someone gets hurt.

How much would Sheary cost? I'd rather see him on the 3rd line. He would be a guy we could use on the Top 6 if Kapanen fails or someone gets hurt.
- Barnaby36

At this point I can't see him getting more than $1M. I'm not against this idea. He's an up grade to the bottom-six as it stands. Sheary-McCann would probably give fans fits, but it's way better than McCann-Jank

At this point I can't see him getting more than $1M. I'm not against this idea. He's an up grade to the bottom-six as it stands. Sheary-McCann would probably give fans fits, but it's way better than McCann-Jank
- Rinosaur

For sure. We have to take into consideration Kapanen is no sure thing as a Top 6 guy. I'm not doubting his skills but chemistry is a real thing to think about.

PS. Doesn't he date Sully's daugther or something like that? Get this thing done.

For sure. We have to take into consideration Kapanen is no sure thing as a Top 6 guy. I'm not doubting his skills but chemistry is a real thing to think about.

PS. Doesn't he date Sully's daugther or something like that? Get this thing done.
- Barnaby36

I think Kap will stick, but if either he or Rusty goes down, which we know Rust will, it's going to hurt and further weaken the bottom six. Adding someone like Sheary I think is wise.

How much would Sheary cost? I'd rather see him on the 3rd line. He would be a guy we could use on the Top 6 if Kapanen fails or someone gets hurt.
- Barnaby36

I'd be fine with it, many others won't mostly fearing he'd end up on Sid's line anyways. Agree he'd be an upgrade, but think they're going to at least give guys like Rodrigues, Jankowski, and the prospects a chance.

Like Rino said though, they don't really have a good RW injury replacement for the top 6. McCann covers LW and C.

Kapanen can at least win some. Not as many as Tanev, but definitely more than Sheary.
- Tojo.

Yep, that's where I was going.

How much would Sheary cost? I'd rather see him on the 3rd line. He would be a guy we could use on the Top 6 if Kapanen fails or someone gets hurt.
- Barnaby36

The thing is, if a hockey player can't win a puck or board battle, then he is close to worthless. Yes, Sheary had a good scoring run over a short span playing alongside prime Crosby (arguably the best player ever) on a world-beater team. Unfortunately, that led many fans and Pens management to think he is actually a good hockey player. He is not.

Think about this: The Pens are the only team that has ever wanted Sheary. He was undrafted. He was traded in a salary dump to Buffalo and they didn't want him. Now he is a FA and no one wants him (which I predicted). Nice guy, tries hard, smart player, has some skill, but the bad part of his game is just too much of a liability whenever he is on the ice. This is without even mentioning his falling down issue.

Good teams cycle and maintain possession in the offensive zone. If you have one guy who loses possession whenever he is challenged, that is too much of a liability. He is also too small and weak to be an effective forechecker or backchecker / defender.

If Sheary is signed for 1 mil to play on the 3rd line he will end up on Sids wing. Nope.

If Sheary is signed for 1 mil to play on the 3rd line he will end up on Sids wing. Nope.
- Grinder47

But if we don’t sign Sheary what are you going to have to complain about?

But if we don’t sign Sheary what are you going to have to complain about?
- Rinosaur

The general lack of will and complacency of soft play of the team.