Today would have been positive if Hextall was granted equitable autonomy possessed by most GMs. Unfortunately Burke's hiring as President of Hockey Operations will make Hextall's position untenable. Hextal's vision of a rebuild revolving around acquiring high end talent to eventually replace the aging stars will almost certainly be derailed by Burke's meddling oversight similar to the situation that evolved in Calgary.

Consider Burke's last few 1st round picks:

2008 (Tor) Luke Schenn - 5th overall - Fringe defenseman
2009 (Tor) Nazim Kadri - 7th overall - Third line center
2010 1st round pick (3rd overall) traded away in package for 3rd line winger
2011 1st round pick (9th overall) traded away in package for 3rd line winger
2011 (Tor) Tyler Biggs - 22nd overall - ECHL foreward
2011 (Tor) Stuart Percy - 25th overall - AHL Defenseman
2012 (Tor) Morgan Riley - 5th overall - 1st pair defense
2014 (Cgy) Sam Bennett - 4th overall - 3rd line centre
2015 1st round pick (15th overall) traded for bottom pair defenseman
2016 (Cgy) M. Tkachuck - 6th overall - 1st line foreward
2017 (Cgy) J, Valimaki - 16th overall - 4th line foreward

Despite most of these eleven picks being higher picks (5 in top 7 and only 2 after 16th), only Tkachuk and Riley have developed into elite players while Kadri has developed into an adequate 2nd liner and Bennett has become an occasionally passable 3rd liner.

Despite the remainder being mostly failures, Burke continues to proudly boast the benefits of drafting truculence over talent. I fear Hextall will be compelled to resign within a few years after, while the overseer gleefully resides over his faltering rebuild.

Our farm is not great at all. We may have a couple decent wingers in Poulin and Legare but nothing special. I really wouldn't be surprised after this season if Geno and/or Tanger were moved. I mean I have the sentiment and would like to see them finish here, however if we could retool around Sid, I'm all for it.
- 668710

Yeah, that's putting it lightly. We have to be at or near the bottom. Even these wingers are questionable. No centers to speak of which is really bad. Now that POJ is up and will be a regular, we have maybe 2 defensemen who might be bottom 4 material and no goalies to speak of.

Agree about moving Geno and Letang. Bring them back later, reap the returns now more than they are and likely will be bringing.

Today would have been positive if Hextall was granted equitable autonomy possessed by most GMs. Unfortunately Burke's hiring as President of Hockey Operations will make Hextall's position untenable. Hextal's vision of a rebuild revolving around acquiring high end talent to eventually replace the aging stars will almost certainly be derailed by Burke's meddling oversight similar to the situation that evolved in Calgary.


Consider Burke's last few top picks:

2008 (Tor) Luke Schenn
2009 (Tor) Nazim Kadri
2010 (Tor) Brad Ross
2011 (Tor) Tyler Biggs
2012 (Tor) Morgan Riley
2014 (Cgy) Sam Bennett
2015 (Cgy) Rasmus Andersson
2016 (Cgy) Matthew Tkachuck
2017 (Cgy) Jusso Valimaki

Despite most of these being top picks, only Tkachuk and Riley have developed into elite players while Kadri has developed into an adequate 2nd liner and Bennett has become an occasionally passable 3rd liner. Despite the remainder being abject failures, Burke continues to proudly boast the benefits of drafting truculence over talent. This inability to evolve resulted in the horrendous selections of Ross, Biggs and Bennett despite scouting reports on these players.
- Jackie Daytona[Note: Central scouting had Bennett highly ranked despite poor reports only because they anticipated Calgary was prepared to draft him.]

I fear Hextall will be compelled to resign within a few years after, while the overseer gleefully resides over his faltering rebuild.

I’d say Anderson is a solid top 4 player and Balimaki has the looks of a solid top 4 player. Getting two elites and four solid players out of 9 picks is pretty good.

No problem! I don’t think you have to worry about having a crappy team for 3-5 years either. If you guys already have a decent farm system ( haven’t checked) then than that will help immensely. We didn’t have anybody down with the Phantoms when Hexy took over. He made it a point to restock. I actually enjoyed the rebuild to a degree because I agreed with his vision of build for years to come not just a couple. But as I said earlier, I wouldn’t be shocked if he traded Malkin in the offseason to maybe Seattle.
- HockeyLifer

NMC so that’ll be up to malkin

Today would have been positive if Hextall was granted equitable autonomy possessed by most GMs. Unfortunately Burke's hiring as President of Hockey Operations will make Hextall's position untenable. Hextal's vision of a rebuild revolving around acquiring high end talent to eventually replace the aging stars will almost certainly be derailed by Burke's meddling oversight similar to the situation that evolved in Calgary.

