Would love Simmons.

Just did a quick scan of rosters....gritty forward types or could be had perhaps wo costing too much. Not much out there..

Oilers - Ryan Jones
Kings - King, Nolan
Yotes - Chipchura
Blues - Reaves
Isles - Martin

Would love Martin from the Isles or either of the Kings guys.
- 87_71_11_29

I would love a guy like that. He's the type of player you hate when he's on another team but love him when he plays for you.

Is letang garbage, no... Is he going to be overpaid, yes... Shero needs to suck it up and admit he made a bad deal in signing him and try to trade him at the draft. And then afterwards resign Nisk.
- drummer829

Let him play. He just had a stroke. I don't think he'll trade him right away just like that. They'll give him a chance to prove himself. Too soon to say the deal was bad.

You guys are good at kicking someone when he's down

Would love Simmons.

Just did a quick scan of rosters....gritty forward types or could be had perhaps wo costing too much. Not much out there..

Oilers - Ryan Jones
Kings - King, Nolan
Yotes - Chipchura
Blues - Reaves
Isles - Martin

Would love Martin from the Isles or either of the Kings guys.
- 87_71_11_29

Let him play. He just had a stroke. I don't think he'll trade him right away just like that. They'll give him a chance to prove himself. Too soon to say the deal was bad.

You guys are good at kicking someone when he's down
- Orpik44

i had the same issues with him the last 2 postseasons though

The Pens Nation hosted a roundtable today that included Brian Metzer, Andy Hughes, Annie Shean, and myself.

This will have to serve as the blog today. Enjoy.

http://network.yardbarker...yb_original_head_16344431

I would love a guy like that. He's the type of player you hate when he's on another team but love him when he plays for you.
- acdc1206

When he was first traded to the Flyers, I'm pretty certain he was an RFA. They were pretty close to the cap and I made the suggestion that they offer sheet him. They would have been screwed with the cap even with an offer 1/2-1 million higher than the 1.75M he signed for, and it would have been a cheap return in compensation.

Not only would it have screwed the Flyers, but it would have been a low-cost/high-reward offer. But that's not really Shero's style.

the one thing i will say about neal, is it is ridiculously hard to replace the production you get out of him for the money he costs. the fact he is cost controlled at a very reasonable rate for 4 more years, makes him a pretty valuable asset.
- stayinthefnnet

I disagree. Playing with 87 or 71 will elevate your game. Neal is not a 40g scorer w/o 71. Likewise Dupes is not a 20 or 30 g scorer w/o Sid and Kunitz was almost in the unemployment line. Solid F can be found and will elevate their game with the right compliments. If Kesler is brought in on the 3rd line, if he has Adams and Pyatt flanking him, he becomes Sutter 2.0

Columbus has 6 forwards over 200lbs, Umberger, Johansen, Horton, Frattin, Boll and Comeau.

Pittsburgh has three, Neal, Pyatt and Vitale.

There is part of your problem.

i had the same issues with him the last 2 postseasons though
- stayinthefnnet

Exactly, and most of this season before the stroke. I've been on the fence with trading letang, but after seeing nisk play, the emergence of Maatta and the other prospects, there's no need for him. Nisk has proven he can take over the PP and Maatta or even Pouliot can so that soon too

I disagree. Playing with 87 or 71 will elevate your game. Neal is not a 40g scorer w/o 71. Likewise Dupes is not a 20 or 30 g scorer w/o Sid and Kunitz was almost in the unemployment line. Solid F can be found and will elevate their game with the right compliments. If Kesler is brought in on the 3rd line, if he has Adams and Pyatt flanking him, he becomes Sutter 2.0
- sammy87

Sorry, but Kunitz was never even close to the unemployment line. He was loved in Anaheim and was very productive out there. There's a reason he was the centerpiece of the deal for them to bring in Whitney after Pronger or Neidermeyer (don't remember which one) got hurt that year. Or was that when Pronger got traded to Edm? I don't remember exactly. But needless to say, they wanted a top-end puck moving defenseman to fill a hole out there and at the time, Whitney was it. We wanted a top-line winger, and Kunitz had less pedigree than Getzlaf/Perry/Ryan (whom they weren't willing to part with any of them at the time). So we took the #4 guy on their list and a prospect that was fairly highly regarded at the time.

