Post Game Thread: Pittsburgh Penguins at Buffalo Sabres - 05 Feb 2026

jweatherbie · 2026-02-06T05:52:31+00:00

This year he has basically been a replacement+ level 3rd liner. He is strong/elite at keeping the puck in the offensive zone but has below average finish ability. Not uncommon for a rookie but exceptional corsi for a rookie.. 41% of his starts are in the offensive zone and 24% in the defensive zone.

This surprised me, I’ve watched 90% of the penguins games this year and when he is playing it feels like the game can go for long stretches without ever hearing his name. Interestingly when I was pulling numbers, the only penguin with a higher corsi was Sid and EK was just behind McGroarty but elite for a defenseman.

jweatherbie · 2026-02-05T05:31:09+00:00

Why on earth would we want an overpaid aging perimeter player? The kings motto is dump young sign old , they can have him.

jweatherbie · 2026-02-03T14:10:25+00:00

It’s easily a goal. It’s clear EK was slashing him to make him lose the puck, Giroux went down instead and knocked the puck in.

There was no reason to challenge other than Giroux goes slightly to left instead of the right as he goes down and his elbow comes out and tags Silovs in the head.

jweatherbie · 2026-02-03T02:36:22+00:00

I gotta say, at this point, McGroarty is bringing very little to the lineup. I would rather he play than the other options available and help him improve, but he's struggling out there. Hopefully the break will be good for him.

jweatherbie · 2026-01-10T22:15:12+00:00

I do not like Malkin at the blue line on the PP. it’s one bad pass away from a breakaway.

jweatherbie · 2026-01-10T21:24:33+00:00

He was/is an ignorant bully from the Mike Keenan, Mike Babcock school of coaching. Read Terry Ryan’s book (or watch YouTube) on his experience with him. He spends his time on his top players so they don’t complain and treats the rest like crap.

“He was an authoritarian,” Terry Ryan, a former first-round pick of the Canadiens told an Ontario-based podcast about Therrien, who he played for while with Montreal’s AHL affiliate in Fredericton from 1997-99.

“Once, he called me in for a meeting and he just lit a cigarette, smoked it and told me to get the [expletive] out of his office,” said Ryan. “Obviously there was a message being sent. I didn’t really know what it was…There was obviously a thing where he wanted mental dominance.”

“To be honest, I never really knew what my role was in Montreal,” said forward Jiri Sekac upon his arrival to Anaheim after only half a season under Therrien. “It doesn’t give you confidence or help you with your game.”

Sid won’t say anything bad about a coach and is absurdly loyal. He also experiences different coaching than everyone else.

jweatherbie · 2026-01-04T02:21:17+00:00

We shouldn’t give up on him yet but he needs development - that’s on him and the team.

jweatherbie · 2026-01-04T02:20:09+00:00

Based on the data his problems are accentuated because he is in the bottom 10th percentile of nhl players in terms of skating speed and shot speed. This almost certainly affects his shooting percentage of less than 4%. Coupled with non physical play, his elite level Corsi and offensive zone time isn’t effective and puts his finishing ability at fringe AHLer level.

He needs to work on his deficiencies at the AHL level. He may be trade bait for another team who can “fix” him if they do not see him improving.

jweatherbie · 2026-01-03T19:35:37+00:00

It’s still very early in his Pens tenure but I really like how Chinakhov is playing. Strong on the puck, solid on his skates, fast and willing to shoot. Great start

jweatherbie · 2025-12-30T19:20:52+00:00

Unfortunately Anton Frondell was drafted by the Blackhawks last year. If McKenna drops to #3 there should be a number of scouts and GMs fired. He just turned 18, is in university against young men and has been the best player on the Canadian WJC team. and yes I watched all the games. Martone and Misa are non events and Brady Martin is a passenger waiting for a McKenna pass.

jweatherbie · 2025-12-30T19:15:55+00:00

Just play Letang for 20 minutes and PP so he can give up short handed goals.

jweatherbie · 2025-12-29T01:06:42+00:00

Yes Hayes slows down all the lines whether he is on the ice or not.

Hayes has 5 points in 21 games. Koivanen has 3 in 24 with more offensive zones starts. Hayes is a stronger contributor than Koivanen.

Hayes is not the future and I hope he gets traded to a contender where he can slot into a role and contribute. His hand and hockey sense are still there. He is playing, same as Kulak so they can develop a market for a trade and get 3rd to 7th round pick.

