Any line combos for the game tonight? Ruwh is out with illness so wondering what the pairings will be. As long as jj stays away from letang idc

Same boat. He's 33, but he's had little health issue. He plays a tenacious game without being overly physical. If I had to start out with an initial deal, I'd make it look something like this...

TO DAL: Galchenyuk + Simon + DeSmith
TO PIT: Radulov ($1M Retained) + 2021 2nd Round pick

THIS IS JUST A STARTING POINT. I would take this deal and tweak it until it makes sense, but again, this needs to balance. DAL isn't necessarily getting enough quality in return, but they're also getting major cap relief. DeSmith would be a great back-up moving on from Khudobin, a solid young player in Simon and maybe a change-of-scenery situation in Galchenyuk.
- Rinosaur

Dallas would have 0 interest.

Dallas would have 0 interest.
- Feds91Stammer

You speak to them that fast?

You speak to them that fast?
- Rinosaur

No. Just extremely simple logic.

The poor defense isn't even the issue with Galch. They knew what they were walking into when getting him. When a team is playing as well defensively as the Pens are you can afford to have a couple of 100% offensive-minded players as long as they're contributing, but he's not, so he's pretty much a useless player for the Pens at the moment and to me that makes it irrelevant who he plays with at this point because he hasn't been able to produce anywhere in the lineup.
- Rinosaur

In all fairness, he hasn't really been given much oppurtunity to play with top 6 at all. 17min with Crosby and 50min with Malkin (decent amount of time). The majority of his time has been with Mccann(80min). and he is contributing at 85% of his normal pace. hes a 0.6ppg player and hes at a 0.5ppg right now playing with generally less talent than he is used to. what do you really expect from him?

I didn't/don't think it was as blatant as that. but because of that, i would like to have at least tried it, before he is gone. the poor defense would be the reason to have Tanev on the line with them.

I wouldn't mind seeing Kahun there as well. But I also think Mccann/Kahun has worked well in their time together this season, so I think they can be a third line instead (14GF-4GA). Also, last year, i think Mccann showed that he could bounce up\down the line up. and, this year, has shown that he can man his own 3rd line. so i don't like the idea of anchoring him down as a top 6 winger right now, while there are still other options to experiment with.
- joecool2931

GMJR was quoted by Yohe in the Athletic. Yohe asked if Galchenyuk would be in the top 6 when Sid came back and GMJR replied no and he might not be in the line up. A few days later Friedman reported Galchenyuk was available.

I do like McCann and Kahun together as a 3rd scoring line, but I'm not sure how much ice time they'd get. Sid and Gino will get their ice time and Blueger plays alot in his shutdown role, so maybe the better opportunity is next to Sid or Gino with more ice time.

I'm not married to either way. I want to try both McCann and Bjugstad at 3C and top 6 wing.

GMJR was quoted by Yohe in the Athletic. Yohe asked if Galchenyuk would be in the top 6 when Sid came back and GMJR replied no and he might not be in the line up. A few days later Friedman reported Galchenyuk was available.

I do like McCann and Kahun together as a 3rd scoring line, but I'm not sure how much ice time they'd get. Sid and Gino will get their ice time and Blueger plays alot in his shutdown role, so maybe the better opportunity is next to Sid or Gino with more ice time.

I'm not married to either way. I want to try both McCann and Bjugstad at 3C and top 6 wing.
- Tojo.

I was actually under the illusion that Nick bjugstad was dead and never coming back?

Yea we have a lot of forwards, would just hate to have not tried something, before we got rid of him.

You speak to them that fast?
- Rinosaur

he would have, if his sources hadn't have told him he had a knee injury.

he would have, if his sources hadn't have told him he had a knee injury.
- joecool2931

Still up in arms about obvious trolling eh

In all fairness, he hasn't really been given much oppurtunity to play with top 6 at all. 17min with Crosby and 50min with Malkin (decent amount of time). The majority of his time has been with Mccann(80min). and he is contributing at 85% of his normal pace. hes a 0.6ppg player and hes at a 0.5ppg right now playing with generally less talent than he is used to. what do you really expect from him?
- joecool2931

I seem to remember him and Malkin looking pretty good the first few games of season and then he was injured...then a spider bit him.

No. Just extremely simple logic.
- Feds91Stammer

Well what would you change?

Well what would you change?
- Rinosaur

Well it’s terrible value for Dallas especially considering you want them to add a pick and retain salary. On top of that it puts them at the 50 SPC contract limit. So all in all I would just scrap the idea and not talk about Dallas anymore.