Columbus has 6 forwards over 200lbs, Umberger, Johansen, Horton, Frattin, Boll and Comeau.

Pittsburgh has three, Neal, Pyatt and Vitale.

There is part of your problem.
- powerhouse

Geno is over 200 lbs.

i understand you cant have a team full of paper bags, but im not a huge fan of grit without any sort of skill in the player either.
- stayinthefnnet

Exactly. Which is why I think we're going to have to sacrifice Neal, Sutter, and/or Despres to acquire anything of value.

Would love Simmons.

Just did a quick scan of rosters....gritty forward types or could be had perhaps wo costing too much. Not much out there..

Oilers - Ryan Jones
Kings - King, Nolan
Yotes - Chipchura
Blues - Reaves
Isles - Martin

Would love Martin from the Isles or either of the Kings guys.
- 87_71_11_29

Only if you give up Cobsy or Malin for him.

The Pens Nation hosted a roundtable today that included Brian Metzer, Andy Hughes, Annie Shean, and myself.

This will have to serve as the blog today. Enjoy.

http://network.yardbarker...yb_original_head_16344431
- Ryan_Wilson

Good read, and I know where you stand with Fleury, and this part does stand out:

Per Adam Gretz (@AGretz) “In 12 postseasons between Juniors, AHL and NHL, MAF has finished with a SV% over .900 3 times. Over .910 just once” Good grief.

But in fairness, I'm not sure Zatkoff is a better option. His career playoff SV%
2004-05 USHL .706
2008-09 ECHL .872
2010-11 AHL .891
2011-12 AHL .865
2012-13 AHL .838

Each of those years, his regular season SV% was at least .911 with those teams, so he's had considerable drop offs in the post season.

Columbus has 6 forwards over 200lbs, Umberger, Johansen, Horton, Frattin, Boll and Comeau.

Pittsburgh has three, Neal, Pyatt and Vitale.

There is part of your problem.
- powerhouse

Isn't Horton out with an injury? I don't think it's fair to factor him in, if we're talking this series alone.

Sorry, but Kunitz was never even close to the unemployment line. He was loved in Anaheim and was very productive out there. There's a reason he was the centerpiece of the deal for them to bring in Whitney after Pronger or Neidermeyer (don't remember which one) got hurt that year. Or was that when Pronger got traded to Edm? I don't remember exactly. But needless to say, they wanted a top-end puck moving defenseman to fill a hole out there and at the time, Whitney was it. We wanted a top-line winger, and Kunitz had less pedigree than Getzlaf/Perry/Ryan (whom they weren't willing to part with any of them at the time). So we took the #4 guy on their list and a prospect that was fairly highly regarded at the time.
- ScienceJesus

Wasn't he put on waivers several times in his career? And lets be honest, most Pens fans never heard of him before he came here. Im a big hockey fan but other than his name, I knew nothing of him.

I love Kunitz, I hope he retires a Pen, but w/o 87 he might and dupes might not be in the league anymore. Their careers were resurrected. 87 and 71 can make a 20g scorer a 30-40g scorer. What they cant do is make Adams a 10g scorer.

I disagree. Playing with 87 or 71 will elevate your game. Neal is not a 40g scorer w/o 71. Likewise Dupes is not a 20 or 30 g scorer w/o Sid and Kunitz was almost in the unemployment line. Solid F can be found and will elevate their game with the right compliments. If Kesler is brought in on the 3rd line, if he has Adams and Pyatt flanking him, he becomes Sutter 2.0
- sammy87

Kunitz had 25 and 21 goals in his last 2 full seasons in Anaheim before being traded. Not exactly "unemployment line" material.

Neal had 27 and 21 goals in his last 2 full seasons in Dallas before being traded. He was 21 when he was traded, so his production would likely have continued to increase, although maybe not AS MUCH.

Dupuis can be argued, but he produced at a good clip when Crosby was injured.

- I would not trade Letang. Sure he's had issues both on and off ice for the past few season but in today's NHL d-men aren't even hitting their prime until their late 20's/early 30's. His potential upside is limitless and we've already seen flashes of it. Also, he's been paired with Scuderi who we all can agree has been having a terrible season.

