Ryan Wilson: Another injury may force trade + Breakdown of Penguins brilliant 5v3 setup Another injury may force trade + Breakdown of Penguins brilliant 5v3 setup

From other blog:

haha why are you so convinced something is going down today?

I'm not so sure, with the recent outbreak of injuries, anything will be going down for the Pens today or before deadline. The Pens healthy roster is identical to the cup winning team sans Lovejoy. We know what they're capable of, they know what they're capable of.
- MattStrat

No I'm just hoping something happens. I love TDL and free agency...

Plus with Schultz Maatta and Daley all sidelined and having 3 days off before Saturday's game... now is the time to do a trade and have the new guys be able to practice

Michael Stone was on my do not trade for list so it's tough to say. It isn't easy to peg a player's value when general managers around the league still place value in players who don't really help a team

When I read that all I could think of was the "Don't buy the fool's gold" article about Daley and how the Pens should not trade for him. Not saying Stone would have been a good acquisition for the Pens mind you.

From other blog:



No I'm just hoping something happens. I love TDL and free agency...

Plus with Schultz Maatta and Daley all sidelined and having 3 days off before Saturday's game... now is the time to do a trade and have the new guys be able to practice
- nh4442

Well RW seems to be on your side of thinking. The practice point is a good one. I just had this feeling Left handed Maatta might of been being shopped and this 6 week injury puts a damper on that.

I say grab Smith for a 3rd.

Then make bluckbuster deal with Colorado involving Barrie...or send a pick for Beauchemin.

Well RW seems to be on your side of thinking. The practice point is a good one. I just had this feeling Left handed Maatta might of been being shopped and this 6 week injury puts a damper on that.

I say grab Smith for a 3rd.

Then make bluckbuster deal with Colorado involving Barrie...or send a pick for Beauchemin.
- MattStrat

Please up the offer on Smith. Holland is being his idiot self and McKenzie is reporting they are looking to talk with his agent about an extension.

Well RW seems to be on your side of thinking. The practice point is a good one. I just had this feeling Left handed Maatta might of been being shopped and this 6 week injury puts a damper on that.

I say grab Smith for a 3rd.

Then make bluckbuster deal with Colorado involving Barrie...or send a pick for Beauchemin.
- MattStrat

Oh and Beauchemin would be a terrible pick up.

From other blog:



No I'm just hoping something happens. I love TDL and free agency...

Plus with Schultz Maatta and Daley all sidelined and having 3 days off before Saturday's game... now is the time to do a trade and have the new guys be able to practice
- nh4442

Yeah, I love this time of year. It's been very slow.....as we were saying yesterday, it seems the expansion draft may be affecting things. It adds another dimension to acquiring players. The Pens probably can't think about adding a long term D.

I thought the Pens looked exceedingly tired the last couple games. I hope Sully gives them off until Friday.

"When I read that all I could think of was the "Don't buy the fool's gold" article about Daley and how the Pens should not trade for him. Not saying Stone would have been a good acquisition for the Pens mind you."

Yeah, but the Pens were in more of position to gamble with a Scuderi trade piece rather than draft picks/prospects.

"When I read that all I could think of was the "Don't buy the fool's gold" article about Daley and how the Pens should not trade for him. Not saying Stone would have been a good acquisition for the Pens mind you."

Yeah, but the Pens were in more of position to gamble with a Scuderi trade piece rather than draft picks/prospects.
- WVPensFan22

It had nothing to do with the cost to acquire him, it was all about Daley being a bad trade target because his fancy stats weren't good. Which is the same reason he didn't like Stone and threw in the jab about GM's targeting players that don't help their team. RW's article tried to sell the concept that Daley was Fool's Gold because he couldn't/wouldn't help the team, which was proven very inaccurate.

When I read that all I could think of was the "Don't buy the fool's gold" article about Daley and how the Pens should not trade for him. Not saying Stone would have been a good acquisition for the Pens mind you.
- jaydogg1974

Daley's underlying numbers are very different than Stones. No one ever doubted Daley's ability to produce offense. He went from playing with Michael Roszival and Trevor van Riemsdyk to playing with Brian Dumolin and Kris Letang... which, is a pretty obvious upgrade in d-partner...

Wilson also said "Now the glass half full view is that he was not used as a top four defenseman in Chicago and didn't drown in his role. He even has a Score-Adjusted Fenwick of 52.6% on the year which is his highest in a decade. If Pittsburgh can be disciplined enough to keep him away from big minutes he can serve as a functional member of the team."

So while he was playing around 20 minutes a night, Daley/Dumo were slightly above 50% on the shot attempts, so... it's not like Wilson was wrong in saying Daley is a player that trades chances... but given his upgrade in partners, it's pretty reasonable to see why Daley succeeded.

It had nothing to do with the cost to acquire him, it was all about Daley being a bad trade target because his fancy stats weren't good. Which is the same reason he didn't like Stone and threw in the jab about GM's targeting players that don't help their team. RW's article tried to sell the concept that Daley was Fool's Gold because he couldn't/wouldn't help the team, which was proven very inaccurate.
- jaydogg1974

When you offer opinions nearly every day during a season, you're going to "miss" on a few. More than a few actually. Even big name guys on TSN get it wrong from time to time.

