What If The Pens Dont Make The Playoffs?

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

that sense of urgency obviously includes getting embarrassed at home by the Flyers

[count2infinity]

i don't believe that the players are actually concerned about not making the playoffs, so this is just more blahblahblah

We do have a sense of urgency that we're not in the playoffs

he's a good quote, but he's still a cliche generator

I think cliche would be "no, we don't look at the standings. We gotta focus on just one game at a time and go out there and play our hardest every game."

[darkstar57]

Is it weird i am fine with them talking about getting a sense of urgency that they are not in the playoffs as of yet.

I feel like the past few years we clinched than coasted into the playoffs

Its feel like now they need to engage the switch before the make the playoffs not engage it during the playoffs

does that make sense, i am eating these gummy bears my GF got in Colorado and colors are starting to get really vivid right now

[shmenguin]

i don't believe that the players are actually concerned about not making the playoffs, so this is just more blahblahblah

We do have a sense of urgency that we're not in the playoffs

he's a good quote, but he's still a cliche generator

I think cliche would be "no, we don't look at the standings. We gotta focus on just one game at a time and go out there and play our hardest every game."

you're right, i guess that wasn't a "cliche"

with that said, no one in the organization is worried about missing the playoffs.

[Sarcastic]

Seth Rorabaugh asked a lot of the Pens about the prospect of missing the playoffs (this sentence is a link to the article). Quoting Lovejoy's response because of his honesty.

Ben Lovejoy, D - “Everybody in the room would be lying if we said we didn't know where we are in the standings. I look at it every day. Everybody looks at it every day. We do have a sense of urgency that we're not in the playoffs … we haven't clinched. We need to fight our way in. We need to win games to get in the playoffs. I think that's a good mentality and a necessary mentality to have. I think if clinch with 12 games left, you're able to coast through those last 12 because deep down in the back of your mind, you know you've accomplished your goal. And right now, we haven't accomplished our goal. And we need to get better these last games. Not necessarily win out. We need to win enough games to get in but we need to feel like we're playing our best hockey. Certainly, after the Philadelphia game [Wednesday], we don't feel that way in this room."

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in Pens' dressing room after the Flyers game.

[Robot B9]

Seth Rorabaugh asked a lot of the Pens about the prospect of missing the playoffs (this sentence is a link to the article). Quoting Lovejoy's response because of his honesty.

Ben Lovejoy, D - “Everybody in the room would be lying if we said we didn't know where we are in the standings. I look at it every day. Everybody looks at it every day. We do have a sense of urgency that we're not in the playoffs … we haven't clinched. We need to fight our way in. We need to win games to get in the playoffs. I think that's a good mentality and a necessary mentality to have. I think if clinch with 12 games left, you're able to coast through those last 12 because deep down in the back of your mind, you know you've accomplished your goal. And right now, we haven't accomplished our goal. And we need to get better these last games. Not necessarily win out. We need to win enough games to get in but we need to feel like we're playing our best hockey. Certainly, after the Philadelphia game [Wednesday], we don't feel that way in this room."

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in Pens' dressing room after the Flyers game.

I'm sure not a damn thing was said or done that made or will make a damn bit of difference or was any different than the other 20 times since January 1 when it was warranted.

[the wicked child]

Pens lose in OT to Buffalo and miss the playoffs, follow it up with back to back cups.

[PFiDC]

Pens lose in OT to Buffalo and miss the playoffs, follow it up with back to back cups.

[Pavel Bure]

I've seen a 16 page thread on "Should the Pens trade Crosby?" I've seen a 339 page thread called "Top 6 winger acquisition" filled with ridiculous, nonsensical trade ideas. Surely this is not the silliest (or even silly enough to be called silly) thing you've ever read on a Pens message board.

Hey! Dustin Penner was a real, cheap option!

On the other side I think we need to stop playing the "hope the team is healthy" card. It's pretty clear that the Pens have an injury prone group and need to find a way to overcome. It's really become a case of "we have 2 of the top players but one is injured." Well most teams are lucky to have one player like that. These top players need to perform when in the line up.

[FreeCandy44]

Ugh....those standings are getting tight.

[Solidsnake]

If they don't make it, I will be pulling for Ottawa to win it for Bryan Murray

[FreeCandy44]

I honestly wonder if they will choke their way out of the playoffs.? And with no 1st rd pick...we just might be boned.

[Corvidae]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in Pens' dressing room after the Flyers game.

I imagine it would just be a bunch of naked men, not saying anything, then getting dressed and going home. There's an extra joke in there, most certainly a gay joke, but I don't feel like making it.

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

I'm sure not a damn thing was said or done that made or will make a damn bit of difference or was any different than the other 20 times since January 1 when it was warranted.

So very true. It is exhausting to read the same quotes about finding their game, battle level, intensity, etc. At this point it is hard to imagine these guys actually believing the stuff they are saying.

[thehockeyguru]

I honestly wonder they will choke their way ouy of the playoffs. And with no 1st rd pick...we are boned.

