Beware the Penguins- Penguins year in review

[yave1964]

PRESEASON EXPECTATIONS: After a second round knockout last year the Penguins retooled a bit, adding Erhoff on the back end, trading James Neal who had become a distraction for Hornqvist and Spalling and trying to change the culture as the team fought to get back to where they were just a few years previous.

 

FINAL RECORD: 43-27-12 98 points 8th in the Eastern conference

 

HIGH POINT OF THE SEASON: March 12th the Penguins defeated the Oilers to get to 39-18-10 and they were in the fight for the division lead with a team that was looking like they were well on their way.

 

LOW POINT OF THE YEAR: They fell apart from there on, going 4-9-2 barely holding on to defeat the Bruins for the final spot in the playoffs. They quietly lost to the Rangers in the first round in five, counting the series against the Rags they finished 5-13-2. In these final 20 games they scored 4 goals only once. 

 

WHAT WENT RIGHT: With all due respect to Sid Crosby (28-556-84) or Malkin (28-42-70 in 69 games) this in now Kris Letangs team. The brilliant offensive blueliner (11-43-54 24 PPP) is the heart of this team, his loss in March occurred shortly after the slump began and the tailspin was on from there. He is irreplaceable, and is a superstar of the first order. Crosby and Malkin were solid, Hornqvist had 25 goals, Brandon Sutter broke thru with 21. Blake Comeau when healthy was a hard hitting second or third liner who could score a bit. Steve Downie led the league in PIMs and added 14 goals. Paul Martin was solid protecting his own end. Fleury (34 wins, .920 save pct and 2.32 goals against was solid.

 

WHAT WENT WRONG: Crosby and Malkin, in spite of good numbers did not put up numbers that were what was hoped for. Dupuis (13 games) and Maatta (20 games) missed most of the season. Beau Bennett is looking to be a bust. Christian Ehrhoff  (33-11-14 in 49 games) risked a lot signing a one year deal with the Pens and while not exactly a bust did not produce. Thomas Greiss was mediocre as a backup. Scott Harrington may have a nice future but was -10 in 10 games and looked lost. David Perron came over from Edmonton and looked lost much of the time. Kris Kunitz is slowing down and looks to be a shadow of the player he was. The kids didnt do much, Bennett, Rust, Megna, Dumoilin, Farnham, Harrington and the rest played a combined 1107 games with a pathetic 6 goals and a minus 17.

 

STRANGE STAT OF THE YEAR: Daniel Winnick had a solid year, 34 points in 79 games but not a single power play point.

 

 UFAs:

Paul Martin

Thomas Greiss

Christian Ehrhoff

steve Downie

Blake Comeau

Craig Adams

Daniel Winnick

Andrew Ebbett

 

TOP PROSPECTS FOR 2015-16: Harrington is going to play a bigger role next year and will likely do a better job. Derrick Poulliot will take the place of Ehrhoff and should supply some offense from the back end. Kasperi Kapanen will come over from Europe and will bounce between the AHL and the NHL. Brian Dumoulin will be there to step in if Harrington or Poulliot falter. They have a bunch of AHL forwards who are not great prospects but who play hard and will step in if injuries occur.

 

OFFSEASON QUESTIONS: Do you keep Johnston? It is looking like they will but if not who do they get to coach? Are Crosby and Malkin hitting the decline phase or was the slightly off season due to poor wingers? Where can they add scoring on the Wing? Can Kunitz bounce back? Or Dupuis? Will Perron be better with a whole season in Pittsburgh?

[B21]

@yave1964

 

Hit the nail on the proverbial head.  I can't disagree with any of it. 

 

On the offseason questions...

 

Do they keep Johnston? I think they do. I would unless I can get a big time coach (not mentioning any names).

 

Are Crosby/Malkin beginning to decline? No. 1st/2nd in the league in PPG this year. Probably would have been 1-2 in points were it not for the injuries.  No one is writing about Perry and Getzlaf declining and they are older (both are 29; Crosby is 27; Malkin is 28) and in the last 5 years the Ducks have played in 2 fewer playoff series than the Pens have (including Anaheim/Calgary this year).

 

Where can they add scoring on the wing? I agree with Rutherford that it has to be via trade.  Kapanen could provide some of that but I wouldn't count on it.  I think the kind of scoring winger they want will cost them one of their young defencemen.  Do they trade a Pouliot ("Letang-lite")  to a team with a lot of young talented forwards? Say Pouliot for a Landeskog? Hmm.

 

Can Kunitz bounce back?  Not likely.  I don't want to see him on the top 6 next year.  I think he can be a very effective 3rd line/2nd PP unit guy though and give you 15 goals and 20 assists playing with Sutter and...Dupuis maybe? I really like the idea of that being our 3rd line (Kunitz/Sutter/Dupuis).

 

Will Perron be better? Yes. Put him on a wing with Crosby or Malkin for a full season and I think you get 25 goals and 60 points.

[nossagog]

Thanks Yave, was waiting to see your review of the Pens from the outside.   Although I would put their high point of the season well before that, probably late December.   As the new year turned, injuries seriously affected the team, and they changed over to a highly defensive style of play, and their offensive production was all but gone by the end of January. 

