That is the point right there... "likely". If you are the GM and Owner, do you want to risk a possible let down of a first round pick, or take a sure thing?

And the cheaper... they aren't near the cap max, that shouldn't be much of, if any, of a factor.
- Guile

No, but they are a team that is scraping the bottom of the barrel in terms of cash flow. Adding Crosby's contract is a big addition of debt to that issue. Yes, Crosby would be likely to increase attendance, but I'm still not convinced they'd be selling out every night even with him on the team.

As far as the "likely", regarding McDavid and his potential...yes, any prospect carries an inherent risk of not living up to their potential. But if you look at the other two players who were granted the "exceptional status" in the CHL, Tavares and Ekblad, I think there is a low risk of him failing. Maybe he won't be the generational player that he's being touted as, but in all likelihood he's going to be an extremely talented player.

To answer your question though, yes, I would personally take that risk if I were in the fiscal situation that the Coyotes are in. Crosby is a fantastic talent, but there's plenty of risk in him getting another concussion and missing a ton of time as well. There's risk either way, so if I'm going to roll the dice it's going to be on the young, healthy, cheaper potential talent.

Crosby isn't the only way to a Cup, so why pay a king's ransom for him when you have a fallback like McDavid for absolutely no cost?

Ryan Wilson: Time To Play Penguins Myths Versus Penguins Reality
Time To Play Penguins Myths Versus Penguins Reality
- Ryan_Wilson

The fact that their 3rd in fennwick demonstrates how little that data implies about a team... Not making the playoffs is unacceptable for a team with this much talent and that's demonstrated no discipline and inconsistent effort (both are on the coach!!! so can we stop this "its not Johnson's fault bs)

Agreed Crosby, Malkin, maatta, horny and Letang are going no where...everyone else should be available at the right price.

Disagree about firing JR and Johnson... If they can get babcock you get him.

Sorry but I feel that trading Malkin/Crosby/Letang is the dumbest idea ever. There is no need to trade those guys. They are all tops in their point production, Crosby is 1, Malkin is 13 with 66 games played, Letang is 5th among D.... trading those guys is dumb. RW hit the nail on the head with

"Pittsburgh consistently overpays for average to below average players. Never do this. Average isn’t that hard to find. Rob Scuderi, Brandon Sutter, Nick Spaling, Craig Adams, and Max Lapierre add up to 10.675M on the cap space. This isn’t a good return for the investment."

That is the problem with the Penguins, those are the depth problems that make this team fall well below of expectations. You guys who mentioned trading Geno for Pac/Galchenyuk... you really think that a lineup of

Perron-Sid-Horn
Pac-Galch-Kunitz
Comeau-Sutter-Winnik
Adams-Spaling-Lapierre/Downie

is better than...

Perron-Sid-Horn
Comeau-Malkin-Kunitz
Winnik-Sutter-Downie
Adams-Spaling-Lapierre

???

If in fact that lineup is "better" it is marginally better. Malkin can and has taken over games, I don't think Galch or Pac can do that when Sid gets shut down. I really like those 2 players, but to trade for them with Malkin? That's just nonsense. The problem lies in the bottom 6, as always. Adams, Spaling, Lapierre, Sutter. Replace them with adequate NHL players and it takes the burden off of 87/71. Scuderi is just awful as usual. These players are what drag the Penguins down, and injuries, which is a fact. And yes, the depth behind the injuries sucks... but trading Geno for Pac/Galch does nothing for depth after injuries. It's essentially replacing one beast's production with 2 solid hockey players. What if Pac or Galch goes down? We all cry about depth again... If the GM and cap management would improve, this team would improve. It has nothing to do with 87/71/58...
- j.boyd919

What if Malkin goes down? Much bigger hole than one of those two going down.

We still have a hole in the top 6. Comeau. He's a third liner and always has been.

Perron + Geno + Sutter for Max + Galch + Gallagher + high draft picks/high level prospects. We get younger, free up some space and with that space we can grab some more depth. With that 18m or so we trade away, we will have enough to cover all three of those players extensions.

All this talk is silly anyway, 87/71/58 won't be dealt unless they waive.

What if Malkin goes down? Much bigger hole than one of those two going down.

We still have a hole in the top 6. Comeau. He's a third liner and always has been.

Perron + Geno + Sutter for Max + Galch + Gallagher + high draft picks/high level prospects. We get younger, free up some space and with that space we can grab some more depth. With that 18m or so we trade away, we will have enough to cover all three of those players extensions.

All this talk is silly anyway, 87/71/58 won't be dealt unless they waive.
- znagle

I don't know man missing the playoffs or being embarrassed in the 1st round is not going to sit well. What is the definition of insanity? I don't think they miss the playoffs but they could be embarrassed in the 1st round. If a team asked me to waive I would but to the team of my choice. I wouldn't want to stay somewhere I wasn't wanted.



And if the Pens somehow turn it around and make a run I want this comment deleted

Hey look at it like this. If you guys miss the playoffs you have a shot at Mcdavid!

What if Malkin goes down? Much bigger hole than one of those two going down.

We still have a hole in the top 6. Comeau. He's a third liner and always has been.

Perron + Geno + Sutter for Max + Galch + Gallagher + high draft picks/high level prospects. We get younger, free up some space and with that space we can grab some more depth. With that 18m or so we trade away, we will have enough to cover all three of those players extensions.

All this talk is silly anyway, 87/71/58 won't be dealt unless they waive.
- znagle

If the Pens GM fleshed out the team with adequate hockey players, that hole would essentially be the same. I understand Malkin's production is huge, but Whether it be Malkin or Galch that goes down, you still have Brandon Sutter sliding up to 2C. Problem. If you have Pac go down, you have Downie or Winnik sliding up to 2 Wing. Which means more playing time for Lapierre, Adams, Spaling. Problem. Like I said before, it's not Malkin or Crosby that is the problem, it's the GMs inability to build an NHL roster. The fact that those scrubs are playing as much as they are is the reason that the Penguins are not winning.

