Ryan Wilson: Bad penalty damns Penguins Bad penalty damns Penguins

I mean the man sits back and does nothing. Even during our losing streaks.

It's doubtful that Hextall is gonna want to give up picks and prospects to acquire a bigger name at the deadline. A smaller move or 2 doesn't really do much to move the needle. So if we have championship aspirations then a big move or 2 should be made (I don't see Hextall as that type of GM to make a huge trade to make this team better). I believe he will search for a smaller deal or 2 if we are in a playoff spot come trade deadline.
- 123Kid

There really isn’t much the Pens can having spent the money they have on the players they did. The injuries have been significant, no. 1 goalie, 1 and 2 dman. That would (frank) any team and the fact they’re even in the playoffs at the moment is actually surprising.

I’m also of the opposite belief is that they don’t really need a bigger move. It’s the bottom 6 and D that has been the problem this year. More so the D not pulling their weight.

Pens don’t have chips to make these big moves you want him to. All of his “big” movies happened in the off-season. Adding Petry, Rutta, Smith, resigning Geno, Rust and Rak.

He completely retooled the D for better or for worse so I’m not sure about this “not willing to make the big move” narrative you’re pumping.

Friedman reporting the price for Toews is a 2nd or 3rd round pick.... That can't be with salary retained too... Can it?

I'd go:

Kap
Dumo
Someone in AHL or Junior
2nd
3rd

for

Toews (50% retained)
McCabe

EDIT: cap doesnt work here haha

EDIT 2: so Kane is considered one of the biggest fish for this TDL...and he only has 3 more points than Toews. Toews has 5 more goals than Kane. I think both of these guys would get an injection of life boost, and produce more, if they get traded to a playoff team.

Just looking at BHawks players 5 on 5 stats... Toews and Kane are amongst the worst on that team. Toews still has 13 goals, 14 assists so far though, getting top 6 mins. I still think he'd improve the Pens bottom 6 for a few reasons.

Did you guys hear the news?! Kap could be turning the corner...


https://thehockeywriters....-could-be-turning-corner/

Did you guys hear the news?! Kap could be turning the corner...


https://thehockeywriters....-could-be-turning-corner/
- MattStrat

Who the (frank) is Sylvie McCarthy

Who the (frank) is Sylvie McCarthy
- j.boyd919

That's easy - the girl Kappy is banging...

I sure would rather have Ty smith and Mark Friedman stay in the lineup over Dumo and Ruutta.

Who the (frank) is Sylvie McCarthy
- j.boyd919

hahaha

That's easy - the girl Kappy is banging...

- pier6687

hahaha

I sure would rather have Ty smith and Mark Friedman stay in the lineup over Dumo and Ruutta.
- Grinder47

I think I would too...or at least a Smith-Rutta 3rd pairing.

This is why the Pens should package POJ with Dumo for a trade this season....but I just dont think the Pens brass think Dumo is an issue at all....Sullivan doesnt seem to think so.

I think I would too...or at least a Smith-Rutta 3rd pairing.

This is why the Pens should package POJ with Dumo for a trade this season....but I just dont think the Pens brass think Dumo is an issue at all....Sullivan doesnt seem to think so.
- MattStrat

I definitely would not package POJ with Dumo. That's just bad asset management. Left side should be Petts-POJ-Smith in the future. Either attach a pick or wait till after this season and let him walk.

I definitely would not package POJ with Dumo. That's just bad asset management. Left side should be Petts-POJ-Smith in the future. Either attach a pick or wait till after this season and let him walk.
- j.boyd919

Im thinking more along the lines of a trade, that includes a d-man coming back, with a team like the Hawks that includes a d-man, like McCabe, who's signed for more years. Dumo to the Hawks, or whatever team he was traded to, would be coming off their books after this season.

Petts-McCabe-Smith

However, better asset management would be what you said...dont include POJ but rather a pick.

Im thinking more along the lines of a trade, that includes a d-man coming back, with a team like the Hawks that includes a d-man, like McCabe, who's signed for more years. Dumo to the Hawks, or whatever team he was traded to, would be coming off their books after this season.

Petts-McCabe-Smith

However, better asset management would be what you said...dont include POJ but rather a pick.
- MattStrat

The issue with going from POJ to McCabe is that he doesn't really move the needle offensively either, you're still in the same position where the D isn't pulling their weight, so instead of moving laterally from POJ to McCabe, a better course of action in my opinion would be (if you even can) dump Dumo with pick attached. Use cap savings to acquire bottom 6 help that can actually help score, then you gotta hope the D starts chipping in more.

I personally find the D's inability to produce tangible offense a bigger issue than the bottom 6 at the moment, but that is also going to be more difficult to address via trade so I think they have to go "all in" on trying to get bottom 6 help that can give some depth scoring.

The issue with going from POJ to McCabe is that he doesn't really move the needle offensively either, you're still in the same position where the D isn't pulling their weight, so instead of moving laterally from POJ to McCabe, a better course of action in my opinion would be (if you even can) dump Dumo with pick attached. Use cap savings to acquire bottom 6 help that can actually help score, then you gotta hope the D starts chipping in more.

