Ryan Wilson: Thoughts on Ron Hextall's thoughts Thoughts on Ron Hextall's thoughts

Ryan Wilson: Thoughts on Ron Hextall's thoughts
Thoughts on Ron Hextall's thoughts
- Ryan_Wilson

Time to start scouting prospects for the 2022 draft.

Ryan Wilson: Thoughts on Ron Hextall's thoughts
Thoughts on Ron Hextall's thoughts
- Ryan_Wilson

People need to remember that this is all in MAF’s hands. It’s not Hextall sitting on his hands or seemingly not wanting MAF. If he says he will only play for the Pens, then Chicago will have to buy him out or trade him for nothing. If he will play for Chicago, then a trade isn’t happening unless the Pens are willing to pay a ransom.

In the meantime, the door is still open for a return. Pens did not fill the position with expensive or sub-par options, and likely won’t since most are off the market.

Hextall has been apathetic and seemed defeated at the press conference. He made a comment that he was "surprised" by the prices. I certainly was not and this makes me doubt his competence to be the GM. I know his job isn't easy, but he seems like a freshman at the prom. Next year should be a good cap year for us if Geno and Letang sign for lower AAVs (hopefully), so why not stretch things a bit this year and go big next year. There is no way we make a run by reshuffling the bottom six every year, but I think Hextall's plan is to ride out Sid/Geno era and try to retool long term - not fun for Pens fans!

This is why I was up in arms about letting McCann go. It made us hyper reliant on free agency, which is fickle as (frank). At $4.5 mil, there’s no way we didn’t make a play on Saad given that ownership had tried to pressure Rutherford into acquiring Saad before. This was the most obtainable Saad has ever been for us, and he chose not to come here. Pretty much everyone else was getting unreasonable deals and was not a cap option.

You can clear as much cap as you want and still fail. This is why a team controlled winger of McCann’s caliber was so important when we already had a hole in our top 9 before losing him.

D- offseason for Hextall if things hold. I don’t see him salvaging it to anything above a C through trades.

1) can we PLEASE quit fantasizing about MAF. I know many of you have a man crush on him, but he isnt coming back. He would be an upgrade over the current twosome, but remember the playoffs between 2010-2016. The Pens would make them and flame out somewhere on the heels of a pathetically soft goal from Fleury similar to the one he allowed to Montreal this year. It was an annual right of spring.

2) Why is it that there are GM's in this league capable of making smart moves, but outside of the lightning XGMJR caught in a bottle over 2 seasons, they havent been employed here for ages?

3) Pens are probably more likely to MISS playoffs rather than make them. Sitting out the goaltender carousel to spend what little they had on the Aldi version of Brandon Tanev solved nothing.

This is why I was up in arms about letting McCann go. It made us hyper reliant on free agency, which is fickle as (frank). At $4.5 mil, there’s no way we didn’t make a play on Saad given that ownership had tried to pressure Rutherford into acquiring Saad before. This was the most obtainable Saad has ever been for us, and he chose not to come here. Pretty much everyone else was getting unreasonable deals and was not a cap option.

You can clear as much cap as you want and still fail. This is why a team controlled winger of McCann’s caliber was so important when we already had a hole in our top 9 before losing him.

D- offseason for Hextall if things hold. I don’t see him salvaging it to anything above a C through trades.
- Victoro311

Totally Agree

The train left the station and the Penguins are still looking for their ticket.

I dont have a problem with the Penguins largely avoiding yesterday in free agency. We werent getting any of the big boys, and the rest were overpaid (including McGinn).

However, we really became a non-factor in free agency when teams were moving contracts, including bad contracts. I cannot understand how Pettersson has no value. We saw Dillon get 2 2nd round picks. Surely a guy like Pettersson would fetch something. Id much rather keep Pettersson and trade Matheson, but Im not sure Matheson is moving.

The only two moves I think we needed was MAF and Saad. If you sign Saad for $4.5M and trade Jarry and get MAF at 50%... that is a net impact of like $4.5M... around was Pettersson makes. I'd much rather have kept McCann and dumped Zucker/Tanev.

But it is clear one thing here has to be true:

1. Hextall doesnt think this team is a playoff team by a good margin (shout out to Feds). He figures maybe Malkin is worse off than we know or just thinks he is too handcuffed with salary. If this is the case... TRADE BRYAN RUST.

2. Hextall didnt learn anything from his time in Philadelphia. He is too conservative and patient. He doesnt go out and make the move that needs made. Rutherford was nuts by the end of his time here and was drunk with power. I hated his style too. But I wouldve liked a GM somewhere in the middle.

3. The Penguins are pulling the long game and have a plan that none of us realize. I dont know what that plan could be... but it is possible.

None of these 3 things are good. I think the Penguins had their chance to do something and missed it. Maybe you can go dumpster diving on a guy like Tatar or Kase... seems like DET is zeroing in on Suter from Chicago.

But this cannot be the team we go into the season with.

Don't worry....they signed a guy to a one-way contract who has 3 goals in 33 playoff games.....
https://www.nhl.com/pengu...artnerId=pit-twt-penguins

The team is decidedly worse than last season. AND....as I see it, we have two backup tenders in goal.

I was not upset about the loss of McCaan simply because I felt an upgrade was coming. So much for that.

So I agree with the D- so far. Only thing that salvages it from an F is getting the goalie prospect.

Thankfully the puck doesn't drop tomorrow, but this roster still needs work.

