Life as a Pens fan is hard, crazy, and a never ending series of emotional ups and downs.
in short form...
2008-2009--ups
2010-2015--heartbreaking downs
2016-2017--huge ups
2018-2020--huge downs
GMJR is the most streaky GM ever.
from the start of GMJR's tenure in PIT...
June 2014--Hornqvist for Neal trade----WIN (10/10) Hornqvist was a huge part of the team since then.
Then GMJR had a few duds (Perron, Goc, Winnick)
Then GMJR went on a historic streak!!!
march 2015--Lovejoy (7/10) can't hate it. he helped us win in 2016 but wasn't a huge piece.
March 2015--Cole (8/10) love the guy. IDK why sully didn't like him. he does everything JJ/Gudbranson/Ceci did times 1,000...
July 2015--Kessel (10/10) although his shelf life expired as it had in TOR/BOS, Phil was a huge part of the cups and was a great penguin.
July 2015-Bonino (9/10) should be 10/10 for the Bonino, Bonino, Bonino, Bonino........
December 2015-Daley (8/10) for Scuderi....wow....
January 2016-hagelin (8/10) huge part of the speed game
February 2016-Schultz (7/10) one good year when the pens needed it the most.
Penguins win cup.
some minor moves...then.....
February 2017-hainsey (7/10) old but effective then. remember the end-to-end rush?
march 2017-Streit (6/10) fine veteran presence.
Pens win cup again.
this is (minus minor moves) 9 Trades almost in a row the Pens won in hindsight. incredible trading run from GMJR. but here's a thought...with the exception of the Kessel deal, were any of these trades at the time they were made thought of instantly as a big win for the pens?? I don't think so. alot of these players weren't doing good at all in their respective situations. alot of players over performed and exceeded expectations for the pens to win in 16/17. if all the players acquired played at their previous norms I doubt the pens win those cups. my point is I think because hockey is such a random game that no matter how good or bad on paper a team is, you have to get huge over performances and unexpected contributors to win a cup.
since then alot of GMJR's moves haven't worked out. but how many have been bashed at the time they were made? the Reaves trade? the Gudbranson trade? signing JJ and Ceci? but players many times have simply UNDERPERFORMED or not rebounded and "fixed" their careers as we became accustomed to in 16/17...
exhibit A---the brassard trade.....looking back what the pens gave up doesn't look at huge at it did then....but....brassard should have given us the best 3rd line in hockey and we should have 3-peated-----on paper...but he was a massive failure.
lately it kinda looked like GMJR had regained some of his magic---(which is more like luck or circumstance or players overperforming....)
examples:
marino-random college dude. like I literally said when the trade was made. who's this guy...ok whatever minor league help.. when can we get a good player? turns out he is a legit top-4 D with #1 potential. but the key is no one expected it...except maybe 1 pens scout...
Pettersson- the book is still open but for now it looks like a huge (but lucky) win....it was just a standard "2 young underperforming players get a change of scenery" trade...but Pettersson turned out...sprong did not....it could have easily gone the other way and we'd be bellowing at GMJR like a wounded hippo...(do they bellow IDK)
In the last little while GMJR hasn't been on a good or bad streak...just kinda in the middle. you win some, you lose some.
HITS-Pettersson, marino, zucker (only like 15 GP but rn it's a win),
MISSES (or in some cases more of a wash)-Galchenyuk, Bjugstad, Pearson, Gudbranson, Marleau, Sheary 2.0,
BOOK STILL OPEN--Joseph, McCann, Erod, Kapanen, Sceviour, Matheson, Ceci (FA)
this doesn't even account for OVER-PERFORMERS coming up from within.....that happened in 16 and 17. it needs to happen again. or players we have need to step up and perform at a higher level. last year it was marino, rust, jarry, buzzsaw, McCann (to an extent). a huge portion of this edition of the pens is an unknown. so many names have ???'s surrounding them--not always a good thing...but I think we need to see this team play before making a judgment call. as I said, the book is still open on alot of pens players. I hope their story has a good ending in Pittsburgh.
as I said, the book is still open. on paper it looks below average at best. I reserve judgment till after I see them play. having forwards that are strong defensively can help some with that.
I hope the pairing doesn't blow up. we saw a awful Schultz-JJ pairing so. we can't get much worse right now.
lots of question marks, but I'll be pumped if Jankowski, Matheson, and Ceci aren't horrible
I'm really hoping so for sure. there is surely a chance for rebounding for alot of these guys as I mentioned but there's just so many ???s it's hard to predict what will happen. this is kind of a make or break year for the team.
