The Pomp And Joe Show
Penguins analyst Jay Caufield credits Dubas, describes Pens play minus Sid
02 Mar 2026
Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Jay Caulfield, brought to you by Globe Airport Parking. Stanley Cup champion is on the fan hotline, presented by Sullivan Super Service, providing trusted plumbing and HVAC service for over 50 years. Jay, how are you today? Good, Joe. Bob, nice to talk to you. You too, Jay. Man, how about the Penguins yesterday?
I think Ben Kindle called it a statement game, and it felt if the statement is we're going to survive without Sid and we're a really good hockey team, that seemed like the statement yesterday, Jay, and they've come out of the Olympic break with five points in six games. What do you make of this team right now? I really agree with that comment. I know Mike Sullivan was never big on
statement games or measuring stick games. I kind of am. I kind of feel like you kind of had a Vegas team waiting for you to come in, in your town, like they're waiting overnight. So when you come out there, they have got five plus players with over 50 points and you kind of took everybody. I think when Stone got hurt too, that impacted Vegas, but I think it was already taken shape.
The Penguins were, they were just, they made it very difficult to, There was not a lot of room. They're tough through the neutral zone. Their numbers are back. I got to tell you, when I look at what the Penguins did, we said this last week, guys.
I mean, I have felt when I look at the NHL and I look across it, and maybe the numbers might prove it or maybe not, but I think they're top five in the league.
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Chapter 2: What does Jay Caufield think about the Penguins' recent performance?
And I say that when you look at where your goal differential is, they're plus 30 goal differential, which is top five in the league. They're inside the top four on each category of special teams. I believe maybe they might be three and four or three and three even. I don't know. Yeah, both top five. You're right. Right.
So when you're doing that and your goal differential is what it is, and again, top five. Now, Colorado got off to such a great start. They've slowed down. Tampa is to get off to a slow start. They pick it up. To me, you find yourself. I don't find, and again, what we were saying last week, The way that the lines roll, the way they're able to do it.
I think the Chinnikov deal of all the deals, everything's been done and everybody's stepped up and make Kyle Dubas proud for what he's, how he picked them up. But the Chinnikov one for me truly has balanced, has given you weapons. And when, when Sid comes back and you, everybody being healthy, I mean, it's complete. For me, I kind of really like the makeup of the team.
We talked about all year long, we've been talking about the fourth line, the third line now with Kendall between the two big wingers, and I think Chinnikov with Malkin. I find it hard to believe you would move on from a talent like Chinnikov. I truly do. I wonder why some GMs still have jobs. I look at what Edmonton did, the deals that they've made, and how they've put their team.
It's behind the eight ball. You move on from a player like Chinnikov. I know there can be sourness between coaches and players, but you move Chinnikov and then you fire the coach. One of the best things that's happened to the Penguins for me is Chinnikov because you truly have now put out the Penguins have three lines right off the bat and the fourth line produces.
I'm not slighting them by saying that. I'm just trying to say you have three lines that can make something happen consistently offensively, and your fourth line does it too. I'm not slighting them. I'm just trying to say that right now that deal, Chinnikov has balanced this lineup to the point that I haven't seen it in quite some time. No, I agree with that.
And I think if you look back, Dubas' track record for trades has got so much better after the first year. And I think one that's really not talked about enough is Artur Shilovs from Vancouver at 24. Last year he was coming off, I think he was the MVP of the AHL playoff run for them. And they got him for, I believe it was Chase Stillman and a draft pick, a lower-round draft pick.
And nobody thought... I thought the kid had a lot of potential, and I see him play now. He's part of the future, even if Mureshov is your number one guy. So, Jay, as they head to the trade deadline this week, they got all these nice pieces at goal. What do they do? Just stick with it, or do they make room for Mureshov and try to do something with Skinner?
Yeah, I mean, Bob and Joe, both of you, I'm a believer in sometimes that phrase, the best deal you make is the one you don't make. Internally, they know what they feel they need to pick up on or what they want to get. I just think a big part of winning in any sport, really across the board, is what you have going on inside your locker room, how everybody feels about it, how they play the game.
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Chapter 3: How does the Penguins' goal differential compare to other teams in the league?
I don't really fear anybody they play against. The one team that I do, when you look at teams, guys, it's a player like Kucherov. He doesn't get sidetracked by anybody. The guy just does his thing. Yesterday, the Penguins took every key player for Vegas out of the game. And they can do that to just about anybody. They're so well coached. They understand what they need to do.
I think when you hop over the boards and you understand your system and your role, that goes a long way. Stanley Cup champion Jay Caulfield on the line. Listen to the Pomp and Joe show every Wednesday to hear about Starkey's Card of the Week from the Baseball Card Castle in Cranberry. Contests run every Wednesday through Friday at noon at the 93.7 TheFan.com contesting page. All right, Jay.
