You've gone out of your way to arrange the players into specific categories, but I can't figure out the key. It looks like LW is absolute-for-sure keepers and RW are almost-for-sure-goners, but I can't decipher the defense pairings. Care to enlighten us?

I wonder if TRUCULENCE will be making its way to Pittsburgh now! LOL

LW are IMO the most likely to stay.
C are toss ups - would depend on the deal.
RW are most likely traded.

LD most likely traded.
RD not traded.

Goalies I don`t know what the plan will be. Depends how the rest of the year goes.

you do realize Mario won't allow Malkin to be traded right?

Although absolute not Pens fan I wouldn't make big changes as the window isn't closed at all. They need to part with few players, off course. My suggestions:

1. players to move.:

Malkin
Zucker
Kapanen
Matheson

2. players to keep:

Crosby
Guentzel
Rust
Blueger
Tanev
McCann
Letang
Dumoulin
Pettersson
Marino
Joseph
Jarry

3. players to acquire:

Goalie 1A -> someone like Markstrom
Center 2 -> someone like Scheifele
Top Six Left Wing -> someone like Forsberg
Top 6 Right Wing -> someone like Svechnikov

You do realize that 100% he will and that is why they made the moves that they have right?

Malkin will retire a penguin. It's not even an argument.
JR left because they took the keys away on his making trades, not because they wanted to retool. They wanted the exact opposite. To keep their assets.
The only way he is traded is next year, if the penguins are not in the playoffs. The same could be said for Letang.
What won't happen, is you won't see MP trade and you won't see Dumo trade...which is like one of the best defensive contracts in the whole freaking league.
You can also sure as hell bet Rust isn't traded. Along with Blueger, and probably Zucker as well.

I think the reality is they needed to start making the switch of building through the draft again and not trading every single pick under the sun. Using FA and drafting to close the window out. As it's just a gamble trading away draft picks every year. They are done with that. And when they said no to that, it was time for JR to go.
But this team, while having holes, still is deep, on defense and in the forward group. And the nice thing is, no one they signed this year is long term. Which means all these bad moves can all go away!
So they can play Poulin next year and bring someone in on a 1 year deal to play center and you have a stacked team next year.
Then they year after they can make a push for someone like Barkov if they can land him and BOOM, serious cup run with a few guys on team friendly deals.
In general this is some wild stuff going on. Most likely you aren't going to see any big trades.
Matter for fact I'm pretty certain of that considering ownership has said they want someone shooting for a cup.

I think they are going over every scenario. Actually Hextall said they were even in the interview. I think they go all in this year and if it doesnt work they move Malkin and Letang. In no way should Malkin and Letang be around anymore if they can`t find success. Keeping the draft picks at this point is pointless. They don`t have a first this year. So next year if they don`t trade their first then that player won`t make an impact for 2-3 years if he makes an impact at all. That is useless. They aren`t trying to extend the window. They are trying to win now. They can`t win now with the core again this year? Blow it up and win with a new core through FA and trades. Build around Sid.

This team is going to be drastically different in 1 year.

you clearly don't know who they just brought in.
That is not what Hextall does, he drafts and rebuilds teams without trading away the talent. Much like he did the flyers.
At no point does trading Malkin make this a better team. None, we are so over that argument it's not even funny. Just accept it.
There is nothing you are going to get in moving Malkin that makes you better now.
You clearly did not listen to the team. They aren't looking to make changes this year. They are waiting till the offseason.
Don't expect anything major it's not going to happen. Anything that does happen it will be around the fringe of what they have. Burke was not brought in to make decisions thank god, because he's full of bad ones. He's there to help Hextall build faster. This is not a team with a ton of holes. It's deep, it has talent. It needs a coaching change. The biggest issues on the team right now are injuries. That won't always be the case. After that you are looking at a lack of a 3rd line. You can blame JR for that. Which probably has more to do with JR falling out than anything else because he was just bad at evaluating talent in FA. Jankowski was not it. His misfit island strategy was done with. They needed better talent acquisition. Come the offseason, they will move Matheson and then figure out how to fill the 3C role and if they will let Poulin fill the 3rd line winger role. They do that, and they got as good a shot as any if they can stay healthy. The real question is can they get that 3C on a 1 year deal and what the Malkin and Letang extensions look like to build the rest of the team around them out.

I never said they are going to trade stars right now.

But what they are going to do, and what they have already alluded to doing, is make another run with the core. If they are unsuccessful, they retool by trading Malkin and Letang and others. If they are successful, then yes they will continue with the core.

There are many ways to make this team better this offseason by trading Malkin and Letang. The clear path to that is trading Malkin and Letang for picks/prospects and signing impact free agents like Hamilton, Hall, RNH, etc...

They brought in Hextall for talent evaluation in the new, young players. They brought in Burke to facilitate the big deals. Burke is known for making blockbusters. Hextall reports to Burke. Burke reports to Morehouse. Morehouse reports to ownership.

RNH is not an upgrade over Malkin. Even at 34 Malkin is still a better player.
Furthermore, none of these guys are the reason they are losing games. If anything they are all guys who are reasons they are winning games. You won't see these guys traded. Their contracts expired and team friendly deals is their future with the penguins. If they don't except that than their leaving is on them not on the team. Which is how they really want it.

