Time for some questions and answers

time to move on from patric hornqvist?

— tyler (@iFishyHD) September 21, 2020

If possible, yes. For a team struggling to find cap space his 5.3M sticks out as one of the contracts the team doesn’t get good value on. The day he signed the contract we knew it wasn’t going to be good the entire five years. The truth is the beginning hasn’t been all that great either. He is a limited player and relies on others to do quite a lot of the transitional work. He doesn’t play with Crosby or Malkin anymore. I would move him if someone would take him. His contract won’t help in doing so.

Can you rank which teams you think are most likely to end up with Matt Murray?

And how do the pens get a return without squeezing the cap any tighter?

— Julien Michel (@Julien_e_Michel) September 21, 2020

I can’t pretend to know how the Matt Murray saga will end. There are so many variables with a flooded goalie market. You would think teams looking to compete for a Stanley Cup would be interested in acquiring Murray. As for how the Penguins get a return without squeezing the cap any tighter, that is easy, you take back draft picks.

Who should win the Calder Hughes or Makar?

— Connor Bukoskey (@BukoskeyConnor) September 21, 2020

Flip a coin. They are both awesome. Reminds me of when Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin were both up for the Calder. There really isn’t a wrong answer.

The pens are looking for a RHD... who should they target and what are the costs?

— JJ Johnson (@JJ_Wayne_J) September 21, 2020

I like the idea of Kevin Shattenkirk, but it remains to be seen if he actually hits the market or if Tampa Bay will re-sign him beforehand. I think it would cost between 3-4M. The team needs to move out Murray and shave off another contract to make that happen. I do think someone like Shattenkirk would move the needle as a free agent acquisition and really solidify the defense grouping.

Trying a different twist here...we all have targets we’d like the Pens to acquire and I don’t have a lot of faith in GMJR to make the right decisions in FA. Any “under the radar” players you see GMJR going after? (ex. Ristolain)

— Matt (@matt02922) September 21, 2020

I think a player like Jesper Fast could be on the radar, but his offensive output leaves me underwhelmed as my goal would be to create a scoring third line. Some defensive options that are under the radar (but very underwhelming!) would be Ron Hainsey Trevor Daley, and Cody Ceci

Have a Nintendo switch? Gonna grab Mario All Stars game?

— DerekJC (@DerekJCallow) September 21, 2020

I do have a switch. I have really enjoyed it. Right now I’ve been pouring time into PGA 2K21. It’s a decent enough golf game. It’s more realistic than the older Tiger Woods games. The best feature is the ability to create courses and share them online. There are endless options to play and some of the people making real or imaginary places are ridiculously talented at doing it.

As of right now I don’t plan on getting Mario All Stars because I still have my N64 hooked up in the garage and I’ll just play Mario 64 there.

With the signing of McCann, what would be your best bet as the #pens third line for next year? https://t.co/cooNhFryEb

— Jacob St-Amour (@Jacob_LinkCable) September 21, 2020

I think we are looking at something along the lines of Simon-McCann-Hornqvist at the present moment. McCann can certainly be traded, his re-signing doesn’t take that off the table, but it is tough to predict.

I really like your blog and read it everytime. It seems like you put only a little effort on players skating speed. Thus could you scan through viable options -trade or free agency - that also can fly out there or atleast won't slow us. Thank you for the great blog!

— Toni Nikunen (@ToniNikunen) September 21, 2020

I think speed is an integral part of the modern NHL. The modern player is way faster and in better shape than in year’s past. The 2015-16 Penguins were amazing and a huge component was speed. However, speed alone doesn’t cut it. Anybody remember Konstantin Koltsov? Players have to be useful with the puck and understand where to go and when. When speed complements those things it is really dangerous. That’s why sometimes it is better to go with a player who might not skate as well as somebody else. I think of players like Nick Bonino from the 2015-16 team as an example of that.

Scanning through the free agents I don’t see too many burners on there.

I'd like to know what the options are with Jack Johnson, from best case to worst case scenario, from trade to buyout to AHL assignment to press box duty to reduced minutes and how likely any of these might be.

— Rye (@Ryenote) September 21, 2020

Best case: Traded away with no salary retention, perhaps with Matt Murray

Best of a bad situation: Don’t play him. Bench him. Yeah, he still eats up cap space, but he doesn’t hurt the team on the ice.

Bad situation: He remains a bottom pairing defenseman getting close to 18 minutes a night

Worst case scenario: He plays with Kris Letang

I don’t think sending him to the AHL or buying him out is realistic given this team’s history and their stances on these matters.

What do the rangers need to do to be relevant again? What to do with the king? Stall? Secondary scoring seems to be an issue. Thank you! I’ll hang up and listen.

— Anthony Rizzi (@arizzi12) September 21, 2020

They are doing a great job of rebuilding on the fly. Winning the first overall pick took some luck, but they did. Getting Artemi Panarin set them up for a quick turnaround. I think they could find some secondary scoring by trading away Tony DeAngelo who is basically a power play specialist another team will overrate.

Fortunately for the Rangers both Henrik Lundqvist and Marc Staal are on the last year of their current deals. You could probably find a taker for each player with salary retained and net some draft picks. For Lundqvist you’d have to wait out the current goaltending market because there are just too many options right now that will cost less to acquire and with lower risk.

One of the biggest variables moving forward will be the ability of Kappo Kakko to significantly improve on his pedestrian rookie season.

If 19 Craig Adams and 19 Jack Johnsons took the ice against each other, who would win

— Tyler Domenico (@tdome_) September 21, 2020

Jack Johnson for sure. He’s bigger, he skates better, and has better hands. It would be like a horrible reality show, it might be tough to look away from this train wreck.

Given all the chatter about Fleury. Would a swap of Fleury for Hornqvist and Jack Johnson be beneficial to the on-ice product or a detriment?
I think I know your answer, and I think the world needs to see it.

— JFactor (@The_JFactor) September 21, 2020

Detriment. Fleury’s contract is horrible and I don’t see Vegas taking money back if they are taking on ~8.5M for Johnson and Hornqvist. The Penguins could just bench Johnson and it would be better value. You also don’t have to put up with the drama of Fleury being back because it would be unbearable.

Thanks for reading!

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