Letang has been awful for years and if Ruth had a deal to unload his ass...great. Same kinda goes for Malkin. I love what they have both done for this team in the past.
There comes a time for complete overhauls for all franchises. Sid is the only guy you don't move on this team. If ownership has found it within their rights to meddle in the job of the GM, they always will. If indeed that is true, then they have meddled quite possibly in many of Ruth's deals. In whatever case, for my money it absolves Ruth of all bad deals while also alleviating him of the credit for the good deals.

But the most common complaints here and in most pens circles are the play of geno and letang and the performance of sully...all three of those men were kept at the behest of ownership. Ruth was clearly trying to make changes regarding at least one or two of these guys if not all three. The fans better be ready to bash this ownership group when the aloof attitude, play and moronic stick the game plan garbage continues.

Whos Yannick Weber?

Allvin, who was named assistant GM in November, is in his 15th season with the Penguins. The 46-year-old served as director of amateur scouting from 2017-20.
Morehouse said Allvin will be a candidate to become the permanent GM and will not be held back when it comes to shaping the Penguins roster for the remainder of the season.

"He’s also going to have (Penguins co-owner) Mario Lemieux as a backup," Morehouse said. "So I think we’re OK in that area. Patrik will have full authority, but Mario’s still, along with Ron Burkle, the general partners of the ownership team here. Mario’s had some experience around this stuff. So we think we’ll be OK."

Quotes from morehouse.

It’s interesting for sure but it sounds like ownership wanted him to stay so who knows how much they meddled. Hope we find out the real reason some day. Oh well. Gives me something to read about today.
- 10inchTerror

I think GMJR wanted to make a trade (Think Letang or Malkin) and ownership said no

It became an either "you trust me or you don't" and by not letting him do the deal it became and insult, so GMJR quit

I can't imagine it would have been Letang given the current state of the injuries on defense. But I'd be dying to know what was on the table for either player

Letang has been awful for years and if Ruth had a deal to unload his ass...great. Same kinda goes for Malkin. I love what they have both done for this team in the past.
There comes a time for complete overhauls for all franchises. Sid is the only guy you don't move on this team. If ownership has found it within their rights to meddle in the job of the GM, they always will. If indeed that is true, then they have meddled quite possibly in many of Ruth's deals. In whatever case, for my money it absolves Ruth of all bad deals while also alleviating him of the credit for the good deals.

But the most common complaints here and in most pens circles are the play of geno and letang and the performance of sully...all three of those men were kept at the behest of ownership. Ruth was clearly trying to make changes regarding at least one or two of these guys if not all three. The fans better be ready to bash this ownership group when the aloof attitude, play and moronic stick the game plan garbage continues.
- taleisyreXIII

I agree

There may be a team out there who loves Letang or who thinks they are a Malkin away from winning a cup and were willing to mortgage their future to do it. A trade like that could have set up the Pens for the next decade

Crosby is the legacy player, unless he asks to leave. For everyone else, there is a price. Even for Malkin and especially for Letang

Whos Yannick Weber?
- nateca444

Hahahah I'm sorry, this comment really did make me laugh out loud.

He's a right handed below replacement level defenseman.

First, thanks for the memories of those two cup years, that was awesome.

People need to understand, you need to give an employer some notice/warning. Hence the heading, leaving Pens high and dry.

I am not crazy about his taste in defensemen. Serviceable doesn't cut it in my book.

Still, I wish him well.

My final thoughts on Rutherford:

The years following the second Cup were frustrating as hell and involved a lot of self inflicted wounds that knee capped a solidly built team that just needed to retool some spare parts in order to stay competitive. Assets that could have been used acquiring key pieces were instead used to either get bad players or fix unforced errors, leaving us in the position we are now where the supporting cast isn’t good enough to shoulder enough of the scoring burden as our stars continue to age, and with no assets or cap to improve said supporting cast. Beyond that, I think Rutherford didn’t handle some of the relationship side of things very gracefully, which is supposed to be his forte. All in all, these last few years have been an unmitigated disaster.

