I started out simply to write a response to our friend Rick Buker’s latest post; quite a good article I might add.
I am not going to say that I saw this coming, Rick, but I am not surprised by it either. Consider Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. At the beginning of the second movie “The Two Towers,” as the human Aragorn, elf Legolas, and dwarf Gimli are running after their friends Merry and Pippin who were captured by orcs — in the midst of the protracted run and hunt, Gimli observes that dwarves are ‘natural born sprinters, but not very good over long distances’. If that is true, dwarves shouldn’t play hockey, at least not in the NHL. NHL hockey is a marathon. During a Marathon, you don’t have to lead the entire time, only at the end, and there are going to be bumps along the way.
It would be fantastic to come out of preseason and go on a 98-game winning streak, but the next time that happens it is going to be the first time. Unless a team has a great coach, there will be mental letdowns, especially after climbing to the top and playing struggling teams – and let’s face it:Buffalo Sabres and the Toronto Maple Leafs ARE struggling.
Despite my very vocal complaints against certain personnel in this organization, I do believe there is something special here and that certain something could go the distance and hoist another Cup. Core players like Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust have been doing beyond a yeoman’s job of keeping a decimated team in contention not just for a playoff spot but for the division lead and President’s Trophy. Let me repeat that, this team is still very much in contention for the President’s Trophy.
How can I think there is something special here yet complain so much?
Remember, my (often) vituperous assaults are not directed at the entire team but specifically certain individuals that, objective evidence would indicate, are millstones to this team’s success.
The Alex Galchenyuk trade never sat well with me. Although I believe everyone is tradable, Galchenyuk and Pierre-Olivier Joseph for Phil Kessel was highway robbery by the Arizona Coyotes. On a team 9th from the bottom of the league in goals per game, Kessel has 13 goals. On a team for most of the season that is the exact opposite, 9th from the top of the league in goals per game, Galchenyuk has a mere 6 goals.
Jim Rutherford really isn’t the genius horse trader that some would make him out to be; for every Trevor Daley/Rob Scuderi trade there is a Ian Cole/Filip Gustavsson, and a 1st round pick for Derrick Bressard, or Vincent Dunn/3rd Round Pick.
Adding salt to the wound, Galchenyuk was not the worst player on the team — Dominik Simon occupies that spot. In a recent article that was a serious piece of verbal legerdemain, a spin doctor tried to divert our attention to his right hand by trotting out how good Simon’s stats, particularly CORSI stats are while skating with Sidney Crosby, all the while trying to keep our attention away from Simon’s stats when Crosby isn’t on the ice with him.
Does anyone remember when Scorin’ Warren Young, Doug Sheddan, and Rob Brown notched 40 goals skating with Le Magnifique, Mario Lemieux. Young parlayed that ice time into a fat contract with Detroit but never, ever reached those lofty heights again, while Sheddan and Brown actually were able to eke out some level of an NHL career.
As I noted in a reply earlier this year, subtracting out Crosby’s ice time with Simon puts Simon’s stats below former Pittsburgh Penguins‘ Daniel Sprong’s stats without Crosby over the last 3 years, and Sprong is plying his trade in the AHL. As I wrote then, Phil please do not misunderstand, I am not promoting the idea of Sprong coming back to Pittsburgh and playing in the NHL. The point I am trying to get across is that Simon does not belong in the NHL either – let alone getting top minutes with Crosby. On a team that is +19 in 5 on 5 goals, Simon had a team low of -7 going into this afternoon’s game.
With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, no, I repeat NO, there is no one out there that the Penguins can afford to trade for that will improve the team’s current chances of winning the Stanley Cup (they are fighting for the top spot in their division). Patience should be the watchword, patience and start really utilizing what you already have. Sullivan has got to stop hanging mill-Simons around his players’ necks.
Rick B., I agree with you when you say that Wayne Simmons would be a dumb trade. Simmons does not fit Mike Sullivan’s style and moreover, he is a power play specialist but the team already has one of those – a pretty darn good one – by the name of Patric Hornqvist. There really isn’t a place for Simmons. Any trade here would simply be throwing players away.
Also, I like Rick B.’s idea of potentially taking a flyer on Zach Bogosian. It wouldn’t cost the team anything to claim him off of unconditional – waivers and he just may be a hole card until rookie phenom John Marino comes back. Justin Schultz has been struggling this year and Chad Ruhwedel is now being exposed for what he is – a 7th or 8th Defenseman, not a top 6.
