The Montreal trade doesn't work for the Pens since there's not much in the way of established NHL value coming back for a decent depth piece like Simon and a mid/high ceiling guy like Bellerive.

The Detroit trade is just bad: Daley always made his money as an offensive defenseman, and Maatta outscored him at evens and almost doubled his point total last season. Daley's career is wrapping up, no need to reinvest in him at the cost of Sprong and Maatta even with Athanasiou thrown in.

both guys from Montreal have nhl experience and higher ceilings than either ahl player from pens.

sprong is out soon in Pittsburgh he has been bad and sully doesnt like him. wings can throw in a pick then cause maata will spend most season on bench while still in Pittsburgh and AA is well worth it

you dont watch much hockey do you. i will never get the love for sprong he isnt scoring much and is clueless in any zone but the offensive one.

I watch a fair bit of hockey, enough to know that you're not giving Sprong, Simon, or Maatta nearly enough credit. Simon and Sprong are valuable depth pieces for the next two seasons at least, producing from the lower lines on cheap contracts until injury calls them higher up the lineup. Maatta isn't the best defenseman out there, but he gets much more grief than he deserves and his trade value is a lot higher than people suggest on here.

Lehkonen has potential and is off to a hot start, but he's far from a sure thing and yet the Pens are giving up possibly their best forward prospect to get him. Scherbak hasn't locked down a roster spot yet and has less NHL games than Simon or even Sprong, so it's not like the Pens are picking up two surefire NHL top-6 talents.

If you think Maatta would ride the bench in Detroit, how does that trade even make sense? And what is it about Athanasiou that you value so highly?

Has the skills and the speed to become an NHLer. He’s fast, agile and good with the puck. He’s a strong skater with the hockey sense and tenacity to compete in a high-level. speedy winger with great hockey vision. Lehkonen has superb acceleration speed and very good wrist shot. Despite lacking the size he uses his body well and is not afraid of going into tight situations.” – Miika Arponen, Dobber Prospects.

ask sprong and simon how the view from the bench was tonight for more than half the game. simon is a dime a dozen 13 forward. sprong has a a lot of offensive talent but is clueless on defense.

Maatta is a good defense man no doubt but his weakest point is his skating which in the pens type of game is a big negative. he is also a ld are deepest position. I never meant maatta would be on the bench most likely top pair and pp time in detroit vs the bench in Pittsburgh

. Lehkonen style of play and speed fit perfectly in pitt. Scherbak, i am hoping can turn it around in pitt with malkin and gonchar help.

not like sprong is surefire top 6 nhler and simon is not a nhler.

Athanasiou has lightning fast speed and is arguably one of the fastest players in all of Major Junior hockey. He has great offensive instincts and will play the body. His defensive game has gotten alot better. Is a highly skilled forward with supreme skating ability. Is also a sound two-way player who can be used in all game situations (and play all forward positions). He has size speed a great 2 way game plays all 3 forward spots with great hands. these are 3 gms/scouts view on him.

AA is a faster bigger version of sprong that back checks. detroit needs good young d (maatta)

MTL Declines

Lehkonen's chemistry with our new Finnish Center has seen him with his best start to a season yet
Until Gallagher and Tatar's multiple point night collecting with Tatar collecting 3 pts it was Byron and Lehkonen leading us with Kotkanemi and Domi Cycle as their Center .


but our Finn's are staying because we got LW lehkonen , C Kotkanemi and RW Armia all Finns 25 or under with great speed .

but your gm wants all french Canadian players

if you're just looking for a 3rd line winger Shaw is the guy
he's top 10 Faceoff Wingers in the NHL able to take up to 700 faceoffs a year winning 53-55%
he's good for 25 -30 points on average with a career high of 39pts as well as 125-150 hits and 20-25 takeaways .
but most import is his Possession skills , his FF and CF % have always been between 50-55% which is impressive.

he's 27 shoots right and has 2 stanley cups so you have proof he knows how to win a cup .
MTL is unlikely to move him as he's MB boy from his days in CHI player development but i'd move him just because Acquiring Domi's who's now the leader of the Third line makes Shaw Redundant since Were not a playoff team for atleast another couple years. ( i mean sure we're 4th in the NHL now but we've also not been to the west much and when we do we lose more often then not )

we traded Desjardins ,Dampousse ,Corson ,Theodore and you think we'd give a **** about trading Hudon ?

unless they are an top line French Forward,Top Pair D or Goalie then then they dont care .(Like Drouin )

besides its Deslauriers Spot a French Canadian that Hudon is Warming a seat for .
we sure as **** didnt line up a Lefty and a Righty set of Finnish Wingers to play with Kotkanemi to give them away

Jordie's good but i like our Centers better ,and Simons only in the conversation because he's french (we all see his success is dependent upon Crosby doing all the heavy lifting )

chill out it was a joke you dont like trade fine rest was a joke calm down lol

he is way overpaid to and of no interest to anyone.

retain his cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
if you find no value in a player like Shaw at 1.95m lets say then thats your failure to understand the game outside fantasy hockey rankings .

please dont ever speak for the majority , its arrogant

at his current cap hit he has little interest to anyone. no one ever mentioned retention on him at 1.95 million he would have value. at nearly 4 million no thank you. he is a lot like hagelin overpaid but does have value especially with how well he fit pens style.

Detroit probably gets the best two players in that deal, and I don't even care for Sprong. I wouldn't do that trade for Maatta alone. Athanasiou... if the Pens wanted to pay someone $3M this year and next to do blah offensive work, no defense and avoid contact at all costs they would have just kept Sheary.