Penguins v. Flyers (Game 3) GDT

[NashvilleCat]

Doubt Cooke is gone, he redeemed himself this year. As for Staal, Asham, Johnson, Sullivan, and literally the entire defense save for Letang, any of them could be gone. Fleury should be on a short leash as well.

OMG. U guys are just suggesting change for the sake of change. Please draw line combos where this team is better by getting rid of those players. The roster is unmatched. It's not the composition of the roster's fault we lost.

I agree the roster is very strong. It would be easier to see coaching changes in the offseason than to expect to see wholesale changes at forward. I'm not even sure we have great options in trading away some of the defensive problems.

I see a new back up goalie but this organization isn't giving up on Fleury and if they do, what's his trade value right now?

Potential is what gets coaches fired and if there's a major change I think it will be behind the bench.

[Southern Fan]

What do you get back in return for a Staal/Martin package? Hmm...[/quote]





Thinking of this. Best way to move Martin is to package him with Staal. Calgary / Winnipeg/ Edmonton is waiting

[AlexPKeaton]

FWIW, Malkin seemed to be one of the few that didn't get involved in the thuggery, didn't he?

And he hasn't taken one stupid penalty so far, unlike virtually everyone else on the roster.

[pfim]

The best way to move Martin is to take on another bad contract. You shouldn't drag Staal's value down by packaging him with Martin.

[HockeyDaddy]

Prediction: Asham has played his last game as a Penguin.

Can't say I disagree. Always thought he was an honest player, but that was pretty sickening even if he didn't appear to do a ton of damage.

I would think Asham, Adams, Martin, Z, Niski, Johnson, Sullivan, and possibly Cooke and Staal have all played their last game as a penguin on Wedneday.

Staal? Right...

Adams: 1 year left @ 0.625
Asham: UFA
Cooke: 1 year left @ 1.250
Johnson: UFA
Sullivan: UFA
Niskanen: RFA
Martin: 3 years left @ 5 mil cap hit
Michalek: 3 years left @ 4 mil cap hit
Kennedy: 1 year left @ 2 mil

There are going to be holes to fill and pieces that could be moved.

[blackjack68]

This is just going to make our 4 straight game comeback that much sweeter and that much more crushing for Philly!

Let's Go Pens!

Yes, I've been drinking.

[SolidSnake]

If Byslma stays no way in hades will Adams go lol

[lemieuxReturns]

What do you get back in return for a Staal/Martin package? Hmm...

Thinking of this. Best way to move Martin is to package him with Staal. Calgary / Winnipeg/ Edmonton is waiting[/quote]

Well you might get Nash for that package.

[AlexPKeaton]

Mears is doubling-down to defend the coaching staff.

The entire Pittsburgh media is going to defend him because he is likely a very nice guy to them. But the Pens don't need a nice guy coach atm, they need HCMT.

[shmenguin]

i don't see anyone getting moved. player-wise, it'll be one of the least eventful offseasons in modern pens history.

[tfrizz]

Johnson did not look good, btw.

Of course MAF will start game 4. I actually think Brent Johnson filed his retirement papers with the league 8 months ago but didn't tell anyone...

lol, thanks for the laugh.

Bylsma has already announced that MAF will start, though I think this is the right move. You never EVER go into an elimination game starting your backup. That is admitting defeat before you even set foot on the ice.

[penny lane]

quote was~ Fleury will start the next 4 games.

[lemieuxReturns]

Prediction: Asham has played his last game as a Penguin.

Can't say I disagree. Always thought he was an honest player, but that was pretty sickening even if he didn't appear to do a ton of damage.

I would think Asham, Adams, Martin, Z, Niski, Johnson, Sullivan, and possibly Cooke and Staal have all played their last game as a penguin on Wedneday.

Staal? Right...

Adams: 1 year left @ 0.625
Asham: UFA
Cooke: 1 year left @ 1.250
Johnson: UFA
Sullivan: UFA
Niskanen: RFA
Martin: 3 years left @ 5 mil cap hit
Michalek: 3 years left @ 4 mil cap hit
Kennedy: 1 year left @ 2 mil

There are going to be holes to fill and pieces that could be moved.

Wll i said Staal as a possible along with Cooke as a possible. The fact that Staal is our third liner again this season is hurting the chances of re-signing him (opinion of course). Plus, the whole shut-down label is kind of overblown. Maybe a guy like Park goes to the third line and has the same success/failure at being a shut-down centermen... which is really all you are looking for at third lines anyways. I love Staal, and would really like him to stay but i think it has to be on the top 2 lines or else maybe its time. Maybe Parise would be a signing option for the pens if Staal was traded for picks.

[Three Stars]

quote was~ Fleury will start the next 4 games.

Bylsma going down swinging, eh?

[Guinness]

i don't see anyone getting moved. player-wise, it'll be one of the least eventful offseasons in modern pens history.

I don't see that. Unless they mount an incomprehensible series comeback (hope against hope), I think some kind of a shakeup is in order. This team has an opportunity for greatness, with some of these key pieces in place in their prime. Hoping this was some kind of fluke, when all were healthy, seems more than a little reckless with ownership's investment.

