mikey's Thread of Penguin Randomness

[mikey]

Ridiculous. There would be a line out the door to acquire Letang if he were made available...only fans overreact to a bad couple weeks in the face of all that talent...

[meow]

After those last two playoff runs, I honestly can't imagine how this team could get up for these regular season games.

We can debate their actual play all day, but I think this is the root of the issue.

If that's the case, do you shake the team up by any means necessary, or do you wait to see what they give in the playoffs and adjust from there this off-season? As a coach - it appears to be wearing on Sullivan.

No major shake-up needed. Maybe try to move Cole again. He has not been very good and with his contract situation being what it is... This roster is still good enough to win it all. IMO, of course.

Coaches are graded on wins, loses, and success. Sullivan has had enough success to be given extra leash during the dog days of the season. It is in his coach DNA to get irritated at careless play, lack of focus, and loses.

Winning the division ain't no prize. No matter where you finish, you are playing a good team every single round. As long as they are within striking distance on Valentine's Day, I don't think it really matters what happens between now and then.

[Troy Loney]

Ridiculous. There would be a line out the door to acquire Letang if he were made available...only fans overreact to a bad couple weeks in the face of all that talent...

Even with that injury history and 4 more years at over $7M?

[mikey]

Absolutely no question.

[meow]

Letang is still very much a No. 1 d-man.

[dodint]

Ridiculous. There would be a line out the door to acquire Letang if he were made available...only fans overreact to a bad couple weeks in the face of all that talent...

This is a bit disingenuous. Most of what I say about him is in jest, but I won't allow you to deny that he's been at best a non-factor for the clubs last 90 games including a Cup win. At worst he's a significant liability on the balance sheet and now on the ice.

The difference isn't Letang or nothing, it's Letang vs. what he can be replaced with. The truth is right now that incremental difference isn't very significant. Speed, athleticism, and endurance do not improve with age. He's already 30 and starting down the backside of his career arc.

His best hope is to get smarter but I'm not going to extend him the benefit of that doubt either.

[mikey]

The thought was that we would need to lube him up to get him out the door, that was addressed...the micro level, game to game deal is another story in a lot of respects...

[shmenguin]

Letang is still very much a No. 1 d-man.

this version isn't. but it's more likely that he'll equalize than THIS being what we're stuck with

[dodint]

It's entertaining to think about but I assume he has a pretty stout NMC/NTC that makes all of this quibbling moot. So, like I said, shinpads...

[meow]

Letang is still very much a No. 1 d-man.

this version isn't. but it's more likely that he'll equalize than THIS being what we're stuck with

Perhaps.

Which should lead us into the discussion of "What does it mean to be a number 1 defenseman?"

[Silentom]

Play better than Letang is.

[dodint]

In other less than rational hot takes; if Dominik Simon insists on being called 'Seamoan' he can go back to WBS. It gives me terrible Seamoan Duhprix flashbacks.

[Gaucho]

The Letang for Karlsson scenario isn't as absurd as it might seem.

[shmenguin]

Letang is still very much a No. 1 d-man.

this version isn't. but it's more likely that he'll equalize than THIS being what we're stuck with

Perhaps.

Which should lead us into the discussion of "What does it mean to be a number 1 defenseman?"

well i'd say "reliability" is table stakes. he doesn't possess this at the moment.

[Morkle]

There was very much a after my post. Letang isn't going anywhere, but he's vastly overrated at times. I assume his poor play is because of his injury - there will be a point where everything should be expected of him, however, or not - and his contract becomes a 1 ton weight.

[meow]

Letang is still very much a No. 1 d-man.

this version isn't. but it's more likely that he'll equalize than THIS being what we're stuck with

Perhaps.

Which should lead us into the discussion of "What does it mean to be a number 1 defenseman?"

well i'd say "reliability" is table stakes. he doesn't possess this at the moment.

Sure, but what does it mean to be reliable? Not be a -13 in 32 games?

[mikey]

In other less than rational hot takes; if Dominik Simon insists on being called 'Seamoan' he can go back to WBS. It gives me terrible Seamoan Duhprix flashbacks.

@Tomas help us...

[Morkle]

The thing to me as well in regards to Letang - the Pens won without him, but that's the question I posed earlier about the rest of the defense overperforming last year and they couldn't really live without Letang now.

Defensively there are issues with getting the puck out, making passes to right guys, defending the front of the net - and everyone's been victimized because of it.

[mikey]

I don't see zone exits as an issue personally...

[Morkle]

I feel like there's at least 3-4 blind passes to the center of the ice a game. Overall it may not bring numbers down much, but I think a lot of the guys are just careless most of the time.

[meow]

My only bugaboo with 58 right now is his spacing with his partner in the NZ. He is a country mile from his partner. That is fine if you are paired with Lindstrom, but you can't expect Dumo to make a dot-to-dot pass in a regroup. I've seen Letang have to chase down a breakaway from this far too many times this year.

[shmenguin]

Letang is still very much a No. 1 d-man.

this version isn't. but it's more likely that he'll equalize than THIS being what we're stuck with

Perhaps.

Which should lead us into the discussion of "What does it mean to be a number 1 defenseman?"

well i'd say "reliability" is table stakes. he doesn't possess this at the moment.

Sure, but what does it mean to be reliable? Not be a -13 in 32 games?

he's reliably going to have a disappointing +/-, so you are wrong, sir.

from a #1 dman, when they have the puck with time and space, i want reasonable assurance that they will make a positive contribution. i expect letang to f*** up. and the prophecy usually ends up coming true these days.

[mikey]

I feel like there's at least 3-4 blind passes to the center of the ice a game. Overall it may not bring numbers down much, but I think a lot of the guys are just careless most of the time.

Those are an integral part of our system and have been. The expectation is the timing of the center lane exit, these are not blind. It is practiced and expected to happen in many circumstances...

[mikey]

My only bugaboo with 58 right now is his spacing with his partner in the NZ. He is a country mile from his partner. That is fine if you are paired with Lindstrom, but you can't expect Dumo to make a dot-to-dot pass in a regroup. I've seen Letang have to chase down a breakaway from this far too many times this year.

Letang plays like he is watching the game on replay, but then actually a dynamic event happens and he is miffed...he is playing like he knows what is gonna happen, but gives it away too soon that he knows and therefore the opponent adapts to his premature adaptation...

[Gaucho]

Errey pointed this out in one instance in the Colorado game. Letang looked bad, but it was in fact the center who screwed up. Maybe mikey can make a video showing how much dmen rely on their partners or a forward to be where they're supposed to be.