Ryan Wilson: Penguins too eager for their own good down the stretch Penguins too eager for their own good down the stretch

I’ll close with some positives about some of the Penguins players, because once again, it isn’t their fault for trying to win.

-- RW

WOW... who are you blaming for *wanting* to win - let's have their heads, eh!

Really?

Feel like we have always seen eye to eye here. Think you’re a bit more pessimistic about the short term and I’m a bit more optimistic (probably kidding myself just to get into it more while it’s still happening) but generally same page
- Victoro311

Agree. Since they are trying to win, I hope Dubas has an amazing off-season and Brunicke and Pickering are ready to give more than I expect next year, one of the goalies emerges, and they end up better than I hope.

I do think they are trending in a positive direction. It's just a lot of ifs. Still feels like they walked too fine a line by trading Pettersson but not Rackell and won't succeed as well in either rebuilding or competing next year because of it. And that defense...

But hope springs eternal so hoping for a great off-season!

Really they need two top six wingers, and 2 solid stable reliable d men. Maybe a little more weight on the 4th line.

I'll say it again... As a group, this was one of the worst defensive Penguins teams I can remember. If they don't commit to preventing goals, they'll never add enough offense to overcome it. It wasn't all bad tending this season. You can't bring up young tenders and subject them to another season like that one.

The median for team goals scored/allowed this year was 246. The Pens scored 243, but gave up 293! That was 3rd worst in the NHL for goals allowed.

Their D corps is just so bad it's going to take a combination of Dubas making some great moves and Pickering and maybe Brunicke or St.I or Timmins stepping up. The good news is that if they can just be close to average on D it might be enough to make the playoffs.

-- RW

WOW... who are you blaming for *wanting* to win - let's have their heads, eh!

Really?
- sufi-judge

huh

I'll say it again... As a group, this was one of the worst defensive Penguins teams I can remember. If they don't commit to preventing goals, they'll never add enough offense to overcome it. It wasn't all bad tending this season. You can't bring up young tenders and subject them to another season like that one.
- madmike71

100% this. They need both defenseman and some 2 way top 9 players.

Really they need two top six wingers, and 2 solid stable reliable d men. Maybe a little more weight on the 4th line.
- Grinder47

So are we kicking out Accairi to get an actual physical player?

So are we kicking out Accairi to get an actual physical player?
- Tojo.

Yep. Sam Poulin is going to put aside his goal of 1500 AHL games and come play physical at the big kids table.

Yep. Sam Poulin is going to put aside his goal of 1500 AHL games and come play physical at the big kids table.
- Grinder47

Awesome! Poulin is much more likely to actually fight someone than Accairi. Better at hockey too.

But hey, Accairi is in a contract year so maybe he'll drop the gloves towards the end of the year so someone else is sucker enough to pay him.

Awesome! Poulin is much more likely to actually fight someone than Accairi. Better at hockey too.

But hey, Accairi is in a contract year so maybe he'll drop the gloves towards the end of the year so someone else is sucker enough to pay him.
- Tojo.

Accairi has pretty much the hardest job on the team, and Sullivan also has told him he’s not allowed to fight so I don’t really hold it against him. He pretty much was the only physical presence on the team until Dewar. I don’t think Poulin is in shape enough, or good enough to take Accairi’s role on. He looks kind out of shape. Really though they are hard to compare, Accairi for a mostly bottom six player his career has spent very little time in the minors, and he played the same role in the minors as the NHL.

Accairi has pretty much the hardest job on the team, and Sullivan also has told him he’s not allowed to fight so I don’t really hold it against him. He pretty much was the only physical presence on the team until Dewar. I don’t think Poulin is in shape enough, or good enough to take Accairi’s role on. He looks kind out of shape. Really though they are hard to compare, Accairi for a mostly bottom six player his career has spent very little time in the minors, and he played the same role in the minors as the NHL.
- Grinder47

Well, it's hard to debate Sullivan rules you make up yourself. Accairi didn't even turn pro until a couple months from his 24th birthday and spent a couple years going back and forth to the AHL. Let's not act like he was some fast track prospect.

