Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - How can the Penguins get back on track against the Predators?

Episode Date: March 30, 2023

The Pittsburgh Penguins have another big one on tap on Thursday against the Nashville Predators and Hunter starts the show by previewing that matchup. He discusses how the Predators are severely banged up going into this game and why the Penguins can't afford to leave points off the table against a team that doesn't have any of their top forwards playing. He gives a few keys for the Penguins to bounce back before discussing Mikael Granlund and why he's kinda just...been there through his first 13 games as a Penguin. He analyzes why he isn't a good fit for the Penguins after passing on numerous prime scoring chances on Tuesday night and why he needs to be shooting a lot more. He also looks at why the criticism shouldn't be directed at him but should be at the GM for adding a pass-first player to a team that has very few finishers. Finally, Hunter discusses what the Penguins should do in goal for the game against the Predators, plus why their top priority should be trying to get a very good goaltender at the end of this season, especially if they don't trust Jarry.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.Athletic GreensTo make it easy, Athletic Greens is going to give you a FREE 1-year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. All you have to do is visit athleticgreens.com/NHLNETWORKFanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go to FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as non-withdrawable free bets that expire in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We're approaching the end of March. The sprint to the playoffs is in full effect, and the penguins can hopefully try to make it a little bit easier on themselves by returning home and being the national predators on Thursday night. To start the show, we're going to do a full preview of that game and how the penguins can come out victorious. And stay tuned for that coming up right after this drop. You're Locked-on Penguins.

Your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network. your team every day. Hello and welcome back to another episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. I am your host, Hunter Hodes. Remember to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow the shows Twitter at Enlisted. And of course, thank you all so much for making this your first list in the day.

We're feeling available on all platforms. And today's episode is brought to you by Fandall, the official sports betting partner of Lockdown. Make every moment more. You can visit fandul.com slash lockdown today to get started. So Penguins Predators Thursday night, 708 p.m. face off at PPG Payne Serena. And yeah, the Penguins would be who them if they actually want to show up in the first period of this one. I don't care who they're playing against it.

You know, the Predators, they're out of the playoff picture right now. They're three points behind the Winnipeg Jets. You just can't seem to win games at this point, unless Conrader Hullabuck is playing like God. But it's amazing that the Predators are in this race because they sold off at the deadline and there without a lot of breakers right now. You know, they just beat the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night, two to one, and a very emotional game, obviously with what happened in Nashville earlier this week,

the mass shooting. And, you know, I send my condolences and my constant prayers to, you know, everyone that's, you know, being affected there, you know, it's just sick that this keeps happening in this country and, you know, nothing's ever going to be done about it. Anyways, you know, that's all say on that. But with the penguins and predators, Penguins beat them already this season. Remember, the Predators, you know, Mark Janakowski

scored the first goal. It took until the third period. Penguins were able to tie it, then take the lead to one, and then they were able to win the game three to one early in the season. You know, the Penguins, they have to just, you know, have that same blueprint for this one, except, you know, also the Predators will be very banged up. And that's another thing. John Hines, say what you want to do as a coach. It is very impressive that he has this team only three points out of the other. the playoff spot when Ryan Johansson is done for the year. Roman Yossi is day-to-day.

We don't know if he's going to play on Thursday. He's been skating with the team. Philip Forsberg is out. Matt Duchyne is out. Mark Borrejewski and Alexander Carrier. Their top line right now consists of Philip Tomasino, Cody Glass, and Igor Afan Aschav. I don't even know, well, I know two of those players.

I don't know who the last guy is. Their second line is, Kiefer Sherwood, Thomas, Novi. and Luke Evan Jalista. I don't even know who he is. I don't know who Thomas Novak is. They have Colton Sizzism on their third line with Cole Smith, Rasmus Aspland, down there former Buffalo Sabre,

March Nankowski, and then Michael McCarran. That is probably one of the worst scorer moves I've ever seen in my life. Like, there is no star player in that lineup. And especially without Roman Yosey, their defense, Ryan McDonough, Dante Fabro,

Jeremy Lozon, Tyson, Barry, Kevin Gravel, Calfoot. U.S. Soros is, you know, the only reason they're basically, winning games right now, you know, and John Heinz being a good coach, at least this season. This is a game

that Penguins have to win. And if they play the way they did against Nashville the first time, I think they will be able to come out on top of them. They pepper UC Soros a lot. He is one of the five best goaltenders in hockey. He's a little bit smaller, but his movement is great. He can stretch out. He can come out, be aggressive.

