Nice article! The good thing for Wash is that they didn't give up $hit. We only got garbage in return. Good trade for Them regardless. We got the shaft.
- Barnaby36

I know. It was so bad lol trade one of the best players in the world and don't get poop in return. Trading generational talent never works out. Which blows my mind why people want to unload Geno sometimes.

I know we keep bringing up Trouba as a trade target, but how would you feel about trading for Myers? Could be had for less, due to injury history.
- kschmitty33

Meyers isn't Letang insurance. I think he's a fine player who can be the #4 guy on a team's blue line, but we have like three of those already. We need a legit #2 guy. I'm not really interested in getting Meyers with his 5.5 mil AAV to be a solid second pairing guy for us when we have Maatta for almost two mil cheaper, Dumo who'll be much cheaper, and Schultz.

I'm not a big fan of Shattenkirk anything above $5.5M. TBH I really like what Schultz brings to the team and wouldn't want somebody to replace him. If only Daley accepted $2M... he'd still be on our team.
- Barnaby36

I wouldn't want Shatty at 7+. But if he'd take 6.25m. Im all in. His defensive deficiencies are so overblown. Of course he isn't a shutdown defenseman but he's definitely not a 3rd pairing defenseman in his own zone. That's ridiculous.

Meyers isn't Letang insurance. I think he's a fine player who can be the #4 guy on a team's blue line, but we have like three of those already. We need a legit #2 guy. I'm not really interested in getting Meyers with his 5.5 mil AAV to be a solid second pairing guy for us when we have Maatta for almost two mil cheaper, Dumo who'll be much cheaper, and Schultz.
- Victoro311

I really like Vatanen. He'd fit in well with us. I don't know how much $ he's expected to get though. Maybe $5M?

Everything you say here is correct...but...you can not dismiss the shrink and what he did for him too. MAF credits the shrink more than anything else...

So in saying this I dont see why his play pre shrink/pre goalie coach(both occurred around same time) matters at all....its the past and MAF has been a much better goalie since. Even the 1st cup of this repeat wouldnt of happened without him. They wouldn't of even made the playoffs if it weren't for MAF in the first half (before Christmas) of the season with MJ coaching. They were terrible in front of him (remember everyone thinking Crosby was done/finally on decline?) and he was stellar a lot of nights.
- MattStrat

To be honest, I don't think Fleury is a head case. My comment was more the fact that he was calling Mrazek a head case... But saying Fleury is this proven winner.. typical Fleury fanboy poop. Where as the entire hockey world had pegged Fleury as a head case a few years ago.

I really like Vatanen. He'd fit in well with us. I don't know how much $ he's expected to get though. Maybe $5M?
- Barnaby36

Sami's who I'd target after exploring options with Brodie, Trouba, and Barrie. Sami and Barrie get a lot of flack for defensive deficiencies, but our system is tailor made for guys like that. We need guys to facilitate zone exits and they're some of the best in the game.

I know. It was so bad lol trade one of the best players in the world and don't get poop in return. Trading generational talent never works out. Which blows my mind why people want to unload Geno sometimes.
- j.boyd919

And to think Mogilny landed Peca and Jay McKee (later played for the Penguins). But I understand the team was broke. I'd want at least a couple 1st round picks back with all the garbage we got

To be honest, I don't think Fleury is a head case. My comment was more the fact that he was calling Mrazek a head case... But saying Fleury is this proven winner.. typical Fleury fanboy poop. Where as the entire hockey world had pegged Fleury as a head case a few years ago.
- j.boyd919

I think Fleury is a proven winner. He started every game in a cup run and lost they lost the cup in game 6 of the final, started every game in a cup run and won the cup in game 7 of the final and won the most games in this recent cup run. In this recent cup run he won the hardest games as well.

I'm not a big fan of Shattenkirk anything above $5.5M. TBH I really like what Schultz brings to the team and wouldn't want somebody to replace him. If only Daley accepted $2M... he'd still be on our team.
- Barnaby36

Get out with Daley. I'm so over Trevor Daley on this team. He's not a good hockey player. He did great things for us in 2016 and I will always love him for that and he'll always have a place in Pittsburgh after he hangs them up, but he very much became part of the problem this season.

