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Matt Vensel's Penguins chat: 10.31.25
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Matt Vensel
10:28
Good morning and happy Friday, Penguins fans. Looking forward to talking about the NHL's first-place team. Wait, is that right?!? Anyway, we will get started today at noon. I can only go about 45 minutes because I have a school Halloween parade to attend. So get your questions in now to make sure I get to yours today. Talk soon.
12:01
OK, let's get this party started. A ton of questions!
Bud
12:01
What is Ben Kindel's ceiling? A lot of talk about the Pens needing star players is that realistic or shooting too high?
Matt Vensel
12:04
Bud, no doubt Ben Kindel has been very good and a pleasant surprise. He is not just here for the sake of being here. He has been a catalyst for the Penguins most nights. I still have no idea what his ceiling is. I have been thinking recently about what ceiling means in relation to Kindel being in the NHL at age 18 whereas most others from his draft class are not. And, yes, that hints to a high ceiling. But it is no guarantee. Ceiling is obviously what a player will become, not where they are right now. That's why this development plan the Penguins have put in place for him and Harrison Brunicke is so critical. Kindel has to keep growing and growing as a player. I think he has the right mentality for that.
Bud
12:04
Obviously, love the start but what do you see as areas of most likely regression for this team by the New Year?
Matt Vensel
12:05
My mentions on Twitter are blowing up right now because I put out a post that showed that there are serious warning signs with the team's underlying defensive metrics, especially over the last couple of weeks. Excellent goaltending has covered that up during this 8-2-2 start. So let's go with that.
Dan PSU Class of ‘69
12:05
Great game last night, especially how we were totally outplayed in the 1st period. The kids look great and so does Jarry. Maybe it’s “his time”??
Matt Vensel
12:07
We are! [Penn State!] Anyway, yes, Jarry has been very good. It's not always pretty with him stylistically, but he is at his best when he just plays his game, which is free-flowing in nature. If folks didn't watch the game last night and just looked at the box score, they would think the Penguins were in total control. But he made some critical saves in the first and early in the second to keep the door open for a comeback. That's four wins in a row now for Tristan.
TVC15
12:08
The Penguins are flying sky high right now. To my admittedly untrained eye the coaching of Muse seems to be a gigantic factor.  They seem to make better adjustments rather than to keep banging their heads against the wall doing the same thing which is not working. The game against the Wild last night is a prime example of a well coached team to me.
Matt Vensel
12:10
Tactically speaking, Dan Muse has brought needed changes to the team and overall that has benefitted them. I think the bigger dynamic, though, is how the vibes have changed around the team. And that's not a knock on Mike Sullivan. Not at all. Sometimes, change is needed. And the combination of Muse giving guys a clean slate and Kyle Dubas bringing in some skilled and hungry players on short-term deals has shaken up the group in a good way.
Kevin k
12:10
Matt, 3 games in to the season I conversed with you about the Penguins making playoffs and you be in charge of organizing the Stanley Cup parade. So now that the Penguins lead the NHL in points, I figured I’d start parade somewhere down around the point. unless you had a better starting point.
Matt Vensel
12:10
I think it would only be fitting if the parade route started at my house in Brighton Heights. That way you can all chuck tomatoes at me.
Irratepotato
12:11
Hey there Matt from the West coast- it’s been a delightful start to the season for Pens!!! A great thought- Kevin Hayes is a lumbering slow fellow and shows his age.  so should someone be sent down, and who, when he is ready ? Or are they able to send him down? Hope he doesn’t pass waivers and another team claims him clearing us of his salary?
Matt Vensel
12:12
They are able to send Kevin Hayes down. Would they actually do that, especially right after he came back from injury? I would be surprised. He is a very popular player in the dressing room (and around the league) and didn't really get a chance to establish himself with Muse because he got injured on the first day of camp.
TVC15
12:12
Is the 6'5" Malkin line tough to play against physically?  Can it take on the other team's bruisers? Who is the Penguin's most physical/annoying player?
Matt Vensel
12:13
I've never played against them but as a 5-foot-11 beer-league defenseman I imagine it would be quite frustrating to constantly get boxed out or to not be able to touch the puck because of their reach.
Scott NJ
12:13
I’m excited about the Penguins hot start. We’re a rebuilding team though. I’m worried we’re not going to have a shot at McKenna or have any opportunities to sign free agents next year.( especially with the top names resigning with there teams). What should the Pens mindset be when we get later into the season.
Matt Vensel
12:14
Hey, maybe Kindel is proof you can get a really good player outside the top 10?
Sam
12:14
Hi Matt.  The goaltenders have played 50/50 games and have pretty close to identical stat lines...I think we all would have rushed to sign on for a sub-2.5 GAA and .921 combined save percentage after watching the last few years.  My question is; are the goalies playing this vastly improved, or does the Muse system lend itself to better goalie numbers via tighter coverage, fewer rushes against, etc?
Matt Vensel
12:16
Sam, I touched on this earlier, so scroll up for my thoughts on the defensive warning signs. To specifically answer your question, the D has been better in a few key areas, most specifically odd-man rushes against. But I would say the goalies deserve much of the credit.
