Ryan Wilson: An annoying win An annoying win

I cannot imagine trying to enjoy the last few years of Sid while being annoyed when he wins the game for us. I can’t care about the difference between 9th pick and 5th pick. Give me Sid 1 timers in OT every time.

I cannot imagine trying to enjoy the last few years of Sid while being annoyed when he wins the game for us. I can’t care about the difference between 9th pick and 5th pick. Give me Sid 1 timers in OT every time.
- Brownsoldier

To be clear, my stance has adjusted a bit on this from our discussions in here. If Sid wasn’t playing, I might think differently, but we are still fortunate to watch him regardless of where tf we draft.

Most FANS see different things. In a 0-0 game it’s a time not to take a *foolish* retaliation penalty. It's bad enough when a ref calls something like the Graves/Tkachuk mistake. The most physical Graves has been all season, by accident!

What I noticed was McGroarty looked much better than his last visit. At 21, the *kid* had to be a little nervous. Koivinen looked good in his first NHL game.

Bemstrom appears to be (next up) on the SILKY CHIT LIST and got his <7 minutes TOI. That's probably not gonna change because SILKY has a past practice history too. If you get on that CHIT LIST you never get off.

A close game like yesterday - is but one game - and just like with Jarry - it was just one game for him too.
- sufi-judge

Bemstrom probably got as much of a chance as he was going to the previous few weeks. If they bring back Tomasino, they have 8 of their top 9 guys already: Sid, Geno, Rust, Rackell, Novak, McGroarty, Koivunen, and Tomasino. They either go big game hunting for the last spot or add a two way middle six type (or both if they don't keep Tomasino). Hayes, Accairi, Lizotte, Heinen are all under contract too. Maybe they send one away with a pick, but not a lot of spots up front. Not even mentioning if anyone else from WBS.

EDIT- forgot keeping Dewar as a possibility

I don’t know man. I’m just work strong. But I’d guess it happened when he fought Olivier. Or it’s made up and Sullivan wanted to bench him for the Hagel situation but didn’t want to bench a favorite in the Locke room so he gave him the ultimatum.
- Grinder47

Are you implying a UFA got season ending surgery to cover for Sullivan wanting to bench him?

His conditioning is quite suspect. That chance he had in front at the end and the sequence with Hayes is what happens when you try to handle the puck but your gassed. I know the feeling quite well. Everytime the camera was on him, which was quite a lot last night he was gasping for air. Not a good sign from such a young guy.
- Grinder47

IDK. They have those plays on a loop on DK's site. On one play it's a saucer pass that was on edge, on the other he's hooked.

But he also didn't seem completely ready: he isn't getting those quality of passes from guys like Ponomarov and Broz. Said a bit about that in his post-game interview even. That's something he can get used to.

I'll have to watch for the sucking wind part. Sometimes that's conditioning, sometimes it's a guy who empties the tank every shift like Sid.

I cannot imagine trying to enjoy the last few years of Sid while being annoyed when he wins the game for us. I can’t care about the difference between 9th pick and 5th pick. Give me Sid 1 timers in OT every time.
- Brownsoldier

Don't be so sure this is the end. Sid just led the four nations in scoring and is a conditioning freak. Ovechkin is putting up a point per game in the shape he is in at 39.

With how much Sid loves hockey, I'd personally be very surprised if he doesn't play into his early to mid 40's and he's a point per game player until he shows me he isn't.

Are you implying a UFA got season ending surgery to cover for Sullivan wanting to bench him?


IDK. They have those plays on a loop on DK's site. On one play it's a saucer pass that was on edge, on the other he's hooked.

But he also didn't seem completely ready: he isn't getting those quality of passes from guys like Ponomarov and Broz. Said a bit about that in his post-game interview even. That's something he can get used to.

I'll have to watch for the sucking wind part. Sometimes that's conditioning, sometimes it's a guy who empties the tank every shift like Sid.
- Tojo.

