Polaris922

It's once again dragging a great fast paced game into the sludge. And correct its not just the Devils getting away with it. I do think the officials allow less talented rosters more leeway with it though...

Now THAT looks a lot more promising than Carolina. I'd like them to go after Stafford or Vanek than Roy though. We could really use a winger more than center. Thanks for the update!

I think it was the NHL's way of saying "you're a bad boy! but it's okay..."

I watch time after time as his defensive mistakes lead to opponents' goals. I watch his lazy backchecking to the point of frustration. I watch him miss open net after open net. He is usually lined up with Cooke and Kennedy. Those three had great chemistry together for a couple of years, but this year were mostly split up. His play frustrates me even more than Malkin's can and much more often. I'm not unrealistic either, I know he's not a 40 goal scorer. The stats this past season are pretty clear though... I can only find stats for a partial season regarding this topic.. so I'm going with what I can find. Crosby: The team had a .625 winning percentage in Sid’s eight contests and earned points in 75 percent of the games he played, improvements on the team's .604 winning and 63.5% earned points in the 52 games without him. Malkin: See how useless stats are? The Penguins were 4-2-1 in the seven games Malkin missed last season, giving them better win and points percentages than in the 53 games he’s been in the lineup. Would those numbers hold up over the course of a season? I don't think so. Letang: The Penguins have a .688 winning percentage with Letang in the lineup (23-14-3), a number which dropped much, much lower (11-7-2, .611 win percentage) in the 23 games he missed. Letang was out for each match in the six-game losing streak suffered in late December and early January. Fleury: Fleury was 42-17-4 in his 64 games of record as a starter, a .656 winning percentage and .719 points percentage. Pretty damn good. (full season) Staal: Through 60 games Staal missed 20 games last season. In those 20 games, the Penguins have a .650 points percentage. In the 40 games he’s played, the Penguins have a .650 points percentage. Most of these stats come from an article towards the end of the season by James Conley. Simply put, Staal IS the most expendable of them. If you take away the freak stats or Malkin's that is, and I don't see anybody thinking Staal has a greater impact on the Pens final scores than Malkin overall. Again in the series against your Flyers, Staal had a great games 4 and 5... and even 6. But in games 1-3 I can point out 5 goals against that were blown coverages or mistakes on his part. I just don't see what everyone thinks he does so great. If you watched his play throughout the year, I think you'd see what I'm talking about. Thanks for your opinion though! If you know where to get more specific stats for the entire season please share it. I searched and searched and could only find partials.

Blame that on the NHL for leaving it open like that. It's like grounding your daughter then buying her ice cream.

Guess we'll all be watching...

From that angle of course... it's always been a rival cry against Flyers fans here in the 'Burgh when the taunting and teasing starts. And every time I hear it said I wince knowing the wounds it must cause for true fans.

Sure seemed it Mojo but they gave the Devils the biggest challenge so far. Sad isn't it? I understand your thinking though.

Was no malice in the post my friend. Just frustration in how the season turned out for my Pens that equals or could perhaps be even greater than your own simply because you at least made it to round two! I don't ever accept losing just because the team that beat us went on to win. My point was simply comforting oneself with that thought has holes in its logic, and I look at it from the other end. My Pens were so strong in the regular season and had a great streak just before the playoffs I seriously thought they could go all the way. I never expected a first round exit. I knew your Flyers would be the toughest challenge in the conference, but it was one I expected to overcome. Now for your boys to lose.... Well apparently our teams weren't what they seemed going into it.

Must be a Pennsylvania thing. We do the same here! Lol

I've never been one to say "well at least we lost to the champs" for a simple reason... If you're not the champs, how do you know you were any good? Maybe my Pens should've been 8th, your Flyers 7th...? Neither of us beat anyone else, so maybe we were the worst two teams in? That's not acceptable, and the team that beat us win philosophy is just trying to soften the fact that our teams blew it. The Devils? Really? But now that I think about it.... Piss on everyone else in the East... Go Kings!

