Revisiting the 2016 and 2017 Pittsburgh Penguins

[@burgy76]

Watching the 2016 Pens: "Weeee!" Watching the 2017 Zombie Pens: "OMG how are they still going?"

[@occamsox5331]

That's how championships are won.

[@ryanlandry09]

Pittsburgh fans can be thankful about acquiring Phil Kessel from Toronto in the summer of 2015. Not saying the Penguins were not a cup contender team prior to the Kessel trade, however, adding Phil made them purely unstoppable within the league. Crosby, Malkin and Kessel with the development of Matt Murray sure has all the elements of a three-peat again in 2018.

[@mr.starkidontfeelsogood7413]

Ryan Landry we are very thankful for Toronto. They helped us immensely.

[@davidjohnson5847]

Ryan Landry it sure didn't look like it at first. With Mike Johnston in charge of them Crosby looked done and used up. It took firing him and bringing in Sullivan to get the team not only headed in the right direction but it knocked them out of their funk and focused them on the task at hand. Winning the game they're playing at that given moment and not looking forward to tomorrow's struggles. That was monumentally huge for them and his impact on this team shouldn't be overlooked or undersold. In a lot of ways he was the last missing piece of the puzzle for them.

[@superpenguin04]

david johnson Sullivan is the reason they made playoffs in 2016 they were looking like they might not even make playoffs without him which is so bad when you look at their team Sully might go down as a hall of fame coach just for the sole reason he came in and got the pens to a back to back championship and they don't look like there stopping as Murray looks like here could become the best goalie in the league and they haven't lost any of their core

[@fouronetwo813]

Rutherford hiring Johnston is still a head scratcher to me. I don't think anyone was more surprised than Johnston himself.

[@ryanlandry09]

David McCalla How was that a win-win for both teams? The only somewhat relevant player Leafs received in return was Kasperi Kapanen. Good prospect but I see him more as a top 9 forward playing either on the third line or second line at best when he's fully developped. Kessel is a legit star in the league. Leafs got rid of Kessel because Shanahan didn't like his attitude in the locker room and with the media. If Shanahan wanted to trade Kessel, fine trade him, but don't give him away for a bag of pucks. Not to forget mentionning that Toronto is also retaining 1.2 million per year until 2022 for Kessel's current contract. Pittsburgh clearly won that trade and have won back to back stanley cups ever since acquiring number 81 and possibly going for a three-peat. Imagine if Kessel stayed in Toronto and playing with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner/or Nylander on the 1st line. That line would be scary AF.

[@robineee9353]

Yaas! I still can't believe they did this. Always love your analysis, keep being awesome, Shannon.

[@theodorebelmont7922]

Feels great 2 go back 2 back ..i think all pens fans should just enjoy it...very rare

[@davidjohnson5847]

Atish Singh I'm one that definitely does enjoy the mess out of this. I won't kid myself into a third title though cause I think with what the pens have lost in one off season the lightening are a bit better if their goaltending comes through and they'll take us out in the ecf. Though that could prompt the pens into reloading for next year and going for a three titles in four years situation.

[@theodorebelmont7922]

david johnson agree...but damn 3 in a row would b so cool

[@gandhi_1867]

If it werent for injuries Malkin would have 90 plus point seasons almost every year

[@snowwhite6923]

Crosby missed 7 games. Had Crosby played all 82 games, he would've maybe gotten to 100 like McDavid. 11 points in 7 games is pretty much Crosby's pace still at this point. Crosby had essentially the same amount of points-per-game as McDavid this season and way more goals yet so many people think McDavid is better offensively than Crosby. smh

[@nukethemoon6097]

A G so would Kane, he is always point per game guy

[@gandhi_1867]

Nuke the Moon Keep in mind that Malkin never had a full 82 game season since 2009. Over that span he has been a well above point per game player

[@Toews1247]

crosby would have 160 points in the 2010s twice if for not getting cheap shots

[@Nickleblanc41]

The 2016 were the 3rd team to win the Cup after starting three different goalies in the playoffs, the other two the 1937 Red Wings and 1938 Blackhawks

[@eric2vanleeuwen]

Scary thing is that they didn't need Letang in the post season...

