John Toperzer: Game Night: Pens look to snap two-game slide Wednesday Pittsburgh plays for the first time since losing both ends of a home-and-home matchup with New Jersey over the weekend

Let's go Pens!

Nice touch, thanks!

Back to the Boychuk discussion from yesterday.

I don't think he has looked all that bad, the man is getting open and he is also making some nice passes to Geno and Neal, all he needs to do now is begin finishing.

The one thing I have noticed is that he never plays a full shift, it seems that he is always getting summoned back to the bench. I don't know if that is a Bylsma thing or what? Keep an eye out tonight and see if you guys agree with me.

Back to the Boychuk discussion from yesterday.

I don't think he has looked all that bad, the man is getting open and he is also making some nice passes to Geno and Neal, all he needs to do now is begin finishing.

The one thing I have noticed is that he never plays a full shift, it seems that he is always getting summoned back to the bench. I don't know if that is a Bylsma thing or what? Keep an eye out tonight and see if you guys agree with me.
- Francois Leroux

I've noticed all the same things including his play and not playing full shifts. I feel like he has chemistry with them.

Other option is see what he can do with crosby and send kunitz down to malkin.

It took Neal 20 games of playing to start scoring, after switching teams/being in the spotlight of playing with malkin. I think Boychuk will start producing.

TK/Tangradi/Jeffrey, plus a 2nd for possibly even 1st for O'reilly??? The kid is only 22 right? thats the kind of gritty hard working player we need not a hemsky...

then again i guess hes a center not a wing, and we need a wing...

TK/Tangradi/Jeffrey, plus a 2nd for possibly even 1st for O'reilly??? The kid is only 22 right? thats the kind of gritty hard working player we need not a hemsky...
- JLT168

No one wants those players.

And if you are going to give up a first, why not just offer sheet him?

very good point sir...

It took Neal 20 games of playing to start scoring, after switching teams/being in the spotlight of playing with malkin. I think Boychuk will start producing.
- IronCity

It didn't take Neal 20 games with Malkin, he played with centers like Mark Letestu in his first 20 games.

I don't mind Boychuck, but can't see him being a long term solution. In a wide open game, he has the speed and the hockey IQ to make it work, but in tighter, more physical games (like the playoffs), I don't see it happening.

TK/Tangradi/Jeffrey, plus a 2nd for possibly even 1st for O'reilly??? The kid is only 22 right? thats the kind of gritty hard working player we need not a hemsky...

then again i guess hes a center not a wing, and we need a wing...
- JLT168

No offense, that is one of the worst suggestions to date. The Avs would get a first round pick for O'Reilly just signing an offer sheet.

At the risk of coming of like a complete a hole, can we please try and have some sort of standard when coming up with trade ideas.

"Here are 3 or 4 of our undesirables packaged together with a nice bow, can we have your best forward?"

I personally don't think O'Reilly would fix anything, unless he can play on Crosby's wing so we can move Kunitz down to Malkin.

Probably would be something like Morrow/Puolliot/Bennett + Kennedy + 1st or O'Reilly.

No offense, that is one of the worst suggestions to date. The Avs would get a first round pick for O'Reilly just signing an offer sheet.

At the risk of coming of like a complete a hole, can we please try and have some sort of standard when coming up with trade ideas.

"Here are 3 or 4 of our undesirables packaged together with a nice bow, can we have your best forward?"
- Gunner Staal

Me thinks alot of Pitt fans got spoiled with the Neal trade. Deals where one side gets rid of unwanted clutter to get a gem in return are extremely rare. Be happy you got the winning end of the deal once because its highly unlikely to happen again anytime soon.

Ill give you my 83 Chevette, my 86 Dodge Charger, and my 94 Geo Storm for your 2013 Land Rover...deal?

Probably would be something like Morrow/Puolliot/Bennett + Kennedy + 1st or O'Reilly.
- IronCity

But then why not just offer sheet him? If you offer him under $5 million (which you would), it would only cost a 1st and a 3rd. Much better than giving away a valuable prospect.

