So you try to defend Adams by listing all the ways he is a replaceable plug. Then you back it up with personal opinion and conjecture as to why he's still played that couldn't be verified unless you were a part of that locker room. Combine that with numerous reports from people who constantly cover the team for a living (not that their perfect or infallible) and I have to wonder how the (frank) you think that'd be a good defense of Adams.
- ImScore71

Yeah, he could have saved a lot of typing by just saying "I like Craig Adams".

What if they include spalings contract?
- nateca44

Hmm...interesting.

I've liked how Spal has played recently. I like having him for FW depth over the WBS guys. I'd vote for keeping him for this playoff run and explore moving him in the off-season.

Would another team be willing to take Martin + Spal and return us a good FW under contract for 2 or so years and who makes under $5 mill? I don't know who that guy would be.

I think it's funny sometimes when people call a guy making $700K in the NHL a waste of a sweater.

Adams job...for most of his career (especially in Pittsburgh) is to do the things that guys who make more money don't want to do or aren't supposed to do because it will take away from being able to do the highly skilled things when needed.

Adams has done the job asked of him countless times.

Is he a good possession player - off course not! On what planet would any coach ever expect Adams to be a good possession player?

Is he a scorer? Of course not...ditto my comments from above.

I understand the argument that he is very replaceable and it almost always centers around someone who has better possession and scoring numbers. It's tough to argue against that really.

For whatever reason...Adams has remained. It's probably simply because he works hard to stay a 4th liner and coaches know that has a good influence on other 3rd and 4th line players. In any case...it's probably his last go around here.

I have no problem with him getting into the face of Malkin. Geno needs it sometimes.

Obviously...if he takes runs at guys at practice...that's not good...but from what I have read...nothing so terrible happened in either incident...so i say it's very likely a non issue within the team.
- icedog97

Well said.

Adams just keeps sticking around. It drives people crazy, but he's still here. And he likely will continue to be here. And I laugh at this idea that the 4 of 5 games he missed is some kind of sample size worthy of saying the team won't miss him on the PK. Laughable. How about the other 35 games, where the PK has been the most consistent part of the entire team? With Adams and Scuderi leading the way.

The last thing I'd want is for the team to set the precedent that if you practice too "hard," you might get waived.

And one more point - where is the Johnston hate regarding this? Lots of folks last year cited Bylsma playing Adams as a reason to fire him. Where are the pictchforks for Johnston?

And why can't Johnston control a practice? And why is he setting up physical confrontations via in-season battle drills and the like?

Hmm...interesting.

I've liked how Spal has played recently. I like having him for FW depth over the WBS guys. I'd vote for keeping him for this playoff run and explore moving him in the off-season.

Would another team be willing to take Martin + Spal and return us a good FW under contract for 2 or so years and who makes under $5 mill? I don't know who that guy would be.
- 87_71_11_29

Honestly, I think $5M/y for another F would be a bit much. I'd look to max out any new addition to the Penguins F group going forward at $3.5M/yr. Matta & Despres are going to need be re-signed & will be due substantial raises in 17/18.

Hmm...interesting.

I've liked how Spal has played recently. I like having him for FW depth over the WBS guys. I'd vote for keeping him for this playoff run and explore moving him in the off-season.

Would another team be willing to take Martin + Spal and return us a good FW under contract for 2 or so years and who makes under $5 mill? I don't know who that guy would be.
- 87_71_11_29

Spaling clearly isnt worth the 2.2 per. The contract is very much akin to TK's last one here, but Spaling is far less frustrating to watch than TK.
Given the Pens could use a little cap space and Adams is a douche, I wonder if Colorado would be interested in unloading Talbot for Spaling + Adams. Talbot can do everything Adams does better and he is 7 years younger(and the combo saves us some cap space). Adams becomes a dump off to a team out of contention and they get younger going from Talbot to Spaling for similar money 1.75 vs 2.2. Take the cap space and go get another winger using Martin, prospects, picks, whatever.

