mikey's Thread of Penguin Randomness

[King Colby]

Jake would be a rental. Rentals usually don't fetch much of anything. No deal.

ROR went for a 1st 2nd and 3rd

Orlov went for a 1st 2nd and 3rd

Jake is significantly better than both

[skullman80]

You cannot entertain the thought of a rebuild when you have 3 franchise stars still productive late in their career. I’d take 10 years of missing the playoffs if it meant one more bonafide cup run

There is zero chance of a cup run with this roster. None. Zilch.

If they get in…and that’s a big if they are one and done.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

You cannot entertain the thought of a rebuild when you have 3 franchise stars still productive late in their career. I’d take 10 years of missing the playoffs if it meant one more bonafide cup run

There is zero chance of a cup run with this roster. None. Zilch.

If they get in…and that’s a big if they are one and done.

shaf?

[shafnutz05]

Yeah, they're done. The "fire coach and win Cup" method won't work for a third time either.

[skullman80]

I’m all for being optimistic but not sure how you can look at the pens roster and think they have any shot at a deep run.

Sid is amazing. Enjoy him for as long as possible but the team as a whole is old aging stars that are mostly showing their age….and a bunch of spare parts minus Jake.

[King Colby]

Nylander 568gp 200-291-491
Jake 499gp 219-244-463

Jake 1.5 years older

Willy styles signed for 8x11.5...

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

I’m all for being optimistic but not sure how you can look at the pens roster and think they have any shot at a deep run.

Sid is amazing. Enjoy him for as long as possible but the team as a whole is old aging stars that are mostly showing their age….and a bunch of spare parts minus Jake.

We’re 8th in actual 5 on 5 goal differential and 6th in 5 on 5 expected goal differential. Our PP is our biggest weakness right now (second worst in the league) but if it’s absolutely not a personnel thing, it’s a scheme thing


tbh I think anyone who doesn’t think we have a shot is delusional the other way. I’m not saying we should be the favorites, but I think one or two good trades and I think our odds of a run are legitimate

[NTP66]

I'd just like to see what this team could do with a power play that wasn't completely impotent.

[Trip McNeely]

This is the worst year for the Eastern Conference in years. If there’s any year the Pens are going to have a good chance, it’s this one.

Fix the PP somehow and get EK to play like EK and this team is super dangerous. F trading Guentzel. I don’t want a late first round pick in return because that’s what we are going to get

[shoeshine boy]

I’m all for being optimistic but not sure how you can look at the pens roster and think they have any shot at a deep run.

while I don't disagree with you, this is why they play the games. if you'd have told me that the Panthers, with Bob in goal would go to the SCF last season, I would've moved to have you drug tested immediately. likely? no. possible? of course but they've got to find a way to fix that PP.

[Rx6687]

I agree that a magical run like 2009 or 2016 is not possible with this roster.

However - not only are the majority of teams in the conference struggling, but many of them are having goaltending issues, and serious ones at that. So, yeah, this current roster would be cannon fodder for a few of the teams in the West, but when you've got Sid, Jake, and the goaltending advantage, there's a reasonably good chance you win that series.

[skullman80]

I agree that the PP being trash is a huge part of what is holding them back...and they have been good 5v5. With that said up until this point they have not been able to fix the PP for whatever reason. What makes anyone think they are suddenly going to fix it the last half of the season. A decent PP would put them in the mix as at least dangerous if everything goes right, but that seems to not be in the cards.

I also think its hard to go on a hot streak in the NHL playoffs. In the NFL you just have to get hot and win 4 games in a row. In the NHL you have to win 16. I just don't see this team even if the PP gets better being able to beat the top teams in the EC in a 7 game series, but as has been mentioned I guess that's why you play the games.

