Random Penguins Fodder

[Badger Bob]

Oh to be a fly on the wall in the dressing room today Vs a few days before the trade deadline.

Would it be a relaxed room or one with trashcans being kicked around and F bombs dropped every other word?

[KG]

Poulin back up…

[IntangibleBeer]

We've got the Caps tonight, but I have to say I truly enjoyed the whupping the Pens laid on the Rags and the Devils.

Two days later and I'm still laughing about it. Ken Danyko admitting he was stunned speechless? Oh, yeah. Sweet!

[Admin]

Time to get Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin fuming.

[KG]

Ned gets the nod again. Well earned and deserved.

[Antonio]

You know, reading the discussion in the media about Crosby and the Hart and it makes me think. Honestly, what other player, genuinely here, is MORE VALUABLE to his team than Crosby has been? I know considerations like making the playoffs etc get factored in, but as far as I know, those are not technically part of the criteria. I would say easily no other team has depended on 1 player as much and no other player has had such a singular impact on the team. Yeah, the pens are not making the playoffs but without Crosby, this team would be orders of magnitude worse than any other team would be this year without 1 player.

[lemieuxReturns]

You know, reading the discussion in the media about Crosby and the Hart and it makes me think. Honestly, what other player, genuinely here, is MORE VALUABLE to his team than Crosby has been? I know considerations like making the playoffs etc get factored in, but as far as I know, those are not technically part of the criteria. I would say easily no other team has depended on 1 player as much and no other player has had such a singular impact on the team. Yeah, the pens are not making the playoffs but without Crosby, this team would be orders of magnitude worse than any other team would be this year without 1 player.

I took a look, and over the past 10 years there has never been anyone who won the Hart that didn't finish in the top 10 in overall scoring with the exception of Carey Price. Sid is currently sitting 16th. If he keeps up his current pace, I could see him climb to as high as 11th. I think the 6th place was the lowest over the last 10 years for the Hart winner.

An argument could certainly be made that the Hart is separate from the Art Ross and that has been made in the case where Mathews or Taylor Hall won it, but to be 16th or even 11th... I think that would be too far of a stretch. What an accomplishment it would be though if he was able to even be considered at his age, outside of the top 10, and potentially not making the playoffs! Imagine if he had not checked out mentally for those 5 or so games after the Jake trade. He would certainly be in top 10 contention for most points.

[penny lane]

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v433 ... _kitty.gif

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t196 ... G_2497.jpg

Good Juju

[Pitts]

Quillan signing with Toronto was announced about 10-15 minutes ago. Seravalli says some scouts think Quillan has more NHL upside than Collin Graf, who it sounds like is also going to sign in the East somewhere.

Pens are interested. But so are 25 other teams apparently.

https://www.pensburgh.com/2024/4/2/2411 ... ollin-graf

The loser signed with San Jose!

[KG]

Quillan signing with Toronto was announced about 10-15 minutes ago. Seravalli says some scouts think Quillan has more NHL upside than Collin Graf, who it sounds like is also going to sign in the East somewhere.

Pens are interested. But so are 25 other teams apparently.

https://www.pensburgh.com/2024/4/2/2411 ... ollin-graf

The loser signed with San Jose!

So much for these "insiders" claiming he would sign in the East...

[Antonio]

You know, reading the discussion in the media about Crosby and the Hart and it makes me think. Honestly, what other player, genuinely here, is MORE VALUABLE to his team than Crosby has been? I know considerations like making the playoffs etc get factored in, but as far as I know, those are not technically part of the criteria. I would say easily no other team has depended on 1 player as much and no other player has had such a singular impact on the team. Yeah, the pens are not making the playoffs but without Crosby, this team would be orders of magnitude worse than any other team would be this year without 1 player.

I took a look, and over the past 10 years there has never been anyone who won the Hart that didn't finish in the top 10 in overall scoring with the exception of Carey Price. Sid is currently sitting 16th. If he keeps up his current pace, I could see him climb to as high as 11th. I think the 6th place was the lowest over the last 10 years for the Hart winner.

An argument could certainly be made that the Hart is separate from the Art Ross and that has been made in the case where Mathews or Taylor Hall won it, but to be 16th or even 11th... I think that would be too far of a stretch. What an accomplishment it would be though if he was able to even be considered at his age, outside of the top 10, and potentially not making the playoffs! Imagine if he had not checked out mentally for those 5 or so games after the Jake trade. He would certainly be in top 10 contention for most points.

