Drafting Jessiman, dumping Leetch after decades of service.

Just saying every GM has some head scratchers.
- stowerkraut

Thank God for the Bobby Sanguinetti pick.

Thank God for the Bobby Sanguinetti pick.
- jmatchett383

Lundqvist was a nice 7th rounder though

Lundqvist was a nice 7th rounder though
- RAGSareDANGERus

Absolutely. Like you guys were saying earlier, your first round picks are a bit...off, but you kill it in the later rounds.

Just a heads-up: Penguins fans, be scared.

The Flyers are playing the Islanders right now. Well, the Flyers are in Long Island, and there's a hockey game. I can't really say the Flyers are "playing hockey" though.

The only conclusion is that they're resting up for Pittsburgh. And, um....screw it, you guys will kill us.
- jmatchett383

Remember last time Pens and Flyers played? It was early in the season, pens were rolling and flyers had like 3 wins and played the day before. You also came here and said we would destroy you guys but we all know what happened.

Remember last time Pens and Flyers played? It was early in the season, pens were rolling and flyers had like 3 wins and played the day before. You also came here and said we would destroy you guys but we all know what happened.
- Conse

Abberation.

I don't understand the fixation still with the forwards as the issue with the Penguins. Do we not all agree that at the return of Hornqvist and Comeau to the lineup will provide adequate slotting and depth? Proper roles, &c.?

Isn't the problem that the Penguins can't check a hat? I'm reading this forum as though the Penguins' problems are that they didn't just offset the 4 goals they allowed to Okposo by scoring 5.

Letang -3 against the Rangers. Letang -1 against the Islanders. Sid had 3 points against the Isles and was -2. The reason this is important as a snap-shot of this weekends' losses is that no player on either the Islanders nor Rangers roster was a minus.

Even if the Penguins trade for JvR and Boedker and continue to have a squashy, superficial Ottawa-type approach to defending it's going to be another short playoff run.

Thank God for the Bobby Sanguinetti pick.
- jmatchett383

You know, I actually thought he was pretty okay.

You know, I actually thought he was pretty okay.
- BINGO!

The guy taken after him has been a little bit better.

So, to everyone saying Dupuis was done and we had no use for him during the pre-season. What would you give to have him back right now?

So, to everyone saying Dupuis was done and we had no use for him during the pre-season. What would you give to have him back right now?

- Conse

I would still prefer the cap space.

So, to everyone saying Dupuis was done and we had no use for him during the pre-season. What would you give to have him back right now?

- Conse

Not Perron.

The guy taken after him has been a little bit better.
- jmatchett383

Jesus (frank) did the Canes ever wind up with a lot of guys out of that draft....

Jordan Staal
Jiri Tlusty
Bobby Sanguinetti
Matt Corrente
Andreas Nodl
Jamie McBain
Jon Matsumoto
Harrison Reed
Oskar Osala
Bobby Hughes
Stephane Chaput
Nick Dodge
Justin Krueger

Not Perron.
- jmatchett383

In my perfect hockey world the pens could have gotten Perron without the cap relief from Dupuis. Let me be.

In my perfect hockey world the pens could have gotten Perron without the cap relief from Dupuis. Let me be.
- Conse

It's just that many fans have this ceremonial spot for certain players wherein the first line is Kunitz-Perron-Crosby-Dupuis. Because it worked six years ago.

So, to everyone saying Dupuis was done and we had no use for him during the pre-season. What would you give to have him back right now?

- Conse

Scuderi. In all seriousness I hope he comes back for the playoffs. He'd look good on the third line with some fresh legs, could be the difference in a game/series. Plus he can play in the playoffs. No salary cap.

Perron-Crosby-Hornqvist
Kunitz-Malkin-Comeau
Dupuis-Sutter-Bennet
Spaling-Goc-Downie

Now that looks like a cup winner.

It's just that many fans have this ceremonial spot for certain players wherein the first line is Kunitz-Perron-Crosby-Dupuis. Because it worked six years ago.
- Johnny Wrath

Bring back Kevin Stevens.