He's not a super flashy, I guess, as someone likes Shostorke and Ravaselovsky, but he gets a job done and does it at a very elite level. Penguins are going to have to make sure they get bodies in front of him, make sure they're getting chances from the high slot area, just the high danger area. You can't be just throwing perimeter shots on net against this guy

because he's just going to gobble him up like it's nothing. And honestly, I could say that way, and I go, remember last week, Penguins had that game against Ottawa, they fired 50 shots against Dylan Ferguson, a player who I had never heard of going into it, he makes almost 50 saves because the Penguins are just doing a lot of perimeter play. He played well, but that Penguins really didn't test him enough. I don't want to see the same thing here with the Penguins when it comes to not testing UC Soros.

No. Penguins, they have the edge at forwards and defense, especially at defense, especially at forwards, excuse me, even defensively with the players that are out and if Roman Yossi is out, you know, that tips the scales in the penguins favor even more. But again, this is another game against a team below you. Standings-wise, basically the same amount of points, but below you in the standings, you need to take advantage. Right now, as I am recording this, it'll probably be changed by the end of it.

It is one to one between the Panthers and the Maple Leafs. Paul Maurice just blew a gasket on his team. He is not happy. The Panthers lose tonight. Penguins will again, we'll have another opportunity tomorrow to go five points up. They had that opportunity on Tuesday night. They are potentially about to get a point against the Red Wings.

They squanded it late. That's the third time that's happened in basically a week's time. Can't keep doing that. and you also can't keep starting games the way, you know, they have been recently, especially in that game against Detroit. Game 74, you're fighting just to get into the dance, and that is how you're starting. Come on now.

Like, I better see a much better effort in the first period. Again, if they go with the lineup that I just gave you all, that is probably the worst forward group in the NHL right now. There are really no difference makers in that lineup, almost, you know, all of their best forwards are out. Defensively, you know, Tyson Barry's not what he wants to be. He's okay. Ryan McDonough's not bad.

Fabro's okay. But without Roman Yose, they really have no one at an elite or is an even great level that can move the puck up the ice. The only place the Penguins will be shorthanded in is at the goal-taining position because UC Sorrows is always a big difference maker. So really want to see the Penguins again. Pepper him with shots, make sure they're from, you know, good scoring chances in the offensive zone.

zone. If you can't carry the play against this team, there's going to be a problem, but they've been carrying play against most teams as of late. So I don't think it's going to be too big of a problem. I want to see the power play continue to be hot. You know, they played well in Detroit. They played well against Colorado. Dallas, you know, kind of the clogged toilet powerplay showed up. Washington was kind of the same way.

Just kind of been up and down a little bit as of late. But, you know, if they can show the level that they did against the Red Wings, I think that could really tip the scales from the Penguins. favor as well. This is a game they should win. I've been saying that all season long. They're winless against the Canadians and the Red Wings, which is ridiculous because both those teams are more, nine plus points, nine plus points back behind them in the

standings. You have to win the games you were supposed to win. This is supposed to be a week where you're setting yourself up to play in the playoffs. You squandered one, what do you shouldn't have? You went behind three nothing. You came back to tie it. You tied it again. 4-4. It looks like you're going to get at least a point taking that 50-50 in overtime.

You don't even get a point because Brian Russ, who's had a season from hell, decided to take a penalty. You can't swaner another one here, especially at home. Three straight here for the penguins at home. They have to take advantage. They have to. You know, just looking at some other game notes about this matchup against the Predators. Penguins have points in eight of their last 10 against the Predators, 7 and 2 and 1. overall. They're also 14 and 4 and 1 against the Predators dating back to October 21st, 2010.

And they've also won five of their last six home matchups against the Predators. They also only have four regulation losses to national and 16 games all time at home. And this will also be the final stretch of the season with the Penguins play more than one consecutive home game. You know, remember, you know, Penguins in that last matchup took them a little while, but they were able to break through. I think I believe it was what, um, said that time. tied it up yeah say that tied up on the breakaway jason zucker gets the game it gets the game winner off of the little off the skate and then i believe it was i think believe it was brian russ that got the empty netter um to make it three to one and to win the game you know the penguins they they needed that

one at the time just as much as they're and they're probably going to need this one um just as much if not more so that's what i'm looking for this can won against the predators you know quick to take quick to exit the zone, firing the puck from good scoring chances on Soros, getting traffic in front of him, want to see the power play get back to being, you know, just continue to be playing a bit better.

And just simplify your game. A lot of these players that Nashville are playing on their forwards, they're not that good. You can't be giving up quality scoring chances to players who on those contending teams will be what? Third liners for the most part.

