Did Anyone hear the Ray Shero interview

[The Snapshot]

Look at Mike Smith.. Dude was garbage until he got in PHX. Same with Bryz. Is Bryz good, sure, but hes not the 51 million dollar goalie Philly thinks he is. IF MAF played in PHX right now they might have gone undefeated

If MAF played for Pheonix and surrendered the kind of soft goals he has in the last three playoffs, their entire system crumbles. I don't agree for a second with those that claim he would succeed in a more defensive system. That means less goals for us too, and makes it harder to overcome some of the ridiculous goals he has surrendered in his playoff career.

Teams like Nashville, Phoenix, LA get all of the stops they have the right to expect and then quite a few they should not. Not only have we not gotten a lot of the ones we should expect, but come the playoffs we have not gotten many of the ones we should not expect either.

If anyone believes that the "system" fails, it is because every system is built on the expectation of a solid goaltender. When the goalie leaks, the "system" falls apart. Would he have made about 5 key saves in that series, we would have won in 5 games. We also may not have had to witness the absolute atrocity of his teammates throwing away Game 3 on selfish retaliation/frustration.

[Woody]

My thoughts on Staal are this. If he wasn't injured, he would have scored 30 goals this season. There were only thirty 30 goal scorers in the league this year. Staal sees no PP time, and in many cases is playing on the 3rd line. He is just coming into his own. It is not strictly salary I am worried about with Staal, it is his role on the team. He is the 3rd C here, no PP time. The Pens are stacked up front on the PP, and most are LH shots (as is Staal).

I really think he wants to be a 1 or 2 Center (which he is) and the Pens really can't provide him that role unless.......

He had a great year this year. That said, for 45-50 games or so he was the #2 guy, so it's not like he put up 25 goals getting only 3rd line minutes. The other thing that can't be overlooked is the work he did as the pure #1 guy last season. For a variety of reasons it's not entirely fair to judge those 30 games when Crosby and Malkin were gone, but he put up only 22 points in the final 30 games and only 3 (1g, 2a) against Tampa in the playoffs. If Malkin had to play without Crosby and Staal and hung up 3 points and a -2 in a 7 games series loss you can guess the reaction around here. So while a lot is made of what his numbers would be like if he were moved up from the 3rd line and given top minutes with more skilled linemates, it's worth noting that when he faced the best the opposition had to offer on D night in and night out he didn't exactly light up the score sheet. The big question about Staal is whether his stats will improve as an every night #1 or #2 or are some of his numbers a product of being the 3rd line guy behind the top two centers in the world. The entire 2010/11 season is a good place to start in terms of looking at it based on the success they had in the first half without him and what he did as a #1 center.

[pronovost19]

Sorry, not buying the clutch n grab excuses anymore

[owtahear]

My thoughts on Staal are this. If he wasn't injured, he would have scored 30 goals this season. There were only thirty 30 goal scorers in the league this year. Staal sees no PP time, and in many cases is playing on the 3rd line. He is just coming into his own. It is not strictly salary I am worried about with Staal, it is his role on the team. He is the 3rd C here, no PP time. The Pens are stacked up front on the PP, and most are LH shots (as is Staal).

I really think he wants to be a 1 or 2 Center (which he is) and the Pens really can't provide him that role unless.......

He had a great year this year. That said, for 45-50 games or so he was the #2 guy, so it's not like he put up 25 goals getting only 3rd line minutes. The other thing that can't be overlooked is the work he did as the pure #1 guy last season. For a variety of reasons it's not entirely fair to judge those 30 games when Crosby and Malkin were gone, but he put up only 22 points in the final 30 games and only 3 (1g, 2a) against Tampa in the playoffs. If Malkin had to play without Crosby and Staal and hung up 3 points and a -2 in a 7 games series loss you can guess the reaction around here. So while a lot is made of what his numbers would be like if he were moved up from the 3rd line and given top minutes with more skilled linemates, it's worth noting that when he faced the best the opposition had to offer on D night in and night out he didn't exactly light up the score sheet. The big question about Staal is whether his stats will improve as an every night #1 or #2 or are some of his numbers a product of being the 3rd line guy behind the top two centers in the world. The entire 2010/11 season is a good place to start in terms of looking at it based on the success they had in the first half without him and what he did as a #1 center.

