(frank) you for trying to trader him here then lol
- 668710

Lmao I only said that because he literally left today’s game in the first. And it’s at least his 3 injury of the season.

every player on the team and their mom should be ahead of jankowski
- DeflatedPucks

Just because they should be doesn't make it so. Angello is sitting and he has been better than both Jankowski and Sceviour.

I'm interested to see how Zucker plays the next few games. I felt him Malkin and Kap were going to be a dangerous line. Zucker really hasn't really clicked with Malkin yet. I'm hoping him and McCann, or him and ERod could gain some Chemistry while Malkin is out. Pending on how he plays, I wonder if he could be a 1-1 trade candidate if he shows he still isn't clicking with anyone.
- 123Kid

Honestly if we can snag a 3c or 2LW with one of our D I'll be happy. If you trade Zucker for another forward then we still have to trade one of the D for another forward. I think Zucker can still be very useful here, when he was playing with Geno this year it was mostly with crap Geno.

Lmao I only said that because he literally left today’s game in the first. And it’s at least his 3 injury of the season.
- Feds91Stammer

poop, did it look bad?

This was way shorter of a layoff than I was expecting.
- Victoro311

He is well known to train hard in the offseason. [/img]

I'm interested to see how Zucker plays the next few games. I felt him Malkin and Kap were going to be a dangerous line. Zucker really hasn't really clicked with Malkin yet. I'm hoping him and McCann, or him and ERod could gain some Chemistry while Malkin is out. Pending on how he plays, I wonder if he could be a 1-1 trade candidate if he shows he still isn't clicking with anyone.
- 123Kid

I thought they would be great also but they weren't. I'd stick with McCann-Malkin-Kap and slide Zucker down to the 3rd line.

Honestly if we can snag a 3c or 2LW with one of our D I'll be happy. If you trade Zucker for another forward then we still have to trade one of the D for another forward. I think Zucker can still be very useful here, when he was playing with Geno this year it was mostly with crap Geno.
- 668710

Or was Geno crap because Zucker isn't a good match stylistically with Geno?

I’d assume so if he practicing, no?
- Rinosaur

Gotcha. I actually missed that you posted lines since it was quoted. Just read the part about Zucker being back.

poop, did it look bad?
- 668710

Didn’t even see and they didn’t show it. Just the generic upper body injury.

Honestly if we can snag a 3c or 2LW with one of our D I'll be happy. If you trade Zucker for another forward then we still have to trade one of the D for another forward. I think Zucker can still be very useful here, when he was playing with Geno this year it was mostly with crap Geno.
- 668710

I think you get a better player for Zucker than Pettersson. And bumping Zucker down might be a waste because playing Blueger as a shutdown line getting 3rd line minutes frees up Crosby for better matchups, but doesn't give the bottom 6 soft minutes to exploit like when HBK was a thing

And as I've stated before, I think if they trade Pettersson, they need to replace him. So Zucker for a wing that fits better with Geno and Ceci for a depth forward sounds like a plan to me. Float Riikola out there too.

Off-season, look to clear a spot for POJ. But don't jump him from WBS to 2nd pair right before playoffs and definitely don't use Matheson there.

Or was Geno crap because Zucker isn't a good match stylistically with Geno?
- j.boyd919

Ehhh, Geno definitely wasn't playing good. Not saying that they will work out but I wouldn't toss it just yet.

I think you get a better player for Zucker than Pettersson. And bumping Zucker down might be a waste because playing Blueger as a shutdown line getting 3rd line minutes frees up Crosby for better matchups, but doesn't give the bottom 6 soft minutes to exploit like when HBK was a thing

And as I've stated before, I think if they trade Pettersson, they need to replace him. So Zucker for a wing that fits better with Geno and Ceci for a depth forward sounds like a plan to me. Float Riikola out there too.

Off-season, look to clear a spot for POJ. But don't jump him from WBS to 2nd pair right before playoffs and definitely don't use Matheson there.
- Tojo.

If bumping Kessel down wasn't a waste then neither will bumping Zucker to the third line. We could easily go:
Guentz-Sid-Rust
McCann-Geno-Kap
Zuck-Blue-Tanev
ZAR-Glendening-Rod

Mike Hoffman a healthy scratch. E4 to all contenders

He is well known to train hard in the offseason.
- MacPatty[/img]

Lol you troll

Or was Geno crap because Zucker isn't a good match stylistically with Geno?
- j.boyd919

It's also entirely possible that both Geno and Zucker just had a rough start to the season. We're seeing more and more good players who started slow starting to come around.

Wasn't Zucker-Geno-Rust our best line vs. MTL?

Mike Hoffman a healthy scratch. E4 to all contenders
- burgh4life87

STL has been poopting the bed bad. I'm sure this is just something to shake them up.

It's also entirely possible that both Geno and Zucker just had a rough start to the season. We're seeing more and more good players who started slow starting to come around.