Let's go here. Let's go time. Final late game. something's got to give here, to say it at least. But that wraps up this first segment. Coming up in the second segment, we are going to get into my Kyle Grayland and why. You know, it's just been worse I think a lot of us could ever imagine. But before we get to that, the NCAA tournament is heating up and there's no better place to get in on the action than Vandul, America's number one sportsbook.

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All right. We're back in this episode of a lockdown, hang on spot. I am your host, Hunter Hodes. You're going to follow me on Twitter, Hunter Hodes, follow the shows, Twitter, and also thank you all so much for making this your first listen of the day. So let's just get into it, you know. Penguins, we all know, they played their old hits last night. You know, just see the classic hits on, you know, appetite for destruction, for example, bad goal tending late in the third period, can't kill a penalty, bad start,

bad situational hockey and what do you know you lose in regulation oh actually another one outplay an opponent score a decent amount of goals but not enough to win there you go that's basically their five biggest hit so we can add another one now and i'm saying i am i will say i'll be a little bit of a zerogs machine for that because adam grets wrote a beautiful article on pensburg today and he even said you know we can add another one to this now and i was thinking about covering this today and even when i saw this article I had to bring it up again. Go check it out because it's really good. And he even said,

you can add another hit to the list because, yeah, what is going on with Michael Grainland? It doesn't matter, honestly, who they're putting him with. Put him with Jeff Carter. I mean, that's a death sentence itself. Putting in with Drew O'Connor,

even with Ricardo, Raquel. Got him going for one game. But the goal that he scored was so late, and again, it was 4 to 1 at that point. It was 4 to 1. to one. Other than that, he has two assists. Three points in 13, 14 games since being acquired. This is why you just don't, you know, you don't go after players who were good a few years ago. And, you know, I have nothing against Granland as a player. He has been a very good to great

player in this league for a lot of years. Go back to his time in Minnesota. Go back to his time, you know in national such you know just just a couple you know just very recently if we go to not if we go to you know just looking at hockey reference you know 21 21 2022 11 goals 64 points 80 games back when we're back to his days in Minnesota 26 goals 69 points 21 goals 67 points 16 goals 54 points you know goes over to national it starts to decline a little bit he's still scoring in the teens had that Beautiful season of 64 points, 80 games. Other than that, though, 30 points, 27 points, 39 points.

That's just this season. Only when he came over, nine points, nine goals, 36 points in 58 games, since then, three points and 13 games. They still have him for two more years of five million per. This is why the general manager was just, you know, looking at scouting reports from, you know, five years ago and thinking, oh, this is exactly.

what they need. No, it's not. I think he could be a great fit on a team that, you know, has finishing ability. In other words, you know, maybe like a team like Boston, maybe a team like Colorado, maybe even a team like Tampa Bay, Toronto, they have plenty of finishing ability too. Maybe someone that, you know, needs a passer, right? Because he is still a very good passer. When you look at the Penguins, the 2022, 2023 version of this team, his skill set doesn't fit here. They already have plenty of very good playmakers. What they do not have is a finisher.

Outside of Jake Gensel, Gennie Malkin, Ricardo, Rakel, Cindy Crosby, basically anyone in the top six. Brian, we can exclude Brian Ross because he really hasn't been that good for the season. 16 goals, okay, but still, it's kind of been having a disaster season. other than that, who is finishing chances on this team? Jeff Carter's heated up a little bit in the last week, but it took until the very end of the season for that to happen. Drew O'Connor's been, you know, decent,

but he's still not finishing, you know, a lot. You know, Josh Archibald, he had a goal on Tuesday night. That was nice. That was his first goal in a long time. You know, he's not finishing a lot of chances. Ryan Hailing, he just had his first goal, but, you know, other than that, he's not finishing that much. It's a whole lot of just passing ability.

and you know adding another passer to a team full of passers just didn't make much sense and you're seeing why right now this team needed a competent finisher at the trade deadline to put on the third or fourth line preferably the third and this general manager failed at doing that and he also added a lot more salary going into the next two seasons so even if he gets canned after this season if this keeps going down just a really bad rabbit hole here whoever comes in next is going to have to somehow clean up that mess and clean up a lot of the mess that he made and it's not going to be pretty

but you know this really came to a head in the game against Detroit because there was not one not two not three about basically four quality chances that Granlin had in the game and he just passed for example

one of them he's coming in all alone defense was a little bit behind he's kind of hounding him from behind but he's still scoring chance the defenseman is behind him from the wed wings and he's just doing a drop pass basically and it's like why are you not shooting in that situation

