There is just so much time between now and the deadline... As of right now, I agree with you. For me, letting players play out there contract and walk is the price of doing business for being a legit contender and a cap team. You want those players around to make a run, and most deadline deals aren't "hockey trades" where you get good return as far as NHL players.

Would a top 6 winger be a nice addition? Yes, but if it involves weakening our top 4 defensive corps by moving Martin, I don't know if I'd do that.

Like I said, there is a lot of time... if between now and March, Despres or Bortuzzo look like they can handle that top 4 load, and a young guy or two gets some games and looks like they can step in on the bottom pair, maybe moving Martin doesn't seem that bad...
- rival22

I do agree with this. Bortz and Despres will pan out IMO. But, a few dmen get injured.. then what pull up all the rookies and taylor chorney? I'd rather have Martin and 1-2 rookies. Look at boston for example... if we want the cup we keep martin. Otherwise next year if we resign Ehrhoff and let martin walk everyone will be all "omg trade ehrhoff for another top 6 winger! Kunitz is too old!" then it all recycles the year after in hopes of having a good future when we already have a great present. Sid and geno are in their prime (it'll last a while don't worry)

Yes I said was a general statement and II said it was just my opinion. Try and keep up. My argument was being called racist and that it just might be possible that someone from a foreign land might not idolize a price of hardware the same as someone born and raised with it. I hope I don't have to do a research project to open your eyes tO that possibility. That's all I'm saying.
- all-pgh

You did not say it was your opinion in your opening statement. It's not hard keeping ahead of you actually.

Seriously. We have a chance at the cup NOW. We don't "need" more offense. We have a solid defensive core. What happens if we do trade martin and 2-3 of our dmen go down with injuries near or during the playoffs? Idk about you but I'd rather have Martin and 2 rookies then 3 rookies and nino niederreiter who MAY pan out pretty good over the next few seasons..
- znagle

I know it's a bit of a longshot but if Harrington and Despres become regular starters it might make Martin more expendable and yes we still need a top six forward with size and skill, IMO. I would take Oscar Sundqvist and I know that sounds crazy but if they won't trade for a guy I'll take him.

I know it's a bit of a longshot but if Harrington and Despres become regular starters it might make Martin more expendable and yes we still need a top six forward with size and skill, IMO. I would take Oscar Sundqvist and I know that sounds crazy but if they won't trade for a guy I'll take him.
- powerhouse

Idk of any big physical wingers on the market though.. I know it is early so it hasn't opened up at all, but our offense has been thriving under MJ already and with time will get only better. I'd like to see both harrington and despres become regular top 6 maybe despres top 4 guys this year, but also I think we'd need the security of having dumoulin or pouliot having nhl experience before the trade. Experience as in played a few games and stood out each one. An injury in the playoffs and having to bring up a rookie who hasn't seen game action would be unsettling.. I would rather role with our current offense and defense while sliding in the rookies a few games this year, especially if they are consistently killing it in the minors

Edit: then maybe I would consider a top 6 winger trade as long as it doesn't cost us an arm and a leg..

So fancy stats say the Wild are the best team in the league, but basic stats (standings) say otherwise? I watched 2 Wild games while traveling last week, 1 game they gave up 5 goals in the 3rd to the Rags, the other their PP was terrible. They actually could use Martin really bad. Neither game was very impressive.

I'm 99.9% convinced Martin is gone after this year. Only question at this point is do they ride the season out with him or trade him.

Personally, I'm all for keeping him for a Cup run at the $5mill cap hit.

I don't think he'll return what some posters on these boards think he will. He's an UFA. He has a NTC. Other than that, yeah sure lets move him for a young, top 6 winger
- 87_71_11_29

Yes, the idea on trading him is getting a bit into overvaluing him. But, if a good offer comes through, its not like losing him should hurt our defense that much. And if that winger that comes in has another year or 2 on their contract, all the more better most likely.

I still think they'll need a top 6 wing before the playoffs. While Comeau has been decent enough playing on the 2nd line he's not going to get it done in the long run. Who knows what we can expect from BB. I think he should get that 2nd line RW spot as soon as he gets back, but I have no expectation he'll be playing 6 games from now let alone 6 months from now. Just can't count on him.

Two things happen every spring.... Less PP time and stingier defenses. They will need to make a trade. Who's involved is anybody's guess.

I could see them both being allowed to walk. Letang/Maatta/Despres/Scuderi/Bortuzzo/Harrington/Pouliot doesn't leave room for much and it would free up plenty of cash.
- hardnosed

That would mean we let 4 top 4 defenseman walk (Orpik, Niskanen, Martin, Ehrhoff) and getting nothing in return.