I personally find the D's inability to produce tangible offense a bigger issue than the bottom 6 at the moment, but that is also going to be more difficult to address via trade so I think they have to go "all in" on trying to get bottom 6 help that can give some depth scoring.
- j.boyd919

Yeah that's why I was bringing Toews into the bottom 6 with this trade as well haha. With 13 goals already he would be the Pens 5th leading goal scorer if it happened. He would make them harder to score against with his two way play. He would be great on PK and even 2nd PP unit. I know faceoffs don't get a lot of credit by some around here, but I don't totally agree with that take, and he's one of the better FO guys in the league right now...only 5 other players in the league have won more draws than him this season.

EDIT: also...im not so sure im calling McCabe-POJ lateral at this point...and as for D production the corps have been riddled with injuries all season. Letang has missed a lot of time, Petry too. Petry has 2 assists in 2 games since returning.

Yeah that's why I was bringing Toews into the bottom 6 with this trade as well haha. With 13 goals already he would be the Pens 5th leading goal scorer if it happened. He would make them harder to score against with his two way play. He would be great on PK and even 2nd PP unit. I know faceoffs don't get a lot of credit by some around here, but I don't totally agree with that take, and he's one of the better FO guys in the league right now...only 5 other players in the league have won more draws than him this season.

EDIT: also...im not so sure im calling McCabe-POJ lateral at this point...and as for D production the corps have been riddled with injuries all season. Letang has missed a lot of time, Petry too. Petry has 2 assists in 2 games since returning.
- MattStrat

POJ has 12 points in 42 games with a 50% CF
McCabe has 13 points in 42 games with a 45% CF

It's lateral. Spare me the Bhawks are a horrible team poop lol. That stuff is negligible when you're looking at tweener/middle of the road dmen on an average hockey team vs a middle of the road dman on a bad hockey team.

Oh I understand the point about injuries for sure. I think if Letang and Petry can contribute more to end the season, I think the Pens look a lot better heading into the playoffs, and there is likely a trickle down effect onto the bottom 6. I would also prefer to bank on the D returning to normal scoring rates, and focus on upgrading the bottom 6 because if the D gets better and the bottom 6 is upgraded, they could win a series or 2.

POJ has 12 points in 42 games with a 50% CF
McCabe has 13 points in 42 games with a 45% CF

It's lateral. Spare me the Bhawks are a horrible team poop lol. That stuff is negligible when you're looking at tweener/middle of the road dmen on an average hockey team vs a middle of the road dman on a bad hockey team.

Oh I understand the point about injuries for sure. I think if Letang and Petry can contribute more to end the season, I think the Pens look a lot better heading into the playoffs, and there is likely a trickle down effect onto the bottom 6. I would also prefer to bank on the D returning to normal scoring rates, and focus on upgrading the bottom 6 because if the D gets better and the bottom 6 is upgraded, they could win a series or 2.
- j.boyd919

The BHawks are a terrible team, why not say that when evaluating a player? like a terrible team around a player wont impact their overall stats? hahaha

McCabe gets much harder assignments. His quality of competition is much higher. POJ much more sheltered. They both have played the exact same amount of games and McCabe has 130 more mins played than POJ. McCabe has almost 100 more defensive zone starts and almost 100 more neutral zone starts than POJ. POJ gets 57% of his starts in the O-zone compared to 40% for McCabe...but McCabe has one more point than POJ...hmmm

EDIT: I basically just want to get rid of Dumo haha...and I do agree bottom 6 forward(s) is a more pressing need.

The BHawks are a terrible team, why not say that when evaluating a player? like a terrible team around players wont impact their overall stats? hahaha

McCabe gets much harder assignments. His quality of competition is much higher. POJ much more sheltered. They both have played the exact same amount of games and McCabe has 130 more mins played than POJ. McCabe has almost 100 more defensive zone starts and almost 100 more neutral zone starts than POJ. POJ gets 57% of his starts in the O-zone compared to 40% for McCabe...but McCabe has one more point than POJ...hmmm

EDIT: I basically just want to get rid of Dumo haha...and I do agree bottom 6 forward(s) is a more pressing need.
- MattStrat

It's not that those things don't matter, I'm saying POJ to McCabe is a negligible or insignificant upgrade. Is it an upgrade? Possibly, but will it move the needle enough to actually improve the pens (in a vaccuum obviously)? I personally don't think so. And I like the fact that POJ comes in under 1m this and next, and is also cost controlled as an RFA after that. That's more my stance.

Edit: And think there are more negative implications to adding McCabe's salary just to get rid of Dumo for the remainder of the season and a cost controlled middle six dman.

It's not that those things don't matter, I'm saying POJ to McCabe is a negligible or insignificant upgrade. Is it an upgrade? Possibly, but will it move the needle enough to actually improve the pens (in a vaccuum obviously)? I personally don't think so. And I like the fact that POJ comes in under 1m this and next, and is also cost controlled as an RFA after that. That's more my stance.

