People are getting way to vocal about fleury. Have to trust Rutherford knows how to negotiate complex situations.

A bit off topic but I was doing some thinking. In any other sport where they draft 18 year olds 5-7th round picks are far more valuable. And top picks have a low hit rate. Studs are routinely found into round ten in baseball. In college football recruiting guys ranked 300th routinely turn into 1st round picks. It's just too hard to project kids at 18 except for the extremely elite. Training can very greatly between players. I guess college football you have more poor kids playing who suddenly get proper nutrition, training, and coaching leading them to go from 2 -star recruit to stud.

People are getting way to vocal about fleury. Have to trust Rutherford knows how to negotiate complex situations.

A bit off topic but I was doing some thinking. In any other sport where they draft 18 year olds 5-7th round picks are far more valuable. And top picks have a low hit rate. Studs are routinely found into round ten in baseball. In college football recruiting guys ranked 300th routinely turn into 1st round picks. It's just too hard to project kids at 18 except for the extremely elite. Training can very greatly between players. I guess college football you have more poor kids playing who suddenly get proper nutrition, training, and coaching leading them to go from 2 -star recruit to stud.
- sditulli

You're right but hockey is the same. If players are good enough their home town team will try to figure out how to keep him on the team. Im talking kids that are 10-14. There are a lot of guys who ended up in the NHL that came from poverty situations, at least Canadian kids. There are a lot of programs here to benefit underprivileged kids and get them equipment and pay the ridiculous fees to play on the team in the first place. With equipment, travel, cost of playing on the team, and other expenses it can cost the average Canadian kid $12000 as a 10 year old kid playing travel hockey. That plus it eats up all their parents free time and they spend weekends in the arena of another town that is 400km's away. It's a very expensive proposition and like 10% of those kids get drafted into a CHL league and 10% of them get drafted by an NHL team. There's no other sport that compares in the cost department. That is a big reason why hockey is always going to be #4 in popular sports in the USA. In Canada it's different, everyone is born on the ice but not everyone can afford to take it to the highest heights.

People are getting way to vocal about fleury. Have to trust Rutherford knows how to negotiate complex situations.

A bit off topic but I was doing some thinking. In any other sport where they draft 18 year olds 5-7th round picks are far more valuable. And top picks have a low hit rate. Studs are routinely found into round ten in baseball. In college football recruiting guys ranked 300th routinely turn into 1st round picks. It's just too hard to project kids at 18 except for the extremely elite. Training can very greatly between players. I guess college football you have more poor kids playing who suddenly get proper nutrition, training, and coaching leading them to go from 2 -star recruit to stud.
- sditulli

As far as Rutherford is concerned he has the easy part. He hands Sullivan two Cup winning goalies and tells him to play the better guy. Sullivan has to balance the situation not Rutherford.

I have no problem with Fleury staying, I just can't see him being content as a backup.

You're right but hockey is the same. If players are good enough their home town team will try to figure out how to keep him on the team. Im talking kids that are 10-14. There are a lot of guys who ended up in the NHL that came from poverty situations, at least Canadian kids. There are a lot of programs here to benefit underprivileged kids and get them equipment and pay the ridiculous fees to play on the team in the first place. With equipment, travel, cost of playing on the team, and other expenses it can cost the average Canadian kid $12000 as a 10 year old kid playing travel hockey. That plus it eats up all their parents free time and they spend weekends in the arena of another town that is 400km's away. It's a very expensive proposition and like 10% of those kids get drafted into a CHL league and 10% of them get drafted by an NHL team. There's no other sport that compares in the cost department. That is a big reason why hockey is always going to be #4 in popular sports in the USA. In Canada it's different, everyone is born on the ice but not everyone can afford to take it to the highest heights.
- Dcoms

Good points. The expense thing is partly why I think late round selections have less value. Football you have hundreds of thousands of high school players. So much deeper prospect pool. But still drafting 18 year olds so a bit surprised we don't see more datsyuk and zetterberg. Late round guys that turn into borderline HOF types.
I mean jerry rice went to Louisiana tech which means he would have been a 20-30th round selection as a 18 year old.

As far as Rutherford is concerned he has the easy part. He hands Sullivan two Cup winning goalies and tells him to play the better guy. Sullivan has to balance the situation not Rutherford.

I have no problem with Fleury staying, I just can't see him being content as a backup.
- Thunderbolt

Agree on fleury. But he can sacrifice 6 months to end up in a situation he likes for the next 5 years.

Because he's not an bumhole
- drummer829

He's not. But being a nice guy is one thing. But to move his family across the country and play for an expansion team is asking a lot.

Hopefully GMJR has this all worked out. If I was Fleury though, I'd be trying to win my job back here. And if it came down to the last minute, it isn't really his problem, it's the Pens.