Sid hardly ever looks like he’s breaking a sweat. I’d really guess that Boko’s injury happened when he was engaged in a fight with a really big man. But I’ll always take a shot at Sullivan.

Jarry seems to have reverted to his Jekyll and Hyde form from previous years. He's outstanding for a few games, then terrible for a few games, then back to outstanding.

Not sure what the best option is for the Pens here. The buyout terms of his contract are terrible. Maybe somebody takes him 50% retained? Or do they just hope he's good enough to play half the time and that Ned or Musharov or whoever can take the other half?

Perhaps next year it doesn't matter because we'll still not be competitive, but at some point something has to be done there.

Jarry seems to have reverted to his Jekyll and Hyde form from previous years. He's outstanding for a few games, then terrible for a few games, then back to outstanding.

Not sure what the best option is for the Pens here. The buyout terms of his contract are terrible. Maybe somebody takes him 50% retained? Or do they just hope he's good enough to play half the time and that Ned or Musharov or whoever can take the other half?

Perhaps next year it doesn't matter because we'll still not be competitive, but at some point something has to be done there.
- MickV

It is absolutely not worth buying out Jarry. If he can’t be traded and the AHL guys overtake him, you send him down to the AHL and forget about him. Maybe he voids his contract to try to get a shot elsewhere (which would be stupid on his part but you never know)

Jarry seems to have reverted to his Jekyll and Hyde form from previous years. He's outstanding for a few games, then terrible for a few games, then back to outstanding.

Not sure what the best option is for the Pens here. The buyout terms of his contract are terrible. Maybe somebody takes him 50% retained? Or do they just hope he's good enough to play half the time and that Ned or Musharov or whoever can take the other half?

Perhaps next year it doesn't matter because we'll still not be competitive, but at some point something has to be done there.
- MickV

Right now I assume they're just stuck with him. Maybe revisit next offseason but for now their isn't a lot they can do that doesn't hurt future years. If their is a half retained plus we'll give you a third to take him I'd consider it.

More probable, I'd like to shop Ned in the offseason, even if they attach a pick. Let Blomqvist and Larsson battle for backup. Let Murashov get a lot of time in the AHL and he'll hopefully become an option mid-season. And sure, let Jarry see what he can do until a young guy takes his job, which is likely if he continues to struggle and they have 3 options. They have to see if any of these guys can take over. And it will hurt less paying Jarry if the other guy is dirt cheap.

Now what to do with Graves...

Ive had been on the fence about buying out Jarry just to rid ourselves of him, but there will be teams out there who will absolutely take him with $1.5-2.5M retained, which ends up being better than a buyout.

There is a very good chance that he goes elsewhere and completely finds his game again.

Bemstrom on waivers. Unless Malkin makes a big recovery the next couple days, looks like someone else will get a shot.

Still rooting for Poulin, but guessing it's Ponomarov since he's this regime's acquisition. Those are the top 2 scorers on NHL deals. Poulin would fit more as a fourth liner though they can and should bump Accairi back down a line.

Ive had been on the fence about buying out Jarry just to rid ourselves of him, but there will be teams out there who will absolutely take him with $1.5-2.5M retained, which ends up being better than a buyout.

There is a very good chance that he goes elsewhere and completely finds his game again.
- MacPatty

You mean somewhere the opposition doesn’t own the center of the ice in front of him.

Ive had been on the fence about buying out Jarry just to rid ourselves of him, but there will be teams out there who will absolutely take him with $1.5-2.5M retained, which ends up being better than a buyout.

There is a very good chance that he goes elsewhere and completely finds his game again.
- MacPatty

If I were a fan of another team, I'd absolutely want my them to get Jarry for half retained. I think he'll always have consistency problems as a starter, but we all know this team can't play defense either. Put him on a stingier team and he'll probably turn his career around.

Personally, I want Ned gone. Let Blom and Jarry fight it out. Let Murashov get the bulk of the starts in the A.

Agreed. I think Harry is capable. He just needs a team that can play some defence. Even the best pens teams were pretty lax on defensive responsibilities

11 games 11 W’s.

