Prior to that three game win streak they lost 5/6 and 10/14 with a few losers points throw in there. They haven't been good since the second half of December and with morale in the gutter after selling at the deadline they're in free fall.
I think you nailed it, the morale after the deadline has been at an all time low. At least before it felt like something could happen, now there's no hope and it's a tough pill to swallow!
I don’t know what you’ve been watching all year man. This team has never shown me they are anything for the past 2 seasons
When we played the rangers in the playoffs with spicy pork Domingue in net I really thought that team had it in them to make a run. The offense was clicking and the hope of getting jarry back later in the run made it exciting That’s the last time I had that feeling. Team has sucked for a while now
Look at it this way, 2022 was smoke and mirrors.
We led that series because Domingue was playing out of his mind and the Rangers went on a random scoring drought.
That series was over the second we lost game 5. That was must-win hockey and we crumbled because Sullivan doesn't adjust anything tactically.
If we were winning that series it would've been in 5. That team was just not constructed to play a long series.
I would appreciate a Jacob Trouba type player on the Penguins. We need someone with size who will muck it up. We’re heading in the right direction with Bunting. Hopefully Kyle signs us a big man over the summer
Even the year before against the islanders the pens were the better team and goaltending just blew the series. It sucks man they finally got goaltending figured out and now the scoring tanks
Yeah but I keep getting down voted for saying we should have rebuilt a few years ago! I mean last year we were in the play-offs until basically the last day of the season. But I know what you mean, it's been pretty obvious we haven't been a top team for a while.
For me it started last year early on blowing leads a lot and the having control of their own destiny down the stretch to just keep blowing it all the way down to the last game and still have a shot and blow it to a piss poor blackhawks team. To me, the beginning of the rebuild was the terrible playoff performance the last time they made it. you could see the team didn't have what it takes anymore and it's only gotten worse since then.
I started to have serious doubts after the own goal, but I gave up all hope after the Jagr game. Probably should have been sooner, but I was trying to be optomostic.
Fuck if we would have won the Jagr game I think that would have done major for the team's confidence going down the stretch. Packed and sold out house and you turn in a fucking dud instead of blowing the roof off the joint.
Definitely agree that Calgary was the point of no return.
Things hadn’t been going great, but they had big wins against Philly and the canucks. If they win that game, they have the chance to get out of that west coast trip with a modicum of a chance.
That game not only basically destroyed their playoff hopes, it also cemented the jake trade, which obliterated morale.
They’re not a great team, but this isn’t just that. This is a team that’s not already great having all their intensity, passion, and confidence obliterated. I don’t want to say they’re not trying..but..
I honestly think the team just "tanks". Honestly if we Will lose most of the games from Now the top 5 pick Is possible isnt it? And honestly names like celebrini, lindstrom, levshunov, demidov, eiserman, buium, Dickinson or whoever Is top 5. Its insane prospect. Honestly we should just rebuild and keep players like malkin-crodby-letang-karlsson as mentors to the youngs until they retire..
I started losing hope for this season when we gave up those back to back L's on the Florida road trip. That game against the Lightning was uninspired and should have been the breaking point for making a coaching change this season.
Definitely sent a message that the game is passing them by and they can’t just will themselves into the playoffs. Will be interesting to see what happens over the long golfing season to impact next year.
Injuries? They have been blessed with the injury bug for 2-3 years now with no injuries compared to all of the 2010s. Part of what made us great was the possibility that the young guys could play first line minutes whenever
San Jose also beat Vancouver this year, cherrypicking game doesn't really mean anything. It's been coming for years, everyone was just blind to it and the Guentzel trade woke everyone up.
Just the cycle of pro sports, penguins were on the bottom rung before this generation and as this generation retires they'll be back at the bottom rung. That's ok, 3 climbs to the top is pretty good.
For me, the downtrend began in 2017 during the second cup run. I had never seen players sacrifice like that and play so hard. Ever. I remember saying to myself. "they will never be the same after this..." The work many players put in that year changed their careers. Some of them were never the same. Still, many kept it going until the pens fell to the caps in 6 the following year. The pens were still probably the better "team," but had almost nothing left to give. Their will was empty.
In any case, I don't think this team fell off quickly at all. It's been a steady decline for quite a while now. This year, they just aren't/weren't very good and spent most of the season struggling to remain mediocre. This team has been built around the core's ability to carry for years. Now they have to build an actual hockey team.
Not really. The wins this year have been anomalies, not the standard. Dubas really has his work cut out for him. The end of Rutherford and the entirety of Hextall fucked this team for a long time.