Adams 0 goals in 59 games; Lapierre 0 in 31; Bennett 0 in 29; Spaling 0 in 22; Kunitz 1 in 17; Comeau 1 in 14. That's 1/2 of their forwards.

That is the problem. Not 71, 87, 58. And all of those players are replaceable, with forwards more than capable of producing. The more playing time they get, the worse the Penguins are.

Hey look at it like this. If you guys miss the playoffs you have a shot at Mcdavid!
- Just5

haha no.. that just means Edmonton has even mroe of a shot, since we traded them our 1st.

haha no.. that just means Edmonton has even mroe of a shot, since we traded them our 1st.
- j.boyd919

The fact that their 3rd in fennwick demonstrates how little that data implies about a team... Not making the playoffs is unacceptable for a team with this much talent and that's demonstrated no discipline and inconsistent effort (both are on the coach!!! so can we stop this "its not Johnson's fault bs)

Agreed Crosby, Malkin, maatta, horny and Letang are going no where...everyone else should be available at the right price.

Disagree about firing JR and Johnson... If they can get babcock you get him.
- Brianandr1

If we had a healthy Geno and Hornie last month, missing the playoffs isn't even a subject.

I agree if you can get a guy like Babcock you do it. I thought from day one this team needed an experienced coach. I think HCMJ is competent, but this team has had some issues that require experience IMO.

Good read. Especially the part about the "injuries is an excuse" myth. Having good depth can take you only so far. You need your top guys to be healthy, end of story.

Honestly believe this blog is pretty on point. The injury thing and the overpayment/transactions for bad players especially. Take a gander at this lineup that could have been.

Perron-Crosby-Horqvist
Kunitz-Malkin-Comeau
Dupuis-Winnik-Bennett
Spaling-Goc-Downie

Letang-Martin
Ehrhoff-Maatta
Cole-Scuderi/Despres/Pouliot

Fleury
Greiss

That, my friends, is a cup team. This presupposes health, the signing of Winnik in the offseason so a pick isn't lost, avoiding trading Goc for worthless Lapierre, and moving Sutter in the Perron deal in order to make cap space. Cap could also be saved by replacing Greiss (who was barely used) by Zatkoff who did a just fine job last year. It is also my firm belief that without the injuries on our blue line (Hoff's issues and Maatta's shoulder) there would have been no reason to move Despres for Lovejoy to add another vet presence to anchor the blue line, allowing us to keep Despres. This team is both better now and moving forward.

Ryan, I'm sure you saw it but Tulsky had a series of tweets yesterday that analogized hockey and why good teams can lose a bunch of games.

It's the sort of thing everyone should read so they can calm their poop.

That is the point right there... "likely". If you are the GM and Owner, do you want to risk a possible let down of a first round pick, or take a sure thing?

And the cheaper... they aren't near the cap max, that shouldn't be much of, if any, of a factor.
- Guile

It sounds as if McDavid's ceiling is higher than Crosby's...hell, some scouts have said McDavid could be better than Gretzky. Now obviously there will likely never be anyone that comes close to breaking Gretzky's records, but in terms of vision, athletism, etc. he shows the potential to be the best ever.

Yea it's all just potential and he has to prove it, but this kid seems really special.

Hey look at it like this. If you guys miss the playoffs you have a shot at Mcdavid!
- Just5

They dealt their 1st to edmonton for Perron.

It sounds as if McDavid's ceiling is higher than Crosby's...hell, some scouts have said McDavid could be better than Gretzky. Now obviously there will likely never be anyone that comes close to breaking Gretzky's records, but in terms of vision, athletism, etc. he shows the potential to be the best ever.

Yea it's all just potential and he has to prove it, but this kid seems really special.
- rangerdanger94

Please provide a source.

They dealt their non-lottery-protected 1st to edmonton for Perron.
- rangerdanger94

fixed

Please provide a source.
- eichiefs9

By some scouts he was referring to the girl scouts.

The fact that their 3rd in fennwick demonstrates how little that data implies about a team... Not making the playoffs is unacceptable for a team with this much talent and that's demonstrated no discipline and inconsistent effort (both are on the coach!!! so can we stop this "its not Johnson's fault bs)

Agreed Crosby, Malkin, maatta, horny and Letang are going no where...everyone else should be available at the right price.

Disagree about firing JR and Johnson... If they can get babcock you get him.
- Brianandr1

The roster that has been taking the ice missing Maatta, Ehrhoff, Letang, and Malkin isn't a playoff team. Adding Malkin makes it no better than a WC team, which is probably where they'll end up.

By some scouts he was referring to the girl scouts.
- Feds91Stammer

Tagalongs are a generational cookie

By some scouts he was referring to the girl scouts.
- Feds91Stammer

I want me some tagalongs, maybe some samoas

I want me some tagalongs, maybe some samoas
- j.boyd919

Shout-out for not trying to pass off those little round chocolate garbage discs that they call Thin Mints off as something that doesn't taste like a burning corpse.

Tagalongs are a generational cookie
- eichiefs9

Shout-out for not trying to pass off those little round chocolate garbage discs that they call Thin Mints off as something that doesn't taste like a burning corpse.
- eichiefs9

woop woop

I want me some tagalongs, maybe some samoas
- j.boyd919

I could go for a box of tagalongs for lunch

Shout-out for not trying to pass off those little round chocolate garbage discs that they call Thin Mints off as something that doesn't taste like a burning corpse.
- eichiefs9

yeah I agree (frank) those things. hahaha