Ryan Wilson: Appreciate things with a forward focus Appreciate things with a forward focus

Hi Ryan

Agree with all of that RW. Thanks for you work this season and I look forward to your blogs as the draft and free agency approach.

The Pens will be stronger* next year.


*Health pending

Thanks Ryan for another year of blogs! Looking forward to next season, hopefully we'll have a healthy team going into the playoffs.

I for one was enjoying just how great it was to watch Sid, Jake and Horny go nuts, and Geno owed the fans nothing he gave everything he had. I thought by and large the team played well and didn't leave anything in the tank.

The only area I'd disagree with you is on Brassard, I don't know if he's hurt but he just was never engaged other than maybe his 2nd or 3rd game with the team. I too would have enjoyed seeing Sprong just to see what he has in the playoff style of games, but maybe next year. This team needed depth in their D corp and it wasn't to be...all in all another enjoyable year of hockey and congrats to the Caps. I'd love to see Ovi raise the cup (and Backstrom too) but it would pain me to see Wilson and Trotz get their names on there to be honest.

Congrats on an amazing run, I'm thinking when the sting wears off some of your players are gonna welcome the extra month to recover. This is not meant to rub it in, but just think, your club played amazing for 2 cups, and with the playoff series loss fell just short of HALFWAY to the most consecutive playoff series won record, I say that is one of those records that will never be broken, (Dimaggio's hit streak, Gretzkys numbers, etc)

JBoyd "Say they ship out Sheary...

Guentzel-Sid-Sprong
Hags-Geno-Horny
Rust-Brassard-Kessel
ZAR-Sheahan-Kuhn
Simon

Honestly... where are the Pens gonna upgrade and at what cost?"

I dont know that the forwards are going to be upgraded. They're still going to be stocked. Personally, Id like a better 6th and 7th defensemen and maybe a little more insurance in goal because Murray seems to be injury prone in his first two seasons. Other than those things, which wouldn't take major moves or signings, just get lots of rest. Besides the not playing hockey for another month they also wont be celebrating and partying all summer again.

Top 40 UFA's based on points... who does everyone want? JVR? Kane? Grabner? Those are the only 3 I really have an interest in. Grabner is probably the only realistic one, but even at that... it's a stretch. Unless he plays 4th line RW.

Posted this in the last thread... even looking at the D... who are they gonna aim for?

Ryan Wilson: Appreciate things with a forward focus
Appreciate things with a forward focus
- Ryan_Wilson

The window has closed.

It was a nice run, but it's time to blow it up and start over.

If the Penguins are smart, they will dump Crosby and Letang to a team like...oh, I don't know, the Leafs, and rebuild.











But seriously, boys, congrats on a good run. I'm just pissed you couldn't beat the Crapitals.

Top 40 UFA's based on points... who does everyone want? JVR? Kane? Grabner? Those are the only 3 I really have an interest in. Grabner is probably the only realistic one, but even at that... it's a stretch. Unless he plays 4th line RW.

Posted this in the last thread... even looking at the D... who are they gonna aim for?
- j.boyd919

Get Cole back....but hes's gonna get a bigger pay day than 2 mill imagine.

The window has closed.

It was a nice run, but it's time to blow it up and start over.

If the Penguins are smart, they will dump Crosby and Letang to a team like...oh, I don't know, the Leafs, and rebuild.











But seriously, boys, congrats on a good run. I'm just pissed you couldn't beat the Crapitals.
- Atomic Wedgie

hahah the Pens had to lose a playoffs series sometime and they had to lose to the Caps eventually...why not all at once?

They looked so gassed last night. If they did squeak out two wins in a row, were they getting through two more series? I just dont think so but you never know. Thats why they play the games.

I don't want to upgrade the Forwards besides what you've put up already. It's our D that might need a tweak.

Also, what do you think the Pens about the goalie situation? Murray was OK. He will learn from this, do some glove hand exercises in the offseason with some medicine balls or something. Run the 2 out of the 3 young goalies in tandem? Or sign a veteran on the cheap as a backup?
- chimpira

I think the goalie situation is fine. Murray played well enough for the Pens to win. Goalies let in squeakers all the time. Fleury did for his entire tenure here. Pens goals dried up when they needed them. D needs a tweak? But how? Everyone loved Oleksiak. Letang/Dumo aren't going anywhere. Neither are Schultz/Maatta. Oleksiak was overrated on these boards IMO, Hunwick sucks, Ruhwedel was actually decent this year. The defense FA's are pretty ugly.

