I did have them making the playoffs, but I had as the 2nd WC. In a season where the Islanders and Devils have continously shot themselves in the foot, Pittsburgh should take advantage, but absolutely not. 10 points out of playoff spot. Even last year, they were never more than 3-4 points back this late in the season. Nearly everything has gone wrong. Goaltending surprisingly hasn't been the biggest issue at all with Jarry and Ned although inconsistent at times, have kept the Pens in games and the reason why they are still somewhat in the playoff chase. The PK also has been decent. (I think they are liked 10th in Pk, while they were like 20th last season).
Nearly everything else has gone wrong.
1. Ryan Graves was meant to be a Dumo replacement and has been equally has bad. He has been relegated to third pair at times where he does look better, but he is supposed to be a Top 4 defencemen.
2. Rickard Rakell not being able to score until the game before Christmas break. Going on another long goal drought in 2024. He at times has been relegated to 3rd line duty. He also missed some time with injury.
3. Although Noel Acciari has helped stop the defensive liability in the bottom 6, he is a blackhole offensively and is on pace for his worst season offensively since 2015-16 (his rookie season).
4. Although Jeff Carter has been less of a defensive liability, he is also a blackhole offensively.
5. POJ has continued to struggle and he's been forced in a Top 4 role because Graves is so bad.
6. Reilly Smith outside of the first 10 games looks invisible and disinterested. He at times has been relegated to 3rd line duty.
7. Evgeni Malkin's age has really shown after the first 10 games, and it doesn't help that Reilly Smith doesn't seem to care and Rakell couldn't score a goal.
8. Obviously Erik Karlsson wasn't going to repeat his performance from last season, but high risk plays (trying to be too fancy, or making an unnessecary pass) have led to goals against.
9. Jake Guentzel (he's gone by Friday) has 22 goals in 50 games (Still a 36 goal pace over 82 games) despite a career low shooting %. (He's a -7 in goals above expected). Seems like he's missed or been stopped on a decent amount of scoring chances.
10. The poweplay is horrific. I have no idea how Todd Rierdan is not fired. If they had even last season's powerplay (which was 14th and fans thought that powerplay was bad), they could be in a playoff spot.
11. It's pretty clear that Sully's system has affected the bottom 9. There were signs that his system was hurting the bottom 6 for a few seasons now.
12. Bryan Rust has been better this season, but he's been injured quite a bit.
13. Eller has been alright, but his production is still disappointing.
It's the end of the era. Unless they can manage a successful retool this offseason, it's very likely we've seen the end of Malkin and Letang in the playoffs. Sid's contract is up next season, and if he does get moved to a contender, he'd still be an elite 2C that could play 1C, but it's unlikely he gets moved. Erik Karlsson is in the same situation as he was in San Jose. He gets moved from Ottawa to a team whose best days were already behind them. San Jose somehow made their way to the WCF in Karlsson's first season with the Sharks, but there were already signs that they weren't the same team. (Vlasic/Braun no longer being a great defensive pair, Martin Jones having poor numbers, Pavelski was a pending UFA, Jumbo Joe was going to be 40). The following season where the Sharks kept Karlsson and moved on from Pavelski, Donsoki, and Nyquist, the Sharks just took a nosedive in the standings. The Pens haven't taken the same nosedive, but they will be lucky to make the playoffs this season. Expect a similar record to the Capitals last season. If they really wanted to go for another cup, they should've fired Sully (or at the very least get some new assistant coaches) because it was clear they were just kicking the can down the road.
3rd is conditional to Calgary could swap for another prospect Kudrysatev/Mynio or give a 4th this year. Or have it be conditional where Pittsburgh cheering for us to not make the Conference Finals or if we do you get NJ 4th
1. Graves was always a 2nd pairing guy. You can't force a 2nd pairing guy into a 1st pairing role. Period. He's an average 2nd pairing guy on an average 2nd pairing contract. You got what you paid for.
He's never been the problem. The 3rd pairing has bled goals all year, really badly. As much as you like to say, they demote Graves.... the truth is they keep trying to hide the other 2 defensemen on the ice.
Take the game against EDM where they try to hide POJ next to letang. He ends up a -3 on the night, and played horrible, at points leaving letang 3 on 1.
Meanwhile, Graves still pulls more minute on the ice than him. Graves finished 4th in minutes behind Letang, EK and MP. That has not changed all year. So I'm not sure how you get put down to 3rd pairing. He gets sent down there because they have to break that awful 3rd pairing up as it gets eaten alive night in and night out. Even when they are only out there for 12 minutes a night they are costing the team games as their are the only pairing that bleeds goals all over the place, and when they move them around , they trash the other pairings. Like POJ did in EDM.
I don't know what your issue with Acciari is. I mean really you want him to score. My question to you is with what help? I mean really, who have his line mates been that can help him generate any offense.
Acciari isn't some superstar player who can carry a line all by himself man. You leave him two dud AHL wingers night in and night out and then blame the guy for no offense?
FFS I don't even think McDavid could score with Acciari's wingers.
Eller's situation isn't much different. You got him out there with Jeff Carter a lot. I mean come on. He's basically on a 2 person line. He's play this year is actually better than anything I thought they would get out of him. But again, not even having DOC on his line, he's stuck with guys who really shouldn't be at the NHL level.
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