Sami's who I'd target after exploring options with Brodie, Trouba, and Barrie. Sami and Barrie get a lot of flack for defensive deficiencies, but our system is tailor made for guys like that. We need guys to facilitate zone exits and they're some of the best in the game.
- Victoro311

Do you follow Corey Sznajder on twitter? @shutdownline? He does awesome zone exit tracking.

Sami's who I'd target after exploring options with Brodie, Trouba, and Barrie. Sami and Barrie get a lot of flack for defensive deficiencies, but our system is tailor made for guys like that. We need guys to facilitate zone exits and they're some of the best in the game.
- Victoro311

I really like the Barrie and Trouba ideas but they would be more expensive than Vatanen and I really like how the Finn moves the puck and skates. He'd be an easier target for sure. I don't know much about Brodie's game.

I think Fleury is a proven winner. He started every game in a cup run and lost they lost the cup in game 6 of the final, started every game in a cup run and won the cup in game 7 of the final and won the most games in this recent cup run. In this recent cup run he won the hardest games as well.
- MattStrat

Fleury's great and yeah I think his issues are comfortably behind him. And I agree with Boyd, I don't think the head case stuff was fair to him. Those teams were seriously deficient when it came to defense (both the blue line and team defense in general). But the fact remains that the goalie market has always been a buyers market since Niemi won the cup in Chicago. People have been seriously overvaluing Flower for a while now on here. I don't think Vegas will get a sweetener for taking him, but its not out of the realm of possibility and there's no way that Flower brings something in a trade with someone else that's worth Bryan Rust.

I think Fleury is a proven winner. He started every game in a cup run and lost they lost the cup in game 6 of the final, started every game in a cup run and won the cup in game 7 of the final and won the most games in this recent cup run. In this recent cup run he won the hardest games as well.
- MattStrat

Again, I don't think Fleury is a head case, and I'm not gonna argue the proven winner aspect either. I like Fleury, I think he's a decent goalie. Do I think he's better than Mrazek? No. And the stats show it as well. Mrazek put up better numbers in the last 3 years while playing on a worse hockey team.




It was simply Mrazek being a "headcase" where Fleury has had his own history of being a "headcase" and how stupid of a narrative it was to base an opinion on that.

I think Fleury is a proven winner. He started every game in a cup run and lost they lost the cup in game 6 of the final, started every game in a cup run and won the cup in game 7 of the final and won the most games in this recent cup run. In this recent cup run he won the hardest games as well.
- MattStrat

I respect Fleury as well. Has been playing extremely well too. Best starting goalie out there for Las Vegas. Mrazek or Rääntä might be taken for backup duties.

I respect Fleury as well. Has been playing extremely well too. Best starting goalie out there for Las Vegas. Mrazek or Rääntä might be taken for backup duties.
- Barnaby36

Or a 1A or 1B scenario.

Get out with Daley. I'm so over Trevor Daley on this team. He's not a good hockey player. He did great things for us in 2016 and I will always love him for that and he'll always have a place in Pittsburgh after he hangs them up, but he very much became part of the problem this season.
- Victoro311

I don't think Daley is bad at all. Good player for sure. I don't get poisoned by the opinions of RW about him. He's a gamer and helped us through the playoffs.

I really like the Barrie and Trouba ideas but they would be more expensive than Vatanen and I really like how the Finn moves the puck and skates. He'd be an easier target for sure. I don't know much about Brodie's game.
- Barnaby36

Trouba I think is worth paying the extra. Trouba is a first pairing caliber, perfectly rounded defenseman who has legit #1 potential and is currently on an inexpensive bridge deal.

I put Barrie before Vatanen on the list of targets specifically because of Sakic. He's bad at his job and I have a lot of confidence in Rutherford to go in there and win a trade for Barrie.