All that being said, the situation that Rutherford inherited wasn’t quite as easy as RW makes it out to be. Our team had totally gone stale and Shero also had bleed our cupboard dry with drunken sailor-esqu deadline trades. It wasn’t clear to many of us how we could turn the ship around quick enough to still catch the tail end of Sid and Geno’s prime, and most people outside of our fan base had for the most part dismissed the Pens as has beens. After taking an assessment year, Rutherford was able to string together two calendar years of a coherent vision with effective trades and an effective coaching change when it was needed. We turned from a team on pace to miss the playoffs into the best team in the league by the analytics seemingly overnight. And the team that was built was so good and deep that the next year we were able to score our way to a second Cup despite losing our ability to drive play due to the Letang injury destroying our blue line.

2015/2016 was the most fun I’ve ever had following hockey. We felt like the team of destiny and indomitable. I could run through a brick wall after daddying the Rangers in round 1 and chasing Lundqvist (who never really went back to being good after that series) after getting bounced by them in embarrassing fashion two years in a row prior. 2016/2017 felt less magical but back to back Cups is something that no other team has accomplished in the cap era.

I’ll remember Rutherford for those memories and try my best to forget everything that happened 2017/2018 and on. I’m happy we’ve moved on, but now that he’s in the rear view I’d prefer to remember the positives with him.
- Victoro311

I agree with all of this but there's one thing I gotta bring up.. You calling the Sharks a team of destiny and often that year Hahaha. I wasn't a fan of it.

Hahahah I'm sorry, this comment really did make me laugh out loud.

He's a right handed below replacement level defenseman.
- MattStrat

So...the pens signed him. Why? What's the purpose? Our d is that injure riddled?

I wonder how this all carries into the on the ice product, if at all. There's a chance that if the players are done with Sullivan they could be smelling blood now. Would be hard to gauge this with whatever roster they're icing tomorrow night anyways haha.. Fn skeleton D crew....

I agree with all of this but there's one thing I gotta bring up.. You calling the Sharks a team of destiny and often that year Hahaha. I wasn't a fan of it.
- MattStrat

I really thought they were! Both of us had great story lines and seemed unstoppable. On one side you had the down and out golden boy and his elite lieutenant making their way back to the promise land after years of playoff disappointment and on the other side you had two future HoFs in the twilight of their careers rumbling towards their first Stanley cup win of their careers to erase the only blemish on their legacies. The juju was worrisome, but in the end there could only be one and it was us.

So...the pens signed him. Why? What's the purpose? Our d is that injure riddled?
- nateca444

Oh yeah the D is absolutely obliterated haha. The whole left side is gone... And they signed a sh!tty righty today hahah.

Oh yeah the D is absolutely obliterated haha. The whole left side is gone... And they signed a sh!tty righty today hahah.
- MattStrat

But don't we already have Ceci? I'm just confused I guess.

I really thought they were! Both of us had great story lines and seemed unstoppable. On one side you had the down and out golden boy and his elite lieutenant making their way back to the promise land after years of playoff disappointment and on the other side you had two future HoFs in the twilight of their careers rumbling towards their first Stanley cup win of their careers to erase the only blemish on their legacies. The juju was worrisome, but in the end there could only be one and it was us.
- Victoro311

Yeah and the Pens just buzz sawed them hahaha...I remember when Thornton punched Sid in the back of the head hard during play in game 2 and Sid didn't even flinch or look at a ref. When I saw Sid's composure there it just really made me feel they were gonna win the series for sure hahah

https://ftw.usatoday.com/...-2-stanley-cup-final-2016

I don't know about all these theories about trading Letang and Malkin. If I had to guess, ownership is questioning his judgement after JJ and Matheson. I mean the minute JJ was signed the entire hockey world new it was a disaster. Matheson has yet to play out, but ownership probably looked at that contract and said "what the fvck are you doing?"

It's easy to question his judgement after these unforced errors.

Chayka is available. Would be so “ progressive”.

I don't know about all these theories about trading Letang and Malkin. If I had to guess, ownership is questioning his judgement after JJ and Matheson. I mean the minute JJ was signed, the entire hockey world new it was a disaster. Matheson has yet to play out, but ownership probably looked at that contract and said "what the fvck are you doing?"

It's easy to question his judgement after these unforced errors.
- madmike71

I tend to agree here. Like I said, vetoing trades of franchise guys is pretty reasonable for an ownership group to do. Would Rutherford really pack his bags over that?

