From the last blog:



My biggest issue with this is that there will be no need for LV to gamble, if I remember correctly they can talk to pending FAs a few days before the draft so they would be to know whether they could get Shultz to sign before they drafted him, thus negating any risk of drafting a 1 year rental.
- jaydogg1974

If they sign Schultz, Pens can match. as long as they qualify him.

By cheaper do you mean cheaper to acquire?...because Im pretty sure Duschene's and RNH's cap hits are very similar.
- MattStrat

Yeah, cheaper to acquire. They have the same cap hit.

Yeah, cheaper to acquire. They have the same cap hit.
- MacPatty

I don't think either of them are necessary. Trading away Maatta makes another hole on D, whereas I think D is already the major need the Pens have. Unless a package of a 1st+Pouliot+ is the package, I don't see a reason to mvoe Maatta unless a D is coming back.

Game scores for trade deadline targets.
Helps show who is worth acquiring and who sucks.

I don't think either of them are necessary. Trading away Maatta makes another hole on D, whereas I think D is already the major need the Pens have. Unless a package of a 1st+Pouliot+ is the package, I don't see a reason to mvoe Maatta unless a D is coming back.
- j.boyd919

Maata is replaceable. Duchene and RNH are top end centers. We all know Crosby and Malkin are going to miss some playing time every year, these two would really be able to fill those holes well. More importantly, as they get older, it will be important to manage their regular season ice time better. Not relying on the two of them to carry the team at C during the regular season would be a huge asset.

Maata is replaceable. Duchene and RNH are top end centers. We all know Crosby and Malkin are going to miss some playing time every year, these two would really be able to fill those holes well. More importantly, as they get older, it will be important to manage their regular season ice time better. Not relying on the two of them to carry the team at C during the regular season would be a huge asset.
- MacPatty

Replaceable by who? And RNH isn't a top end center anymore. Dude has regressed. Duchy is good, but is kinda overrated. Who you replacing Maatta with? Free agent I assume, right?

Replaceable by who? And RNH isn't a top end center anymore. Dude has regressed. Duchy is good, but is kinda overrated. Who you replacing Maatta with? Free agent I assume, right?
- j.boyd919

(frank) that..... WE'RE GETTING MIKE GREEN!

(frank) that..... WE'RE GETTING MIKE GREEN!
- nelson911

Amen brotha. It's not wednesday yet.

Replaceable by who? And RNH isn't a top end center anymore. Dude has regressed. Duchy is good, but is kinda overrated. Who you replacing Maatta with? Free agent I assume, right?
- j.boyd919

Here's the way I look at it...

If Schultz has taken Maatta's place in his importance to this team (which I believe he has), I absolutely make him available to a trade. I'm not willing to expose 2 extra forwards to retain Maatta. I'm also taking into consideration Maatta's long term contract. If he doesn't improve his play/skating he's not worth his deal.

So, if Colorado just had a bit more luck, they'd be better than the Capitals???

I find this particular sentence fairly amusing: "Following the usual method for breaking down performance luck..." Ah yes, the usual way to measure luck.

Edit: Hate the Penguins trade. Nothing against Hainsey, but he is the poster child for run-of-the-mill bottom-pair defenseman. If he can be on the ice and not give up a goal and not be noticed, he's doing his job. Anything more is a bonus.

God is dead.
- j.boyd919

And no one cares.
If there is a hell
I'll see you there.

Here's the way I look at it...

If Schultz has taken Maatta's place in his importance to this team (which I believe he has), I absolutely make him available to a trade. I'm not willing to expose 2 extra forwards to retain Maatta. I'm also taking into consideration Maatta's long term contract. If he doesn't improve his play/skating he's not worth his deal.
- madmike71

While I'm not the biggest fan of Maatta and wouldn't mind seeing him moved for another D, he is 31st in the NHL at GA/60 in the last 4 years with 2.05 and if you look at just the past 2 years.. he's even higher at 25th with 1.92 GA/60.. that's pretty (frank)in good. That's gotta count for something, right?

So, if Colorado just had a bit more luck, they'd be better than the Capitals???

I find this particular sentence fairly amusing: "Following the usual method for breaking down performance luck..." Ah yes, the usual way to measure luck.

Edit: Hate the Penguins trade. Nothing against Hainsey, but he is the poster child for run-of-the-mill bottom-pair defenseman. If he can be on the ice and not give up a goal and not be noticed, he's doing his job. Anything more is a bonus.
- jmatchett383

Yeah I'm kinda meh on it. Although is PK numbers are solid and that's what GMJR referenced prior to the trade.

Yeah I'm kinda meh on it. Although is PK numbers are solid and that's what GMJR referenced prior to the trade.
- j.boyd919

He's basically a warm body that can be not terrible. I never liked him as I see him (specifically him) as the "If you don't notice him he's doing his job" guy, and I don't know why I picked him. I think there are definitely worse players that could have been targeted, and I know he's essentially a place holder for the short-term, but I just don't like the move.

