What if the rumor came from a former Pittsburgh Penguin who happens to be my best friends neighbor?
- aecliptic

Tell Georges Laraque to keep his mouth shut.

http://dkonpittsburghsports.com/2015/04/25/column-these-penguins-could-still-fly-with-wings/

Here's a solid read for the day... in case anyone was interested.

Specifically this line...

"It’s funny that folks cite Crosby being 27 and Malkin being 28 as some sort of evidence that the Penguins’ window is closing, and yet no one — not in Pittsburgh, not anywhere in the hockey world — expresses anything similar about the Ducks’ duo of Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, both of whom are about to turn 30, both of whom haven’t won a Cup since 2007 and both of whom are playing great on a team that’s currently very much in line for another championship.

Crazy what the right supporting cast can do for a window."
- j.boyd919

Yeah that whole column is pretty spot on. One thing he didn't mention was Brian Dumoulin who went from a shaky nervous wreck in game 1 to probably the Pens best defenseman in game 5. He was definitely the most dynamic. I think if he doesn't get a one way contract out of rfa this year it will be a sign that we are in for another long year. If it's Letang/ Maatta, Pouliot/ Suckjoy, Cole/ Dumoulin that's a good, relatively cheap way to start the season and if Harrington works his a$$ off over summer we can get the rev out of town too. Dumo and Harrington are both 6'4" guys if they hit the gym hard they will monsters by the time they are 25-26.

The Pens either have to make commitment to playing the young D next year, or start to trade them for some future assets. Certainly you need to find some resemblance of Martin replacement, but we need to see what ELC contract players can do. The only way to balance this team to get the necessary offensive depth is through sacrificing on defense. Wouldn't it be nice if NHL contracts were like the NFL in which the dead weight can be sacrificed?
- pghbirdman

Martin was an empty sweater and you can replace him with any number of players for a lot less

Yeah that whole column is pretty spot on. One thing he didn't mention was Brian Dumoulin who went from a shaky nervous wreck in game 1 to probably the Pens best defenseman in game 5. He was definitely the most dynamic. I think if he doesn't get a one way contract out of rfa this year it will be a sign that we are in for another long year. If it's Letang/ Maatta, Pouliot/ Suckjoy, Cole/ Dumoulin that's a good, relatively cheap way to start the season and if Harrington works his a$$ off over summer we can get the rev out of town too. Dumo and Harrington are both 6'4" guys if they hit the gym hard they will monsters by the time they are 25-26.
- Dcoms

Harrington isn't 6 ft 4 Where did you come up with that

Yeah that whole column is pretty spot on. One thing he didn't mention was Brian Dumoulin who went from a shaky nervous wreck in game 1 to probably the Pens best defenseman in game 5. He was definitely the most dynamic. I think if he doesn't get a one way contract out of rfa this year it will be a sign that we are in for another long year. If it's Letang/ Maatta, Pouliot/ Suckjoy, Cole/ Dumoulin that's a good, relatively cheap way to start the season and if Harrington works his a$$ off over summer we can get the rev out of town too. Dumo and Harrington are both 6'4" guys if they hit the gym hard they will monsters by the time they are 25-26.
- Dcoms

I said that earlier about Dumo. Honestly, that's my favorite part of the series. Kid looked like he can play in the NHL. In his previous stints, I wasn't so sure. I'd try to sign Chorney for a mil too. Good 7th guy.

I'd like to see Comeau, Winnik and maybe Lappy back if the price is right.

I prefer ROR over Duchene for the second line. Top end shut down centers are tough to find, and I think ROR fits the Crosby team format. There would need to be a sign and trade, I don't take him if he wants to hit free agency.
MacKinnon is Crosbys friend, and would be the sniper on the top line. And I think acquiring MacK re-energizes Sid.

I would like to see a team built on how Crosby and Hornqvist play.
- stackthepads

I have zero interest in ROR. Give me Duchene over him and isn't not close. ROR's negotiating tactics aren't good. If the baby doesn't get what he wants, he heads to the KHL. Duchene has more term on his contract than ROR. He, ROR is a ufa after this next season and he will want north of 7 million. Pass.

I would take Malkin in a heartbeat. As for Crosby, I wouldn't touch him with a 10' pole. Why would any team want a whining primadona that has no concept of team. Everything would have to be about him.
- DJBAKER0513

Your best player whined a bunch and got what he wanted in the end, right? Seems like he is a "me" first type of guy and doesn't care about the team concept.

Crosby took quite a bit under what he should earn as far as a yearly salary. Yep, he is a whining prima dona that doesn't understand the team concept ... gave the Pens more flexibility in cap room. Stupid him.