I think the goalie situation is fine. Murray played well enough for the Pens to win. Goalies let in squeakers all the time. Fleury did for his entire tenure here. Pens goals dried up when they needed them. D needs a tweak? But how? Everyone loved Oleksiak. Letang/Dumo aren't going anywhere. Neither are Schultz/Maatta. Oleksiak was overrated on these boards IMO, Hunwick sucks, Ruhwedel was actually decent this year. The defense FA's are pretty ugly.
- j.boyd919

He shows alot of promise at times. He's only 25 and he's huge. I think he will continue to improve. I also agree though that he was overrated around here..but he could get there.

He shows alot of promise at times. He's only 25 and he's huge. I think he will continue to improve. I also agree though that he was overrated around here..but he could get there.
- MattStrat

I'm definitely guilty of overrating Oleksiak. I thought he started very strong and then weaknesses became more glaring over time.

There truly isn't much there in the line of FA D men. It'd have to be a trade. The only thing is, the pieces they'd be willing to part with only hurt their value this year and playoffs. A few guys are off the books (Kuhnakle and Rowney.) that can be replaced by younger guys.

I think Oleksiak and Simon get new "show me" contracts.

What does Rust get for a new contract? Do they even re sign him?

Do they let Sheahan walk?

I don't want to upgrade the Forwards besides what you've put up already. It's our D that might need a tweak.

Also, what do you think the Pens about the goalie situation? Murray was OK. He will learn from this, do some glove hand exercises in the offseason with some medicine balls or something. Run the 2 out of the 3 young goalies in tandem? Or sign a veteran on the cheap as a backup?
- chimpira

I'm in agreement with you and jboyd we don't need a forward upgrade. Always look around, but I'd rather see ZAR and Sprong get goid opportunities. Grabner is interesting, but he probably gets overpaid and they have similar guys in Rust and Hags that he'd be fighting for ice time.

Also agree defense is where I'd look. I'd be looking to get the best LD I could. I don't have a target in mind yet. It's too bad McDonagh wasn't realistic because getting him and bumping down the others would have been perfect.

I wouldn't mind swapping Maatta for something different. He's a good enough defenseman but footspeed remains an issue.

Ruhwedel was fine, but wouldn't mind a Lovejoy, Hainsey, Cole type for the bottom pair.

He shows alot of promise at times. He's only 25 and he's huge. I think he will continue to improve. I also agree though that he was overrated around here..but he could get there.
- MattStrat

Pens defense is going to rely on Letang having a better season at 5v5 in those brain fart moments. He has in the past, and I see no reason why he won't correct the mistakes he made this year. He's one year removed from neck surgery and he still put up 51 points. As for the numbers, he was still dominant in CF, FF, SCF, HDCF.

Maybe improving on the bottom 6 would help a little bit, but the Pens go as far as Sid, Geno, Kessel, Letang, Murray take them. Probably throw Guentzel into the mix there too.

There truly isn't much there in the line of FA D men. It'd have to be a trade. The only thing is, the pieces they'd be willing to part with only hurt their value this year and playoffs. A few guys are off the books (Kuhnakle and Rowney.) that can be replaced by younger guys.

I think Oleksiak and Simon get new "show me" contracts.

What does Rust get for a new contract? Do they even re sign him?

Do they let Sheahan walk?
- Thorny87

Sheahan is RFA, no they dont let him walk.

Rust is RFA, no they dont let him walk. I think he will get similar to Sheary...

Oleksiak and Simon are RFA's and will get qualifying offers that wont be very high.

There truly isn't much there in the line of FA D men. It'd have to be a trade. The only thing is, the pieces they'd be willing to part with only hurt their value this year and playoffs. A few guys are off the books (Kuhnakle and Rowney.) that can be replaced by younger guys.

I think Oleksiak and Simon get new "show me" contracts.

What does Rust get for a new contract? Do they even re sign him?

Do they let Sheahan walk?
- Thorny87

Rust will get a Sheary-like deal. Around 3m per, I would expect. And I think they absolutely should resign him. Rust has grown into a guy who is capable of playing anywhere in the lineup and still being effective. Sheahan should be back as 4C and potentially 3C after next season when Brass walks.

Pens defense is going to rely on Letang having a better season at 5v5 in those brain fart moments. He has in the past, and I see no reason why he won't correct the mistakes he made this year. He's one year removed from neck surgery and he still put up 51 points. As for the numbers, he was still dominant in CF, FF, SCF, HDCF.

