GDT #6: Pens vs Stars

[Blue Canary]

If Dubas is taking on extra roles for the time being, I’d like to see what he could do with the PP. Hell, I’d like to see what his grandma could do with the PP.

I snickered 🤭

Hah, yeah, missed that.

You’re welcome.

[mikey]

Chart says Jeff Carter is fast af, bro...

Trust the science.

Lol. Skating speed hmmm. I bet Eric Tangradi hit 21 mph too

Why are people keeping these stats?

Yeah, if he was skating to the unemployment office...boom roasted.

I don't mind the keeping of the stats. But, like the last "advanced" stat movement...can we just be more careful with the application of it this time? I can't take three years of "Tyler Kennedy should be a Hart candidate because of his shot +/-". Like, how long do you have to keep this speed up for it to register?

[MR25]

Yeah, Otter is unreal. I just don't think there's a platform for luck - so to speak - near the net if Sid isn't at the top of his game (and he's not going to be at the top athletically anymore)...I just don't see anyone in the organization that can work there. Rakell has been a zilch this season, which makes it worse.

I just don't know what's really out there...Mantha, Vrana, Hoffman (not that he'll play low) just aren't a fit salary wise...guys that I've wanted over the years like Hoglander seem to be catching on on their original teams...and I'm a little scared to add a middling choice. Like...I'd go down the road on POJ for Yakov Trenin and see if I think that might help, for instance...but I don't know who is going to be out there making trades before American Thanksgiving...

Mantha is washed. Dude couldn't even make the Caps opening night roster, and his skating was never good to begin with. Also doesn't fit the vibe of "people who care if they succeed"

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

Chart says Jeff Carter is fast af, bro...



Trust the science.

Lol. Skating speed hmmm. I bet Eric Tangradi hit 21 mph too

Why are people keeping these stats?

I think the stat could be interesting but only if you compare it to other teams. the stats by themselves are utterly meaningless



also, I think Sully should be on the hot seat. the team floundered down the stretch last season and we've been trending down the last few season. It might be a roster issue but it could also be that the coaching staff isn't getting the most out of the roster. Dubas obviously has skin in that game

[Gaucho]

He may be on the lukewarm seat after tomorrow's loss.

[Dickie Dunn]

The 4th line is trash. It’s a dead horse but Carter just shouldn’t be in the league anymore. I’d really just like to see Poulin or someone with some legs get a chance on the 4th line to see if they at least start skating around like idiots. What’s so frustrating for me about this 4th line ,outside of zero chance of scoring thing, is how flat they are out there. There’s not even the whole “we can’t score but we will run around and hit you”

I agree, but per what meecrofilm said earlier from the Eller interview the bottom six is being coached to not skate around like idiots, to not do bottom six things, to just go out there and exist for 45 seconds and don't get scored on.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

also, this team has a history of firing coaches who don't make the best use of the roster and us winning the stanley cup the same season. in 2015 did we have a bad roster or a Mike Johnston problem? etc

I'm not saying Sully sucks necessarily but the path of least resistance right now is to get rid of the coach rather than revamping the roster

[Trip McNeely]

The 4th line is trash. It’s a dead horse but Carter just shouldn’t be in the league anymore. I’d really just like to see Poulin or someone with some legs get a chance on the 4th line to see if they at least start skating around like idiots. What’s so frustrating for me about this 4th line ,outside of zero chance of scoring thing, is how flat they are out there. There’s not even the whole “we can’t score but we will run around and hit you”

I agree, but per what meecrofilm said earlier from the Eller interview the bottom six is being coached to not skate around like idiots, to not do bottom six things, to just go out there and exist for 45 seconds and don't get scored on.

If Sully is telling his third and fourth line to play that way, he’s really lost the plot. I can’t imagine him telling his players to play that way, but if he has, I guess he doesn’t realize that there isn’t a team in the league that goes anywhere with just top line scoring.

