Little bummed about Cullen. Quite a bit of character has exited the locker room this off season..

Little bummed about Cullen. Quite a bit of character has exited the locker room this off season..
- MattStrat

Crosby, Malkin, and Letang is all the leadership we need. Kunitz and Cullen were respected leaders, but someone will step up to fill their void. Always happens. Remember, Brandon Sutter was once considered one of our more vocal locker room leaders. No one misses him.

Butcher isn't gonna be an instant top 4 solution, and in fact we'll be lucky if he's ready for the NHL right off the bat to begin with. Butcher does not make Maatta expendable and people need to stop thinking that. Hunwick and Cole are not top 4 D men.
- Victoro311

I disagree on Cole. I think he's formed in a legit #4 dman. Hunwick? Yeah, not a top-four guy, but definitely an above average third pairing dman.

I disagree on Cole. I think he's formed in a legit #4 dman. Hunwick? Yeah, not a top-four guy, but definitely an above average third pairing dman.
- Rinosaur

I don't think he's an ideal 2nd pairing guy, but he's capable of playing that rule and seems to fit well with Schultz. I think cole is a really good 3rd pairing guy. I want cole slotted as our fifth D. Someone will get hurt and he slots up.

I don't think he's an ideal 2nd pairing guy, but he's capable of playing that rule and seems to fit well with Schultz. I think cole is a really good 3rd pairing guy. I want cole slotted as our fifth D. Someone will get hurt and he slots up.
- sditulli

Is Cole an ideal 2nd pairing guy if he's the main dman on that pairing? No.

He's an ideal 2nd pairing guy when you have a dman on the level as Schultz playing next to him.

Is Cole an ideal 2nd pairing guy if he's the main dman on that pairing? No.

He's an ideal 2nd pairing guy when you have a dman on the level as Schultz playing next to him.
- Rinosaur

I think we would be OK with
Dumo-Letang
cole-Shultz
hunwick-Ruwehdel
DP/Butcher-Franson/Corrado

This is not perfect, but if DP improves and We pick up Franson for $1M or a player tryout and we sign Butcher, I am OK with getting a good 3rd line Center for Maatta and a spare winger and a pick(s). Will that get Bozak, Eric Staal, Perreault, ??? ? ..... I think it would get one of them or another good 3C.

Been pretty quiet in here for a little too long - that's not a good thing.........

Anyone got something good we can argue about............(frank)ers!

Who has been our worst Pens fan troll the last 2 years? What was that dudes name that wanted to tank last year before we won the Cup?? Or that 'woman' briana was it?

Sammy where the (frank) are you my man with your cryptic, pessimistic & outright terrible comments?????

I think we would be OK with
Dumo-Letang
cole-Shultz
hunwick-Ruwehdel
DP/Butcher-Franson/Corrado

This is not perfect, but if DP improves and We pick up Franson for $1M or a player tryout and we sign Butcher, I am OK with getting a good 3rd line Center for Maatta and a spare winger and a pick(s). Will that get Bozak, Eric Staal, Perreault, ??? ? ..... I think it would get one of them or another good 3C.
- so_buzz11

Slight problem with that is Butcher & Franson aren't a guarantee at this stage or even a consideration to be honest as we have no idea whether or not they will sign with the Pens.

Slight problem with that is Butcher & Franson aren't a guarantee at this stage or even a consideration to be honest as we have no idea whether or not they will sign with the Pens.
- Aussiepenguin

Yep, that is why unless the Pens get one or both (depending in the Pen's faith in DP & Corrado) then the Pens should NOT trade Maatta without a different replacement option. All IMO of course.

I think we would be OK with
Dumo-Letang
cole-Shultz
hunwick-Ruwehdel
DP/Butcher-Franson/Corrado

This is not perfect, but if DP improves and We pick up Franson for $1M or a player tryout and we sign Butcher, I am OK with getting a good 3rd line Center for Maatta and a spare winger and a pick(s). Will that get Bozak, Eric Staal, Perreault, ??? ? ..... I think it would get one of them or another good 3C.
- so_buzz11

I was thinking, wouldn't it be funny if Cullen was looking forward to playing with E. Staal again and then Staal gets traded to the Pens? Nah, that wouldn't be funny. Maybe we can insist that Cullen be part of the package whether or not he wants to play with the Pens again. Sorry, kids, daddy's going to be away for a while longer.