Wasn't Zucker-Geno-Rust our best line vs. MTL?
- Rinosaur

(frank) I don't remember. I try to forget that play in series.

If bumping Kessel down wasn't a waste then neither will bumping Zucker to the third line. We could easily go:
Guentz-Sid-Rust
McCann-Geno-Kap
Zuck-Blue-Tanev
ZAR-Glendening-Rod
- 668710

In that case you didn't add a big name forward which I'm fine with. But would you run that over:

Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Top 6 trade-Geno-Kap
ZAR-Blueger-Tanev
?-McCann-?

Still hoping for a smaller trade like you did with Glendening to add a wing or two. Just for offense not Glendening.

Getting Zucker or McCann to play with Geno/Kap shouldn't be too hard stop accomplish. Sully just needs to think outside the box with Blueger as well. We all know ZAR-Blue-Tanev works and can go back to it if need be. Make a simple Glendening trade.
Guentz-Sid-Rust
McCann-Geno-Kap
Zuck-Blue-Tanev
ZAR-Glen-Rod/Maybe another trade
Seems pretty simple.

In that case you didn't add a big name forward which I'm fine with. But would you run that over:

Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Top 6 trade-Geno-Kap
ZAR-Blueger-Tanev
?-McCann-?

Still hoping for a smaller trade like you did with Glendening to add a wing or two. Just for offense not Glendening.
- Tojo.

Yea as much as I'd love Forsberg it just doesn't seem in the cards for us. And I'm not against your setup at all, it's just more moves to do. Definitely possible. With all that being said, Forsberg.

(frank) I don't remember. I try to forget that play in series.
- 668710

Just took a look and they were very good.

GAME 1: 68% CF% , 69.84 xGF%, 75% HDCF%
GAME 2: 48.39%, 75.51 xGF%, 42.86 HDCF%
GAME 3: 66.67 CF%, 80.85 xGF%, 80% HDCF%
GAME 4: 57.69 CF%, 43.86 xGF%

This was mixed a little with Rust and Horn, but Zucker and Malkin the whole time. Small sample size, but there's some precedent for that line being effective.

Now, I'm not saying that their styles just don't work together; that very well may be true, but I think it's also entirely possible they were both just having a bad start. I guess we'll see though.

Just took a look and they were very good.

GAME 1: 68% CF% , 69.84 xGF%, 75% HDCF%
GAME 2: 48.39%, 75.51 xGF%, 42.86 HDCF%
GAME 3: 66.67 CF%, 80.85 xGF%, 80% HDCF%
GAME 4: 57.69 CF%, 43.86 xGF%

This was mixed a little with Rust and Horn, but Zucker and Malkin the whole time. Small sample size, but there's some precedent for that line being effective.

Now, I'm not saying that their styles just don't work together; that very well may be true, but I think it's also entirely possible they were both just having a bad start. I guess we'll see though.
- Rinosaur

Yea definitely. I'm willing to give it another shot, but we may not have a chance before the deadline to see if it does work.

Zucker is a very good player still. When he came on board last season he looked great. Tough start to the year and then an injury shouldn't lead us to believe he is poop.

I'd maybe trade STL Zucker for Hoffman and either a high pick or Klim Kostin (yeah that guy).

I'd also start a package around him for Laine. I know most on here aren't as high on him as me but I think he is a guy who could really extend the Pens window. Pens would have the best PP in the league working from Kessels old spot.

Getting Zucker or McCann to play with Geno/Kap shouldn't be too hard stop accomplish. Sully just needs to think outside the box with Blueger as well. We all know ZAR-Blue-Tanev works and can go back to it if need be. Make a simple Glendening trade.
Guentz-Sid-Rust
McCann-Geno-Kap
Zuck-Blue-Tanev
ZAR-Glen-Rod/Maybe another trade
Seems pretty simple.
- 668710

I like Glendenning and think he's a logical fit but he is going to bring zero offensive threat. Reminds me of bringing in guys like Goc and Lapierre, good defensively, good on face offseason but will never pose any threat to score.

If he is all they can get and can be had for a 6th, great. I'd just have a huge preference for someone more in the mold of Cullen or someone who can be a 3C level guy like Getzlaf or Carter.

I think you get a better player for Zucker than Pettersson. And bumping Zucker down might be a waste because playing Blueger as a shutdown line getting 3rd line minutes frees up Crosby for better matchups, but doesn't give the bottom 6 soft minutes to exploit like when HBK was a thing

And as I've stated before, I think if they trade Pettersson, they need to replace him. So Zucker for a wing that fits better with Geno and Ceci for a depth forward sounds like a plan to me. Float Riikola out there too.

Off-season, look to clear a spot for POJ. But don't jump him from WBS to 2nd pair right before playoffs and definitely don't use Matheson there.
- Tojo.

That is my logic as well. I think Riikola gets moved to Arizona for a forward.

I could see a Zucker for Arvidsson type deal being made.