Pittsburgh will head into the All Star break on a two game losing streak. They are 5-5 in their last ten games and are two points away from the Rangers catching them resulting in a bump down to the first wild card spot. It isn't panic time by any stretch, but they could stand to get some more results.
Brad Marchand escaped suspension because the NHL likely did not want to muddy the waters by suspending an all star right before the All Star Game weekend. This did not help the Penguins as Marchand is an excellent player albeit one that crosses the line frequently. He scored twice including a shorthanded goal.
Most of the team will get a chance to rest and collect themselves. Only Sidney Crosby will be going to Los Angeles this weekend. Crosby might be the only player, but the owner is going as well
Before the celebrity game the NHL will be releasing their 100 best players of all-time. If it is anything like the lists the NHL Network has put out recently it should be disregarded for the most part. The first clue will be when 15 current Chicago Blackhawks are named to it.
Here are a couple of questions I took from Twitter
Traded, obviously. I will also say that the team is probably leaning more towards an in-season trade than they were at the beginning of the year. The goalie split really isn't a split anymore and it will be just a matter of finding a team willing to take on Fleury's contract. That might not materialize during the season, but the Penguins will be looking for it. For those concerned about replacing Fleury as an "insurance" policy he is currently a .916 goalie at even-strength this year and hasn't exactly played well in the backup role. It might not be as great of an insurance option as some think.
The "ideal" return is going to vary depending on who you talk to. My ideal return would be shedding the contract. Freeing up 5.75M is one of the biggest benefits to moving Fleury. I don't think they will have to give him away, but anything past shedding the contract is icing on the cake in my opinion.
Chances of a Justin Schultz extension might be tied to the Fleury deal. Freeing up money frees up options. Will the Penguins try to hit a home run with a top four right defenseman from outside the organization (Hamilton, Trouba, Shattenkirk, Barrie)? If they don't go that route they could stand to give some more money to Justin Schultz. He's been great this year.
They are not related.
You can't talk Olli Maatta without bringing up his unfortunate health issues. They have ranged from cancer, major shoulder surgery, lower body injuries, concussion, and mumps. I also believe the Penguins high tempo system is a bit fast and Olli is not fleet of foot. He can certainly be effective because his puck skills are good, but he isn't quite as capable as some of the other defensemen when it comes to jumping into the play. He's shown signs of playing better in stretches this year.
In Maatta's defense it might be a usage issue as well. The team keeps pairing him with Daley and the results aren't good.
Should probably stop forcing that one.
Pouliot's early NHL samples were worthy of the NHL. They didn't give him the same standard as the other players and as a result he bounced back and forth between the NHL and AHL like a yo-yo. His latest NHL sample was his worst and he was playing to not make mistakes instead of playing to make plays. Rumor has it he is playing well in the AHL right now. Your guess is as good as mine in regards to his future. The only thing I'll say is that I wouldn't trade him for the sake of trading him. If his trade value is low it would be better to just keep him.
If we are judging them based on their peers and not their own standard of excellence they will probably be good through their mid-thirties and perhaps beyond. They are both generational talents and have a better chance of breaking aging curves than players of lesser ability. As time goes on the Penguins will need to give them more help. They won't be able to carry lines on their own, but that doesn't mean they aren't good. How many players can carry a line on their own like those two have over the years? Not many. Pittsburgh is still a long way off from the eventual rebuilding process that all teams eventually have to go through.
Thanks for reading!
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