And just like that, the Bruins are below us in the league standings. The mighty have fallen.

If we get NYR’s first, my dream would be:

Our pick : Eklund
NYR pick: trade NYR first plus a 3rd to move up 2-3 spots and take Jake O’Brien

Bemstrom probably got as much of a chance as he was going to the previous few weeks.

I was just highlighting that there are some coaches that make up their minds about players and once you are on the CHIT LIST you seem to never get off it. SILKY is one of those coaches. Why even waste a player's time moving them up and down to get 7 minutes TOI. Same as for Nieto... and a list of others. You might think that the GM would be on the same page and that Bemstrom would be better respected if he was left in WB/S.

I was just highlighting that there are some coaches that make up their minds about players and once you are on the CHIT LIST you seem to never get off it. SILKY is one of those coaches. Why even waste a player's time moving them up and down to get 7 minutes TOI. Same as for Nieto... and a list of others. You might think that the GM would be on the same page and that Bemstrom would be better respected if he was left in WB/S.
- sufi-judge

Oh I agree with you about Sullivan. That's been one of my many frustrations for years.

I just took it as an opportunity to mention Bemstrom. That's really all the chance he was getting because he had to compete with guys like Koivunen and Tomasino for the all offense middle six winger roles. They can only carry so many of those when their middle six centers also don't play a lot of defense.

Great title. I know guys like Sid have no quit in them but finishing 8th? And the Rangers are currently in 13th. So they may only end up with one 1st round pick this year and not a top 5. I would rather the pens have a top 5 pick and the Rangers 14th overall pick this year. Maybe put them together to get higher in the draft or offer one for a player on Dubas' radar.

Can the pens draft anyone this yr who could be NHL ready in under 3 years?

Oh I agree with you about Sullivan. That's been one of my many frustrations for years.

I just took it as an opportunity to mention Bemstrom. That's really all the chance he was getting because he had to compete with guys like Koivunen and Tomasino for the all offense middle six winger roles. They can only carry so many of those when their middle six centers also don't play a lot of defense.
- Tojo.

Bemstrom also got a plenty long look last year. Guy just isn’t an NHL contributor

Great title. I know guys like Sid have no quit in them but finishing 8th? And the Rangers are currently in 13th. So they may only end up with one 1st round pick this year and not a top 5. I would rather the pens have a top 5 pick and the Rangers 14th overall pick this year. Maybe put them together to get higher in the draft or offer one for a player on Dubas' radar.

Can the pens draft anyone this yr who could be NHL ready in under 3 years?
- i'mjustafan

For sure the expectation should be that any player drafted in the top 10 should be an NHL contributor by year 3. But unless we get some lottery luck this year, the best case is someone contributing a bit in year 3.

I'd much rather us lose out the rest of the year and get as high of a pick as possible. But outside the top 3 picks, its going to be interesting to see who goes where.

Unfortunately the Rangers have a tough remaining schedule... Tampa x2, Florida, Minny, Carolina, Jersey, Islanders & Flyers... I think we are going to be stuck counting on them being worse next season.

For sure the expectation should be that any player drafted in the top 10 should be an NHL contributor by year 3. But unless we get some lottery luck this year, the best case is someone contributing a bit in year 3.

I'd much rather us lose out the rest of the year and get as high of a pick as possible. But outside the top 3 picks, its going to be interesting to see who goes where.

Unfortunately the Rangers have a tough remaining schedule... Tampa x2, Florida, Minny, Carolina, Jersey, Islanders & Flyers... I think we are going to be stuck counting on them being worse next season.
- MacPatty

I’d rather Sid score the game winning goal 11 times in the next 11 games. We’re not drafting the next Crosby so who gives a poop.

I’d rather Sid score the game winning goal 11 times in the next 11 games. We’re not drafting the next Crosby so who gives a poop.
- Grinder47

The Pens only have 7 games left, but I'd also like to see Sid score as much as possible.