Slavin $5.3 x 7. Maatta looks grossly overpaid by comparison.

I find it funny people go apoplectic when talking about Hanzal and his injury problems but then completely ignore Maatta's injury history. Hanzal has played in 172 the last 3 seasons (70%) while Maatta has only played in 142 (58%). Who would you rather have to replace in the lineup and rely upon the replacement, a 3C or a middle pairing dman?

Given Letang's own injury woes and his constant uncertainty, Maatta is a huge risk to the Pens going forward. Maatta is the easy one of the two to trade right now and have that potential headache eliminated. Both have 5 years left, Letang at $7.25 and 30 years old, and Maatta at $4.1 and 23 years old (next month).

So if he ever recovers from cancer and really trains he has 2d potential versus a David Perron rent a top 6 forward
- sditulli

Cancer hasn't been his only physical ailment and if ifs and buts were candy and nuts we'd all have a Merry Christmas.

Maatta at 20 put up 29 pts in 78 games playing defense and you want to trade him for a guy who at 23 put 36 pts in 82 games playing forward.
- sditulli

Connor Brown is nothing special. Yay, he put up 124 points playing with Connor McDavid in juniors as a 19 year old.

Maatta at 20 put up 29 pts in 78 games playing defense and you want to trade him for a guy who at 23 put 36 pts in 82 games playing forward.
- sditulli

He put up 20 goals as a rookie...regardless he is know for his two way ability.

I don't give a poop what Maata did 4 years ago...I want to know what he did last year.

Maatta at 20 put up 29 pts in 78 games playing defense and you want to trade him for a guy who at 23 put 36 pts in 82 games playing forward.
- sditulli

Maatta put up 7 points in 55 games last season. Cole can top that aside Schultz. I value Cole more than Maatta at this point. And I am not even a big Cole fan.

He put up 20 goals as a rookie...regardless he is know for his two way ability.

I don't give a poop what Maata did 4 years ago...I want to know what he did last year.
- Santo_44

7 points in 55 games. Maatta isn't the player everyone thinks he is. He's solid but nothing special.

Cancer hasn't been his only physical ailment and if ifs and buts were candy and nuts we'd all have a Merry Christmas.
- T-Train

Yes his injury issues are concerning. It's obviously why he declined. Still it's not beau Bennett territory and could just be bad luck. If he gets and stays healthy he has a good chance of looking like the player he was when he was 20.

Maatta contract comps well to Slavin if you forget the injury problems.

7 points in 55 games. Maatta isn't the player everyone thinks he is. He's solid but nothing special.
- j.boyd919

Say what you really mean. You don't think he will ever be healthy to reach his potential and what to trade him for table scraps

Say what you really mean. You don't think he will ever be healthy to reach his potential and what to trade him for table scraps
- sditulli

I'm not sure if you could be further from what I mean. But nice try.

Maatta isn't the player everyone thinks he is. He's solid but nothing special.
- j.boyd919

I don't think anyone views him as special. He's young and solid. Solid isn't something you can say about a lot of 22 year old defensemen.

He put up 20 goals as a rookie...regardless he is know for his two way ability.

I don't give a poop what Maata did 4 years ago...I want to know what he did last year.
- Santo_44

Brown is gonna be a damn good top 6 RW.

Yes his injury issues are concerning. It's obviously why he declined. Still it's not beau Bennett territory and could just be bad luck. If he gets and stays healthy he has a good chance of looking like the player he was when he was 20.

Maatta contract comps well to Slavin if you forget the injury problems.
- sditulli

But you CAN'T forget the injury problems. A contract should reflect risks going forward, Maatta's contract doesn't, ergo, he is overpaid and it is a bad contract. The length of the deal should have brought down the AAV but it didn't. Maatta is getting paid like a dependable, consistent middle pairing dman which he is not. He has had ONE full healthy season out of four. I'm not a betting man, but the odds aren't good going forward that he will suddenly become an iron man. Slavin is a better defenseman in every conceivable way, he isn't injury-prone, and he is making a pittance more than Maatta.

I don't think anyone views him as special. He's young and solid. Solid isn't something you can say about a lot of 22 year old defensemen.
- hardnosed

I wouldn't call him solid. Injuries aside, he is slow and very inconsistent. Sometimes he looks good/great, other times (too often) he looks like he should be a healthy scratch.

Brown is gonna be a damn good top 6 RW.
- j.boyd919

Kessel horn guentzel sheary with rust and Wilson as mid-6 and sprong and Reese knocking on door why are we trading our only potential high end d guy for organizational strength.

Mindless quick taking browns cock.

I wouldn't call him solid. Injuries aside, he is slow and very inconsistent. Sometimes he looks good/great, other times (too often) he looks like he should be a healthy scratch.
- T-Train

Health has effected his training. We really don't know what his upside is. If he's healthy I think he gets to the place where he's phenomenal with letang.

Kessel horn guentzel sheary with rust and Wilson as mid-6 and sprong and Reese knocking on door why are we trading our only potential high end d guy for organizational strength.

