I thought Blueger's line played well in the first half of the season when they had all those injuries but it seemed as though when the regulars came back they had lost some of their effectiveness. Where was that energy against Montreal?
- sjfpp

Where was anybody's energy?

Where was anybody's energy?
- Rinosaur

At home haha, they didn't want to be in the bubble.

At home haha, they didn't want to be in the bubble.
- 668710

I don't buy it. We got beat by a better team and a better coach.

I don't buy it. We got beat by a better team and a better coach.
- Hockey66

They are not a better team. I wouldn't pick Montreal over A LOT of teams, including the Pens. Montreal is also a team that starts hot a lot of times. Coach though I'll give you.

Wow, Hoff signs PTO with Blues: https://www.nhl.com/blues...sional-tryout/c-319892822

They are not a better team. I wouldn't pick Montreal over A LOT of teams, including the Pens. Montreal is also a team that starts hot a lot of times. Coach though I'll give you.
- 668710

Well, if they didn't want to be there then (frank) them. That's even more damning, frankly. What the (frank) are they doing if they don't want to be there? Still think MTL is a better playoff team, and that's all that matters.

Wow, Hoff signs PTO with Blues: https://www.nhl.com/blues...sional-tryout/c-319892822
- VeryModernMan

So, he wants to play there and they are checking to see if they want him?? Strange.

So, he wants to play there and they are checking to see if they want him?? Strange.
- Hockey66

Guess day1 signing with Steen/someone on LTIR.

Guess day1 signing with Steen/someone on LTIR.
- VeryModernMan

Oh, right, that makes sense. Last good FA?

Oh, right, that makes sense. Last good FA?
- Hockey66

NHL-wise: AA, Vatanen, Chara, Hamonic?, Perry?.

NHL-wise: AA, Vatanen, Chara, Hamonic?, Perry?.
- VeryModernMan

So, "yes" then.

Can't wait to see what "trade" ol' bowling ball head has up his sleeve.

Well, if they didn't want to be there then (frank) them. That's even more damning, frankly. What the (frank) are they doing if they don't want to be there? Still think MTL is a better playoff team, and that's all that matters.
- Hockey66

If the Pens actually played with a pulse Montreal would have won a game maybe 2. Montreal basically played us at their highest level and the Pens played just about to their lowest level. So where I'm at here is the Pens highest level is higher than Montreal and the Pens didn't play.

So, "yes" then.

Can't wait to see what "trade" ol' bowling ball head has up his sleeve.
- Hockey66

Yea this mysterious trade scares me lol

If the Pens actually played with a pulse Montreal would have won a game maybe 2. Montreal basically played us at their highest level and the Pens played just about to their lowest level. So where I'm at here is the Pens highest level is higher than Montreal and the Pens didn't play.
- 668710

People will call these excuses, but I thought the Montreal loss was nuanced. Guentz wasn't "right" yet. Sid didn't look "right" either.

I thought the personnel usage was almost a travesty tbh. Schultz and JJ was one of the worst D pairings in memory. 3rd line was comical. Marleau, McCaan, Hornie were gawd awful. PP looked like they had no idea what to do. Frankly, I think Sully sh!t the bed for the most part. Never changed things up no matter how awful they were.

Habs looked like a team playing with house money. Pens looked like a team with misfit players/parts for which Sullivan had no idea how to use.

People will call these excuses, but I thought the Montreal loss was nuanced. Guentz wasn't "right" yet. Sid didn't look "right" either.

I thought the personnel usage was almost a travesty tbh. Schultz and JJ was one of the worst D pairings in memory. 3rd line was comical. Marleau, McCaan, Hornie were gawd awful. PP looked like they had no idea what to do. Frankly, I think Sully sh!t the bed for the most part. Never changed things up no matter how awful they were.

Habs looked like a team playing with house money. Pens looked like a team with misfit players/parts for which Sullivan had no idea how to use.
- madmike71

I think that's a fair assessment. You could probably add Malkin to the "not right" list. Still think MTL has/had a better coach, defense, and goalie. 3 out of 4 is tough to beat with a bad PP. I also think numerous players caused the team to become mentally deflated.

Sens sure are bailing out a lot of teams out of cap hell right now.

I think that's a fair assessment. You could probably add Malkin to the "not right" list. Still think MTL has/had a better coach, defense, and goalie. 3 out of 4 is tough to beat with a bad PP. I also think numerous players caused the team to become mentally deflated.
- Hockey66

Yea and what sucks is that we could have closed that Gap on the goaltending with Jarry starting. But I don't think we would have won anyways. It didn't seem like they has anything together.

Sens sure are bailing out a lot of teams out of cap hell right now.
- Hockey66

Will surprise many this year.

I think that's a fair assessment. You could probably add Malkin to the "not right" list. Still think MTL has/had a better coach, defense, and goalie. 3 out of 4 is tough to beat with a bad PP. I also think numerous players caused the team to become mentally deflated.
- Hockey66

I think Sullivan has gone the Dan Bylsma route. Stubborn to a fault. Letting JJ and Schultz crash and burn when he had viable alternatives is exactly the kind of thing Disco would do. He never shook up the forwards either. Jarry should have started...etc, etc.

I think Sullivan has gone the Dan Bylsma route. Stubborn to a fault. Letting JJ and Schultz crash and burn when he had viable alternatives is exactly the kind of thing Disco would do. He never shook up the forwards either. Jarry should have started...etc, etc.
- madmike71

Yup. I wonder if the team was kinda deflated just for the fact Murray was in over Jarry? Who knows. Let's see what this year brings. Ill guess a lot of female doging(rightfully so) of our third line being irrelevant.

Yup. I wonder if the team was kinda deflated just for the fact Murray was in over Jarry? Who knows. Let's see what this year brings. Ill guess a lot of female doging(rightfully so) of our third line being irrelevant.
- 668710

I'm actually a little more positive than most around here. Most of the "buy low" additions can be buried for cap space. I love the top 6. I think the 3rd line needs a jolt for sure, but that's fixable. The third pairing will be better...especially if the depth players are giving a shot.

Here's where I'm not confident... I'm not confident HCMS will assess his players fairly. It's hard to believe for cup winning coach, but I think he's mangled the last couple of post seasons.

You realize they have space for him now, right? Dummy
- Rinosaur

So, maybe the GM of the Penguins and the entire front office, and that of 29 other teams, including the team he played for last year, know something about Soderberg that you maybe don't

and eventually he had to take "Please let me play the game" money from a bottom feeder just to have a job, 2 weeks before the season starts, Tard

At home haha, they didn't want to be in the bubble.
- 668710

They certainly played like they didn’t want to be there.

I don't buy it. We got beat by a better team and a better coach.
- Hockey66

The Habs aren’t a better team. They’re just the team that played better, so hats off to them, but the Pens also didn’t make it hard enough on the Habs.

Only a handful of the Pens players really showed up. Sheary being one of them.

So, maybe the GM of the Penguins and the entire front office, and that of 29 other teams, including the team he played for last year, know something about Soderberg that you maybe don't

and eventually he had to take "Please let me play the game" money from a bottom feeder just to have a job, 2 weeks before the season starts, Tard
- TheGame316

Nah