Woody, first off is that you? Second off his playoff performance is going to drive his value up. My opinion, if you can move Martin for a bag of pucks, just to free up cap space. And I would sign Sid and Staal to big extensions. Then see how next year plays out. And which one of the 3 doesn't seem to fit, or is a duplicate, trade for a big package.

[Kovy27]

Well he should find a way how to trade PM and ZM and sign Niskanen for 1.8M per year max. and another psyhical D-man (Brad Stuart from Detroit) for around 3.5M max. and there you have almost a 4M per year difference to re-sign our stars... I know it's gonna be hard to trade those two without getting back some salary,but he can try to do what's best for the team..

If you trade Martin, Michalek, or Staal or a combo of both, they better be going after Suter.

[Woody]

My thoughts on Staal are this. If he wasn't injured, he would have scored 30 goals this season. There were only thirty 30 goal scorers in the league this year. Staal sees no PP time, and in many cases is playing on the 3rd line. He is just coming into his own. It is not strictly salary I am worried about with Staal, it is his role on the team. He is the 3rd C here, no PP time. The Pens are stacked up front on the PP, and most are LH shots (as is Staal).

I really think he wants to be a 1 or 2 Center (which he is) and the Pens really can't provide him that role unless.......

He had a great year this year. That said, for 45-50 games or so he was the #2 guy, so it's not like he put up 25 goals getting only 3rd line minutes. The other thing that can't be overlooked is the work he did as the pure #1 guy last season. For a variety of reasons it's not entirely fair to judge those 30 games when Crosby and Malkin were gone, but he put up only 22 points in the final 30 games and only 3 (1g, 2a) against Tampa in the playoffs. If Malkin had to play without Crosby and Staal and hung up 3 points and a -2 in a 7 games series loss you can guess the reaction around here. So while a lot is made of what his numbers would be like if he were moved up from the 3rd line and given top minutes with more skilled linemates, it's worth noting that when he faced the best the opposition had to offer on D night in and night out he didn't exactly light up the score sheet. The big question about Staal is whether his stats will improve as an every night #1 or #2 or are some of his numbers a product of being the 3rd line guy behind the top two centers in the world. The entire 2010/11 season is a good place to start in terms of looking at it based on the success they had in the first half without him and what he did as a #1 center.

Woody, first off is that you? Second off his playoff performance is going to drive his value up. My opinion, if you can move Martin for a bag of pucks, just to free up cap space. And I would sign Sid and Staal to big extensions. Then see how next year plays out. And which one of the 3 doesn't seem to fit, or is a duplicate, trade for a big package.

Yeah, it's me. There's no doubt his stock is at an all time high right now which is why IMO it's time to make the move. The potential issue with signing the big extension is what happens to the trade value if the numbers dip. If he signs for close to 7 mill and hangs 20 or 25 goals on the board it becomes a tough situation. He's a talented kid, there is no arguing that, but he's not exactly an offensive powerhouse every night and in the scenario where the Pens can only keep two of three the other two in the discussion are players who produce points every night. Staal was invisible as the number one guy in 7 games vs Tampa last spring. And while Roloson was red hot, that Lightning squad was hardly considered a defensive power. I know it's tough to use that series and the 2nd half of last year as a measuring stick, but the Pens simply can't afford to keep Staal in a two of the three scenario and get that kind of production. And his offensive numbers will likely dip if teams are now game planning for him as a top 2 center. Plus, for 39 games last season they were #1 overall with the number one penalty killing unit. Without him. Should be an interesting summer.