the one really bad one was I think it was Jim of Penguins one I think it's Panda PSU on Twitter he screen grabbed it Penguins are on the power plate 4-4 after Archibald tied it it was remember I was doing Larkin I believe that took that penalty in the third period and Granlin's about to get the puck he's winding up for a slav shot has basically the entire net to shoot at and he passes

the puck there. And I don't know if that's a confidence thing. I don't think it is. That's my guess. You know, my main guess is that he just, he knows he's so good at passing. He thinks he can just let another one in. But it's, you know, in those kind of situations, you need to trust your shot. Points are at a premium this time of year. They're precious. I mean, I'm as just too. There was another one. Penguins had a three on one in the first period. Grand Lament gets the puck. can't even control it. It goes to the boards. Red Wings are going back the other way

on their scoring chance. It's just been a total disaster since he was traded here. And the funnial thing is, he's not doing like so many things like, you know, a la Jack Johnson or Brian Duman where it's like, oh my God, get this guy off the ice.

So, you know, just more glaring mistake after glaring mistake. It's not even that. He's just kind of there. And, you know, and sometimes that's not a bad thing, but in this case, when he was your main trade deadline acquisition,

that's not good enough. And again, I have no problem with him as a player, as a person. He's trying his best out there. And, you know, that's, that's all I can ask for.

It's the general manager's fault. You want someone to blame, blame him. Don't blame the player. You know, he, Mikhail Gremlin is what he is at this point in his career. There's no,

no one's going to change that. And, you know, I would love to be wrong next year, if he's on the team, which he probably will be. And maybe he's a late bloomer. Like, because, you know, I think I saw Rob Rossi tweet this and say how, you know, James Neal became a 40-goal score the season after he was acquired. I don't think Michael Grantland's going to become a 40-goal score at 30 years old.

Tranger things have happened. But I don't think that's going to happen. Maybe he gets back to being a 55-60-point player. Again, I don't think that's going to happen. But I would love to be wrong about it. Right now, it's just looking like, you know, the dud that a lot of people thought it was going to be, and he is just not helping this team on a nightly basis. It also doesn't help that Mike Sullivan is somehow thinking he's a prime,

Ange, Kobitra, Patrice, Bergeron, Pavel Datsu type of player. Defensively, that is. That can just play on the penalty kill and play in all these defensive situations. And it's weird that Sullivan also said that his defensive metrics are good. They're not. He ranks it in the one percentile for even-stranded defense this season, one-third percentile, whatever it is. 95 plus percent of his peers are better than him defensively,

so I don't really know what stats they're looking at. But you can also put a little bit blame on the coaching for not putting him in positions to succeed. And, you know, it's just been a big problem. You know, as teams had a lot of problems going into this season, during the season when those problems have stood out like sore thumbs. Now you've got another one to the list. And again, yes, he still has two more years left.

I own this contract. Again, I'm not trying to harp on him and say that, Oh, it's all his fault. It's not. This team has way bigger problems than Granite. But it was just such an unenforced error and that Penguins could have gotten, you know, a much better player with all that salary cap space that they had.

You know, can't change the past. It's been about a month now. But, man, he's just, he's really not doing anything out there and that's really unfortunate for this team. But that'll do it for this segment of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. Coming up to end the show, getting into a little bit of a pretty cool idea that I think the penguins could think about doing during the off season. And it involves the goaltender position.

So stick around for that coming up after this commercial break. All right. We're back here in this episode of the lockdown Penguins podcast. I am your host, Honour Hodes. I remember to follow me on Twitter at Hammer Hodes, follow the shows Twitter at Enwheres for Penguins. And of course, thank you all so much for making this year for us in the day, free and available on all platforms. So, penguins are, I think, are, geez, I think the penguins are going to have a pretty tough decision. to make at the goaltending position

after the season ends. Also, I will say I think Tristan Jardy starts on Thursday. I would have started him on Tuesday. I'm not, you know, I don't think the more Casey DeSmith plays, the worse he is. I saw that on Tuesday. He's also not an answer. I told me people coming on mention saying,

well, the starter's not that good either. Yeah, I realize that. I know he's banged up. He has the back injury. He has the back injury. But, you know, when your season is basically on the line, I'm going with my starter even if he's hurt. That's how I see it.

And with that, you know, the penguins are going to have a big decision to make with him after the season. I read from, you know, multiple outlets that they haven't really been discussing a contract with him. That's good. He does not deserve a four to five to six-year contract from any team in the NHL. I think if the penguins want to bring him back, it needs to be at like a bridge deal or something like that, you know, a two-year deal maybe, just because he's been really banged up these last couple of years.