Maybe improving on the bottom 6 would help a little bit, but the Pens go as far as Sid, Geno, Kessel, Letang, Murray take them. Probably throw Guentzel into the mix there too.
- j.boyd919

I am nowhere close to the trade Letang wagon a bunch of people are overacting and hopping on hahaha....he's the Pens #1 D. He will be fine.

Like I said above....6th and 7th (or add one top 4, hard I know, and Oleksiak becomes a 6th) Dman upgrade for me...maybe a bit of insurance in goal because the amount of times Murray has been injured in 2 years scares me.

Sheahan is RFA, no they dont let him walk.

Rust is RFA, no they dont let him walk. I think he will get similar to Sheary...

Oleksiak and Simon are RFA's and will get qualifying offers that wont be very high.
- MattStrat

So we're gonna pay Sheahan 3 mil+ to play 4C?

I loved Sheary and Rust on their ELC's. At 3 mil+, not so much. Rust is a better value but he'll probably get more than Sheary. When do they draw the line?

So we're gonna pay Sheahan 3 mil+ to play 4C?

I loved Sheary and Rust on their ELC's. At 3 mil+, not so much. Rust is a better value but he'll probably get more than Sheary. When do they draw the line?
- Thorny87

Why so much? The offer has to be more than his current contract of $2,075,000.00. So you offer him a bit more for one year to prove himself. Then when Brass walks, if hes proves himself, you lock him up on some term with a higher cap hit. If he doesnt or there's other options, let him walk or trade him before the deadline next year.

Why so much? The offer has to be more than his current contract of $2,075,000.00. So you offer him a bit more for one year to prove himself. Then when Brass walks, if hes proves himself, you lock him up on some term with a higher cap hit. If he doesnt or there's other options, let him walk or trade him before the deadline next year.
- MattStrat

Fair enough. How much is a bit more?

Sheary gets shipped out

Rust gets Shearys 3 million

Sprong takes Shearys spot at Rusts old salary

Sheahan gets a qualifying offer of 2.25 million, maybe he takes us to arbitration

Oleksiak gets 2 years 1.5 per

To Do:

Ship out Hags, Hunwick

Get some $$ socked away for Jakes next contract

Sign Jack Johnson for 3rd pair D? Grabner to replace Hags speed?

On the Pens D situation...

It definitely needs tweaking, but there's a lot of issues in terms of what is realistic. JR will have to be creative via trade IMO.

Hunwick: If the Pens were able to move him by simply throwing in a pick and MAYBE retaining a LITTLE salary($1M max), then I think that would be the best worst-case scenario for the Pens.

Dumo/Maatta/Schultz: You don't touch them. You'll be hard-pressed to find a better 2-3-4 punch for the money in the NHL.

Oleksiak/Ruhwedel: You bring back ONE, not both and my guess it the Pens would lean toward Oleksiak.

Letang: What's to be said? I've been a Letang apologist for a long time, felt he deserved a lot of slack this year, but IMO in spite of the fact that the good things he does is better than most dmen in the NHL, his issues were more costly. Personally, I think it's time for a change of scenery, but that's not realistic.

The only scenario in which you move Letang is you have a similar caliber replacement coming back somehow. Maybe you move him out for picks/prospects and use them to get someone else, or he get you back someone like Karlsson or Doughty, but again, not very realistic. I remember reading rumors that LA may also want a change of scenery for Doughty, but not sure how true that was.

Letang is just an injury-ridden player, but maybe now that he's healthy and has a summer to rest up and really get back into shape he'll have a bounce-back year; that's the best situation we can hope for.

I'm going to bang my MDZ drum again and I'd look to move Sheary out for someone like MDZ or similar to lead the 3rd pairing.

I think the goalie situation is fine. Murray played well enough for the Pens to win. Goalies let in squeakers all the time. Fleury did for his entire tenure here. Pens goals dried up when they needed them. D needs a tweak? But how? Everyone loved Oleksiak. Letang/Dumo aren't going anywhere. Neither are Schultz/Maatta. Oleksiak was overrated on these boards IMO, Hunwick sucks, Ruhwedel was actually decent this year. The defense FA's are pretty ugly.
- j.boyd919

I thought Ruhwedel stood out too much. He made some really good plays but he made some bad plays. Why was he standing alone in front of Murray when Oshie scored on the PP? Last night, why was he forcing the guy below the goal line on the PK? IMO he's one of the reasons why the Caps PP was such a dominant threat this series. Oleksiak had some bad turnovers as well but I like the other elements he brings, hopefully Gonchar can keep him improving just like Cole kept improving