Has Rask consistently been this good over the years? I remember a while back he was a stud but didnt hear much about him for a while.

Nah. Blueger, Simon and McCann are nice young players to have up and down the lineup.
Murray is above average and Hörnqvist would be a 1st line winger in Detroit.
- Barnaby36

Well when his main competition for that 1st line spot would be a vintage 1957-58 Gordie Howe jersey and the 80-year-old season ticket holder sisters in Section 104, row 8, seats 11-12, he's bound to land AT LEAST in the top 6.

Matt and I appear to be on the same page. Plenty of topics are relevant in the here and now and instead there was a very long GoT tangent that I couldn’t read through

Nice to see that Tojo is alive lol
- WSCTeton17

LOL thanks, had no interest being here during what I'm sure was a hot mess after the first round.

Well when his main competition for that 1st line spot would be a vintage 1957-58 Gordie Howe jersey and the 80-year-old season ticket holder sisters in Section 104, row 8, seats 11-12, he's bound to land AT LEAST in the top 6.
- jmatchett383

LOL

I know they've got Mantha, Bertuzzi and Zadina...

LOL

I know they've got Mantha, Bertuzzi and Zadina...
- Barnaby36

No need to reference the 30 goal scorers they have either.

No need to reference the 30 goal scorer they have either.
- Feds91Stammer

They traded him to Arizona, and he's playing in Russia.

Edit: The other one is unofficially retired due to back erectionitis.

They traded him to Arizona, and he's playing in Russia.

Edit: The other one is unofficially retired due to back erectionitis.
- jmatchett383

What about the other 2?

What about the other 2?
- Feds91Stammer

Tatar and Nyquist?

Too bad DET traded both of them

What about the other 2?
- Feds91Stammer

Yzerman and Fedorov are long gone, broseph.

Besides, they were more 5v5 scorers, not all situation guys.

Tatar and Nyquist?

Too bad DET traded both of them
- Barnaby36

Neither ever hit 30. Nice try though.

The 2013 Conference Finals against the Bruins is a painful memory . Rask was of course excellent but the team played very solid (and dirty) in front of him. I still can't understand how that Pens team could only score 2 goals in 4 games. Marchand got away with boarding James Neal (among other things) and then Neal took a retaliation penalty. That series was bad from beginning to end but at least was mercifully short.

I was hoping to cheer for the Canes in the Finals but at this point it looks like it will be whomever comes out of the west.

LOL thanks, had no interest being here during what I'm sure was a hot mess after the first round.
- Tojo.

The main Kessel trade idea floated around was something involving Kessel for Subban. Maybe Schultz goes back as well. Nashville needs help on the PP and Phil provides that. Subban would play the left side of the umbrella, Malkin would be on the other side. 72 or 59 in front and 87 down low. Not to mention how much better PK makes us all around. It certainly makes a lot of sense

There was also a fair share of Malkin trade ideas with the general consensus being that none of the ones that seemed likely actually made us any better.

I think the priority has to be getting him solid wingers. Maybe Sullivan has lost him a bit but good wingers (maybe Nyquist and Hornqvist or Dzingel and McCann) could do a lot for him physically and mentally. I would rather not see Rust dealt this offseason

Now you know how we feel about some of your posts
- Feds91Stammer

Ha!

Has Rask consistently been this good over the years? I remember a while back he was a stud but didnt hear much about him for a while.
- sammy87

I have a few friends who are Bruin fans. They say Rask is a hot and cold tender. When he gets hot he can be unbeatable but when he goes cold, look out.

The Pens were not good against Rask. They were a perimeter team. The Bruins allowed the Pens to control the puck and challenged them to come to the center of the ice. They were swept and didn't deserve to win a game. Much like this year. Although, this year I do think the Pens were able to occasionally get 'inside the house'.

The Pens get swept by the Isles, the Isles get swept by the Canes, the Canes get ???
Just thinking out loud.

I have a few friends who are Bruin fans. They say Rask is a hot and cold tender.
- Thunderbolt

I don’t know many goalies outside a few eilte guys who aren’t hot and cold.

The main Kessel trade idea floated around was something involving Kessel for Subban. Maybe Schultz goes back as well. Nashville needs help on the PP and Phil provides that. Subban would play the left side of the umbrella, Malkin would be on the other side. 72 or 59 in front and 87 down low. Not to mention how much better PK makes us all around. It certainly makes a lot of sense

There was also a fair share of Malkin trade ideas with the general consensus being that none of the ones that seemed likely actually made us any better.

I think the priority has to be getting him solid wingers. Maybe Sullivan has lost him a bit but good wingers (maybe Nyquist and Hornqvist or Dzingel and McCann) could do a lot for him physically and mentally. I would rather not see Rust dealt this offseason
- WSCTeton17

I'd do Kessel plus for Subban. Makes sense for Preds to subtract salary and they desperately need to upgrade their PP where Phil is one of the best. I'd like to follow the SJ model and get 2 elite Dmen. Subban or Karlsson and Subban seems more realistic if they'd be interested in Kessel.

