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Jason Mackey's Penguins chat: 10.4.18
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Jason Mackey
12:57
Hi folks. Welcome to my Thursday chat. It's opening day, one of my favorites. Let's do this.
HB
1:00
what was your favorite reaction/take about the Tom wilson suspension?
Jason Mackey
1:02
Hey HB. It's definitely not a "favorite," but the reaction that most caught my attention, honestly, was that of the Capitals, with them calling the suspension "garbage" and trying to explain it away. He crushed a dude in the head. Why is there even debate here? Teammate or not, I could never defend repeatedly hitting someone in the head.
HB
1:02
On the PK will shenhan and Cullen get a majority of time at center or you think Brassard will get more time?
Jason Mackey
1:02
I think it will be mostly Cullen and Sheahan. You could see Sid out there for the odd shift, but mostly those two. Brassard has never done it much and didn't in the preseason. Again, he could, but it's not terribly likely based on precedent.
Guest
1:02
How long until Riikola gets sent to WBS for “playing time” since it looks like Dumo is good to go and he won’t be playing anytime soon?
Jason Mackey
1:03
Yeah, probably not long. Riikola needs to play games. He's been very good, and he would probably be their first choice should something happen to one of their top-six, even over Ruhwedel. But if they have to stash someone in the press box, it shouldn't be the guy who just got to North America a couple months ago.
Steven
1:07
Given the Canucks banning Fortnite on the road, and that seemingly being a result of 'cliques' forming, how does that work for the Penguins? Obviously, there's cliques, but who are they/how big are they/is there a lot of crossover?
Jason Mackey
1:09
It's an interesting question. The Penguins aren't a very clique-y team, to be honest with you. Sidney Crosby, the captain, hangs out with pretty much anyone. Phil and Geno kind of march to the beat of their own drummers sometimes, but they are inclusive. And it's certainly not anything that would be helped or harmed by video games. On planes, Kessel, Malkin, Letang and Brassard play cards. Crosby, Oleksiak and others play video games (believe Fortnite). But they're never obsessive with it. Not to my knowledge anyway.
Chris
1:09
Did you release picks for the year? If not who's your cup finalists and winner?
Jason Mackey
1:10
I did. They were in our preview section. I voted with my stomach (hello BBQ and Hattie B's) and picked the Penguins over the Predators.
Steven
1:13
What do you expect out of the Maatta-JJ pairing? I have concerns about both guys turning and recovering on dump ins. It doesn't seem like a complimentary pairing. JJ is a perfectly adequate skater, but his turns are where he falters most I find.
Jason Mackey
1:14
I don't like it, Steven. I'm with you. I see that potentially breaking apart soon. I liked Johnson with Schultz the best. I thought it freed Schultz up quite a bit, and I've long preferred Jamie Oleksiak on his off-side. He just looks more comfortable to me. I suppose if it ain't broke don't fix it, but I don't see Maatta-Johnson as a long-term pair.
Steven
1:21
I'd be interested to see Johnson-Oleksiak as a pairing. I don't see the need to break up Maatta-Schultz, and I worry that putting Schultz with Johnson forces Johnson to rely on the things that made him struggle in CBJ. Johnson-Oleksiak allows you hide those guys a little bit too.
Jason Mackey
1:21
A little bit. I don't disagree with anything you're saying. I think it's worth looking at. But to this point, I was perfectly fine with Johnson-Schultz. We'll see. I'm sure Sullivan will tinker and tweak throughout the year.
J
1:21
Do you see the Derek Grant signing as purely an insurance policy, or do you get the sense that the team genuinely expects him to be used kinda sorta somewhat regularly (barring injury)?
Jason Mackey
1:22
I think it's a little bit of both. (Do I sound like Sully?) I think they signed Grant to make sure they had something if Cullen wasn't a fit. Well, Cullen has been just fine. And if you're scratching Derek Grant, that's a darn good lineup, IMO. I think they plan on using Grant if someone gets hurt -- unless ZAR is going bonkers in Wilkes -- but he's sort of insurance, too, if that makes sense.
Donald J
1:22
Which contributed more to the high rate of goals allowed last season-goal tending, play of the 6 defensemen or none of the above?
Jason Mackey
1:24
I would say play of the six defensemen if I only have two things to choose from. Murray, DeSmith, Jarry and even Niemi were asked to make some ridiculous stops at times because there were either too many turnovers/odd-man rushes or some seriously lackadaisical defense in front. How the Penguins defended, in my opinion, was a greater problem than the individual play of the goaltenders.
Olli Maatta
1:24
Jason why am I tethered to JJ? Please help
Jason Mackey
1:24
It'll be fine, Jack. It's always better when you're together, remember that.