Well, if you were going to make a deal, I'll name some players coming up, but forget about that for a minute. What do you think the Penguins could use? There's been talk, obviously, of a depth centerman, or maybe better than that, of a right-shot defenseman. What would be your desire there as far as just the type of player that could help them?
I think, first of all, it depends on the health of St. Ivey. I'm not sure where they're at with him. I mean, You know, that'll be an interesting thing to see because you have Clifton there. I think you're always, if you can pick up another defenseman and have depth, you'll always hear that. they've kind of been building that up. So that's one side.
I think it's going to depend on what we hear about St. Ivany as we move forward. I think in the middle, it's going to be about, you know, what do they really feel on the Sidney Crosby front? Because what can hurt you over time as you get deeper, if you go on and you're in a games and important games and playoffs is going to winning, winning the face offs and the battles that go on with that.
They obviously aren't, that's maybe the one thing they're deficient in right now. When, when Sid went down, So I think anytime you can, you can add that way. That's, that's what I guess I would say after what I just made a comment, I wouldn't want to play around too much, but certainly it's going to, you got to look at the health guys and Joe, what they're going to look at.
But I would, anytime you can be stronger down the middle, I think that's it. But I do think the health, St. Ivey's a big question for me. Like, where is that at?
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Chapter 4: How has Kyle Dubas influenced the Penguins this season?
Like what, you know, what are they expecting? How long? Because everybody was happy with the Shea St. Ivey, all the things that go with that. So, I'd like to hear that before I made any kind of addition because then you're pushing Clifton further out if you think you're bringing somebody in and not giving Clifton that shot.
There's some interesting guys out there, Jay, as I continue to press you after you said you don't want to make any moves. A gently used Ryan O'Reilly, a winner, just an abrasive leader type who's been there, who wins face-offs, who's only had a $4.5 million cap hit through next season. It's unclear whether he would want to move on, but interest there, a guy like that?
Oh, I think he's ā yeah, I mean, I really like Ryan O'Reilly. So, I mean, it's kind of funny, but I just get ā I think what I go to then, Joe, I mean, again, I really like Ryan O'Reilly. So I can see you would have to find room where you're going to fit him into this. As soon as you do that, where is that going to go? Who's moving out? Like, what are you going to do?
Am I going to say that's not going to be a great addition? No, but Tommy Novak in the middle with Chinnikov and Malkin is really good. Really good. I agree. Really good. So, you know, that's the fine. But can you find a place for a great player who's won? But he's getting up there, too. I mean, but I do like Ryan O'Reilly. But, again, my point goes to the fact that you bring Ryan O'Reilly in.
What are you bringing him in to do? So this is if Sid's coming back healthy in a couple weeks. All right? So you look at a couple weeks out and you've got Crosby comes back. You've got Novak in the middle, which we just said. He's really good in the middle between those two wingers. And then you've got Kindle. Kindle's really, they make something happen every shift. So then where do you go?
That's the part for me, Joe. But I do like a Ryan O'Reilly, but you've got to be careful of upsetting the apple cart kind of thing for me. But I would totally understand that. But where does that sit? Good question.
I mean, it's a very good point because, like I said before, I don't think Dan Mews is interested in changing the way he's employing four lines, and that fourth line gets a lot of play. And you're right about Novak. It's another guy we don't talk too much about, but he has been very, very good in that role in between those two.
But for me, Jay, it's all about depth in case of injury as you go into the playoffs, and especially defensive blue line help. Yep, I agree. I agree. I agree with that. That's why I am saying, like, right now, if you look at it, look at your additions, right? You're bringing in now two defensemen from Colorado. But you've got, you know, two different style players, too, by the way, right?
You move Kulak for Girard. That's two different styles, right? But you do have this blend. You have an extra one. Really, Graves is up here, too. There's two extra left-handed defensemen. It's the right side. Clifton's there. As I mentioned, say 90, what's going on with that? That is where you could use, that is, if you looked at it and you're looking at depth, that is the spot.
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Chapter 5: Why is Jay hesitant to make significant trades before the deadline?
I would, I would look at one year and give them the right number that makes sense for everybody that they're happy. That's, that's how I feel. Cause you will, it will, no matter what. And Bob, I thought of you about this the other day, Roy McIlroy, uh, makes a long putt at the end of the day, right? I don't know if you remember this in an event last week. Yeah, I do.
