WTF Vegas juste trade Lehner and add a sweetener, like the 1st round pick, it's late anyway

Only 4 to go

I think that's only a valid criticism if the Penguins stand pat with their other 30+, $5 million guys. I wouldn't be surprised one bit to see Granlund and/or Petry traded before training camp--if not a lot sooner.

Hardly guys. Smith was a 3rd liner from this last year. An original from expansion and now that they won everything their going to have to find a way to get young'er. Pittsburgh is still doing the same things with Dubas, trading draft pix for older players, trying to hold onto Crosby/Malkin. Problem is, they don't have a Jagr type to fill in, when Crosby turns 32-33 (3 years ago). Vegas clears 5 mil for a 3rd liner. See Barbashev's partial year performance.

Like... in a normal market, it seems like pittsburgh wins this hands down. But teams are having to pay to get rid of similar production (Hayes, Johansen) or give away for effectively nothing (Hall) so how does Vegas not look like a genius in this deal?

Didn't Vegas play up this big story line about the guys that were with the team during the beginning?

Guess it didn't matter that much.

Barbashev extension

yeah, but they also played up their ruthless deal making

I'm more of a Dubas fan than I am a Leafs fan, can't wait to see what he does with the Penguins.

Dear Pen fans, get use to watching Dubas trade away high Draft picks for meh players.

The Pens are going to be fun to watch...burn.

Dubas will set this team up to get the 1st Overall pick (with Bettman's help) so Crosby can pass the torch (2027 ish).

But only after a couple of failed attempts to stall the rebuild.

Or are traded after FA. You can get half decent value for middle 6 guys if it's the right time of the year.

The trade is good for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Penguins' bottom six forwards and third and fourth lines were lethargic. Not scoring and delusional on the ice contributed to more losses necessary. A priority this offseason is improving the bottom six forwards and the third and fourth lines.

Smith will be a winger on the third line. He can score and contribute to point production with the right support. Smith a two way player, I like to see what he could do defensively.

Who will round out the line at center and the opposing wing?

That was true before the Canucks bought out OEL.

This is a cap dump, not a hockey trade. The Penguins knew the Golden Knights had to leverage. The Canucks are in a position to make hockey trades.

By the way, the Canucks were never looking to trade Boeser and Garland only recently came on the market. If he stays, the Canucks won't be upset. ... Myers, on the other hand.

This is arguably a fair trade. The Golden Knights get rid of a 32-year old player making $5 million, who will very likely slow down the next two seasons. They get back a 2024 third, which is not nothing. This should make Pittsburgh better this year, so I give them the edge. However, the odds of a niggling injury are relatively high.

And Vegas has Dorofeyev in the wings (pun intended) ready to take the spot with a cheap RFA deal.

Its difficult at best because PIT just gave up a 3rd for a 32 yr old quality guy making 5mil, but then Vegas signs a marginally better, but younger player for 5mil. And then probably means Penguins are walking away from a similar aged player in Zucker, who has similar/slightly better production and might have been slightly cheaper.

Seems to me, PITTS would have been better off not taking the older guy and either re-signing zucker for slightly less or going for Barbarshev, if VGS couldnt move Reilly.

Just seems to be a poor move in conjuntion with the other happenings with PITTS losing a pick and getting older

Zucker is almost as old and will require more term to extend. He's not signing a two year contract unless it is more expensive AAV.