Ryan Wilson: Bad loss and a demotion Bad loss and a demotion

Who is the bigger person to blame for these issues. Dubas or Sullivan?

Who is the bigger person to blame for these issues. Dubas or Sullivan?
- 123Kid

BOTH AND FSG..

I’m still finding it hard to believe some think a coaching change wouldn’t make a difference.

Does it turn this team into a contender? No, absolutely not. It does allow the team to change gears and try a different approach.

Swapping lines within the same system is not coaching.

Letang is just awful.

For what it’s worth, 2 out the 3 cup wins by this core group have come with a mid-season coaching change.

Sidney crosby nine games- 1G, 6A, 7P -6

Reckel is the only positve player on this team.

I understand no one believes in +/- but it is a stat used still today. WIth that it shows where this slop on the ice has gone and Nohingt is being done at all. No FSG, not ieven a whisper of sullivan or dubas with what's going on?

This is what needed to happen. Best thing to do is let him start 10 games in a row in the A and see how he handles it. I doubt Jarry has a life backup plan, he really has no choice now but to get his poop together.

Malkin's contract is up in two years. It's over.

Jarry has played his last game for the Pens.

Karlsson should be traded this season. He has to want to play for a contender at this point in his career.

Rust and Rakell, same as Karlsson except trade them next year. They'll be tougher to move, true but they'll want out.

Crosby and Letang maybe they finish their contract, maybe not. Either way their roles will be diminished.
- Thunderbolt

I think it will play out a little differently. Some of these guys will stick around because not only are their contracts difficult to move, but the team will need to stay at the floor. Maybe someone like Rust or EK end up being moved after the Pens eat some salary. But guys like Jarry and Graves I don't think go without sweeteners that they won't do if they start a rebuild.

Crosby and Letang could get interesting.

Poor Murashov can't get into any games. Only started 1 of their 5 games (and only gave up one goal) and now Jarry is probably taking his start this weekend. Not what he expected when moving here I'm sure.

Who is the bigger person to blame for these issues. Dubas or Sullivan?
- 123Kid

That's a great question. And I think I'll go with Dubas. Given a better roster, they probably still underachieve, but I think Sully has them in playoff contention.

But Dubas has made a lot of moves at a time where they had little margin for error that will handcuff any chance this team has of being competitive in the short term.

Does Blomqvist go B2B ???

I agree Thorny. I think many of us have thought a Coaching change is what this team has needed for the past few seasons. I definitely think it will help. Especially now!


As a side note for once I am hoping Ek is correct. He is saying teams do have interest in Jarry. I guess I will watch for some scouts when I go to the games.

Poor Murashov can't get into any games. Only started 1 of their 5 games (and only gave up one goal) and now Jarry is probably taking his start this weekend. Not what he expected when moving here I'm sure.
- Tojo.

I think this is just mostly so he gets some more time to get coached up. He did look good while in goal. I think they want to develop him a bit more from what I am gathering. He will be in games more and more as time goes on thankfully. Just a bit early in the season and it's the first time he is working with our coaches.

I think it will play out a little differently. Some of these guys will stick around because not only are their contracts difficult to move, but the team will need to stay at the floor. Maybe someone like Rust or EK end up being moved after the Pens eat some salary. But guys like Jarry and Graves I don't think go without sweeteners that they won't do if they start a rebuild.

Crosby and Letang could get interesting.
- Tojo.

Jarry will be auditioned for two weeks in WBS. This may be the best chance we have to rid ourselves of him and actually get a decent return. We will get the short end of the trade here, but it will be what's best moving forward.

I'm not trading Graves, not yet anyway. He's been a decent player so far. I may even keep him.

I can see your side of this. I just think we're close to blowing it up.

Does Blomqvist go B2B ???
- dozerD10

Haha, no. He needs a day off after that game. He probably lost enough water to ride at Emerald Downs today. That's not good for a guy 6'2"

I’m still finding it hard to believe some think a coaching change wouldn’t make a difference.

Does it turn this team into a contender? No, absolutely not. It does allow the team to change gears and try a different approach.

Swapping lines within the same system is not coaching.
- Thorny87

I don't see the point of letting Sullivan go with two plus years on his contract and this team in the beginning stages of a rebuild. It's not my money, I don't care if he stays or goes. At some point you are going to bring in a coach who is more adept at coaching younger players. That time won't come until midseason of next year at the earliest, and more likely the start of the '26-'27 season. That's where I'm at anyway.

That's a great question. And I think I'll go with Dubas. Given a better roster, they probably still underachieve, but I think Sully has them in playoff contention.

But Dubas has made a lot of moves at a time where they had little margin for error that will handcuff any chance this team has of being competitive in the short term.
- Tojo.

I do agree with this as well! I think Dubas could have done a lot better with the roster. I know we always talk Hindsight, but honestly I think this roster could have been constructed a lot better with our cap space. I like that we got younger; however I agree there were terrible moves that handcuffed us. Especially not getting a #1 LW.

