Ryan Wilson: The Focus Shifts Towards Fixing Things The Focus Shifts Towards Fixing Things

Good series. Fleury stood on his head to keep you guys in every game. Here's to hoping Geno comes back healthy next year.

Our defense scares the Hell outta me for next year.

Big stick taps for MAF. He's really turned it around the last couple years. I have regained faith in him.

Couldn't bare myself to watch the game last night..Fleury was definitely MVP of this series and the penguins season, kid gave them every glimpse of hope but from the highlights I just watched pittsburgh should have won this game and series....I guess everyone can't be lucky like the Rangers with their pretty boy goalie that if they didn't have him they would be gone in 5....yeah rangers you win in 5 games but seems like pittsburgh gave you everything you could handle with no defense....what's gonna happen when you play a team with some defense? YOU WONT BE WINNING THE CUP. ..not making excuses for the penguins but you didn't deserve this series, a lot of lucky bounces and that happens...

Hell of a job by a team destroyed with injuries. MAF was unreal for you guys.

Our defense scares the Hell outta me for next year.
- batjester

We were missing 3 of our top 4 defensemen, yet we still held the #3 offensive team in the NHL to just over 2 goals a game. Our defense really surprised me. Chorney and Dumoulin will be a great 3rd pairing next year once they have a full year under their belt. That leaves Letang, Maatta, and Pouliot and maybe a free agent signing for the top 4. Not too worried.

Edit: I forgot about Lovejoy

Let walk:
Lap
Downie
Adams
Comeau
Downie
Ehrhoff
Ebbett
Martin (if he won't take 4.5mil/2-3yr deal or try to trade rights a deadline for 3rd pick)

Ufa Resign:
Winnik
Griess
Chorney

RFA resign:
Bennett
Cole
Dump
Megna
Uher
Kuehnhackl
Hartzell

Ufa to go after:
Tlusty
Santorelli

Rfa offer sheet:
Salad
Boedker
Kadri
Colin wilson
Nyquist
Galchenyuk
Grigorenko
Heard
Etem
Tarasenko
Baertschi
J.t Miller

Yes I know most those guys will resign but you never know. If I were pens I'd go after everyone.. Even if it helps wbs ie baertsch and heard

Edit:
Most important

Trade:
Suttter for pick
Kuni for pick
Spaling for late pick
Scuderi for late late pick or maybe even an ahl player

Pens have 9 UFAs on their current roster, and that doesn't count guys like Scuderi, Kunitz, Sutter or even Spaling who could be on the move.

This team will look much different next season.

Pens have 9 UFAs on their current roster, and that doesn't count guys like Scuderi, Kunitz, Sutter or even Spaling who could be on the move.

This team will look much different next season.
- rival22

There are 2 top 6 holes, 4 bottom 6, and 2 D holes, and back up G.

Now that the burden of Adams $700k cap is removed.....seriously Adams isn't the reason why the 2 best players can't score on the PP. Start looking at the real issues on this team and not pretend that the scrubs are the reason for failure.

I dont get the love affair with Martin. Good riddance...he had 1 good yr of the 5 that were here. 1 was brutal, another he was broken, the other 2 he was just an average dman.

Let walk:
Lap
Downie
Adams
Comeau
Downie
Ehrhoff
Ebbett
Martin (if he won't take 4.5mil/2-3yr deal or try to trade rights a deadline for 3rd pick)

Ufa Resign:
Winnik
Griess
Chorney

RFA resign:
Bennett
Cole
Dump
Megna
Uher
Kuehnhackl
Hartzell

Ufa to go after:
Tlusty
Santorelli

Rfa offer sheet:
Salad
Boedker
Kadri
Colin wilson
Nyquist
Galchenyuk
Grigorenko
Heard
Etem
Tarasenko
Baertschi
J.t Miller

Yes I know most those guys will resign but you never know. If I were pens I'd go after everyone.. Even if it helps wbs ie baertsch and heard

Edit:
Most important

Trade:
Suttter for pick
Kuni for pick
Spaling for late pick
Scuderi for late late pick or maybe even an ahl player
- nh4442

Trading those guys just creates more problems. They only bring back prospects and picks and even more holes are created on the roster. Where are you going to find the plugs cuz UFA crop blows this year.

Trading those guys just creates more problems. They only bring back prospects and picks and even more holes are created on the roster. Where are you going to find the plugs cuz UFA crop blows this year.
- sammy87

I'm glad you asked

Perron sid horn
(Tlusty) Geno kap
Winnik sundqvist bennett
Wilson Megna comeau (maybe)

Letang maatta
Poliout cole
Chorney dump
Harrington

Maf
Griess

They have to let the kids play and have some 2way guys.. If they stink they send them down and hit waiver wire.. Look at all the other teams.. They have young guys getting a shot

I was really proud of how our team played this series. At no point do I think they mailed it in which was nice to see. I think this year was a step in the right direction.

We were missing 3 of our top 4 defensemen, yet we still held the #3 offensive team in the NHL to just over 2 goals a game. Our defense really surprised me. Chorney and Dumoulin will be a great 3rd pairing next year once they have a full year under their belt. That leaves Letang, Maatta, and Pouliot and maybe a free agent signing for the top 4. Not too worried.

Edit: I forgot about Lovejoy
- cap1681

Maatta and Letang scare me because of injury/health issues. Poiliot looked good most games, but is still largely unproven. Lovejoy sucks.

I wouldn't be shocked if we miss the playoffs next year.

Personally I thought the team played really well given the circumstances


^^^^^


Guys had an awesome series with the amount of injuries....
Health is the only key factor going into next year, plus MAF showed why he deserved that contract extension, good for him....

There are 2 top 6 holes, 4 bottom 6, and 2 D holes, and back up G.

