Just trade the house for Kessel for 2m retained. Seems like a GMJR move.
- j.boyd919

Sadly I could see JR trading for him with money retained to help the powerplay.

Because the players want to make money lol
- j.boyd919

I obviously know that, but I don't see how this doesn't take a physical toll on players. The revolving door of injuries will be across the board.

I still think it makes the most sense to have a half season and start fresh in October 2021.

I obviously know that, but I don't see how this doesn't take a physical toll on players. The revolving door of injuries will be across the board.

I still think it makes the most sense to have a half season and start fresh in October 2021.
- Rinosaur

Money will always trump players health in pro sports and most players are on board with that.

FWIW I think they'll cut some games. Like 60 - 65.

Should be interesting with the flat cap. Not a lot of contenders with 9ish mil. I say Colorado just signs petro Instead of taking Letang Instead of trade scenario.

Basically I think petro will go where he wants, and whatever team will just make it work like Pitt would have to.
- 10inchTerror

I think Colorado would be weary on Petey because of the 7 year term and big Money. They can easily afford Letang for 2 years before a lot of their big guns are due big raises

We would get a younger and superior defensman in Pietrangelo for the only 3-4 years that matter. Then it’s rebuild time regardless

Scenario would work out well for both teams IMO

Sadly I could see JR trading for him with money retained to help the powerplay.
- 123Kid

I'm cool with it.

Totally slipped my mind, but what about Kovalchuk for 3rd line LW?
- Rinosaur

I like it. Put him out there with McCann and Hornquist and he can fill the Kessel spot on the PP.

I thought of Colorado as a good team to sign Pietrangelo because they are the one contender with a lot of space. But even they are said to be cautious with some big extensions down the road including Maker next year.

But I agree to your actual point they could just sign Pietrangelo instead of trade for Letang. I don't even think Letang is a great fit there unless they like the short term.
- Tojo.

Not saying they will sign him for sure but Colorado is gonna be “all in” on Hall. Short term like 1-2 year deal with high cap.
Like I said lots when yotes acquired Hall he had a 0% chance of re signing there.

Remember how awful the Stars' goalie situation was a couple years ago? Can't believe Anton Khudobin ended up being part of the solution.

EDIT: For some reason I merged Kari Lehtonen and Khudobin into the same person. Never mind.

Money will always trump players health in pro sports and most players are on board with that.

FWIW I think they'll cut some games. Like 60 - 65.
- madmike71

Unless they're ok with no fans in the stands until the spring I don't see a season happening.

Its amazing that two poor decisions on the 3rd pair would be so disastrous to a franchise...

Get rid of Oleksiak who was the perfect bottom pair D at a $1M cap hit and signing JJ who is the perfect minor league bottom pair D to a monster deal over $3M.

That is the biggest of a few moves that seem to have stolen the Pens soul....

Unless they're ok with no fans in the stands until the spring I don't see a season happening.
- Rinosaur

No fans til spring? Why?

Its amazing that two poor decisions on the 3rd pair would be so disastrous to a franchise...

Get rid of Oleksiak who was the perfect bottom pair D at a $1M cap hit and signing JJ who is the perfect minor league bottom pair D to a monster deal over $3M.

That is the biggest of a few moves that seem to have stolen the Pens soul....
- MacPatty

Hate to say it but Tom Wilson truly broke the Penguins.

Unless they're ok with no fans in the stands until the spring I don't see a season happening.
- Rinosaur

Really depends on how college football goes. There’s a good bit of teams allowing 25% capacity in the stadiums and all seems well as of now. Obviously open air and more room to spread out in big football stadiums, but I can see NHL and NBA coming back to limited capacity if the college football season goes through while avoiding disaster.

No fans til spring? Why?
- Feds91Stammer

We NeEd A vAcCiNe!!!

We NeEd A vAcCiNe!!!
- abasin

Haven’t they all but confirmed that the cure to Covid is a presidential election?

Haven’t they all but confirmed that the cure to Covid is a presidential election?
- Feds91Stammer

I originally thought if they get Trump out of office they would ease up, but I see them doubling down on lockdowns if Biden wins. I do not see things returning to pre-covid conditions until mass civil disobedience happens. Governments tend to not like to give freedoms back after they've been taken away.

I originally thought if they get Trump out of office they would ease up, but I see them doubling down on lockdowns if Biden wins. I do not see things returning to pre-covid conditions until mass civil disobedience happens. Governments tend to not like to give freedoms back after they've been taken away.
- abasin

Lol, the only way Biden is winning is mass mail in balloting and throwing away Republicans.

Some tidbits from Yohe's 10 Observations:

Regarding McCann:

McCann could still be traded, and his contract doesn’t change that possibility.

I don’t think the Penguins have a powerful urge to deal McCann, and my guess is they will keep him. He’s a decent chip in a trade, though, and that is something to consider.

There’s plenty of room at center. I think he’ll start the season as the No. 3 center if, indeed, he’s still with the Penguins. I think he will be. I think.

