How much longer for Boychuk?

[ILikeTurtles]

What was said about James Neal? That he's too small?

He couldn't score.

James Neal was a proven NHL player, and not a waiver pick up. There is a huge difference.

[shmenguin]

Anyone who real had doubts about Neal wasn't taken seriously by the grown ups.

He was a difference maker right away, even when he wasn't scoring. Then the kovalev letestu thing just messed with his head and nothing worked after that

[Bioshock]

I was impressed with Boychuk in the first two games but recently he's become another invisible player in the black hole known as LW on the second line. The guy just brings nothing to the table besides his skating ability. He isn't strong on the puck and when he actually does get to the spots to finish plays, he whiffs.

I'm not saying take him off the second line (He's miles better than Tangradi) but please don't get attached to the idea of him being there for any extended period. He's nothing more than a stop-gap between now and Bennett or whatever winger they bring in via trade or free agency.

[Bioshock]

Anyone who real had doubts about Neal wasn't taken seriously by the grown ups.

He was a difference maker right away, even when he wasn't scoring. Then the kovalev letestu thing just messed with his head and nothing worked after that

Neal was a beast in Dallas. Anyone who watched the team play could tell you that. It was downright shocking when he wasn't scoring and anyone with a working head knew that he would come around.

Those 20 games that he only had one goal was insane. It would be like Jamie Benn not scoring for 20 some games. It will never happen again until he's ready to retire or something like that.

[The U]

I was impressed with Boychuk in the first two games but recently he's become another invisible player in the black hole known as LW on the second line. The guy just brings nothing to the table besides his skating ability. He isn't strong on the puck and when he actually does get to the spots to finish plays, he whiffs.

I'm not saying take him off the second line (He's miles better than Tangradi) but please don't get attached to the idea of him being there for any extended period. He's nothing more than a stop-gap between now and Bennett or whatever winger they bring in via trade or free agency.

Adams, Boychuk, Jeffrey, Tangradi, Kennedy. A lot of guys with a skill or two that aren't bringing a whole lot to the team. That's a fair number of empty sweaters for a cup contender.

[Bioshock]

I was impressed with Boychuk in the first two games but recently he's become another invisible player in the black hole known as LW on the second line. The guy just brings nothing to the table besides his skating ability. He isn't strong on the puck and when he actually does get to the spots to finish plays, he whiffs.

I'm not saying take him off the second line (He's miles better than Tangradi) but please don't get attached to the idea of him being there for any extended period. He's nothing more than a stop-gap between now and Bennett or whatever winger they bring in via trade or free agency.

Adams, Boychuk, Jeffrey, Tangradi, Kennedy. A lot of guys with a skill or two that aren't bringing a whole lot to the team. That's a fair number of empty sweaters for a cup contender.

I don't know about you but i think Adams has been playing very well. Great in faceoffs and great PK guy. Great 4th line guy. The rest i agree with.

Kennedy is just an idiot on the ice. I have no idea how Bylsma puts up with this guy. The pens have a system of defense first right now and making the smart play at both blue lines. Kennedy doesn't participate in any of this. Total idiot with the puck.

[MRandall25]

I was impressed with Boychuk in the first two games but recently he's become another invisible player in the black hole known as LW on the second line. The guy just brings nothing to the table besides his skating ability. He isn't strong on the puck and when he actually does get to the spots to finish plays, he whiffs.

I'm not saying take him off the second line (He's miles better than Tangradi) but please don't get attached to the idea of him being there for any extended period. He's nothing more than a stop-gap between now and Bennett or whatever winger they bring in via trade or free agency.

I thought he was the best player on that line tonight.

[Bioshock]

Really? Well we all have our reasoning. I thought he was very pedestrian.

[MRandall25]

He was the only one to actually keep the puck in the zone and work hard for the puck. He had 2 great plays that should have led to goals (1 was a backhander by Geno that hit the pad and the other one Geno over-skated).

He may very well have been "pedestrian", but then, what does it say about Malkin and Neal that Boychuk, IMO (and in others' O), outplayed them (or, at the very least, generated the better chances) when they were on the ice together?

[DontToewsMeBro]

You're going to complain about Boychuk after his best game and you say Adams is good? Wat.

[Pens15]

I think for the most part, he's looked half-way decent. At worst he should have a few assists because he's set up some very good scoring chances. He hasn't finished though. I think he's got some decent skill, but most people seem to think Malkin and Neal need a bigger, tougher guy on their line to win battles and do some dirty work (while at the same time being skilled enough to play with them, hence Kunitz working so well).

[KG]

Time to change up the lines.

Neal/Malkin/Boychuk was a -6 last night.

[Gaucho]

What was said about James Neal? That he's too small?

He couldn't score.

James Neal was a proven NHL player, and not a waiver pick up. There is a huge difference.

Neal scored 20+ goals in each of his first three NHL seasons, so I don't know why anyone would say that.

