How The Flyers Stack Up Against The Pens

[ASquared]

The Pens' overhaul this offseason could cause a shake up in their rivalry with the Flyers. But is it enough?

http://thehockeywriters.com/metropol...inst-the-pens/

[mounD]

Enough for what, exactly? The Flyers to surpass them in the East? Let me answer that for you ... NO.

[ASquared]

Enough for what, exactly? The Flyers to surpass them in the East? Let me answer that for you ... NO.

Enough to start beating the Flyers, especially at CONSOL Energy.

[The Bottlenecker]

It gives the Flyers a chance, but I still think the Pens are the better team. If they played a hundred games the Pens win 65 of them.

[ASquared]

It gives the Flyers a chance, but I still think the Pens are the better team. If they played a hundred games the Pens win 65 of them.

Not based on the past few years. For whatever reason, call it a favorable matchup for Philly, the Flyers just seem to have their number. But with Ehrhoff there, and if Hornqvist can effectively utilize his net presence, it could change. But if Couturier continues to blanket their top stars, it's hard to say the pendulum has swung.

[rataylor22]

Does it matter? How did Philly do in the playoffs last year? Right...

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Philly isn't the measuring stick for Pittsburgh, nor should it be. Good teams are the measuring stick for Pittsburgh, so uh. Well that soundly eliminates the Flyers.

[Big Ev]

I think the Flyers can be better than the Penguins, actually. I think it's a toss-up, not saying they're actually better. I'm not a big fan of Pittsburgh going forward. I think they are worse team from last season, but at least they fired Bylsma. Their defense got worse, lost a top winger, and have question marks in net, management, coaching, everywhere. We could see them flutter for a bit before contending again. We all know they are a two-man team.

[Pengwin7]

PHI & PIT both have pretty questionable defenses right now.
I think they are closer... if I'm forced to bet my bank account... I'm still taking PIT in a 7-game series though.

[mounD]

Martin-Letang-Ehrhoff-Maatta-Bortuzzo-Despres-Dumoulin-Harrington-Pouliot-Samuelsson. That's not a bad group.

[Pengwin7]

Martin-Letang-Ehrhoff-Maatta-Bortuzzo-Despres-Dumoulin-Harrington-Pouliot-Samuelsson. That's not a bad group.

This is one of my pet peeves.
When somebody says "such & such is not good" and then somebody else just rattles of the names of all their players... and says something like "not a bad group".

I didn't say "bad"... I said "questionable".

C'mon.
There's actually no point in naming down their 7th/8th/9th/10th defensemen.

Letang's defense is very questionable.
And while I like Ehrhoff... it takes a while for a defenseman to gel with a new partner... and it does not always go well. (see Myers, Tyler: Year 2)

The Pens do not have a single returning pairing.
(They ended the season with Maatta-Niskanen)

Pittsburgh Penguins Defensive Pairings (Full Season)
Defenseman 1 Defenseman 2 Frequency
MATT NISKANEN OLLI MAATTA 13.9%
PAUL MARTIN BROOKS ORPIK 13.42%
MATT NISKANEN ROB SCUDERI 5.58%
OLLI MAATTA KRIS LETANG 5.57%
DERYK ENGELLAND BROOKS ORPIK 4.98%
ROB SCUDERI KRIS LETANG 4.46%
ROBERT BORTUZZO BROOKS ORPIK 4.45%
ROB SCUDERI ROBERT BORTUZZO 3.66%
OLLI MAATTA ROBERT BORTUZZO 3.57%
MATT NISKANEN SIMON DESPRES 3.24%


Letang & Martin are aging... and were actually worst on the club in goals/against per 60min last year.
http://www.behindthenet.ca/nhl_stati...4+25+26+27+28#

Niskanen/Maatta was actually their best pairing... and THAT is no longer.


I don't understand the point of saying that the Pens 10 defenseman is "not a bad group".
Couldn't we same the same about Philly's defensemen... "not a bad group"... I mean... Streit, MacDonald, Coburn, Schenn, Grossman, Timonen, Schultz, Gustafsson, Hagg, Gostisbehere... not a bad group.
So?

