If you want a guy who can skate, Duclair is your guy. He had a decent 2018-19, not great by any standard, but a 4th line role, with speed, and a young and cheap contract... that all sounds like positives to me.

Rutherford should've given the minimum 1-year contract to him instead of Cullen.... No reason why Cullen had to take Blueger's spot this season.

I agree that these RW blogs are good. No talking down to readers, making stupid jabs at players, and just presenting a problem and addressing possible solutions. I like it.
- SuperHenderson13

I haven't seen enough of Duclair, but he'll be with his 6th team next year. I'd be surprised if Rutherford will get Sullivan to agree. Of course, I don't think they talk about personnel, so maybe we will sign him. I'd fully expect Sully to scratch him for 50 or 60 games while saying..."we think Anthony is a good player".

Cullen was such a dumbass move. Guy was washed up after the last cup.

I haven't seen enough of Duclair, but he'll be with his 6th team next year. I'd be surprised if Rutherford will get Sullivan to agree. Of course, I don't think they talk about personnel, so maybe we will sign him. I'd fully expect Sully to scratch him for 50 or 60 games while saying..."we think Anthony is a good player".

Cullen was such a dumbass move. Guy was washed up after the last cup.
- madmike71

Sully & GMJR are both doing the same things that caused us to happily run Bylsma & Shero out of town.

I get it about Duclair and if Sully isnt going to use him, then they shouldnt even sign him. I wouldnt be shocked if Ottawa resigned him. I think the guy has upside, way higher of a ceiling than what a guy at his cost would have. We saw how effective a speed guy like Hagelin or even sheary had in Sullivan's system. I think Duclair could give you that risk/reward ratio that frankly the Penguins need. They will need a few guys making little money to step up big.

I was thinking also, if youre the Penguins would you rather pay part of a player's salary to off load him onto another team like Toronto did with Kessel or would you rather trade a future with the player to get him off your books at full value like Chicago did. I'd personally go for the former if it was reasonable. We have so little futures as it is, no reason to trade more.

Oscar Lindberg is a UFA. He could be a steal for the 4th line.
- Rinosaur

I guess it just depends on what we want do spend on our 4th line. The cap is presumably going up to 83MM. Lindberg and Ennis both score at a rate of about .35PPG. Puts them in the neighborhood of Blueger, Simon, below ZAR. Sherry was 0.44 but with more PP time I would imagine. I could see teams lowballing Ennis again as more and more younger, bigger, faster players become available but I would imagine Lindberg (who scores at a career pace of 26 pts per season) will he searching for a 3rd line role somewhere with a bit of a raise - just my opinion

I think Wilson is exactly what you want out of an AHL call up. He's capable of playing on the 4th line and not hurting you at all. He's the definition of vanilla, which is great when you've run into injury issues. But he's not a guy that the coach should playing over other players that can bring something more than just not hurting you.
- Victoro311

Agree 100% and when the coach is going to keep playing him over others then you need to let him go or push him further down the depth chart (which I would imagine we do)

If you want a guy who can skate, Duclair is your guy. He had a decent 2018-19, not great by any standard, but a 4th line role, with speed, and a young and cheap contract... that all sounds like positives to me.

Rutherford should've given the minimum 1-year contract to him instead of Cullen.... No reason why Cullen had to take Blueger's spot this season.

I agree that these RW blogs are good. No talking down to readers, making stupid jabs at players, and just presenting a problem and addressing possible solutions. I like it.
- SuperHenderson13

I would like to bring in Duclair. Wanted him last year. He had a nice little run there with Ottawa to end the season. Wouldn’t surprise me all that much to see him leverage that into a deal higher than league minimum

Bahaha. If this is true it’s gold!

Bahaha. If this is true it’s gold!
- Thorny87

it's from Yohe. He goes on to say that Malkin was lackadaisical in his approach to puck support and shouldn't expect that all nhl defenders can skate like letang. He even says letang shouldn't try to skate it that much. I beg to differ...

Man.... Washington got jobbed with that call.

it's from Yohe. He goes on to say that Malkin was lackadaisical in his approach to puck support and shouldn't expect that all nhl defenders can skate like letang. He even says letang shouldn't try to skate it that much. I beg to differ...
- Brayn

Exactly what I said about Malkin all year and exactly why I'm cool with trading him. Just wants to put up some points.

Definitely like the idea of guys like Ennis, Duclair or Pommonville on bargain contracts for the 4th line.

Man.... Washington got jobbed with that call.
- madmike71

Yeah they did. Wouldn't be the NHL playoffs without some controversial bullpoop calls.

During this meeting, Sullivan showed a video of Chad Ruhwedel with the puck in the corner behind goaltender Matt Murray. There were no Penguins forwards visible in the screenshot, prompting Sullivan to say, “What is Chad supposed to do in this situation?”

Pittsburgh’s second line was on the ice during this particular sequence. Thus, Sullivan’s question was directed toward that unit. Evgeni Malkin offered his opinion:

“He’s in the NHL,” Malkin said in front of the entire team. “He can skate it out.”

Therein lay so may problems.

Love Malkin
- Vukota

I don’t see how there’s a problem here? Also I would need to see the tape because where’s the forecheck? Are they sending one? Two? Where is his partner? Is he retrieving a dump in with pressure or is there no pressure?