LN
1:25
The capitals return pretty much everyone from last year just like the Pens did after their cup win 3 years ago.  Why do you think the Caps will have a hangover when the Pens did not after their win when they seem to be in the same situation?
Jason Mackey
1:26
Maybe because they drank like crazy people for a couple months? I think because this is the first time that group has done it. It's not like Ovechkin or Backstrom can go back to their prior experience of making long runs and adjust accordingly. Ultimately, though, I think the Capitals probably finish second in the Metro. That's not much a hangover.
The Cardinal
1:26
I see Derrick Pouliot was a plus 4 last evening.  Why was he seemingly in the Sullivan doghouse suite his entire time with the Pens?
Jason Mackey
1:28
Derrick Pouliot was a different player here. I don't fault the Penguins for trading him. It was the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Pouliot struggled to pick up Sullivan's system. He went to go play for one of his junior coaches, Travis Green, and I think that helped him. So did playing every night, which wasn't possible for Pouliot in Pittsburgh. Got to get a feel and into a regular routine.
J
1:28
I absolutely agree that the fourth line is a major upgrade over last year's version.  I have nothing against Rowney, Reaves, or Kuhnhackl individually, but when you're putting three guys that combined score a goal only on the rarest of occasions on the ice at the same time, you have a glaring weakness...
Jason Mackey
1:29
Completely agree. It's amazing, in hindsight, that anybody thought that would work. Although maybe they didn't, and I can't blame them for not saying so publicly. But that line is going to score regularly ... oh, never. I like Reaves as a player, too. But if he's your best offensive weapon on a line, oh buddy, you're in for some trouble.
Concerned Fan
1:29
With Conor Sheary gone, who will Yinzers whipping boy be this season and why is it Dominik Simon?
Jason Mackey
1:30
I think Dominik Simon caught his fair share of ... flak last season, too, to be fair. I don't know what it is about Simon's game that made him such a controversial figure. Maybe it was the number of chances he got to play on the top line. But he's been really good with Brassard and Rust. I think once the regular starts, and people start paying more attention, they're going to notice that he's a much different player.
1:31
I'm going to link something. Check it out. But here's your answer: "“It seemed natural,” committee member Pete Block told the PG. “The penguin lives on ice; hockey players make their living on ice. And then there is the nickname of ‘Big Igloo’ which has become a part of the Civic Arena.” ... https://newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/thedigs/2016/06/08/how-did-th...
Malkin_theBeast
1:31
Hello Jason, you remember me? The one talking about the invasion of Penguins from Pittsburgh local zoo... my joke didn't work! LoL! hehehe!
Actually I wanted to know why the owner (s) at the expansion of your of local NHL team decided to name the team Penguins... not much penguins in Pensylvania... ^_~
HB
1:32
Why do you think capital players defend Wilson, I get having a teammates back and all but it seems like they make out Wilson to be the victim of some vendetta against them?
Jason Mackey
1:32
I don't understand it. I guess they feel they have to? I get defending some hard hits, even if they're unpopular. If Wilson had crushed Sundqvist in the shoulder and Sundqvist just happened to get hurt, I would've understood had Wilson gotten in trouble. But he didn't do that. He deliberately took a shot at another human being's head. How you can defend that, teammate or not, I'll never understand.
Seattle’s GM
1:32
Are the Pens already counting on their 2021 1st round pick going to Seattle to take Jack Johnson’s terrible contract off their books?
Jason Mackey
1:34
Jack Johnson hasn't played a game yet. I think I'm going to pump the brakes before I declare it terrible. Rutherford wiggled off the hook with Scuderi and others. Who's to say he couldn't do the same thing here?
Alex
1:34
What happens if, given the opportunity, Rikola plays lights out? How does that make management view certain players like Schultz, who would only have one year left on his UFA contract, while Rikola will be an arbitration ineligible RFA?
Jason Mackey
1:35
I think it makes you think hard about passing on Justin Schultz, honestly. I love Justin Schultz as a player. I think he's tremendous. But if you're gonna get Juuso Riikola -- based on the preseason -- for peanuts compared to maybe $6 million-plus for Schultz? I'm not sure you're getting the bang for the buck. Now, that's all a long way off, and it's sort of casting Schultz as what he was last year, which isn't accurate. But someone younger who can do basically the same stuff as someone who's older and more expensive, that's the business of pro sports and why the Penguins have remained good under this current regime.
Bill
1:35
Rank these in the order in which they will happen:
Jason Mackey
1:35
OK, done.
Sj
1:36
Do you think the caps will be "tired" after all the scoring yesterday? I feel like after big scoring games like that the team usually has a hard time finding the net the next game
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