Faceoff Factor

Comments

1. DaBich

   Feb 10, 05:19 PM

   I think this is GREAT news. It means MAF is ready to use the ankle and get in shape to come back to the regular line up!

2. Kyle Dreibelbies

   Feb 10, 09:26 PM

   Seems like a good time to get out the camera and post another slideshow from the WBS game on Friday.

3. Matt Bodenschatz

   Feb 10, 10:11 PM

   Without a doubt…to both of your statements!

4. Michael

   Feb 11, 02:27 AM

   I feel the need to be redundant regarding the Conklin situation.

   I find it unfortunate .. and a bummer .. that so many people seem to be selling him short. Hey .. I’m glad Fleury is mending. But we still need to__sign__Ty Conklin__before__he becomes an UFA, because someone is going to outbid us for him if we don’t seize this moment.

   And it is UNACCEPTABLE to be screwing around and risking losing him. How quickly we forget that Ty Conklin is the main reason we were able to embark on this surge since Fleury went down. His play is what__launched__this run we’ve been on. His play is what catapulted us. Sure Malkin has been great .. but it was Conklin who ignited this. And this was a lot MORE than a “hot streak”, as I’ve tried to explain (the obvious).

   But, no .. people want to think this has been a mere “flash in the pan” by Conklin.
   It’s not. He is a bonafide late-bloomer. We have found a diamond in the rough, but almost no one seems to recognize it. Am I mis-perceiving things here? I don’t think so. Why can’t more people see how good he’s become? I don’t think my powers of perception are THAT unusual.

   All you have to do is look at his save percentage over this period of games he’s played for the Penguins. There’s your proof that he’s a late bloomer. And look at the many__clutch__saves he’s made .. many REALLY clutch saves during his games as a Penguin.

   I have a terrible feeling that he is going to be allowed to walk away. And that would be really, really unacceptable.

5. Kyle Dreibelbies

   Feb 11, 06:48 AM

   I am firmly in the camp of the people who believe that this is just a fluke by Conklin. He has really come back down to Earth over the past 6 or 7 games. Others who have had hot streaks like he did for this team were Lalime, Hedberg, Aubin, Tugnutt, etc. None of them are starting goalies in the NHL and at least 2 of them are in the minors.

   How quickly we forget also that Sabu had an incredible hot streak going at the beginning of the year. When he was platooning with MAF at the start of the year, he was actually top 6 in 2 of the goaltending stats (GAA and Save %). By that same logic, then you wouldn’t want to risk losing him either.

6. DaBich

   Feb 11, 07:37 AM

   Michael ~ I agree in that Conklin has improved his goaltending. I disagree that he is “great”. He’s been great, just like THE OTHER players on the team, in keeping the Pens in the run for the playoffs with Fleury and Crosby out. It’s not JUST BEEN CONKLIN that has keep us in, it’s been an incredible TEAM EFFORT that has done it. ALL the third and fourth line players, Sykora, Malone, and yes, Malkin, stepping up their play to help the team.
   Want to sign him? It might be a good idea. I feel now, he’s better than Sabourin for a BACK UP GOALIE. Starter? No. Look at his play the last 4 or 5 games. Twice, not once, TWICE, he drastically misplayed the puck and each time it cost us an EASY goal for the opponent. (Yesterday was the second time). No, I don’t expect him to be perfect, but that is unacceptable. First time, ok, a mistake. Second time? No friggin way, shame on him!
   Let’s be realistic here. He’s not great, but he’s been great in filling in like the other players on the team.

7. Michael

   Feb 11, 12:40 PM

   I’m well aware of those goalies from the past .. Hedberg, Lalime, etc. They don’t measure up to the way Conklin is playing. He’s ROCK-SOLID .. they were “standing on their head” for stretches. Again; this has__not__been Conklin “standing on his head”. He’s been rock-solid .. and those two instances where he ventured out to play the puck were aberations that should not be held against him.

   I honestly think he was probably trying a bit too hard to impress in those two aberations. He knows that Fleury is apparently ‘coming back’ soon and so Conks wanted to show something “special”. And; Gonchar screwed him up on the one against the Kings, and his stick got caught in the boards on the one against the Flyers. So it’s really just a fluke that those two instances even resulted in goals.

   He’s allowed a few more rebounds lately than he was .. but nothing of major implications at all. He can’t be absolutely perfect all the time.

   I have__yet__to see him allow a really “bad” goal in the games he’s played for the Penguins! The goals he’s been charged with have come from screens, blind deflections, gross defensive lapses by other team members, or by simply great shots that he had no realistic chance to stop. Seriously.

   No .. this is NOT a case of “another Lalime or Hedberg” or such.