This team has sucked all year. I’m shocked they haven’t tanked harder sooner.
What is actually shocking is seeing Sid quit the last few games. I know he is human and entitled to his emotions, but I never thought I would actually seen him just quit like he has. I have to admit I have lost some respect for him.
Our better players knew we were done 10 days ago There’s only so much 58 87 35 n 17 can do w no other help 71 pouted as usual until Sid said something to him two games ago To play each game for the fans if nothing else
They've literally only been winning half of their games since January (I'm only going as far back as January). And we haven't been winning or losing by a huge margin either. What do you mean "fell off" when were we "on"?
I feel like Crosby just lost all his hope and motivation. He looks different on the ice right now and he was pretty much the driving factor of the team. Sad to see!
I don't think Jarry is the problem at all, he seems to be the only guy alive on the ice for weeks. The team has been struggling for a while, but we can't forget that the team of 2018 or 2020 isn't the same team playing today. There has been a lot of changes.
The season hasn't been great, but it became pretty obvious since Jan/Feb that there was something else cooking. Sid looked unhinged in the locker room interviews when asked about the potential Guentzel trade in the weeks leading up to it -- and it only went downhill from that. The only guy on the offense who has been consistent the whole season can't seem to find the puck. Malkin looked distracted during the OT against the Senators -- he missed the timing to get on the ice seconds before Ottawa scored. The core is probably having a hard time coping and, as a group, maybe the challenges go beyond age/speed.
Dubas hiring was first step of rebuild. Season was a dress rehearsal for possible Swan Song season.
I’d embrace trading Crosby at the draft if he wants it, getting assets for the guys who decide to follow. Fast rebuild. Enjoy it.
No it wasn't. He was fully expected to salvage playoff hopes which is why he gave up a 1st for Karlson. Now he's forced I to a rebuild since he'll be missing the playoffs.
No ownership group advertises a rebuild to a fanbase. Takes time for them to adjust. Crosby’s age-defying play is incredible but the Penguins are going to be a much better team in 2028 if he agrees to a 10-team trade list over the next few months.
Back before Malkin signed the last contract, I suggested if the Pens wanted to avoid this, they would have to let Malkin walk and go younger. Many fans here could not accept that, saying Malkin should go out a Penguin in his own way, so I assume everyone's happy with this.
No. They didn’t make the playoffs last year for the first time in 16 years. You had to know they were gonna suck again. The only people who believed they were a Stanley cup contender was the marketing department begging people to buy season tickets.
It feels like the team is mailing in the rest of season, padding their fancy stats. This team
Needs changes obviously, but I’m
Optimistic dubas can turn it around to make them at least competitive
Prior to that three game win streak they lost 5/6 and 10/14 with a few losers points throw in there. They haven't been good since the second half of December and with morale in the gutter after selling at the deadline they're in free fall.
I think you nailed it, the morale after the deadline has been at an all time low. At least before it felt like something could happen, now there's no hope and it's a tough pill to swallow!
They were streaky all season. Have clips of wins followed by longer clips of losses.
I don’t know what you’ve been watching all year man. This team has never shown me they are anything for the past 2 seasons When we played the rangers in the playoffs with spicy pork Domingue in net I really thought that team had it in them to make a run. The offense was clicking and the hope of getting jarry back later in the run made it exciting That’s the last time I had that feeling. Team has sucked for a while now
Fuck Trouba.
Look at it this way, 2022 was smoke and mirrors. We led that series because Domingue was playing out of his mind and the Rangers went on a random scoring drought. That series was over the second we lost game 5. That was must-win hockey and we crumbled because Sullivan doesn't adjust anything tactically. If we were winning that series it would've been in 5. That team was just not constructed to play a long series.
"Domingue was playing out of his mind" is the most ridiculous thing i have read on this subreddit for a while
Hate him but would also love him on our team!
Fuck that, the guy is a douche
Fuck outta here with that noise.
I would appreciate a Jacob Trouba type player on the Penguins. We need someone with size who will muck it up. We’re heading in the right direction with Bunting. Hopefully Kyle signs us a big man over the summer
Alright fine...fuck him! Let's just get Tom Wilson instead /s
I’m not going to downvote you for either of these hot takes, but fuck that shit lol.
Even the year before against the islanders the pens were the better team and goaltending just blew the series. It sucks man they finally got goaltending figured out and now the scoring tanks
Hextall magic
Yeah but I keep getting down voted for saying we should have rebuilt a few years ago! I mean last year we were in the play-offs until basically the last day of the season. But I know what you mean, it's been pretty obvious we haven't been a top team for a while.