[Pavel Bure]

I'm confused as to why everyone thinks Shero will move Martin or Michalek. An organization doesn't cut and run on big name FA signings just because of a down year. What kind of message does that send to other potential signings? Sign here and if you're not perfect we ship you out? Sign here and if you're not perfect we have no loyalty? Sign and if you're not perfect the reasons you were signed in the first place go out the window? Neither M or the other M will be moved. Shero signed them for a reason and a down year where the team imploded in the playoffs due to the coach being a bone head and not adjusting anything, and a year where the team was competing for the best record in hockey isn't a time where the GM blows up the defense. M&M won't be moved one because that's not how Shero or any NHL organization does business and two because it would leaving gaping holes in the D where Shero has to compete and outbid 29 other teams for free agents. They're staying, get over it, come up with scenarios that include them.

[Mtl-PenFan]

Look at Mike Smith.. Dude was garbage until he got in PHX. Same with Bryz. Is Bryz good, sure, but hes not the 51 million dollar goalie Philly thinks he is. IF MAF played in PHX right now they might have gone undefeated

If MAF played for Pheonix and surrendered the kind of soft goals he has in the last three playoffs, their entire system crumbles. I don't agree for a second with those that claim he would succeed in a more defensive system. That means less goals for us too, and makes it harder to overcome some of the ridiculous goals he has surrendered in his playoff career.

Teams like Nashville, Phoenix, LA get all of the stops they have the right to expect and then quite a few they should not. Not only have we not gotten a lot of the ones we should expect, but come the playoffs we have not gotten many of the ones we should not expect either.

If anyone believes that the "system" fails, it is because every system is built on the expectation of a solid goaltender. When the goalie leaks, the "system" falls apart. Would he have made about 5 key saves in that series, we would have won in 5 games. We also may not have had to witness the absolute atrocity of his teammates throwing away Game 3 on selfish retaliation/frustration.

[Pens15]

I'm confused as to why everyone thinks Shero will move Martin or Michalek. An organization doesn't cut and run on big name FA signings just because of a down year. What kind of message does that send to other potential signings? Sign here and if you're not perfect we ship you out? Sign here and if you're not perfect we have no loyalty? Sign and if you're not perfect the reasons you were signed in the first place go out the window? Neither M or the other M will be moved. Shero signed them for a reason and a down year where the team imploded in the playoffs due to the coach being a bone head and not adjusting anything, and a year where the team was competing for the best record in hockey isn't a time where the GM blows up the defense. M&M won't be moved one because that's not how Shero or any NHL organization does business and two because it would leaving gaping holes in the D where Shero has to compete and outbid 29 other teams for free agents. They're staying, get over it, come up with scenarios that include them.

Meh. The Rangers signed Wade Redden and after only two years, banished him to the AHL. At the time, people said it would hurt them with future free agents. It didn't. Not saying M&M are as bad as Redden was. But guys understand that there is ALWAYS pressure to perform, and if you don't, you could be losing your job. Part of the business.

[Pavel Bure]

I'm confused as to why everyone thinks Shero will move Martin or Michalek. An organization doesn't cut and run on big name FA signings just because of a down year. What kind of message does that send to other potential signings? Sign here and if you're not perfect we ship you out? Sign here and if you're not perfect we have no loyalty? Sign and if you're not perfect the reasons you were signed in the first place go out the window? Neither M or the other M will be moved. Shero signed them for a reason and a down year where the team imploded in the playoffs due to the coach being a bone head and not adjusting anything, and a year where the team was competing for the best record in hockey isn't a time where the GM blows up the defense. M&M won't be moved one because that's not how Shero or any NHL organization does business and two because it would leaving gaping holes in the D where Shero has to compete and outbid 29 other teams for free agents. They're staying, get over it, come up with scenarios that include them.

Meh. The Rangers signed Wade Redden and after only two years, banished him to the AHL. At the time, people said it would hurt them with future free agents. It didn't. Not saying M&M are as bad as Redden was. But guys understand that there is ALWAYS pressure to perform, and if you don't, you could be losing your job. Part of the business.