[mikey]

What exactly did Eller say...? Because you watch the game, and it's not like the Pens aren't sitting back in a 1-4 with those guys on the ice...so, I have my doubts...

[King Colby]

Someone tell me what coach is out there that can get more out of this roster? It's not like prior years where they had good teams who weren't performing. This is a mid to lower-mid team. 12th-20th probably. It's not like there are guys waiting in the wings either who aren't getting a chance.

[dodint]

This is a mid to lower-mid team. 12th-20th probably.

Oh no, this again...

[King Colby]

And by the way, the power play is getting tons of chances. They can't score because they don't have good enough finishers nor do they have a good enough net front presence. It's the same situation as last year

[mikey]

Trotz might be able to...but that would make more poor use of the pieces at the top end, certainly...

[MR25]

Trotz isn't a coach anymore lol

[Gaucho]

**** Trotz

[Gaucho]

[mikey]

I'm aware that Trotz isn't coaching currently...unless this is a very, very subtle jab at MIMH's "Peyton Manning is a Bronco" thing, in which case, bravo...

[MR25]

Nah just confused why his name would be coming up if he's not in any position to actually be an option. I think I'm taking "might be able to" as "he's an option and could do it if we brought him in" so maybe that's not how it should be read. But context makes it seem like you're implying he'd be an option.

[mikey]

I was thinking that we're not serious about Sully being on the outs...and that we needed to name anyone on the planet that could potentially salvage this. Trotz has that recent history...

[King Colby]

Fair enough, but I specifically meant "available" coach.

The "new voice/new system" only works if you have good players but aren't getting as much as you should be out of them. I don't find that to be the case here like, at all, outside of a couple of individuals. Or maybe just one.

Theyre playing up to their capabilities. Their capabilities just ain't that high no mo.

[King Colby]

GM gotta fix it. He's trying, but that's major surgery and it's gonna take more than a single offseason.

[mikey]

We don't have a GM, right? Have Trotz be both coach and GM. Boom, problem solved!

[meecrofilm]

What exactly did Eller say...? Because you watch the game, and it's not like the Pens aren't sitting back in a 1-4 with those guys on the ice...so, I have my doubts...

Lemme see if I can dig it up.....

Ok yeah, it's from a Friday Insider piece or w/e they are from DK, so consider the source I suppose, but I don't think he just makes up player quotes:

I asked yesterday why [Eller's] line's still seeing so many one-and-done zone entries -- puck goes in, puck comes right back out -- and all he had in response was this hockey thesis:
“Yeah, so I think right now we’re kind of playing a really low-risk game where we’re putting pucks north all the time. We’re getting out of our zone. We’re getting it deep. We’re not turning pucks over at the blue line. We’re not trying to do too much. But at the same time, the next step right now is getting the forecheck to be more effective, which means we have to force turnovers off getting the puck deep and getting on the forecheck. That’s the part of the game that’s lacking a little bit now, and that’s what’s stopping us from getting extended zone time. So, the first step is, when we get it in deep, which we are most of the time, we have to get it back. And now, we’ve got to do better of working three together, breaking up plays with sticks, getting bodies, keeping the puck alive. Right now, that’s what’s stopping us from getting more offense, I think. So, that’s the first step. Once we do that, then we can talk about, ‘How do we cycle? How do we find the open lanes? How do we find the open ice?’ We’ve got to get the puck right now and keep it alive. Right now, we’re not spending a ton of time in our zone. We’re playing responsible. We’re not giving up a lot, you know, but we’re not generating as much as we’re capable of. I think that’s where it starts for me."

[MR25]

That sounds more like "We haven't played enough together to figure out what we want to do when we enter the zone" as opposed to "the coach tells us not to forecheck"

[meecrofilm]

I interpret it more as they'd like to try to gain the zone more with possession than dump & chase and he's not going to call out coaching on a new team 4 games into the season -- but t's probably too early either way