Mindless quick taking browns cock.
- sditulli

I already explained it in another post. I can copy and paste it back again for you so you can read it again, if you would like

How about Alexander Burmistrov as a 3C option? I remember when he played for WPG a few years ago. I thought he was going to be a great player. He had 28 points when he was 21 with them, then he went to the KHL and Arizona. He is in VAN now, and I bet he could be a much better player on a GOOD team like the Pens. He is only 25. Any comments from the Winnipeg fans on what happened to him?
Any comments from Pens fans on if he might be a good fit?

Maatta has a high hockey IQ, great hands and stickwork.

He's also slow as molasses, not physical at all, and injury-prone.

He could become more physical if he adds bulk but I don't think it's in his nature - he is very passive when it comes to defending. He could get past his injury woes, but he is slow and doesn't avoid checks. That, combined with his slender frame, leads me to think he will get injured a lot more. Aaaaannnnnddddd...he will always be slow, which will always limit how good he can be.
- T-Train

Everyone has to sell out Maatta as fast as they can. A 22 year old with 2 cups who made the league as an 18 year old. Most dmen are just getting their first cup of tea in the NHL at 22 but it's already over for Maatta? He's been playing hurt for 2 years while trying to get used to taking synthetic thyroid meds. And he's been playing at a high level despite such adversity. Thyroid hormones have a direct effect on a persons energy level. Once he's healthy and has found the perfect dose for his thyroid hes going to be a very valuable player signed to a decent contract. And people want to sell him off for just about any piece of garbage they can think of. If I'm running the team I'm not giving up on Maatta or Pouliot. If anything I am giving them all the freedom they need. In 2 years the same people that want to trade Maatta for Faksa or Perreult will be eating their words.

May I interest you guys in Matty "franchise" Stajan?

He is still a serviceable player and he could probably be had (wit some salary retained) at a bargain shop price. We have pretty good depth at centre so he's been playing more of a 4th line role for us. But he is capable of playing up the lineup if need be (he also seems to come alive in the playoffs, which is a bonus).


We might be looking to shed some salary to bring in another winger, so it could be a good trade match.

https://public.tableau.co...4BY2RW?:display_count=yes
- Saskabush

Nope. We are a championship caliber team not a happy to make the playoffs team.

Ive pondered wether Bozak for Maata would Ben a good idea or not.

Maata-Rielly
Gardiner-Zaitzev
Hainsey-Lilagren

That might not be too bad in a couple years.
- Santo_44

Bozak for Maatta is a complete joke. Why would we trade a 22 year old dman on a decent contract for a 30 year old, overpaid, very limited talent wise centre on an expiring contract?? Dmen are at a premium but we are selling low? No way even Rutherford would entertain such nonsense. And you are worried about getting ripped off?

What if it's Maatta+Sprong for Bozak+Brown?
- j.boyd919

You're fired!! Dumbest idea yet. Let's trade Crosby for Kadri too while we are at it.

You're fired!! Dumbest idea yet. Let's trade Crosby for Kadri too while we are at it.
- Dcoms

Hey moron. Go jerk off to Eric Gyrba or Dmitry Kulikov.

I agree with this. Maatta's contract represents both risk and the potential for reward. Will he become a good 2D? Maybe (I sort of doubt it), but if he does, then the Pens have a good deal. He will never be a 1D (based on a lot of factors) and he plays the left side, so 2D is his ceiling. If he becomes a 4D with deficiencies in his game, which would describe him now, then the contract is pretty average - high now but will become low later. And then he could continue to be injury-plagued with little offense and a liability due to his speed, leaving fans shaking their heads wishing he were a healthy scratch as is sometimes the case now.

To your point, could the Pens get Markov for $4 mil right now? Is he as good or better than Maatta overall? Sure, Markov is at the end of his career and there is no untapped potential, but so what? The Pens are in win-now mode. Just as an example of good FA middle-pairing defensemen who are always available.

And I agree with your last point. I wouldn't nix a deal simply due to not playing PK, but we need a good defensive 3C who can win faceoffs. I don't care what the Pens did with Bonino and how Bonino did this last year. If Kessel is on the third line, get a C who can play D. If Crosby and Malkin continue to be sub-par at faceoffs, get a 3C who can win a high percentage of faceoffs. And we lost a lot of PKers, so we need a 3C who plays the PK.
- T-Train

Maatta is a bonafide #3 dman signed to a below market value contract for 5 more years!! And this should be his rookie season. Dmen develop much slower than forwards.

Brown is gonna be a damn good top 6 RW.
- j.boyd919

If you guys trade for him i'll be pissed

I've watched him play in the OHL/AHL/NHL...never doubted him. He's got the right attitude to succeed and the skills to boot.

Hey moron. Go jerk off to Eric Gyrba or Dmitry Kulikov.
- j.boyd919

Get in the corner gay boyd no one is talking to you. Take your loser trade and shove it where only your mommy dares to touch.