[penny lane]

quote was~ Fleury will start the next 4 games.

Bylsma going down swinging, eh?

You know what happened 100 years ago , today?

[canaan]

The systemic transition by Shero/Bylsma from "build a team that is hard to play against" to a "let's try to outscore the other team" was the genesis of this teams playoff problems. Grinders who bang with heart, defensemen that bang and play to defend against scoring, and all together play with a hunger is what is missing on this team.

This series was in trouble when the pre-series interviews had players spouting the "we know they are gonna score goals" nonsense. I hope they are embarrassed with their attitude/play in this series.

Shame on em.

[Three Stars]

I don't see that. Unless they mount an incomprehensible series comeback (hope against hope), I think some kind of a shakeup is in order. This team has an opportunity for greatness, with some of these key pieces in place in their prime. Hoping this was some kind of fluke, when all were healthy, seems more than a little reckless with ownership's investment.

Here's my crazy thought:

What if this team doesn't have an opportunity for greatness? Sure, they have great players but the only Cup final seasons were with entry level deals for the big 3, a weak Eastern Conference in 2008, and some startlingly out of character performances from grunts in 2009. As soon as they took over the team's salary cap, we've seen everything that could possibly go wrong with this roster. You could say (and I do) that 2010 is the Cup hangover year, and that 2011 shows the inherent weakness of having the team based so strongly around 87 and 71. This year is probably going to be the "coach's strategy didn't work" year.

[mariojr]

In fact, I would start by firing Bylsma before game 4. Let his assistant HC handle that final loss. His team has been a disgrace in every way it is possible to be a disgrace, and canning him now would send the right message.

Yes, and I would hire an ice-dancing coach. And skate figure-eights between the blue lines. And shout "Bravo!" every time the Flyers smoke another one past Fleury. And hammer our swords into plowshares. And turn the other cheek. For by doing so we will prove our moral superiority.

Your statement made no sense whatsoever and isn't remotely related to what I said. It's ridiculous hyperbole that makes no point at all. The Pens are a disgrace both for their pathetic play and their BS moves: Neal running Couterier far from the puck, Asham going to the throat with a cross-check, Crosby fighting anyone and everyone he can, Adams pulling Hartnell's hair (well, actually, that had to be hard to resist). It's one thing to get frustrated and try to start something, it's another to descend to the level of the Rinaldos, the Trevor Gillies', etc.

And your suggestion that Bylsma be fired before game 4 wasn't hyperbole? That was a calm, even-handed recommendation?

Nothing the Penguins did in that game descended to the level of Trevor Gillies. Some people here just like to feel better about themselves by criticizing their own team's "brutality." Mission accomplished, mariojr!

No, no, and no.

First, my suggestion was not hyperbole whatsoever. It's a serious suggestion. And not unprecedented. I seem to remember the Flyers firing their head coach once just before the playoffs. A very successful head coach as well. Bylsma needs to be fired anyway. Getting rid of him now would only be an advance on that.

Second, yes they basically started gooning it up without any relation to the game (Neal's hit on Couterier), and when you do that, you are entering Gillies territory.

Third, no that wasn't my "mission" at all. I'm saying I'm disgusted with this team to the point where I can't root for them anymore. I want a major overhaul, starting with the coach.

[HockeyDaddy]

The concept of building a team full of puck-moving defensemen in the current NHL is no longer logical. Teams are trapping and clutching and grabbing again. Pens need to bring in some big crease clearing D to complement Letang. I would like to see them bring back Niskanen and see who can be moved from the rest of the group.

[Streaks House]

i said Staal as a possible along with Cooke as a possible. The fact that Staal is our third liner again this season is hurting the chances of re-signing him (opinion of course). Plus, the whole shut-down label is kind of overblown. Maybe a guy like Park goes to the third line and has the same success/failure at being a shut-down centermen... which is really all you are looking for at third lines anyways. I love Staal, and would really like him to stay but i think it has to be on the top 2 lines or else maybe its time. Maybe Parise would be a signing option for the pens if Staal was traded for picks.

Yeah trading Staal for picks so they can sign Parise makes a ton of sense, considering scoring goals is such a problem...averaging 4 goals for a game generally wins you games. When your GAA is 6.67, defense might be a problem. If anything, you take a run at a Weber or Suter. But that will never happen.

[Streaks House]

The concept of building a team full of puck-moving defensemen in the current NHL is no longer logical. Teams are trapping and clutching and grabbing again. Pens need to bring in some big crease clearing D to complement Letang. I would like to see them bring back Niskanen and see who can be moved from the rest of the group.

Next to Letang and Orpik, Niskanen might be the best fit on defense of the current defenseman on the roster. I would have never said this 13 months ago either.

[mariojr]

I want to add that I don't think Neal or any of the Pens is another Gillies, just that a few of them acted like him.

[jimjom]

I think if anything happens in the offseason Michalek or Martin are moved, Asham, Sullivan, Park all move on and Tony Granato is the coach.

[HockeyDaddy]

I think if anything happens in the offseason Michalek or Martin are moved, Asham, Sullivan, Park all move on and Tony Granato is the coach.

If a coaching change is made, I would hope that it is not a current assistant moving into the position.