[King Colby]

Trade jake for two firsts and then resign him in the offseason anyway

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

I agree that the PP being trash is a huge part of what is holding them back...and they have been good 5v5. With that said up until this point they have not been able to fix the PP for whatever reason. What makes anyone think they are suddenly going to fix it the last half of the season. A decent PP would put them in the mix as at least dangerous if everything goes right, but that seems to not be in the cards.

I also think its hard to go on a hot streak in the NHL playoffs. In the NFL you just have to get hot and win 4 games in a row. In the NHL you have to win 16. I just don't see this team even if the PP gets better being able to beat the top teams in the EC in a 7 game series, but as has been mentioned I guess that's why you play the games.

My optimism on the PP possibly improving lies in the fact that we have 3 (4?) Hall of Famers on the first PP who are still playing at a high level…at least at 5 on 5. That’s why I’m convinced it’s a scheme thing (mikey broke it down a while ago) that, imo, falls directly on the shoulders of the coaching staff. But it’s a little discouraging that nothing major is happening in terms of who is employed nor our strategy evolving



really, the only roster weakness that’s obvious to me is a top 4 LHD. Possibly going to get slapped for this but one guy I’m intrigued by who I know is being shopped around is Provorov. Not sure if the BJs would trade him in division, how much they would retain and how much they would ask for him but I think it’s a move that could potentially be a big help. He would need to play with Letang exclusively because I have no trust that he and EK could stop a minimite team but that’s the kind of move I’d look for and also something like that (trying to snag a LHD; not necessarily Provorov) would really propel us to a top contender in the east

[mikey]

GF% for our d-men this year (even GF:GA = 50%; more GF while on ice than GA >50%):
Pettersson 61%
Letang 56.5%
Karlsson 56%
Graves 54.2%
Shea 43.8%
Ruhwedel 42.1%
Joseph 36.8%
Ludvig 26.7%

Swap Graves for Ludvig and that's probably about how I feel they've performed in order of performance this year...

[mikey]

Remarkably, Ryan Graves has a 1.71 GA/60 rate...which is insane because of how bad he is defensively. Then I see that among all the d-men around him, he basically blows them all out of the water in terms of giving up scoring chances. He's being bailed out by Jarry/Ned more than anyone else, relatively speaking.

[mikey]

A name to look out for...Arthur Kaliyev in Los Angeles. He has a bomb of a shot. He's not very fast. But he has some hands, he can score from mid-range, he will go to the net (but he's not like a real grinder or anything)...I think they probably try to use him to make a bigger deal to save their season, but if they'd be content doing something smaller...they do need a 3LD. I'd do POJ and small piece for Kaliyev if they would...

[King Colby]

I love kaliyev and I'd love that deal

[Morkle]

The PP has shown enough data to say it's a bad PP. If they won't fire the coach, and at the least won't try actual changes by removing those players. It's not going to change.

I'm pretty much cemented that it appears to be the one area where the stars dictate what happens - because I can't imagine any other team allowing that much ineptitude happen repeatedly given the talent.

[mikey]

Penguins have employed 87, 71, 59, and 58 full time since 2017-18 to 2022-23. That group has a 22.7% power play in that time. 5th in the NHL over that span.

We added the #1 defenseman in power play points since 2010.

Are we suggesting that all of a sudden, these players don't know how to power play anymore? That they are intentionally choosing this formation over and over again in order to not do their favorite thing in the world...? They just plum forgot...?

[nocera]

So what changed?

[mikey]

"Adjustments" gone wrong...

[meow]

Nylander 568gp 200-291-491
Jake 499gp 219-244-463

Jake 1.5 years older

Willy styles signed for 8x11.5...

At least 3 or 4 sheets of that is hazard pay for playing in toronto

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

last year we scored .77 PPG/game. This year we're at .43. That's a difference of ~16 goals over 46 games

ugh

Karlsson is going to have a Iginla-type reputation in Pittsburgh unless something changes

[meow]

Swap Graves for Ludvig and that's probably about how I feel they've performed in order of performance this year...

co-sign