Pens Regular Season discussion

[Silentom]

Maybe Perron should have been on the 4th line!!

[Gaucho]

[Gaucho]

LET'S GO PENS!!!

[columbia]

Maybe Perron should have been on the 4th line!!

I just ran a Monte Carlo simulation @slappybrown and that's certainly a possible destination for his career arc.

[Gaucho]

Haters gonna hate.

[columbia]

So serious, you are.

[doublewinder]

Alright, here's something I don't quite get.
The Pens are said to have a bad defense that is killing their ability to generate a rush offensively.
They either have to be very conservative (as they were under MJ) OR they will struggle to be defensively responsible.
Yet, lets look at the depth chart:

Maata-Letang
DeMoulin-Lovejoy
Daley-Cole

Letang-top pairing offensive/mobile defenseman
Maata-top 4 mobile defenseman
DeMoulin-young developing balanced NHL defenseman
Daly-offensive/mobile borderline 2nd/3rd pairing
Cole-solid 3rd pairing/physical defensive minded
Lovejoy-solid 3rd depth defensive defenseman

I don't see a bad, deficient defensive corps.
They can use a bonefied, established, top 4 (preferable pairing) defenseman who either is a stud defensively OR is really good offensively. That's it...just the one solid defenseman (and God forbid Pouliet actually delivers on half his promise)

Otherwise we have pretty young, mobile unit with some good depth.
Or am I mis-evaluating?

[Silentom]

When did we get another new defenseman?

[Dickie Dunn]

Just saw that Bobby Farnham has 7 effing goals this season. How?

Blind nut finds a squirrel, or something like that.

Yes, but the blind nut finds A squirrel. Not a whole squirrel family.

[mikey]

Alright, here's something I don't quite get.
The Pens are said to have a bad defense that is killing their ability to generate a rush offensively.
They either have to be very conservative (as they were under MJ) OR they will struggle to be defensively responsible.
Yet, lets look at the depth chart:

Maata-Letang
DeMoulin-Lovejoy
Daley-Cole

Letang-top pairing offensive/mobile defenseman
Maata-top 4 mobile defenseman
DeMoulin-young developing balanced NHL defenseman
Daly-offensive/mobile borderline 2nd/3rd pairing
Cole-solid 3rd pairing/physical defensive minded
Lovejoy-solid 3rd depth defensive defenseman

I don't see a bad, deficient defensive corps.
They can use a bonefied, established, top 4 (preferable pairing) defenseman who either is a stud defensively OR is really good offensively. That's it...just the one solid defenseman (and God forbid Pouliet actually delivers on half his promise)

Otherwise we have pretty young, mobile unit with some good depth.
Or am I mis-evaluating?

In short, mis-evaluating.

Maatta is not mobile, though he is top 4.
There is nothing "solid" about Cole. He is a physical 6/7, not particularly defensive.

And even in your own scenario, you named two bonafide top-4 d-men...that's not gonna do it. Every team has four, five, six bottom pair guys...that's not depth per se, that's just average.

Impact players rule the day on defense. Need to move it, keep it out of your net and be able to do both consistently and effectively...if you don't have that, you have a deficient defense...

[NTP66]

Maata is not mobile? He's not an automobile, no, but he's certainly mobile.

[mikey]

He is an average skater at best. Below average speed, slightly above laterally, good enough first step. He's smart enough to cover for this pretty easily, but skating is not his strength certainly...

[NTP66]

I disagree with your assessment of him being an average skater at best.

[Dickie Dunn]

Maatta is a plodder.

[mikey]

That's perfectly fine, but what is your evaluation of it?

[NTP66]

I think his "odd" skating style doesn't do him any justice, to be honest. He's quick and takes long strides - he just looks weird. Overall, I'd call it above average. To each his own, though. I don't care so long as he is playing well.

[King Colby]

Maatta is noticeably slow right now. Slower than normal, and it's pretty ugly.

If there ever was a guy that needed a healthy offseason for training purposes, he is it.

[King Colby]

As I type this some guy on NJ that wears #64 just made him look like he was standing still.

[columbia]

I'm not a standings watcher, but in the 2nd WC spot now.

[MR25]

Only a win and an Islanders loss away from 3rd in the Metro.

[doublewinder]

In 2014 I recall Maata leading rushes into the offensive zone. When 100% if not mobile, what would you qualify him as?

Overall then you'd rank our d as:
-Letang....top pair/mobile/offense
-Maata.....top 4/mobility decent/defensive instincts great
-Demoulin....borderline top 4?
-Lovejoy....depth 3rd pairing
-Daley.....depth 3rd pairing
-Cole...6/7 physical

It doesn't look like we have a shitty defense, just not enough impact top 4.

[NTP66]

I can't recall the last time I saw Cole use his body. He's usually on the receiving end of checks anymore.

[mikey]

#1 RD Letang - Mobile, offensive-minded defenseman (+ skating, puck moving and carrying, recovery ability; - hockey sense, positional integrity, pairing limitations)
Weak #2 or Strong #4 LD Maatta - Defensive-minded, two-way defenseman (+ hockey sense, "pair-ability"; - shot, high-end skill set to lead a pairing)
#4/#5 LD/RD Daley - Mobile, offensive defenseman (+ puck carrying, + puck skills; - positional integrity)
#4/#5 LD Dumoulin - Defensive-minded defenseman (+ positional integrity; - puck skills)
#5/6 RD Lovejoy - Mobile, defensive-minded defenseman (+ skating, + support rush, + stick positioning; - puck skills, strength)
#6/7 LD Cole - Physical defenseman (+ competitor, hitting; - hockey sense, passing, "pair-ability")

Two bonafide top-4 guys, not a ton of puck skills, just kind of a mish-mash of pieces. The saving grace is the synergy that Dumo-Lovejoy have shown. Without that, we wouldn't be in playoff contention I don't believe...

[joopen]

Dumoulin's puck skills seem to be developing as the year goes along too. He also seems to be relizing how big he is and starting to use his size and strength more recently as well. Not that he is becoming or going to be Chris Pronger or anything but you can see him figuring everything out as the season moves along.

[mikey]

I have been impressed with his development over the year as well. Good observation by you.