Step One To Fixing The Pens

Take it easy boys. Keep it clean or the thread will get locked etc
 
i dont see how this can turn into a ugly trolling thread. we are all friends here.
i'll start with
1. fire bylsma
2. get someone to protect the star players to put on a 3rd or 4th line.
3. find depth in maybe a checking forward
4. spread the talent out a little. you need at least 3 lines who can score. even 4 if you have the players.

Im probably wrong in what I've written, but maybe some pens fans can chime in with some other ways to help the team do better next year
 
I'm not exactly sure why anyone needs to be fired or let go - they lost in game 7 of the 2nd round. A bounce here or a bounce there and we would be discussing their next series.
 
i dont see how this can turn into a ugly trolling thread. we are all friends here.
i'll start with
1. fire bylsma
2. get someone to protect the star players to put on a 3rd or 4th line.
3. find depth in maybe a checking forward
4. spread the talent out a little. you need at least 3 lines who can score. even 4 if you have the players.

Im probably wrong in what I've written, but maybe some pens fans can chime in with some other ways to help the team do better next year

I agree with your post entirely.. I would add a little more tweeks, but this is good.. The coach definitely needs to be a tougher type no nonsense coach
 
I'm not exactly sure why anyone needs to be fired or let go - they lost in game 7 of the 2nd round. A bounce here or a bounce there and we would be discussing their next series.

good point there. Maybe not let bylsma go. I mean he coached a great regular season with many injuries and still found ways to win. Made it to the 2nd round and lost in game 7. No shame in that at all.
Maybe he just needs to get some other key parts to his "machine" to help them push the rest of the way.
great point made
 
Crosby was absolutely mauled in the playoffs and no one did anything about it. The Pens need more grit and they need a coach with more fire. Bylsma seems way too easy going behind the bench. You can have all the talent in the world but the 3rd and 4th lines are so important this time of year. The Pens need to address a lack of toughness in their bottom 6.

And what the hell was up with James Neal? He was invisible
 
Crosby looks pretty ordinary since the start of playoffs... his rookie values may start to drops.

Toews, on the other hand, is ahead of Crosby IMO. I can see Toews retire with more Stanley Cups than Crosby.
 
I am not saying that Bylsma should stay. But I think that Shero should go. He has not put together a deep enough team. Pittsburgh has some elite players, and some very good players, but I don't really see the near elite players to help round out, and complement the roster. And that falls on the GM.
 
from reports around here ....Bylsma is as good as gone ...ownership isn't happy .....Shero is 50-50 rite now .....Lemieux wants him to stay other owner wants him gone ......Its all up in the air rite now
 
from reports around here ....Bylsma is as good as gone ...ownership isn't happy .....Shero is 50-50 rite now .....Lemieux wants him to stay other owner wants him gone ......Its all up in the air rite now

ya know sometimes a change is good. but we've all seen how it can be bad also. I think the pens have a good enough roster to still be pretty dominate in the regular season. Maybe with a new coach and some more depth things can turn around.

as for the toews comment. I agree that probably right now toews will have more championships then Crosby. but you have to look at how the hawks built their team. I mean, from lines 1-4 you have a threat of getting scored on, or getting hammered in the boards. the hawks did a great job of building a offensive and gritty team.

I know this probably wont happen. but the guys I see doing well with the pens are guys like Callahan and Simmonds. They are gritty, and can score. If by chance they can acquire even 2 of those guys, spread the talent out through 4 lines, I think they would be just dominate.

be sad to see bylsma gone tho, he's been there for a while.
 
I'm not sold on firing Blysma.

Actually I think they should go out and try to sign Ryan Miller as a UFA. If they do, then trade Fleury. Kick tires with Hiller and Halak too. Or try above average back up like Elliott.

Try Malkin, Neal, Bennett line for a full season. Clicked before, and Bennett got injured this year. Don't underestimate the loss of Dupuis. He clicked with Crosby and Kunitz. He is able keep with with them and does the dirty/grunt work on that line.

Keep Sutter as #3C. Not sure if Jokinen is a good fit on that line. Maybe a bit more grit and energy. You could move Dupuis down here too, but only if you're able to find someone that fits on that top line. Not as simple as signing a UFA b/c you could have an overpriced 3rd line winger that aren't great checkers, which was like Jokinen and Stempniak.

Good young depth on d. Have Pouliot and Dumoulin in addition of Maatta and Despres. Niskanen should be re-signed. Filled in nicely when Letang was out. I like Orpik, but not sure if he will as effective as he is getting older and can't put his body through that sort of punishment much longer before it starts catching up.
 
Rumor is Pens have inquired about Mike Babcock. He has only one year left on his contract in Detroit. We'll see what happens.
 
That rumor is true, and I would LOVE that selection as a coach. Babcock has been on record as saying he likes Pittsburgh...
 
Lol, whatever your rumors are you might want to get them checked again. Only coaches Wings have allowed to talk with other teams are Peters and Renney. Only way Bab's leaves is if the Wings wanted him gone and that isn't the case. He is posturing for a big payday and the Illitches will back the truck up for him.
 
Fine - let's look at this rumour - I can't believe I'm spending time on it but whatever.

How you going to get a guy under contract to coach your team? Detroit's not going to give him up. Sure he might want to go, but that can't happen until next year. I can't see him having a tantrum (John Farrell) and demanding out.

So with that in mind, are you going to give Detroit the Gruden treatment for him (next 2 firsts, and 2014/2016 2nd and some cash)? [Granted that was football and this is hockey, but Gruden hadn't won anything at that point and Babs has a Cup and golds.] I just can't see how Mike Babcock would be your coach in October of 2014.

Do you have an interim head coach and then make your play in a year? Is Babcock really wanting to uproot his family, or is this just a way to get more money?
 
Lol, whatever your rumors are you might want to get them checked again. Only coaches Wings have allowed to talk with other teams are Peters and Renney. Only way Bab's leaves is if the Wings wanted him gone and that isn't the case. He is posturing for a big payday and the Illitches will back the truck up for him.

I only meant that the rumor being talked about is true. They have talked about it on several radio stations. Apparently his contract is up next year. I am not trying to say he will coach the Pens, just that the rumor is being talked about. Don't get your panties in a bunch. Geez, everything a Pens fan talks about on these boards pisses someone off.

That being said, I do not think it will happen, but I do think it will force Detroit into offering a big pay day.
 

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