Don't worry its coming.

WWJJD
- nbartley9

Trade him for Sutter!

Yep, traded Martin for him.

Must...have...more...wingers.

I'm sure Pouliot is ready for 20+ minutes/night for the duration of the Penguins march to the Cup.
- jmatchett383

Crosby needs a winger!!!

I don't really like the trend of parting with capable possession players (Goc and Arcobello) IOT retain poor possession players that are no more productive because they have "grit" or some other intangible (Lapierre and Sill).

1 more top 6 and Kunitz and Downie each move down 1 line
- willi

That would be Ideal, but I don't know how we can get top 6 talent without our first.

If we trade roster players for top 6 it defeats the purpose of acquiring a top 6 player and having a trickle down effect.

The only way I see we get someone without giving up roster players is if we give up a good prospect like pouliot or harrington and add some late picks. But even that wouldn't work because of the cap, so, I don't know. JR will have to work some magic to get things done.

I will be angry if the Sabres get Kane.

Tlusty will be yours.

Tlusty will be yours.
- BINGO!

Not unless you want to hold onto salary, which I guess wouldn't be the end of the world since he's a UFA next season...

Still, don't think we'll want to pay whatever it is you want for him. How about Sutter and Scuderi for Jordan Staal with Carolina retaining 1-2 mil of his contract? I see no downside.... for the Pens

EDIT: Actually, posting that made me sad. With Sundqvist getting converted to wing overseas, imagine how much son of a female dog a Sundqvist-Staal-Downie line would have had.... Why did you want to go wallow in your brother's mediocrity, Jordi? Why?

I will be angry if the Sabres get Kane.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

IDK... Getting Perron pretty much made me forget about Kane. I'm on the "replace Sutter" bandwagon. I really believe that's the single best move they can make at the deadline.

IDK... Getting Perron pretty much made me forget about Kane. I'm on the "replace Sutter" bandwagon. I really believe that's the single best move they can make at the deadline.
- madmike71

how do I get on this "replace Sutter" bandwagon?

I don't really like the trend of parting with capable possession players (Goc and Arcobello) IOT retain poor possession players that are no more productive because they have "grit" or some other intangible (Lapierre and Sill).
- jfkst1

I think JR knows how to build a winner. Guys like Hornqvist, Perron, Downie, Comeau are additions of both grit and skill. I think those are the guys you need to win.

I do agree that there seems to be a preference of grit over skill in the bottom 6. As much as we shouldnt want Sill or Adams in our bottom 6, I don't think Arco is a guy we want in our bottom 6 either. He's an okay 13th forward.

The Bennett scratching has left a bad taste in my mouth about the decisions being made. I think we can do better but can only grade it as incomplete until the deadline.

IDK... Getting Perron pretty much made me forget about Kane. I'm on the "replace Sutter" bandwagon. I really believe that's the single best move they can make at the deadline.
- madmike71

This. Love Evander Kane. I'd still swing for him in the offseason if the trade was mainly centered around Kunitz and Sutter. But the single biggest priority the Penguins should have is finding a good 3C because we clearly do not have one right now.

how do I get on this "replace Sutter" bandwagon?
- PensFanRVA

We're going to have to add more seats, but the more the merrier. I'll let Bartley know....

The alternative
- Ryan Wilson's blog[next season] would be for the Penguins to roll with Letang, Maatta, Pouliot, Despres, Harrington, and Scuderi

Bortuzzo is an RFA too, so he could likely be resigned as a cheap #6-#7 defenseman.

Harrington is below Bortz in my depth chart right now. And its not even a close contest.
- Guile

I'd be careful with dismissing Harrington... He certainly isn't the first defensemen to struggle a bit in his first exposure to the NHL at the age of 21. Orpik was 23, and likely only stayed up that whole year because the team was so bad. He struggled. Francois Beauchemin was 25 and traded before he became an every day NHL defenseman. Kronwall was about 25 as well.

I think we got spoiled with Maatta, and how well Pouliot looks so far.

IDK... Getting Perron pretty much made me forget about Kane. I'm on the "replace Sutter" bandwagon. I really believe that's the single best move they can make at the deadline.
- madmike71

Are you talking a Hanzal / Vermette or just replace Sutter with anyone not named Sutter?

Would you do Sutter for Yakupov? Then use cap space saved to fill another bottom 6 hole..

IDK... Getting Perron pretty much made me forget about Kane. I'm on the "replace Sutter" bandwagon. I really believe that's the single best move they can make at the deadline.
- madmike71

Bravo, Bravo; im glad someone other than me said this.

