Ryan Wilson: The writing has been on the wall and nobody wanted to read it The writing has been on the wall and nobody wanted to read it

I'm telling you all. The Islanders are playing New Jersey Devil hockey.

It doesn't seem to matter if NJ is last place in the NHL and the Pens win the Presidents Trophy, we always seem to lose to NJ.

Washington could beat NJ 7-0
Two Days later, the Pens beat Washington 5-1
Two Days layer, NJ beats the Pens 4-0

Copy NJ, and you beat the Pens 4 out of 5 times, regardless of how talented your roster is on paper.

I stopped reading as soon as I was suppose to believe that NHL defensemen can’t skate or make any plays to the forwards. Pens forwards aren’t winning any puck battles either. Yes Johnson sucks but this blog is garbage as far as explaining this series.

Accurate blog.

I'm telling you all. The Islanders are playing New Jersey Devil hockey.

It doesn't seem to matter if NJ is last place in the NHL and the Pens win the Presidents Trophy, we always seem to lose to NJ.

Washington could beat NJ 7-0
Two Days later, the Pens beat Washington 5-1
Two Days layer, NJ beats the Pens 4-0

Copy NJ, and you beat the Pens 4 out of 5 times, regardless of how talented your roster is on paper.
- bochangs

Exactly what i was thinking the other day youre spot on!

Crosby, Malkin and Kessel are all great players. Guentzel too. But how far can a team with only 4 established top 6 forwards go? (Maybe 5 if you include Hornqvist.)

Only as far as their defensemen can take them.

You guys want to trade Gino to buffalo ?

You guys want to trade Gino to buffalo ?
- 716

Sure, just give us Eichel, Dahlin, and take JJ. LOL

To PITT: Bryan Little, Adam Lowry

To WPG: Phil Kessel

The fan in me often finds Ryan's blogs exhausting/annoying. Sometimes you just want to enjoy the high points without being weighed down by the negatives. However, this blog is dead on.

Agreed. Especially liked RW’s take on Trader Jim. He will go down swinging. Let’s just hope he doesn’t burn the house down.

I stopped reading as soon as I was suppose to believe that NHL defensemen can’t skate or make any plays to the forwards. Pens forwards aren’t winning any puck battles either. Yes Johnson sucks but this blog is garbage as far as explaining this series.
- Grinder47

Yup. Rutherford and Sullivan never hit the ice for a single shift. I'm not going to debate the loss of identity or roster moves since '17, but ignoring facts (i.e. top line of Crosby, Rust, and Guentzel have zero points and are a combined -11 in three games). But highlight management problems (RW). GREAT!

Yeah why was Simon on the 1st Line? Wasnt McCann back last game?

I like an objective look at teams. The fanboy sports writer is lame, but RW's blogs are too predictable....Yes JJ sucks and JR has a history of making dumb moves. Being cynical is worthless, you can be negative but bring an alternative suggestion for those mistakes made. If not you're just whining to whine like my hyper liberal sister in law.

Poor Philbert won't get to fill the cup with weenies this summer

I was very fortunate to get tickets for game 3 this past Sunday as it was my first game ever to see the Pens play live in the playoffs. But from what I watched during that game, I will say that I completely agree with what RW is saying that this team seemed to have lost its identity, especially in this round of the playoffs. RW couldn't be more spot on and accurate to the core with that post.

I really hope the Pens can come correct, and disappoint the Islanders chances from moving onto the next round

Poor Philbert won't get to fill the cup with weenies this summer
- ChonDerry

You're... insulting a guy making 8 mil a year with 2 cups?

Well, okay then...

There is some good stuff in this blog. And after i got to the middle of it it flowed. What I don’t get is the statement of not being a fan style writer when your obession with JJ is borderline clinical. No one here thinks he is good, but to spend a percentage of everything you post on him makes reading the rest difficult. Gudbranson was brought in for toughness and has been actually a pleasant suprise. Believe me I want Johnson in the pressbox, but Maatta isn’t an answer, I would rather risk it with Rikkola or as a lesser thought Trotman.

There is some good stuff in this blog. And after i got to the middle of it it flowed. What I don’t get is the statement of not being a fan style writer when your obession with JJ is borderline clinical. No one here thinks he is good, but to spend a percentage of everything you post on him makes reading the rest difficult. Gudbranson was brought in for toughness and has been actually a pleasant suprise. Believe me I want Johnson in the pressbox, but Maatta isn’t an answer, I would rather risk it with Rikkola or as a lesser thought Trotman.
- Doogs

Maatta is better than all 3 of those players.

Maatta is better than all 3 of those players.
- j.boyd919

Not in the game he was in. He was too slow.

What is better a young guy that hits, shoots but makes mistakes (Rikkola)

Or

The vet that is slow and loses the puck down the boards often (Maatta).

At this point a change may be helpful.

You're... insulting a guy making 8 mil a year with 2 cups?

Well, okay then...
- Guile

I'm not though! Poor poor Philliam

And the worst thing about this off-season is that the pens are so tight against the cap, there’s really nothing they can do to get better. The only way to dump Gudbransson, Johnson, or Hornqvist would be to add a high draft pick or prospect, which the pens really lack. Maatta may have some sort of value, but I’d rather have him than Johnson or gudbransson.

JR could have done nothing during free agency, still traded sprong for Pettersson, and went into the season with Letang-Dumo, Schultz-Maatta, and Oleksiak-Pettersson while having a ton cap space to make other deals if needed. Instead, we consistently have a d-man making +3 mil who is consistently a healthy scratch

The team won with speed and puck moving defenseman. They went back to back so how do you continue that success? By completely abandoning what got you there.

That Reaves trade made no sense now and it didn't make sense then.

This is going to be one hell of an interesting offseason. Maybe the Pens can get Zac Rinaldo!

Poor Philbert won't get to fill the cup with weenies this summer
- ChonDerry

It may not be THE Cup he will fill but he will find a cup to put weenies in.

It may not be THE Cup he will fill but he will find a cup to put weenies in.
- acdc1206

proper answer ^

Sure, just give us Eichel, Dahlin, and take JJ. LOL
- Rinosaur

How about #7 pick, Nylander and Sheary back lol