   {{Dabich .. I agree that this surge has been a team effort .. most definitely so.}}

   But goaltending is of supreme importance. And like it or not, the fact is that Fleury still hasn’t proven himself. Yes he’s young, but he’s had quite a bit of experience already at the NHL level, and really hasn’t shown a lot of improvement over the last two years or so. We do not have anything we can rely upon in goal if we let Conklin walk away! By signing him NOW we__at least__have something solid in terms of netminding going into next season and beyond. If we lollygag around and let some other team outbid us for him, we are in trouble if Fleury doesn’t pan-out. If Fleury develops into a top-notch goalie .. great! I hope it happens. But it’s very iffy. Therefore, we should at least get Conklin signed in the meantime (now) as a really good insurance policy, if you will.

   Again, I’m baffled and disappointed that so many people are selling Conklin short.

8. Michael

   Feb 11, 12:54 PM

   Just a correction. Sorry. In the first aberation (referenced above) .. it was against the Islanders .. not the Kings.

9. Matt Bodenschatz

   Feb 11, 01:00 PM

   Michael, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Free agency begins July 1. It is currently February 11. Ray Shero has said he will not negotiate contracts until the season ends. It’s not going to happen until then. I want him re-signed as much as the next guy, but it’s not going to happen anytime soon.

   Additionally, look at Conklin’s stats, he’s returning to earth very quickly and is becoming more and more of an average goaltender. There’s nothing wrong with that. He’ll be a perfect backup for Fleury — or a platoon guy if he can regain form.

   We’re not talking about Martin Brodeur, Roberto Luongo or Mikka Kiprussof. This is a guy who has spent the majority of the past few seasons in the AHL and stepped in in a relief role only to get abnormally hot. He’s not going to be offered big bucks — and he shouldn’t be paid big bucks by Shero. If you think his stock is only going to rise, what incentive would he even have to sign right now or anytime soon?

   To be honest, Michael, I’m baffled you are inflating Conklin’s value so much based on a sample size of two months. I like Conklin as much as the next guy, but he isn’t the second coming, and he’s declining play over the past couple weeks is solid evidence to suggest that he is returning to form.

10. DaBich

    Feb 11, 01:01 PM

    Don’t get me wrong, Michael. Conk has been outstanding. But, like Fleury, he has to prove himself in the long run.
    I’m for signing him myself. At least as back-up, over Sabourin.
    Then let Fleury and Conk duel it out. May the best goalie win!

11. Michael

    Feb 11, 02:15 PM

    Matt .. if we wait until July 1st to sign Conklin, it will in all probability be too late.

    The idea is to sign him__prior__to the beginning of the free-agency period .. regardless of anything Shero has ‘publicly’ uttered. Once the 1st of July is here, teams can bid on him, which means that some other team will probably nab him .. which would be totally unacceptable and foolish of us for allowing it to happen. Hopefully Shero isn’t that stupid.

    While I’m still at it; here’s something else that tends to be overlooked. Conklin moves the puck well! This is something Fleury is lousy at. Conklin’s ability to move the puck well to his defensemen and forwards is a significant asset. It tends to preclude us from being bottled-up by a forecheck. It helps us start breakouts. This is a big upgrade in itself over what Fleury brings to the table.

    And as I implied already; people saying “Conklin has come down to Earth recently” are being disingenuous. The goals he’s been charged with have all been the results of shots he really had no realistic chance to stop .. except for the two flukey aberations where he went out far but got burned by Gonchar getting in his way and then by his stick getting stuck in the boards. I have NOT seen him give up a “bad” goal yet in his games with the Penguins! Seriously.

12. Matt Bodenschatz

    Feb 11, 02:26 PM

    To hammer home his decline, Conklin’s stats read as follows during the last nine games:

    9 GP, 8 GS, 4-3-2, 3.01 GAA, .898 SV%

    Thanks to Henry Hank over at Lets Go Pens for these stats.

    Conklin has been great for the Penguins, but to suggest that he has been “rock solid” would be a severe overstatement. He’s returning to form, and the numbers back up this claim.

    Additonally, I never suggested waiting until July 1. The Penguins have until July 1, which means — even if they win the Cup — they’ll have nearly a month to sign him before he becomes a free agent. I never, ever, suggested waiting until he becomes a free agent, and I never said Shero said he would do that. What I did say is that Shero has held strong to a stance that contract talks will not take place during the season.

    Stats are stats, and Conklin’s numbers a dropping. His stickhandling is also becoming more careless.

    The fact is, Conklin is an average goaltender who went on a hot run. You can have your opinions and everyone (including myself) can have theirs. Shero and other team officials realize what they have on their hands and will act appropriately. But dont’ expect a contract before the Penguins end their season.

    Lastly, you never answered my question: You claim Conklin is the real deal and his price will only get higher. If that is the case, why would he want to sign now if, hypothetically, Shero was willing to negotiate? Wouldn’t it be in his best interest to let his stock rise and go to the highest bidder?

13. DaBich

    Feb 11, 03:05 PM

    Ingenious? Lots of ingenious folks out here =D

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