GDT #54 Pens @ Devils, 07:00 ET

[mikey]

Yeah, let's hear one or two good ones here and see where it goes...it can be taken out of GDT as well...

[Jim]

There are more and more "What the..." situations when it comes to this team's coaching than "That's a good idea" times. (In game... I don't know about practice)

Like?

Not sure what the confusion is... ice time, line combos, scratches, non-scratches... you know... coach stuff.

We can’t have a discussion here, Jim, if you don’t come to the table with some examples.

We can't have a discussion here if you don't already know what I am talking about. If you need hand held through a conversation you'll have to find someone else.

[meow]

There are more and more "What the..." situations when it comes to this team's coaching than "That's a good idea" times. (In game... I don't know about practice)

Like?

Not sure what the confusion is... ice time, line combos, scratches, non-scratches... you know... coach stuff.

We can’t have a discussion here, Jim, if you don’t come to the table with some examples.

We can't have a discussion here if you don't already know what I am talking about. If you need hand held through a conversation you'll have to find someone else.

You seem to be the only person in the whole grit eating world that isn’t happy with Sullivan, yet you don’t have one concrete example of why.

[Jim]

Like?

Not sure what the confusion is... ice time, line combos, scratches, non-scratches... you know... coach stuff.

We can’t have a discussion here, Jim, if you don’t come to the table with some examples.

We can't have a discussion here if you don't already know what I am talking about. If you need hand held through a conversation you'll have to find someone else.

You seem to be the only person in the whole grit eating world that isn’t happy with Sullivan, yet you don’t have one concrete example of why.

Because water absorbs into a grit faster on my stove than anywhere else.

[meow]

WERE THESE MAGIC GRITS?!

[mikey]

I'm sorry I was all the way over here...I couldn't hear you.

[meow]

This question is for Jim - and only Jim! - which line combination has you the most upset, dear?

[Jim]

Dear?

Seriously?

[meow]

I thought we had a thing going...you know...quoting My Cousin Vinny...

[Jim]

I do not recall that part. The glasses lady?

No one line specifically. Moving people around "needlessly", dressing guys but not skating them causing double shifting, things of that nature. There is an ice time relation to the line issue for me. I don't think he has much of an idea as to how to use a 4th line. He seems to want a 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d and if you cant be a 1er then you sit all game. The Pens seem to have more 10:xx and less regular type guys than the other good teams (I didn't run numbers to get exacts), and I am not considering guys that only played a few games (like Dea getting 5 minutes per over 5 games). To me it is poor management considering the amount of hockey these guys have played over the last two and a half seasons.

Maybe merge when I said ice time and line combos into line/player management.

[mikey]

I actually like that the fourth line and even the third line aren't asked to do the same things as the first and second lines...that was Bylsma's problem...

I mean, you're looking at forwards not playing a ton - usually because games get into special teams matchups - but then again, you look at the best team in the league and they go 11 forwards and 7 D regularly. So they get a zero from their 12th forward. New Jersey has been running that way recently too...I've seen Montreal go that way as well at some point, IIRC...

I just had a game that I coached where there were a bunch of penalties and game situations that didn't call for certain players...the game didn't get a flow, lots of starts and stops...as a result, my fourth line didn't take the ice at all in the entire game. The whole line didn't get a sniff. It happens.

I'm not that antsy to see more fourth line time either. We have been trying to get into a playoff spot, that's gonna come from Sid and Geno and Phil (before he gets traded)...I don't mean to devalue the depth guys, because I usually back them despite their box score stats, but those aren't the guys that are likely to turn this around by getting 10:44 of ice time instead of 8:39.

I get the "it's a lot of hockey" thing...but at some point, you need to rev it up and start winning games...

[Jim]

Here is a specific example since I just watched ZARs shifts in the Jersey game. I acknowledge that it was his first NHL game. I acknowledge that this is not exactly "typical" and just an example. Reese had a few rather decent shifts on Saturday. Nothing bone headed, no injury.

He was rewarded with 6:24 total time, 12 shifts. Well, one shift was 0:07 and one 0:01 so really 10 shifts. 5 in the first period, 3 in the second (plus the 0:07) and 2 in the third (plus the 0:01). Only the 0:01 after 9:19 into the third. One second of ice in the last 10:41 of the game.

The other forwards on each of his 10 shifts (not the 0:07 or 0:01):
1. Rust and Simon
2. Reaves and Rowney
3. Malkin and Reaves
4. Kessel and Malkin
5. Crosby and Reaves
6. Crosby and Rust
7. Crosby and Rust
8. Crosby and Reaves
9. Reaves and Rowney
10. Rowney and Sheahan

10 shifts, 7 different linemate pairs, 8 different linemates.

At one point Errey said something about a lack of communication and lack of cohesive work. How can they be cohesive and communicate well when they potentially don't even know who the other forwards are with them on the ice?

The Pens had 3 forwards with under 8 minutes. Devils had no one under 12 (Boyle 12:10). Again, just an example as I wanted to zero in on Reese's play specifically. Not stating that this is 100% the norm.