Consider Burke's last few top picks:

2008 (Tor) Luke Schenn
2009 (Tor) Nazim Kadri
2010 (Tor) Brad Ross
2011 (Tor) Tyler Biggs
2012 (Tor) Morgan Riley
2014 (Cgy) Sam Bennett
2015 (Cgy) Rasmus Andersson
2016 (Cgy) Matthew Tkachuck
2017 (Cgy) Jusso Valimaki

Despite most of these being top picks, only Tkachuk and Riley have developed into elite players while Kadri has developed into an adequate 2nd liner and Bennett has become an occasionally passable 3rd liner. Despite the remainder being abject failures, Burke continues to proudly boast the benefits of drafting truculence over talent. This inability to evolve resulted in the horrendous selections of Ross, Biggs and Bennett despite scouting reports on these players.
- Jackie Daytona[Note: Central scouting had Bennett highly ranked despite poor reports only because they anticipated Calgary was prepared to draft him.]

I fear Hextall will be compelled to resign within a few years after, while the overseer gleefully resides over his faltering rebuild.

You should definitely put which number those guys were picked. I just looked up a few and it goes against the argument you are making and one of the picks was toward the end of the second round! Ross was toward the middle of the second! Biggs was picked at #22 and there was a lot of crap taken before and after him. Look who was taken after Kadri - that was a hell of a pick! Thanks for posting, though, I feel better about Burke as a drafter haha.

You should definitely put which number those guys were picked. I just looked up a few and it goes against the argument you are making and one of the picks was toward the end of the second round! Ross was toward the middle of the second! Biggs was picked at #22 and there was a lot of crap taken before and after him. Look who was taken after Kadri - that was a hell of a pick! Thanks for posting, though, I feel better about Burke as a drafter haha.
- Hockey66

Burkie knew he had to repay Brian Murray and the Ducks for cup win.. that team was built by Murray... So he gifted us Rakell and more importantly John Gibson for Biggs.

Yeah, that's putting it lightly. We have to be at or near the bottom. Even these wingers are questionable. No centers to speak of which is really bad. Now that POJ is up and will be a regular, we have maybe 2 defensemen who might be bottom 4 material and no goalies to speak of.

Agree about moving Geno and Letang. Bring them back later, reap the returns now more than they are and likely will be bringing.
- Hockey66

Yes it was putting it lightly lol. I think Geno will finish his contract here and then will go to Russia after tbh. Letang I can see being traded after this season.

I’m kind of excited to see hextall don a pens jersey haha
- 10inchTerror

Omg. I’ll have a heart attack haha.

I hope he does well, but not too well. You’re getting a great gm. He should never have been fired here. Absolute farce. He’s done a great job building a team that has bare Prospect cupboards and cap issues. Fletcher has really stayed the course for the most part which to me means hextall was on the right track.

The Shoddy Journalism School called and they are running out of you!

You should definitely put which number those guys were picked. I just looked up a few and it goes against the argument you are making and one of the picks was toward the end of the second round! Ross was toward the middle of the second! Biggs was picked at #22 and there was a lot of crap taken before and after him. Look who was taken after Kadri - that was a hell of a pick! Thanks for posting, though, I feel better about Burke as a drafter haha.
- Hockey66

Jesus! I was gonna say that list is really impressive if you ask me hahaha like looking at those drafts and the players around them within 3-4 picks they almost got the perfect pick like 80% of the time.

Today would have been positive if Hextall was granted equitable autonomy possessed by most GMs. Unfortunately Burke's hiring as President of Hockey Operations will make Hextall's position untenable. Hextal's vision of a rebuild revolving around acquiring high end talent to eventually replace the aging stars will almost certainly be derailed by Burke's meddling oversight similar to the situation that evolved in Calgary.

Consider Burke's last few top picks:

2008 (Tor) Luke Schenn
2009 (Tor) Nazim Kadri
2010 (Tor) Brad Ross
2011 (Tor) Tyler Biggs
2012 (Tor) Morgan Riley
2014 (Cgy) Sam Bennett
2015 (Cgy) Rasmus Andersson
2016 (Cgy) Matthew Tkachuck
2017 (Cgy) Jusso Valimaki

Despite most of these being top picks, only Tkachuk and Riley have developed into elite players while Kadri has developed into an adequate 2nd liner and Bennett has become an occasionally passable 3rd liner. Despite the remainder being abject failures, Burke continues to proudly boast the benefits of drafting truculence over talent. This inability to evolve resulted in the horrendous selections of Ross, Biggs and Bennett despite scouting reports on these players.
- Jackie Daytona[Note: Central scouting had Bennett highly ranked despite poor reports only because they anticipated Calgary was prepared to draft him.]

I fear Hextall will be compelled to resign within a few years after, while the overseer gleefully resides over his faltering rebuild.

6 out of 9 picks becoming actual nhl players is actually (frank)ing astounding results for drafting.

JMO.... Hextall will do most of the personnel work. I don't believe he'll take a backseat to Burke for most decisions. I just don't see him coming here to be a pretend GM.

I think Burke is being brought in to help with the really big decisions looming. Letang and Malkin. Sullivan too. Let's face it, he's coming here to take an unvarnished look at this team. Both now and the future.

