Banned
Joined: Jun. 2018
Posts: 19,215
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penguins biggest issues right now is not having their 4th line.
Boyle just can't replace blueger and that line which use to take the defensive matchups is now getting far less ice time, and the 2nd and 3rd line is having to pick it up.
Needless to say, the second line is fundamentally flawed in doing that, and that has a lot to do with Mlakin not being a good faceoff man and goes 50/50 into playing defense.
I honestly think they should put Kap on Crosby's line, and put Rust with Malkin, where he belongs.
But Sully is stubborn. You put Kap with a guy like malkin who is a lazy player at times, and then wonder why he gets to be lazy too. Duh! It's not hard to figure out.
It's the same issue they had with Kessel.
You put him on a line with Crosby and the issues become less, and a guy with a motor like Rust on a line with Malkin and the line clicks like it has in the past.
This is why Sully has been a bad coach through the last few years. He gets something in his head and won't let it go.
Much like he won't play Zucker with Crosby. Even though most of us know Jake can play with Malkin but it's set in stone and that's all there is to it.
He just has no flexibility to attempt restructuring. It is what it is, but I think the realization of playing with Malkin is a harder find than people want to admit, which is why they have such a hard time filling that role.