Stop hoping they flop hahaha I'm reading your comments. Let them finish middle of the pack and give the pick away this year. Everyone will feel lighter in life once that pick is given to the Sharks haha. I suspect next year's pick will be in very close proximity to this years pick with the potential for it to be a little better (higher) maybe even top 10 but if its lower it most likely means they made playoffs.
- MattStrat

4 of their last 7 games are against 4 teams ahead of them. Philly NYI and Detroit suck so there's a good chance Philly drops out and NYI and Detroit are definitely winnable games. Pens have played the Caps pretty good this year. The Lightning are on a bit of a heater. Then you've got games against Boston, Toronto, and Nashville... those are tough games. I think Feds said the Pens have the 7th toughest remaining schedule.

I dont want this team to go to the playoffs just to get killed. This last stretch of games will be a good test. If they pass and make the playoffs, they can make some noise. If they fail, then they rightfully will miss the playoffs.

And I take a lot of crap for this view, but i will continue to say it... if Crosby carries the Penguins to the playoffs by keeping up this pace, he should be in the MVP conversation more than some of the top scorers in the league whose team didnt need them as much to qualify.

Without Sid this season, we are a top 5 lottery team.

4 of their last 7 games are against 4 teams ahead of them. Philly NYI and Detroit suck so there's a good chance Philly drops out and NYI and Detroit are definitely winnable games. Pens have played the Caps pretty good this year. The Lightning are on a bit of a heater. Then you've got games against Boston, Toronto, and Nashville... those are tough games. I think Feds said the Pens have the 7th toughest remaining schedule.
- j.boyd919

Got to just take it one game at a time at this point. In the past 6 games they've beat CAR, NYR, NJD, CBJ in regulation -- but also blew a 4(!) goal lead to COL and a 2 goal lead to CBJ (both OT losses). I don't think any result in any of their remaining games would be surprising. They could blow out or get blown out by every single team they play, and either result would seem fitting.

Pens last year were 31-31 in games that ended in regulation and 9-11 in games that went to OT. This year those numbers so far are 29-30 and 5-11.

The PP and OT have been brutal this year.

Got to just take it one game at a time at this point. In the past 6 games they've beat CAR, NYR, NJD, CBJ in regulation -- but also blew a 4(!) goal lead to COL and a 2 goal lead to CBJ (both OT losses). I don't think any result in any of their remaining games would be surprising. They could blow out or get blown out by every single team they play, and either result would seem fitting.
- MickV

For sure, the game against WSH is huge.

4 of their last 7 games are against 4 teams ahead of them. Philly NYI and Detroit suck so there's a good chance Philly drops out and NYI and Detroit are definitely winnable games. Pens have played the Caps pretty good this year. The Lightning are on a bit of a heater. Then you've got games against Boston, Toronto, and Nashville... those are tough games. I think Feds said the Pens have the 7th toughest remaining schedule.
- j.boyd919

Right, so if they get through that tough schedule, and get that last spot, they're already playing playoff hockey to do so. I think they don't get it done...but I've been wrong before.

Tell Feds that MattStrat says hello haha

Right, so if they get through that tough schedule, and get that last spot, they're already playing playoff hockey to do so. I think they don't get it done...but I've been wrong before.

Tell Feds that MattStrat says hello haha
- MattStrat

What happened to Feds?

Pens last year were 31-31 in games that ended in regulation and 9-11 in games that went to OT. This year those numbers so far are 29-30 and 5-11.

The PP and OT have been brutal this year.
- MickV

16 games go to OT, you'd think sully would want to practice 3v3.

What happened to Feds?
- MickV

He became a dad lol fell off the HB wagon.

He became a dad lol fell off the HB wagon.
- j.boyd919

I guess trolling strangers on the internet isn't as fun when you haven't slept in a few days and your clothes always smell like baby milk vomit.

4 of their last 7 games are against 4 teams ahead of them. Philly NYI and Detroit suck so there's a good chance Philly drops out and NYI and Detroit are definitely winnable games. Pens have played the Caps pretty good this year. The Lightning are on a bit of a heater. Then you've got games against Boston, Toronto, and Nashville... those are tough games. I think Feds said the Pens have the 7th toughest remaining schedule.
- j.boyd919

Tampa just lost to Detroit. I wouldn't worry about them.

Stop hoping they flop hahaha I'm reading your comments. Let them finish middle of the pack and give the pick away this year. Everyone will feel lighter in life once that pick is given to the Sharks haha. I suspect next year's pick will be in very close proximity to this years pick with the potential for it to be a little better (higher) maybe even top 10 but if its lower it most likely means they made playoffs.
- MattStrat

Even with this recent play I see them falling short this year. Would rather get a nice prospect this year and give away next years pick when we make the playoffs

This reminds me of an article I read yesterday. It sad Dubas shouldn't spend all his time trying to fix the bottom 6 this offseason. He should allow the young talent show what they can do for the bottom 6 and bottom pair for the Defense. The article went on to talk about trading Smith, EK, and Rakell and some others and work on solidifying the top 6 and top 4 defense.
- 123Kid

As far as the forwards, O'Connor is the only one that has taken advantage of his playing time. Sullivan likes him so much the 1LW job is his to lose. Good for him.

I do believe the others (Puustinen, Puljujarvi, Gruden, Poulin, and Bemstrom) realize this is there one and only shot at the NHL level. They know they need to impress people now, then work hard in the summer.

I haven't really seen anyone stand out. They all have speed and individual talents that stick out. Puustinen has great vision, Puljujarvi is physical and a nose for the net, Gruden is a bull, and Bemstrom has a heavy shot. Haven't seen enough of Poulin to form an opinion.

Contrary to the defensive unit, this group could be pushed next year from even younger guys. Which is a good thing.
- Thunderbolt

Kind of putting these together because 123Kid has the big picture and Thunderbolt drilled into the specific players but I agree with you both.

The Pens don't have the type of top end young talent to help the top of lineup. But they have a lot of candidates to give the bottom six a shot in the arm. I wouldn't mind if they cleared out everyone but Eller. I like Eller as a one year placeholder at 3C so we can see more of Poulin and Ponomarev.

Yager is the only potential top six next year to me, but that feels unlikely though he made big progress this year. He's tailed off a little. But he does play a responsible game so Sully could take a liking to him.