[@sshurmatz]

or Pouliot.

[@citizenkane454]

Thank You! Been waiting

[@cvinlinehockeyarchive8123]

2017. 2016 the pens didn't look in trouble except for Tampa. 2017 the man games lost and the players to stop the bleeding were amazing. The shooting percentages were off the charts for the stars. The Flower was spectacular, and stole the Washington series. Speaking of Washington, they were not the better team until game 7. Ottawa was absolute hell. Columbus didn't score much, but the physicality of the players hurt guys. Ovie and Niskinin killed Sid, and Pittsburgh went crazy. We thought it was done because he was the heart. Nashville faced a broken team in Pittsburgh, that was clearly not even 75% of the 16' pens. Somehow Crosby and Malkin mad almost 45 minutes without a shot a win. Pekka was a wall at home. Game 6 was one on a horqvist goal from behind the net after a bad call that would have made the game tied. 17 for sure

[@davidjohnson5847]

Cody Archwood I will say that the only series in 2016 that had me worried or gave me pause was the Tampa series. I didn't know until game 6 if the pens could get past the team I feel is their biggest threat to a 3-peat. Their the one team that I feel can match us in scoring depth and veteran experience. In this last playoff run it was basically the same thing. Where I wasn't worried till the ecf. Those senators with Anderson in net and the way they really feed off not only him but, karlsson, each other, and their fans. It's how they were seemingly able to do all of those things during the course of one game that really made them capable of beating any team in the playoffs on any given night as long as they had that going for them. And I can't bring them up without saying that karlsson definitely proved to me that he is without a doubt the best defenseman in the league right now and probably a top 5 player in too. I mean for me it goes Crosby, mcdavid, Kane, Malkin, and karlsson as my top five. but I wasn't sure they were going to pull it off until the kuntz goal in double overtime. I'm crazy happy they did though and went all the way to back-to-back titles. Something I wasn't sure I'd get to see as a die-hard penguins and Crosby fan if I'm Uber honest about it.

[@firstlast3676]

That's Future Pens Dynasty goalie Matt Murray to us

[@sloppyjoe3415]

Yes, I am the future.

[@Nam4I2]

Like Milk

[@justinwalters7953]

Shannon, you should love the Penguins. If for no other reason than we gave you Markus Naslund for Alex Stojanov.

[@HorseTeethModano]

Coaching and GM crucial to this formula as well.

[@happytrails1963]

Now Rutherford seems like Yoda but people fans were angry while mike johnston was coaching.

[@williamcurry1132]

thank you...- go Pens

[@Blackened4everPS3]

That guts and determination all comes back to the guy who wears the C, Sidney Crosby. He leads by example, team needs a spark or a win or a big goal, look who is on the ice. Crosby is right there in the thick of it. As long as Crosby is healthy and in the playoffs, I will not bet against him. Biggest competitor this league has, and dare I say, may ever see. Think of all the injuries hes gone through, and all the beatings hes taken over the years, when many people were calling him done (ahem Tim and Sid), he goes out and wins back to back Stanley Cups, Conn Smythes, and World cup/MVP. This team has a chance at a 3-peat, and with some new blood in the lineup, I think they can get it done. That core is one of the best the NHL has ever seen, and to say otherwise is just downright stupid!

[@PonAdidas]

I would love to see the 2016 Pens vs the 1995 Devils. Unstoppable Force vs an immovable object.

[@felixeur1276]

I am still a Salty Sens fan for that game 7 :( Still cry about it... :-(

[@BoL7z]

Felixeur should've ended in 6 but a ghost goalie interference on Daley was called, that was terrible...

[@PonAdidas]

GOOD

[@ShawnWatson]

Karlsson is my favorite player outside of Pittsburgh and Chabot looks like the real deal. Hopefully they'll build on last season's run.

[@JohnSmith-jb2jf]

I love ya Hockey Guy, but Murray did not have a 'pedestrian' regular season. He was 32-10-4 with a .923. In fact, his whole body of work since coming into the league is outstanding. Consistent as hell. Sorry just had to get that out there lol. I'm a Pens lifer fan living in PoCo and adore your channel :) Doing extensive previews of all 31 teams was so cool. I learned a lot about teams I don't see often. It's hard to find quality content like that, especially with how rushed and politically correct analysts have to be on TV. Perhaps we'll grab a beer in June watching the Pens on the cusp of greatness! Haha take care.