Edit: And think there are more negative implications to adding McCabe's salary just to get rid of Dumo for the remainder of the season and a cost controlled middle six dman.
- j.boyd919

Yeah I get all that and I also kinda feel as though POJ could potentially be one we regret trading away in the not too distant future, if we did so. Cheap and cost controlled very important for the Pens. I do think McCabe is the superior defender though and the D would be better overall with him in place of POJ right now. Next season or season after? Perhaps not. McCabe in place of Dumo is what's actually desired here, really haha. I think he would be the perfect more stay at home'ish type to compliment the more offense'ish Tanger....kinda like Dumo used to be. In saying all of that....just Dumo gone and Smith sliding in permanently would be great too.

Letang says he's ready to go. Looks like he'll play tonight.

Letang says he's ready to go. Looks like he'll play tonight.
- madmike71

Very nice.

There really isn’t much the Pens can having spent the money they have on the players they did. The injuries have been significant, no. 1 goalie, 1 and 2 dman. That would (frank) any team and the fact they’re even in the playoffs at the moment is actually surprising.

I’m also of the opposite belief is that they don’t really need a bigger move. It’s the bottom 6 and D that has been the problem this year. More so the D not pulling their weight.

Pens don’t have chips to make these big moves you want him to. All of his “big” movies happened in the off-season. Adding Petry, Rutta, Smith, resigning Geno, Rust and Rak.

He completely retooled the D for better or for worse so I’m not sure about this “not willing to make the big move” narrative you’re pumping.
- j.boyd919

These are all excellent points. Hextall is boxed in with NTC's and cap hits. There's no big deal to make. I'm fairly comfortable with the D IF they're healthy. It's not a cup team, but I think they can do some damage with a legit 3 C. I heard on the radio the other day that out of our last 24 goals, 21 were scored by the top 6. People are underestimating how big the loss of Letang and Petry have been.

These are all excellent points. Hextall is boxed in with NTC's and cap hits. There's no big deal to make. I'm fairly comfortable with the D IF they're healthy. It's not a cup team, but I think they can do some damage with a legit 3 C. I heard on the radio the other day that out of our last 24 goals, 21 were scored by the top 6. People are underestimating how big the loss of Letang and Petry have been.
- madmike71

Yeah and those 2 being out trickles down to the bottom 6 too, because of how many minutes those guys play they aren't just playing with Sid and Geno, they are also getting significant time with the bottom 6 which would in the process help generate more chances with the bottom 6 having more offensively minded D on the ice vs. Rutta/Frieds/Ruhwedel as your RHD.

It's not that those things don't matter, I'm saying POJ to McCabe is a negligible or insignificant upgrade. Is it an upgrade? Possibly, but will it move the needle enough to actually improve the pens (in a vaccuum obviously)? I personally don't think so. And I like the fact that POJ comes in under 1m this and next, and is also cost controlled as an RFA after that. That's more my stance.

Edit: And think there are more negative implications to adding McCabe's salary just to get rid of Dumo for the remainder of the season and a cost controlled middle six dman.
- j.boyd919

I don't get the McCabe for Dumo crowd. It may just be me though. I get that maybe for PK purposes it would make sense; however the reason you move Dumo is much like you stated the benefit of getting rid of 4.1 million. Especially since we have Smith and even Friedman as potential younger and cheaper options at LHD.

I know it is a different thought, but how about acquiring Andrei Kuzmenko (after dumping Dumo and Kap of course)? I know the Russian to play with Malkin narrative is dead, but honestly he is a star. He has improved Vancouvers powerplay. He goes to the net and will sit net front during powerplays. He has a nice shot and speed. We can bump Rust down to the 3rd line in an effort to add some scoring potential outside of the top 2 lines. I could see a solid 3rd line of
McGinn - Bluegar - Rust. Put Carter in the Cullen role of 4th line limited minutes.

I don't get the McCabe for Dumo crowd. It may just be me though. I get that maybe for PK purposes it would make sense; however the reason you move Dumo is much like you stated the benefit of getting rid of 4.1 million. Especially since we have Smith and even Friedman as potential younger and cheaper options at LHD.

I know it is a different thought, but how about acquiring Andrei Kuzmenko (after dumping Dumo and Kap of course)? I know the Russian to play with Malkin narrative is dead, but honestly he is a star. He has improved Vancouvers powerplay. He goes to the net and will sit net front during powerplays. He has a nice shot and speed. We can bump Rust down to the 3rd line in an effort to add some scoring potential outside of the top 2 lines. I could see a solid 3rd line of
McGinn - Bluegar - Rust. Put Carter in the Cullen role of 4th line limited minutes.
- 123Kid

I think at this point McCabe is definitely the superior player to Dumo, and that's what the idea is, to replace Dumo with a younger/better/play driving Dman but I am not sure how much better he is than POJ. I don't think it's THAT much. Plus having him on contract for how many more years vs. just using POJs ELC+RFA contract is probably smarter imo.