Official GDT: Pens @ Flyers 1/15/21

[KG]

Sullivan will not get a long leash to right this ship. After getting him new assistants along with a shortened season....something will give soon if they don’t start to win.

I don’t want Reirden as the head coach. Velucci? Who knows. Do the players respect him enough? Geno probably doesn’t even know he’s their assistant coach!

I would go outside and bring in a veteran who can bring some structure. Gallant would be solid.

[thehockeyguru]

This coach has gotta go. This team is absolutely lifeless. Literally the exact same product as last year.

If sully does get canned, I think it’s best to look outside for a replacement.

It doesn't matter who the coach is, Malkin and Letang are killing this team

Here’s the next problem, if you decide to move on from either letang or geno, what team is going to be willing to take on such a high cap hit given the state of the league is in due to Covid and revenues being down. Teams are going to look to shed money, not take more on.

While the Penguins might get a high pick or good prospect in a Malkin or Letang trade, they for sure would have to take back a big contract in return. Think Hornqvist for Matheson with high pick/high prospect coming back as well.

The time to move on from one or the other was about 2 years ago, when their overall play hadn't fallen off as much and they were still seen as desirable. Now it would be a crapshoot. Would need a strong team to lose a top center/d-man, something along the lines of the Blues losing Tarasenko with shoulder surgery. Would that type of big gap, IMO.

I honestly think Rutherford is a bigger problem than Sullivan. He is blind to what this team actually is. He needed to be fired after the Montreal loss, instead he's dugba bigger hole with the Matheson contract.

Step 1 is remove Rutherford I can't take another one of his desperation moves to right the ship

[ejd43]

Just think. We all thought jack Johnson’s contract was insane. We got matheson making 6 mil per to play 14 minutes a game. 24 million tied up with this blue line is absurd. JR keeps doing the same thing expecting different results.

[Ericf]

We’ve seen the lack of defensive structure for too long now. It’s on Sully. He should be fired

[Sigwolf]

I honestly think Rutherford is a bigger problem than Sullivan. He is blind to what this team actually is. He needed to be fired after the Montreal loss, instead he's dugba bigger hole with the Matheson contract.

Step 1 is remove Rutherford I can't take another one of his desperation moves to right the ship

I reluctantly have to agree. The team misses what Hornqvist brought to the table, but the contract was too big a hurdle. The answer was clearly not to bring in a a contract that was nearly as bad for six more years, with questionable value added for even one. The Matheson trade *could* still work out, but odds are quite low, and it was too big a risk for that chance.

[murphydump55]

I honestly think Rutherford is a bigger problem than Sullivan. He is blind to what this team actually is. He needed to be fired after the Montreal loss, instead he's dugba bigger hole with the Matheson contract.

Step 1 is remove Rutherford I can't take another one of his desperation moves to right the ship

I reluctantly have to agree. The team misses what Hornqvist brought to the table, but the contract was too big a hurdle. The answer was clearly not to bring in a a contract that was nearly as bad for six more years, with questionable value added for even one. The Matheson trade *could* still work out, but odds are quite low, and it was too big a risk for that chance.

There’s no reason to take Sceviour in that trade either. I’ll give Matheson some more time as they’re trying to fix something that’s recently broken. This isn’t Jack Johnson or Ceci yet, but time is running out. The contract is awful and I said before that this couldn’t potentially hurt a lot more than it helps.

Agreed on Rutherford. I’ve been pushing for him to be canned since he went away from what worked. This just seems to prove that he has no idea what he wants and maybe just fell ass backwards into those Cups.

[Penguins Knight]

Positives and Negatives

Positives
None

Negatives
The Penguins lost.

Stars and Bags

Stars

• Crosby
• Tanev

Bags

• Sullivan: Failed special education failing coaching.
• Geno: No goals scored, two giveaways.
• Letang: -4.
• Jarry: Allowed three goals.

[KG]

Sullivan post game. Thought there was plenty of emotion and push back....is that how low the bar has now been set? Moral victories?

Not good enough coach.

[mariojr]

Two straight 3-goal losses. Admittedly this one involved an empty net, but still proving the Pens are far from elite and may be bottom-feeders. The defense is terrible. Ruhwedel, Ceci, Riicola, Matheson, even Dumoulin hasn't played well, and the forwards don't help (after Matheson hurried back from a pinch to break up a rush, Guentzel was beat getting back leading to a goal).

Jarry is not looking like himself from last year. The first two goals were not his fault; the third? You have to stop that. He had plenty of time to see the guy coming and wasn't even screened -- just didn't get in position. Same with the first two goals the first game, and the last goal that game came off a juicy rebound from a bad angle initial shot. But then, he's getting hung out to dry. They can't take a penalty, because they can't kill one. They need Jarry to be solid, otherwise, well, I think they still have their first round pick this year, at least.

The Penguins aren't the Steelers, so I imagine the two Cups don't buy Sully much more time, nor Rutherford.

[Weegie]

They're just good enough to be bad.

This is depressing, not only seeing them lose but to see them lose to the Cryers and we'll have to endure more of it this season with the schedule.

And I've been a Denver Broncos fan since the mid 70's like I've been a Pens fan and they are doing the same thing, they won it all a few years ago like the Pens did and now they are just spinning their wheels like the Pens are. I don't have much to look forward to in sports right now....

[murphydump55]

Freaking stop collapsing in front of the goaltender!!!! Every time Flyers enter the zone we collapse all to the front of the net. This is like peewee hockey.

Why are we constantly playing in the zone? Playing on the other end helps win games.

You think they’re purposely playing in their zone like it’s a strategy???