If the Pens miss the playoffs I am willing to bet that either Malkin or Letang goes. You can get a 1st back that way, but man will this have been a total waste of a season. I feel bad for anyone who is a season ticket holder.....

Part of me hopes that they miss the playoffs so they tear the whole team apart. I can stand losing, but I cant take the gutless effort they have been showing the last couple months.

[Avyran]

Part of me hopes that they miss the playoffs so they tear the whole team apart. I can stand losing, but I cant take the gutless effort they have been showing the last couple months.

I 100% agree with this (the partial hope), solely out of curiosity. I want to see how they'd do it. I mean, I want them to completely turn around & win the Cup this year... but the complete retool would be really interesting to watch.

[slappybrown]

I honestly wonder they will choke their way ouy of the playoffs. And with no 1st rd pick...we are boned.

If the Pens miss the playoffs I am willing to bet that either Malkin or Letang goes. You can get a 1st back that way, but man will this have been a total waste of a season. I feel bad for anyone who is a season ticket holder.....

Part of me hopes that they miss the playoffs so they tear the whole team apart. I can stand losing, but I cant take the gutless effort they have been showing the last couple months.

Trading one of 87/71/58 is not a solution. Finding the right people to put aroun them is the solution.

[Rylan]

I honestly wonder they will choke their way ouy of the playoffs. And with no 1st rd pick...we are boned.

If the Pens miss the playoffs I am willing to bet that either Malkin or Letang goes. You can get a 1st back that way, but man will this have been a total waste of a season. I feel bad for anyone who is a season ticket holder.....

Part of me hopes that they miss the playoffs so they tear the whole team apart. I can stand losing, but I cant take the gutless effort they have been showing the last couple months.

Trading one of 87/71/58 is not a solution. Finding the right people to put aroun them is the solution.

Completely agree. Trading top players in their respective positions doesn't help the team. The Pens just need to spread money around better than being so top heavy. They need rookies and players on cheap contracts to exceed their contracts. They needed Beau Bennett to play to potential and Olli Maata to be healthy.

[shafnutz05]

Amazing that people were writing the Bruins' obituary 10 days ago, and now they are absolutely on fire. The Pens have proven to be virtually unpredictable, but if I had to guess how this season plays out, L-L-L-W. That being said, they will probably win one of the games against either Ottawa or NYI.

In any event, the last week of the regular season will be fascinating. Three points out with four games to go is a huge gap in today's 3-point league, but at this point I wouldn't count out any possibility.

[Pavel Bure]

History will not be kind to this team. 2 Art Ross guys, a Norris contending D-man 1 cup before any of them really knew what was going on and failure when they fully inherited the team. The only thing that hasn't been tried is moving one of the big pieces voluntarily. Top 6 wings? Check. Defensive depth? Check. Focus on solid goaltending? Yep. Retooled bottom 6, double plus check. New coach? That to. None of it is working.

[Pavel Bure]

I honestly wonder they will choke their way ouy of the playoffs. And with no 1st rd pick...we are boned.

If the Pens miss the playoffs I am willing to bet that either Malkin or Letang goes. You can get a 1st back that way, but man will this have been a total waste of a season. I feel bad for anyone who is a season ticket holder.....

Part of me hopes that they miss the playoffs so they tear the whole team apart. I can stand losing, but I cant take the gutless effort they have been showing the last couple months.

Trading one of 87/71/58 is not a solution. Finding the right people to put aroun them is the solution.

Completely agree. Trading top players in their respective positions doesn't help the team. The Pens just need to spread money around better than being so top heavy. They need rookies and players on cheap contracts to exceed their contracts. They needed Beau Bennett to play to potential and Olli Maata to be healthy.

Joe Thornton seemed to work out.

[Rylan]

Did it really? It took what 6 years to win a cup afterwards. That actual trade is a joke. If the Pens got the return the Bruins got for Thornton we would demand the GM be fired on the spot.

Where the Bruins "won" was the development of talent and key trades and acquisitons that worked out in their favor. Raycroft for Rask. Chara signing with the Bruins. Kessel for a kings ransom.

The actual Thornton trade had little to do with the eventual success of Boston. Trading superstars usually does not result in wins. And if you expect to make a trade now for hopeful success in 6 years...I don't think that is wise. Especially with the era of the salary cap and the 3 stars being at or under market value.

[mikey]

Yeah, the Thornton trade was awful then and looks even worse in retrospect...

[Robot B9]

History will not be kind to this team. 2 Art Ross guys, a Norris contending D-man 1 cup before any of them really knew what was going on and failure when they fully inherited the team. The only thing that hasn't been tried is moving one of the big pieces voluntarily. Top 6 wings? Check. Defensive depth? Check. Focus on solid goaltending? Yep. Retooled bottom 6, double plus check. New coach? That to. None of it is working.

Putting it in that context, which is great, one could make the argument that the coaching is the weakest link....then looking between the factors, one could also say it's the less-than-coachability of the players.

[Pavel Bure]

Shouldn't have mentioned Thornton was a bit of bait in my part