Since everyone in here is arguing the playing abilities of Nick Spaling, i figured i'd change up the subject. Is anyone else as excited as i am to watch the soap opera that will be Ovechkin playing in a Barry Trotz defensive system???
- cap1681

no, i am more excited about:
AO versus Trotz and Orpik and how quickly the locker room is a mess

i was surprised they did not tender gibbons. i also dont know if stemps was just not happy in the role in pittsburgh. my concern is the $ they may offer sutter and spaling. what does that take away from someone else they may want to acquire. the caps spent the $ on orpik instead of gravboski so anything is possible.

why did sutter sign his tender? wasnt it 2.7M? i would have thought he would have asked for more like 3.5-4M/yr. do the pens like him that much? is a long term deal in the works?
- i'mjustafan

Did we even hear if he was offered a deal? He said he'd love to return when the season was over. Doesn't mean he was being truthful necessarily, but if he was never offered a deal, then that's the end of that.

We don't know what was available
- dbell646

No but with no draft picks being swapped...we could have played hardball and tried to get a better second asset. I'm not unhappy with the trade. I think Spaling will be a nice depth player, albeit over-paid. Just think we could have squeezed out a little more.

I hope we can sign Spaling to a 1 or 2 year deal to be honest. Give him a "show me" contract and hopefully by then the AHL pipeline will be infusing uasable (and cheaper) bottom 6 assets. Or sign him longer if he turns into a Max Talbot/Pascal Dupuis above average 3rd liner.

Don't necessarily disagree with Gunner's Spal article but I was against bringing back Stemps, Gibbons, and the rest of FA's other than Goc. And that includes JJ. Team needed a ctrl+alt+del.

Neither Stemps or Gibbons were anything special IMO. Move on and see if you can get something better.

Management obviously feels Spal is a better option.

If nothing else, he is a bigger body than Stemps and, of course, Gibby. Mgmt wanted to get the team bigger. This fits into that mold.

I think Spal will be no worse of a player than Stemps, but with a bigger body. Reading differing opinions on how physical he is.

Time will tell...

No but with no draft picks being swapped...we could have played hardball and tried to get a better second asset. I'm not unhappy with the trade. I think Spaling will be a nice depth player, albeit over-paid. Just think we could have squeezed out a little more.

I hope we can sign Spaling to a 1 or 2 year deal to be honest. Give him a "show me" contract and hopefully by then the AHL pipeline will be infusing uasable (and cheaper) bottom 6 assets. Or sign him longer if he turns into a Max Talbot/Pascal Dupuis above average 3rd liner.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

So... what Lee Stemp was X_X

No but with no draft picks being swapped...we could have played hardball and tried to get a better second asset. I'm not unhappy with the trade. I think Spaling will be a nice depth player, albeit over-paid. Just think we could have squeezed out a little more.

I hope we can sign Spaling to a 1 or 2 year deal to be honest. Give him a "show me" contract and hopefully by then the AHL pipeline will be infusing uasable (and cheaper) bottom 6 assets. Or sign him longer if he turns into a Max Talbot/Pascal Dupuis above average 3rd liner.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I think Rutherford got the deal he wanted. I don't think 2 mil for a 3rd line player who can play 3 positions is over paid. Kids young and just had the best season of his career maybe he's on the upswing. He may suck who knows but we are all disappointed by him before he even put on a pens sweater.

There's a very very good chance Hornqvist out-performs Neal. You got fair value. There wasn't a hope in hell you'd get Forsberg too.
- BINGO!

I mean, I understand that viewpoint. But with the types of proposed packages we throw around for Kane, it's not really an absurd return for Neal. Yes, Neal is not as good as Kane, but 40 goals...good value long term contract...etc...etc... its not out of the realm of possibility to think we could have gotten Hornqvist and Forsberg, IMO.

I think Rutherford got the deal he wanted. I don't think 2 mil for a 3rd line player who can play 3 positions is over paid. Kids young and just had the best season of his career maybe he's on the upswing. He may suck who knows but we are all disappointed by him before he even put on a pens sweater.
- dbell646

I dont disagree with that second point. I am optimistic about him.

I do think Spaling > Stempniak. Stemper was really just mediocre during his time here. He's older. He is a tweener. Spaling still has some upside.

I think Rutherford got the deal he wanted. I don't think 2 mil for a 3rd line player who can play 3 positions is over paid. Kids young and just had the best season of his career maybe he's on the upswing. He may suck who knows but we are all disappointed by him before he even put on a pens sweater.
- dbell646

Right after the trade, I read a columnist from Nash who seemed to be more upset about the loss of Spaling than he was about Hornqvist...FWIW.

I mean, I understand that viewpoint. But with the types of proposed packages we throw around for Kane, it's not really an absurd return for Neal. Yes, Neal is not as good as Kane, but 40 goals...good value long term contract...etc...etc... its not out of the realm of possibility to think we could have gotten Hornqvist and Forsberg, IMO.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I think one-dimensional scoring wingers have less value then most people realize. The boom-or-bust potential is extremely high.

Question since this became Stemp vs Spaling...

