After last night, through only 15 games at 5 on 5 the Pens are:

4th in xGF%
9th in HDSC%
7th in CF%


25th in PDO (Caps are 1st and Canes are 3rd)

If the PP was clicking better this whole time....a PP that was missing the whole 1st unit for games....they'd be in a playoff spot currently. The PP looked good last night to me.

An utterly dominating full 60 minutes like the final 20, no? But they came to play the whole game last night IMO.
- MattStrat

We had our chances, we're just not good enough at the moment.

The power play finally got one. No question that's been a thorn in our side. We need it to continue.

Pens are winning the possession battles, getting pucks to the net. The only thing I can figure is we aren't getting to the front of the net. Not enough ugly goals, no deflections, few rebounds, fewer scrambles.

Individually we need more from Rust and ZAR. One goal from those two isn't enough.

We had our chances, we're just not good enough at the moment.

The power play finally got one. No question that's been a thorn in our side. We need it to continue.

Pens are winning the possession battles, getting pucks to the net. The only thing I can figure is we aren't getting to the front of the net. Not enough ugly goals, no deflections, few rebounds, fewer scrambles.

Individually we need more from Rust and ZAR. One goal from those two isn't enough.
- Thunderbolt

Last night there were a lot of shots from the point with all sorts of traffic in front of the Sabres net...I was noticing it and liking it...there was just very little rebound action coming from it. So many times I noticed just how much they were around the Sabres net looking for those kinds of goals, multiple Pens there a lot, but Tokarski was like a giant sponge...which also means a lot of those point shots were right on Tokarski's Sabres crest or around it haha.

Last night there was a lot of shots from the point with all sorts of traffic in front of the Sabres net...I was noticing it and liking it...there was just very little rebound action coming from it. So many times I noticed just how much they were around the Sabres net looking for those kinds of goals, multiple Pens there a lot, but Tokarski was like a giant sponge...which also means a lot of those point shots were right on Tokarski's Sabres crest or around it haha.
- MattStrat

I agree we are getting screens, which is why I didn't include that in my observation. I don't think the screens are in tight. Tokarski played well, he was seeing the shots, getting into position all night.

This is on our wings to make life a little more difficult on opposing goaltenders.

Checks stats. Boyle 2 goals. Simon 1. Haha it seriously never fails anytime any player is compared to Simon they actively produce more tangible offense. Boyle playing 4 minutes in the 3rd last night would have had a better chance of tying the game up than Simon playing with Crosby. Dude is terrible.
- Grinder47

Simon has 4 points in 9 games. Boyle has 2 points in 14 games. Check the stats.

After last night, through only 15 games at 5 on 5 the Pens are:

4th in xGF%
9th in HDSC%
7th in CF%


25th in PDO (Caps are 1st and Canes are 3rd)

If the PP was clicking better this whole time....a PP that was missing the whole 1st unit for games....they'd be in a playoff spot currently. The PP looked good last night to me.
- MattStrat

Pens just need to trade for some finishing talent and they’d be good.

Say goodbye to all of your prospects( or what's left of them). Say hello to pink hats, overpriced beer, tickets and concessions. Say hello to your mascot suddenly having a sister and BS "holidays" like Truck Day.

Then when the luster wears off and Henry buys a new toy, say hello to whomever Hockey equivalent of Chaim Bloom is. He will be sure to underspend to mitigate profit margins. Don't worry, they'll raise tickets prices even higher when this happens. Let the bastardization of your once proud and respectable organization commence!

Say goodbye to all of your prospects( or what's left of them). Say hello to pink hats, overpriced beer, tickets and concessions. Say hello to your mascot suddenly having a sister and BS "holidays" like Truck Day.

Then when the luster wears off and Henry buys a new toy, say hello to whomever Hockey equivalent of Chaim Bloom is. He will be sure to underspend to mitigate profit margins. Don't worry, they'll raise tickets prices even higher when this happens. Let the bastardization of your once proud and respectable organization commence!
- glove_was_stuck

Jokes on you, Pens don't believe in prospects.