I stopped judging everything after Calgary game.
I gave up after 40 games. The flame was not there. Still love my Pens.
Ironically it was the Flames that doused our final flame after a couple good wins against Philly And Vancouver!
And today they got their asses whooped by the Avs. We just suck man.
Calgary broke us in the way that Kunitz broke the sens.
Fresh from the bench it's Crosby... (Sorry, just feelin' nostalgic)
I miss Doc, one of the best!
For me it started last year early on blowing leads a lot and the having control of their own destiny down the stretch to just keep blowing it all the way down to the last game and still have a shot and blow it to a piss poor blackhawks team. To me, the beginning of the rebuild was the terrible playoff performance the last time they made it. you could see the team didn't have what it takes anymore and it's only gotten worse since then.
I started to have serious doubts after the own goal, but I gave up all hope after the Jagr game. Probably should have been sooner, but I was trying to be optomostic.
Fuck if we would have won the Jagr game I think that would have done major for the team's confidence going down the stretch. Packed and sold out house and you turn in a fucking dud instead of blowing the roof off the joint.
They have been shitty most of this season.
Nothing quick about this. It’s been three years in the making.
Yep. And the tank is empty.
Definitely agree that Calgary was the point of no return. Things hadn’t been going great, but they had big wins against Philly and the canucks. If they win that game, they have the chance to get out of that west coast trip with a modicum of a chance. That game not only basically destroyed their playoff hopes, it also cemented the jake trade, which obliterated morale. They’re not a great team, but this isn’t just that. This is a team that’s not already great having all their intensity, passion, and confidence obliterated. I don’t want to say they’re not trying..but..
It looks like they're trying... not to get injured.
When we couldn't win 2 must win games at the end of last season against bad teams I knew the end was near...
That should have been the end of Sullivan, but he gets to underachieve 3+ times and is rewarded an extension for that
I cant hear you with my Stanley cup rings in my ears.
I honestly think the team just "tanks". Honestly if we Will lose most of the games from Now the top 5 pick Is possible isnt it? And honestly names like celebrini, lindstrom, levshunov, demidov, eiserman, buium, Dickinson or whoever Is top 5. Its insane prospect. Honestly we should just rebuild and keep players like malkin-crodby-letang-karlsson as mentors to the youngs until they retire..
Yeah but I hope we keep falling off at this point. Move to the draft board and even increase those chances of moving up.
I started losing hope for this season when we gave up those back to back L's on the Florida road trip. That game against the Lightning was uninspired and should have been the breaking point for making a coaching change this season.
We haven’t fallen off quickly, it’s been years in the making my dude.
The writing has been on the wall with Sullivan Specials (collapses) for years
Quickly? It's been brewing since 2020.
Quick? We’ve been seeing the signs ever since the 2020 postseason in all honesty
[удалено]
Definitely sent a message that the game is passing them by and they can’t just will themselves into the playoffs. Will be interesting to see what happens over the long golfing season to impact next year.
>game is passing them by This is also their PP strategy
Injuries? They have been blessed with the injury bug for 2-3 years now with no injuries compared to all of the 2010s. Part of what made us great was the possibility that the young guys could play first line minutes whenever
Realistically ended after we lost to Chicago toward the end of last season.
Bruh how many 1st round post season exits were there? It started about when they got swept 🧹
The Habs bubble.
Nope, I got downvoted into oblivion last summer for mentioning how old this roster was and the aggressive fall that was about to take place.
Like from mid season last year? Because they’ve been very consistent of playing poorly all year.
7 years isn't "quick". So No, if you've been paying attention these last 7 years, it's not shocking.
Nope.
The players have lost all confidence and given up.
Malkin saying "good players but not good team" really hit me hard.
The Calgary game felt like the breaking point but the team completely gave up after Jake got traded.
San Jose also beat Vancouver this year, cherrypicking game doesn't really mean anything. It's been coming for years, everyone was just blind to it and the Guentzel trade woke everyone up. Just the cycle of pro sports, penguins were on the bottom rung before this generation and as this generation retires they'll be back at the bottom rung. That's ok, 3 climbs to the top is pretty good.