And one more point - where is the Johnston hate regarding this? Lots of folks last year cited Bylsma playing Adams as a reason to fire him. Where are the pictchforks for Johnston?

And why can't Johnston control a practice? And why is he setting up physical confrontations via in-season battle drills and the like?
- hardnosed

Its 3 months in...If Johnston keeps Adams on the 4th line into his 40's the pitchforks will come out.

As far as controlling a practice, seems more like an issue with one player. Im pretty sure he doesnt keep Adams on one of those child leashes....literally.

And one more point - where is the Johnston hate regarding this? Lots of folks last year cited Bylsma playing Adams as a reason to fire him. Where are the pictchforks for Johnston?

And why can't Johnston control a practice? And why is he setting up physical confrontations via in-season battle drills and the like?
- hardnosed

I have become less impressed with Johnston as the season has progressed...

Disco had success too with an injured lineup, so no excuses

The team has a tendency to come up flat, Crosby has been slumping and the PP has been a wreck for weeks

The bloom is off this rose for the time being...

Ryan, we don't need charts to understand how useless Adams is

Can you do an article on what all of your advanced metric charts mean? Im too lazy to try to figure them out or research them.

signed,
noob (not really)

Spaling clearly isnt worth the 2.2 per. The contract is very much akin to TK's last one here, but Spaling is far less frustrating to watch than TK.
Given the Pens could use a little cap space and Adams is a douche, I wonder if Colorado would be interested in unloading Talbot for Spaling + Adams. Talbot can do everything Adams does better and he is 7 years younger(and the combo saves us some cap space). Adams becomes a dump off to a team out of contention and they get younger going from Talbot to Spaling for similar money 1.75 vs 2.2. Take the cap space and go get another winger using Martin, prospects, picks, whatever.
- Rawdog9755

Would LOVE this, but in no world does Colorado do this. Talbot >>> Spaling and he's cheaper. Plus, Spaling becomes a free agent after next season and will probably be looking for an even further raise. Don't see what GM would make a pretty much straight up Spals for Maxime deal.

So you try to defend Adams by listing all the ways he is a replaceable plug. Then you back it up with personal opinion and conjecture as to why he's still played that couldn't be verified unless you were a part of that locker room. Combine that with numerous reports from people who constantly cover the team for a living (not that their perfect or infallible) and I have to wonder how the (frank) you think that'd be a good defense of Adams.
- ImScore71

You need a percocet.

I'm saying the whole Adams thing is no big deal...and at 700K a year...he's not such a terrible hockey player.

Can you do an article on what all of your advanced metric charts mean? Im too lazy to try to figure them out or research them.

signed,
noob (not really)
- schoobs2731

Up is good down is bad, no one has any clue.



WWJJD

F Adams (Edit) and Sutter

Translation...its good to have bad players because good players dont do bad things..



- YouMeAndDupuis9

I'm not sure that's what I was a saying...

At 700K a year, Adams is not a terrible investment or hockey player.

I'm sure next year the $700K will be spent in a wiser fashion

Would LOVE this, but in no world does Colorado do this. Talbot >>> Spaling and he's cheaper. Plus, Spaling becomes a free agent after next season and will probably be looking for an even further raise. Don't see what GM would make a pretty much straight up Spals for Maxime deal.
- Victoro311

Id do a conditional pick there too depending. Isnt Talbot a pending UFA or does he have another year left?....no capgeek makes this a lot more difficult...to that end there is something shady about the story with the site being shut down. If you have health problems serious enough to shudder the site, why wouldnt you accept monetary offers to purchase it? seems fishy.

COGS!!! If we could find a way to nab Cogs and make the cap numbers work without sending over Pauly Walnuts, our team would be officially complete. Exact type of player we need on the third with Flats and Steve that would allow The Kun and Sweet Bea to join forces with Malkin. No way Anahiem trades him though...



Beau Watch: 4 GP
- Victoro311

Leave Comeau on the 4th? Comeau has played too well to be down there. My guess is Downie would be down on the 4th with Spaling and Goc. Regardless, like you said it isn't happening.