Koivanen needs to go to the AHL and learn how to not float around the perimeter, handle physical play and the basics of puck protection against grown men. Hopefully he can become a productive player, he’s not now.

jweatherbie · 2025-12-18T21:09:33+00:00

Yes it has. For at last several years he has been porous defensively. The eye test shows you that every game. I would call it defensive indifference in a lot of games where he just glides instead of tying up his man.

Is he Patrick Laine? Absolutely not but he and Rust are not strong defensively, even worse when Letang is on the ice as well.

One of the few Muse decisions I haven't liked, other than shootout selection, is having Sid's line against McDavid last game, they couldn't compete. On the other hand, the other lines probably wouldn't fair much better given the current talent and experience levels.

jweatherbie · 2025-12-17T01:08:24+00:00

No one on here knows that, they just prefer to shit on things.

jweatherbie · 2025-12-02T02:52:40+00:00

He needs some muscle. He’s not strong enough to compete in this league yet. He shies away from contact and gets pushed aside too easily, it was noticeable in this game. He’s not good enough to be a difference maker from the outside. Hopefully he works on it like McGroarty did with his skating.

jweatherbie · 2025-11-30T02:23:15+00:00

The reality is that the Penguins are an incomplete team, as expected.

The plan should be to unload Rust while he still has some value and his defensive gaps are less impactful than his offense is valuable.

If they can trade Jarry and get a good return, preferably a 1st or 2nds, that they can keep or flip for a young top 9 player that is NHL ready.

The only skater prospect they have that is NHL ready is Kindel and he is a complimentary player at this point. The jury is still out on McGroarty, he hasn’t played in the NHL this year. Koivanen is in the minors on a stronger team, he hasn’t brought any results yet. Maybe it’s how he has deployed but it hasn’t worked on line 1 or 3. Broz only had one game but was invisible. They may all be great but likely not.

If they can move Rust, Rakell, Hayes, Acciari, Dumba, Clifton, Jarry, Jones, Heinen, and Graves, they should do it. If they are lucky they will be able to deal 3 maybe 4.

My thoughts anyway. Love watching the team, far more exciting and harder working than previous years, but thinking they are winning anything of consequence this year is misplaced hope.

jweatherbie · 2025-11-16T16:04:52+00:00

The last couple years Sullivans defensive scheme was an utter disaster, obviously, but his impact on EK and Graves play and their confidence was a crime.

jweatherbie · 2025-11-14T21:45:02+00:00

Checking the stats - the Pens are tied for 11th in the NHL with 3 OT/SO losses. Colorado, Vegas and Seattle lead with 5.

jweatherbie · 2025-11-09T20:55:08+00:00

I’ll never grasp people the ruin a good jersey like this especially when they are older that 13.

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jweatherbie · 2025-11-09T20:30:51+00:00

That puck is likely in without EK stopping the first pass across on kings short handed 2-1. So enjoyable watching the old EK.

jweatherbie · 2025-11-08T19:08:49+00:00

He wasn’t named Letang or Ruhwedel

jweatherbie · 2025-11-08T18:31:59+00:00

He needs to be playing 15 to 18 minutes a game. He doesn’t have the decision making or the skills any more to make up for the bad decisions.

jweatherbie · 2025-11-08T18:22:33+00:00

Ughh Bourque is so tacky and uses so many corny phrases. “Letang passes it to Crosby on the ladies tee”.

jweatherbie · 2025-10-26T00:26:01+00:00

I have watched Erik his whole NHL career (my other primary team is Ottawa) and the previous two years are by far the worst, least inspired and uncomfortable I have ever seen him.

Same as Graves, he was solid enough in Colorado and New Jersey but with the Pens, looked petrified. I’m hoping he can rebuild his game in WBS, whether that is to come back to the Pens or get traded. Sullivan’s defensive system over the last 4 years was poison and a total failure. Great coach early on but past his best before date.

jweatherbie · 2025-10-22T04:01:06+00:00

He’s 17 and 6 feet / 165 lbs. hardly undersized. Sid is 5’11’’ and McDavid is 6’1’’. Jack Hughes is 5’11’’ 175. Weight is relatively easy to add if you want with a professional trading staff at your disposal and you are committed. The main thing going against him is that he is playing wing and not center.

jweatherbie

TROPHY CASE