What would Stemp vs Comeau debate be? 900k vs 700k for price ranges, so pretty much the same when that cheap.

I dont disagree with that second point. I am optimistic about him.

I do think Spaling > Stempniak. Stemper was really just mediocre during his time here. He's older. He is a tweener. Spaling still has some upside.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Stemp was serviceable nothing more nothing less. Gibby was a classic underdog story and people fell in love with him. I'm just waiting to see how it shakes out.

Right after the trade, I read a columnist from Nash who seemed to be more upset about the loss of Spaling than he was about Hornqvist...FWIW.
- madmike71

I read that as well. I'm not expecting spalling to come in and be an all star but I bet he's worth his contract by the end of the season

For those of you not familiar with Spaling he is the exact type of player needed on the Pens. In an offensive system he will be that Dino Ciccarelli type of player in front of the net. Not in numbers, just style. I wouldn't be surprised to see him on either power play unit at the start of the season. Way too little credit is given to this guy.

no, i am more excited about:
AO versus Trotz and Orpik and how quickly the locker room is a mess
- i'mjustafan

Apparently Orpik and OV became fast friends in Sochi. Not surprising. Trotz is gonna be a really good person for that team, likely the only way they reach their potential.

For those of you not familiar with Spaling he is the exact type of player needed on the Pens. In an offensive system he will be that Dino Ciccarelli type of player in front of the net. Not in numbers, just style. I wouldn't be surprised to see him on either power play unit at the start of the season. Way too little credit is given to this guy.
- Topshelf Mountain

I think this is the first time I've heard of Spaling as a net-front presence. If he is a good net front-guy, I wouldn't bat an eyelash at paying him $1.7M. We need those types of guys on this team.

Question since this became Stemp vs Spaling...

What would Stemp vs Comeau debate be? 900k vs 700k for price ranges, so pretty much the same when that cheap.
- Guile

I'd take Comeau. He fits team needs better, IMO.

Uh...I'm pretty sure Rutherford new Spaling was RFA...

Here's our two new James Neal trade guys a few years back...


- icedog97

Uhhhh u sure beavis? Cause I would take stempy at less than a mill than pay this guy 2m if I'm filling out a roster

I read that as well. I'm not expecting spalling to come in and be an all star but I bet he's worth his contract by the end of the season
- dbell646

I know I'm in the minority around here, but I wasn't necessarily enamored with the trade. Reading that column gave me some hope. I'm like you however, I'm going to have to wait and see because I've watched virtually zero Nash games....'cept when they've played the Pens.

Dumb question here: Spaling is listed as a 6.0 on Hockeys Future. Not that I take HF for gospel, but I wonder why such a low rating for a 2nd round draft pick?

I know I'm in the minority around here, but I wasn't necessarily enamored with the trade. Reading that column gave me some hope. I'm like you however, I'm going to have to wait and see because I've watched virtually zero Nash games....'cept when they've played the Pens.
- madmike71

I'm in Knoxville, when the Pens don't play the Preds usually do and we get the local feed. I'm more excited about Spaling than Hornqvist simply for his potential to excel on this team, assuming Hornqvist's production and play is a given.

I know I'm in the minority around here, but I wasn't necessarily enamored with the trade. Reading that column gave me some hope. I'm like you however, I'm going to have to wait and see because I've watched virtually zero Nash games....'cept when they've played the Pens.
- madmike71

I couldn't believe Forseberg or a 1st wasn't included personally. However change is/was needed and I'm not going to be too upset with the moves to make that happen. I agreed with Ryan with no exchange of draft picks he could've have taken his time on a Neal trade however the scouts seemed to have wanted Hornqvist for quite some time. I have heard Spallings name come up as a potential top 6 guy this year. That has yet to be seen but the organization likes this guy

I'm in Knoxville, when the Pens don't play the Preds usually do and we get the local feed. I'm more excited about Spaling than Hornqvist simply for his potential to excel on this team, assuming Hornqvist's production and play is a given.
- Topshelf Mountain

I appreciate the feed back good to hear.

Why wouldn;t he see any powerplay time on the second unit? I'd like to see what happens prior to making a judgement call on him... too early to serve up JR a frownie brownie on his calls. You had once wrote that you would have rather had a second round pick than spaling which I thought was odd. A young man who may not ever make it to the nhl and who on average if they did would most likely be a third line type player. instead we got that type player. new team / new system / new division, etc.
- ChrisMS

In hindsight that pick could be shea Webber , datsyuk or Jamie Benn. Thats hindsight. Don't get me wrong I don't mind Spaling as a player. He is a try hard. But him getting arbitration could cost us another player on a team that lacks depth as it is

I agree with you there. On all accounts. A pick probably would not have been crazy though. Maybe a forward prospect like Scissons instead.
- HopintheCordoba

I think GMJR got good value for Neal... I guy whom I feel ownership wanted gone. I agree with those that wonder why he was moved at the draft if no pick came back and not after the draft. would he get better offers now that the FA market is almost dry? maybe. But again I think ownership said to JR "get him out ASAP.