Now that the burden of Adams $700k cap is removed.....seriously Adams isn't the reason why the 2 best players can't score on the PP. Start looking at the real issues on this team and not pretend that the scrubs are the reason for failure.

I dont get the love affair with Martin. Good riddance...he had 1 good yr of the 5 that were here. 1 was brutal, another he was broken, the other 2 he was just an average dman.
- sammy87

The backup goalie is Zatkoff at 600K, a savings of 400K. If Fluery goes down you have Murray and Jarry, both big question marks but look at Ottawa, stranger things have happened.

I like the D situation - Letang, Maatta, Pouliott, Cole, Dumoulin, Harrington, Chorney. I think Pouliott and Dumoulin are too good for the AHL, they may not be ready to be top four NHL competition but neither were Bortuzzo and Despres but right now I would take either one of them.

The forward situation is a mess, if I had the answer I would be making a heck of a lot more money than I am right now.

Let walk:
Lap
Downie
Adams
Comeau
Downie
Ehrhoff
Ebbett
Martin (if he won't take 4.5mil/2-3yr deal or try to trade rights a deadline for 3rd pick)

Ufa Resign:
Winnik
Griess
Chorney

RFA resign:
Bennett
Cole
Dump
Megna
Uher
Kuehnhackl
Hartzell

Ufa to go after:
Tlusty
Santorelli

Rfa offer sheet:
Salad
Boedker
Kadri
Colin wilson
Nyquist
Galchenyuk
Grigorenko
Heard
Etem
Tarasenko
Baertschi
J.t Miller

Yes I know most those guys will resign but you never know. If I were pens I'd go after everyone.. Even if it helps wbs ie baertsch and heard

Edit:
Most important

Trade:
Suttter for pick
Kuni for pick
Spaling for late pick
Scuderi for late late pick or maybe even an ahl player
- nh4442

Couldn't bare myself to watch the game last night..Fleury was definitely MVP of this series and the penguins season, kid gave them every glimpse of hope but from the highlights I just watched pittsburgh should have won this game and series....I guess everyone can't be lucky like the Rangers with their pretty boy goalie that if they didn't have him they would be gone in 5....yeah rangers you win in 5 games but seems like pittsburgh gave you everything you could handle with no defense....what's gonna happen when you play a team with some defense? YOU WONT BE WINNING THE CUP. ..not making excuses for the penguins but you didn't deserve this series, a lot of lucky bounces and that happens...
- jeremy087

dem grapes tasting pretty sour eh?

Trade Malkin for depth

The injuries killed our season. If Letang and Maatta were healthy this is a different series and if Malkin was too, the Rangers are booking tee times.

The best thing to take from this series is Fleury finding his playoff game again. With some injury luck and Fleury's game returning to form this postseason is much more fun.

Hopefully now they can trim the dead weight off the roster. Guys like Adams and Lapierre need to be shown the door and allow the youth to be served. This team needs to start developing their own depth through proper use and development of the AHL kids.

Adding a few decent UFA's won't hurt either.

I would start with getting an entirely new amateur scouting staff, trying to get two 3rd round picks when some team hires Bylsma and Shero, then hire babcock as head coach and GM.

Thanks Ryan! I found your blog partway through the season. It's been a good read, great analysis and insight. Thanks for posting everyday. It's made the season more fun.

Commenters have been largely fun and insightful too. Thanks all!

Let walk:
Lap
Downie
Adams
Comeau
Downie
Ehrhoff
Ebbett
Martin (if he won't take 4.5mil/2-3yr deal or try to trade rights a deadline for 3rd pick)

Ufa Resign:
Winnik
Griess
Chorney

RFA resign:
Bennett
Cole
Dump
Megna
Uher
Kuehnhackl
Hartzell

Ufa to go after:
Tlusty
Santorelli

Rfa offer sheet:
Salad
Boedker
Kadri
Colin wilson
Nyquist
Galchenyuk
Grigorenko
Heard
Etem
Tarasenko
Baertschi
J.t Miller

Yes I know most those guys will resign but you never know. If I were pens I'd go after everyone.. Even if it helps wbs ie baertsch and heard

Edit:
Most important

Trade:
Suttter for pick
Kuni for pick
Spaling for late pick
Scuderi for late late pick or maybe even an ahl player
- nh4442

So, why resign Greis if Zatkoff can do the job with his 15 starts?

Sign Bennett to what type of contract since he doesn't deserve one?

Trade essentially two 20-goal scorers for one pick each, who won't have any impact at all for at least three years, and that is if we are lucky.

Offer Sheet Baertschi? He sucks. Offer sheet Emerson Etem? You realize his professional stats are WORSE than Beauregard Bennet's? He isn't all that either.

So, your reclamation project is based on offer sheeting players. Say two do bite, then we won't have any picks in the near future to help build depth. Google Scott Stevens and tell me what happened on his moves to St. Louis and NJ and how much each team had to give up.

I see about four other ufas I would wanted before your two. The fascination with Jiri Tlusty by some on this board is mind boggling.

- Mr_Underwood

I laughed too and two of those offer sheet guys suck ass.

I thought Perron finally looked like an NHL player last night. Coaching staff did not recognize it and he was largely wasted on the 3rd line. Kunitz looked bad. Should have been switched.
Both Sid and Geno need a winger capable of making plays, not just entering the zone, predictably dishing to their center and waiting for a return pass. Both Sid and geno's scoring is down because they spend most of their time generating for others who don't have the same skill. Geno when healthy should be flirting with 50 goals each year with the shot he has.
I like when a coach keeps his composure but c'mon. I want to smack HCMJ in the face to see if he's still alive. It doesn't hurt to speak to the refs when a call is missed or talk/yell at your players when they f up.
Tocchet should step down willingly. No excuse. Brutal.