I have been seeing us still linked to Skinner and I think JR wants to upgrade the 2nd line LW spot and of course our bottom d pairing. I would rather take a shot at Nash tbh instead of trading assets for Skinner. I wouldn't mind a trade for Faulk though. I also am hoping more than anything for Grabner to come to Pittsburgh since he is always a thorn in our side. I also wouldn't mind JJ on a 1 year lower prove it deal. I also wouldn't mind Andrej Sustr or John Moore as an add on D. Sustr and Big rig together would add up to the tallest D line in hockey and I would think they would probably do well together.
- 123Kid

Pass on JJ. Agree with Sustr, Moore and Grabner. Ruth should be wary of giving up too much for another UFA (Skinner). I'm not a fan of letting assets walk for nothing and Brassard will not be signing an extension.

Is this the first year ever that JJ won't be spoken about, mentioned or alluded to to be In a Pens uniform?

In JJ, I mean Jagr.

Pass on JJ. Agree with Sustr, Moore and Grabner. Ruth should be wary of giving up too much for another UFA (Skinner). I'm not a fan of letting assets walk for nothing and Brassard will not be signing an extension.
- madmike71

Agreed on not going after rentals. I think we could resign Brassard pending on how much the cap goes up and how well he plays. I think Hagelin goes down in his cap hit also pending on how much Guentzel gets. We could resign him or even trade him for assets.

Has Brassard shown any capability to play LW? That would solve the need for a #2 LW and Sheahan has shown he's plenty capable of playing 3C. You still have great C depth in case of Malkin/Crosby going down as you can push Brassard to 2C in that case. A lot of people wanted Derek Ryan from Carolina last year and he's available as a UFA. If you could somehow package Sheary/Hunwick for a 4D/good 5D or just to free up space to sign Mike Green you could have something like:

Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist
Brassard-Malkin-Kessel
Rust-Sheahan-Sprong
Hagelin-Ryan-Aston-Reese
Simon

Dumo-Letang
Maata-Shultz
Oleksiak-Green
Ruhwedel

If you needed a little extra cap space you could potentially trade Hagelin and sign Kunitz for ~$3M cheaper.

Has Brassard shown any capability to play LW? That would solve the need for a #2 LW and Sheahan has shown he's plenty capable of playing 3C. You still have great C depth in case of Malkin/Crosby going down as you can push Brassard to 2C in that case. A lot of people wanted Derek Ryan from Carolina last year and he's available as a UFA. If you could somehow package Sheary/Hunwick for a 4D/good 5D or just to free up space to sign Mike Green you could have something like:

Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqvist
Brassard-Malkin-Kessel
Rust-Sheahan-Sprong
Hagelin-Ryan-Aston-Reese
Simon

Dumo-Letang
Maata-Shultz
Oleksiak-Green
Ruhwedel

If you needed a little extra cap space you could potentially trade Hagelin and sign Kunitz for ~$3M cheaper.
- NDPensfan

People say Brass can play LW. I dont know if he should be there full time but if so, that's a pretty nice lineup.

Has Brassard shown any capability to play LW?
- NDPensfan

No. It's just been something talked about by the coaching staff as a possible option to try.

No. It's just been something talked about by the coaching staff as a possible option to try.
- Rinosaur

Weren't they talking about that because he seems apprehensive about the 3rd line role? I can't remember why that ever became a topic?

Weren't they talking about that because he seems apprehensive about the 3rd line role? I can't remember why that ever became a topic?
- madmike71

Something like that. I forget exactly.

The Athletic has some good articles on the draft winners and losers. Apparently we did well considering we only had four picks. Both those kids had bottom 1st round grades.

On a completely different subject, it sounds like Skinner turned down some trades with his NMC. Obviously impossible to determine what teams he declined, but that may bode well for us to give less assets if he really limits the field and we're a destination he would approve.

The Athletic has some good articles on the draft winners and losers. Apparently we did well considering we only had four picks. Both those kids had bottom 1st round grades.