We have to all brace ourselves for the likelihood the team is not going to repeat as champs. It's too hard and grueling of a playoff run and if you win there is not enough time in between the end of the season and the start of the next(4 months). These guys are used to getting around 6 months off and they all like to take at least a month off from doing anything just to heal up and recharge. That leaves a 3 month window to train and get ready and the guys playing in the world cup get less. Guys like Maatta are going to see WAAAAAYYY to much hockey in 2016 and will burn out. Not trying to be a downer but it's been 20 years since someone repeated as champs.
- Dcoms

You are probably right, and it is tough to repeat, but from the beginning of March to game 6 of the Stanley Cup final the Pens were about as good a team as you are going to see in hockey, and nobody had an answer for them. They play like that again (and they basically have the same team, coach, and system this coming year), in their own words "they're tough to beat."

It's hard to maintain that sort of intensity over the course of 82 games, as the Capitals have shown us all, and injuries are going to happen (but not with Beau Bennett, ha), so you never know, but I like the team they are putting forward. Lest we forget, the nucleus of this team--Crosby, Malkin, Kessel, and Letang--is going nowhere, and all are in their prime.

Yeah, 3rd round pick. 19 years old. Who knows?

Being fast and playing fast are two different things. We play fast and scouts were confident the drafted D can play fast. So I see no problem. I don't think we need to draft David Warsofskys only to remains successful.

I thought Bennett was going to tear his rotator cuff when he hoisted the Cup. His career has been unfortunate so far but I think he has proven himself to be too fragile for the NHL.

As for Fleury, I am glad Rutherford has not traded him. A best case scenario is one where Fleury starts next season while Murray is slowly eased into the starter role. I think this would be better for Murray's development and allow him to better work out any flaws in his goaltending. We don't know all of the rules of the expansion draft year or even if it will be next year or the year after. Until we do it does not make sense to make any rash decisions with Fleury, unless he really wants out of here.

So going into free agency here is the lineup

Sheary Sid Horn
Kuni Geno Rust
Hags Bon Kessel
Wilson Fehr Kuhn
Sunds

Maatta Letang
Dumo Daley
Cole DP
?

Murray/Fleury

And Pens have like 1.3 mil in cap space after putting Dupes on LTIR


Did I miss anyone... Are you okay with these lines?

I thought Bennett was going to tear his rotator cuff when he hoisted the Cup. His career has been unfortunate so far but I think he has proven himself to be too fragile for the NHL.

As for Fleury, I am glad Rutherford has not traded him. A best case scenario is one where Fleury starts next season while Murray is slowly eased into the starter role. I think this would be better for Murray's development and allow him to better work out any flaws in his goaltending. We don't know all of the rules of the expansion draft year or even if it will be next year or the year after. Until we do it does not make sense to make any rash decisions with Fleury, unless he really wants out of here.
- PghPens668771

I agree. JR himself said last night at the draft that "there are plenty of ways" to manage the expansion draft, and that he would leave the selection of the starting goalie "to the coaches." He also said that "this was our plan from the end of the season."

Despite a huge outcry from the hockey message boards and the Pittsburgh media, the GM and the team stuck to their plan. Good for them. That's how you win a Cup (which they just did and kind of makes the point).

So going into free agency here is the lineup

Sheary Sid Horn
Kuni Geno Rust
Hags Bon Kessel
Wilson Fehr Kuhn
Sunds

Maatta Letang
Dumo Daley
Cole DP
?

Murray/Fleury

And Pens have like 1.3 mil in cap space after putting Dupes on LTIR


Did I miss anyone... Are you okay with these lines?
- nh4442

They torched the league for two months and won the Cup with basically this group, so yes. Give me a little bit more D depth and I can live with it.

Anyone else thinking Murray looks pretty damn creepy in this? Its like hes stalking someone in a horror movie...

They torched the league for two months and won the Cup with basically this group, so yes. Give me a little bit more D depth and I can live with it.
- PensFan1962

True but I still would like one of Boedker or Okposo and drop kuni.. Younger and faster.. And I'm not sold on sheet as top 6.. Just bc he wasn't consistent

Has MAF been traded to Columbus yet?

So going into free agency here is the lineup

Sheary Sid Horn
Kuni Geno Rust
Hags Bon Kessel
Wilson Fehr Kuhn
Sunds

Maatta Letang
Dumo Daley
Cole DP
?

Murray/Fleury

And Pens have like 1.3 mil in cap space after putting Dupes on LTIR


Did I miss anyone... Are you okay with these lines?
- nh4442

Incredibly solid lines and depth. Bring back Lovejoy on the cheap and they're set. Guentzel/Blueger/Simon/Sundqvist/Bengtsson/Prow all waiting in WBS. Room for another AHL/NHL tweener type.

So going into free agency here is the lineup

Sheary Sid Horn
Kuni Geno Rust
Hags Bon Kessel
Wilson Fehr Kuhn
Sunds

Maatta Letang
Dumo Daley
Cole DP
?