Don't worry....they signed a guy to a one-way contract who has 3 goals in 33 playoff games.....
https://www.nhl.com/pengu...artnerId=pit-twt-penguins
- jmy_1

It actually looks like he had some pretty good seasons in Boston. Maybe not the worst signing for our limited remaining cap space.

The team is decidedly worse than last season. AND....as I see it, we have two backup tenders in goal.

I was not upset about the loss of McCaan simply because I felt an upgrade was coming. So much for that.

So I agree with the D- so far. Only thing that salvages it from an F is getting the goalie prospect.

Thankfully the puck doesn't drop tomorrow, but this roster still needs work.
- madmike71

I didn’t weigh the goalie prospect nearly at all (nor the draft) because I don’t think he’ll be a factor during the Sid/Geno era. For me, an F offseason was moving Guentzel for a worse player for the sake of #gritness, so D- was the worst grade I was prepared to give for inaction barring a complete melt down of a move

I like this signing. He actually played well for Boston and was a net front guy for them even though he isn't big

There are still players who could be a solid pick up available. Staal, Richie, Tatar, and Ryan. Are still players who are available

Looks like Heinen plays left wing. It's getting crowded there.

Hextall sucks. You cant blame the previous admin for your moves going forward. You let Tanev and McCann go and only bring in McGinn and EROD? Pathetic. What on his resume says he had success in Philly?

Letang and Malkin will be UFA's next season. The team needs to be in the playoffs to be in the black. You either A. pay a premium for them and keep the roster poopty or B. move them at the deadline for futures. I cant see either taking a cut just to stick around for the (frank) of it.

Hex really couldnt get Saad for $4.5? WTF is he doing in his job then?

Crosby is the ultimate competitor. He's not riding this ship into the ground. If this isnt a competitive team, he demands a move after a year or so.

I've talked to a lot of season ticket holders the last day, myself included. A lot are not coming back.

I didn’t weigh the goalie prospect nearly at all (nor the draft) because I don’t think he’ll be a factor during the Sid/Geno era. For me, an F offseason was moving Guentzel for a worse player for the sake of #gritness, so D- was the worst grade I was prepared to give for inaction barring a complete melt down of a move
- Victoro311

I never believed Guentz would be moved. That would have been a Rutherford move, not Hextall move.

I'm just trying to judge where the team stands now as opposed to last season. It's worse and the tending looks even shakier because of Jarry's awful playoffs. Things may still change obviously.

Honestly, my biggest concern (besides tending) is somebody propping up Matheson as well as Ceci did. Marino and Matheson were awful together and I have zero expectations that Friedman or Ruh will fare any better.

Hextall sucks. You cant blame the previous admin for your moves going forward. You let Tanev and McCann go and only bring in McGinn and EROD? Pathetic. What on his resume says he had success in Philly?

Letang and Malkin will be UFA's next season. The team needs to be in the playoffs to be in the black. You either A. pay a premium for them and keep the roster poopty or B. move them at the deadline for futures. I cant see either taking a cut just to stick around for the (frank) of it.

Hex really couldnt get Saad for $4.5? WTF is he doing in his job then?

Crosby is the ultimate competitor. He's not riding this ship into the ground. If this isnt a competitive team, he demands a move after a year or so.

I've talked to a lot of season ticket holders the last day, myself included. A lot are not coming back.
- sammy87

BYE BYE!!!

Hextall sucks. You cant blame the previous admin for your moves going forward. You let Tanev and McCann go and only bring in McGinn and EROD? Pathetic. What on his resume says he had success in Philly?

Letang and Malkin will be UFA's next season. The team needs to be in the playoffs to be in the black. You either A. pay a premium for them and keep the roster poopty or B. move them at the deadline for futures. I cant see either taking a cut just to stick around for the (frank) of it.

Hex really couldnt get Saad for $4.5? WTF is he doing in his job then?

Crosby is the ultimate competitor. He's not riding this ship into the ground. If this isnt a competitive team, he demands a move after a year or so.

I've talked to a lot of season ticket holders the last day, myself included. A lot are not coming back.
- sammy87

Don't forget Simon. Anybody who doesn't believe he'll be taking a regular shift for most of the season is in for a rude awakening.

Danton Heinen for 1.1 million is a solid addition. Let’s not forget he played with Anaheim recently and had his career year with Boston so just going to a more competitive team should help. I’m willing to bet he sticks on the bottom six and is at least worth the cap hit.

Athletic had Heinen as 6th best FA left, here is what they said about him:

Versatility, special teams value and defensive reliability are among the top traits teams look for in bottom-six wingers. Danton Heinen is a player who checks all those boxes.

Heinen doesn’t have the offensive pop he flashed many years ago in Boston, but he’s driven competent two-way results in matchup minutes against the other teams’ top lines (even if that’s not the best way to deploy him), kills penalties and can still chip in with some secondary scoring.

The 26-year-old would be a shrewd target for teams seeking a cheap third-line winger who can offer a little bit of everything — modest scoring, middling two-way ability and strong penalty killing results.

It actually looks like he had some pretty good seasons in Boston. Maybe not the worst signing for our limited remaining cap space.
- Victoro311

I actually think this is a great signing for what it is. Id have Heinen over Freddy G and Erod no questions asked.

My buddy plays hockey with Saad's cousin and he told my buddy that he didn't want to come here and be the hometown boy and have family and friends bothering him for tickets to games an what not. Wanted to stay away.

My buddy plays hockey with Saad's cousin and he told my buddy that he didn't want to come here and be the hometown boy and have family and friends bothering him for tickets to games an what not. Wanted to stay away.
- 668710

Fair enough. Unfortunate for us, but fair enough.