Pens @ Jets Pregame Thread

[joopen]

Despres started strong b ut got hurt and hasn't has a chance to get his game back. He should have stayed in WBS logging 18-20 minutes.

That being said, he's been fine on defense, the mistakes he made he recovered from mostly. He's looked like a rookie, which is OK, and held his own fine vs the Rags and Flyers.

Everyone sucked in the Leafs game, for Bylsma to point him out as needing more consistancy and let the rest of the team skate is ridiculous typical.

Fixt

[JoseCuervo]

I don't think they should trade Despres. He has too much potential for that right now. But I don't think logging 8 minutes a night is helping him or the Pens either. He should probably be down in WBS.

[MRandall25]

Why are we complaining that Bylsma "singled out" Despres?

His consistency was bad prior to the TO game. If Bylsma thinks Despres needs someone to light the fire under his ass (which is what this looks like) to get him to play better, then it makes perfect sense to "single him out".

[Lt. Dish]

It is irritating that I think Talbot whenever someone says superstar.

I wish I did. When I hear "superstar," I think of

[Penspal]

Bylsma on Despres: "We want to see more consistency in play, demeanor."

Demeanor is the word that I want to focus on here. It is defined as - appearance & BEHAVIOR.

Is Despres not taking the right approach? Is he being disrespectful and not taking his criticism constructively? Despres is young, so its possible he needs to ride the pines and be called out. Interesting for sure, considering that Despres was a surprise member and seemed to have HCDB backing.

[DudeMan2766]

Why are we complaining that Bylsma "singled out" Despres?

His consistency was bad prior to the TO game. If Bylsma thinks Despres needs someone to light the fire under his ass (which is what this looks like) to get him to play better, then it makes perfect sense to "single him out".

yes its not the coaches job to say "Well I can't get on him, EVERYONE played bad" Thats what fans do. If he's unhappy with a player he needs to address it, and not ignore it because, 'well the whole team stunk"

[penny lane]

Bruce Arthur ‏@bruce_arthur
I actually think it's cool Sidney Crosby walked from the hotel to the rink in Winnipeg today. It's five minutes, but it's also minus-23C.

Oh Sid!

[Gaucho]

I'm disappointed he didn't skate to the rink.

[Geezer]

I disappoint that 'Tuzzo won't be in tonight.

Likewise. I'm hoping Lovejoy is playing because other teams may be offering almost anything.

[FreeCandy44]

Fox sports rewind right now on Root featuring Jagr.

[Bowser]

WINNIPEG JETS LINEUP (w/ jersey #)

Forwards
1st: 9 Evander Kane - 12 Olli Jokinen - 26 Blake Wheeler
2nd: 16 Andrew Ladd - 80 Nik Antropov - 18 Bryan Little
3rd: 23 Alexei Ponikarovsky - 8 Alexander Burmistrov - 13 Kyle Wellwood
4th: 17 James Wright - 19 Jim Slater - 22 Chris Thorburn
Scratch: 55 Mark Scheifele - 14 Anthony Peluso

Defensemen
1st: 39 Tobias Enstrom - 33 Dustin Byfuglien
2nd: 5 Mark Stuart - 6 Ron Hainsey
3rd: 24 Grant Clitsome - 4 Paul Postma
Scratch: 25 Zach Redmond

Goaltenders
Starter: Ondrej Pavelec
Backup: Al Montoya

IR:
20 Antti Miettinen (Upper body injury)
44 Zach Bogosian (right wrist surgery)

Jets stats
Goals - 1 Byfuglien, Kane, Ladd, Wheeler, Slater, Thorburn
Assists - 4 Enstrom
Points - 4 Enstrom
Top 6 forwards for PP TOI: Jokinen (3:57), Kane (3:25), Wheeler (3:21), Ladd (3:15), Little (2:58), Antropov (2:49)
TOp 4 forwards for PK TOI: Antropov (2:17), Burmistrov (1:31), Thorburn (1:15), Slater (1:13)
Top 4 defensemen for PP TOI: Byfuglien (6:05), Enstrom (5:47), Hainsey (2:09), Postma (1:52)
Top 4 defensemen for PK TOI: Hainsey (2:51), Enstrom (2:03), Stuart (1:48), Clitsome (1:35)

Team stats
Goals/gm: Pens 3.67 - Jets 2.00
Goals against/gm: Pens 3.00 - Jets 2.33
Shots/gm: Pens 32 - Jets 31.3
Shots against/gm: Pens 28.3 - Jets 32.7


Pittsburgh Penguins Lineup
Forwards
1st: Kunitz - Crosby - Dupuis
2nd: Kennedy - Malkin - Neal
3rd: Cooke - Sutter - Glass
4th: Tangradi - Vitale - Adams
Scratch: Jeffrey

Defensemen
1st: Orpik - Martin
2nd: Niskanen - Letang
3rd: Lovejoy - Engelland
Scratch: Despres - Bortuzzo

Goaltenders
Starter: VOkoun
Backup: Fleury


*On Thursday, Penguins traded defenseman Carl Sneep to Dallas for a conditional draft pick and forward Benn Ferriero to Rangers for Chad Kolarik.

*As for Kennedy on Malkin's line, Gino said "I like that (TK) is a righty. One guy on my line is a righty. I really like that. He can score. I think now, he has lot of confidence and he enjoys to play. We’ll see. We never played a long time together, but he’s a good guy.” - All the more reason to have Beau Bennett at LW on this line in a few weeks. Quotes from Pens.com

[slappybrown]

Playing Lovejoy over Despres makes little sense to me. If you have to hide your third d pairing to the tune of 8-9 minutes a game, I'd rather Despres get those minutes. Lovejoy is closer to an 8 than a 6, and the idea that you can "showcase" him for a trade after 100 NHL games is silly IMO. He is what he is at this point.

This also goes for Tangradi. What's the point of playing him on the 4th line? I'd rather give him more time with Malkin to see if it clicks for him; you at least learn what you have once and for all. Playing him on the fourth line is a half measure that doesn't really benefit him or the team.

[netwolf]

I don't think it was so much that HCDB was singling out Despres as it was providing a reason as to why he was sitting. I also don't think hos comments apply to just the Toronto mess.

I also want to see Bortuzzo in there, but given Lovejoy has more experience and that HCDB is more familiar with him, it isn't surprising he got in first. Hopefully Bortuzzo gets his chance at some point.

[Bowser]

I'm all for Despres getting a night off to watch up high and come back the next game against Ottawa but why is Engelland not getting the same treatment. He's not playing on the penalty-kill, never sniffs the power play, and his skating looks worse. Would have rather seen a new mix to the D pairings in this game.

Orpik-Bortuzzo
Martin - Letang
Niskanen - Lovejoy

Then come back with these in Ottawa
Orpik - Martin
Niskanen - Letang
Despres - Bortuzzo

[jprolley]

they're still the thrashers. anything less than 2 points is failure.

[meecrofilm]

Why switch everything for one game? I think the top-4 has been pretty solid so far -- keep it that way for now.

[MRandall25]

@jprolley

It's hockey. Anything can happen. That's why they play the game. No 2 points are guaranteed.

[Beveridge]

Honestly, since Despres doesn't have to go on waivers, I'd rather he get 20+ minutes a night down there than 8-12 minutes up here. Rather see Burtuzzo get those 8-12 minutes because I don't feel he has anything more to prove in the AHL.