So in your guys (and gals?) opinion, who has the best 4th line in hockey currently?

I dont have an opinion on this because for the first time in about 20 years I've barely followed the rest of the league this season, well, up until a few weeks ago. Personal life was too in the sh!!ter to keep up...but that has flipped and im on the up and up again...so I find my league wide attention is getting back to par. I know for sure though that the Pens 4th line has looked alot better the past few weeks.

Yo, eye test purist. (frank)ing tell me that the 4th line hasn’t been leaps and bounds better with Sheahan at C. It’s actually been good.
- Victoro311

Aussie doesn't watch hockey, he just asks pointless questions that run around in circles that give no real opinion.

He can have Sheary, a 2nd, and any 2 scrubs not names ZAR or Blueger from Wilkes Barrie

That's 4 assets

2nd becomes a 1st if he resigns
- TheGame316

Not worth Kane at all. Keeping Sheary cost controlled is way more valuable to the Pens than Kane.

Not worth Kane at all. Keeping Sheary cost controlled is way more valuable to the Pens than Kane.
- j.boyd919

I agree. Too much.

In that same video where Bob Mackenzie names Buffalo's asking price for Kane, they were discussing Rutherford may go another route. One name that came up was Mark Letestu. I'm kind of intrigued by that idea of him returning to Pittsburgh.

Not worth Kane at all. Keeping Sheary cost controlled is way more valuable to the Pens than Kane.
- j.boyd919

At the risk of having a "Mackey" take...I dont think it makes sense to keep both Sheary and Geuntzel. Guentzel is better and cheaper....I would definitely package Sheary for an upgrade. He was invisible come playoff time last year....seems to be having a rough year...and im just going to say it...I think he has terrible hands for a 'skill' player...

Dont get me wrong, I generally like him....but he's someone with value who I would trade away...

Not worth Kane at all. Keeping Sheary cost controlled is way more valuable to the Pens than Kane.
- j.boyd919

Not that I completely disagree, but if Kane were to negotiate an extension before hand? I think it would be worth it. Then again it depends on what kind of money he's expecting.

For all the up and down people on Sheary here, a guy like him at $3M is pretty darn good. However, I'd expect Kane to be around a 30/30 guy here while basically bringing a game similar to Horn with some more skill. I assume he's going to command around $5.5/$6M; do you spend that or $3M on Sheary if it came down to it?

In that same video where Bob Mackenzie names Buffalo's asking price for Kane, they were discussing Rutherford may go another route. One name that came up was Mark Letestu. I'm kind of intrigued by that idea of him returning to Pittsburgh.
- simethos

Sheary, 1st, B prospect for Kane (would need salary retention or more money going out)

Cole for Letestu


As a basic framework for those two deals...I think that'd make us a really deep forward unit without losing much on the backend.

At the risk of having a "Mackey" take...I dont think it makes sense to keep both Sheary and Geuntzel. Guentzel is better and cheaper....I would definitely package Sheary for an upgrade. He was invisible come playoff time last year....seems to be having a rough year...and im just going to say it...I think he has terrible hands for a 'skill' player...

Dont get me wrong, I generally like him....but he's someone with value who I would trade away...
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I don't think you can look at it that way. It's not like they are redundant players. Sheary is only $3M, lives up to his pricetag and is under contract for two more years. Plus, with the cap going up it will only look better.

One thing we can really say about Rutherford is he really spent wisely. The Pens are in a great position cap-wise to keep most of these young guys and have room for a few luxuries moving forward.

There's really no reason the Pens can't go out and sign an upgrade at 3C and a top-six winger without being able to keep guys like Rust and Guentzel around, and if Guentzel winds up being the answer at 3C? Well, even better.

Sheary, 1st, B prospect for Kane (would need salary retention or more money going out)

Cole for Letestu


As a basic framework for those two deals...I think that'd make us a really deep forward unit without losing much on the backend.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I would do Cole for Letestu, but giving up a 1st this year is a huge mistake IMO. At this point we have no idea where the Pens will draft with the roller coaster of a season they're having, but regardless, this draft is deep as (frank).

The problem here is with the Oil not looking to be playoff bound, they have no reason for a rental dman unless there's an extension worked out beforehand.

I always liked Letestu. While I don't think he'd be a MAJOR upgrade, I think he'd be the poor man's Bonino and that's better than Sheahan IMO.

Not so sure about Letestu. He gets #1 PP time in Edmonton that he'd not get here.
Are we talking 3C or 4C?

Even with the Pens' seemingly turning things around, we have no idea if they fall apart again.

Regardless if this turnaround last the rest of the season, I'd still rather the Pens pretty much stand pat with this lineup and ride it out unless a really good hockey trade presented itself.

Not that I completely disagree, but if Kane were to negotiate an extension before hand? I think it would be worth it. Then again it depends on what kind of money he's expecting.