Jeff Skinner... but realistically speaking.. maybe LaRose and a pick or two along with him. They really don't have much on their roster worth going after.

Go Kings!

Right but again, short of Neal they're all in that boat. Crosby gets Kunitz and Dupuis, and their numbers climb. If Staal is such a hockey talent, it shouldn't matter who he plays with. I don't consider Hartnell a hockey talent by any means, but Giroux sure made him better this year. I would like to see them trade away Staal for a legitimate scoring winger to play beside Crosby. Then bring in a good defensive center to shut down opposing number one's.

I gotta tell you guys, as a Pens fan I was always worried more about Bob starting than Bryz. And I liked Bryz in Phoenix. I think the contrast in playing style from Phoenix to Philly is what you're seeing with him there. Phoenix was more a defense first organization. I've always wondered how a guy like Brodeur would do elsewhere when defense isn't first... the mind wanders...

Neither are Crosby's though... Great centers make better wingers. I understand you only play so many years though and have to fulfill your dreams while you can.

I doubt they'll move Crosby at this point because of the impact on the franchise here. I understand the concussion issue and what if the next hit retires him, but I think the public relations of it almost requires they hold on to him. And though I totally agree with your opinion of Malkin, you don't let a repeat scoring champion walk either. Bye bye Staal if a trigger has to be pulled. He can be unhappy at third line, but with Bylsma the third line plays almost as much as the first.

Thanks for replying. I hear this a lot from people I just don't see what that comment is based on. It's been a debate topic here. I watch every game of the season and I can't begin to count the number of goals scored against Staal's lines because of his lack of effort. He CAN be great defensively, but at other times he's a lot like Malkin in that he gets lazy defensively.

I don't think it's devoid... Tells me I'm not the only one seeing it this way. Lol

Actually not many Pens fans talk about refs individually anymore. I don't like or dislike any as individuals now, just the way the league's enforcing or not enforcing in general annoys me these days. We all hate the clutch/grab crap, but the refs seem to ignore it as a whole these days. The days of individual referee hatred seem to have passed here for now.

What do people really think of Jordan Staal? There's a lot of hype about this guy. People rave about his defensive play and scoring ability. He gets a lot of attention, with recent rumors of Edmonton trading the number one pick for him... I think he's the most overrated player to wear a Penguins uniform since perhaps Peter Nedved. He had a great playoff series against the Flyers goal scoring wise, but factor in the five goals scored primarily because of his blown assignments in the first three games and he doesn't look so spectacular anymore. Or maybe his poking the puck to Talbot for a goal rings a bell? I don't think Staal is all that. He was plus 11 for the season which puts him one higher than Engelland and Kennedy, but not anywhere near Selke levels. 25 goals in 62 games is good though, but Dupuis is paid much less and managed to outplay Staal in every aspect of the game. I think the Pens hype him up too much based on a great rookie season and if the Oilers are crazy enough to make that trade is take it in a heartbeat.

The first column really slams him hard... The second seems to tear into him then hopes for him to be a fixed fellow. Guess we'll be watching the off season closely for news of him.

Fraser was one of the worst refs I can remember. He's absolutely vilified here in Pittsburgh, with maybe Devorski a close second. The Penguins have often been a team with skilled players, from Lemieux, Francis and Jagr through Jagr and Kovalev, now with Crosby and Malkin. Playing teams like the Devils who practically drag everyone to a stop through the years has been frustrating as can be. It seems the NHL wants things to be so competitive that they allow lesser talented players to just bear hug and hold on to all-stars every game, from any team. It's disgusting to watch and I think it keeps the game from growing in popularity.

I agree. I don't care what fans get on whom obviously not my team, but in the straight hockey talk of it I think he's already more skilled than Hartnell and can get better given time. As for the 6.3 mill for Kane there are a few players I would rather have for the money, but I also wouldn't be paying JvR that yet either. It will be interesting to see how JvR performs this year if he can stay healthy.

Clutch + Grab = Suck