Skating the puck out is absolutely an option and. Geno isn’t wrong. Dudes in the show; he should be able to make his feet. I didn’t read it as Malkin saying to skate it all the way down the ice but the D man can skate it out from behind the net to open up lanes. Now if the Forwards are just standing there and not moving in the neutral zone that’s one thing but if the forwards are crossing in the neutral zone to give the D something to move towards I don’t see a problem. Instead of standing there flat footed Ruh could swing out to one side (preferably his forehand) and make the pass a shorter pass by moving his feet.

The situation described is really too vague to Come to a meaningful conclusion.

Man.... Washington got jobbed with that call.
- madmike71

Not allowed to push the tendies pads. It was the right call.

Exactly what I said about Malkin all year and exactly why I'm cool with trading him. Just wants to put up some points.
- MacPatty

Nah. Trading Malkin is dumb.

it's from Yohe. He goes on to say that Malkin was lackadaisical in his approach to puck support and shouldn't expect that all nhl defenders can skate like letang. He even says letang shouldn't try to skate it that much. I beg to differ...
- Brayn

Yohe’s sycophantic “journalism” is why I let my subscription to The Athletic lapse. The guy looks and acts like Randy from Trailer Park Boys.

Nah. Trading Malkin is dumb.
- j.boyd919

Nah. Make tradez. We cAn get gud stuff for Gino.

I don’t see how there’s a problem here? Also I would need to see the tape because where’s the forecheck? Are they sending one? Two? Where is his partner? Is he retrieving a dump in with pressure or is there no pressure?

Skating the puck out is absolutely an option and. Geno isn’t wrong. Dudes in the show; he should be able to make his feet. I didn’t read it as Malkin saying to skate it all the way down the ice but the D man can skate it out from behind the net to open up lanes. Now if the Forwards are just standing there and not moving in the neutral zone that’s one thing but if the forwards are crossing in the neutral zone to give the D something to move towards I don’t see a problem. Instead of standing there flat footed Ruh could swing out to one side (preferably his forehand) and make the pass a shorter pass by moving his feet.

The situation described is really too vague to Come to a meaningful conclusion.
- j.boyd919

It's funny that you wrote all of that to create a hypothetical situation to defend Malkin.

It doesn't even matter what the situation was. Everyone complains that Sully doesn't make adjustments but some of his best players refuse to play to the system he wants to run.

Not to mention what it shows the rest of the team when a "leader" refuses to help in the D zone and then insults a teammate who was probably right there in the room. There is a reason Malkin was a -100 this year and it wasn't JJ.

Nah. Trading Malkin is dumb.
- j.boyd919

Tavares is a good comparison. He might be better than Malkin at this point and the Islanders let him walk for nothing... they got a hell of a lot better.

Pens can still get a haul for Malkin despite him being an injury prone, pad the stats type of player. Would be great if JR could get both him and Kessel out the door before the end of the playoffs or the latest the draft.

Has there been a playoff year where so many of the favorites got bounced in round 1? Add Nashville to the fallen. Hope caps go next 🙏

Recognizing that I could NEVER love a 4th liner as much as RW hates on all of 'em, the ONLY thing that showed any sign of life in the series against the Isles WAS the Pens fourth line. And this was WITHOUT Teddy.

Not saying we shouldn't look past Cullen and Wilson for options, but there ain't much in WB either. I thought Cullen had a solid season with some flashes of playing younger than his age, and I thought Wilson pummeled the Isles.

I hope Teddy sticks this season... maybe 3C. But again, these are the players and positions that should be discussed LAST, after some of the superstars on this team are reviewed for their many shortcomings.

Good thoughts RW, but your priorities are BACKWARDS.

Has there been a playoff year where so many of the favorites got bounced in round 1? Add Nashville to the fallen. Hope caps go next 🙏
- pghbirdman

Yeah its crazy. Craziest 1st round I can ever recall.

Recognizing that I could NEVER love a 4th liner as much as RW hates 'em, the ONLY thing that showed any sign of life in the series against the Isles WAS the Pens fourth line. And this was WITHOUT Teddy.

Not saying we shouldn't look past Cullen and Wilson for options, but there ain't much in WB either.

I hope Teddy sticks this season... maybe 3C.
- Cousinskrid

For me its Bjugs at 3C and Teddy at 4C. Thats what I'd like to see opening night.

For me its Bjugs at 3C and Teddy at 4C. Thats what I'd like to see opening night.
- MattStrat

I'd like to see Bjug in a top-6 wing spot... I like his big frame digging in the corners.

I'd like to see Bjug in a top-6 wing spot... I like his big frame digging in the corners.
- Cousinskrid

I like his size, reach and D-game and think its better suited for C but if they find an alternative to 3C and 4C, hopefully not Cullen, then I'd be fine with him on wing.

For me its Bjugs at 3C and Teddy at 4C. Thats what I'd like to see opening night.
- MattStrat

That to me looks really good also. I thought Cullen actually did a pretty good job this year. I'd be surprised if he doesn't retire but if he still wants to play, I'd still keep him as a 13th forward.

I just hope they have a plan for the 4th line, not just putting together a bunch of leftover guys.