Funny, when I saw your defensive pairings, I thought, "Wait, we need insurance for when our defensemen inevitably go down with injuries." Then I remembered that Maatta is either the #1 or #2 most injured defenseman so it would really only be finding a replacement for Letang. Schultz is creeping into the oft-injured conversation. But they both play on the right side, so Maatta doesn't help there, anyway.

Yep, that is why unless the Pens get one or both (depending in the Pen's faith in DP & Corrado) then the Pens should NOT trade Maatta without a different replacement option. All IMO of course.
- so_buzz11

I can't see Maatta being traded with how our D is. If anyone is going it will be a F.

I doubt Franson or Butcher (definitely Butcher), can replace Maatta, I may be wrong but then again I may be right.

I can't see Maatta being traded with how our D is. If anyone is going it will be a F.

I doubt Franson or Butcher (definitely Butcher), can replace Maatta, I may be wrong but then again I may be right.
- Aussiepenguin

Yeah, Franson is just as slow and worse defensively. Better offense, but it doesn't begin to make up for his defensive shortcomings. There is a reason he has bounced around to a lot of teams and is still a FA now (there is also a reason why Jagr is still a FA, among others). I agree we are too thin on D to be trading Maatta and not getting a dman either in return or elsewhere. Although Vegas still has a ton of them for sale.

Yeah, Franson is just as slow and worse defensively. Better offense, but it doesn't begin to make up for his defensive shortcomings. There is a reason he has bounced around to a lot of teams and is still a FA now (there is also a reason why Jagr is still a FA, among others). I agree we are too thin on D to be trading Maatta and not getting a dman either in return or elsewhere. Although Vegas still has a ton of them for sale.
- T-Train

Going to be interesting with how Vegas does this first year. Will there be a fire sale before the season kicks off, or trade deadline? Are they wanting the best possible team to skate through their first season or wait for a 'good' year & trade away their assets this first year to reap the best result to attack the draft (which no doubt they pick #1 ), & trade for young potential?

What could they get trading assets before the start of the season? Probably better return for certain players than if they wait for the deadline.

This is dumb. We have picked up payers from college and wasn't Sheary undrafted? Meh.

Going to be interesting with how Vegas does this first year. Will there be a fire sale before the season kicks off, or trade deadline? Are they wanting the best possible team to skate through their first season or wait for a 'good' year & trade away their assets this first year to reap the best result to attack the draft (which no doubt they pick #1 ), & trade for young potential?

What could they get trading assets before the start of the season? Probably better return for certain players than if they wait for the deadline.
- Aussiepenguin

Yeah, I think they'll get better value now. If they are going to be a bad team (which I think they will be, maybe not dead last, but bad nonetheless), then I think it will suppress a lot of numbers and make certain players look worse than they actually are (or not look as good as they actually are, to put it another way).

Hard to say, though. You would think that at the TDL they are competing with other rentals for sale which has to be stiffer competition (and thus drive return down) than just competing with the garbage FA class now (and maybe some random players who are "available"). In recent years it seems as though GMs have wised up about giving up too much for iffy rentals. I know the Pens learned their lesson the hard way.

Vegas has both centers and dmen that look enticing. It will be interesting to see how many deals they make after all of that ED dman hoarding. I assume they will want to try to unload all of those vet dmen on 1 year deals but they might have a hard time finding takers for some of them. From the forwards, Neal would be an obvious TDL trade and, to a lesser extent, Perron. I'm guessing they try to hang on to (and acquire/draft) as much young talent as possible.

This is dumb. We have picked up payers from college and wasn't Sheary undrafted? Meh.
- powerhouse

Didn't the Wings have the best farm system a little while ago? That's gone well for them. Sabres another one.

Didn't the Wings have the best farm system a little while ago? That's gone well for them. Sabres another one.
- Aussiepenguin

While we're talking Pittsburgh farms systems, I remember the Pirates being ranked top 10 just a couple seasons ago by the other know nothing ESPN contributor Keith Law. Yeah, farm system rankings are about as worthless as 60 grit butt wipe.