Well it’s terrible value for Dallas especially considering you want them to add a pick and retain salary. On top of that it puts them at the 50 SPC contract limit. So all in all I would just scrap the idea and not talk about Dallas anymore.
- Feds91Stammer

hahaha

RW should do a blog about how good the Pens have been defensively. In that blog, he should mention which Penguin defenseman, having played >20 games, has been on the ice for the least even-strength goals against. There are 6 such defensemen, and RW would still need 6 guesses to get this one right

RW should do a blog about how good the Pens have been defensively. In that blog, he should mention which Penguin defenseman, having played >20 games, has been on the ice for the least even-strength goals against. There are 6 such defensemen, and RW would still need 6 guesses to get this one right
- pens_4ever

I think we just found JJs burner account.

I think we just found JJs burner account.
- j.boyd919

Naw - I've said he's not a good defenseman on multiple occasions. The fact that RW cried about him all summer is funny given how he has been very good for the Pens so far this season. I know facts hurt, but try not to be a baby about me sharing one with the forum.

EDIT: I'm eating a little crow over him due to his play this season. I can do this.

I think we just found JJs burner account.
- j.boyd919

I'll do ya one better too: If you divide his minutes up based on goals against, he also has the least goals against per TOI. He's also 2nd in defensive zone starts in that group. Shh

I'll do ya one better too: If you divide his minutes up based on goals against, he also has the least goals against per TOI. He's also 2nd in defensive zone starts in that group. Shh
- pens_4ever

Amongst regulars, he’s got the lowest GA/60 on the team at 1.62. Rikolla is the only one with less but he’s got like 300 less minutes. His xGA/60 is 1.76. Playing in a lesser role has definitely benefitted him, if he has to continue playing in the top 4, I’m curious to see if it goes up.

He plays with Sid because since the start of the 2017-18 season, Sid has more points playing with him on the right than any other roster player. As for bumping him off in tight goal situations they seem to do that for offensive draws, but not defensive. Hornqvist is not great at carrying the puck up ice and Sid clearly doesn't like that.
- burgh4life87

Sid will get points no matter what. He needs to play with guys that can put pucks in the net. I don’t remember Sid having any problem putting up points during the last two cup runs without possession man himself.

Well it’s terrible value for Dallas especially considering you want them to add a pick and retain salary. On top of that it puts them at the 50 SPC contract limit. So all in all I would just scrap the idea and not talk about Dallas anymore.
- Feds91Stammer

Well if they're looking to move him, which we don't know if they are, that contract is not going to be an easy one to move. They will have to make certain concessions.

It also depends on what their goal of the trades is, i.e. cap dump, futures, roster player, etc...

Amongst regulars, he’s got the lowest GA/60 on the team at 1.62. Rikolla is the only one with less but he’s got like 300 less minutes. His xGA/60 is 1.76. Playing in a lesser role has definitely benefitted him, if he has to continue playing in the top 4, I’m curious to see if it goes up.
- j.boyd919

I think Sean Tierney also said this morning that the Pens are at the top of the league in preventing shots against and preventing shot quality against.

Sid will get points no matter what. He needs to play with guys that can put pucks in the net. I don’t remember Sid having any problem putting up points during the last two cup runs without possession man himself.
- Grinder47

Lol I like how you just contradicted yourself in your own post, multiple times.

Let’s break this down:
1. He will get points no matter what.
2. He needs to play with guys that can out the puck in the net.
3. He didn’t have any problem putting up points without possession man himself.

Which is it?

I was actually under the illusion that Nick bjugstad was dead and never coming back?

Yea we have a lot of forwards, would just hate to have not tried something, before we got rid of him.
- joecool2931

I can appreciate that, it's why I haven't given up on Bjugstad. I never saw Galchenyuk fitting and wanted to flip him immediately, so I'm not broken up over it myself.

Amongst regulars, he’s got the lowest GA/60 on the team at 1.62. Rikolla is the only one with less but he’s got like 300 less minutes. His xGA/60 is 1.76. Playing in a lesser role has definitely benefitted him, if he has to continue playing in the top 4, I’m curious to see if it goes up.
- j.boyd919

That he's not screwing it up is better than I thought he'd be. He's moved from unplayable to just bad contract so far this year in my eyes. I'm not ready to fully trust him yet though.

That he's not screwing it up is better than I thought he'd be. He's moved from unplayable to just bad contract so far this year in my eyes. I'm not ready to fully trust him yet though.
- Tojo.

Oh I agree 100% hahaha. Credit where credits due for the time being though.