If he beats the Caps he may never have to pay for anything in The Burg again
- Victoro311

LOL You think Disco dan does?

shame this isn't the ECFs match up

looking forward to it, with no dog in the fight can just relax and watch without getting emotional and crazy

don't get me wrong, much rather my team was still in there, but going to make the best of it
- Marc D

Man, there really is something to be said about watching anxiety free playoff hockey.

Anyone else getting tired of being called the hottest team in the league. We've been the hottest team since December, how many games do we have to play this way before we lose the Hottest team moniker?

Its like people think we are going to cool off. We arent cooling off, this is what Penguins hockey is now.
- stackthepads

I'm actually right there with you and I've gotten into some arguments with other hockey fans at bars about this. It's nice that people are recognizing that we've been playing some really good hockey, but the title "hottest team" is cheating us out of some deserved credit. How about one of the top teams in hockey?

Man, there really is something to be said about watching anxiety free playoff hockey.
- MattStrat

I hope that doesn't happen for me till the World Cup...because that means the Pens will be in the finals

The signing of the 22-year old Swedish Dman was a quality one. The profile on elite hockey prospects screams what Pittsburgh has employed for a Dman

Terrific skating ability; excellent acceleration; solid offensive instincts; protects puck well when skating; great one timer on the point of the power play.

These are the moves that need to be made with us being absent of a first round choice. This is basically our first pick in the draft IMO.

Looking forward to this coming series. Main thing is to stay out of the box.

The signing of the 22-year old Swedish Dman was a quality one. The profile on elite hockey prospects screams what Pittsburgh has employed for a Dman

Terrific skating ability; excellent acceleration; solid offensive instincts; protects puck well when skating; great one timer on the point of the power play.

These are the moves that need to be made with us being absent of a first round choice. This is basically our first pick in the draft IMO.

Looking forward to this coming series. Main thing is to stay out of the box.
- Oneonta Penguin

Adding both him and Prow is great for our organizational blue line depth. Even if they don't end up panning out, we waisted ziltch on them and if they end up being competent AHLers that means that's better talent for our other NHL caliber prospects to develop with. I think Simon and Jarry's short term development took a bit of a hit when WBS was depleted of talent with all our call ups and the Wheeling gang had to be brought in. I feel like our blue line down there especially is depleted with the graduation of DP and Dumo and the loss of Warsofsky. That's not good for our forwards who rely on the back end for break out support or for our young goalies who need a competent blue line to preform well as they develop and raise in confidence

Adding both him and Prow is great for our organizational blue line depth. Even if they don't end up panning out, we waisted ziltch on them and if they end up being competent AHLers that means that's better talent for our other NHL caliber prospects to develop with. I think Simon and Jarry's short term development took a bit of a hit when WBS was depleted of talent with all our call ups and the Wheeling gang had to be brought in. I feel like our blue line down there especially is depleted with the graduation of DP and Dumo and the loss of Warsofsky. That's not good for our forwards who rely on the back end for break out support or for our young goalies who need a competent blue line to preform well as they develop and raise in confidence
- Victoro311

Yet despite all of that they swept the first round of the playoffs. It's quite amazing how the view of the Pens organizational depth changed so much this year.

Yet despite all of that they swept the first round of the playoffs. It's quite amazing how the view of the Pens organizational depth changed so much this year.
- MattStrat

We've added a (frank) ton of offensive fire power at forward you gotta remember. Guentzel is playing like he's spent the whole season in the AHL and Danny Sprong is Danny Sprong. I think that's very much compensating for a lack luster blue line

We've added a (frank) ton of offensive fire power at forward you gotta remember. Guentzel is playing like he's spent the whole season in the AHL and Danny Sprong is Danny Sprong. I think that's very much compensating for a lack luster blue line
- Victoro311

GMJR has done a really good job. I hope it is not gmjr coming up with these ideas cuz that would be sad when he left. hope it is one of our 100 vice gms

We've added a (frank) ton of offensive fire power at forward you gotta remember. Guentzel is playing like he's spent the whole season in the AHL and Danny Sprong is Danny Sprong. I think that's very much compensating for a lack luster blue line
- Victoro311

A year ago, we were very short on forwards as an organization that could be a solution in the NHL. Now, with the development of Sheary, Kuhnackl, Rust, Wilson, Sundqvist, Simon and the addition of Sprong, Guentzel and maybe Bluger in time, we are looking a lot more stacked.

However, I believe we have a dire need of Dmen. With all of our collecting Dmen during the Shero regime, we find ourselves somewhat short. Maatta and Dumo is up; Pouliott is a ???, while Morrow, Harrington and Samuelson are gone. This new addition and possibly Prow in time could help the shortcomings. Right now, Lovejoy is a UFA; Schultz is an RFA (think his absence in the lineup in the playoffs might be telling as to what the organization does with him) ... we have spots open.

I'm actually right there with you and I've gotten into some arguments with other hockey fans at bars about this. It's nice that people are recognizing that we've been playing some really good hockey, but the title "hottest team" is cheating us out of some deserved credit. How about one of the top teams in hockey?
- Victoro311

Well said, my alt

A year ago, we were very short on forwards as an organization that could be a solution in the NHL. Now, with the development of Sheary, Kuhnackl, Rust, Wilson, Sundqvist, Simon and the addition of Sprong, Guentzel and maybe Bluger in time, we are looking a lot more stacked.

