nossagog

Nope, not close. Now I was not one of those fans that had super high expectations due to last year, I'm a little more realistic, but none the less, at this point they are not at a playoff contender level.

Pros:
Crosby, shouldn't have to say much more but will. His speed, skill and simple turning ability behind the net is just amazing and fun to watch.

Malkin, at times he can cimply dominate periods of times in a game. He is as fast as Crosby, just too bad he refuses to hit. Shame he doesn't have a little Ovechkin in him.

Sykora, has come in and contributes, fighting in front of the net.

Talbot and Laraque(yes Laraque) are solid players who are constantly contributing and playing hard.

I liked the addition of Hall, gives them someone who is good in faceoffs, but a couple of goals would be nice

Their power play, with the talent they have, they can just dominate with the puck once set up. Only need to get point men to shoot a little more. Too bad they don't seem to be calling as many hooking and holding penalties, because they could put in 2 or 3 a game on the PP.

Cons:
Recchi/Roberts, sorry but determination, grit and leadership is not making up for age. Both are having a hard time keeping up with the young stars. Only one should be in the lineup per night, and that should be the fourth line.

Christensen is not producing a thing this year, and looks lost.

Staal, now he is really lost. Although he is a stable on the penalty kill, he looks out of place at center on his own line this year, and can't put away chances when matched up on Malkins line.

Wingers for Malkin, at this point he has Staal and Roberts on his line. As just mentioned, Stall can't figure out how to put the puck in the net, and Roberts just can't keep up.

Malone, although he's playing hard, he should have more than 4 goals playing 20 games on 15 or so games on crosby's wing.

Defense, more than the players, I simply hate the Pens system. The defense is not allowed to challange at the blue line and allows entry into the defensive zone. Get rid of the 1-2-2 neutral zone trap(they don't play it, and drop one of the forwards back an go three accross the blue line and challange. They have the speed up front that if they can take the puck at their blue line, its going to the other end.

Goaltending, simply put, it stinks. One quarter of the way in and the pens have been playing goalie merry-go-round with two questionable goalies. Fleury is not turning into the goalie that the pens thought, yes I know, he's young, but look at Cam Ward and what he is doing in Carolina. Fleury had a penchant for making some great saves, but also for going down way to early in the b'fly and giving up easy ones. Everybody in the league knows, shoot high glove side, he'll be down on the ice and can't get his glove up to stop it.

Therrien, sigh, just don't like the way that he coaches. His constant switching up of lines has many people confused, and the dedication to the older players is just plain dumb. He keeps playing Recchi and Roberts, while young speed players like Kennedy and Armstrong sit in the press box. And what team in the NHL is afraid of their second PP unit which contains both of them. Their first unit is off the chart, their second unit doesn't make the chart.

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Penguins Fan living in Sabreland