I could make an argument that they should trade Malkin now before aging hits, but I'd rather just keep pushing with this group (minus Kessel as I said earlier).

I'd agree with find Malkin a new wing and then experiment with McCann and Rust as the other 2 top 6 wings. I like the idea of Ferland, but that feels like a bad contract, but someone like that who does the hard work and has a decent scoring touch.

I'd do Kessel plus for Subban. Makes sense for Preds to subtract salary and they desperately need to upgrade their PP where Phil is one of the best. I'd like to follow the SJ model and get 2 elite Dmen. Subban or Karlsson and Subban seems more realistic if they'd be interested in Kessel.

I could make an argument that they should trade Malkin now before aging hits, but I'd rather just keep pushing with this group (minus Kessel as I said earlier).

I'd agree with find Malkin a new wing and then experiment with McCann and Rust as the other 2 top 6 wings. I like the idea of Ferland, but that feels like a bad contract, but someone like that who does the hard work and has a decent scoring touch.
- Tojo.

And Nashville needs to move money out anyways for when they re-sign Josi. So maybe they give Josi Subban$ and give Schultz Josi$ and keep Kessel while allowing Granlund to walk or be traded. It makes sense on multiple fronts. Having Letang and Subban would be great for our current window

Also, we talked JJ A LOT. I think we all realize that he’ll be back next season for sure and that Maatta is also likely gone

Now you know how we feel about some of your posts
- Feds91Stammer

Saw this coming - which is fine. I’ve said it before, I would rather be too wordy and get my point across than be someone who spews out what appears to be mindless garbage with no thought process as to why it makes any sense

And Nashville needs to move money out anyways for when they re-sign Josi. So maybe they give Josi Subban$ and give Schultz Josi$ and keep Kessel while allowing Granlund to walk or be traded. It makes sense on multiple fronts. Having Letang and Subban would be great for our current window

Also, we talked JJ A LOT. I think we all realize that he’ll be back next season for sure and that Maatta is also likely gone
- WSCTeton17

Agree, I don't know Nashville's process, they seem to want a center though they have a lot of money there already. But it makes sense.

Unfortunately, think we're stuck with JJ for now. I'm hoping he'll at least slide out of favor in year 2. Get bored talking about him like he's their whole problem though.

I don't really mind Maatta moving, he's ok but pretty bland and you can find a cheaper player to replace him.

I think Pettersson eventually is the 2LD, would love to see him on a pair with a puck-moving defenseman instead of being the puck mover for a stay at home type.

Saw this coming - which is fine. I’ve said it before, I would rather be too wordy and get my point across than be someone who spews out what appears to be mindless garbage with no thought process as to why it makes any sense
- WSCTeton17

Curse of a message board. Say too little and you leave holes in your arguments. Say too much, it's too long for people to read. 🤷

Agree, I don't know Nashville's process, they seem to want a center though they have a lot of money there already. But it makes sense.

Unfortunately, think we're stuck with JJ for now. I'm hoping he'll at least slide out of favor in year 2. Get bored talking about him like he's their whole problem though.

I don't really mind Maatta moving, he's ok but pretty bland and you can find a cheaper player to replace him.

I think Pettersson eventually is the 2LD, would love to see him on a pair with a puck-moving defenseman instead of being the puck mover for a stay at home type.
- Tojo.

I was really impressed with Petts. He’s too 4 material imo. Hopefully we can lock him up for 3 years. The one thing that bothered me about him was how he would shy away from hits. If you’re going to shy away like that I would rather him slow down when he’s going back for pucks and start contact early so you don’t have to worry about getting rocked. That’s on both the player and the coaches IMO

I was really impressed with Petts. He’s too 4 material imo. Hopefully we can lock him up for 3 years. The one thing that bothered me about him was how he would shy away from hits. If you’re going to shy away like that I would rather him slow down when he’s going back for pucks and start contact early so you don’t have to worry about getting rocked. That’s on both the player and the coaches IMO
- WSCTeton17

He had 101 hits this year.

As of right now he's a high-end #5 IMO with the potential to a solid 2nd pairing dman as long as he's not the main guy on that pair.

He had 101 hits this year.

As of right now he's a high-end #5 IMO with the potential to a solid 2nd pairing dman as long as he's not the main guy on that pair.
- Rinosaur

Shying away from hits is not the same thing as giving hits. It means you’re avoiding being hit

I looked it up last week: his most common partners were Johnson, Gudbranson, and Kola and he elevated all of them. He hits, he fights, he’s an efficient puck mover, he contributed on the PP, he was in the top 80 in D scoring, and he averaged almost 18 minutes a night as a Pen. To me those are second pairing figures

Forecasting for minor improvements after a full offseason of an NHL level training program I would go as far as to say that Petts has the potential to be our third most valuable defender next year behind Dumo/Letang and ahead of Maatta and Schultz

Sportsnet tracked the Tarasenko goal at 75.4 MPH