It's just that many fans have this ceremonial spot for certain players wherein the first line is Kunitz-Perron-Crosby-Dupuis. Because it worked six years ago.
- Johnny Wrath

I agree. We have better options to the top 6 now with Bennett, Horny, Kuni and Perron. But having him on a third line would be awesome for our depth.

Dupuis-Sutter-Comeau would be great.

Bring back Kevin Stevens.
- jmatchett383

Hell, bring back Stephane Richer. The Penguins really don't need that. Less firewagon, more trench warfare.

The Penguins need Guy Carbonneau. They need Kirk Muller. Bob Gainey. Joe Nieuwendyk. Checking, checking, checking.

Hell, bring back Stephane Richer. The Penguins really don't need that. Less firewagon, more trench warfare.

The Penguins need Guy Carbonneau. They need Kirk Muller. Bob Gainey. Joe Nieuwendyk. Checking, checking, checking.
- Johnny Wrath

Fine fine fine, you twisted my arm. Jay Rosehill for a 2nd.

Fine fine fine, you twisted my arm. Jay Rosehill for a 2nd.
- jmatchett383

Sutter onry.

So if I'm the Penguins at this point and I have the top-six issue solved for the most part, I do nothing except draft and develop Quebecois and Finnish forwards and train them in WB/S to be sigh-inducing defensive forwards who do things which would be new to the Penguins;

Tie up the other center during a face off.
Set a pick.
Check a stick in front of the net.
Clog a passing lane.

The team identity is still one of finesse and fine linens and individual play.

So if I'm the Penguins at this point and I have the top-six issue solved for the most part, I do nothing except draft and develop Quebecois and Finnish forwards and train them in WB/S to be sigh-inducing defensive forwards who do things which would be new to the Penguins;

Tie up the other center during a face off.
Set a pick.
Check a stick in front of the net.
Clog a passing lane.

The team identity is still one of finesse and fine linens and individual play.
- Johnny Wrath

Your way of thinking is revolutionary and frightening.

I do have to agree with the above post though...it's getting to be insane that each year we enter the playoffs (this is not a certainty at this point) with this finesse style that we know cannot win in the playoffs, yet we expect to be able to out-play this much more physical teams with dazzling passes...it hasn't worked and still won't so all the pretty plays are meaningless.

I hope when PH and BC come back it brings some physical play because we don't stand a chance without once the tight-checking games start up. Tomorrow night's game should be interesting to see how the team reacts.

Not by himself. But guys like Bolland and Shawn Thornton were bottom-6 guys who played huge roles in their teams' most recent Cups. But the addition of guys like them is what allows you to succeed in the playoffs. So if you think you have a need for a good bottom-6 guy who can chip in some scoring in tight-knit games, you want want to go for him as those are the kinds of players who help you win over 4 rounds.
- jmatchett383

If everyone's talking playoffs & 4th line winners, nobody has mentioned the small fact that our D hasn't been putting the puck in net as much as it probably should.

LA match winner Martinez. Yes they had clutch F - 1 of which 5m 3rd/4th line C? Not real cheap & definitely a luxury in any GM's book.

Let's get out team playing like a team with the D scoring & we will be ok. Capgeek gone so has all sense of the Pens cap & why trading for another F will not happen unless a contract goes the other way - que trade Sutter talk.

Personally, I'm against any more trades except at the "Philip Samuellson" level. No moving Doumlin, Harrington, or Pouliot, especially for rentals.

The Pens depth at F is better than last year, but still a little shallow when injuries hit. Can't re-build a team in a year so play out the roster as it is and replace Adams and Sill types in the offseason with stronger depth players; be aggressive with the new Cap money on the 3rd and 4th lines and in resigning Ehrhoff or a comparable Dman.

They still have a shot this year; just need to get healthy. But overall, I think next year and moving forward is when their window (ie, w/ Despres, Maatta, Bennett, Dumoulin on RFA deals and Harrington Pouliot on ELC deals) will really open up.