On a completely different subject, it sounds like Skinner turned down some trades with his NMC. Obviously impossible to determine what teams he declined, but that may bode well for us to give less assets if he really limits the field and we're a destination he would approve.
- madmike71

Yeah, that was a great second round for the Pens. A lot like they did with Sprong in getting a player who dropped to them. If you add in the fact that Blueger looks like he may be a legit bottom 6 center and getting Guentzel in the 3rd round....the Pens have been drafting pretty damn well.

Agreed on not going after rentals. I think we could resign Brassard pending on how much the cap goes up and how well he plays. I think Hagelin goes down in his cap hit also pending on how much Guentzel gets. We could resign him or even trade him for assets.
- 123Kid

Guentzel's going to be expensive. Probobly in the 5-5.5 range if I was guessing. If you look at his stats he was possibly the best forward in all of the playoffs last year.

Guentzel's going to be expensive. Probobly in the 5-5.5 range if I was guessing. If you look at his stats he was possibly the best forward in all of the playoffs last year.
- cranktheradio

Yea him and Sid we're tearing it up. It took towards the end of the third round for someone to finally pass them in points. Guentzel comes up big when it matters gotta pay to keep him.

Something like that. I forget exactly.
- Rinosaur

In an interview Brass said himself he will play wing to get more minutes.

Sounds like the Pens did pretty good with the few picks they had but I would have really loved to see them jump up to an early 2nd round spot. McLoed, Noel, Woo, Samuelsson, Wilde & Thomas were all there. Oh well, these guys might turn out just as good.

Surprised it was so quiet. Interesting that Skinner turned down some trades. Have to think that the Pens were not one of them. For a guy in a contract year, there would be no better place to play than on Sid or Geno's LW. Good news as it would mean he might come cheaper.

I agree with previous posts on Sustr. Would be a great pickup for the bottom pair RD, depending on the cost of course.

I'd like to see if the Pens could pull something off with Montreal still. Brassard is an obvious choice for them. I'd be trying to squeeze them a bit and try for one of the following:

Brassard for Patches & Mete.
Brassard & Huntwick for Patches & a late round pick.
Brassard & Huntwick for Mete & 1st.
Brassard, Sheary & Maata for Drouin & Mete.

Obviously I really like Mete. He still needs another year on the bottom pair but in the long term he could be a really nice 2nd pairing LD.

I'd like to see if the Pens could pull something off with Montreal still. Brassard is an obvious choice for them. I'd be trying to squeeze them a bit and try for one of the following:

Brassard for Patches & Mete.
Brassard & Huntwick for Patches & a late round pick.
Brassard & Huntwick for Mete & 1st.
Brassard, Sheary & Maata for Drouin & Mete.

Obviously I really like Mete. He still needs another year on the bottom pair but in the long term he could be a really nice 2nd pairing LD.


- MacPatty

The Athletic has some good articles on the draft winners and losers. Apparently we did well considering we only had four picks. Both those kids had bottom 1st round grades.

On a completely different subject, it sounds like Skinner turned down some trades with his NMC. Obviously impossible to determine what teams he declined, but that may bode well for us to give less assets if he really limits the field and we're a destination he would approve.
- madmike71

I thought the Penguins had a good draft, obviously hard to read much into now. Like Ryan said, I'd much rather take a chance on those good skating, puck moving defensemen than a stay at home guy.

I dont know why Skinner makes sense. I dont know much about his 2 way play, but I dont think we need a top 6 with Kessel and Skinner, one seems enough. Invest in the defense. Trade Matt Hunwick, that was a bad signing by GMJR. Use that extra $2M+ in cap to sign a dman who can log minutes.

I'd like to see if the Pens could pull something off with Montreal still. Brassard is an obvious choice for them. I'd be trying to squeeze them a bit and try for one of the following:

Brassard for Patches & Mete.
Brassard & Huntwick for Patches & a late round pick.
Brassard & Huntwick for Mete & 1st.
Brassard, Sheary & Maata for Drouin & Mete.

Obviously I really like Mete. He still needs another year on the bottom pair but in the long term he could be a really nice 2nd pairing LD.


- MacPatty

I'm gonna have to go ahead and... disagree with you.

1) Brassard isn't even worth Pacioretty straight-up let alone for him plus another player.

2) Throwing Hunwick into the deal unfortunately doesn't make a team have to add more to the deal. If anything, the Pens would need to add incentive for any team to take Hunwick.