I was thinking, wouldn't it be funny if Cullen was looking forward to playing with E. Staal again and then Staal gets traded to the Pens? Nah, that wouldn't be funny. Maybe we can insist that Cullen be part of the package whether or not he wants to play with the Pens again. Sorry, kids, daddy's going to be away for a while longer.

Funny, when I saw your defensive pairings, I thought, "Wait, we need insurance for when our defensemen inevitably go down with injuries." Then I remembered that Maatta is either the #1 or #2 most injured defenseman so it would really only be finding a replacement for Letang. Schultz is creeping into the oft-injured conversation. But they both play on the right side, so Maatta doesn't help there, anyway.
- T-Train

Yep, my main point is, it is not crazy that Maatta might get traded, if Butcher and/or another D is picked up, to get a quality 3C. I agree a forward going for a good 3C is more likely, but moving Maatta is not impossible, either.

While we're talking Pittsburgh farms systems, I remember the Pirates being ranked top 10 just a couple seasons ago by the other know nothing ESPN contributor Keith Law. Yeah, farm system rankings are about as worthless as 60 grit butt wipe.
- NJPensfan

Development matters a lot too. I think the pens are clearly better at it than other teams. Some kids will shine on their own. Others need the right push.

Crosby, Malkin, and Letang is all the leadership we need. Kunitz and Cullen were respected leaders, but someone will step up to fill their void. Always happens. Remember, Brandon Sutter was once considered one of our more vocal locker room leaders. No one misses him.
- Victoro311

With all due respect to Sutter he doesnt have the nearly as much character as MAF, Kunitz or Cullen.

You're probably (hopefully) right that someone will fill the void though.

I feel like Cullen and Kunitz were two of the best players the last two series of this run and probably more so Cullen. Besides Kunitz's great production in the final two series, they both did a lot of little things right. A lot of little plays. had they not done, might of resulted in the Pens being scored on.

Yeah, I think they'll get better value now. If they are going to be a bad team (which I think they will be, maybe not dead last, but bad nonetheless), then I think it will suppress a lot of numbers and make certain players look worse than they actually are (or not look as good as they actually are, to put it another way).

Hard to say, though. You would think that at the TDL they are competing with other rentals for sale which has to be stiffer competition (and thus drive return down) than just competing with the garbage FA class now (and maybe some random players who are "available"). In recent years it seems as though GMs have wised up about giving up too much for iffy rentals. I know the Pens learned their lesson the hard way.

Vegas has both centers and dmen that look enticing. It will be interesting to see how many deals they make after all of that ED dman hoarding. I assume they will want to try to unload all of those vet dmen on 1 year deals but they might have a hard time finding takers for some of them. From the forwards, Neal would be an obvious TDL trade and, to a lesser extent, Perron. I'm guessing they try to hang on to (and acquire/draft) as much young talent as possible.
- T-Train

Don't they have too many players on their roster and will need to send some thru waivers before the season starts? You think GMJR is just waiting for a free asset? Probably won't get the best of the bunch, but it's still a free C (potentially could be the 4 and still make a trade for the 3C)

Now that we're down Cullen, I'd bet the plan is to run JSD as our 3C. That's pretty unacceptable. The Old Man can't wait until New Years to find a center.
- Victoro311

I'm telling you guys, Jiri Lehtera is where it's at.

Didn't the Wings have the best farm system a little while ago? That's gone well for them. Sabres another one.
- Aussiepenguin

Wings and Sabres issue was they didn't diversify. Lots of top-end offensive talent (which has panned out, more or less) but no depth in goal or on defense.

Development matters a lot too. I think the pens are clearly better at it than other teams. Some kids will shine on their own. Others need the right push.
- sditulli

This is it here. Pens are able to take prospects not rated as highly and turn them into legit NHL'rs. Not all teams are good at developing their young guys.

Don't they have too many players on their roster and will need to send some thru waivers before the season starts? You think GMJR is just waiting for a free asset? Probably won't get the best of the bunch, but it's still a free C (potentially could be the 4 and still make a trade for the 3C)
- buckster2342

Penguins will have the last chance to take anyone on waivers. I doubt anyone who would fit as Pittsburgh's 4C would make it to them.