Regarding Future Moves:

I believe Rutherford is going to make significant moves in the coming weeks, but from what I’ve been told, Penguins executives have relented a bit after the embarrassing setback against the Canadiens.

However, as time goes by, many in the organization have come to the conclusion that, on paper, they still have a very good team and that basing their decisions on four games in August probably isn’t the most prudent course of action.

He wraps up that thought by basically saying don't expect them to 'blow things up,' but moves are coming.

Goalies:
Usually Murray stuff, but specified they're realizing a 1st may not be realistic and are probably ok with either picks or prospects as the return.

The Penguins aren’t against the idea of having a veteran playing behind Tristan Jarry, but they’re also OK with the idea of Casey DeSmith resuming his role.

He finishes up that thought by saying cap is the issue and with DeSmith under contract they don't like the idea of rolling three goalies, but he never implies DeSmith could be moved and is likely the backup when the season starts.

Dmen:

The Penguins would love to add a right-handed defenseman in a trade or in free agency.

This is a hight priority priority.

The only thing that neither Yohe nor other writers seem to explain is HOW Rutherford plans on making these other moves/signings happen and truthfully I don't know how they could. The two players who make the most sense to move out (JJ and Horn) are the most difficult.

1) JJ is loved by JR and Sully, not to mention low value and bad contract if they tried to move him.
2) Horn's clause and contract.

Of all the obvious players that have decent cap space we think aren't going anywhere, there has to be one we are wrong about if any of what Yohe reported comes to fruition.

The player I get concerned about is Pettersson. If JR and Sullivan regard JJ as high as most of us fear, I get concerned that with Riikola locked up and POJ on the way, they trust JJ to man the 2nd pair and might use Pettersson to either clear up space are trading him acquire other players.

Some tidbits from Yohe's 10 Observations:

Regarding McCann:







Regarding Future Moves:




He wraps up that thought by basically saying don't expect them to 'blow things up,' but moves are coming.

Goalies:
Usually Murray stuff, but specified they're realizing a 1st may not be realistic and are probably ok with either picks or prospects as the return.

He finishes up that thought by saying cap is the issue and with DeSmith under contract they don't like the idea of rolling three goalies, but he never implies DeSmith could be moved and is likely the backup when the season starts.

Dmen:

This is a hight priority priority.
- Rinosaur

I feel like the RD we're gonna get is gonna be the final nail. Whether he ends up being a decent bottom pairing guy or not (likely not given the defensemen Rutherford tends to target for medium tier contracts), it'll kill any last bit of cap flexibility we could have used to address the third line, which is by far our biggest team need in terms of acquisition. Very frustrating when what we've needed the past three seasons are specific tweaks that shouldn't be too hard to pull off, but the FO not only fails to make them, but actively goes in a worse direction.

I feel like the RD we're gonna get is gonna be the final nail. Whether he ends up being a decent bottom pairing guy or not (likely not given the defensemen Rutherford tends to target for medium tier contracts), it'll kill any last bit of cap flexibility we could have used to address the third line, which is by far our biggest team need in terms of acquisition. Very frustrating when what we've needed the past three seasons are specific tweaks that shouldn't be too hard to pull off, but the FO not only fails to make them, but actively goes in a worse direction.
- Victoro311

My guess to this point is Simon-McCann-Hornqvist will be the third line. As far as the RD goes, my guess is it's one of these three because they seem the most "JR" to me: Bogosian, Ceci and if he gets back in game shape, Byfuglien.

I feel like the RD we're gonna get is gonna be the final nail. Whether he ends up being a decent bottom pairing guy or not (likely not given the defensemen Rutherford tends to target for medium tier contracts), it'll kill any last bit of cap flexibility we could have used to address the third line, which is by far our biggest team need in terms of acquisition. Very frustrating when what we've needed the past three seasons are specific tweaks that shouldn't be too hard to pull off, but the FO not only fails to make them, but actively goes in a worse direction.
- Victoro311

Still have jj so there isn’t any hope anyways unless someone plans a movie heist to eliminate him.

My guess to this point is Simon-McCann-Hornqvist will be the third line. As far as the RD goes, my guess is it's one of these three because they seem the most "JR" to me: Bogosian, Ceci and if he gets back in game shape, Byfuglien.
- Rinosaur

I’d hope for buff. If, and big if, he gets in game shape he is the beat player, a monster to play against, and prob comes in cheaper than the rest.

I’d hope for buff. If, and big if, he gets in game shape he is the beat player, a monster to play against, and prob comes in cheaper than the rest.
- 10inchTerror

It makes no difference who the Pens get when JJ is there. This is not a slight to Ruhwedel, but when JJ negatively impacts Letang, you're better off spending the league minimum on Ruhwedel than going out for some middle-rung 3rd pairing dmen if the results will be poor no matter what.

Lol, the only way Biden is winning is mass mail in balloting and throwing away Republicans.
- nateca44

I hate political talk as much as most but I cannot imagine how awful the country would be in 4 years after a Biden/Harris term?! (As an aside I’m Registered independent)