JMO.... Hextall will do most of the personnel work. I don't believe he'll take a backseat to Burke for most decisions. I just don't see him coming here to be a pretend GM.

I think Burke is being brought in to help with the really big decisions looming. Letang and Malkin. Sullivan too. Let's face it, he's coming here to take an unvarnished look at this team. Both now and the future.
- madmike71

I think they will work together just fine. Mario didn't just throw poop at the wall and say, yep! That's it!

6 out of 9 picks becoming actual nhl players is actually (frank)ing astounding results for drafting.
- Grinder47

Yea I was thinking the same thing.

6 out of 9 picks becoming actual nhl players is actually (frank)ing astounding results for drafting.
- Grinder47

Yeah, I think it's 7 out of 9 and the 2 who aren't NHL players were picked at 22 and 43 so no shame there. You're right - it's actually a damn impressive list that probably rivals any other GM over a 9 year period.

Jesus! I was gonna say that list is really impressive if you ask me hahaha like looking at those drafts and the players around them within 3-4 picks they almost got the perfect pick like 80% of the time.
- pens4life-66

Yea that wasn't exactly the list to use as an example of terrible drafting.

I’m hoping Burke and Hextall meet with Sully. Then as soon as Sully leaves the office laugh about how he played like a coward and can his ass. (The meeting was just a formality, they were always going to fire him).

JMO.... Hextall will do most of the personnel work. I don't believe he'll take a backseat to Burke for most decisions. I just don't see him coming here to be a pretend GM.

I think Burke is being brought in to help with the really big decisions looming. Letang and Malkin. Sullivan too. Let's face it, he's coming here to take an unvarnished look at this team. Both now and the future.
- madmike71

Yeah, I'm pretty excited. This team has been so stale since the second Cup and this feels like a much-needed intervention.

"I think Mike Gillis as a president of hockey operations would be been a more progressive hire and one that would have been more open to more ideas."

Be thankful Gillis isn't the one in charge of acquiring talent. I don't think he managed to draft a single star during his tenure in Vancouver.

Dude, you always act like me know it all! Look at the facts!! Dave Scott asked Hextall about this exactly and that IS the reason he was fired!! Comcast sank $250 million and wanted to get a return on their investment sooner than later!!! Hextall wanted to continue to draft and build! Not to mention Homer was upset with him for alienating alumni stages, etc! Dude, look it up! I remember reading it!!
- HockeyLifer

Um, you pretty much echoed the same reason as I gave. LOL

Here is what the poster I quoted gave as the main reason why he was fired.

"His issue in Philly was that he micromanaged and had difficulties delegating and letting go. Apparently it could get tense in the office. That’s why he was let go. "

I disagree. It was about winning. Scott wanted the team to be relevant and to be a cap team. All the other crap such as issues with the alumni wouldn't have mattered if the team was winning consistently.

Thanks for this background. I think Pens fans are ready to be patient (I will probably eat those words soon). Most fans appreciate the 3 Cups and two back-to-back but can see the writing on the wall and understand that we are about to age out with an empty cupboard. I would rather have a crappy team for 3-5 years and then a powerhouse in 7-10 years than a mediocre team for 10+ years.
- Hockey66

Personally, I'd rather see them start a rebuild then sit around in mediocrity. I can enjoy the process of acquiring the pieces for a rebuild. I do not believe Pittsburgh has the patience for it. Going to be tough though because every team in town is heading that way.

"I think Mike Gillis as a president of hockey operations would be been a more progressive hire and one that would have been more open to more ideas."

Be thankful Gillis isn't the one in charge of acquiring talent. I don't think he managed to draft a single star during his tenure in Vancouver.
- Misterbator

But Gillis had a progressive sounding resume letter that got leaked online. Surely that trumps what he actually did in his past job!

Um, you pretty much echoed the same reason as I gave. LOL

Here is what the poster I quoted gave as the main reason why he was fired.

"His issue in Philly was that he micromanaged and had difficulties delegating and letting go. Apparently it could get tense in the office. That’s why he was let go. "

I disagree. It was about winning. Scott wanted the team to be relevant and to be a cap team. All the other crap such as issues with the alumni wouldn't have mattered if the team was winning consistently.
- MJL

Lol, of course you would disagree! You know it all! If you look at what I said about the money Comcast spent, OF COURSE THAT MEANS THAT COMCAST WANTS TO WIN NOW! You aren’t going to invest that kind of cash into your business and be told by your manager that “ yeah, sorry but we need another 3 years” which is about the timeframe Hextall said they would need before he was canned! Of course it’s about winning!

You guys know Geno isn't going anywhere, right?

Personally, I'd rather see them start a rebuild then sit around in mediocrity. I can enjoy the process of acquiring the pieces for a rebuild. I do not believe Pittsburgh has the patience for it. Going to be tough though because every team in town is heading that way.
- Tojo.

A rebuild won't happen until Sid and Geno hang them up.