If Pens are really trying to land Brassard, does anyone think we may need to make an upgrade trade to compete for top spot in Metro? I don't want to mortgage future or anything and I am content with standing pat, but Metro is wide open and that would really put the Pens at an advantage imo. I'm not specifically saying trade for a center as well, just mean in general whether its a 3rd pairing dman upgrade or a forward who can improve the PK and ultimately force both Weise and Lehtera out of the lien up.

I'm not talking about Lindblom being sent down in October; that made sense. I'm talking about him not being called up in January when he already three months of strong performances in the AHL under his belt.
- Feanor

Goulbourne was called up to play a 4th line role and saw very limited minutes and was only up for a handful of games. If they had an opening for a larger role, Lindholm might have been the player called up.

Honestly Lehtera isn't a bad player. His speed is lacking of course but his skill and hockey IQ are there. Weise is just a hot mess and brings the whole line down IMO. A Brian Boyle or Dominick Moore type savvy veteran 4th line player would be nice but I'm not sure what's available. Pending what happened to Manning at the end of the game going out and snagging a 6-7 veteran Dman might not be a bad move.

Goulbourne was called up to play a 4th line role and saw very limited minutes and was only up for a handful of games. If they had an opening for a larger role, Lindholm might have been the player called up.
- MJL

Timing is everything.

Honestly Lehtera isn't a bad player. His speed is lacking of course but his skill and hockey IQ are there. Weise is just a hot mess and brings the whole line down IMO. A Brian Boyle or Dominick Moore type savvy veteran 4th line player would be nice but I'm not sure what's available. Pending what happened to Manning at the end of the game going out and snagging a 6-7 veteran Dman might not be a bad move.
- Pixote Andolini

Weise utterly sucks, but with TK and Simmonds coming back and NAK looking NHL ready, there is no need to add a forward. I’d much rather see them add an upgrade on D that can replace Manning in the everyday lineup.

If Pens are really trying to land Brassard, does anyone think we may need to make an upgrade trade to compete for top spot in Metro? I don't want to mortgage future or anything and I am content with standing pat, but Metro is wide open and that would really put the Pens at an advantage imo. I'm not specifically saying trade for a center as well, just mean in general whether its a 3rd pairing dman upgrade or a forward who can improve the PK and ultimately force both Weise and Lehtera out of the lien up.
- arichardson22

I'm never in favor of making a move only because another team did.

Timing is everything.
- Pixote Andolini

It's either that or management sucks.

:shrug:

Josh Bailey got 6 years at 5 million AAV

Manning at practice and no TK or Coots today.

It's either that or management sucks.

:shrug:
- Scoob

Exactly. Calling a coaching decision puzzling leaves no gray area. A decision reaching that level of criticism basically states that there is no logical reason for making that decision whatsoever and the coach is incompetent for making it. After all if a fan on a message knows it's a puzzling move how can an NHL coach not know that?

Manning at practice and no TK or Coots today.
- ajw12

why us

Manning at practice and no TK or Coots today.
- ajw12

hopefully a maintenance day for Couturier. christ

Manning at practice and no TK or Coots today.
- ajw12

Hopefully Coots just getting a maintenance day, dude plays a ton of hard minutes. Same with TK, no need for him to be on the ice today. Better he should rest up, get treatment and see how he feels at warm ups tomorrow.

Hopefully Coots just getting a maintenance day, dude plays a ton of hard minutes. Same with TK, no need for him to be on the ice today. Better he should rest up, get treatment and see how he feels at warm ups tomorrow.
- BiggE

Isaac said it was most likely just a maintenance day for Coots

I think a cheap veteran reliable defenseman is needed for defensive depth. I don't agree with those who want Hextall to become an all out buyer though.
- MJL

not an all out buyer, but if there are good hockey trades, make them, whether to fill bottom 4 roles, or bottom 6 or higher in the lineup

but they have to be hockey trades.

why us
- Crimsoninja

Weise utterly sucks, but with TK and Simmonds coming back and NAK looking NHL ready, there is no need to add a forward. I’d much rather see them add an upgrade on D that can replace Manning in the everyday lineup.
- BiggE

need D depth either way, you might as well upgrade

not an all out buyer, but if there are good hockey trades, make them, whether to fill bottom 4 roles, or bottom 6 or higher in the lineup

but they have to be hockey trades.
- wcorvette

No objection to hockey trades as long as it has a future element.

Honestly Lehtera isn't a bad player. His speed is lacking of course but his skill and hockey IQ are there. Weise is just a hot mess and brings the whole line down IMO. A Brian Boyle or Dominick Moore type savvy veteran 4th line player would be nice but I'm not sure what's available. Pending what happened to Manning at the end of the game going out and snagging a 6-7 veteran Dman might not be a bad move.
- Pixote Andolini

agreed on Lethera and Weise has ZERO hockey sense and ZERO hands

If Pens are really trying to land Brassard, does anyone think we may need to make an upgrade trade to compete for top spot in Metro? I don't want to mortgage future or anything and I am content with standing pat, but Metro is wide open and that would really put the Pens at an advantage imo. I'm not specifically saying trade for a center as well, just mean in general whether its a 3rd pairing dman upgrade or a forward who can improve the PK and ultimately force both Weise and Lehtera out of the lien up.
- arichardson22

I dont think they have too. I said yesterday I thought Flyers would lose, they didn't, they showed me they are a better team than the Jackets. That means they are just better than the teams below them. I do think they are closer to the Pens than I thought. If there is a hockey trade, make it but stick to the plan.

The Flyers are stocked for next year and beyond, the Pens are not.

Goulbourne was called up to play a 4th line role and saw very limited minutes and was only up for a handful of games. If they had an opening for a larger role, Lindholm might have been the player called up.
- MJL

They did have an opening for a larger role in the bottom 6 and on PP2. They just chose to fill it with Lehtera instead of Lindblom.

Once Simmonds is healthy presumably you want him to be sent down since the larger role he's currently occupying won't be available and playing him on the 4th line instead of Weise or Lehtera is apparently impossible.

Nobody has a problem with anyone wanting young players to play. I do however have an issue with anyone wanting the young players to play just because they're young and ignoring the overriding factors of what is best for their development as a play for the more important future over the now.
- MJL

it is possibly true they could have brought Lindbolm up earlier, what is true is that he needed to start in LHV.

I won't takes shots at Hextall on if waiting a month to long to bring him up

They did have an opening for a larger role in the bottom 6 and on PP2. They just chose to fill it with Lehtera instead of Lindblom.

Once Simmonds is healthy presumably you want him to be sent down since the larger role he's currently occupying won't be available and playing him on the 4th line instead of Weise or Lehtera is apparently impossible.
- Feanor

He'll sidestep this question, because giving a straight "yes" or "no" doesn't let him cover his ass enough. He'll then blindly support whatever decision the team makes.

If Pens are really trying to land Brassard, does anyone think we may need to make an upgrade trade to compete for top spot in Metro? I don't want to mortgage future or anything and I am content with standing pat, but Metro is wide open and that would really put the Pens at an advantage imo. I'm not specifically saying trade for a center as well, just mean in general whether its a 3rd pairing dman upgrade or a forward who can improve the PK and ultimately force both Weise and Lehtera out of the lien up.
- arichardson22

If we were really close to competing for a cup, maybe, but not now. We've made great strides this year, but we are not quite there yet.

Yep - saw it in my league last week
- Scoob

how badly did she beat you?