We all understood the Guentzel trade, but we all also expected Dubas to do his job and bring in someone who may not have been as good, but at least a decent option not Beau who is honestly a 3rd line player (which he should have just kept DOC at the top spot if this was the plan). A better plan would have been to sign Sean Monahan at the #2 Center spot and move Malkin in that top LW spot (something us fans have preached for years). Or he could have signed someone like Tyler Bertuzzi for the top spot. Instead he just piles up the draft picks. He also could have took the Hayes trade and flipped a 2nd and got rid of Graves and saved us an additional 4.5 million.

Now what is he going to do this year? Trade Pettersson and sign a bottom pairing LHD to replace him?

If Dubas wanted to tear us down because he doesn't think we are a playoff team and wanted a better top pick (which we all know was his plan) he should have traded Karlsson, and Jarry this offseason. We would have been in a better spot even not knowing what he had in Bloom.

Jarry will be auditioned for two weeks in WBS. This may be the best chance we have to rid ourselves of him and actually get a decent return. We will get the short end of the trade here, but it will be what's best moving forward.

I'm not trading Graves, not yet anyway. He's been a decent player so far. I may even keep him.

I can see your side of this. I just think we're close to blowing it up.
- Thunderbolt

We'll just have to agree to disagree on Jarry. I can't see anyone taking him. Same with Graves right now though I'd agree he's been good this year.

I could see them attempting to blow it up so I at least partially can agree. I just don't think everyone will go. They'll probably keep the worst contracts and trade the movable ones if they go in that direction.

I do agree with this as well! I think Dubas could have done a lot better with the roster. I know we always talk Hindsight, but honestly I think this roster could have been constructed a lot better with our cap space. I like that we got younger; however I agree there were terrible moves that handcuffed us. Especially not getting a #1 LW.

We all understood the Guentzel trade, but we all also expected Dubas to do his job and bring in someone who may not have been as good, but at least a decent option not Beau who is honestly a 3rd line player (which he should have just kept DOC at the top spot if this was the plan). A better plan would have been to sign Sean Monahan at the #2 Center spot and move Malkin in that top LW spot (something us fans have preached for years). Or he could have signed someone like Tyler Bertuzzi for the top spot. Instead he just piles up the draft picks. He also could have took the Hayes trade and flipped a 2nd and got rid of Graves and saved us an additional 4.5 million.

Now what is he going to do this year? Trade Pettersson and sign a bottom pairing LHD to replace him?

If Dubas wanted to tear us down because he doesn't think we are a playoff team and wanted a better top pick (which we all know was his plan) he should have traded Karlsson, and Jarry this offseason. We would have been in a better spot even not knowing what he had in Bloom.
- 123Kid

I don't think this was universal. I know for myself taking away the second best player on the team for Bunting and a pile of second tier futures was the opposite of what you do if you're trying to win. Even Sid needs help at his age.

Sometime it might be good to go over what are all the things Dubas should have done differently to compete this year. For me, it starts with keeping Guentzel. No matter how badly that aged, once they moved him, they all but completely shut the door on competing now. Though judging by our defense it might have been a moot point anyways, but at least we'd have a good top line.

Who is the bigger person to blame for these issues. Dubas or Sullivan?
- 123Kid

FSG, Dubas and Sullivan all deserve a equal share. Sullivan needed to go a few years ago and FSG couldn't wait to give him a 3 year extension on top of his two remaining years. That's nuts in the NHL. I don't blame Dubas for the Jarry deal because there weren't many options. They went the "devil you know" route. BUT... his deals for depth guys were mostly bad.

Then there's Sully... Everything he did to win his two cups is exactly the opposite of how he does things now. He's been on auto pilot for at least 3 or 4 years.

The biggest difference between this year and last.... IMO, Crosby and Letang were both really good through most of last season. Top line (with Guentz) were dominant. Letang was really, really good too.

This year... Neither look that great. Sid still has some points, but only 1G. Malkin has been pretty good.....maybe a little better than last year, but not nearly enough to make up for Sid.

FSG, Dubas and Sullivan all deserve a equal share. Sullivan needed to go a few years ago and FSG couldn't wait to give him a 3 year extension on top of his two remaining years. That's nuts in the NHL. I don't blame Dubas for the Jarry deal because there weren't many options. They went the "devil you know" route. BUT... his deals for depth guys were mostly bad.

Then there's Sully... Everything he did to win his two cups is exactly the opposite of how he does things now. He's been on auto pilot for at least 3 or 4 years.
- madmike71

Dubas is a horrible GM

Dubas is a horrible GM
- optimus-reim

Possibly. This is a tough situation though. Inheriting generational players at the end of their careers. Basically having a foot in the "rebuild" and "win now" camps isn't a great situation. He's made a few unforced errors however.

The biggest difference between this year and last.... IMO, Crosby and Letang were both really good through most of last season. Top line (with Guentz) were dominant. Letang was really, really good too.

This year... Neither look that great. Sid still has some points, but only 1G. Malkin has been pretty good.....maybe a little better than last year, but not nearly enough to make up for Sid.
- madmike71

Letang has lost a step or two. He used to make up for mistakes by outskating guys. Having Dumoulin back helped also. Dumoulin was the biggest unsung hero this team has had in a long time, maybe ever.

Guentzel: I may be alone in this, but I seriously doubt he wanted to sign here. Whether he wanted to sign here or not, Dubas did him a favor.