- Fingers can be pointed at a lot of people for the collapses and failures of the past few seasons. How much goes to Shero though? Don't get me wrong, I'm not calling for his head. He stacked the deck for nearly nothing last season but was it necessary? How much of a leash has he given Bylsma with his construction of the team. Drafting guys like Depres, Harrington, and Samuelsson along with acquiring Dumoulin were all good moves but yet this roster shows no push towards youth other than Maatta. IMHO some of the best hockey this team played was back in December when these guys were up because of neccessity.
- Incredible Malk

You can't have 37% of your cap locked in with only three people. When you have that happen, other areas of your roster suffer. We saw what those were pre acquiring Stempy and Goc. Letang is overpaid, fragile and is a horrid play-off player. People want to get rid of Fleury for being that. Why are people like yourself giving Letang a pass? Because he had a stroke? He sucked two years ago in the playoffs; sucked badly last year and has pick up where he left off against the Isles and Senators. His contract is the one that will hinder this franchise from moving forward than anyone else. Why? Because he isn't that good and he is fragile.

If we sent James Neal (as the centerpiece) to LA, could we land Mike Richards or Dustin Brown?
- Orpik44

I think the return for Neal could be much like when Neal was the return for Gogo. A younger player w/ untapped potential that could explode playing w/ either of 87 or 71. Production wise Neal is a bargain. Could he land a Richards or a Brown? I don't know. A lot of teams aren't keen to giving up a top 6 center for a wing. Although I'm sure you could easily throw Sutter in the package.

Only if you give up Cobsy or Malin for him.
- jmatchett383

Who's Malin? Do you mean Malone?

I think the return for Neal could be much like when Neal was the return for Gogo. A younger player w/ untapped potential that could explode playing w/ either of 87 or 71. Production wise Neal is a bargain. Could he land a Richards or a Brown? I don't know. A lot of teams aren't keen to giving up a top 6 center for a wing. Although I'm sure you could easily throw Sutter in the package.
- Incredible Malk

Would you WANT Mike Richards at this point? $5.75M for a guy who's been demoted to the 4th line? Also, don't think LA's giving up their captain 2 years removed from a Cup run.

Who's Malin? Do you mean Malone?
- drummer829

No, the center. If you want Simmons, you need to give up Cosby or Malin.

I think the return for Neal could be much like when Neal was the return for Gogo. A younger player w/ untapped potential that could explode playing w/ either of 87 or 71. Production wise Neal is a bargain. Could he land a Richards or a Brown? I don't know. A lot of teams aren't keen to giving up a top 6 center for a wing. Although I'm sure you could easily throw Sutter in the package.
- Incredible Malk

Neal is at a good cap hit though. Besides his shenanigans, he's been a good contributor for the team

No, the center. If you want Simmons, you need to give up Cosby or Malin.
- jmatchett383

There's no Malin. Do you mean Martin?

Wasn't he put on waivers several times in his career? And lets be honest, most Pens fans never heard of him before he came here. Im a big hockey fan but other than his name, I knew nothing of him.

I love Kunitz, I hope he retires a Pen, but w/o 87 he might and dupes might not be in the league anymore. Their careers were resurrected. 87 and 71 can make a 20g scorer a 30-40g scorer. What they cant do is make Adams a 10g scorer.
- sammy87

He was an undrafted free agent that got waived once by Atlanta or something when he was 20/21 but so was Dustin Penner in the same Anaheim system. They had a lot of young players at the time that they couldn't keep. Part of the move to ship out Kunitz was that he didn't have the pedigree as Bobby Ryan (who replaced his spot in the line-up) and they needed to fill the PMD hole and wanted Whitney. They already had Getz/Perry/Penner and Kunitz and wanted to make room for Ryan so Kunitz became expendable. Hell, he wore Rob Neidermeyer's "A" his last season or 2 with the team. He was nowhere near the unemployement line. Maybe needed a slight change in scenery or was taking the spot of a guy that they though higher of in Ryan, but he was going to get dealt if he ever moved, not cut.

And just because we didn't hear his name often as a 20-something solid 2nd liner on a team that we virtually never played and also had probably 5 significantly brighter stars (Neidermeyer, Pronger, Getz, Perry, Penner just off the top of my head) didn't exactly make him a nobody.