Modified NTC
- jmatchett383

What's your expectation about Konecny? Middle 6 winger forever?

I don't think any of the moves have strengthened or weakened the defense overall.

Ruutta seems like the most generic defenseman ever (think Ron Hainsey) who just happened to be on a juggernaut of a team. Trading Matheson for Petry and a 4th line tweener who averaged 3 Pts/GP a few years back ;-) is fine. But trading Marino, arguably your best defenseman in the playoffs last year, for a player who has been underwhelming thus far, doesn't seem like it will be a short-term benefit.

Just shuffling chairs at this point, swapping areas of strength and weakness.

I could see one of them making the roster. The truth is the young guys have a hard time in Pittsburgh. When you have vets for cheap to sign. makes things harder
- Barnaby36

That's a new roundabout way of saying give them a chance lol

What's your expectation about Konecny? Middle 6 winger forever?
- Barnaby36

It's baffling. A few years ago, the COVID season, he was on fire to start the first 2 months, had a lull, and then went on a tear in February. But ever since they came back for the "playoffs" that year, he's been much less noticeable. Even within the same game, you can see glimpses of the Marchand comparisons, and then 2 shifts later he looks completely unenthused. So right now, that's all he is, but I think he could be a consistent 65-75 point player, that's just on him to want it more consistently.

I could see one of them making the roster. The truth is the young guys have a hard time in Pittsburgh. When you have vets for cheap to sign. makes things harder
- Barnaby36

That's a new roundabout way of saying give them a chance lol

I could see one of them making the roster. The truth is the young guys have a hard time in Pittsburgh. When you have vets for cheap to sign. makes things harder
- Barnaby36

That's a new roundabout way of saying give them a chance lol

I don't think any of the moves have strengthened or weakened the defense overall.

Ruutta seems like the most generic defenseman ever (think Ron Hainsey) who just happened to be on a juggernaut of a team. Trading Matheson for Petry and a 4th line tweener who averaged 3 Pts/GP a few years back ;-) is fine. But trading Marino, arguably your best defenseman in the playoffs last year, for a player who has been underwhelming thus far, doesn't seem like it will be a short-term benefit.

Just shuffling chairs at this point, swapping areas of strength and weakness.
- jmatchett383

Oh if that's what RUTTA is, awesome. Hainsey was instrumental in one of our cups lol Just an overall decent guy to have in the lineup. He went straight to our first line pairing and did fine. I was expecting Petry to be a little better than Hainsey tbh.

Mngmnt just wants to give its finger prints giving one big guy in each line. I would never trade Matheson btw.

Oh if that's what RUTTA is, awesome. Hainsey was instrumental in one of our cups lol Just an overall decent guy to have in the lineup. He went straight to our first line pairing and did fine. I was expecting Petry to be a little better than Hainsey tbh.

Mngmnt just wants to give its finger prints giving one big guy in each line. I would never trade Matheson btw.
- Barnaby36

No, they won that cup DESPITE playing Hainsey on the top pair. Dude could make
a decent play 20% of the time, but handled the puck like a hand grenade the other 80%. Still trying to figure out how the (coughKesselcough) won. Petry should bring way more than Hainsey did on both sides of the puck.

No, they won that cup DESPITE playing Hainsey on the top pair. Dude could make
a decent play 20% of the time, but handled the puck like a hand grenade the other 80%. Still trying to figure out how the (coughKesselcough) won. Petry should bring way more than Hainsey did on both sides of the puck.
- jmatchett383

Hainsey wasn't the sexy otpion nor the best one to replace Letang but he was effective. He had a nice goal too haha Overall he was good enough to get a Stanley Cup playing first line minutes.

Do you think Petry will be way better than him? I think he will. Playing 2nd line minutes

It's baffling. A few years ago, the COVID season, he was on fire to start the first 2 months, had a lull, and then went on a tear in February. But ever since they came back for the "playoffs" that year, he's been much less noticeable. Even within the same game, you can see glimpses of the Marchand comparisons, and then 2 shifts later he looks completely unenthused. So right now, that's all he is, but I think he could be a consistent 65-75 point player, that's just on him to want it more consistently.
- jmatchett383

Konecny plays the right way just like Zucker does. He's more gifted offensively. He'll be fine.

