How have Petry and Poehling been?

Poehling has been fine as a 4th liner. Petry has been frustrating. He was brought in to give more of an offensive boost from the defense, but he gives up more than he contributes.

IMO, the Pens made the mistake in off season by going with the "old guard". Malkin, Letang should not have been resigned. Rakell and Rust, far too much term for aging guys. That 22.5m could have spend better, if not in the current season but next.

Hextall absolutely mangled this roster. I'm done trying to pretend this team is a contender. Every move he made besides Rakell has been awful, just so frustrating

Imagine some of the FA's we could've gotten and the youth we could have built around Crosby and Guentzel. Instead he decides to give Carter, Kapanen 3 mil and bring back exact same roster. I got so much hate on here for saying not to bring the core back and was called a fake fan. That was our chance to re-tool and get a young team for years of contending

There were no viable replacements for Malkin and Letang on the free agent market. Besides that, Malkin and Rakell have been the Pens best players this year. The team would be in far worse shape if they were not brought back. The money that those guys got isn't the problem. It giving money to guys that don't contribute much like Kapanen, McGInn, and Carter. That's more than 9M against the cap for 3 guys who could be replaced with waiver wire pickups.

McCann, Rodrigues, and Freddy Gaudreau combine for 8.2M against the cap and this team would be in a far better position if they were still on the roster,

Maybe so for this year, but no reason to commit so much term more more of the same. Hard to do but maybe a "step back" is the best in long run. In a cap strapped league, don't like the UFAs in the summer of 2022, just wait a year.

There is no reason for this team to commit to taking a step back as long as Crosby (and to an extent Guentzel) are on the roster. The guys who were brought back aren't the problem in terms of both the cap, and their play on the ice.

Thank you guys SO SOOOOO SOOOOO much for John Marino. He is a god now.

What would the Penguins want for Marcus Pettersson?

A lot. He's their best defenseman by a country mile this year.

Foote + 2nd?

"A lot, he's their best defenseman"

"Oh okay here's a late 2nd and a mediocre winger prospect"

I mean it worked in the summer

Marino for a 3rd + struggling LD