Brodie is essentially what I hope Trouba turns into and is on a sub-5 mil contract. He's one of the most underrated players in the NHL and has one of the best contracts in the league. He's a legitimate #1 defenseman on almost any team, is a gifted puck mover, but is also good in his own end and on the boards. I don't think Calgary parts with him, but if I were a GM, I'd enquire just in case there's a deal to be had. Brodie's a guy I'd be willing to trade Conor Sheary for.

Get out with Daley. I'm so over Trevor Daley on this team. He's not a good hockey player. He did great things for us in 2016 and I will always love him for that and he'll always have a place in Pittsburgh after he hangs them up, but he very much became part of the problem this season.
- Victoro311

I like Daley still. I thought he was pretty effective when healthy in the playoffs this past year. If they can get Daley for $2M on the bottom pairing that would be great. I think someone else will pay him more and give him a bigger role.

I don't think Daley is bad at all. Good player for sure. I don't get poisoned by the opinions of RW about him. He's a gamer and helped us through the playoffs.
- Barnaby36

He's just a guy that when he's gonna be on the ice, the teams are probably gonna trade chances. Makes for exciting hockey. It's fun to watch for sure. I prefer Daley over the Hainsey/Scuderi dumps.

I like Daley still. I thought he was pretty effective when healthy in the playoffs this past year. If they can get Daley for $2M on the bottom pairing that would be great. I think someone else will pay him more and give him a bigger role.
- MacPatty

I just wish they would get him away from Maatta.

I don't think Daley is bad at all. Good player for sure. I don't get poisoned by the opinions of RW about him. He's a gamer and helped us through the playoffs.
- Barnaby36

Did you not see what he did to Olli Maatta whenever they were paired together? When Daley went down in the playoffs, Maatta looked like rookie Maatta, and then when Daley came back Maatta went back to bad Maatta. He drags his partners down.

Maybe if Sullivan wasn't so insistent on playing those two together, I'd be more open to bring Daley in as Ian Cole's parter on the bottom pair, but I don't want Sullivan to even the option of playing Maatta and Daley together.

He's just a guy that when he's gonna be on the ice, the teams are probably gonna trade chances. Makes for exciting hockey. It's fun to watch for sure. I prefer Daley over the Hainsey/Scuderi dumps.
- j.boyd919

Well yeah who doesn't.

I like Daley still. I thought he was pretty effective when healthy in the playoffs this past year. If they can get Daley for $2M on the bottom pairing that would be great. I think someone else will pay him more and give him a bigger role.
- MacPatty

No doubt. Daley at $2M for a couple years is a no brainer in my mind. He can move the puck and run the PP occasionally. He was always good in Dallas.

Trouba I think is worth paying the extra. Trouba is a first pairing caliber, perfectly rounded defenseman who has legit #1 potential and is currently on an inexpensive bridge deal.

I put Barrie before Vatanen on the list of targets specifically because of Sakic. He's bad at his job and I have a lot of confidence in Rutherford to go in there and win a trade for Barrie.

Brodie is essentially what I hope Trouba turns into and is on a sub-5 mil contract. He's one of the most underrated players in the NHL and has one of the best contracts in the league. He's a legitimate #1 defenseman on almost any team, is a gifted puck mover, but is also good in his own end and on the boards. I don't think Calgary parts with him, but if I were a GM, I'd enquire just in case there's a deal to be had. Brodie's a guy I'd be willing to trade Conor Sheary for.
- Victoro311

What about a package of Sprong+Rust+1st for Brodie... Would you pull the trigger on that?

Did you not see what he did to Olli Maatta whenever they were paired together? When Daley went down in the playoffs, Maatta looked like rookie Maatta, and then when Daley came back Maatta went back to bad Maatta. He drags his partners down.

Maybe if Sullivan wasn't so insistent on playing those two together, I'd be more open to bring Daley in as Ian Cole's parter on the bottom pair, but I don't want Sullivan to even the option of playing Maatta and Daley together.
- Victoro311

Yep. That's my opinion on the matter. If we do resign Daley.. you just know Sully is gonna play him all season with Maatta and that poop is excruciating.