Yeah, so somebody goes, oh, hey, you're one off. He goes, hey, I made another $600,000 on that putt. He did. That was his comment. Right. So how much money, it doesn't matter. They're playing a game. They provide entertainment, and they come out there, and they've been the best at it. That's why I say it's got to be a number still, to me, that makes sense.
When you're playing a game each and every day and what he provides ā And luckily we're able to see them continue to play the way they do. You've got to be very respectful of it. But I don't think a one-year thing, we're giving them one more year, I don't think that's disrespectful. I think a number you've got to be careful with.
Yeah, I also think that we've gotten a little bit of a clue how Evgeny Malkin feels in that he's more than willing to play wing, which tells you that he understands how this is going. And I think he'll be level-headed about it because he knows ā
that he's no longer the guy who's going to be in the middle over there he's going to be someone who can contribute he has a great and i think they really value that relationship with chinikov but it's got to be in the context of your age as well i think he knows that i don't think it'll be a problem quite frankly no i i'm i'm a feeling of a one-year deal i think he has earned earned that up earned another year with this play and what he's done i mean honestly
And it's not about, and we know past performance and we understand, but what he's doing this year right now, he looks, go across the league, right? Hey guys and Joe, I mean, I'd look at this right now. I look at the league. I mean, some of the, I mean, to me, the underachievers in the Eastern Conference especially, right?
And the Penguins have run through the West, but the Eastern Conference with Florida kind of out of the mix, right? And they are. I mean, they're way back with not much to go. The Rangers, such underachievers. It's a mess. After that, I mean, again, look at that goal differential and you watch teams.
And the one thing that, like a Detroit team, they're one of the teams that's up there, but they're a minus in the goal differential. That's almost like a red flag a little bit, right? You've got to watch that. But I think the Penguins and what they're doing, and I look at the league and I look at what Evgeny Malkin's doing and his numbers.
Yeah, he's earned another contract, whether that happens or not. I don't think there should be a problem, Bob, like you mentioned with, hey, here's one year, and here's a good, solid number. I think everybody would be happy. But it's the number. Again, I really believe the number's got to be a right number, so it's not. That's the one I believe could be an insulting thing.
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Chapter 6: What role does team chemistry play in the Penguins' success?
He didn't say that. First of all, you mentioned. I would say that. No. I know how good you are. I would say that for sure. No, I want to ask you just real quick before you go. Like you said, you watch macro. I trust you watched yesterday. And it just goes to show you about golf. Shane Lowry has a three-shot lead with a couple of holes left.
And he ends up completely losing his mind and almost shanking two shots into the water on back-to-back holes. That tells you everything you want to know about golf. Hey, Bob and Joe, I'm watching that. I don't know if you played PGA National, Bob or whatever, or Joe.
Okay, so when you get to that, those holes, 15, 16, and 17, and the wind, I had said when I saw Larry had that first one go in the water, my comment to Alicia, I was sitting there, we're watching, I go... If that's an amateur, your mind, now you've lost your mind, right? Even his layup, after he had a drop, they don't know what's ahead of him, and he was.
I thought, as an amateur, you'd be in real trouble. He was in trouble as one of the best players in the world, and it got him. It got him. I agree, Bob. I felt bad for him. It's hard to watch, but we all, as amateurs, not Bob, though, as much, Joe. I'm telling you, Bob is very smooth. Very smooth. He is. I said it, man.
yeah he is no he's i have to grind joe i have to grind around the course so bob is very smooth and it's always a pleasure to play with him too yeah i look forward to it great time yeah same here thank you jay all right jay all right guys take care take care can i play something for you real quick about golf just i sent you this joe and i think it's worth listening to what do you mean we can play it through your phone
Yeah, well, I'm going to do it because I have no other way of doing that. Is he allowed to do that, limits, or is he going to get arrested? Hey, Bob, what are you doing? What are you doing, Bob? Just listen. It's funny. You can't do that. Why not? Listen. If you write this down, it'd really help. This is golf. What I try to do, I try to flat load my feet so I can snap load my power package.
That way I can amplify both lag and drag pressure through impact fix. As long as my number two power accumulator doesn't break down, I can reach maximum centripetal force with minimum pivotal resistance.
You see, the pivot is the utilization of multiple centers to produce a circular motion for generating centrifugal force on an adjusted plane, plus the maintenance and balancing necessary for a two-line delivery path. See, golf is geometrically oriented linear force. It involves a physical muscular thrust and a geometry of the circle.
You can divide the golf swing into 24 basic components each having between 12 and 15 variations. This is why you're struggling, Joe. Now, when you think of all this... That's what almost ruined me. Bob, that's what almost ruined me in golf. In fact, I think it actually did. If you saw Shane Lowry's face just as Jay said that first one, he lost his mind.
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