Training Camp

[columbia]

I'm not sure I believe any "scoop" from a Trib writer.

[Mongoose87]

James Neal manning the point. Why not.

Reinstitute The Whitney.

He'd be better at it than Whitney.

[shmenguin]

"The Whitney" is comprised of 3 separate tasks:

1) Hit the net on one out of every 3 backdoor feeds from Crosby
2) Immediately hand the puck off to someone else after you receive it
3) Skate the puck around the net for some reason and turn it over

Big shoes to fill

[pcm]

So long as Letang and Neal can keep the puck in the zone, the powerplay should be fine.

[joopen]

I gotta admit that the name James Neal never crossed my mind as possible point man for the PP. Who cares as long as it works?

[BurghersAndDogsSports]

So much for the team being down on Despres **ahem Dejan *** cough ** cough.

While I would normally take any chance to bash Dejan, as he is awful, the Despres rumors go way beyond him. It's been reported pretty widespread about his play*

*not my words, just what I have read

[MRandall25]

I like the Neal idea. IIRC, he scored a good number of his goals from that left faceoff circle area, where the rover normally would end up (if Letang is at the point, Malkin and Crosby are sort of roaming near the right side, and Kunitz takes the front).

[largegarlic]

I don't know about Neal on the point. It makes sense to have him shooting more, but I have no idea if he can do the other little things that make for a good point man (e.g. holding the puck in the zone, keeping the puck moving with intelligent passes, back checking like a demon when the other team breaks, etc.).

I wouldn't mind Letang and Niskanen on the points, if just for the sake of limiting shorties against. Niskanen is not ideal, but he's a decent passer, shooter, and skater.

[MRandall25]

You can't have Niskanen on the 1st with Letang because you need him to sort of QB the 2nd unit. Who else are you going to put back there?

It makes sense to have 4 FWDs on one unit, given our lack of D capable of playing the PP, but it's better having the 4th FWD on the first unit with Sid and Geno. Neal is a rover anyway, so it's not like he'll always be at the point.

[offsides]

James Neal manning the point. Why not.

Yep, why not give it a try. Wonder if there was a second unit at all? If so, who was on it?

[MRandall25]

@LGP_netwolf
2nd PP looks like 48-16-9-2-7

[mikey287]

@LGP_netwolf
2nd PP looks like 48-16-9-2-7

I'd just decline the penalty...

[Gaucho]

yuck

[Gaucho]

@LGP_netwolf
2nd PP looks like 48-16-9-2-7

I'd just decline the penalty...

I'd make sure I score in the first 80 seconds of the PP.

[mikey287]

Yeah, seriously, there's no point in sending that unit out there. How do they enter the zone even? Like, what is the plan when you talk about your entries for a power play, who carries it? Martin? He's the only one that has any extensive puck carrying experience...they're gonna take a lot of interference penalties at the blueline I think, because they're gonna be instructed to pick at the blueline to let Martin in on the left side and then throw it across to the weak side I bet...

Let's see what happens, hopefully we come up with something better than that...Geno's not here yet, right? Wednesday?

[penny lane]

Yeah, seriously, there's no point in sending that unit out there. How do they enter the zone even? Like, what is the plan when you talk about your entries for a power play, who carries it? Martin? He's the only one that has any extensive puck carrying experience...they're gonna take a lot of interference penalties at the blueline I think, because they're gonna be instructed to pick at the blueline to let Martin in on the left side and then throw it across to the weak side I bet...

Let's see what happens, hopefully we come up with something better than that...Geno's not here yet, right? Wednesday?

reporting 9:05 am!

He looked good ; but I had to return to work and could only stay 45mins.

[pcm]

I suppose Kennedy is on the second unit instead of Tangradi so that they can retrieve the puck from their own zone faster. Good planning.

[mikey287]

Excellent, thanks penny!

pcm, that assumes that we're dumping it in on a power play? That's rarely the right play with a man advantage...that's a "**** it, this isn't working, we can't get in the zone...here you are..." type of thing, not a sustainable entry...at least in my opinion...

[MRandall25]

Excellent, thanks penny!

pcm, that assumes that we're dumping it in on a power play? That's rarely the right play with a man advantage...that's a "**** it, this isn't working, we can't get in the zone...here you are..." type of thing, not a sustainable entry...at least in my opinion...

I think he means if the other team clears it, TK can retrieve (or something like that)

[farnham16]

I'm getting sick of the team putting Sid on the right half wall when both he and Geno are playing. Geno is WAY more dangerous on the half wall than Sid is. Geno has the best one time in the league from that position. Sid is much better down low. Simple solution.

[pcm]

Excellent, thanks penny!

pcm, that assumes that we're dumping it in on a power play? That's rarely the right play with a man advantage...that's a "**** it, this isn't working, we can't get in the zone...here you are..." type of thing, not a sustainable entry...at least in my opinion...

I think he means if the other team clears it, TK can retrieve (or something like that)

[mikey287]

Oh oops, I'll learn to read one day I'm sure...