Yeah the points you make about the other awards are all kind of the same issue I think. Awards that get their supposed criteria conflated with a bunch of other things that are not actually part of the criteria and end up bastardizing the award. The highest scoring D man wins the Norris almost always... complete BS. The highest scoring forward often wins the Hart. The coach who has the best record is often heavily favored to win the Jack Adams. The list goes on. Those things are not actually what most of the awards should be about. As I said, I would argue that Crosby has been the "most valuable player" to his team's performance this year by a long shot and has had the greatest impact and his statistical performance is worthy. Just like we should be able to see who is the best D man beyond points, what coach actually makes the most work what he has and not just what coach gets the best roster to play with. So on and so on. I mean, we have enough awards for all this other stuff, we don't need to give all the awards to one guy because we scores a ton... we have goal and point awards. They should be immaterial to the other awards.

[Sams_Dog]

You know, reading the discussion in the media about Crosby and the Hart and it makes me think. Honestly, what other player, genuinely here, is MORE VALUABLE to his team than Crosby has been? I know considerations like making the playoffs etc get factored in, but as far as I know, those are not technically part of the criteria. I would say easily no other team has depended on 1 player as much and no other player has had such a singular impact on the team. Yeah, the pens are not making the playoffs but without Crosby, this team would be orders of magnitude worse than any other team would be this year without 1 player.

I took a look, and over the past 10 years there has never been anyone who won the Hart that didn't finish in the top 10 in overall scoring with the exception of Carey Price. Sid is currently sitting 16th. If he keeps up his current pace, I could see him climb to as high as 11th. I think the 6th place was the lowest over the last 10 years for the Hart winner.

An argument could certainly be made that the Hart is separate from the Art Ross and that has been made in the case where Mathews or Taylor Hall won it, but to be 16th or even 11th... I think that would be too far of a stretch. What an accomplishment it would be though if he was able to even be considered at his age, outside of the top 10, and potentially not making the playoffs! Imagine if he had not checked out mentally for those 5 or so games after the Jake trade. He would certainly be in top 10 contention for most points.

Yeah the points you make about the other awards are all kind of the same issue I think. Awards that get their supposed criteria conflated with a bunch of other things that are not actually part of the criteria and end up bastardizing the award. The highest scoring D man wins the Norris almost always... complete BS. The highest scoring forward often wins the Hart. The coach who has the best record is often heavily favored to win the Jack Adams. The list goes on. Those things are not actually what most of the awards should be about. As I said, I would argue that Crosby has been the "most valuable player" to his team's performance this year by a long shot and has had the greatest impact and his statistical performance is worthy. Just like we should be able to see who is the best D man beyond points, what coach actually makes the most work what he has and not just what coach gets the best roster to play with. So on and so on. I mean, we have enough awards for all this other stuff, we don't need to give all the awards to one guy because we scores a ton... we have goal and point awards. They should be immaterial to the other awards.

If you go by the language of the award you could make a great case for Sid, especially if he gets them into the playoffs. But Kucherov, McDavid, and McKinnon are about 50 points ahead of him right now. That’s too many for people to overlook I think. The language for the Hart needs to change. It has for a long time. It just needs to be awarded to the “most outstanding player in the league.” Simple. The “most valuable to his team” wording is what have the professional writers the excuse to give the Hart to Gretzky in 1989 even though Lemieux put up 30 more points and was more valuable than Gretzky that year.

[IntangibleBeer]

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v433 ... _kitty.gif

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t196 ... G_2497.jpg

Good Juju

Penny - thanks for that! I have one of those signs around somewhere.

[lemieuxReturns]

Tonight is going to be fun to watch!
Both teams know how important this game is.

“For us, we know the circumstances surrounding tomorrow,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said Wednesday. “It’s our biggest game of the year, right, on home ice, most important time of the year, and now with the runway getting extremely short, our guys understand what’s at stake.”

[KG]

Watching this run they've been on and seeing how the veterans have picked up their play to me shows why we have a need to play kids with energy more during the earlier parts of the season.

The oldest team in the league can't play the pedal to the metal style that Sully likes to play, long term any more. They need to rely more on their younger players with fresher legs earlier in the season and then the vets can kick it in as the season winds down and hopefully get into the playoffs.

[FLPensFan]

Quillan signing with Toronto was announced about 10-15 minutes ago. Seravalli says some scouts think Quillan has more NHL upside than Collin Graf, who it sounds like is also going to sign in the East somewhere.

Pens are interested. But so are 25 other teams apparently.

https://www.pensburgh.com/2024/4/2/2411 ... ollin-graf

The loser signed with San Jose!

So much for these "insiders" claiming he would sign in the East...