Well, it's hard to debate Sullivan rules you make up yourself. Accairi didn't even turn pro until a couple months from his 24th birthday and spent a couple years going back and forth to the AHL. Let's not act like he was some fast track prospect.
- Tojo.

Which makes never playing a full season on the minors more impressive. Really I just don’t think Accairi’s a bad player, he really only ever got one season where he got time with offensive players and made the most of it. 2 million for a guy that does the poop work and does it well night in and night out isn’t bad.

Which makes never playing a full season on the minors more impressive. Really I just don’t think Accairi’s a bad player, he really only ever got one season where he got time with offensive players and made the most of it. 2 million for a guy that does the poop work and does it well night in and night out isn’t bad.
- Grinder47

It's not, but we're talking about Noel Accairi, not Blake Lizotte.

It's not, but we're talking about Noel Accairi, not Blake Lizotte.
- Tojo.

Blake Lizotte should be in line for top six minutes over Mcgroarty or Koiv. Dude can simply hold onto the puck, hunt the puck and shoot the puck. But silver spoon prospects and all.

What are the tie breaker rules for overall standings? The Pens and Ducks both ended up with 80 points, both had 24 regulation wins and the Ducks have one more overall win! I would have thought the Ducks would have finished above us!

Saw an instagram post about Rackell being the 6th penguin to have a 70+ point season since 2005. Pretty shocked that Kunitz isn’t on the list.

Saw an instagram post about Rackell being the 6th penguin to have a 70+ point season since 2005. Pretty shocked that Kunitz isn’t on the list.
- Victoro311

Yeah but Kunitz did so much more than any of those guys.

Yeah but Kunitz did so much more than any of those guys.
- Grinder47

K.

What are the tie breaker rules for overall standings? The Pens and Ducks both ended up with 80 points, both had 24 regulation wins and the Ducks have one more overall win! I would have thought the Ducks would have finished above us!
- stevens87

Tiebreaker #1 is regulation wins, if that is tied then #2 is regulation + overtime wins.

Penguins have 2 more regulation + ot wins which is why we are higher than the Ducks despite the same points.

Tiebreaker #1 is regulation wins, if that is tied then #2 is regulation + overtime wins.

Penguins have 2 more regulation + ot wins which is why we are higher than the Ducks despite the same points.
- SuperHenderson13

Thanks!

K.
- Victoro311

He could change the entire energy of a game without scoring. Rak plays a good hard physical game but he’s no Kunitz. Game 1 of the finals in 17 I had a 4th row seat to Kunitz absolutely mugging Subban in the corner I believe 1st shift of the 2nd period, Pens down, Subban had been giving Sid sneaky late cross checks all through the 1st. It changed the entire game. Pens win 5-3 if memory serves correct. Those other guys just don’t have the same stuff Kunitz was able to bring.

He could change the entire energy of a game without scoring. Rak plays a good hard physical game but he’s no Kunitz. Game 1 of the finals in 17 I had a 4th row seat to Kunitz absolutely mugging Subban in the corner I believe 1st shift of the 2nd period, Pens down, Subban had been giving Sid sneaky late cross checks all through the 1st. It changed the entire game. Pens win 5-3 if memory serves correct. Those other guys just don’t have the same stuff Kunitz was able to bring.
- Grinder47

Well I agree Kunitz was better than Rakell.

He could change the entire energy of a game without scoring. Rak plays a good hard physical game but he’s no Kunitz. Game 1 of the finals in 17 I had a 4th row seat to Kunitz absolutely mugging Subban in the corner I believe 1st shift of the 2nd period, Pens down, Subban had been giving Sid sneaky late cross checks all through the 1st. It changed the entire game. Pens win 5-3 if memory serves correct. Those other guys just don’t have the same stuff Kunitz was able to bring.
- Grinder47

Kunitz was exactly what they needed during his time with the team. He's on my all-time Pens team.