Say goodbye to all of your prospects( or what's left of them). Say hello to pink hats, overpriced beer, tickets and concessions. Say hello to your mascot suddenly having a sister and BS "holidays" like Truck Day.

Then when the luster wears off and Henry buys a new toy, say hello to whomever Hockey equivalent of Chaim Bloom is. He will be sure to underspend to mitigate profit margins. Don't worry, they'll raise tickets prices even higher when this happens. Let the bastardization of your once proud and respectable organization commence!
- glove_was_stuck

Pens just need to trade for some finishing talent and they’d be good.
- j.boyd919

I think so too.

Pens just need to trade for some finishing talent and they’d be good.
- j.boyd919

Yeah, it's a shame. Guys like Zucker feel like they're on the cusp of opening the floodgates, but it's just not happening.

Simon has 4 points in 9 games. Boyle has 2 points in 14 games. Check the stats.
- j.boyd919

These facts dont matter...Boyle is big

It’s hard to imagine that any trades or extensions are going to be made until a final decision on the sale is made. Got wonder what the future holds for a number of the players? We’ve got a team of too many bottom 9 players right now. I don’t think Sid can put these guys on his back any longer. He needs help and right now, we’re in a holding pattern until the sale.

These facts dont matter...Boyle is big
- MattStrat

I really have no complaints about Boyle, but maybe it's my expectations. His production isn't there, nor did I expect it be, but he's been solid in every situation he's been placed in so far.

It's easy to look back now that we have a nearly healthy lineup, but considering at one point ERod was our #1C, Boyle filled in nicely. It could have been a lot worse.

What gambling service/app do you guys prefer?

I really have no complaints about Boyle, but maybe it's my expectations. His production isn't there, nor did I expect it be, but he's been solid in every situation he's been placed in so far.

It's easy to look back now that we have a nearly healthy lineup, but considering at one point ERod was our #1C, Boyle filled in nicely.
- Rinosaur

Oh I agree with all of that, I'm not totally hating on Boyle, and another C was a necessity at the start of the season. I just think Simon is the better player and the better fit of the two in most ways but also think that Boyle has been a big part of the highly ranked PK.

I really have no complaints about Boyle, but maybe it's my expectations. His production isn't there, nor did I expect it be, but he's been solid in every situation he's been placed in so far.

It's easy to look back now that we have a nearly healthy lineup, but considering at one point ERod was our #1C, Boyle filled in nicely. It could have been a lot worse.
- Rinosaur

I agree, but as guys get healthy, he definitely shouldn't be in the roster. Simon is just a better hockey player and hell, even Simon probably shouldn't be in the lineup on a nightly basis when everyone is healthy.

Say goodbye to all of your prospects( or what's left of them). Say hello to pink hats, overpriced beer, tickets and concessions. Say hello to your mascot suddenly having a sister and BS "holidays" like Truck Day.

Then when the luster wears off and Henry buys a new toy, say hello to whomever Hockey equivalent of Chaim Bloom is. He will be sure to underspend to mitigate profit margins. Don't worry, they'll raise tickets prices even higher when this happens. Let the bastardization of your once proud and respectable organization commence!
- glove_was_stuck

I mean, when Henry bought the Sox, you won two world series in the first 5 years and have won a total of 4 over the past 20ish years... that's not so bad. It makes me sick that Lebron James would be a part owner apparently though... can't stand that dude.

It's difficult to think about tearing things down... Crosby-Malkin-Carter is an absurd center lineup and I would love to stack for one last shot. But without any cap space and too many other area's of weakness I don't see how we can do better than just getting into the playoffs and maybe winning a series.

Its basically an all or nothing situation. Do you risk going all in and possibly letting Malkin, Letang, Carter & Rust all walk for nothing? Or do you trade them all to restock the cabinets and get a lottery pick for Wright who is going to be a stud 1C for many years to come? I think Jake should be on the trade block as well to bring in a good young defender, something like Jake for Girard could be a good move.