There was some discussion yesterday about the Canada U-18 team from 2018. Saw this article today which provided more details and named some of the players who were on that team and who potentially could have some PR and legal problems this year. (This is not to suggest in any way that any of the individuals mentioned in the article had anything to do with the sexual assault in question. Rather, this is being provided as additional information for anyone who hasn't followed the story too closely.)

https://vancouverhockeyno...ionship-scandal-2018-wjc/

Hainsey wasn't the sexy otpion nor the best one to replace Letang but he was effective. He had a nice goal too haha Overall he was good enough to get a Stanley Cup playing first line minutes.

Do you think Petry will be way better than him? I think he will. Playing 2nd line minutes
- Barnaby36

It's not about being a "sexy" option. He simply was not a top pairing defenseman. They had no other option, so they threw him in there and were able to ride the Fleury/Murray tandem to a Stanley Cup despite their thrown-together defense. The team was good enough to win a Cup despite him playing top pair minutes.

I've said Petry will be better than him. At no point did I compare the two.

It's baffling. A few years ago, the COVID season, he was on fire to start the first 2 months, had a lull, and then went on a tear in February. But ever since they came back for the "playoffs" that year, he's been much less noticeable. Even within the same game, you can see glimpses of the Marchand comparisons, and then 2 shifts later he looks completely unenthused. So right now, that's all he is, but I think he could be a consistent 65-75 point player, that's just on him to want it more consistently.
- jmatchett383

Yzerman is just waiting for Chuck to give up KOneckknee and a 1st for Bertuzzi

Yzerman is just waiting for Chuck to give up KOneckknee and a 1st for Bertuzzi
- Feds91Stammer

Fletcher wouldn't even be good enough for that. Try Konecny and a first for Dekeyser

Fletcher wouldn't even be good enough for that. Try Konecny and a first for Dekeyser
- jmatchett383

Damn he would give up that for a free agent?

Damn he would give up that for a free agent?
- Feds91Stammer

Are you familiar with Chuck Fletcher?

Are you familiar with Chuck Fletcher?
- jmatchett383

Yeah he’s one of the best GMs in the league… to trade with.

Yeah he’s one of the best GMs in the league… to trade with.
- Feds91Stammer

He literally makes me sad.

That mother (frank)er has known for 6 months that Johnny Gaudreau wanted to come here this summer. So what does he do? Lock up Ristolainen for 5 years, then trade against himself for DeAngelo and lock him up, leaving him with no cap space for Gaudreau.

You have to TRY to be that incompetent.

Yeah he’s one of the best GMs in the league… to trade with.
- Feds91Stammer

Lol

He literally makes me sad.
- jmatchett383

That does really suck

He literally makes me sad.

That mother (frank)er has known for 6 months that Johnny Gaudreau wanted to come here this summer. So what does he do? Lock up Ristolainen for 5 years, then trade against himself for DeAngelo and lock him up, leaving him with no cap space for Gaudreau.

You have to TRY to be that incompetent.
- jmatchett383

How does he still have a job?

How does he still have a job?
- Feds91Stammer

I have no idea. Peter Chiarelli was a terrible GM. Check Fletcher makes him look like a genius.

I would imagine Archi and Caig, probably others, will be sent down and clear waivers. I don't think they'll be on opening night roster unless injuries start hitting... Which certainly isn't far fetched I guess haha.
- MattStrat

This is all very true. Sad, and very true.

This is all very true. Sad, and very true.
- Rinosaur

I would hope that if a younger prospect was playing really well that they would be called up before those 2. Bold prediction is that Puustinen gets called up and sticks.

Fletcher should’ve been fired immediately after saying he didn’t even attempt anything w/ gudreau cause it woulda been hard to move contracts. That’s beyond pathetic, especially when philly was thought to be a potential spot for him. Maybe he knew it just wasn’t gonna happen, but still was a bad look for an already bad looking gm.