[@TheHockeyGuy]

+John Connor I just meant he wasn't a Vezina level goalie yet. He will get there. I have been a fan of his since juniors.

[@mickeyobed7274]

Believe it or not, Pens are the next dynasty in the NHL.

[@BoL7z]

Sean Avery you're right ;)

[@TheChief88]

Sean Avery Where did that even come from? Been watching THG For a year

[@valnerium]

Not without nick bonino the playoff hero.

[@sikuaka2]

He didn't do shit last playoffs.

[@nusa8498]

I hate the Pens but what they did won't be replicated for A LONG time, to be honest they COULD win again!

[@AlexOvechkin8MVP]

Are you going to talk about the Tom Wilson suspension?

[@PonAdidas]

Just when I thought "What one video?" you go and TOTALLY REDEEM YOURSELF.

[@neighborhoodpranksters6214]

Bout time 🙌🏼🙌🏼 #backtoback

[@jarrodtruax]

Oh Matt Murray... haha

[@dnasty312]

Did letting Fleury depart curse the Penguins and Matt Murray too? 🐧🤕

[@ufcenthusiast5879]

You guessed it. The Fucking Penguins!

[@penguinsfan251]

i just found this a few years late! Given that there have been exactly three back-to-back Cup champs since 1988 makes this Pens team all the more impressive. Truth is, I wasn't all that disappointed in the 2018 playoff loss to the Caps because (1) the Pens beat them 2 out of 3, and (2) the Caps had a team good enough to win all three of those years, but did not. Sometimes, fans of other NHL teams are the biggest crybabies. Whining about officiating, whining about Crosby whining, whining about Bettman favoring the Penguins, whining about Penguins fans, blah, blah, blah. Shannon - you pointed out in one of your videos how you pulled for Washington to beat the Pens in successive years. Being on the West Coast of North America, perhaps you aren't aware of how the Pens-Caps rivalry developed. In the early 1908s, the steel industry that Western Pennsylvania was known for collapsed. Not only were numerous steel mills shut down, but some major corporate headquarters left town due to the merger mania of that time, like Gulf Oil. Lots of young adults left Western Pennsylvania and ended up in the DC area, 4 to 5 hours away. The good Caps teams of the mid 80s - and afterwards - did not sell out, so when Mario & Co. came to town there were a few thousand Pens fans in the Cap Center. The one event that fired up the rivalry was in early 1987 when Bobby Gould knocked out Mario with a right hook in Landover. For several years after that, the Pens usually controlled the season series and knocked the Caps out of the playoffs four times between 1991 and 1996. Games in the Capital Centre were an event, as the displaced Pittsburghers were usually joined by thousands who made the four hour one way drive to cheer on the Pens. Back then the DC sports media shoved the NFL Redskins down everyone's throats, and as the Steelers rarely played the Redskins, watching the Pens beat the Caps was a kind of Schadenfrude. I know - I lived in the DC area for five years and I returned to Pittsburgh in 1995. As for Sid vs. Ovie - they have met four times in the playoffs. Sid's side has won three times and won three Cups. Once each for Ovie. Says it all.

[@bobhelibo]

Who do you think Pens will acquire with remaining $3.28M? Can you please make a short video about their options? Thanks!

[@jasonpoole7073]

What is your thoughts specifically on Guentzels playoff run? 13 games and 21 points...factor fatigue into it and if he played all 25 he could have had 35 points in the playoffs!

[@dirrdirr8890]

Jason Poole he played all 25. He had 13 goals

[@davezarvan]

It almost seems like two different teams won these Cups. The 2016 team was dominant throughout the entire playoffs, consistently outplaying and outshooting opponents, and were not blown out even once. They deserved it in 2016. The 2017 team, however, is another story. I don't think I've ever seen a less deserving team win the Cup. They got off to atrocious starts in the first 3 games against Columbus, yet somehow won all three of them. The Washington series might have been the worst ever performance by a team that won a series. Game in and game out, Washington dominated the pace and clearly were the superior team, yet somehow Pittsburgh kept winning. The series that theoretically should have been the easiest, Ottawa, was probably the hardest. And I'm not going to get into the Cup Finals, because I'll just complain about how poor the officiating was, not worth it.