The last 5 Stanley Cup champions had 5 players taking up 47-50% of their cap hit. The Penguins have 5 players taking 52% of their cap hit. The problem is not those 5 players. The problem is the supporting cast around those 5 players. It is not a problem created by salary cap contraints. It is a problem created by bad contracts and bad talent evaluations. Injuries also do not help. Drink more protein shakes. Maybe throw some amino acids in there. If the Penguins did their due diligence in talent evaluation, they would be fine. But when you employ players like Scuderi, Lapierre, Adams, Lovejoy, Sill, even Winnik was awful this playoffs... that is not a recipe for success.

Say you take some Kobe Beef from Japan, the highest quality meat you can get... (Malkin, Crosby, Letang, etc.) and decided to make a stir fry... in that stir fry you use some slimy ass mushrooms (Lapierre) some moldy green peppers (Scuderi) some moldy onions (Lovejoy) some.. you see where I'm going... your stir fry is going to be awful.

Again.. it's all about talent evaluation for the supporting cast... problem is not Sid/Geno/etc... the problem is everyone else.
- j.boyd919

Now with your stir fry, you have an entre of foie gras on sand paper (the D corp, potential but just not right), doesn't matter how the main tastes you will remember the entre was terrible first.

Fix the D, then you re-evaluate your forwards. Whinge about the bottom 6 all you like, but the good teams have their D scoring consistently & playing well. Our opposition knows our D aren't scoring (remember when Bortz basically walked through the whole team (can't remember which 1), that's because teams aren't expecting our D to score - they usually don't!

Neal with two tonight, 4 so far in the playoffs. Guess he is stepping it up for Smashville. Good on him.

Neal with two tonight, 4 so far in the playoffs. Guess he is stepping it up for Smashville. Good on him.
- Willaged

He's also taken his usual dumb penalty...

I have zero interest in ROR. Give me Duchene over him and isn't not close. ROR's negotiating tactics aren't good. If the baby doesn't get what he wants, he heads to the KHL. Duchene has more term on his contract than ROR. He, ROR is a ufa after this next season and he will want north of 7 million. Pass.
- Oneonta Penguin

I'd take Duchene and MacKinnon no problem. All of Sids training partners on one team!

He's also taken his usual dumb penalty...
- willi

LOL. Figures, I'm not watching the game, just had glanced at the box score.

Just wanted to extend a congratulations on a hard fought series. The amount of games played were little indication of just how tough a series it was to win for the Rangers.

I'd take Duchene and MacKinnon no problem. All of Sids training partners on one team!
- stackthepads

So Malkin and Pouliot for Mackinnon, Duchene, and a 1st?

Just wanted to extend a congratulations on a hard fought series. The amount of games played were little indication of just how tough a series it was to win for the Rangers.
- MidnightMarauder

Thanks for being classy. Good luck moving forward.

Neal with two tonight, 4 so far in the playoffs. Guess he is stepping it up for Smashville. Good on him.
- Willaged

Smashville gone tonite too It is a wash

So Malkin and Pouliot for Mackinnon, Duchene, and a 1st?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I'd take duchene and landeskog. Ror see,s like a d bag and no way co gives up Mac. That kid is good.

Reading through the fixes is hilarious.

Pens need change, I would keep Winnik, comeau, bb, Downie, not lap and move Kunitz, spaling, shutter for prospects, buyout scuds, and hope dupes comes back.

What that really says is I want a worse team than this years.

Well the Flames have either just pulled advanced stats pants down, changed their game to have better advanced stats or played & beaten a team cursed with 'Millers' curse.

Edit: had to be the 2nd option because you cannot win in the NHL without having good numbers according to the Analytics group.

I'd take duchene and landeskog. Ror see,s like a d bag and no way co gives up Mac. That kid is good.
- sammy87

I think there is a better chance erring MacK than Landeskog.

So Malkin and Pouliot for Mackinnon, Duchene, and a 1st?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I'd honestly do that. That 10th pick could get a good forward prospect

I'd honestly do that. That 10th pick could get a good forward prospect
- drummer829

Maybe they'd do duch and orielly. Don't see landsk or mack being traded ever.

Maybe they'd do duch and orielly. Don't see landsk or mack being traded ever.
- brienstel

agreed. i'm sure most pens fans would take that deal... i just dont think Colorado would.

He's also taken his usual dumb penalty...
- willi

BAD penalty... a needless crosscheck during a line change. NSH was up 3-1 in the middle of the first period & #18's penalty let CHI right back in the game w/ a PP goal.

Sooo... when teams that win the Stanley Cup have 45-50% of their cap tied to their top 5 players... and a team has 52% of their cap tied to their top 5 players... that 2% really makes a difference in filling out the roster? Sorry. But some people just don't get it. The penguins cap problems do not stem from 87/71/58/29. It just doesn't. It stems from the bad contracts to scuderi, spaling, sutter, kunitz, etc... don't know how many times it's gotta be said.
- j.boyd919

Better trade for Malkin would be:

To Winnipeg - Malkin, and a 2016 third.
To Pittsburgh - Byfuglien, Ladd, 2015 St. Louis Blues 1st round pick, & 2016 conditional 2nd round pick.

Great trade for both teams!