I for one am hoping that Rutherford gets tied up somewhere where they don’t have any phones or computer connections for the next couple of days. I hate with a capital H.A.T.E. the panic-stricken idea of “win now” mode. It seems that every time a team goes “all–in” all they end up with is early Tee-times at the expense of players that could help them the next season, just ask the Columbus Blue Jackets – last year’s “all – in” on their part ended with a 2nd round loss and has them fighting for their playoff life.
Several of the teams walking dead may be returning on this road trip. Patience Rutherford, patience. And Sullivan, get rid of Simon. That is an extremely failed experiment. Put someone out there to help Crosby.
What was it that Don Henley and Glenn Frey wrote;
“You can go the distance
We’ll find out in the long run”
Go Pens!
Quick update,
Pens got Patrick Marleau for a 3rd round pick. The site I just looked at didn’t have details ont he year of the pick
More update,
it was a conditional 3rd round pick; it moves up to a 2nd if the Penguins win the Cup.
I am no fan of rentals but in this case, Marleau may not help the team win the Cup (I really don’t think the teams chances went up by more than a 1/10 of a percent, it probably won’t hurt the team either.
Hey tOR,
They are saying he still has speed. If they throw him on the fourth line limited minutes, I think he could be better than some of these call-ups.
I think he used to be a solid penalty killer also.
Someone just sent me this video of Marleau vs pens last month:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c_FJdOvkuw
Hey Phil,
Matt Cullen found a way to actually be an asset so I am sure Marleau will be better than several players on the team/WBS. He has 10 goals this year which is more than some other players here.
And if the team wins the Cup or at least makes it to the Finals, a 2nd or 3rd round pick may be a fair exchange.
So, I am not complaining about this trade.
My thoughts right now are, since the team is 5th in the league’s overall standings, so we really are very successful right now, how much better did this trade really make us? Di JR move that needle any appreciable distance? Maybe? I don’t know. But all we really need to do is get to the dance not be the first one in the door to win the trophy.
I am still very hopeful at the moment.
I guess the team was making room for Marleau but they waived Aggozzino and Anaheim claimed him
Marleau is getting #12 on the Pens. Thought tOR would be interested in that.
Hey Other Rick,
For what it’s worth, I’m beginning to agree with you about Simon. He just doesn’t do enough, game in and game out, to merit being on Sid’s line. I’ve been watching him a little more closely, and it seems to me he has a penchant for turning the puck over in the neutral zone. Which may be why he’s a minus-8 (and Sid’s a minus-6).
The problem is, if you don’t play Simon in the top six he’s virtually useless. His skill set doesn’t seem to lend itself to a bottom-six role. He’s top-six or bust …
Rick
Hey Rick,
That is why I think he belongs in the AHL. He is not a grinder and he doesn’t do anything for his line mates on the top 6. Maybe there is somebody out there that hasn’t figured that out yet and we can trade him before the day is out.
I saw a blip that the Pens might be interested in bringing Sheary back. Simon for Sheary?
Rick
You know I am no Sheary fan at all but that would be an upgrade.
How about a bag of pucks and a Molssons for Simon?
Hey Guys,
I’ve always agreed Simon isn’t a top 6 guy. He may not be a big scorer, but he could eat minutes up on the third and forth line rather than guys that play 4 minutes a game.
I really hope the Penguins trade the completely useless Murray away today for a winger for Crosby. The laughter really comes in when you hear Murray is looking for over 8mil a year. Get something for him now before he’s a useless trade value also.
Hey Phil,
I am a Murray man, so to speak, but I agree, he isn’t worth $8 million. In fact, I am not sure the team could afford more than $4 or $5 the way things may be stacking up.
As for Simon, I am not a fan of putting a guy on the ice, simply to eat up minutes. I would rather have a revolving door with WBS and ride out the honeymoon periods of everyone on the farm than simply eat up minutes. I would rather open the door up for everyone to get a shot to win real NHL ice time than stick an empty sweater on the ice just to give Crosby and Malkin a rest.
But you are not the only person I know that makes that argument (about eating up minutes).
Maybe now with Marleau, Simon will move down the depth chart.
Hey tOR,
Your main problem is Crosby. He wants him. it’s Colby/Pascal all over again. I think if Sullivan actually thought Simon was a top six guy, you would see him spend at least a little time on Malkin’s line.
I have heard that Phil,
And you are probably right, when Crosby was out, if Sullivan thought Simon was a top 6, logic would have dictated that Sully would have tried him on Malkin’s line. Unfortunately that doesn’t make it any easier to digest.
Now with Sheary back, I wonder how long it will take for the Pens top line to be Sheary-Crosby-Simon.
