My proposal (last year) was Huberdeau, Markstrom, Weiss, Trochek, and Kulikov. All young, fairly cheap, and makes your team more "complete", if you will. And I'm not going through why i think Florida would do it again.
- jmatchett383

But how does that return help a team win now? Huberdeau and Weiss (before this horrible season) are decent players now, but by the time you get the best case scenario out of Huberdeau and the other young players, you just wasted 3 years of Crosby's prime.

By trading Letang and Neal we could have a more balanced and defensively responsible team. No need to let Malkin go. There are stretches in which he IS the best player in the planet. He's just very talented.
- Orpik44

If you trade Neal, you're trading your best winger. If you trade Malkin, you still have your top center (and you'd bring in considerably more assets). To me, the Neal trade would actually open up more holes that it would fill.

By trading Letang and Neal we could have a more balanced and defensively responsible team. No need to let Malkin go. There are stretches in which he IS the best player in the planet. He's just very talented.

And to trade those two it would have to be for the right pieces (Brown, Backes, Callahan)
- Orpik44

I understand trading Letang, but why on earth would the Penguins trade Neal?? They have no depth in their system to replace him, and he has a very cap friendly contract. He has shown the ability to score 40 goals playing with Geno, who loves having him on his line. It just doesn't make sense.

Letang for Callahan +(or O'Reilly/Talbot)

Neal for D.Brown (Maybe something else).

Our team would look MUCH better.

Trade for Ott and We'd be very hard to play against.

CUP

We aren't trading Malkin. Letang is the only high paid, high talent player that we'd move. Simply because there's a lot of options to slot in and replace him. He's not necessarily needed for success.

We don't have a center that can replace Malkin and there isn't anyone we'd get in a deal for him to be that either. Neal is cheap by comparison to other wings and he and Malkin are one of the best combinations I've seen.

End this foolishness now. Come on, Bartley...

But how does that return help a team win now? Huberdeau and Weiss (before this horrible season) are decent players now, but by the time you get the best case scenario out of Huberdeau and the other young players, you just wasted 3 years of Crosby's prime.
- rival22

If you made the trade last season, you'd bring Markstrom along in WBS instead of throwing him to the wolves. Huberdeau would be getting used to playing with Crosby. Weiss would (presumably) be playing as a traditional #2C. Which would mean that, this year, you've got Markstrom probably getting 15-25 games, groomed for a starter spot, Huberdeau and Weiss are outscoring (presumably) Malkin, and you're paying a lot less, allowing you to not have 2 good lines and 2 poop lines by pursuing better bottom-6 players in UFA.

I'm not sure I understand this board.... If we don't win the cup this season, the proposed solutions are firing the franchise winningest coach, and trading some combination of 3 of the top 4 players on the roster?

This has got to be the effect of us playing GM on games like NHL and Madden over the years.

Letang for Callahan +(or O'Reilly/Talbot)

Neal for D.Brown (Maybe something else).

Our team would look MUCH better.

Trade for Ott and We'd be very hard to play against.

CUP
- Orpik44

You have the "Maybe something else" in the Neal trade backwards. Pretty sure LA isn't trading their Stanley Cup-winning captain, possibly AND MORE, for Neal. Letang for Callahan makes sense, but with the new divisional format, I don't think either team wants to do that trade.

I'm not sure I understand this board.... If we don't win the cup this season, the proposed solutions are firing the franchise winningest coach, and trading some combination of 3 of the top 4 players on the roster?

This has got to be the effect of us playing GM on games like NHL and Madden over the years.
- rival22

I'm not saying that at all. I'm just saying that, if you want to make a major change to the roster core, I'd trade Malkin (of the core pieces).

Clicked through to the comments hoping to find a good discussion about a very intriguing game tonight.

Instead, lunacy.

Stanley Cup or bust is a cool thing to say to people, but in reality no team holds their players, coaches, or GM's to that kind of pressure. The reality is that the Penguins are a model franchise from top to bottom, and it will take more than not winning the Stanley Cup to blow that up.

Last year was an "all-in" year. They had the money and the resources to make big moves and try to win one.

This year, with the cap going down, is not an "all-in" year. It's a bonus year, and despite no bottom 6 depth, this team is well positioned for a deep run as-is. I have no expectation of winning a Cup this year. Expectations are worthless. They're capable of it, but there's 2 or 3 teams out West that are deeper.

I kind of like that. I want to see this team play without all the pressure, like they did from Bylsma's hiring until the last couple of seasons.