Colorado is screwed... they want to move him, but don't have great leverage since he is an RFA, and a team who trades for him still would need to sign him. Unless the Avs let a team talk to him before a trade is made, I would think it would be hard for a GM to 100% confident of signing him or for how much it will cost.

edit - Colorado doesn't have great leverage between them and other teams in terms of trading O'Reilly, but they do have all of the leverage over O'Reilly. They can just make him sit... and sit...

No offense, that is one of the worst suggestions to date. The Avs would get a first round pick for O'Reilly just signing an offer sheet.

At the risk of coming of like a complete a hole, can we please try and have some sort of standard when coming up with trade ideas.

"Here are 3 or 4 of our undesirables packaged together with a nice bow, can we have your best forward?"
- Gunner Staal

I brought it up last year, but what do you think it would take to get Wheeler out of Winnipeg? He has been the guy i have coveted more than guys like Perry and Iginila for quite a while now. Plays with some grit, scores, young, and an RFA. Every time I see him play(admittedly limited) he is noticeable in a good way. Winnipeg doesnt seem like they would be a bad trading partner since they could use some help on D between injuries and trading Oduya.

Probably would be something like Morrow/Puolliot/Bennett + Kennedy + 1st or O'Reilly.
- IronCity

That is TOO much for him.

That is TOO much for him.
- Oneonta Penguin

That's why I wouldn't do it. It's that or offer sheet or nothing. I wouldn't do any.

I don't think he fixes our issues.

I brought it up last year, but what do you think it would take to get Wheeler out of Winnipeg? He has been the guy i have coveted more than guys like Perry and Iginila for quite a while now. Plays with some grit, scores, young, and an RFA. Every time I see him play(admittedly limited) he is noticeable in a good way. Winnipeg doesnt seem like they would be a bad trading partner since they could use some help on D between injuries and trading Oduya.
- Rawdog9755

Now that is intriguing. Shero will most certainly like that he has control over the RFA process. Niskanen would be my starter, Pittsburgh would have to add more.

That is TOO much for him.
- Oneonta Penguin

Anything is too much for him. O'Reilly is a really good player, but we already have great and good players that play his position. There should literally be no interest from the Penguins as it pertains to O'Reilly.

Quite frankly from what I have gathered the Colorado Avalanche are showing a track record of handling their players poorly and seeing them leave.

Craig Anderson and Chris Stewart come to mind right away.

Avs might get a good return for O'Reilly but it should have never gotten to this point. He should have been a priority.

Now that is intriguing. Shero will most certainly like that he has control over the RFA process. Niskanen would be my starter, Pittsburgh would have to add more.
- Gunner Staal

He also fits our cap structure better than a big ticket name. That trade would have a lot of the same markers as the one that brought Neal here.
EDIT: Shero would also like that he is American, right handed shot and a big body. 6'5" 205lbs

He also fits our cap structure better than a big ticket name. That trade would have a lot of the same markers as the one that brought Neal here.
EDIT: Shero would also like that he is American and a big body. 6'5" 205lbs
- Rawdog9755

I doubt Winnipeg is in a rush to get rid of him though.

Ill give you my 83 Chevette, my 86 Dodge Charger, and my 94 Geo Storm for your 2013 Land Rover...deal?
- Reverend Killtaker

This is EXACTLY how I feel when I see people proposing trades involving TK and Tangradi for anyone other Setoguchi. Why would teams trade top 6 forwards for our leftovers? When we got Neal we had to trade a very promising young offensive defenseman for a fairly unproven winger. Ryan O'Riley is going to take more than a healthy scratch and a frequently injured 20 goal scorer. Besides, what Colorado needs are young, fast defenseman...what a coincidence!

Anything is too much for him. O'Reilly is a really good player, but we already have great and good players that play his position. There should literally be no interest from the Penguins as it pertains to O'Reilly.

Quite frankly from what I have gathered the Colorado Avalanche are showing a track record of handling their players poorly and seeing them leave.

Craig Anderson and Chris Stewart come to mind right away.

Avs might get a good return for O'Reilly but it should have never gotten to this point. He should have been a priority.
- Gunner Staal

That is what the takeaway from all this is that I get reading recent articles/blogs... They are cheap, and don't seem like a great organization as far as how they handle their players, or even fan/community outreach.