While I am not implying that Sill has the right to claim a spot on an NHL roster, how can anyone say he should be benched before Adams? And why not a 4th that has Farnham on it? I agree he's not going to score but he hustles, fights and draws penalties.

Not unless you want to hold onto salary, which I guess wouldn't be the end of the world since he's a UFA next season...

Still, don't think we'll want to pay whatever it is you want for him. How about Sutter and Scuderi for Jordan Staal with Carolina retaining 1-2 mil of his contract? I see no downside.... for the Pens

EDIT: Actually, posting that made me sad. With Sundqvist getting converted to wing overseas, imagine how much son of a female dog a Sundqvist-Staal-Downie line would have had.... Why did you want to go wallow in your brother's mediocrity, Jordi? Why?
- Victoro311

Because this team actually has a winning record with Jordan in the line-up.

He and Eric out there together are almost overpowering, which is pretty great.

It's just that the bottom half of the roster is garbage.

Cheap potential options, what do you guys think of Tikhonov or Panarin?

I think there's a spot here for Tikhonov in particular. Either is a "gamble" but it's basically a free agent, who's excelled on a world stage. I would take the gamble of a guy like those over the known commodity in Sill/Adams.

Not sure how much $$ it would take.


http://www.thehockeynews....-play-in-nhl-next-season/
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Tikhonov is under contract with ARI, I believe. As for Panarin I'd have to believe it would be risky to expect a 23 year old to come overseas and learn a structured, tight checking game. Both maybe good summer "projects" as long term, affordable options as Malkin wingers. IMO of course.

I think JR knows how to build a winner. Guys like Hornqvist, Perron, Downie, Comeau are additions of both grit and skill. I think those are the guys you need to win.

I do agree that there seems to be a preference of grit over skill in the botto
m 6. As much as we shouldnt want Sill or Adams in our bottom 6, I don't think Arco is a guy we want in our bottom 6 either. He's an okay 13th forward.

The Bennett scratching has left a bad taste in my mouth about the decisions being made. I think we can do better but can only grade it as incomplete until the deadline.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Bennett needed a 1 game benching but it wouldn't be right to the rest of the team to bring him back after a shutout win ×2

Are you talking a Hanzal / Vermette or just replace Sutter with anyone not named Sutter?

Would you do Sutter for Yakupov? Then use cap space saved to fill another bottom 6 hole..
- YouMeAndDupuis9

whoa

This. Love Evander Kane. I'd still swing for him in the offseason if the trade was mainly centered around Kunitz and Sutter. But the single biggest priority the Penguins should have is finding a good 3C because we clearly do not have one right now.
- Victoro311

whoa

Not unless you want to hold onto salary, which I guess wouldn't be the end of the world since he's a UFA next season...

Still, don't think we'll want to pay whatever it is you want for him. How about Sutter and Scuderi for Jordan Staal with Carolina retaining 1-2 mil of his contract? I see no downside.... for the Pens

EDIT: Actually, posting that made me sad. With Sundqvist getting converted to wing overseas, imagine how much son of a female dog a Sundqvist-Staal-Downie line would have had.... Why did you want to go wallow in your brother's mediocrity, Jordi? Why?
- Victoro311

Why would Jordi want to stay as a 3C and with his cap, the wingers would be complete garbage? That team would be awful.

I don't really like the trend of parting with capable possession players (Goc and Arcobello) IOT retain poor possession players that are no more productive because they have "grit" or some other intangible (Lapierre and Sill).
- jfkst1

I liked the Lapierre trade, because I thought it might give them a chance to replace Sill with a better possession guy, even if he was "soft", like an Arcobello.

Johnston values grit, and while it's overrated, I can't imagine a like with both Goc and Arcobello as effective enough of a playoff 4th line. Adding Lapierre, I thought, would give them the flexibility to use a more skilled winger, but that hasn't happened yet.

This. Love Evander Kane. I'd still swing for him in the offseason if the trade was mainly centered around Kunitz and Sutter. But the single biggest priority the Penguins should have is finding a good 3C because we clearly do not have one right now.
- Victoro311

Why would Peg trade a young mid 20's 30g scorer locked up cheap for 3 more seasons for a garbage 3C and a 36 yr old?

Are you talking a Hanzal / Vermette or just replace Sutter with anyone not named Sutter?

Would you do Sutter for Yakupov? Then use cap space saved to fill another bottom 6 hole..
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I would love Vermette. Sutter isn't getting Yak....especially the way he's been playing. I honestly have no idea what Sutter's value is these days because he f'n terrible. I'm hoping they find a buyer that see's value in Sutter's contract (signed for another year), and I make sure GM's get video of Sutter's playoff performance last year.