Saw a post that Penguins, Avs, Wild, and Sharks were 4 of the 6 final teams for Colin Graf. He chose the Sharks due to the opportunity he'd have to play right away. (I see ONE East team in that list, LOL)

[penny lane]

[Three Stars]

I mean, the headline was right there.

“Penguins playoff status still on shaky ground”.

[Antonio]

Pens are interested. But so are 25 other teams apparently.

https://www.pensburgh.com/2024/4/2/2411 ... ollin-graf

The loser signed with San Jose!

So much for these "insiders" claiming he would sign in the East...

Saw a post that Penguins, Avs, Wild, and Sharks were 4 of the 6 final teams for Colin Graf. He chose the Sharks due to the opportunity he'd have to play right away. (I see ONE East team in that list, LOL)

It's funny because if this team was honest about it's state in the short and medium term and if he is an actual quality prospect, he should have been playing immediately here also. We all know however, that it would border on impossible without one major change.

[pens_CT]

[

Saw a post that Penguins, Avs, Wild, and Sharks were 4 of the 6 final teams for Colin Graf. He chose the Sharks due to the opportunity he'd have to play right away. (I see ONE East team in that list, LOL)

It's funny because if this team was honest about it's state in the short and medium term and if he is an actual quality prospect, he should have been playing immediately here also. We all know however, that it would border on impossible without one major change.

Do you really want to take a guy directly from college hockey and gift him a spot on the NHL roster? I'd rather they just play Poulin instead of him eating nachos in the press box.

[pens_CT]

[

Saw a post that Penguins, Avs, Wild, and Sharks were 4 of the 6 final teams for Colin Graf. He chose the Sharks due to the opportunity he'd have to play right away. (I see ONE East team in that list, LOL)

It's funny because if this team was honest about it's state in the short and medium term and if he is an actual quality prospect, he should have been playing immediately here also. We all know however, that it would border on impossible without one major change.

Do you really want to take a guy directly from college hockey and gift him a spot on the NHL roster? He was an undrafted player, went through the draft twice I believe. Maybe he turns into something in a couple of years, but I doubt you get anything from him now. I'd rather they just play Poulin instead of him eating nachos in the press box.

[FLPensFan]

Jansen Harkins was a full contact participant today in practice.

Penguins record since Jansen Harkins left the lineup: 7-5-3
Penguins record in last 15 games with Harkins in lineup: 5-8-2

Let's not worry about getting that great Harkins shot back in the lineup coach. Harkins shouldn't see the ice the rest of the year...but he will.

[Pitts]

[

Saw a post that Penguins, Avs, Wild, and Sharks were 4 of the 6 final teams for Colin Graf. He chose the Sharks due to the opportunity he'd have to play right away. (I see ONE East team in that list, LOL)

It's funny because if this team was honest about it's state in the short and medium term and if he is an actual quality prospect, he should have been playing immediately here also. We all know however, that it would border on impossible without one major change.

Do you really want to take a guy directly from college hockey and gift him a spot on the NHL roster? I'd rather they just play Poulin instead of him eating nachos in the press box.

To be honest, his play is supposed to be more than NHL ready right now, so, yes? He should at least get the 10 game minimum most others get.

[Pitts]

Spoiler:

Pens are interested. But so are 25 other teams apparently.

https://www.pensburgh.com/2024/4/2/2411 ... ollin-graf

The loser signed with San Jose!

So much for these "insiders" claiming he would sign in the East...

Saw a post that Penguins, Avs, Wild, and Sharks were 4 of the 6 final teams for Colin Graf. He chose the Sharks due to the opportunity he'd have to play right away. (I see ONE East team in that list, LOL)

I saw a few tweets (I'm sure you did too) that he was basically down to keeping to the east. I fully expected Toronto or Boston to get him while keeping out hope it was the Pens.

[pens_CT]

[

Saw a post that Penguins, Avs, Wild, and Sharks were 4 of the 6 final teams for Colin Graf. He chose the Sharks due to the opportunity he'd have to play right away. (I see ONE East team in that list, LOL)

It's funny because if this team was honest about it's state in the short and medium term and if he is an actual quality prospect, he should have been playing immediately here also. We all know however, that it would border on impossible without one major change.

Do you really want to take a guy directly from college hockey and gift him a spot on the NHL roster? I'd rather they just play Poulin instead of him eating nachos in the press box.

To be honest, his play is supposed to be more than NHL ready right now, so, yes? He should at least get the 10 game minimum most others get.

A guy who was passed over twice in the draft, and now he's NHL ready at 22? Again from the Pens perspective, I'd rather see Poulin in the line-up than some college kid. Maybe Graf turns into something, but the hit rate on un-drafted college free agents is pretty low,