I think we will keep one of either Martin or Ehrhoff. Scuds is the x-factor here. If we get his salary off the books we will definitely keep one of 7 or 10.

I could see them both being allowed to walk. Letang/Maatta/Despres/Scuderi/Bortuzzo/Harrington/Pouliot doesn't leave room for much and it would free up plenty of cash.
- hardnosed

That would mean we let 4 top 4 defenseman walk (Orpik, Niskanen, Martin, Ehrhoff) and getting nothing in return.

I think we will keep one of either Martin or Ehrhoff. Scuds is the x-factor here. If we get his salary off the books we will definitely keep one of 7 or 10.

I could see them both being allowed to walk. Letang/Maatta/Despres/Scuderi/Bortuzzo/Harrington/Pouliot doesn't leave room for much and it would free up plenty of cash.
- hardnosed

That would mean we let 4 top 4 defenseman walk (Orpik, Niskanen, Martin, Ehrhoff) and getting nothing in return.

I think we will keep one of either Martin or Ehrhoff. Scuds is the x-factor here. If we get his salary off the books we will definitely keep one of 7 or 10.

So just saw on twitter that thn is saying pens could deal martin to sj... so I went on the website to read the article..didn't find it but found a martin for Stewart rumor...

If we send martin packing amd can't get a top 6 winger then we go for high draft picks. We still have sund and kap who will be ready

From DK today..something I havent thought of:

PghGolfGirl: I’m waiting for the definitive answer to this question that no one seems to know the answer to: Can Kasperi Kapanen come back to the Wilkes-Barre and/or Pittsburgh Pens after the Finnish hockey season? Or does he have to wait until next September?

DK: It’s not a simple answer, if only because the NHL’s agreements with the International Ice Hockey Federation and other member leagues — including Finland’s — are almost willfully muddy.

The real answer is that Kapanen could play in the NHL any time he wants because the Penguins could simply pull a power play, if you will, or work out a deal with his Finnish club that duly compensates his loss. If that hadn’t been the case, they’d never have sent him back over. No one involved would want to hear that, but it’s the truth.

From DK today..something I havent thought of:

PghGolfGirl: I’m waiting for the definitive answer to this question that no one seems to know the answer to: Can Kasperi Kapanen come back to the Wilkes-Barre and/or Pittsburgh Pens after the Finnish hockey season? Or does he have to wait until next September?

DK: It’s not a simple answer, if only because the NHL’s agreements with the International Ice Hockey Federation and other member leagues — including Finland’s — are almost willfully muddy.

The real answer is that Kapanen could play in the NHL any time he wants because the Penguins could simply pull a power play, if you will, or work out a deal with his Finnish club that duly compensates his loss. If that hadn’t been the case, they’d never have sent him back over. No one involved would want to hear that, but it’s the truth.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Kapanen's father is the Owner. He isn't going to hold his kid back from the NHL if the Penguins wanted to legitimately use him. Fact is Europe is the best place for him right now.

So just saw on twitter that thn is saying pens could deal martin to sj... so I went on the website to read the article..didn't find it but found a martin for Stewart rumor...

If we send martin packing amd can't get a top 6 winger then we go for high draft picks. We still have sund and kap who will be ready
- nh4442

I've thought this whole time the best way to go about the Martin situation is to trade him for a first and a top prospect. Being that prospects with no NHL experience are "undervalued", I think Martin is worth that as a rental. You may disagree with that value but after we aquire a pick and a prospect, we have a huge pool of assets to trade from to bring in the young top 6 winger. We arent limited to only dealing with contenders at that point.

p.s. I wonder if the SJ deal had anything to do with Wingels.

I still think they'll need a top 6 wing before the playoffs. While Comeau has been decent enough playing on the 2nd line he's not going to get it done in the long run. Who knows what we can expect from BB. I think he should get that 2nd line RW spot as soon as he gets back, but I have no expectation he'll be playing 6 games from now let alone 6 months from now. Just can't count on him.

Two things happen every spring.... Less PP time and stingier defenses. They will need to make a trade. Who's involved is anybody's guess.
- madmike71

More important to me, it will be interesting to see how Mike Johnston's system holds up in the playoffs more than the players. As we saw two years ago, it doesn't seem to matter how good your players are, if your game plan is to just try the same thing over and over again, not a lot of offense gets generated. Even last year, while there were some roster issues and injuries, one goal in the last three games of the Rangers series isn't entirely the fault of not having enough top 6 forwards.