However, I believe we have a dire need of Dmen. With all of our collecting Dmen during the Shero regime, we find ourselves somewhat short. Maatta and Dumo is up; Pouliott is a ???, while Morrow, Harrington and Samuelson are gone. This new addition and possibly Prow in time could help the shortcomings. Right now, Lovejoy is a UFA; Schultz is an RFA (think his absence in the lineup in the playoffs might be telling as to what the organization does with him) ... we have spots open.
- Oneonta Penguin

Not gonna lie was nervous regarding defense moving forward but this Swede and Prow have put me more at ease. All reports say that managment's still loves Schultz. If we're able to keep Schultz we have a lot of options on the blue line moving forward, and as an asset strapped organization that's all you can ask for. Assets.

The Old Man is good in my book.

We've added a (frank) ton of offensive fire power at forward you gotta remember. Guentzel is playing like he's spent the whole season in the AHL and Danny Sprong is Danny Sprong. I think that's very much compensating for a lack luster blue line
- Victoro311

True that.

Not gonna lie was nervous regarding defense moving forward but this Swede and Prow have put me more at ease. All reports say that managment's still loves Schultz. If we're able to keep Schultz we have a lot of options on the blue line moving forward, and as an asset strapped organization that's all you can ask for. Assets.

The Old Man is good in my book.
- Victoro311

Keeping Schultz would be at the expense of Daley. and TD certainly has shown the ability to fit in.

Keeping Schultz would be at the expense of Daley. and TD certainly has shown the ability to fit in.
- Oneonta Penguin

Thats something I have said a few times... but if we traded Despres because we knew how good Dumo was going to become... maybe we got some good insight on Shultz that would make it possible to not die IF we traded away Daley.

Not gonna lie was nervous regarding defense moving forward but this Swede and Prow have put me more at ease. All reports say that managment's still loves Schultz. If we're able to keep Schultz we have a lot of options on the blue line moving forward, and as an asset strapped organization that's all you can ask for. Assets.

The Old Man is good in my book.
- Victoro311

Right? I hated when they hired the old man, but man has he changed my opinion of him. He's really shaped the roster and has given this team a true identity that they've been lacking for quite a while. He's gotten the Pens some really good forward depth and now seems to be doing the same on defense.

Here's a chart showing comparison between the new swede and Anton Stralman: https://twitter.com/Josh_...status/725374224530071552

Well said, my alt
- Guile

every since you got banned....we all banned together and decided that you were voctoro's cheerleader and not the other way around

every since you got banned....we all banned together and decided that you were voctoro's cheerleader and not the other way around
- pensfan024

You do realize I could read all going on here while I was banned... no such thing happened bud.

Keeping Schultz would be at the expense of Daley. and TD certainly has shown the ability to fit in.
- Oneonta Penguin

I doubt it'll happen but I really hope we can manage to keep Daley and Schultz. Despite Pouliot being expendable I just don't see any need to move him at all after the emergence of Sheary and the other WBS boys. I'd much rather hold onto him (unless a head-and-shoulders upgrade on LW becomes available) and let Lovejoy walk then shop Cole for some more picks/prospects. Now I'm not knocking on Cole at all but DP has the skating and talent that this system craves and I personally have zero problem with the idea of a DP + Shultz pairing now or next season. Someone did make the point that they both need to learn how to deal with checks/hits and not end up taken out of the play too badly but I believe that will solve itself with more experience. So yeah, we should be looking to keep Daley for at least the last year of his contract imo.

You do realize I could read all going on here while I was banned... no such thing happened bud.
- Guile

It happened over PMs.

I doubt it'll happen but I really hope we can manage to keep Daley and Schultz. Despite Pouliot being expendable I just don't see any need to move him at all after the emergence of Sheary and the other WBS boys. I'd much rather hold onto him (unless a head-and-shoulders upgrade on LW becomes available) and let Lovejoy walk then shop Cole for some more picks/prospects. Now I'm not knocking on Cole at all but DP has the skating and talent that this system craves and I personally have zero problem with the idea of a DP + Shultz pairing now or next season. Someone did make the point that they both need to learn how to deal with checks/hits and not end up taken out of the play too badly but I believe that will solve itself with more experience. So yeah, we should be looking to keep Daley for at least the last year of his contract imo.
- ImScore71

It's important to keep in mind that if we manage our assets properly, if Daley is kept on the roster next year which he should and probably will, he will walk at the end of it. It's important to keep an eye into the future in that regard. The year after that Cole theoretically walks although he is young enough to retain if he's willing to sign for cheap. Being able to extend Schultz ~3 or so years softens these blows and makes our situation much less dire. Prow and the Swede are great for organizational depth but they have proven nothing so we can't rely on them to fall back on once our contracts start expiring in the near future. This is why I said if we are able to sign Schultz to some term, we all of a sudden have a ton of options and flexibility moving forward on the back end.

Both Daley and Schultz should be able to be retained if we clear Kunitz's cap either through retirement or grand and Schultz wants to be here badly enough that he's willing to not get tendered and resign between 2 and 2.5 mil.

It happened over PMs.
- Victoro311

Pfft... you guys hate PMing

Here's a chart showing comparison between the new swede and Anton Stralman: https://twitter.com/Josh_...status/725374224530071552
- tpcg402

This is very encouraging stuff. He's not that much smaller than Stralman either (only one inch and 10lbs). I also read a report that this guy was very highly sought after so it's probable the Pens made a pitch that he'd have a realistic shot at cracking the roster next season. At age 22 and with his rate of production in Europe, that's not a far fetched assessment. Also the fact that he plays the right side is massive. The more I read about the kid the more I love him.

Pfft... you guys hate PMing
- Guile

nah.....while you were gone we all pm'd each other and decided to start liking pms