Hamilton > Letang
And honestly, Hall > Malkin with a view of the next 3-7 years.
RNH probably isn`t leaving Edmonton anyways.

But Dougie and Hall are both likely leaving their teams. Hall and Crosby have a relationship and ripped it up together in the past. Dougie Hamilton would jump at the chance to play on this team as well as long as they can pay him as much or close to what others are asking.

Not to mention it`s not just a swap o Hall and Hamilton for Malkin and Letang because you are also getting picks and prospects for moving them as well.

This is the last chance for this core. If they don`t prove they can contend this year then they will be broken up so they can contend. Moving them absolutely allows this team to be better in the present and most certainly the future. I can guarantee you Malkin will not sign a team friendly deal to stay in Pitt. It has already been said he is looking for 10M on his next contract. He has won 3 cups, he has always wanted in the back of his mind to be "the guy". I am 100% certain he will not be playing out the remainder of his contract with the Penguins UNLESS they play in the Stanley Cup Semis/Finals this year.

Malkin is declining. He aint worth nowhere near 10M (and might want 3 years). Is he good for a set of younger talent he should be traded. Letang is an asset you dont need when Marino, Dumoulin and MP are healthy. If he fetches big chop him aswell.

Hall is damaged good. He's not Hall of 3 years ago. Give that up. Ever since his knee went out that's it, he's been done.
Dougie is better than Letang. But you are going to pay out the nose for him and Letang coming back at probably less than 1/2 the cost.
So what else does that cost you.
Malkin isn't getting 10 million anywhere. Just forget that. Not in Pittsburgh, not in the NHL, not in the KHL, no where on plant earth is he getting 10 million and I hear the rest of the known universe agrees with that assessment, Mars has said it too is out for sure.

Yes, that is the idea. A team isn`t trading for Malkin and Letang in hopes of them putting up career years. They are trading for them because they are a young team and want STILL elite level play along with invaluable leadership and playoff experience. A young team with core players on ELC and cap room could spare picks/prospects to add them for the short term. Pens would then take the picks/prospects and use the cap space to sign impact free agents.

This strategy benefits both the Pens and the young, up and coming teams who acquire them. I can promise you this is the strategy for Burke and Hextall. This is the core`s last kick at the can and if they don`t make it to the Semis or finals then their time is done.

Malkin can still be a PPG player.

Letang can still be a #1 dman.

But the time has come for them to do this in another setting barring a rekindling from now until the offseason.

I`m not saying he will get that in the NHL, but that is what he wants. And actually yes he would probably get more than that to return to the KHL. He will not sign in the NHL for less than 5M. It`s not a Joe Thornton situation where he is on his last legs chasing a championship. Letang will also sign for at least 5M. Malkin and Letang will go to a competive, young team with impact players on ELC`s and sign on short term deals. They will turn a young team into emerging playoff hopefuls into contenders. You pay a premium for players of Malkin and Letangs caliber and the "Stanley Cup and leadership tax" is real.

The best way forward for this team is exactly what they are planning to do. Give the core one last shot. If it doesn`t work then it is very clear they will not win another cup together. Trade them for futures and sign impact players in FA. It is the best way forward for the Penguins, for the players involved and for the teams who will be acquiring them and it is absolutely the gameplan right now.

Could that change? Yes. Could they get a 3C and make a few other moves this season and prove that they can win a cup by making the Semis/Finals? Yes! And hopefully they do. BUT...as of now that doesn`t appear to be the case and if they don`t do that this year then it is over and they will be following through with this strategy. That is absolutely clear and it will be hinted at from now until the offseason. This is the "prove it" challenge to them. "Do you guys want to all retire here? Well, *IF* so, then go out and prove it by taking us deep in the playoffs. If that doesn`t happen then there will be major changes."

I will not be convinced that this is not the strategy. They obviously will not go out and say it right now but this is the internal thought process of this new management team. It doesn`t mean 100% it is going to happen as they could prove management wrong but if they aren`t able to do that this year then they don`t have a choice but to make moves.

If you move out Malkin and Letang for picks and prospects you can easily sign Dougie for 9M and Hall for 8M and also get Grade A picks and prospects. There is no debate that the team would not be better in this situation in both the short and long term.

man listen to your own argument. Just step back.
These guys are good enough to help lead another team to a championship but they need to be shipped out for under value.....
I'd done with that. It makes 0 sense.
Both are coming back on team friendly deals. Period. And No Malkin is not making 10 million in the freaking KHL the KHL ain't got 10 million to give him.

They are good enough to win. But this year will determine if THIS core group is good enough. Surround any one of them with young, talented teams and you can win. But if they don`t win as is right now then they clearly aren`t going to win together over the next 5 years. Look at Detroit. They believed they could win with Datsyuk and Zetterberg and tried to do so and they never made it out of the first round for years. Remind you of anything?

Go for one last ride. If it works, great, carry on. If it doesn`t, sell, get picks/prospects, sign FA, reload. Boom. Instant contender again and the future is bright.

again you aren't listening to your own argument. "they are good enough to win"...ok then why are we trading them?
They aren't the reason we lost.
We lost starting with poor decisions like Jack Johnson and a bottom 6 of dead weight like Patric Marleau, ERod, and putting the MOP Sheary on the ice.
Yeah clearly every group of core players need help. Moving the core instead of the help isn't the freaking answer.