At least what we see so far should translate into the playoffs... The puck support is huge. In the playoffs, passing lanes are clogged, gaps are tighter, under Bylsma it resulted in the puck carrier being on an island with no way to move the puck. With much more puck support, that shouldn't be as big of an issue. Players will have options that don't involved an 80 foot pass to someone standing still.

That would mean we let 4 top 4 defenseman walk (Orpik, Niskanen, Martin, Ehrhoff) and getting nothing in return.

- YouMeAndDupuis9

And what's the problem with that? That's the price of being a yearly contender.

How much time left before the puck drops?

I personally would trade Martin (for a very good return) if Bortuzzo and Harrington are playing lights out. If we don't have those two playing very well, NO way I'd trade Martin.

So just saw on twitter that thn is saying pens could deal martin to sj... so I went on the website to read the article..didn't find it but found a martin for Stewart rumor...

- nh4442

Which is why The Hockey News and Lyle Richardson can be safely ignored. I'm pretty sure Buffalo would be at the top of Martin's no trade list.

Geez, it's the clickbaiting rumor mongers don't even try anymore. They're all Eklunds now.

So just saw on twitter that thn is saying pens could deal martin to sj... so I went on the website to read the article..didn't find it but found a martin for Stewart rumor...

- nh4442

Which is why The Hockey News and Lyle Richardson can be safely ignored. I'm pretty sure Buffalo would be at the top of Martin's no trade list.

Geez, the clickbaiting rumor mongers don't even try anymore. They're all Eklunds now.

More important to me, it will be interesting to see how Mike Johnston's system holds up in the playoffs more than the players. As we saw two years ago, it doesn't seem to matter how good your players are, if your game plan is to just try the same thing over and over again, not a lot of offense gets generated. Even last year, while there were some roster issues and injuries, one goal in the last three games of the Rangers series isn't entirely the fault of not having enough top 6 forwards.

At least what we see so far should translate into the playoffs... The puck support is huge. In the playoffs, passing lanes are clogged, gaps are tighter, under Bylsma it resulted in the puck carrier being on an island with no way to move the puck. With much more puck support, that shouldn't be as big of an issue. Players will have options that don't involved an 80 foot pass to someone standing still.
- rival22

Couldn't have said it any better...

Puck support and going to the net. That IS playoff hockey. Stretch passes into a trap....not so much.

I haven't been this encouraged about the Pens in several years. I'm no longer worried about the coach. Still, they need to add a 2nd line wing IMO.

I'm confused with all this weird logic in favour of keeping Martin over trading him for a top 6.

What if one of our d get injured? Well that happened already, last year. They ALL got injured and the dmen coming up all played well enough to keep us chugging along.

We have a stupid amount of defensive depth, we can afford several injuries to our defense (knock on wood). What we cant afford is an injury to our top 6. If Kunitz, Horny, Malkin or Crosby go down we have no second line.

A legit top 6 threat is needed to maximize our greatest asset being 2 generational centers. It is irresponcible for JR to not be aggressively persuing a scoring threat to play with Malkin.

So just saw on twitter that thn is saying pens could deal martin to sj... so I went on the website to read the article..didn't find it but found a martin for Stewart rumor...

If we send martin packing amd can't get a top 6 winger then we go for high draft picks. We still have sund and kap who will be ready
- nh4442

Oh, and I found the Martin blurb, also in the Richardson article. Source is a Garrioch piece where he basically pulls a Martin to SJ scenario out of his butt.

Fun stuff.

Wish people would stop eating rumor junk food, because it makes both the reader and the writer fatter with every bite.

That would mean we let 4 top 4 defenseman walk (Orpik, Niskanen, Martin, Ehrhoff) and getting nothing in return.

I think we will keep one of either Martin or Ehrhoff. Scuds is the x-factor here. If we get his salary off the books we will definitely keep one of 7 or 10.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

There is nothing that says that you need to get something in return for free agents leaving. I don't understand that hangup with some fans.

Paul Martin was signed for 5 years... I'd much rather have him play five full seasons and playoffs, than 4 1/2 seasons and then get some return of future players/picks (or another UFA).

Oh, and I found the Martin blurb, also in the Richardson article. Source is a Garrioch piece where he basically pulls a Martin to SJ scenario out of his butt.

Fun stuff.

Wish people would stop eating rumor junk food, because it makes both the reader and the writer fatter with every bite.
- hardnosed

Yay, Bruce Garrioch... the "Malkin to the Kings" guy...