 

If not for the blistering start of the year, they would not have made the playoffs.    The other thing to note is that even with the team turning over to a defensive style, Sid almost won the scoring title.   I don't think he "past" his prime quite yet.

 

Team needs stability of lines, which means health next year.   But with this sport, who knows.

[notfondajane]

To be honest I think the Pens should tree Kunitz for adraft pick! We traded to many away this year. I would keep Johnston, I do believe injuries played a major role in the colapse! Rutherford should go. One trades were ok! He traded to many picks. We need someone who has has direction as a G.M. Should Babcock leave Detroit, I'm curious if he would take the G.M. job here?

[Lionel Hutz]

2nd round comp pick if the Pens decide to pursue it since Shero was just hired by Jersey, I'll take that.

[notfondajane]

2nd round comp pick if the Pens decide to pursue it since Shero was just hired by Jersey, I'll take that.

it would be help!

[notfondajane]

2nd round comp pick if the Pens decide to pursue it since Shero was just hired by Jersey, I'll take that.

if Rutherford is true to from, he 'll turn it down!

[JagerMeister]

You forgot to mention how awful MAF was this year. A horrifyingly bad .920%. Absolute rubbish.

[notfondajane]

You forgot to mention how awful MAF was this year. A horrifyingly bad .920%. Absolute rubbish.

You forgot to mention how awful MAF was this year. A horrifyingly bad .920%. Absolute rubbish.

Fleury numbers look very good. What peuplr don't see is when the game is on the line and need him to make a save he can't do it.

[flyercanuck]

Plus Fleury had zero goals throughout the playoffs. 

[notfondajane]

Plus Fleury had zero goals throughout the playoffs.

so did everyone else!

[notfondajane]

It's bad enough that the Pens had no offense. Fleury has a very bad habit of giving up soft goals like Hegelian goal when you need him to come up with a big stop!

[B21]

Plus Fleury had zero goals throughout the playoffs. 

 

And he was a -3 for the series.  

[flyercanuck]

@B21

 

And no fights. 

[B21]

@B21

 

And no fights. 

 

That, too. Guy's a bum.

[flyercanuck]

@B21

 

In the playoff pool I'm in you get 10 points for a goalie fight. I don't recall anyone ever getting it.

[yave1964]

@B21

Agreed Crosby is still at the top of his game, he just has dogs for linemates.

Malkin tho, I am not sure that he will age well. I think he may start seeing a decline in his game, not saying he is turning into Scotty Gomez or Johan Franzen signing a big deal and skating (no pun intnended) by from then on, I just wonder how well his body is going to hold up. I think he is starting the back nine a bit earlier than some would have thought.

[nossagog]

@B21

Agreed Crosby is still at the top of his game, he just has dogs for linemates.

Malkin tho, I am not sure that he will age well. I think he may start seeing a decline in his game, not saying he is turning into Scotty Gomez or Johan Franzen signing a big deal and skating (no pun intnended) by from then on, I just wonder how well his body is going to hold up. I think he is starting the back nine a bit earlier than some would have thought.

Sadly, he's had dogs for line mates most of his career.  You can trade for good line mates every trade deadline, you have to build them.  That was what was disappointing with how they handled Perron.  At first he worked out great on SIds line, then they moved him to Malkin's line to try to disperse the scoring. And all that did was mess things up. Changed him back, wasn't working, and then played line roulette for the rest of the year.  That's no way to build a team.   Hopefully Perron STAYS on one line next year, and I think he'll do fine.

[JagerMeister]

@B21

Agreed Crosby is still at the top of his game, he just has dogs for linemates.

Malkin tho, I am not sure that he will age well. I think he may start seeing a decline in his game, not saying he is turning into Scotty Gomez or Johan Franzen signing a big deal and skating (no pun intnended) by from then on, I just wonder how well his body is going to hold up. I think he is starting the back nine a bit earlier than some would have thought.

 He will make a comeback next year. This year was quite a weak year in terms of offense for all forwards.

[Polaris922]

Sid is tearing up international play. I blame Johnston's defense plan more than any knock on Sid.

Oh yeah, and Fleury is to blame for every season we didn't win a Cup, and all future seasons swe don't.

[flyercanuck]

@Polaris922

 

Fleury is also a terrible gm and coach.

[nossagog]

Did is tearing up international play. I blame Johnston's defense plan more than any knock on Sid.

Oh yeah, and Fleury is to blame for every season we didn't win a Cup, and all future seasons swe don't.

Not to defend him, but they had to go defensive with all the injuries on D.  The forwards defensive play was an attempt to shield the putrid defense we fielded.  

 

I'm blaming Fluery for not properly diagnosing Letang and Ehrhoff's injuries that put us in a bind on defense.

[Polaris922]

Hahahahahahahahahaaaa

[flyercanuck]

Sid is tearing up international play. I blame Johnston's defense plan more than any knock on Sid.

Oh yeah, and Fleury is to blame for every season we didn't win a Cup, and all future seasons swe don't.

 

Sid is tearing it up cause he finally gets to play with some wingers that match his skill level, or close to it.. Plus he's playing with the "best player in the world" on the pp.  

[B21]

Sid is tearing it up cause he finally gets to play with some wingers that match his skill level, or close to it.. Plus he's playing with the "best player in the world" on the pp.  

 

Timonen is Canadian?