Idoit40fans wrote:I don't understand. Defense isn't the problem but forcing the team to score nearly 4 goals per game is the problem? Sounds like the same thing. I guess you're trying to say that the personnel isn't the problem, that the play style is?
In the regular season, it's much easier to score 4 goals per game on average. When you have a competent coach that can make adjustments and come up with a solid game plan, you just aren't going to score 4 goals + per game on average in the playoffs. It's also no longer a coincidence that Vokoun is having the worst season of his career while playing goalie for the Penguins and makes Fluery look even better IMO.
11/12 we needed 5, 9, 9, 4, 3, 6.0 goals each game to win. That's 6 goals per game on average, which is higher than the regular season, but on par with the style of play and "system" the coach had in place (outscore the opponent and play minimal defense).
10/11 we needed 1, 6, 3, 3, 9, 5, 2 goals to beat the TBL which is 4.14 Goals per game on average. Leading to an early playoff exit.
09/10 we needed 6, 2, 3, 5, 5, 4, 4, 2, 3, 2, 5, 6 goals per game to beat the Sens and Habs. That's 3.91 GPG on average and lead to an early playoff exit.
08/09 we needed 2, 2, 6, 3, 3, 4, 4, 2, 3, 5, 3, 3, 6, 4, 4, 4, 3, 5, 4, 4, 4, 2, 4, 3, 2, goals per game to win the cup. That's 3.71 goals per game on average to win the cup in the playoffs.
You really can't compare this season's regular season stats with the playoff stats, however there is a direct correlation that Bylsma has led this team further and further away from being a cup contender to just a stats and individual award winning team. minus the presidents trophy. This season, we have given up more goals per game than any of the previous seasons, which makes you realize that he hasn't changed the team to be better, just to "Play Penguins hockey" whatever the heck that is. There is no accountability and Bylsma would rather accept playing games where we win 7-6 and 6-5 over a few games where we lose 2-1 or 3-2. The fact is, this is why Fleury, Vokoun, and B.J have been "shaky" in the playoffs and even during the regular season. The personnel can't do anything but go all in with Bylsma's system because he doesn't like to change the way the team plays or make adjustments. Paul Martin is a great example of completely abandoning everything he knew about defense to play an offensive style of defense as he's never scored more than 5 goals in his career and is on pace to double that amount and break his career high point total in a shortened season. Now that Martin is all of a sudden playing Bylsma's system, he is flourishing, which doesn't help us defensively. Bylsma darn near ruined Michalek who is now playing amazing in Phoenix once again. He seems to hate rookies and never gave Tangradi a real change which kinda looks like might happen to Despres. At some point if you're Despres, you gotta wonder what you need to do to stay on the team and will start being fearful of making a mistake. It's more like, Awe shucks,we'll get-em next time or man I really wanted that game or just go out and play Penguins hockey. When you have Chris Kunitz, Crosby, Neal, Letang, and Paul Martin all leading the league in certain categories while giving up 4 GPG on average, you are doing so at the cost of ruining the teams post season success. It would be different if the Penguins started off 17-0 as they did in 92-93 or even had the Blackhawks current streak, but the team has shown it can only win games if we can score 4+ goals per game which won't happen in the playoffs. Bylsma doesn't put this team in the best position to win games. I don't think many other coaches would do a worse job that Bylsma unless you are too much of a disciplinarian.
