Faceoff Factor

Comments

1. Ianintheam

   Oct 31, 09:27 AM

   I think the worst part isn’t their poor play on the ice, but that now the blame game is starting to be played. One of the reasons we keep hearing as to why they were so good last year was the closeness and chemistry of the team.

   The team looks likes its playing to get their coach fired.

   I think that a major shakeup will happen by the end of the month if things don’t improve quickly. Either a trade or a coaching change.

2. pens#1

   Oct 31, 09:48 AM

   i doubt MT is going anywhere after getting a new contract

3. Matt Bodenschatz

   Oct 31, 10:31 AM

   Ian, I agree. When the blame game begins, a locker room divide isn’t far behind. And when a locker room divide happens, shakeups follow. But I agree with pens#1, I’d be very surprised if a coaching change was made. A trade, yes. Firing, no.

   And, with each passing game, it seems more and more likely Staal could be the man shipped out. He’s the best trade bait as far as a return is concerned, and with the glut of centers, he is expendable for a winger.

4. TIM

   Oct 31, 10:39 AM

   It really irks me to see Staal not playing anywhere near his potential after he had a such a good rookie year. I would really hate to see the kid traded cause I know he has it in him to be great. To bad he only does it against his brothers.

5. ianintheam

   Oct 31, 10:49 AM

   I agree that a coaching change seems far fetched, considering he is coming off of a Stanley Cup finals appearance and a new contract. But, stranger things have happened.

   This is the team that ran the best coach in hockey history out of town one year removed from a Stanley Cup. This is also the team that refused to interview any coaching candidates and put the TV color commentator with no experience behind the bench.

   The blowing of the 3rd period leads, the lack of offense, and now the blame game has started.

   If Therrien has lost the team, it may be the only thing that could save the season.

6. Matt Bodenschatz

   Oct 31, 10:54 AM

   Ian, I think it’s reckless to consider this team — one with a totally new management and totally different attitude — to the one from the 90s and early 00s. The country club atmosphere is gone, and I highly doubt Ray Shero would be so impatient as to fire his coaching staff because players want a change.

7. Ben Schmidt

   Oct 31, 11:18 AM

   One thing I’m kind of surprised isn’t getting any attention is a little note that I noticed in a recent article by Rob Rossi of the Tribune-Review:
   “Defenseman Brooks Orpik is battling a head cold. He joins a list of several players to get sick with a virus strain similar to the one that afflicted Crosby a few weeks back.”
   http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_596074.html?source=rss&feed=8

   If the Pens’ locker room is getting hit with a virus, that would certainly explain the sluggish, inconsistent play. They push their bodies to their limits when they’re healthy – when sick, those limits become much more constraining.

   Watching the Pens has been frustrating, but if it does turn out to be the result of sickness, well, it’s still early in the season, and there’s plenty of time to make up lost ground once they get healthy. After all, in the few times they’ve been able to truly play to their capabilities, they’ve shown they can be utterly dominant. They just haven’t been able to do so for an entire game yet. If they’re sick, they may not be physically capable of doing so yet.

8. Nick

   Oct 31, 11:33 AM

   So many factors are at play right now… Being so good last season, the cup run, the lack of an off season, the short training camp, the trip to Sweeden, the new guys they brought in, the injuries to key players. On any team just one of those things could wreck a season. The Pens have all of them and I think we are seeing that play out… Can’t use it as an excuse but after reading the post game comments from last night, I think the players are looking to make excuses. The only thing I can derive is a lack of “veteran” leadership. Gonch is down and out, Sydor is pissed and wants traded and Roberts/Reechi are gone. Sid and Geno are leaders but they have never been in a situation like this and I don’t think they know how to fix it in the locker room. Malkin played like a man possessed, but I think after last night, we can see that it takes more than one or two players working hard to win each night.

9. Angela McSneezy

   Oct 31, 02:07 PM

   When there is a lot of talk about lack of chemisty between players in their lines why does MT keeps changing them up so often? How are they supposed to get chemistry when they are shuffled around like a deck of cards, you play centre tonight, no wait play wing, play with Crosby, no wait…I think it may be time for a rallying speech from their captain in the dressing room, i’m hearing Chariots of Fire in the background.

10. Matt Bodenschatz

    Oct 31, 02:21 PM

    Angela, I hear your concern, but I’ll also point to early last season where playing all over the place for the first few months of the season.

    At the end of the season, the players said it helped in the long run because everyone knew everyone else’s tendencies.

    And let’s face it, the beginning of the season is a time for observations. Therrien and his staff are watching different combinations to see which work best.

11. Angela McSneezy

    Oct 31, 03:03 PM

    Good point, but seems risky to potentially sacrifice points, early season or not, to shuffle players. Clearly worked well for them last year so a wait and see kind of thing. I’m just more of a ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ kind of person and Malkin and Crosby were rocking together on the same line.

12. Matt Bodenschatz

    Oct 31, 03:31 PM

    That’s the thing, though. They actually weren’t rocking it together — at even strength. Very few of their points while on the same line were coming at even strength. They were living on the power play, and while that may have produced wins, relying on special teams to win games on a regular basis is a bad idea — especially against disciplined teams.

13. Angela McSneezy

    Oct 31, 07:31 PM

    How do you remember such detail? I watch all the games and couldn’t tell you final scores of games last week, let alone how many power play vs. regular strenth goals by which line. I am envious sensei.

14. Matt Bodenschatz

    Nov 1, 12:00 AM

    Haha, Angela, I couldn’t tell you the exact number of goals scored at even strength versus the power play — heck, I couldn’t even tell you the scores of the games, either. But I do recall being very underwhelmed by anything other than the power play while those two shared the ice.

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