For all the up and down people on Sheary here, a guy like him at $3M is pretty darn good. However, I'd expect Kane to be around a 30/30 guy here while basically bringing a game similar to Horn with some more skill. I assume he's going to command around $5.5/$6M; do you spend that or $3M on Sheary if it came down to it?
- Rinosaur

Kane and Hornqvist's games aren't similar.

Even with the Pens' seemingly turning things around, we have no idea if they fall apart again.

Regardless if this turnaround last the rest of the season, I'd still rather the Pens pretty much stand pat with this lineup and ride it out unless a really good hockey trade presented itself.
- Rinosaur

Do you still believe the Pens should trade Hornqvist because they are tired and have no fire in their bellies ?

Jean-Sebastien Dea just called up....hmmm

Not that I completely disagree, but if Kane were to negotiate an extension before hand? I think it would be worth it. Then again it depends on what kind of money he's expecting.

For all the up and down people on Sheary here, a guy like him at $3M is pretty darn good. However, I'd expect Kane to be around a 30/30 guy here while basically bringing a game similar to Horn with some more skill. I assume he's going to command around $5.5/$6M; do you spend that or $3M on Sheary if it came down to it?
- Rinosaur

Hmm... I dunno, I don't think the Pens should be trading roster players for marginal upgrades. I think the Pens goal should be to add to their current roster. I don't believe trading away top 9 guys on good, cost controlled contracts is in their best interest.

Jean-Sebastien Dea just called up....hmmm
- MattStrat

What can we extract from this?

I wouldnt mind to package Sheary on a Kane deal.

Kane and Hornqvist's games aren't similar.
- willi

You don’t watch hockey

Do you still believe the Pens should trade Hornqvist because they are tired and have no fire in their bellies ?
- willi

Actually, because I see you’d like to come after me, you’ve got everything I wrote out of whack.

I said if the Pens were out of playoff contention come the deadline they should try to move him for a 1st with a handshake that they’d get first crack at him in the offseason.

Also, if anyone didn’t think there was a cup hangover going on, they’re lying. There was no fire in their game until the last two.

Hmm... I dunno, I don't think the Pens should be trading roster players for marginal upgrades. I think the Pens goal should be to add to their current roster. I don't believe trading away top 9 guys on good, cost controlled contracts is in their best interest.
- j.boyd919

Fair enough. I don’t agree that Kane would be a marginal upgrade, but I see where you’re coming from that’s how you view him.

What can we extract from this?

I wouldnt mind to package Sheary on a Kane deal.
- Barnaby36

Probably something as simple as injury. A call-up of that magnitude couldn’t mean anything significant IMO.

I'd really like Letestu as a 4C. I think he could add a bit of offence on that line and would be cheap to get.

I hear the rumors on the Kane acquisition cost rising but I just don't see how that could be the case. Hoffman and Pacioretty are both on the market now and both to me would have a greater value to most teams. Maybe excluding the ultra cash strapped teams. There will be more players coming available as teams drop out also.

Just really hoping they don't sell out the farm for Kane...

At the risk of having a "Mackey" take...I dont think it makes sense to keep both Sheary and Geuntzel. Guentzel is better and cheaper....I would definitely package Sheary for an upgrade. He was invisible come playoff time last year....seems to be having a rough year...and im just going to say it...I think he has terrible hands for a 'skill' player...

Dont get me wrong, I generally like him....but he's someone with value who I would trade away...
- YouMeAndDupuis9

It’s a Mackey take, my dude. There’s no reason why having one makes the other more expendable than he would otherwise be. They can definitely coexist on the same line as we have seen and there’s no reason why they can’t play on separate lines either.

If Kane were to negotiate an extension pre trade, then sure. Kane is better than Sheary and we’d have the cap space to make it work, but if not, then just keep Sheary and go after him in UFA. It’s confirmed that the FO likes Kane and few contenders would be able to compete with the contract we could offer. He’d have to go to a rebuilding or bubble team to get more money, and I’d assume that he’s tired of that.

Not so sure about Letestu. He gets #1 PP time in Edmonton that he'd not get here.
Are we talking 3C or 4C?
- Thorny87

I’d envision Letestu anchoring the 4th line and moving Sheahan up to 3C. It would make the team a lot better. If the asking price is right, I think a deal for Letestu is a no brainer.

You don’t watch hockey
- Rinosaur

Kane has speed on the wing, can carry the puck, create his own shot and is a threat to score from the outside. Hornqvist needs to play with a puck carrier so he can do what he does best and that's to create havoc around the net. Both play with a lot of energy and both drive to the net but then 1 normally stays around the net while the other hunts down pucks. Both are physical but Kane has an edge to his game and will drop the gloves. Hornqvist does his best work within 10 feet of the net while Kane doesn't. Both are very good players but they're different