Game scores for trade deadline targets.
Helps show who is worth acquiring and who sucks.
- j.boyd919

TY....this is so much easier than watching all those games

He's basically a warm body that can be not terrible. I never liked him as I see him (specifically him) as the "If you don't notice him he's doing his job" guy, and I don't know why I picked him. I think there are definitely worse players that could have been targeted, and I know he's essentially a place holder for the short-term, but I just don't like the move.
- jmatchett383

Yep, that's how I usually feel about Cole, or anyone in a bottom 6 role (Ruhwedel, Oleksy, etc.) Although I have noticed Cole is not afraid to shoot the puck this season. I don't remember that from last season at all.

TY....this is so much easier than watching all those games
- YuenglingJagr

can't tell if you're serious... haha

While I'm not the biggest fan of Maatta and wouldn't mind seeing him moved for another D, he is 31st in the NHL at GA/60 in the last 4 years with 2.05 and if you look at just the past 2 years.. he's even higher at 25th with 1.92 GA/60.. that's pretty (frank)in good. That's gotta count for something, right?
- j.boyd919

Two quick questions that I hope you can answer for me:

1. Is that GA/60 based solely on Maata, or might that have to do with his partner(s), deployment, usage, etc?

2. Not to you specifically, but I find that for the people more into the fancies, they use the "possession" metrics (SAF/SAA) when it suits them and they use production metrics (GF/GA) when it suits them as well, and will at times praise player A for metric 1 and condemn player B for metric 2 even if player A was worse than player B in metric 1 and vise versa. I guess this is more of an observation than a question, but it's just annoying to see hand-picked fancy stats used to favor one's argument.

Two quick questions that I hope you can answer for me:

1. Is that GA/60 based solely on Maata, or might that have to do with his partner(s), deployment, usage, etc?
- jmatchett383

Probably has a little bit to do with all of the above. But if I recall, he's had different partners every season? He's played a lot of minutes with Letang, Daley, Scuderi, Ehrhoff, etc.

2. Not to you specifically, but I find that for the people more into the fancies, they use the "possession" metrics (SAF/SAA) when it suits them and they use production metrics (GF/GA) when it suits them as well, and will at times praise player A for metric 1 and condemn player B for metric 2 even if player A was worse than player B in metric 1 and vise versa. I guess this is more of an observation than a question, but it's just annoying to see hand-picked fancy stats used to favor one's argument.

Yeah, for me, there's more to look at it. My process is usually TOI-->Hero Chart-->Relative Numbers (Shot attempts-->Scoring chances-->High Danger chances)-->GF/GA. I try to look at all those numbers in relation to each other. Then I'll take a look at how he performs with line mates or defensive partners (present and past).


I try to look at as much information as I can and try to watch some highlights and try to catch a game(which is tough because that's only limited to goals and assists, so you miss other stuff) before I make an opinion on a player.

go for the splash! plenty of guentzels, rusts, shearys, letangs, etc. out there for later picks or UFA. use the first... use gentzel or sprong, us DP... or try to at least... bring in the studs!

There are not plenty of Shearys! In 12 years, Crosby has only played with one line with chemistry, Kunitz and Dupuis, now some 3 years after that line dominated, Sheary comes along and has amazing chemistry with Sid, and you want to trade him?!? I wouldn't trade Sheary for all the rice in China.

While I'm not the biggest fan of Maatta and wouldn't mind seeing him moved for another D, he is 31st in the NHL at GA/60 in the last 4 years with 2.05 and if you look at just the past 2 years.. he's even higher at 25th with 1.92 GA/60.. that's pretty (frank)in good. That's gotta count for something, right?
- j.boyd919

I don't want to move Maatta, but I want to keep Schultz and I want them to protect 7 forwards and 3 D.

While I think Schultz in LV would be a disaster for both, I'm not sure they pass him up in the expansion draft. If we expose Maatta, I'm sure they take him in the draft.

So with all of that in mind, I don't mind trading Maatta. Obviously it depends on the return. I'm not dumping him for nothing.

Oh no, looks like it's warming up to be a few pages of the alts going hammer & thong!!!! Better wait a few hours when sensible discussion reappears.........

Plenty of Letangs out there huh? Lots of top 7 dmen in the world available? Eaves for a second, a lot to give up for a 33 year old that averages 9 goals a year having an anomalous year. He was in the AHL 4 years ago. 3rd for Jurco too seems a little by high. If these are the prices for below average talent I don't wanna pay.

So, if Colorado just had a bit more luck, they'd be better than the Capitals???

I find this particular sentence fairly amusing: "Following the usual method for breaking down performance luck..." Ah yes, the usual way to measure luck.

Edit: Hate the Penguins trade. Nothing against Hainsey, but he is the poster child for run-of-the-mill bottom-pair defenseman. If he can be on the ice and not give up a goal and not be noticed, he's doing his job. Anything more is a bonus.
- jmatchett383

Hainsy may surprise you a little. He spent the first part of his career on the PP in Atlanta and still has those quick transition offensive skills. I'm sure someone is going to throw a chart or a graph in my face just to be a gaping, infected a$$hole but those things are pretty much meaningless. But you can tell who learned everything they know about the game from playing the video games and making trades with their ranking systems. I don't think the Lovejoy comparison is fair, I think he's more talented and a little more physical.