And, you know, I don't think he's really been in, injury prone throughout his career it really just started you know after this broke the after the broken foot that he suffered against the islanders since then it's just an injury after injury and you just can't stay on the ice and the penguins you know if they don't even want to do a bridge deal you're going to have to go out there and get a new starter kesey and smith is not going to be that guy he still has one more year left on his contract and who knows maybe they decided to trade him in a deal i don't know maybe we could be looking at a brand new goaltening tandem like all out of the washington capitals with darcy kemper Charlie Lingren.

I could easily see that. That's why I think I could, it would be cool. It's unlikely. Why don't the penguins go out and try and offer sheet someone like Jeremy Swamen? Screw it. Why not? You have the money to spend. They're getting a lot of cap room this summer.

Even with McHale Greenland's $5 million on there. Why not go try and offer sheet him? I know, I know. Bit weird in today's league. You don't see a lot of offer sheets out there. Unless you're the Carolina Hurricanes, they don't really hear. But it especially you're kind of sticking it to Arrivo in Austin. He's had one heck of a year.

I think him and Omar are probably going to win the Jennings Trophy. I think the best tandem, whatever. Why not? Go out and do it. I would be very, very down for that. There's obviously Frederick Anderson free agency, but he's also pretty injury-prone. Samion Varlamov, I believe, is also a free agent. but he's also just a lot older at this point

I don't think he's going to give you you know top tier quality goaltending there is the option of getting John Gibson but is he cooked at this when he's great he's had a pretty decent second half I would like to see him play on a good team

I just that contract plenty of years left high cap hit I think the ducks would have to retain some money there honestly be cool to see him come back to his hometown um of Pittsburgh but just don't think he's at the level that he used to be. I think he would probably be an upgrade right,

at least right now over Jari into Smith. But, you know, with how Jari played last season, is Gibson right now an upgrade over that? I'm not sure. But I could see that maybe happening. But, man, why don't they go out there and offer sheets on Mike Sleman? You will have the money to do it.

You cannot, you know, this is, these are the last few years of the Sydney Crosby and of Guinea-Malkan era and you cannot put them to waste. You just can't. So, you know, that's just an idea to think about. I think, you know,

and this would probably be for like a new GM coming in. I don't think someone like Ron Hextall would do that. Another one, this is a big one out there. Try it for UC Soros. Nashville could be going in our full rebuild. Are they going to blow it up? that would be kind of fun. I don't know if they have the capital pull that off.

Man, that would be fun, wouldn't it? I really do think this offseason, I think a top need for me, is getting a new starting goaltender, at least right now, if they can't. If they can't go out and get, like, you know, a really good one over Jari, then they might be forced to bring him back on a two-year term, but, you know, you would still have to bring in a different backup

because you can't run the same tandem back for checks notes, a fourth straight season. That will just be ridiculous. But right now, as it stands, I think their biggest need this offseason is a starting goaltender just because I don't think, you know, I can't believe I'm even saying this

because I didn't think this would even be a problem. But, you know, I just don't think they can rely on Jari to say healthy. I don't know if they can rely on him to be consistent throughout, you know, a long-term or even just a bridge deal. And Liam McHugh said it best on Tuesday night. He did. This team, he even tweeted, if you switch goalies for the penguins

from any of those top other teams right now, they would be coasting into the playoffs. Even Toronto with Matt Murray, the same so on off, they're second in the Atlantic. Everyone laughed at them. They've gotten more than average gold inning this season. You put those two guys on here,

the penguins are probably ahead of the islanders. But their goal ending has been so inconsistent that it just hasn't matter. No one's been able to make no save when maybe we needed to. So that's just some food for thought for this off season. The Soros thing, that's probably a big piecing. The soybean, maybe a little less, but it's still probably a pipe chain,

but it sure would be fun, wouldn't it? Right now, again, I really do think goaltender is the biggest thing they might have to go after this off season. And I know it's hard because it's the most volatile position of hockey. Spending assets to get one is very risky because you don't know what you're going to get a lot of times. But I think it might be a risk worth taking for the penguins. at that point. But that will do it for this episode of the Locked on Penguins podcast. I really appreciate all of you listening. I'll be back with another episode for you all on Thursday night.

I will be at the game at PPG Paints Arena. Let me know if you're going to be there. We'll see if the Penguins can get a big win. They very much need it. Score updates right now. One one between caps and aisles. One one between Panthers and leaves. I'll see how those results shake up and see if they help the Penguins. So again, thank you all so much for listening and I'll talk with you all on Thursday.