Ryan Wilson: Ron Hextall talks future Ron Hextall talks future

And a competent, reliable 'good enough' NHL backup goalie.

I think in today's NHL, you need a good 1a and 1b goalie. DeSmith is fine, but he is too unreliable and often hurt. That kinda defeats the purpose of a backup if he isnt always good to go when called upon. A lot of people are saying MAF would be perfect and I agree, but only if the money is right and only if the team feels Jarry can mentally handle it. Id imagine there'd be pressure for Jarry if a fan favorite is right behind you. Not sure how willing MAF would be to be a 1b versus an every day starter.

If the Penguins dont sign Letang and Malkin and lose them for nothing, that is probably the worst asset mgmt we've seen from this organization. They have the money to sign them even without trading anyone. If they walk, I will be extremely disappointed.

The rest of the bottom 6 needs revamped. It needs guys who can finish. I have no problem with the Penguins bringing Kapanen back, but only at a discount to his current AAV and only if they are committed to putting him on a line that fits his style. He cant play with Carter and Zucker.

Kadri would be the perfect Penguin. But he is going to get PAID this offseason and I dont think it would be wise for the Peguins to be that team.

I think in today's NHL, you need a good 1a and 1b goalie. DeSmith is fine, but he is too unreliable and often hurt. That kinda defeats the purpose of a backup if he isnt always good to go when called upon. A lot of people are saying MAF would be perfect and I agree, but only if the money is right and only if the team feels Jarry can mentally handle it. Id imagine there'd be pressure for Jarry if a fan favorite is right behind you. Not sure how willing MAF would be to be a 1b versus an every day starter.

If the Penguins dont sign Letang and Malkin and lose them for nothing, that is probably the worst asset mgmt we've seen from this organization. They have the money to sign them even without trading anyone. If they walk, I will be extremely disappointed.

The rest of the bottom 6 needs revamped. It needs guys who can finish. I have no problem with the Penguins bringing Kapanen back, but only at a discount to his current AAV and only if they are committed to putting him on a line that fits his style. He cant play with Carter and Zucker.

Kadri would be the perfect Penguin. But he is going to get PAID this offseason and I dont think it would be wise for the Peguins to be that team.
- SuperHenderson13

Id love for MAF to come back but I just cant see him playing for Sully. Sully benched him the 2nd he could for Murray that cup year.

If Hallander and Nylander can fill bottom 6 roles that helps quite a bit. Is Legare and Poulin even in conversations anymore?

Im OK with Rust but hes been super streaky. DIdnt he go like 25 games and then like 3 hatricks in 5 games a few yrs back?

Either way seems odd Rust gets signed before Malkin and Letang. Youd think Letang would be priority #1 and then you can build around his cap hit. Unless they have other plans.

Id love for MAF to come back but I just cant see him playing for Sully. Sully benched him the 2nd he could for Murray that cup year.

If Hallander and Nylander can fill bottom 6 roles that helps quite a bit. Is Legare and Poulin even in conversations anymore?

Im OK with Rust but hes been super streaky. DIdnt he go like 25 games and then like 3 hatricks in 5 games a few yrs back?

Either way seems odd Rust gets signed before Malkin and Letang. Youd think Letang would be priority #1 and then you can build around his cap hit. Unless they have other plans.
- sammy87

MAF is washed.

Is signing Malkin and Letang without a *no-trade* clause or *limited move* a viable option? Asking for a friend.

For people who are interested in Kadri, I have to think this season is an aberration. Very rare for a player to find that level in their game so late in their careers. Same reason I don’t expect Kreider to replicate what he did this year or even come close.

Someone is going to throw the bank at Kadri and it’s going to hurt when he regresses back to 3rd line production.

Is signing Malkin and Letang without a *no-trade* clause or *limited move* a viable option? Asking for a friend.
- sufi-judge

There’s 0 logic to why you would offer them a deal without a clause.

How about last season when they won the division? Oh right, bad division, wait until this season when they have to play other divisions...oh wait a minute, they were in the battle for 1st, being 1st a few times, up until March despite playing with a skeleton crew most of the first half of season.

How about the Rangers? They overachieving with a full season .935 goalie? How about the Canes with a .922/2.07GAA? What makes a good team anyways if goalies aren't a part of them?
- MattStrat

The Pens can't move forward without Jarry. Except for Guentzel, he's the best player under 30. Jarry still finished .922. He's that good, maybe better. Sullivan overused him and it cost him in the end.

That was the problem, without a world class 'tender, this team doesn't sniff 90 points let alone 100. Now all I hear is we need a 1b. Unless that's D'Orio or Lindberg or Blomqvist we don't have the money to get one.

letang and malkin 8 mil each one year or 3 years at 7

If the Penguins dont sign Letang and Malkin and lose them for nothing, that is probably the worst asset mgmt we've seen from this organization. They have the money to sign them even without trading anyone. If they walk, I will be extremely disappointed.
- SuperHenderson13

They're UFAs, sometimes you lose UFAs. The players have the power here. Or are you saying the Penguins should have traded both at the TDL?

Id love for MAF to come back but I just cant see him playing for Sully. Sully benched him the 2nd he could for Murray that cup year.
- sammy87

No, he pulled MAF after he gave up 4 goals on 9 shots in less than 15 minutes in Game 3 of a tied series. Murray could have started earlier than that game, but Sullivan was going to let MAF go as long as he didn't implode...which he did.

No, he pulled MAF after he gave up 4 goals on 9 shots in less than 15 minutes in Game 3 of a tied series. Murray could have started earlier than that game, but Sullivan was going to let MAF go as long as he didn't implode...which he did.
- jmatchett383

Give him a chance. He’s only given up 4 goals in 6 of his last 10 starts.