Jackattack
12:16
It appears, at least for the time being being that Jarry is the biggest bright spot for Pens. What are you seeing as you watch hi
Matt Vensel
12:16
Biggest bright spots: the goalies, the Malkin line, Kindel, Shea
12:17
Oh, and that Crosby guy is still pretty good at hockey, too.
Sam
12:17
Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I don't enjoy post-regulation hockey.  And yes, I know it coincides with an era in which the Pens are bad at it.  But 3-on-3 is so unlike any actual hockey you see during the game and teams sometimes play it like a football team trying to methodically run the ball late in a game and hold possession.  And the shootout needs some sort of 4, maybe 5, second shot clock to make it look a little more like an actual breakaway.  This swooping, zig zagging, start and stop stuff is a little aggravating.  Yet the Wild Card through 10th or 11th place can really come down to success in these situations.  This being the 10th season of the current format, what do you like and not like for deciding tie games?
Matt Vensel
12:18
I may be in the minority on this one, but I enjoy 3-on-3 overtime. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want it in the playoffs. But I enjoy the strategy and chess match with puck possession and deployment. And when the teams loosen up and trade chances, it's a blast.
Jason
12:19
Hi Matt! What a nice surprise the start of the year has been. Nice distraction from the Steelers and Pirates mess. How much of the improvement would you place on the coaches or is this more the players performing better than most thought? Who would of thought Malkin be on a tear like this!
Matt Vensel
12:19
Hey, Jason. It would be impossible for me to divvy it up between the coaches and players. I'll just say this: A lot of people have contributed to this hot start. That includes management and scouts.
epiballo
12:20
I, like all Pens fans, am loving the opening of this season! A few are bemoaning how this impacts the team's chances of winning the draft, but is their play sustainable? Is it better to qualify for the playoffs after three years, or to stink and have a slightly better chance to draft the next 'generational player?'
Matt Vensel
12:22
I cannot answer for every fan because there will obviously be differences of opinion here. My own perspective would be that whether the Penguins make the playoffs or not, they are fresh and fun and relevant for the first time in a couple of years. Enjoy it! As for the playoffs-vs-draft debate, I do side with Kyle Dubas on this one. The Penguins should not go all out just to sneak into the playoffs and lose in the first round. They aspire to build a long-term Cup contender, and they should continue to have that in mind with every move they make.
epiballo
12:22
Please explain the rule that prevented Sid from taking part in the shootout loss to the Flyers. He came onto the ice to defend a teammate during a scrum after OT? What is the purpose of that rule? To contain a brawl?
Matt Vensel
12:23
Well, that rule is intended to keep guys from coming off the bench to join a brawl, yeah. But in this instance, Sid just hopped onto the ice to start to get loose for the shootout. I know the Penguins were not happy that disqualified him from the shootout, but the rule is the rule, even if you do wish there was room there for common sense.
George T
12:24
Hi Matt,  will the Pens keep the young gays or let them go back to JRs
Matt Vensel
12:26
George, Kindel is staying. He played his 10th game last night, which means his entry-level contract is in effect. The Penguins would not have let that happen if they did not intend to keep him around. He is still eligible to go back to junior at any point if they feel his development is stagnating. But yeah, he's here to stay. We will see about Harrison Brunicke. He is at seven games played and he has really struggled lately. I see a kid who is pressing, trying to do too much to show they should keep him around. A week ago, I thought Brunicke was a lock to stay. Now I'm not so sure.
Pat O
12:27
Seems Like we are currently seeing the benefits of consistent goalkeeping, improved energy from both young and old, and buy in to the fresh faces(s) on the coaching staff. I don't know how long all three elements can be sustained, but it is delightful right now :)
Matt Vensel
12:28
No doubt it has been fun for the reporters who cover the team. We don't have a rooting interest. This team has just been entertaining.
JVPG
12:28
Hi Matt. I believe it was the Kings game when the Pens went down 2-0 and Muse called a TO. You could see he was ticked off. Not sure what he said but the team played completely different after that and came back to win. It isn't often you see a hockey coach use his one TO for that purpose but Muse seems to be willing to sacrifice the short term for the overall benefit of the team. Did any reporter ask him about that move in the postgame? Any thoughts on the move?
Matt Vensel
12:29
Sorry, but that is actually common. Sullivan would do it a few times a year.
Billy b
12:29
Do you think brunicke being benched again yesterday had to do more with getting Dumba in against the wild in Minnesota or Brunicke's play? The amount of times he's been scratched lately doesn't seem to be in line with a development plan. And what have you thought of Pickering so far? Thanks
Matt Vensel
12:30
Brunicke is struggling right now. I think they're trying to get him a reset and then hopefully get a good couple of games to evaluate him before they have to decide whether to send him back to junior. As for Pickering, the start of the Philly game was rough but he's been better since then. I would like to see him with a new partner.
Dean
12:30
Hi Matt I have a few questions on a couple of Pens prospects . Will Tristan Broz get a chance to play in the NHL this year or is it to early for him. And also is Poulin done as a call up?
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