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Matt Vensel's Penguins chat: 02.25.22
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Matt Vensel
12:03
Happy Friday, Pens fans. Happy to be back chatting with you after a couple of weeks of not doing so. We will get going at 12:30 today. But you can fire over a question at any time. Talk soon.
12:29
Ah, I see the pitchforks are out for a team that's currently eighth in the NHL in points percentage. So we better get started here.
Jay Daven
12:29
Matt, are the Pens in a mini slump?  I know it is a long season but they seem to be playing from behind more often lately.   What do you think?
Matt Vensel
12:33
Absolutely, Jay. They've lost three in a row and didn't exactly look like world-beaters in their four straight wins out of the break. You make a great point about the starts, one that Sidney Crosby also presented after Thursday's loss. The Pens have allowed the first goal in five straight and nine of 10. Zoom out a little further and it isn't any prettier. They're too often playing behind and other teams can patiently wait to pick off their mistakes (and they've provided plenty). It had been the other way around during their run of 17 wins in 19 games.
kevin in Punxsy
12:33
Hi Matt.  How soon do you think that some major changes to the make up of the team will occur?  Thanks
Matt Vensel
12:34
Kevin, that's something that won't happen until this summer, if at all. If they didn't make major changes during the offseason, it certainly isn't happening now, not with the Penguins where they are in the standings.
Ed
12:35
When do you suspect the Pens front office will address the 300 lb gorilla in the room? The gorilla being goaltending!
Matt Vensel
12:37
Ed, Tristan Jarry is the starter, for better or for worse. That isn't changing. And while no one knows how he'll handle the playoff pressure this time around, he's been pretty darn solid most nights. Thursday was not one of them, but there was plenty of blame to spread around. Now, looking for an upgrade behind him? That's sensible, sure.
Super66fan
12:38
Bjorqvist… can he really be any worse than Kapanen? why not try the kid with Malkin and sit Kappy (maybe a heathy scratch would fire him up?)… those 2016-17 Cup teams had the injection of youth: Sheary, Guentzel, etc. Never know unless you try!
Matt Vensel
12:39
Completely different skill sets and roles. Bjorkqvist is a defensive-minded fourth-liner and the best comparison in terms of a role is Zach Aston-Reese. Kasper isn't fixing their scoring issues. He has four goals in 33 AHL games this season. But your point about Kapanen is well taken. Need to sit him down for a couple of games.
Guest
12:41
Thanks Matt for the chats. How do u explain how they keeping giving up the first goal?
Matt Vensel
12:41
Appears to be a mindset thing, just easing into games.
Chance
12:41
HI Matt......my question is about our Wilkes Barre Penguins......wondering which if them are almost ready for the NHL.........or will it be a wait of two years or more?
Matt Vensel
12:44
Chance, there aren't many guys who appear ready to make a big impact this season. You know about Drew O'Connor and Radim Zohorna, who have shown some promise at the NHL level but not the consistent results. Sam Poulin, who I wrote about in my From the Point column this week, has turned a corner in his first pro season but probably isn't coming up this year unless he makes more strides. The one player who comes to mind is Valtteri Puustinen. He's a fast-riser in the system, the Pens are raving about him and he has a middle-six skill set. He's one to monitor the rest of the way here.
John
12:44
Matt, were you at practice? Did Sully push The Boys hard? With loud yelling? I bet he did. That was a train wreck last night.
Matt Vensel
12:45
John, I'm theoretically "off" today. But my partner, Mike DeFabo, is out there now and will have updates from practice up on the website later this afternoon.
Super66fan
12:46
Crosby is 117th in 5-on-5 scoring… have we overblown how effective the top line is? it makes them a one line team— put Rust with Malkin and Rodrigues with Guentzel and Crosby. maybe you get two lines going + have E-rod get back to scoring some again (wouldn’t expect him to match earlier pace but better than where he is now)?
Matt Vensel
12:47
I hate to be the "if you watch the games..." guy, but if you watch the games you certainly don't come away thinking that the top line isn't making a big impact most nights. Even when those three don't score, they're typically setting the tone. But it is definitely worth considering splitting them up in the short term to try to get some other guys going. Evan Rodrigues and Evgeni Malkin do come to mind. Doing that doesn't mean you can't reunite that line later. FYI, no changes there today.
Jason
12:51
Hi Matt! What do you think it would take to acquire  Anaheim defenseman Josh Manson? When the playoffs start we all know it’s an entirely different animal.
Matt Vensel
12:54
Jason, given where the Ducks are as a franchise, in the middle or a promising rebuild, they will want draft picks, prospects or young NHLers. The Pens don't have a ton to offer in that area, and I don't know if Manson moves the needle enough for the Pens to give up a first-round pick. I can see why you'd ask, though. Manson is a veteran righty with size and a little bit of snarl.
Super66fan
12:55
sounds like GMJR and VAN are most interested in clearing cap space— wouldn’t  that make it unlikely for the Pens to swing a trade with him since PIT would be needing to move out a contract to take on anyone new? or is there a chance they could involve a third team?
Matt Vensel
12:56
Kapanen is theoretically on an expiring contract and Jason Zucker will be in the final year of his contract next season.
Gary
12:56
Hey Matt enjoy your coverage &=thanks for good work
dont know about you Matt but I’m still not sold on our goaltending situation for playoffs what you think.
Matt Vensel
12:58
Thanks, Gary. I think skepticism is totally fair. Tristan Jarry has had a nice bounce-back season and was a worthy All-Star. But he's still a wild card entering the playoffs. At this point, there's not much that can be done there other than crossing your fingers or saying prayers. The Pens aren't getting a new No. 1 before the deadline. They're hopeful that he's put last May behind him.
Super66fan
12:59
as Ned Flanders would say, the Pens are in a “dilly of a pickle” with Sully… on the one hand a great coach, on the other hand so stubborn as to not see there are issues with his “speed game” come playoff time. this must be the softest team in the league. Do you see Mike Sullivan as being able to adjust? If the Pens got some bigger, grittier players would he even play them? seems like they are in a tough spot
Matt Vensel
1:01
This is the type of concern for the summer. The Pens largely are who they are at this point. They're not expected to make major moves at the deadline. And a couple of minor moves aren't going to really change the identity of this team. So they're going to have to win this way. If they endure another early exit, they do really need to consider an altered approach.
Kasperi K
1:02
Matt, I know I have to get going ... but I'm beginning to think I could have a 2nd job hawking product. You've seen my TV commercial?       Look what it did for Baker ......
Matt Vensel
1:04
Hey, Kappy. Thanks for logging on. You definitely are a likeable guy but scoring goals will only help you in that endeavor. Remember Jaromir Jagr? Dude scored 40-50 goals every season and had the entire city buying Jagr peanut butter. Food for thought.
Matt Vensel
1:04
OK, folks. That'll do it for today's chat. Some good questions, as always. We'll do this again next Friday. Have a great weekend.
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