Kevin Weeke’s reported that Torts has interviewed for the Philly job. I can’t think of a more perfect way to reignite this rivalry.

If he gets it, the Pens NEED to trade for Zegras lol

The Pens can't move forward without Jarry. Except for Guentzel, he's the best player under 30. Jarry still finished .922. He's that good, maybe better. Sullivan overused him and it cost him in the end.

That was the problem, without a world class 'tender, this team doesn't sniff 90 points let alone 100. Now all I hear is we need a 1b. Unless that's D'Orio or Lindberg or Blomqvist we don't have the money to get one.
- Thunderbolt

You're missing the parts where the Pens were a top 5 to top 10 even strength team pretty much all season. One of the best defensive teams. I think you watched most of the games, but I know I did, and because of their commitment to D and structure Jarry was making an awful lot of saves on parameter shots.

Where the Pens lacked was their putrid team shooting %/finishing ability. Ironically, in the sometimes bizzaro world of professional sports, this wasn't really a problem at all vs this year's clear cut Vezina winner and his team haha.

You're missing the parts where the Pens were a top 5 to top 10 even strength team pretty much all season. One of the best defensive teams. I think you watched most of the games, but I know I did, and because of their commitment to D and structure Jarry was making an awful lot of saves on parameter shots.

Where the Pens lacked was their putrid team shooting %/finishing ability. Ironically, in the sometimes bizzaro world of professional sports, this wasn't really a problem at all vs this year's clear cut Vezina winner and his team haha.
- MattStrat

We all know that shooting % isn't really a thing and that it all returns to the norm over time.

Give him a chance. He’s only given up 4 goals in 6 of his last 10 starts.
- Feds91Stammer

hahaha

I think if* you can get him for a similar cap hit as DeSmith, you go with MAF, no?



*he will most likely get more than DeSmith.

Kevin Weeke’s reported that Torts has interviewed for the Philly job. I can’t think of a more perfect way to reignite this rivalry.

If he gets it, the Pens NEED to trade for Zegras lol
- Rinosaur

They need a guy like Trotz or Torts. There's no accountability at all in that room, hasn't been since Pronger retired.

They need a guy like Trotz or Torts. There's no accountability at all in that room, hasn't been since Pronger retired.
- jmatchett383

Either will have immediate results IMO. Trotz would have more lasting power though I think...Torts seems to get played out in the locker room after a few seasons.

They need a guy like Trotz or Torts. There's no accountability at all in that room, hasn't been since Pronger retired.
- jmatchett383

So is Philly officially going through a rebuild?

So is Philly officially going through a rebuild?
- Rinosaur

They should. They should focus on Hart, Frost, Farabee, and York and build from there. I'd keep Sanheim and Provorov, but would be willing to move on from guys like Konecny and Atkinson. JVR can go for a 7th.

The problems is they gave Hayes a NMC and locked up Risto. Plus, what do you do with a guy like Couturier who, when healthy, is still an elite 2-way player?

They're in no man's land. They're capped out, and not good enough to contend and not bad enough (injuries aside) to get a top-3 pick. Fletcher should have been fired for making the Ristolainen trade, and should have been castrated for extending him. That deal, more than the Hayes deal, is going to cost them a young player at some point.

They should. They should focus on Hart, Frost, Farabee, and York and build from there. I'd keep Sanheim and Provorov, but would be willing to move on from guys like Konecny and Atkinson. JVR can go for a 7th.

The problems is they gave Hayes a NMC and locked up Risto. Plus, what do you do with a guy like Couturier who, when healthy, is still an elite 2-way player?

They're in no man's land. They're capped out, and not good enough to contend and not bad enough (injuries aside) to get a top-3 pick. Fletcher should have been fired for making the Ristolainen trade, and should have been castrated for extending him. That deal, more than the Hayes deal, is going to cost them a young player at some point.
- jmatchett383

Yeah, you guys are definitely a mis-managed team. I said last off-season there’s no rhyme or reason to the moves that were made.

Someone like Torts would definitely make the team more structured, but I don’t think that really helps much else.

They're UFAs, sometimes you lose UFAs. The players have the power here. Or are you saying the Penguins should have traded both at the TDL?
- jmatchett383

I think anytime a team loses their key franchise pieces, which despite their ages, I think Malkin and Letang still are, to free agency, I think it's a failure. The only way I could understand it is if there is no deal to be made. These guys want to leave and there isnt a deal to be made. I dont think that's the case, but it's possible.

In that case, I get it. No, I wasnt saying they should've dealt them at the deadline. I merely wish this had been business done last offseason, especially Letang. I guess I can understand not signing Malkin given his offseason surgery.

Kevin Weeke’s reported that Torts has interviewed for the Philly job. I can’t think of a more perfect way to reignite this rivalry.

If he gets it, the Pens NEED to trade for Zegras lol
- Rinosaur

Even if Torts doesnt get the job... we need to get Zegras

Weird that both ESPN and TNT could have a key member of their NHL crews poached for a head coach position.

Yeah, you guys are definitely a mis-managed team. I said last off-season there’s no rhyme or reason to the moves that were made.

Someone like Torts would definitely make the team more structured, but I don’t think that really helps much else.
- Rinosaur

It's like Fletcher gets a hard-on for a guy and get goaded into overpaying for him. It's maddening. He needs to go ASAP.

If the team plays with structure and accountability, it will hopefully keep Hart's brain from exploding. They've needed a top goalie for years. They finally get one and they're hanging him out to dry 75% of the time. They're gonna eventually break him if it keeps up.