Who was the guy on Sports Net that called JS the worst player in the NHL? It happens.

RW is one of the best bloggers on this site and he churns out the work religiously. For some reason Pens fans are the least appreciative.

When I read that all I could think of was the "Don't buy the fool's gold" article about Daley and how the Pens should not trade for him. Not saying Stone would have been a good acquisition for the Pens mind you.
- jaydogg1974

Except he was right as Daley has been a negative relative possession player for basically his entire career. He turned out to be a decent fit in the pens system. Don't let the team result make you believe a player is different than what he really is.

When you offer opinions nearly every day during a season, you're going to "miss" on a few. More than a few actually. Even big name guys on TSN get it wrong from time to time.

Who was the guy on Sports Net that called JS the worst player in the NHL? It happens.

RW is one of the best bloggers on this site and he churns out the work religiously. For some reason Pens fans are the least appreciative.
- madmike71

I think Milbury or Jones also said they thought Schultz was the worst plAyer in the NHL.

EDIT: It was Steve Simmons lol, but that dude is a clown. Same dude who busted on Kessel forever...

“In my opinion, Justin Schultz was the worst player in the NHL this season. There was two places to put him, one was the press box the other was the American Hockey League. He didn’t go to either of those spots. He’s in Pittsburgh where he’s a long-term project for them at a cheap price. It might work out two or three years down the road, he won’t work out now.”

Ryan, I agree that the Pens were horrible last night, but to quantify the Hurricanes as better? How about we agree on, THEY DIDN'T SUCK AS MUCH?

So Maata is out long term, but whats the deal with Schultz? Concussion symptoms? Could return at any time? And is it even known yet exactly how serious Daley's injury is?

So Maata is out long term, but whats the deal with Schultz? Concussion symptoms? Could return at any time? And is it even known yet exactly how serious Daley's injury is?
- SimpleJack

Yeah concussion, as long as it takes for symptoms to subside. Every case is different.

No word on Daley yet.

I really think that adding a defenseman this late isn't going to help. It usually takes longer for defenseman to fit in with a new system/team - sometimes even an entire season. The time to acquire a new defenseman was last offseason, the fall, or mid-season at the latest. Yes, they need help on defense but I do not think they will get it quickly in a trade. The best case scenario is that all their injured defensemen get healthy in time for the playoffs.

I think the one position the team really needs, and could get in a trade, is a faceoff specialist. How many times do they lose the entire first minute of a PP because they lose the faceoff? How many times do they spend the first minute of a PK in their zone because they lose a faceoff?

I think Milbury or Jones also said they thought Schultz was the worst plAyer in the NHL.

EDIT: It was Steve Simmons lol, but that dude is a clown. Same dude who busted on Kessel forever...

“In my opinion, Justin Schultz was the worst player in the NHL this season. There was two places to put him, one was the press box the other was the American Hockey League. He didn’t go to either of those spots. He’s in Pittsburgh where he’s a long-term project for them at a cheap price. It might work out two or three years down the road, he won’t work out now.”
- j.boyd919

I'll never forget that. It's funny how wrong he was. It reminds me of the guy from New York who said Mario would suck when he returned from retirement.

I smarter after reading this blog.

Good write up hun.

So Maata is out long term, but whats the deal with Schultz? Concussion symptoms? Could return at any time? And is it even known yet exactly how serious Daley's injury is?
- SimpleJack

As far as I know, Schultz hasn't even skated yet. He was really dazed when he got hit. Some guys you see them get up pretty quickly, Schultz didn't. It wouldn't surprise me if he misses 3 or 4 weeks.

FYI.... JR on the Fan in 5 mins. 93.7 pittsburgh.

As far as I know, Schultz hasn't even skated yet. He was really dazed when he got hit. Some guys you see them get up pretty quickly, Schultz didn't. It wouldn't surprise me if he misses 3 or 4 weeks.
- madmike71

Damn, that's rough. Hope he's alright and gets back soon.

Didn't he and Maata both get hurt in the Jets game? Were they clean hits with bad luck results, or was it dirty?

Yeah concussion, as long as it takes for symptoms to subside. Every case is different.

No word on Daley yet.
- j.boyd919

Thx. I really just hope you guys are as close to 100% as possible on the blue line a week from today when you come visit the UC, i prefer taking on the competition when they're fully healthy and there's no excuses to throw out there. But it's sounding more and more like you'll be without at least 2 key defenseman. Oh well, what's more important is that they're all ready to go come playoff time.

Damn, that's rough. Hope he's alright and gets back soon.

Didn't he and Maata both get hurt in the Jets game? Were they clean hits with bad luck results, or was it dirty?
- SimpleJack

Both were clean. Schultz got hit in the back by Buf but he was up against the glass and his head smacked off the glass. Technically it's boarding, but they never call that when a guy is so close to the boards.

It really sucks 'cause I think Schultz has been our best D this year. They really miss him already.

Edit: Wow... check that. JR just said Schultz might be back Saturday.