I'm not sure that's what I was a saying...

At 700K a year, Adams is not a terrible investment or hockey player.

I'm sure next year the $700K will be spent in a wiser fashion
- icedog97

Salary doesn't change how good or bad a hockey player is it just makes their value better or worse. Nothing changes the fact that Adams is a bad hockey player. No matter what he is being paid.

You need a percocet.

I'm saying the whole Adams thing is no big deal...and at 700K a year...he's not such a terrible hockey player.
- icedog97

But he is, he sucks.

I laugh at the idea that Craig Adams is the reason for a good PK. Over the last few years it's been good AND bad. Last years playoffs, the PK was terrible and Adams was right there playing the role of PK specialist....except in that sample he wasn't so special.

Adams has made some nice plays on the PK this year, but he's entirely replaceable. I give more credit to our D. Hoff, Martin and Letang.....and yes even Scuds have all been good. MAF too. He's had some fantastic games while shorthanded.

When Rutherford made the Edmonton trade and they were discussing which forward to include just to get a guy off the Pens roster and give Edmonton a replacement player, how hard do you think Rutherford was trying to push Adams off on them? You think he tried including another draft pick, 6th or 7th, to try and get them to take Adams instead of Klinkhammer? I would have.

Leave Comeau on the 4th? Comeau has played too well to be down there. My guess is Downie would be down on the 4th with Spaling and Goc. Regardless, like you said it isn't happening.
- PensFan1103

If I am remembering correctly, this was a while back, the Spaling-Goc-Comeau line played really really well together. It'd be nice to actually be able to roll out 4 lines for the first time in years. Plus, Comeau produced well with Geno. There is absolutely no guarantee that he can produce with Sutter. Downie has already shown he can produce with Sutter. To be fair, Beau's been on that line too and that probably factored heavily into it, but Downie is a surer thing as of now. Plus, with the heart and soul Steve brings to this team, I'd hate to limit his ice time to fourth line minutes.

All that being said, if Comeau can produce better than Downie, go for it. I'm not into playing favorites like other people.

When Rutherford made the Edmonton trade and they were discussing which forward to include just to get a guy off the Pens roster and give Edmonton a replacement player, how hard do you think Rutherford was trying to push Adams off on them? You think he tried including another draft pick, 6th or 7th, to try and get them to take Adams instead of Klinkhammer? I would have.
- PensFan1103

Good point....The Neal trade as well. Couldve unloaded him there if Nashville was desperate enough to land Neal.

I laugh at the idea that Craig Adams is the reason for a good PK.
- madmike71

Not the reason. One of the reasons.

And there's no reason to compare past PK's and this year's PK.

This year's PK is passive and positional. Adams is the perfect fit for that kind of system.

Id do a conditional pick there too depending. Isnt Talbot a pending UFA or does he have another year left?....no capgeek makes this a lot more difficult...to that end there is something shady about the story with the site being shut down. If you have health problems serious enough to shudder the site, why wouldnt you accept monetary offers to purchase it? seems fishy.
- Rawdog9755

The conditional draft pick could make the deal in Colorado's eyes, because yeah, I don't think Maxime is on contract for that much longer. Its up within the next two years for sure. I would still do that trade with the pick. Would give us better cap flexibility for next year and give us a guy who can do Spal's job better than Spals. Talbot should have never left. Tyler Kennedy is Satan. Shero is a clown. Beau Bennett is Jesus. There. I think I covered everything.

Salary doesn't change how good or bad a hockey player is it just makes their value better or worse. Nothing changes the fact that Adams is a bad hockey player. No matter what he is being paid.
- PensFan1103

There have been worse who have been paid more.

Adams was a 3rd liner (earlier in his career) and now is a 4th line player. He has some versatility and it comes at a cheap price.

He's not expected to do more than that and so with that in mind I have trouble calling him a bad player or a waste of a sweater.