Rutherford Magic

I’d do it

you guys actually would rather have zucker?
From Kessel to Zucker

I think we can expect 25 goals from Zucker on a pens top 6. Strong two way play. He’s got great possession numbers on a terrible team. He’d be a really great fit.

Kessel, by all accounts, could not stay. Jims hands were tied

In fairness, kessel isn’t exactly lighting it up this year. 3 goals in 19 games despite Arizona being 2nd in their division. I knew trading kessel in the offseason was the right move, he was due for a decline. You could see it in his play towards the end of the season. However, we should’ve got a better return. POJ I don’t fancy as a “top” prospect and 1 year of galchenyuk isn’t much of a return. Pens however were placed between a rock and a Hard place. Apparently Malkin wanted kessel gone according to some reports (but I don’t believe that) and kessel stacked his list of possible teams he’d accept a trade to with teams who Pittsburgh would never trade with (ex. Washington), teams who couldn’t afford kessel (ex. Tampa) and Arizona. There really was only one possible trading partner pens had. I said before the kessel Trade, Pens NEEDED to nail the kessel Trade by acquiring a good young player in his early 20’s who hasn’t broken out yet but has shown some flashes of potential. Galchenyuk was a bit too old for that role. Maybe a few seasons ago I would’ve loved him as a return, but he’s already 25. He kind of is what he is. I don’t see any breakouts with him.

Something else to keep in mind is that with the Kessel trade, if chucky doesn’t work out, we’ve opened a ton of cap space, which allows us to go out there and get a top guy, or even to just keep big pieces like Matt Murray. Phil’s contract was about to become a major problem because it was going to prevent us from having room to re-sign other players who are arguably more important