[RisslingsMissingTeeth]

I was also feeling that Boychuk was the best person on his line last night as well. It is almost unfair how his efforts are not paying off in goals but, you know what? Nobody is scoring anyway so they are all a bit snake bitten. I like TK but he has just regressed to nothingness out there. A week or so ago I said that the Pens needed to bench Kunitz and he scores 4 goals the next day. I am now boldly calling for a benching of TK. C'mon reverse mojo....

[Pens15]

On that note, I actually think Boychuk might be worth a look on the third line. Maybe playing with a more defensively conscious unit, with his BFF Sutter, he could put his skills to better use.

The third line's been OK but clearly doesn't have the same mojo they did with Staal, and is not sacrosanct.

[JS©]

I was also feeling that Boychuk was the best person on his line last night as well. It is almost unfair how his efforts are not paying off in goals but, you know what? Nobody is scoring anyway so they are all a bit snake bitten. I like TK but he has just regressed to nothingness out there. A week or so ago I said that the Pens needed to bench Kunitz and he scores 4 goals the next day. I am now boldly calling for a benching of TK. C'mon reverse mojo....

Agreed.

Aside from a goal early in the season and an assist on Saturday, TK went 10 games without a point. This is from a veteran on the team who is stealing $2m worth of salary this year. And it's not like it's he's doing anything else on the ice to make up for it. He's been invisible this entire season.

[shmenguin]

cooke is a great penalty killer but isn't doing anything at even strength either. i think boychuk is 2nd line or bust, but if you're tinkering with putting him on line 3 for some reason, i'd rather make it a faster line and replace cooke. if the coaching staff thinks it would be helpful to send a message to kennedy by demoting him or sitting him for a game, i wouldn't be totally opposed to that. though they probably shouldn't have screwed around with his circuitry to begin with by putting him on LW. he was playing well until that point. either way, the 3rd line is brutal right now. where's the cycle?

[Pens15]

Why is he second line or bust though? What's to say he couldn't be effective on the third? I think his vision and passing efficiency (in which he's shown himself, IMO, to be superior to TK) could be very useful on that line. He and Sutter know each other well which certainly won't hurt. And Cooke would bring some physicality to the line.

It seems at least worth a try. He's not right for the Malkin line and the third line is looking stale, so what the hell. Put TK on the 4th or upstairs and DJ on the 2nd.

[shmenguin]

Why is he second line or bust though? What's to say he couldn't be effective on the third? I think his vision and passing efficiency (in which he's shown himself, IMO, to be superior to TK) could be very useful on that line. He and Sutter know each other well which certainly won't hurt. And Cooke would bring some physicality to the line.

It seems at least worth a try. He's not right for the Malkin line and the third line is looking stale, so what the hell. Put TK on the 4th or upstairs and DJ on the 2nd.

cooke, kennedy and sutter are all established 3rd line players. their qualifications, individually, aren't on trial. they need to learn how to play together because somehow, they look lost. what does putting boychuk on that line accomplish, really? he's not physical, not much of a forechecker, isn't going to help puck possession and isn't really part of the club's plans in the long run. if he was a good 3rd liner, that's where he would be in carolina right now. but he was waived, most likely, because he was one dimensional, and they had enough talent to marginalize that dimension.

the problem with the 3rd line isn't personnel. it's attitude.

[Steve Dave]

cooke is a great penalty killer but isn't doing anything at even strength either. i think boychuk is 2nd line or bust, but if you're tinkering with putting him on line 3 for some reason, i'd rather make it a faster line and replace cooke. if the coaching staff thinks it would be helpful to send a message to kennedy by demoting him or sitting him for a game, i wouldn't be totally opposed to that. though they probably shouldn't have screwed around with his circuitry to begin with by putting him on LW. he was playing well until that point. either way, the 3rd line is brutal right now. where's the cycle?

To say Cooke isn't doing anything at even strength is wrong. He is creating turnovers with his hitting and also driving the net. Cooke is more valuable than TK. The only thing TK has on Cooke is a he is a RH shot and can hold his own in fights in his class.

[Azkar]

this is really far off from the "You don't have to put up points to be a successful winger with malkin/neal" argument

[Malkamaniac]

anyone but Tyler Kennedy.

[lifetimefan]

Six games, no points, stick a fork in him. Time to ride #15 for a five games.

[SoupOrSam]

I vote...

[MrBrightside]

I was impressed with Boychuk in the first two games but recently he's become another invisible player in the black hole known as LW on the second line. The guy just brings nothing to the table besides his skating ability. He isn't strong on the puck and when he actually does get to the spots to finish plays, he whiffs.

I'm not saying take him off the second line (He's miles better than Tangradi) but please don't get attached to the idea of him being there for any extended period. He's nothing more than a stop-gap between now and Bennett or whatever winger they bring in via trade or free agency.

Adams, Boychuk, Jeffrey, Tangradi, Kennedy. A lot of guys with a skill or two that aren't bringing a whole lot to the team. That's a fair number of empty sweaters for a cup contender.

I don't know about you but i think Adams has been playing very well. Great in faceoffs and great PK guy. Great 4th line guy. The rest i agree with.

Adams is terrible on faceoffs. Hardly takes any these days...he's a useful player, but not on the dot.