Fifth Avenue Forum

Just out of curiosity, what is the breakdown of blame for this disappointing season?

Players: 30%
Coach: 10%
Hextall: 60%

Poehling is weird. His first step looks pretty flat...but then his fourth/fifth stride speed is up there...

Surprised that wasn't anything, I know the game is over...but tripped on a breakaway...

Hextall needs to go. He’s single handedly ruined this team.

once a Flyer, always a Flyer.

Being saddled with Granlund and Carter’s contracts going into next season is kind of depressing. This season isn’t even over yet and we have this looming shadow over next year already.

Whoever that moron was who tripped Poehling, that's a good way to blow out your goaltender's knee a week before the postseason starts. I mean, it's 5-1 with a minute left dude.

Just out of curiosity, what is the breakdown of blame for this disappointing season?

Players: 30%
Coach: 10%
Hextall: 60%

I think some coaches need replaced. I'm not referring to Sullivan.

I’m fine with a complete overhaul of front office and coaching staff? Sometimes you need a new voice, even if the coach isn’t really to blame.

I don’t want to get rid of Sully yet. I’d like to see Reirden gone; he’s done a poor poor job with the D in my opinion.

Hextall needs to go. He’s single handedly ruined this team. You can honestly say the only move he made that worked out is for Poehling and he was a throw in. I don’t care what happens to Burke because who the hell knows what he does other than getting mad at the team from the press box

Rakell was his best move IMO and it's not even close.

Unfortunately, most of them have been pretty mud.

The devils broadcast is kind of interesting to listen to. They’re trying to be somewhat respectful but you can tell they’re biting their tongues about how bad the Pens are. It’s like, when you’re watching an athlete that just doesn’t have “it” anymore but nobody wants to be mean and call them out just yet.

We look like the expansion Atlanta Thrashers tonight but they’re commenting on our tough injury situation, one or two key moments in the game that turned things, “careful on this PP, the penguins are still very dangerous”, etc…

Hindsight is 20/20 but I would rather have Matheson and Marino over Petry and Ty Smith - and they could have traded POJ.

The devils broadcast is kind of interesting to listen to. They’re trying to be somewhat respectful but you can tell they’re biting their tongues about how bad the Pens are. It’s like, when you’re watching an athlete that just doesn’t have “it” anymore but nobody wants to be mean and call them out just yet.

We look like the expansion Atlanta Thrashers tonight but they’re commenting on our tough injury situation, one or two key moments in the game that turned things, “careful on this PP, the penguins are still very dangerous”, etc…

Yeah, they were surprised about how flat we were...saying at one point that we "laid an absolute egg"...they are right.

I was specifically referring to Reirden, but they can keep Sullivan and fire literally anyone and everyone else IMO. This is basic fundamental **** that keeps getting screwed up game in and game out. There's no situational awareness. The defense is a hot mess, and half the defensemen look like they're doing a wet & wild the second the puck gets near our net. The bottom 6 couldn't score on a hooker with a hand full of $100 bills. The goaltending situation still hasn't been rectified. Not optimal.

Regarding Hextall: Imagine looking at this Pens team before the trade deadline and thinking Bonino and Granlund were good options for what the Forward group was missing. Yikes.

Hindsight is 20/20 but I would rather have Matheson and Marino over Petry and Ty Smith - and they could have traded POJ.

Agreed. And I didn’t feel that way when we made the trades.

Out of the playoffs again.

Panthers just won.

I was specifically referring to Reirden, but they can keep Sullivan and fire literally anyone and everyone else IMO. This is basic fundamental **** that keeps getting screwed up game in and game out. There's no situational awareness. The defense is a hot mess, and half the defensemen look like they're doing a wet & wild the second the puck gets near our net. The bottom 6 couldn't score on a hooker with a hand full of $100 bills. The goaltending situation still hasn't been rectified. Not optimal.

Agreed. And he runs the PP. I guess the players actually run the PP from all the quotes we’ve heard from Sully and Reirden but whatever. At some point if the PP is crappy, soul sucking, and giving up endless odd man rushes you should change SOMETHING. I’m not a hockey coach but I would have changed the makeup of the PP until all season long if for no other reason than to keep guys’ attention.

The PP is this sacred cow that can’t be touched no matter what and I don’t get it. Afraid of upsetting somebody? Who cares. Letang has 6 turnovers in a row on the PP….then replace him with Petry for the next few PPs then switch back. What’s the harm? Split up 87 and 71 for one PP. Change tactics for a period. It almost doesn’t matter if it produces results, it would at least get players attention and give a little poking and prodding to a very relaxed and complacent team/unit.

The power play changes very often...not saying for the better or for the worse, but it's not like the PP doesn't change - personnel or tactics...

Panthers just won.

Staving off a late charge from Buffalo. Buffalo looked better killing a penalty with 2:30 left than we looked all night. Buffalo also got 6 on 3 for the last 12.8 seconds. I got a shot off the draw and then they themselves unforced threw it out to center to lose...

It's weird because I don't dislike the PP of the Pens for the most part. It's successful with the core, it's been successful. I just wish sometimes they'd focus on being more chaotic and getting shots to create rebounds. They get too perfect too many times, and that's been around since Mario.

I always like Philly's when they had Hartnell etc. Hell, even when the Pens had Hornqvist. Bumper spot became the buzzword of the season towards the end here, but I just prefer constant crashing etc.

But that's my limited understanding and guys like Simmonds, Hartnell, Holmstrom, Hornqvist, Bertuzzi don't fall off of trees.

Hindsight is 20/20 but I would rather have Matheson and Marino over Petry and Ty Smith - and they could have traded POJ.

Who's Ty Smith? Oh that's right, he's the guy that barely played with the big club this year BECAUSE THE GM F'D UP THE SALARY CAP SITUATION.

Ty Smith has been healthy enough to play 7 games in 2023.

With six games left, and despite playing 20+ games less than other d-men down there, Smith could become the leading point getter down there for d-men...

Fire Hextall.

Ty Smith will be fine... it's just that Marino was a pretty big piece, and for him to be traded for a player who wasn't ready to contribute this year, that's difficult to process because the team is in "win now" mode. And traded to a division rival to boot..

As for the power play, it's hard to even evaluate because they are so bad at finishing their quality scoring chances. Analytics say that plenty of chances are being created. They're just not finishing them. So, I'm at a loss there.

Missed this one. Seems like a dodged a bullet

I was knocked out after a fun packed day of having a root canal. For what it's worth, the root canal was more enjoyable than the few minutes I was awake for the game.