Murray/Fleury

And Pens have like 1.3 mil in cap space after putting Dupes on LTIR


Did I miss anyone... Are you okay with these lines?
- nh4442

Poor Malkin

Poor Malkin
- rangerdanger94

Poor Lundqvist

Incredibly solid lines and depth. Bring back Lovejoy on the cheap and they're set. Guentzel/Blueger/Simon/Sundqvist/Bengtsson/Prow all waiting in WBS. Room for another AHL/NHL tweener type.
- hardnosed

Let lovejoy walk and get hometown bot Bartkowski as your 7th D for cheap

Poor Lundqvist
- Guile

Yep, 8.5 m for the next five years for a goalie who is 34 and on the decline. Might be the worst contract in all of hockey.

So going into free agency here is the lineup

Sheary Sid Horn
Kuni Geno Rust
Hags Bon Kessel
Wilson Fehr Kuhn
Sunds

Maatta Letang
Dumo Daley
Cole DP
?

Murray/Fleury

And Pens have like 1.3 mil in cap space after putting Dupes on LTIR

Did I miss anyone... Are you okay with these lines?
- nh4442

I'm perfectly fine starting the season with that. Add another bottom pairing D man with the 1.5Mish (Lovejoy, Gryba, Bartkowski, Pardy type guy) we have left so we have 7 competent NHL D-man. Add a couple more veteran fringe players on 2-way deals for call ups so they only effect the cap if playing in the NHL incase of injury ala Kevin Porter, Taylor Chorney type guys... and you have youth that can also be called up if performing well in the AHL like Simon, Guentzel, Blueger, Prow, ect)

Than on the deadline if Murray is preforming you can possibly move MAF for a rental (if there's a fit) on D or LW and a pick.

Yep, 8.5 m for the next five years for a goalie who is 34 and on the decline. Might be the worst contract in all of hockey.
- Oneonta Penguin

David Clarkson is still a thing. Kari Lehtonen. List goes on.

I don't even think Lundqvist is the worst contract on his team.

Isn't there an Omaha guy around here? What's the low down on Ryan Jones? Seems to have had a break out season in the USHL, but that probably doesn't mean much.

The more I read up on him the more I like the Kasper Bjorkqvist pick up. Sounds like a Sid winger. Middle six talent that gets dirty. He's a Finn so maybe he'll develop at the absurd rate that Finns often do and we'll see him sooner than expected? It'd be nice if he can break into the NHL the year after we lose Hornqvist. He sounds a lot like him but with more natural talent, better size, and a meaner streak. And he plays on the wing we actually need him on.

Speaking of Fins, would love some more info on that Finn defenseman we got. Like I said, I run off the assumption that pretty much all Finns are steals, so I'm pretty excited about that kid, even though I know nothing about him.

All in all, after having an unfavorable knee jerk reaction to it, I'm pretty neutral to this draft. Like the Bjorkqvist pick a ton. Jones seems to have potential but we won't see him for a while. Almari hasn't put up numbers at any point in his young career, but he's got good size and is a Finn and for a fifth round pick you can't expect the moon anyways. Still don't like the Hall pick. Seems like his ceiling is bottom pairing defenseman. Pretty neutral towards the goalie pick. Felt we could have done better addressing needs, but having a multitude of highly touted goalies in your system is never a bad thing.

I'd grade this draft a C+.

EDIT: Uggg.... Check out the report on the guy that went right after Hall: http://www.eliteprospects.../player.php?player=213473. Plus he plays the right side where as Hall plays the left. I'm disliking the Hall pick more and more...

Dallas needs to eat some Antti Niemi salary and send him elsewhere.

Isn't there an Omaha guy around here? What's the low down on Ryan Jones? Seems to have had a break out season in the USHL, but that probably doesn't mean much.

The more I read up on him the more I like the Kasper Bjorkqvist pick up. Sounds like a Sid winger. Middle six talent that gets dirty. He's a Finn so maybe he'll develop at the absurd rate that Finns often do and we'll see him sooner than expected? It'd be nice if he can break into the NHL the year after we lose Hornqvist. He sounds a lot like him but with more natural talent, better size, and a meaner streak. And he plays on the wing we actually need him on.

Speaking of Fins, would love some more info on that Finn defenseman we got. Like I said, I run off the assumption that pretty much all Finns are steals, so I'm pretty excited about that kid, even though I know nothing about him.

All in all, after having an unfavorable knee jerk reaction to it, I'm pretty neutral to this draft. Like the Bjorkqvist pick a ton. Jones seems to have potential but we won't see him for a while. Almari hasn't put up numbers at any point in his young career, but he's got good size and is a Finn and for a fifth round pick you can't expect the moon anyways. Still don't like the Hall pick. Seems like his ceiling is bottom pairing defenseman. Pretty neutral towards the goalie pick. Felt we could have done better addressing needs, but having a multitude of highly touted goalies in your system is never a bad thing.

I'd grade this draft a C+.

EDIT: Uggg.... Check out the report on the guy that went right after Hall: http://www.eliteprospects.../player.php?player=213473. Plus he plays the right side where as Hall plays the left. I'm disliking the Hall pick more and more...
- Victoro311

And yet Connor Hall plays for Canada's national team. Intangibles. I'm fine with Hall!