[@mr.starkidontfeelsogood7413]

Dave Zarvan "I don't think I've ever seen a less deserving team win" Sounds like sour grapes to me. There is no such thing in hockey as team that "doesn't deserve to win". It ain't about how you start it's about how you finish. What you should be saying is they did deserve because of their spectacular refusal to lose. What they did this year was honestly more impressive. Last year, you knew they were the better team going into any series so it was very predictable. In 2017, it was more of a battle. Just because just they didn't blow out every damn team doesn't mean they didn't deserve it. The 2014 kings are good comparison. They had to battle every series before the cup to even win. It isn't always a clean sweep. "I'm not going to even get into the cup finals, because I'll just complain about how bad the officiating was." Yeah, for Nashville and how the refs pretty much did their best to help by giving absurd power plays. Again sounds like sour grapes.

[@davezarvan]

No amount of power plays takes away the fact that they weren't credited for a goal that wasn't counted because of terrible positioning by the officials.

[@mattmoorman9595]

Thanks!!!

[@standup5537]

1 more time

[@sikuaka2]

Dynasty.

[@joshkusiak7613]

Slapshot Gaming need to three peat

[@grumble7425]

Josh Kusiak They won 3 cups in 9 years. Technical they are a dynasty.

[@Phanton0108]

Got really sad when the Sharks lost in the 2016 finals, but the Penguins were so much faster, for me that's what won them the series, the speed.

[@TheChief88]

Tampa was really the only team in the league that could beat pittsburg in 2016 but losing your #1 center, 1# goaltender (at the time), and losing your one of your top 4 d man resulted in Penguins beating Tampa

[@DTun-yt1bz]

Smartest Hockey mind around

[@BoL7z]

My favorite :D

[@aidanpetitt4921]

How did Pittsburgh play Nashville early in the playoffs in 2016 and 2017 in the Stanley cup? Did they switch conferences?

[@TheHockeyGuy]

It was the New York Rangers in 2016 in the first round.

[@arnaragustsson7969]

I don´t care what anyone says, but Malkin is just as good as Crosby. The only advantage Crosby has is international gold, nothing else. And i hate the fact that Malkin gets overshadowed by him every single season.

[@superpenguin04]

Arnar Agustsson Crosby is a better than Malkin not by a lot but when you look at what Crosby does as a whole it is honestly ridiculous how much micro managing Crosby does watching him live is crazy and it's so cool to just see him dominate a game

[@JohnSmith-jb2jf]

Crosby is better defensively, a better leader and takes way less penalties. His points per game is superior to Malkin's. Also, durability is becoming an issue for Malkin. He's missed 80 games over the last 4 seasons. Crosby's missed 16. They're both incredible and I'm very fortunate to have watched them these last 11 years. However I think Crosby does almost everything just a little bit better than Malkin.

[@citizenkane454]

Malkin is not even close to the player Sid is.

[@jasonfonz5530]

I would agree with you, I love them both, but for some reason, Malkin takes long naps during the seasons, then awakes to kill it. Sid is always the consistent general at both ends of the ice.

[@jc3127]

Malkin is a better pure scorer. Crosby is better at everything else and has the highest hockey IQ in hockey.

[@thadcampbell4619]

What's gonna help Pittsburgh going forward is the key players missing time in the past seasons. Malkin consistently misses 20 games a year it seems, Letang should be fully heathy & have a chip on his shoulder, Murray doesn't play as much as other elite goaltenders, let's face it Crosby is a physical specimen, & like you said they have a lot of young guys in the lineup yhat fan endure a lot of games bc of there youth. Pittsburgh will be fine as long as they have Crosby, Malkin, Kessel, & Matt Murray in net.

[@BobbyT.]

I feel ripped off, we only get one video for both cups. At least we will get another one next Year.

[@gunsmithbasic]

I still don't think they had a great defense compared to most cup champions, particularly for this cup without Letang. They have a bit of a window where their biggest threats are in a bit of disarray, with teams like the Hawks reeling from cap challenges and other situations like that. They've been able to press their superior forward core and great goaltending.