I'm really hoping so for sure. there is surely a chance for rebounding for alot of these guys as I mentioned but there's just so many ???s it's hard to predict what will happen. this is kind of a make or break year for the team.
Good analysis. Like you said, the book is still open. For me, the biggest question mark is the third line. McCann is good & I like Erod. Will Jankowski be good enough is my main concern cuz he doesn’t provide any offence & is soft like Bjugstad. Everything else seems set.
Good analysis. Like you said, the book is still open. For me, the biggest question mark is the third line. McCann is good & I like Erod. Will Jankowski be good enough is my main concern cuz he doesn’t provide any offence & is soft like Bjugstad. Everything else seems set.
McCann is fine I just wonder if he's too streaky. time will tell. it's only 1 year. I think there's a better chance Jankowski rebounds then Erod turns out to be something special but we have a tiny sample size of Erod. I liked the little I saw of him but I'd like him alot better if he was forward #13/14
McCann is fine I just wonder if he's too streaky. time will tell. it's only 1 year. I think there's a better chance Jankowski rebounds then Erod turns out to be something special but we have a tiny sample size of Erod. I liked the little I saw of him but I'd like him alot better if he was forward #13/14
Agree Erod is a depth forward at best but I like his speed and forecheck. Felt he should’ve been in the lineup over Marleau or Sheary.
if Maniscalco, can't beat out Ceci for that 3rd pairing role, he should hang up his skates now.
That's my only hope for that 3rd pairing.
yeah I'd love to see someone "under the radar" step up. Maniscalco has a higher college pedigree and more relative college success than marino. no guarantee but there is definitely talent there.
This teams bottom 6 is so bad, it's kind of scary.
Having 1- 3rd line player, 4-4th liners, & 4- #13 type Forwards
Also, if our back-up is a 29yr old AHL Goalie (in the only year having a 1B is an absolute must) the season is over already. DeSmith getting 30-35 Starts due to back-to-backs &
compressed schedule is just laughable.
REMEMBER :
This team is 1- 87 or 71 Injury away from having Mark Jankowski as a 2nd Line Center = Now that is some funny stuff
OR
A Jarry injury away from having DeSmith & Lagace as ur NHL Goalies, I mean IDK if I'd trust them both as our WBS Goalies, Lmbo
If we go into the season w/ this bottom 6 & this Goalie situation, MIN should be very Excited bc we are gifting them a Lottery pick.
** This team looks like the SJS of last year
This teams bottom 6 is so bad, it's kind of scary.
Having 1- 3rd line player, 4-4th liners, & 4- #13 type Forwards
Also, if our back-up is a 29yr old AHL Goalie (in the only year having a 1B is an absolute must) the season is over already. DeSmith getting 30-35 Starts due to back-to-backs &
compressed schedule is just laughable.
REMEMBER :
This team is 1- 87 or 71 Injury away from having Mark Jankowski as a 2nd Line Center = Now that is some funny stuff
OR
A Jarry injury away from having DeSmith & Lagace as ur NHL Goalies, I mean IDK if I'd trust them both as our WBS Goalies, Lmbo
If we go into the season w/ this bottom 6 & this Goalie situation, MIN should be very Excited bc we are gifting them a Lottery pick.
** This team looks like the SJS of last year
I don't want zucker + rust on the same line. I feel they are too similar but I think sully will start with it anyway.
I agree on everything else. I don't like the skill level of the depth we have. we have alot of guys but not alot of (on the surface) good options. injuries will hit and then IDK what will happen. I agree this team needs another couple changes that doesn't involve getting 4th liners but I fear the pens think they have enough...
yeah I'd love to see someone "under the radar" step up. Maniscalco has a higher college pedigree and more relative college success than marino. no guarantee but there is definitely talent there.
I mean he doesn't really have to jump the empire state building to get there. That's all I'm saying.
are you kidding me. How high do you think the hurdle is?
Whatever it is, it’s higher than he can leap at present. Marino made the jump because his defensive game was advanced. That’s not a particular strength of Maniscalco’s atm. He’s a puck rusher and those guys generally get roasted by pros early on. He’s got tools but he’ll take more time.
BradTolliverGoalie a aimé ceci.
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