Rick (The Other)….sounds very Medieval,
Watching these past few games has been painful. I agree that Simon is not performing at the level needed . Zucker and Sid seem to work well but that’s a two legged stool on line 1. Simon can handle the puck reasonably well but can’t score…like ever. He had a really good hustle game when they brought on Zucker but that faded fast. Im not a fan of changing the lineups so often. I think chemistry really suffers. Simon has had plenty of time to gel and hasn’t produced.
The Ian Cole trade in particular hurt this team. We could really use Cole this season. His size and physicality are elements that the Penguins lack .
I think the Penguins need more guys willing to play between the dots in the Offensive Zone. You can only dump the puck in , cycle it along the boards and hope for something to happen so often. My opinion is that they get pushed to the edges too much and its tough to generate offense that way.
I also sense they err too much on “thinking” about defense. They are at their best when they are actively skating (all of them) and taking some reasonable risk with the D pinching up. They seem to hesitate going to the puck and the D drops back too fast.
If they focused on entries and more center penetration and presence…I think it would help. Keeping a more consistent presence halfway between the top of the crease and the blue line for kick-outs, for feeds from behind the goal etc. would help offensively and its a spot that can get back on D if needed.
It shouldn’t be an automatic goal if the occasional odd man rush or single man breakaway goes against the goalie. Craig Bouchard made the comment today that he’s not sold on the Penguins and mentioned both Murray and Jarry.
Not blaming them, but they need to keep the score to 3 or below…every game . Too many 4’s and 5’s and the Pens don’t have the firepower for that.
Jarry also struggles with anything that’s behind the net where he loses sight of it and LeTang has cycled between great and awful , sometimes a couple times a shift (Mulkin too in my opinion). Rust’s offensive production is also falling off.
Back to the between the dots play…one rumor had Joe Thornton as available for a rental. Thoughts on him?!
Lastly, the game is a loss the minute the Pens pull the goalie. Keep the goalie in and play 5 v 5 . They get so tentative worrying about the open net they really don’t put the hammer to the floor offensively.
Hey PensFanBoy17
Sort of like Pliny the Younger? Rick the Other? I may like that.
Agreed, watching the last 3 games has been tough. In fact watching every game since Marino went down has gotten progressively worse. The good news is apparently help is on the way with Dumolin and Marino going on this road trip.
(that is the reason I am not in panic mode like JR is reportedly is).
Just saying, when it comes time to pick a team MVP for this season, Marino’s name may need to be thrown into the ring with Malkin and Rust. Malkin and Rust, even though they like pretty much in the rest of the league are starting to slow down a bit as teams (and referees) gear up for the playoffs. Teams, particularly playoff bound teams are now looking to get better defensively (Dillon to Was, Green to NYI) – and referees will soon be putting their whistles away (some no doubt already have) so that they can decide game outcomes with non-calls.
Interesting observation, I have often felt that they get a disproportionate number of shots from the perimeter. The web site Natural Stat Trick actually charts what the call an individual event map that charts where events like shots blocked shots, missed shots etc occur. At some point I am going to have to go through those maps to see if we are right with that observation.
About the Goalies, I do think the Pens have the best 1 – 2 Goalie combo in the league however, they are one of the youngest, if not the youngest combo in the league. That said, particularly over the last 2 games, when opponents get less than 30 shots, the goalies need to be there for the team. I am not going to give them a pass this weekend, but I am also not going to throw the baby out with the bath water. These guys have stolen more games than they have given away over the course of the season – particularly Jarry in December.
I did see the Thornton rumor. I do think that he could help the team a little, but not more than the price it will probably cost them. I am not so negative that I think the window of opportunity closes this year. JR screwed up with that very thought a couple of seasons back throwing away Cole et al for Brassard – going all in with the idea that the window was closing, yet here we are again, this time sitting very pretty and with a couple of prospects that say this team could be even better next season. There is no reason to force the window closed after this season to increase the teams chances of winning this year by 0.5%.
If all the team had to give up for Thornton were Simon and Bjugstad, I would be all over that, however, I doubt San Jose is drinking the Simon kool-aid.
Another interesting rumor I just read this morning is that after the Buffalo gaffe, mercurial JR threw a hissy fit and is now pushing to trade for Vincent Trocheck. With only 10 Goals and 33 points and a -3, maybe the team could find a way to get him. Kingarski suggested that JR wants him because he is a Right Handed Center, but that would be a waste if the team trades for him to make him a 3rd line Center behind Malkin and Crosby. However, he can play RW as well.
With Florida still in the playoff hunt, the Pens may not have to give up prospects to get him. With how bad an egg Brobovski has laid, maybe a goalie? I really hate to give up DeSmith until I knew if I could or which way I could sign Murray and Jarry but I wonder.
I can’t deny, that Trocheck does interest me, but I really don’t know what I would really think the team can give up to make it worth it.