[mounD]

That's a fair point, P7. But the list was only meant to characterize the fact that the Penguins have a lot of talent returning (and emerging) on the blueline. Guys like Martin, Letang, Maatta, etc. all have chemistry playing with one another, and I would be surprised to see the shakeup have a major negative effect on the team. With Letang, Martin, Maatta, Ehrhoff as "anchors," reliable guys like Bortuzzo to fill in the gaps, and emerging youngsters like Pouliot, Dumoulin, Harrington, Samuelsson, I really think the Penguins will have a good group on the blueline. Developing chemistry is really the only issue at this point, and I think Martin-Letang will continue to develop together as the anchor pairing and lead by example.

I would expect to see Martin-Letang as the top pairing, and I would also expect to see Letang check his game similar to how he was playing in the 2014 playoffs. His defensive game is actually very impressive when that is the focus. As for the second pairing, Ehrhoff-Maatta seems workable (although Maatta's injury will play into this as well). Could be something like Ehrhoff-Despres to start the year. Third pairing, something like Despres-Bortuzzo, a couple young guys who have already proven (albeit in limited action) that they can handle the rigors of the NHL. Bortuzzo, especially, is someone I really, REALLY like as a 5-6 Dman. Dumoulin and Harrington are a couple guys who have played well together down in WBS, and I think they could both be on the Penguins NHL roster to start the year. Both guys have great size, skating ability, and two-way ability. I would love to see those guys as the 7th and 8th Dmen, with either Pouliot or Samuelsson getting some intermittent call-up time, as well.

I didn't mention Scuderi either because ... well, it's Rob Scuderi. I suppose I don't totally hate Scuderi as a 7-8 Dman.

[Pengwin7]

With Letang, Martin, Maatta, Ehrhoff as "anchors," reliable guys like Bortuzzo to fill in the gaps, and emerging youngsters like Pouliot, Dumoulin, Harrington, Samuelsson, I really think the Penguins will have a good group on the blueline. Developing chemistry is really the only issue at this point, and I think Martin-Letang will continue to develop together as the anchor pairing and lead by example.

I would expect to see Martin-Letang as the top pairing, and I would also expect to see Letang check his game similar to how he was playing in the 2014 playoffs. His defensive game is actually very impressive when that is the focus. As for the second pairing, Ehrhoff-Maatta seems workable

I've seen Martin(L)-Letang(R) play together before and have not been impressed.
As for Ehrhoff(L)-Maatta(L)... one of them is going to have to play their off-side, likely the more experienced Ehrhoff.
Even for a veteran defenseman, this is no easy task.

The only other RH player among their D is Bortuzzo, so he better be ready to step up.

Again... I say questionable.
As questionable as the Flyers.

And a questionable defense can be beaten, by any club, on any night.
For that reason... I don't think the teams are that far off.

[mounD]

Bortuzzo is definitely ready to step up. As I mentioned before, I'm really excited about his chances to shine in meaningful situations this year.

[Carcillo]

I've seen Martin(L)-Letang(R) play together before and have not been impressed.
As for Ehrhoff(L)-Maatta(L)... one of them is going to have to play their off-side, likely the more experienced Ehrhoff.
Even for a veteran defenseman, this is no easy task.

Martin has played mostly on the right side the past few seasons (also during his Devils year I think) so I could easily see Ehrhoff or Maatta playing with Letang and Martin plays with the other one on the second pairing. That way they all could play on the side they're comfortable.

[rataylor22]

I've never totally understood the whole left handed player playing on the left side thing. I'm obviously not an NHL caliber defenseman, but I'm right handed and prefer playing on the left. I look at it this way. As a more offensive guy, my stick is in the middle of the ice in the offensive zone. If anything, this should be an advantage for a guy like Letang. In terms of playing actual defense, if a guy tries to go wide on me, my stick is on the outside (top hand is my left hand, to the outside) and if the guy gets around me, it is easier to pivot and reach and cut off his lane to the net. If he tries to get to the inside, my free hand (and stronger hand) is available to give them a push back to the outside. Clearing the puck, I am on my forehand shot to put it off the closest glass. Anyways, clearly I'm wrong, but I heavily prefer playing on my off side.