[@endersdragon34]

Could they Pens move Kessel back to the third line where he was in the 2015-2016 season? Malkin will be fine with whoever, Crosby is always great with whoever, so why not move Kessel back to the third line where he could bring up whoever is with him?

[@BoL7z]

Bryan G they might and probably will tbh. Zach Aston Reese could center with Kessel on the right Hagelin on the left or Guentzel can center as well. Hornqvist and Rust are more than suitable for first and second line.

[@endersdragon34]

Keep Guentzel on the first line with Crosby because those two obviously have a ton of chemistry which who knows if he will get elsewhere, but I like the HARK line lol.

[@happytrails1963]

Would like to see Guentzel stay on Crosbys line. Its hard finding people who play well with Sid. And agree that Malkin pretty much can play with anybody even Kessel when they are argueing.

[@rohitisntthere_5605]

Finally

[@BurningHeavy]

"You have the most talented top two centers in the NHL". Yup. And both have injury histories

[@TheChief88]

Crosby is the Tom Brady of hockey

[@hockeyfanatic5256]

Nordic1Brandon Tom Brady is the Crosby of football

[@shuston240]

Except one cheats and one doesn't.

[@willnyethehockeyguy5828]

Shuston240 lol

[@ufcenthusiast5879]

Are you sure it's not "Revisiting the 1016 and 1017 Penguins"?

[@valnerium]

Marc-Andre Murray. Matt fleury

[@LeafsForTheCup-fp2pe]

Do a stream!

[@ufcenthusiast5879]

2017/18 Gotta see it: Someone other than Crosby wins the Conn Smythe??? Watch as Jake Guentzel wins Conn Smythe

[@TomGamingg]

Lets get THG to 20k subs!

[@sloppyjoe3415]

😎

[@zachkostoff2341]

This was the Stanley cup final both of them i didn't watch i didn't care 2016 mad about the tampa series and the series San Jose had with la

[@mfc8778]

Let's go Pens for a Three Peat and than a Four Peat and maybe a five peat. Let's go Pens

[@tonghale163]

Definitely not a five peat

[@geztreal1327]

No no dynasty I'm tired of Crosby hogging the cup give guys like mcdavid ovechkin Matthews And karlsson a chance to shine

[@joshkusiak7613]

GEZTREAL or giroux.

[@vghnmj5523]

The Dynasty is over get it together pens fans lmao

[@mr.starkidontfeelsogood7413]

vghnmj you've seen the future?

[@BurningHeavy]

Zac aston reese isn't a center. The pens have 2 centers who are amazing but have injury issues and then NOTHING behind them. When one of the two inevitably go down the pens are going to have carter fucking rowney on the second line. The lack of center depth is going to cripple the pens and keep Malking from moving to the wing where he belongs. The pens are going to lose a TON of faceoffs because crosby is the only man on the team thats any good at em. It's the achilles heal for a team that is otherwise spectacular. Losing cullen hurts because he could play center ANYWHERE 4th line, power play, pk, filling in top 2 duties etc. Bonino was a typical third line center and did well at it but Dad was the stop gap, the duck tape. Ffs, he played more than any other forward in the final. The pens just don't have that anymore and the league knows it so everyone with a center on the block is being a deuche and asking for the moon because they can and Rutherford is either going to pony up or have 2 AHL players playing center because they have NOTHING.

[@WindyCityHawkey]

Crosby McDavid Toews

[@BoL7z]

Nick Signore STOP Malkin is on another level that Toews has and will never be on.

[@TheHockeyGuy]

Toews is a great likely HOF level forward too. It's apples to oranges though.

[@bigmac7920]

Toews is overrated lol Conor Sheary had just about the same points this season as Toews and played about 10 less games

[@dr.aisaitl7439]

Are you going to continue your loser series?

[@donnyfunaro9954]

Dr. Aisaitl clever username

[@MidNiteR32]

The 2015 Hawks, 2016, 2017 penguins are the most uninteresting cup winners. None of their runs are memorable. 2014 Kings was the last great run. Hopefully 2018 will be better

[@penguinsfan251]

Stupid remark.