That's a straw man and def. not the rule.

[llipgh2]

Shero is giving an interview right now during the first intermission of the Baby Pens. He is not a happy boy right now. Basically just said so.

Not disappointed in just losing. But playing so badly while doing it. Said poor play is why he still upset. "I'm not a good person to be around right now."

[Gaucho]

Shero is giving an interview right now during the first intermission of the Baby Pens. He is not a happy boy right now. Basically just said so.

Not disappointed in just losing. But playing so badly while doing it. Said poor play is why he still upset. "I'm not a good person to be around right now."

Can't blame him. I still say he assembled a team that should be competing for the Cup.

[offsides]

Shero is giving an interview right now during the first intermission of the Baby Pens. He is not a happy boy right now. Basically just said so.

Not disappointed in just losing. But playing so badly while doing it. Said poor play is why he still upset. "I'm not a good person to be around right now."

Can't say I blame him. If the team I put together laid an egg like that, I would not be a Happy Camper either.

[Sarcastic]

I'm confused as to why everyone thinks Shero will move Martin or Michalek. An organization doesn't cut and run on big name FA signings just because of a down year. What kind of message does that send to other potential signings? Sign here and if you're not perfect we ship you out? Sign here and if you're not perfect we have no loyalty? Sign and if you're not perfect the reasons you were signed in the first place go out the window? Neither M or the other M will be moved. Shero signed them for a reason and a down year where the team imploded in the playoffs due to the coach being a bone head and not adjusting anything, and a year where the team was competing for the best record in hockey isn't a time where the GM blows up the defense. M&M won't be moved one because that's not how Shero or any NHL organization does business and two because it would leaving gaping holes in the D where Shero has to compete and outbid 29 other teams for free agents. They're staying, get over it, come up with scenarios that include them.

We're not going to win with so little size on D, so if you're thinking about keeping M&M then you have to provide names of two other guys for replacement. Coaching is a separate issue.

[Sarcastic]

Shero is giving an interview right now during the first intermission of the Baby Pens. He is not a happy boy right now. Basically just said so.

Not disappointed in just losing. But playing so badly while doing it. Said poor play is why he still upset. "I'm not a good person to be around right now."

That's good. He should be mad. What this team did reflects on him.

[GenoSidStaalsy]

Maybe its just me, but I put very little of the blame on Shero. It's not his fault that Bylsma is an awful tactical coach who has no ability to adjust or gameplan for a specific team or system. Oh wait....

[Pavel Bure]

I'm confused as to why everyone thinks Shero will move Martin or Michalek. An organization doesn't cut and run on big name FA signings just because of a down year. What kind of message does that send to other potential signings? Sign here and if you're not perfect we ship you out? Sign here and if you're not perfect we have no loyalty? Sign and if you're not perfect the reasons you were signed in the first place go out the window? Neither M or the other M will be moved. Shero signed them for a reason and a down year where the team imploded in the playoffs due to the coach being a bone head and not adjusting anything, and a year where the team was competing for the best record in hockey isn't a time where the GM blows up the defense. M&M won't be moved one because that's not how Shero or any NHL organization does business and two because it would leaving gaping holes in the D where Shero has to compete and outbid 29 other teams for free agents. They're staying, get over it, come up with scenarios that include them.

We're not going to win with so little size on D, so if you're thinking about keeping M&M then you have to provide names of two other guys for replacement. Coaching is a separate issue.

Coaching is not a separate issue. If the PK functions at barely 80% the Pens win that series. The Pens were a few easy coaching adjustments from competing and having a chance to win that series. But for whatever reason no adjustments were made after beating them once in the regular season and blowing it in game 1. That's coaching not "soft D"

[offsides]

Maybe its just me, but I put very little of the blame on Shero. It's not his fault that Bylsma is an awful tactical coach who has no ability to adjust or gameplan for a specific team or system. Oh wait....

