Official GDT: Game 7 - Pens @ Oiltards - 10/23/18 9:08 EDT

[Gaucho]

ps JMFJ sucks

[shoeshine boy]

Media: "McDavid has surpassed Crosby as the best player in the game."

Crosby: "Hold my beer."

[mikey]

Sprong got posterized by a fourth liner last night, so not surprised he didn't see much time the rest of the way...

Obviously I watched the game on Sportsnet...but I did listen to Mears' call to see if he's developing a "big play" call at all...and last night wasn't too bad actually...this same time last year, if Crosby had done that he would have just queefed into the boom mic before sobbing quietly...so he's making progress.

It was Errey who blew it, calling Ryan Strome (Edm), "Dylan" (Arizona)...

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

Not like he saw much time before hand. I get he's only 21, but if the plan is to bench him every time he makes one mistake then you need to package him for an upgrade at LW.

[mikey]

Let's not get too excited. He's in a tough spot because he can't really go anywhere. That doesn't mean we just prune the entry-level asset just like that...we're still very much in the development phase with him, let's see where we're at in a couple months...

[Dickie Dunn]

Sprong won't be an asset anymore by the time this coaching staff is done with him.

Also, Bryan Rust is overpaid.

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

Just seems like they're trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. Can't work on deficiencies if you are given limited chances. Look at Simon, makes a sweet play behind the net for a goal, and only gets 4 minutes. Tough for wingers to be asked to be defensively responsible when you aren't asking the defensemen to do so, see Johnson, Jack.

[mikey]

The coaching staff and organization who has an absurd track record of salvaging castaways and developing mid-level prospects into key contributors...? All right...did we ****** lose last night or something? I could have sworn Crosby won it...

[mikey]

Just seems like they're trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. Can't work on deficiencies if you are given limited chances. Look at Simon, makes a sweet play behind the net for a goal, and only gets 4 minutes. Tough for wingers to be asked to be defensively responsible when you aren't asking the defensemen to do so, see Johnson, Jack.

Development takes place in practice mostly...games are where you apply learned skills.

[meow]

Just seems like they're trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. Can't work on deficiencies if you are given limited chances. Look at Simon, makes a sweet play behind the net for a goal, and only gets 4 minutes. Tough for wingers to be asked to be defensively responsible when you aren't asking the defensemen to do so, see Johnson, Jack.

I think the issue here is you are somehow trying to draw a line from Johnson to Sprong, which is a dummy move. imo

[Dickie Dunn]

The coaching staff and organization who has an absurd track record of salvaging castaways and developing mid-level prospects into key contributors...? All right...did we ****** lose last night or something? I could have sworn Crosby won it...

Would you get off your high horse and let me dodint about things?

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

One is established as sucking and continues to get ice time, the other is trying establish he doesn't suck and gets benched after 1 mistake. The accountability is inconsistent. My real concern is if you have two forwards with 4 and 3 minutes of ice time you're going to be taxing the other, more important players. Now with all these breaks between games it isn't so much of an issue, but come playoff time you need a guy in the lineup you can trust. If that isn't Sprong so be it.

[mikey]

The coaching staff and organization who has an absurd track record of salvaging castaways and developing mid-level prospects into key contributors...? All right...did we ****** lose last night or something? I could have sworn Crosby won it...

Would you get off your high horse and let me dodint about things?

It's a regular horse...on the flip side, isn't ok to say, "hey man, they actually do a hell of a job developing players...so I wouldn't be too discouraged by the fact that one of our spare forwards only has 3 points in his first 7 games of the season..."

You turn your unbacked, semi-opinion into a "I'm being persecuted!" thing...it's quite a leap and for no obvious reason...we're on the same team here, pal...

[meow]

One is established as sucking and continues to get ice time, the other is trying establish he doesn't suck and gets benched after 1 mistake.

One guy has about as many years in the league as the other guy has games played in the league.

The accountability is inconsistent.

Do you really think everyone should be treated equally? You want Malkin benched after one turnover or one bad penalty?

My real concern is if you have two forwards with 4 and 3 minutes of ice time you're going to be taxing the other, more important players. Now with all these breaks between games it isn't so much of an issue, but come playoff time you need a guy in the lineup you can trust. If that isn't Sprong so be it.

The Pens have one of the best top-9s in the league. They aren't over taxed. They sleepwalk through half the games now anyway.

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

One is established as sucking and continues to get ice time, the other is trying establish he doesn't suck and gets benched after 1 mistake.

One guy has about as many years in the league as the other guy has games played in the league.

The accountability is inconsistent.

Do you really think everyone should be treated equally? You want Malkin benched after one turnover or one bad penalty?

My real concern is if you have two forwards with 4 and 3 minutes of ice time you're going to be taxing the other, more important players. Now with all these breaks between games it isn't so much of an issue, but come playoff time you need a guy in the lineup you can trust. If that isn't Sprong so be it.

The Pens have one of the best top-9s in the league. They aren't over taxed. They sleepwalk through half the games now anyway.

The same guy has been known for his defensive mistakes in most of those games, yet gets trotted out shift after shift. Johnson was on the ice for every goal against last night, he played 20 minutes. Olesiak played 13 minutes and had 2 goals, Riikola with 13 minutes as well. I'm not saying they all should be treated equally but they can't be treated as polar opposites either. And it isn't like after Sprong and Simon got benched the team clamped it down defensively. They're afraid to make a mistake, and their play is reflecting that. Come playoff time the team is going to need to trust those two, or find guys they can trust because you can't have the other players take up that time and expect success.

[Troy Loney]

The Pens have one of the best top-9s in the league. They aren't over taxed. They sleepwalk through half the games now anyway.

I think this is the important way to look at it. Guys like Rust, Guentzel, Sheary and Kuhnackl earned playing time. We know that Crosby, Malkin and Kessel's main concern is getting through the regular season healthy, so the young guys fighting for roster spots and playing time have to prove it.

[dodint]

You turn your unbacked, semi-opinion into a "I'm being persecuted!" thing...it's quite a leap and for no obvious reason...we're on the same team here, pal...

Is he being detained?!?!?!?!

[NTP66]

Source of the post but I did listen to Mears' call to see if he's developing a "big play" call at all...and last night wasn't too bad actually...this same time last year, if Crosby had done that he would have just queefed into the boom mic before sobbing quietly...so he's making progress.

Very much so. I mentioned the same in another thread recently, months ago after our last game.

[Dickie Dunn]

Mears has been much improved this year.

[nocera]

I've never hated Mears like some here. He's chicken salad. His play calling is neither offensive nor exciting.

[NTP66]

I don't think that he was ever bad, but this season he is definitely more confident and smoother.

[nocera]

At the very least he hasn't embarrassed me like Steigy constantly did.

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

Needs more Hobey Baker jokes, imo.

[mikey]

I've never hated Mears like some here. He's chicken salad. His play calling is neither offensive nor exciting.

Like chicken salad, when left in a spotlight, he tends to go bad very quickly...

[meow]

Not as fast as orange juice? As fast as orange juice? Faster than orange juice?