Penguins postgame: the Pens’ biggest problem

PHN’s Dan Kingerski tackles issue No. 1 facing the Pittsburgh Penguins, which was again highlighted in their 7-1 blowout loss to the Dallas Stars.

12 comments
  1. Yes they traded a lot of 1 st round picks, but the drafting and development that s gone on here since about 2014 rivals that of the Pirates . A complete and utter disaster. Rust, hue tale and Murray. Nothing else of actual substance. No top 6 forwards other than those two.

  2. Only one problem folks. Dubas. He put the team together. he chose the coach. he signed jarry. he traded a first away for EK who they didnt need. he signed graves.

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  3. I don’t think they want Sullivan fired, but they don’t play for him anymore…which ends being almost the same…
    Maybe…I mean MAYBE…a new coach can stir the pot a bit and light a flame they don’t show now…
    There’s no motivation and mostly no joy anymore, it’s just sad to watch them play now…
    I agree that they cannot change the whole roster, that’s just impossible, so I guess if they want to try something they have to change the coach and hope that solves it, but doing nothing right now is a no-no…
    I’ve been listening that Sullivan, should he get released the Wild will get him sooner or later ( Bill Guerin plus US National team liaisons etc…)…

  4. With all do respect Dan they haven’t had heart in a long time it wasn’t just last season. Which makes me wonder. Do all the new players we do get not care? Or, is it the coach who doesn’t like that stuff? The reality is- hockey players are emotional, yet for some reason on this team we don’t have an ounce of it.

    Now before you jump me, let me make a point. In the last six years, a ton of players have come and gone, and yet none of them were emotional. What are the odds that some 20 plus players you bring in and move out are soft like that? The answer is, it’s impossible. However if you do have a coach that emphasizes little physicality, perhaps that is the issue.

    Tonight Acciari had ever right to beat the brakes off that Dallas player, for his hit from behind, but he stopped shy. Why? He didn’t want to take a penalty. I get it. But you’re down 5-0 at that point.

    That is precisely my point. When you have a soft coach, who doesn’t not challenge them as men, or doesn’t scream at them, or who doesn’t push them to defend their own respect. That’s a huge issue.

    Players play on how they are directed. That’s the truth.

  5. What makes me sick is you can play so well against the Caps and then lay a stinker like this. Its awful. I wish Ron Hextall never happened to this team. Everything he did has had a negative impact.

  6. Why are the Pens so emotionless, it's honestly bizarre. Down 6 nothing and they don't even start throwing hits or anything, zero pushback, they just take it. After the game Sullivan said he's "not frustrated" so I guess that's why. If the coach doesn't care that explains why the team doesn't either.

  7. The biggest problem is Dubas….I'm not sure how you look at his roster construction and think this team was going to be better than 20th….now it seems bottom 5 at best. Every player aside from Eller has either been inconsequential or just outright bad…..Karlsson, Gryzlyck, Graves, Jarry, Nieto,Bunting, Acciari, Hayes (garbage move), Pullijarvi, Glass, I can go on…..aside from Eller signing you can't look at any signing or trade as a success…he has gotten other teams scrubs and presented them as if they are something more than scrubs….the guy is an average GM at best, he was average in Toronto with a loaded and talented team…..check his track record….can't put together a bottom 6, a defence that actually defends or evaluating goaltending (he went after Murray when every team was saying no thanks)…you know what people said of the Leafs? they had no heart……maybe the roster is just not good…we don't have a first line winger and traded the only one that we had because we wanted to rebuild to win? Guentzel would have been good for 4 years at least during the time they want to win…then you trade him…your big move is Karlsson???? Dubas is the biggest problem, I said that when he was brought into town…and I'll keep saying it

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