This

Coaching is not a separate issue. If the PK functions at barely 80% the Pens win that series. The Pens were a few easy coaching adjustments from competing and having a chance to win that series. But for whatever reason no adjustments were made after beating them once in the regular season and blowing it in game 1. That's coaching not "soft D"

And this.

[pugilist13]

I'm confused as to why everyone thinks Shero will move Martin or Michalek. An organization doesn't cut and run on big name FA signings just because of a down year. What kind of message does that send to other potential signings? Sign here and if you're not perfect we ship you out? Sign here and if you're not perfect we have no loyalty? Sign and if you're not perfect the reasons you were signed in the first place go out the window? Neither M or the other M will be moved. Shero signed them for a reason and a down year where the team imploded in the playoffs due to the coach being a bone head and not adjusting anything, and a year where the team was competing for the best record in hockey isn't a time where the GM blows up the defense. M&M won't be moved one because that's not how Shero or any NHL organization does business and two because it would leaving gaping holes in the D where Shero has to compete and outbid 29 other teams for free agents. They're staying, get over it, come up with scenarios that include them.

Meh. The Rangers signed Wade Redden and after only two years, banished him to the AHL. At the time, people said it would hurt them with future free agents. It didn't. Not saying M&M are as bad as Redden was. But guys understand that there is ALWAYS pressure to perform, and if you don't, you could be losing your job. Part of the business.

Say Shero does move Martin and others and somehow creates cap space to pursue a guy like Suter. Shero offers more cash and years than other bidders. I doubt Suter thinks to himself " Wow, i'm not going there after what they did to Paul Martin" C'mon man, Its all about the payday.

[The Snapshot]

Look at Mike Smith.. Dude was garbage until he got in PHX. Same with Bryz. Is Bryz good, sure, but hes not the 51 million dollar goalie Philly thinks he is. IF MAF played in PHX right now they might have gone undefeated

If MAF played for Pheonix and surrendered the kind of soft goals he has in the last three playoffs, their entire system crumbles. I don't agree for a second with those that claim he would succeed in a more defensive system. That means less goals for us too, and makes it harder to overcome some of the ridiculous goals he has surrendered in his playoff career.

Teams like Nashville, Phoenix, LA get all of the stops they have the right to expect and then quite a few they should not. Not only have we not gotten a lot of the ones we should expect, but come the playoffs we have not gotten many of the ones we should not expect either.

If anyone believes that the "system" fails, it is because every system is built on the expectation of a solid goaltender. When the goalie leaks, the "system" falls apart. Would he have made about 5 key saves in that series, we would have won in 5 games. We also may not have had to witness the absolute atrocity of his teammates throwing away Game 3 on selfish retaliation/frustration.

Yep, plenty of breakdowns there in the series win over Chicago. This is a guy who got coached up and uses his assets to make save after save. The Phoenix defensive system has very little to do with that impressive reel of saves, except that it allowed those chances to begin with.

I don't see why people fail to see the drastic difference between Fleury in the regular season and Fleury in the playoffs for season after season. He has been a horrible NHL goaltender in the playoffs for more than just the last three early exits, and he needs to fix it. Point at any area of play, including the defense, and none suffered as serious a drop off in quality as goaltending did (even the PK didn't because at least 5 or 6 Flyer PP goals were leaky).

Yes he played well in the two final runs on aggregate, and he played very well in Games 6 and 7 during the Cup, but he had plenty of stinkers in those seasons too and the team was just that good in front of him.

[owtahear]

I'm confused as to why everyone thinks Shero will move Martin or Michalek. An organization doesn't cut and run on big name FA signings just because of a down year. What kind of message does that send to other potential signings? Sign here and if you're not perfect we ship you out? Sign here and if you're not perfect we have no loyalty? Sign and if you're not perfect the reasons you were signed in the first place go out the window? Neither M or the other M will be moved. Shero signed them for a reason and a down year where the team imploded in the playoffs due to the coach being a bone head and not adjusting anything, and a year where the team was competing for the best record in hockey isn't a time where the GM blows up the defense. M&M won't be moved one because that's not how Shero or any NHL organization does business and two because it would leaving gaping holes in the D where Shero has to compete and outbid 29 other teams for free agents. They're staying, get over it, come up with scenarios that include them.