3) The Pens don't need another LD; they need a RD.

4) Moving Brassard moves the Pens backwards. The center depth is what is so valuable. He got injured just as he was taking flight here. A healthy season with those four centers will be huge.

I'm gonna have to go ahead and... disagree with you.

1) Brassard isn't even worth Pacioretty straight-up let alone for him plus another player.

2) Throwing Hunwick into the deal unfortunately doesn't make a team have to add more to the deal. If anything, the Pens would need to add incentive for any team to take Hunwick.

3) The Pens don't need another LD; they need a RD.

4) Moving Brassard moves the Pens backwards. The center depth is what is so valuable. He got injured just as he was taking flight here. A healthy season with those four centers will be huge.
- Rinosaur

We are just going to disagree across the board then. Particularly with one thing... Brassard is massively more valuable than Patches. Especially so to Montreal given their never ending search for talent at center.

We are just going to disagree across the board then. Particularly with one thing... Brassard is massively more valuable than Patches. Especially so to Montreal given their never ending search for talent at center.
- MacPatty

Pacioretty may have had a poor season last year, but that was likely an aberration. Over the last seven seasons, five have been 30+ goal seasons. One was because of an injury-shortened season and this last one was just weird.

A 30G player who puts up in the mid to high 60's in points is way more valuable than a guy like Brassard and I think the world of Brassard.

MTL definitely wants a center and he's worth a higher caliber center. If that center isn't out there, then MTL just won't do anything.

Just wondering what the Pens need the most.

JR hinted that he was happy with the D depth. Now whether thats actually completely true or him just trying to soften his market I'm not sure. I do think Hunwick will bounce back.

Our F depth. Are our guys just too small? Trotz put it to his team to not let smaller guys win battles, do we need a bigger player or 2?

Is DeSmith going to be fulltime backup? Jarry?

Just wondering what the Pens need the most.

JR hinted that he was happy with the D depth. Now whether thats actually completely true or him just trying to soften his market I'm not sure. I do think Hunwick will bounce back.

Our F depth. Are our guys just too small? Trotz put it to his team to not let smaller guys win battles, do we need a bigger player or 2?

Is DeSmith going to be fulltime backup? Jarry?
- Aussiepenguin

I don't get the sense there's a specific need. From what I've gathered they're looking for a possible change in the dynamic of their forwards.

JR has also said if they started the season with what they had to today they'd be in good shape.

If it were me I'd try and upgrade the bottom six a little and Olekisak's partner.

Pacioretty may have had a poor season last year, but that was likely an aberration. Over the last seven seasons, five have been 30+ goal seasons. One was because of an injury-shortened season and this last one was just weird.

A 30G player who puts up in the mid to high 60's in points is way more valuable than a guy like Brassard and I think the world of Brassard.

MTL definitely wants a center and he's worth a higher caliber center. If that center isn't out there, then MTL just won't do anything.
- Rinosaur

x2

Pacioretty may have had a poor season last year, but that was likely an aberration. Over the last seven seasons, five have been 30+ goal seasons. One was because of an injury-shortened season and this last one was just weird.

A 30G player who puts up in the mid to high 60's in points is way more valuable than a guy like Brassard and I think the world of Brassard.

MTL definitely wants a center and he's worth a higher caliber center. If that center isn't out there, then MTL just won't do anything.
- Rinosaur

Doubt they would give up MaxP for 1 yr of Brassard during a rebuild. I think someone would offer picks and prospects for him which is what they need.

Drouin would be nasty here though. He was awesome against the Pens vs Bolts a few yrs back.

Doubt they would give up MaxP for 1 yr of Brassard during a rebuild. I think someone would offer picks and prospects for him which is what they need.

Drouin would be nasty here though. He was awesome against the Pens vs Bolts a few yrs back.
- sammy87

Are they in a rebuild? They probably should be but at this point I think Bergevin has to be all in on winning now if he wants to keep his job. You can't trade away Subban for Weber and then Sergayev for Drouin (even if this one was a good deal) and then tell fans you are rebuilding.

Also, I just think Brassard and Montreal are a perfect long term fit. If they are trading for him, they are signing him to an extension immediately.