I tend to agree here. Like I said, vetoing trades of franchise guys is pretty reasonable for an ownership group to do. Would Rutherford really pack his bags over that?
- Victoro311

Letang is not a franchise player...at all. Malkin maybe and he is one id be hesitant to move and would depend an awful lot on return. But there have been more than adequate replacements available for Letang and his level of play in the last four years.

Always sell high right. We sold low on Murray..going to suffer with garbage play from Malkin and Letang for years and nothing of value to trade to re-establish this team. You don't simply accept your fate and settle with 3 cups and 4 finals when you can push for more. I mean, that was the argument for dropping MAF right? Future...so why can't it apply to Letang and Malkin?

Letang is not a franchise player...at all. Malkin maybe and he is one id be hesitant to move and would depend an awful lot on return. But there have been more than adequate replacements available for Letang and his level of play in the last four years.

Always sell high right. We sold low on Murray..going to suffer with garbage play from Malkin and Letang for years and nothing of value to trade to re-establish this team. You don't simply accept your fate and settle with 3 cups and 4 finals when you can push for more. I mean, that was the argument for dropping MAF right? Future...so why can't it apply to Letang and Malkin?
- taleisyreXIII

Malkin is the 5th best player in franchise history. Letang is a 1D. If you don’t get how that’s different from goalies, which is the most replaceable position in the sport besides bottom pairing LD, then ok. It’s not my fault that your eye test (frank)ing sucks if you think he has sucked the last four years. He has sucked exactly one year, which is right now.

Oh yeah the D is absolutely obliterated haha. The whole left side is gone... And they signed a sh!tty righty today hahah.
- MattStrat

Yea that's why I don't understand Weber, he's a righty...

Yea that's why I don't understand Weber, he's a righty...
- 668710

Marino might be out with an injury. He finished the game after a hard hit. But was sore right afterwards. Played like a total tard afterwards, was not at practice today. Expect an update tomorrow for his long term injury.

Marino might be out with an injury. He finished the game after a hard hit. But was sore right afterwards. Played like a total tard afterwards, was not at practice today. Expect an update tomorrow for his long term injury.
- 10inchTerror

Our LD is way more (frank)ed though...

Just a random though, but I was trying to think of how the Pens could possibly unload Matheson. A buyout is probably not even on their radar. Retaining 50% of his salary it's still not a good deal for anyone to take; not for five (frank)ing years.

The only reality is Pettersson or Dumo getting shipped out.
- Rinosaur

Well I’d like to see MM play for a bit before judging him. Basically Marino is going to have to learn how to compensate for him defensively to make them a serviceable pair. Which means Marino needs to be healthy and get his groove back.

Otherwise I imagine a good pick/prospect and mm to Seattle. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Our LD is way more (frank)ed though...
- 668710

Might not be much for LD to be had on a min 2 way contract.

Malkin is the 5th best player in franchise history. Letang is a 1D. If you don’t get how that’s different from goalies, which is the most replaceable position in the sport besides bottom pairing LD, then ok. It’s not my fault that your eye test (frank)ing sucks if you think he has sucked the last four years. He has sucked exactly one year, which is right now.
- Victoro311

Yea and we all went over this during the off-season. Even if we were trading Letang to get Pietrangelo we would be in a worse cap situation. All though we didn't think Horny was gonna be gone for more D. Probably rather have Pietrangelo than Letang/Matheson. But again Pietrangelo would have had wanted to come here. Big gamble.

Letang is not a franchise player...at all. Malkin maybe and he is one id be hesitant to move and would depend an awful lot on return. But there have been more than adequate replacements available for Letang and his level of play in the last four years.

Always sell high right. We sold low on Murray..going to suffer with garbage play from Malkin and Letang for years and nothing of value to trade to re-establish this team. You don't simply accept your fate and settle with 3 cups and 4 finals when you can push for more. I mean, that was the argument for dropping MAF right? Future...so why can't it apply to Letang and Malkin?
- taleisyreXIII

Letang is a franchise player.
You won’t get that type of player for such a long tenure. Not to mention he leads all pen dman in career points. All while mixing a significant amount of matches due to injury.