Why? Because you have cheaper, young talent ready to take a regular slot. So, you need cap space elsewhere. It is simple mathematics.

[owtahear]

Again, neither Dan Bylsma or Ray Shero is responsible for MAF's complete meltdown in the playoffs this year. Or in the Montreal series. If he was even average in either, we likely move on.

[Sarcastic]

I'm confused as to why everyone thinks Shero will move Martin or Michalek. An organization doesn't cut and run on big name FA signings just because of a down year. What kind of message does that send to other potential signings? Sign here and if you're not perfect we ship you out? Sign here and if you're not perfect we have no loyalty? Sign and if you're not perfect the reasons you were signed in the first place go out the window? Neither M or the other M will be moved. Shero signed them for a reason and a down year where the team imploded in the playoffs due to the coach being a bone head and not adjusting anything, and a year where the team was competing for the best record in hockey isn't a time where the GM blows up the defense. M&M won't be moved one because that's not how Shero or any NHL organization does business and two because it would leaving gaping holes in the D where Shero has to compete and outbid 29 other teams for free agents. They're staying, get over it, come up with scenarios that include them.

We're not going to win with so little size on D, so if you're thinking about keeping M&M then you have to provide names of two other guys for replacement. Coaching is a separate issue.

Coaching is not a separate issue. If the PK functions at barely 80% the Pens win that series. The Pens were a few easy coaching adjustments from competing and having a chance to win that series. But for whatever reason no adjustments were made after beating them once in the regular season and blowing it in game 1. That's coaching not "soft D"

I am not arguing against adjustments the coaching staff should have made. There were a lot of reasons we lost, including crap goaltening. All I'm saying is it got pretty funny watching Flyers' bigger forwards march right in front of our net and score goals and also skate circles in our zone while our tiny d-men can't take the puck away. One reason our PK was so bad is because there was no D big enough to push a Flyer out of the crease. They got Hartnell and Simmonds doing a wonderful job with that. I say we try Staal in that role next year.

[Antonio]

I love all the talk of players "wondering" if they are going to remain Penguins, or staring into darkness sad at the thought that they might leave, etc etc etc. THEY are the ones who decide it. I mean, if for example, Staal said "making 5 million a year is enough for me" there would be no chance he gets traded. In this situation if someone gets moved it will be because of $$$, not because they want to stay at all costs and get moved out anyway.

[Pavel Bure]

Say Shero does move Martin and others and somehow creates cap space to pursue a guy like Suter. Shero offers more cash and years than other bidders. I doubt Suter thinks to himself " Wow, i'm not going there after what they did to Paul Martin" C'mon man, Its all about the payday.

I hate this argument because it's baseless. You don't know what a player thinks, what they will do, or how they would view something the organization has done. The argument I made has history of teams doing business behind it. To try and speak for an individual player does nothing. I will say most everyone, I feel, realizes M and/or M aren't going anywhere but they are playing around with scenarios that could move them because it's fun. I said this already but think about it. Even in a down year for them the team was nearly the best record wise in the entire league. If that's them in a down year, if they play even average this team is a monster on the back end. I do agree a piece needs to be added for the 3rd pairing that brings a physical element but the more taxing and worse problem this team had was the complete lack of grit and defined role for the bottom two lines. Those bottom two lines thinking they were supposed to 1. carry the puck into the zone 2. make east/west passes and 3. look for scoring chances first was the biggest problem with this team. Instead of getting it deep and cycling the puck it was usually make east/west pass resulting in a turn over or carry into the zone, one shot, and the puck leaves the zone. That is the biggest issue for this team, not the "soft D" of M&M.