Edited Feb. 12, 2021 at 6:11 p.m.
Quoting: Hockyluv21
My personal thought was a defense the looked like this for Pittsburgh for the next couple of years, with Letang eventually dealt in a separate transaction:
POJ-Hamilton
Dumoulin-Marino
Matheson-Riikola
To me, that's a very good top-4, instead of the weird tire-fire mish-mash that currently exists.
Or
Dumoulin,Pettersson/Letang
PO-Joseph/Marino
Matheson/Maniscalco
Riikola/Ruhwedel
Trade either Pettersson(24 years old) or Dumoulin(29 years old).
No need to trade away Zucker or Rust for a top D-man.
Taking away Marino, Rust or Zucker for Hamilton would do way more Damage to the team now and in the future.
And then having to resign Hamilton too, with cap space the Pens don’t have.
Dumoulin/Letang have been a top pairing for the past 5-6 years. Both play-off tested and SC winners.
Pettersson is a top 4 LHD, 24 years old, signed to a good, reasonable, long-term deal, plays 20 plus minutes a night, still more potential there.
PO-Joseph/Marino are two good young D-Men
Matheson/Ceci,Ruhwedel .. is the only weird pairing and Ceci’s contract is over this year and Maniscalco is one of the Pens top prospects and close to NHL ready.
Riikola is hurt but is one of the best 7th D-men inthe NHL. Plays both LHD, and RHD. Has great analytics and underlying numbers.
What weird mix match tire fire are u talking about?? B/c we got killed by injuries so far this year??