Official GDT: Pens vs Jackets 3/5/24

[Crash66]

Crap. Dubas just took his phone off the hook.

[KG]

DOC must be hurt

[BurghThing]

Anybody seen DOC recently?

[thehockeyguru]

Eller doesn't look comfortable on the wing

[DelPen]

Crap. Dubas just took his phone off the hook.

I might be alone, but I’d like to see most of this roster under new coaching. This team should not look this craptastic.

[lemieuxReturns]

Reilly Smith killing his trade value with each successive shift.

Question for you CB, if you are a player and you know you are getting traded within the next few days or if you know that there is a good chance you are getting traded within the next few days do you play at a lesser level on purpose? Does a player play at a lesser ability if they know they are getting traded for the following reasons:
- the team acquiring you loses less and therefore you are in a better situation from both a fans perspective and from an organizational perspective.
- once you arrive at the new organization you turn it back on to show that the slump from the previous team was a system thing and not you, the player?

If the answer to either of those is ‘yes’ or even ‘possibly yes’ I think it is important to make a trade sooner rather than later. Now, I realize that is almost the deadline so it’s a mute point but you do have to wonder going forward if it is better to make the trade earlier than later if you know you want to trade a player.

That's a really interesting point. At the core, I have a hard time getting behind a player purposely playing bad - if not for ego/vanity, the fact that you are trying to showcase yourself to potential bidders. I think it's probably similar to the whole "tank model" you may think teams deploy. But I don't know how professional players can get behind losing games on purpose - with so much at stake for subsequent years (i.e., their playing careers).

In Smith's case, I simply cannot understand what is going on. Part of it could be system or the coach or whatever. But how does this guy go from doing what he has done in Vegas since 2018 to all of a sudden having stones for hands. And for a guy who was touted as a 200 foot and responsible player, it's really hard to grasp the constant NZ turnovers. Just such a MASSIVE disappointment - and this is coming from somebody who was all about that trade when it happened.

Yea. Just knowing people, typical behavior would almost predict otherwise.

Of course Smith just scored. Hahaha.

[Crash66]

Crap. Dubas just took his phone off the hook.

I might be alone, but I’d like to see most of this roster under new coaching. This team should not look this craptastic.

Alone you are not.

[IntangibleBeer]

Crap. Dubas just took his phone off the hook.

I might be alone, but I’d like to see most of this roster under new coaching. This team should not look this craptastic.

I think that’s an option worth exploring. Like before the end of this season.

[KG]

Crap. Dubas just took his phone off the hook.

I might be alone, but I’d like to see most of this roster under new coaching. This team should not look this craptastic.

Alone you are not.

I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say that if we would have made a coaching change mid season we would probably be a playoff team this season.

[BurghThing]

Even the CBJ announcers said it was a dive

[Crash66]

Even the CBJ announcers said it was a dive

Definitely wasn't a "trip".

[stonewizard51]

Judges gave him a 10 for the dive. Obvious make up call is obvious

[lemieuxReturns]

Even the CBJ announcers said it was a dive

Ha. I am also listening to the CBJ crew

[Zalapski33]

Crap. Dubas just took his phone off the hook.

I might be alone, but I’d like to see most of this roster under new coaching. This team should not look this craptastic.

Alone you are not.

I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say that if we would have made a coaching change mid season we would probably be a playoff team this season.

Factoring the 5 Blown 3rd Period Leads and PP Season long failure this is entirely a strong case for that happening.
3-4 more victories at the bare minimum.

[Coffey Break]

71 has been the best player on the ice for either team. Has that gallop back.

[IntangibleBeer]

71 has been the best player on the ice for either team. Has that gallop back.

True, now that it doesn’t matter.

[DelPen]

Let’s not play Eller on wing with Sid ever again please.

[lemieuxReturns]

71 has been the best player on the ice for either team. Has that gallop back.

Yea. He looks great.

[BurghThing]

Nice finish to your Pittsburgh career Smith 1+2.

[Zalapski33]

Let’s not play Eller on wing with Sid ever again please.

That option might not be available for this Coach after Friday.
But no way should that go down again.

[stonewizard51]

I didn't know they knew how to get 2 points without giving up 1 to get 2.

[Zalapski33]

Good to see Geno have a game like this,his best in a long time.Used his skating ability for a ton of this one.
3 Point Night for Reilly Smith,strong 3rd Period from him.
Nothing of note from Jarry,needed to stop the SHG in the 3rd but was decent otherwise.
Carter had a good game and skated the best we've seen from him in a while.
2 PP Goals that were not off shots from Pens players.

Still head scratching that they won this.Played terrible for most of it ,got 5 Goals and none from Sid.Guessing that the lingering feeling from the rough end to the West Coast Trip had its effect.

Don't know how the timing will go but probably the final game as Penguins for Smith and Eller.Ned is probably going to be dealt and the Guentzel decision is the one that will be under the most scrutiny.Without making the Coaching change when it may have been a season altering move is what will be something left unanswered but at this point its about Dubas attempting to recoup what they can for these departing players.

[Tico Rick]

Let’s not play Eller on wing with Sid ever again please.

Maybe they were showcasing Eller.

[BurghThing]

I didn't know they knew how to get 2 points without giving up 1 to get 2.

It's that "new math", don't worry, Sullivan is confused by it too

[Coffey Break]

Gotta love that the coaching staff doesn't trust Graves to be in the top 4 for the duration of the game.....except in the final waning moments when he's shifted up to play with Letang. How do you even explain that? Coaching malfeasance.