icedog97

Gotta like what the Blackhawks were able to do last night (unless you are a Bruins fans of course). This is the kind of series I expected the ECF to be. At least we are seeing it now from what are clearly the two best teams in the league this year. I hope it goes 7...and into 6 overtimes...

Interesting article from Rob Rossi about Letang. Both he and Dejan Kovacevic have essentially said that Letang should be traded. Rossi points out that Shero has become a GM who is noted for his decisive actions...ala the Staal trade and the moves at the deadline this past season. If in fact Shero had offered or figured to offer Letang 6M per...and word is Letang wants 7M and a no trade...then it's possible Ray has already made up his mind to move him. Could it happen at the GM meetings before FA? Letang is still under contract...but trading him and freeing up some money that was targeted for him could help Shero sign a couple of his existing FAs (Like maybe Dupuis and Cooke) and would put him in a position to potentially acquire other players during the FA period. I don't always agree with Rossi's reasoning...but this time he's got some pretty valid arguments http://triblive.com/...s#axzz2Wf9RZBAl

The problem with the Penguins is that some part of their current make-up...implodes when it needs to excel. The guys they brought in this year aren't the reason for it...it happened last year against the Flyers too.

That's why I think it's a systematic problem. These players are playing a gameplan or system that is countered effectively by some teams and then they implode. They get frustrated trying the same things over and over again without success.

The coaches job is to recognize that and CHANGE if needed.

I didn't see any changes in approach. I saw different players (goalies and forward)...I saw line juggling...but it appeared to me the overall gameplan was the same.

Maybe the conference finals are too late to try something new...but after last season...and the two playoff years before...this team should have been prepared for what the Bruins showed them and been able to adjust and find a new approach that was effective.

I think given the past 4 playoff exists...and how they lost this year...last year and in game 7 versus the Habs a few years back...that this falls on the coaches and the system (or lack their of) they are trying to play.

The best coaches find a way to win. They take what the other team gives and exploit their weaknesses. The Bruins did that to the Pens (and got some great goaltending along the way). There's no way the Pens should have scored 2 goals in 4 games and been swept. It happened...but something is fundamentally wrong with them at this point.

Never really thought the problem is/was chemistry. Personally think it's either A) being told to do the wrong things or B) being told to do something good but doing the wrong things. Seems like these Pens now look just like the Pens that lost to the Flyers last year. Some part of that is what the players do on their own but I also gotta believe that a "we'll win 1-0" approach would have served them a whole lot better in game 2 than what it appeared they were trying to do.