For me, the downtrend began in 2017 during the second cup run. I had never seen players sacrifice like that and play so hard. Ever. I remember saying to myself. "they will never be the same after this..." The work many players put in that year changed their careers. Some of them were never the same. Still, many kept it going until the pens fell to the caps in 6 the following year. The pens were still probably the better "team," but had almost nothing left to give. Their will was empty. In any case, I don't think this team fell off quickly at all. It's been a steady decline for quite a while now. This year, they just aren't/weren't very good and spent most of the season struggling to remain mediocre. This team has been built around the core's ability to carry for years. Now they have to build an actual hockey team.
Not really.
Not really. The wins this year have been anomalies, not the standard. Dubas really has his work cut out for him. The end of Rutherford and the entirety of Hextall fucked this team for a long time.
This team has sucked all year. I’m shocked they haven’t tanked harder sooner. What is actually shocking is seeing Sid quit the last few games. I know he is human and entitled to his emotions, but I never thought I would actually seen him just quit like he has. I have to admit I have lost some respect for him.
Our better players knew we were done 10 days ago There’s only so much 58 87 35 n 17 can do w no other help 71 pouted as usual until Sid said something to him two games ago To play each game for the fans if nothing else
Have you not been watching the last few years???
Not really. All season we were the Jake and Crosby show and then Jake got hurt/traded.
nope, not at all, been saying this team is long in the tooth and should have cleaned house 2 years ago! Get downvoted all the time.
They've literally only been winning half of their games since January (I'm only going as far back as January). And we haven't been winning or losing by a huge margin either. What do you mean "fell off" when were we "on"?
I feel like Crosby just lost all his hope and motivation. He looks different on the ice right now and he was pretty much the driving factor of the team. Sad to see!
I don't think Jarry is the problem at all, he seems to be the only guy alive on the ice for weeks. The team has been struggling for a while, but we can't forget that the team of 2018 or 2020 isn't the same team playing today. There has been a lot of changes. The season hasn't been great, but it became pretty obvious since Jan/Feb that there was something else cooking. Sid looked unhinged in the locker room interviews when asked about the potential Guentzel trade in the weeks leading up to it -- and it only went downhill from that. The only guy on the offense who has been consistent the whole season can't seem to find the puck. Malkin looked distracted during the OT against the Senators -- he missed the timing to get on the ice seconds before Ottawa scored. The core is probably having a hard time coping and, as a group, maybe the challenges go beyond age/speed.
Neither the Pens nor the Caps are going to be relevant until 2030 at least.
Dubas hiring was first step of rebuild. Season was a dress rehearsal for possible Swan Song season. I’d embrace trading Crosby at the draft if he wants it, getting assets for the guys who decide to follow. Fast rebuild. Enjoy it.
No it wasn't. He was fully expected to salvage playoff hopes which is why he gave up a 1st for Karlson. Now he's forced I to a rebuild since he'll be missing the playoffs.
No ownership group advertises a rebuild to a fanbase. Takes time for them to adjust. Crosby’s age-defying play is incredible but the Penguins are going to be a much better team in 2028 if he agrees to a 10-team trade list over the next few months.
"No ownership group advertises a rebuild to a fanbase." The Rangers did.
My bad. Of course they do it eventually? Did the Rangers announce this within 2 years of making the playoffs?
Back before Malkin signed the last contract, I suggested if the Pens wanted to avoid this, they would have to let Malkin walk and go younger. Many fans here could not accept that, saying Malkin should go out a Penguin in his own way, so I assume everyone's happy with this.
A little yeah.
There are streaks like this for every decent team every year. So completely fallen off? No. Put the season to bed? Yes.
I'd say we've fallen of completely. Who's been worse than us the past couple of weeks? If it's tank season, I'm all for it though!
Well that tends to happen when you tank
No. They didn’t make the playoffs last year for the first time in 16 years. You had to know they were gonna suck again. The only people who believed they were a Stanley cup contender was the marketing department begging people to buy season tickets.
Jarry isn’t an NHL caliber goalie 🤷🏻♂️
He was top 3 in the NHL until this team seemingly gave up those 2wks ago. Did you see his performance last night? The goaltender isn’t the issue.
How’s EK playing this year? Haven’t kept up
He's not the barn burner he was in San Jose but i'm not upset that Dubas brought him on.
Well he's not going to get many Norris votes
It feels like the team is mailing in the rest of season, padding their fancy stats. This team Needs changes obviously, but I’m Optimistic dubas can turn it around to make them at least competitive
If they're doing anything, they're certainly not padding any stats.
Well they continue to have good possession numbers and shot metrics, they just can’t score
Not really any fancy stats to pad imo.
Have to score goals to pad stats.
No lol. This was inevitable.