GDT #63: Pens vs Oilers

[Orlando Penguin]

I’m OK with them losing a bunch of games the rest of the way. Get a better draft pick. But this malaise or pouting or whatever you want to call it better be gone by next season.

Since the disaster in Calgary, these guys have had the same look as the team that took the ice in the Bubble Playoffs of 2020 -- they're there in body but nowhere in the ballpark in spirit.

[Morkle]

They legit look like they've quit. Today had some good effort, but it wasn't a full 60. This reminds me back to the Bylsma days where they were emotionally weak and just crumbled at any given hard time.

The one thing I'd like to see them change, is to get someone to defend the stars or at the least be tougher hitting, etc. Ludvig is going to make the team in big part in that - but the Pens literally have no **** stirrers up front, most of those guys won't even go to the net.

[meecrofilm]

I don't think the staff wants **** to be stirred.

[MR25]

Their success was never predicated on being **** stirrers. Up until recently, they could rely on their ability to finish chances on the PP as the response the **** stirring. Let your play do the talking kind of thing.

Their finishing and shooting percentage have been bottom of the league for the last 2 years, so it kinda makes that sort of response n the scoreboard difficult.

[JC2]

The pens manage to look lost in both the offensive zone and defensive zone. It's quite impressive.

[Lelldorin]

GMKD did nothing for 5 months and then threw in the towel. I'd be pissed, too.

It’s insane how quickly the media and fans soured on Dubas. He walked into a real **** situation and made some moves that were fairly well praised before the start of the season. Well, except for Graves. He’s tasked with trying to win now while also retooling for the future with basically zero assets to help do it. His leash needs to be much much longer.

This x1000
Apart from Graves, Dubas brought in players that played well for other teams. I give him a 4 on a 1-5 scale.

I am actually glad that he didn't do something desperate during the season to try to salvage it. He was also clear that the latest games would determine what he would do approaching the trade deadline.

I am actually a bit dissatisfied with the players' behavior. Sid is my favorite player with talent and high work ethic. But it is quite apparent when he is dissatisfied. See Mike Johnson...

[Rx6687]

Dubas made several solid acquisitions to the bottom 6 with Acciari and Eller. Those guys have been worth every cent.

31 power play goals and 10 shorties in the first 60 games - a net of only 21 PPG

This situation falls ONE HUNDRED percent on the star players. This team's success this season was always going to come down to the power play, and it was SO bad that it negated the improvements in goaltending, defensive structure, and bottom 6 play. If the stars want to pout the rest of the season, that's fine. My hope is that they can fall far enough to get a top pick in the draft lottery.

And to the people bashing Sully, keep in mind two things:
1. He made adjustments this season, and until recently, they gave up significantly less goals as a result
2. Without HIS players coming up from WBS and a few trades that hit the jackpot by GMJR, this core would never have won another Cup after 2009. They need youth badly, and Dubas is the best hope for getting that done.

[King Colby]

They need good players.

I dont care how old they are

[Morkle]

**** stirrers was the wrong choice of words. I want the team to be tough on the forecheck, more physical, and at least more than Sid/Ludvig to go to the defense of other players.

I know Sid always feels like he has to get in there, and he won't stop doing that - but the rest of the team can answer the bell every once in awhile. They're simply not good enough to do that "we'll let our play do the talking" bit.

[nocera]

I believe the word you're looking for is "truculence."

[skullman80]

We need about 3 or 4 players like Matthew Tkachuk on this team to start.

Just that type of attitude. You can't have a whole team of those players, but one or two like that would be nice.

It's also fine to be somewhat soft as long as you can score ...which is how this team was for the longest time. If you can't score though you can't also be soft as toilet paper...which is what they have been the last few years. That combination makes for both losing and boring hockey.

[JC2]

Blaming the star players for our terrible powerplay is pretty amazing. It looks like any and all movement has been coached out of them.

[skullman80]

The Powerplay woes is probably about 75/25 with the 75 being coaching. The players are certainly not blameless though.

[JC2]

Oh, for sure. The players certainly are accountable for several issues right now.

I was more responding to Rx's comment that the powerplay is 100% on the players. It looks like they've been coached to stay stationary, pass the puck around the perimeter, and then just try to throw it on net at some point.

[Morkle]

If what is true - that there was some rumor that the Stars are managing the powerplay and not even taking the advice of coaching, I could see it being all blamed on the stars.

I don't believe that, but I believe it to be 50/50. The coaching is absolutely trash, but the players have to do some of the production too.

[Trip McNeely]

If what is true - that there was some rumor that the Stars are managing the powerplay and not even taking the advice of coaching, I could see it being all blamed on the stars.

I don't believe that, but I believe it to be 50/50. The coaching is absolutely trash, but the players have to do some of the production too.

If thats the case, it’s even more of an indictment on coaching that the players have no faith in what they are doing.

[JC2]

This doesn't look like a powerplay EK would draw up. I don't buy that at all...

[Morkle]

Yea, I forgot who said it - maybe Madden. I was thinking that's just not possible considering how boring it is lol.