The ultimate play would be having an agreement with Geno and Letang to re-sign in the offseason and trading them to tank for the remainder of this season.

I agree, but as guys get healthy, he definitely shouldn't be in the roster. Simon is just a better hockey player and hell, even Simon probably shouldn't be in the lineup on a nightly basis when everyone is healthy.
- j.boyd919

Agreed. I'm a big fan of Simon, but he should be the Pens 13th forward with DOC on the roster IMO.

What gambling service/app do you guys prefer?
- Feds91Stammer

Fanduel has worked well for me. Pretty user-friendly and I'm always randomly getting $10 bonuses here and there. If you like prop bets, they offer a wide array of prop bets.

I mean, when Henry bought the Sox, you won two world series in the first 5 years and have won a total of 4 over the past 20ish years... that's not so bad. It makes me sick that Lebron James would be a part owner apparently though... can't stand that dude.

It's difficult to think about tearing things down... Crosby-Malkin-Carter is an absurd center lineup and I would love to stack for one last shot. But without any cap space and too many other area's of weakness I don't see how we can do better than just getting into the playoffs and maybe winning a series.

Its basically an all or nothing situation. Do you risk going all in and possibly letting Malkin, Letang, Carter & Rust all walk for nothing? Or do you trade them all to restock the cabinets and get a lottery pick for Wright who is going to be a stud 1C for many years to come? I think Jake should be on the trade block as well to bring in a good young defender, something like Jake for Girard could be a good move.

The ultimate play would be having an agreement with Geno and Letang to re-sign in the offseason and trading them to tank for the remainder of this season.
- MacPatty

What gambling service/app do you guys prefer?
- Feds91Stammer

I have BetRivers for sports and Xpressbet for horse racing.

At this point I'm open to trading just about anyone not named Sid, Geno, Letang, Dumo and to certain extents Marino, Pettersson and Jarry.

Moving Jake for a dman though? Yeah, Jake isn't scoring like we'd want, but taking away a scoring forward isn't the best thing right now. Swapping him for a different type of forward? I mean, it's like of like all the previous Letang trade bullpoop. You're not going to get another Letang in exchange for Letang, and you're certainly not going to get another Jake in exchange for Jake, so it really comes down to what the overall roster results are after making such a move(s).

At this point I'm open to trading just about anyone not named Sid, Geno, Letang, Dumo and to certain extents Marino, Pettersson and Jarry.

Moving Jake for a dman though? Yeah, Jake isn't scoring like we'd want, but taking away a scoring forward isn't the best thing right now. Swapping him for a different type of forward? I mean, it's like of like all the previous Letang trade bullpoop. You're not going to get another Letang in exchange for Letang, and you're certainly not going to get another Jake in exchange for Jake, so it really comes down to what the overall roster results are after making such a move(s).
- Rinosaur

Jake is great and I would only consider trading him if we are re-tooling and trading our other big fish. He is a guy who I could see really dropping off a year or two from now but would have incredible value in the trade market right now.

At this point I'm open to trading just about anyone not named Sid, Geno, Letang, Dumo and to certain extents Marino, Pettersson and Jarry.

Moving Jake for a dman though? Yeah, Jake isn't scoring like we'd want, but taking away a scoring forward isn't the best thing right now. Swapping him for a different type of forward? I mean, it's like of like all the previous Letang trade bullpoop. You're not going to get another Letang in exchange for Letang, and you're certainly not going to get another Jake in exchange for Jake, so it really comes down to what the overall roster results are after making such a move(s).
- Rinosaur

Jake has Sid back, he's going to score a lot more often now. We just found out what a lot of people assumed, he can't drive offense on his own, but that's OKAY. Not a lot of Wingers can, still having an elite scoring winger at 5v5 is as valuable as ever. Trading that for a defenseman is laughable lol.