We aren't trading Malkin. Letang is the only high paid, high talent player that we'd move. Simply because there's a lot of options to slot in and replace him. He's not necessarily needed for success.

We don't have a center that can replace Malkin and there isn't anyone we'd get in a deal for him to be that either. Neal is cheap by comparison to other wings and he and Malkin are one of the best combinations I've seen.

End this foolishness now. Come on, Bartley...

- HopintheCordoba

Haha, hey its a slow part of the season; at least we are talking about something...

We aren't trading Malkin. Letang is the only high paid, high talent player that we'd move. Simply because there's a lot of options to slot in and replace him. He's not necessarily needed for success.

We don't have a center that can replace Malkin and there isn't anyone we'd get in a deal for him to be that either. Neal is cheap by comparison to other wings and he and Malkin are one of the best combinations I've seen.

End this foolishness now. Come on, Bartley...

- HopintheCordoba

Ok Hop. No trading of Geno or Neal. Letang for O'Reilly/Talbot and trading for Ott.

Kunitz-Crosby-O'Reilly
Jokinen-Malkin-Neal
Megna-Sutter-Ott
Talbot-Vitale-Adams

Wow, and now James Neal for Dustin Brown while I was typing.

Ok Hop. No trading of Geno or Neal. Letang for O'Reilly/Talbot and trading for Ott.

Kunitz-Crosby-O'Reilly
Jokinen-Malkin-Neal
Megna-Sutter-Ott
Talbot-Vitale-Adams
- Orpik44

NHL14 in full effect.

By the way, where's the beloved Pascal Dupuis playing next year when he comes back? With Talbot and Vitale?

Haha, hey its a slow part of the season; at least we are talking about something...
- nbartley9

That's fine. I'm sure the only one to even bring up anything about the game tonight or the Kings is me though. I bet you were that kid that could get a teacher/professor rambling about something unrelated to a school subject and get quiizzes and tests postponed.

Whoever thinks Malkin is being moved should seek out a rehab program. There's just no way.

I'm not saying that at all. I'm just saying that, if you want to make a major change to the roster core, I'd trade Malkin (of the core pieces).
- jmatchett383

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I wouldn't trade Geno for Stamkos. I watch Geno on a nightly basis and I believe he is the 2nd best player in the world. I see things he can do that even Sid can't. And I'm by no means a big Geno fan.

Whoever thinks Malkin is being moved should seek out a rehab program. There's just no way.
- HopintheCordoba

"Is" and "could be" are a world apart.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I wouldn't trade Geno for Stamkos.
- dbell646

I'd do that 8 days a week and 16 months a year.
Heck, I'd do a deal with Dallas focusing on Seguin and Nichuskin. Just me, though.

I guess my thing is that I see Malkin as the ultimate luxury/insurance, not as a necessity.

I'd do that 8 days a week and 16 months a year.
- jmatchett383

Well theres your problem

Ok Hop. No trading of Geno or Neal. Letang for O'Reilly/Talbot and trading for Ott.

Kunitz-Crosby-O'Reilly
Jokinen-Malkin-Neal
Megna-Sutter-Ott
Talbot-Vitale-Adams
- Orpik44

Not hating this but I think as JMatch said you have to consider Dupuis. We don't know what'll happen with his recovery but I don't see the Penguins cutting and running on him. So does this happen now(at deadline) or at draft? I'm confused.

Why do I feel like I just got out of Mrs. Fleckensteins 8th grade math class after reading half your blogs. It feels like I need to raise my hand before I post a response.

By trading Letang and Neal we could have a more balanced and defensively responsible team. No need to let Malkin go. There are stretches in which he IS the best player in the planet. He's just very talented.

And to trade those two it would have to be for the right pieces (Brown, Backes, Callahan)
- Orpik44

No need to trade Neal. That is dumb. I'm all for dealing Letang.

No need to trade Neal. That is dumb. I'm all for dealing Letang.
- Oneonta Penguin

That's what i said. Why would you trade a 40 goal scorer who has a friendly cap hit and great chemistry with your all-world center.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I wouldn't trade Geno for Stamkos. I watch Geno on a nightly basis and I believe he is the 2nd best player in the world. I see things he can do that even Sid can't. And I'm by no means a big Geno fan.
- dbell646

Talent wise Malkin is the best player and I wouldn't trade him for Stamkos either. The only thing enticing here is That Stamkos is younger and plays for the same national team as Sid. Perhaps on the same line (will be for years)

NHL14 with the salary cap turned off in full effect.

By the way, where's the beloved Pascal Dupuis playing next year when he comes back? With Talbot and Vitale?
- jmatchett383

fixed