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MBH

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Jun. 16, 2023
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Forum: Armchair-GMMar. 25 at 1:05 p.m.
Thread: Let the kids play
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>jfkst1</b></div><div>Karlsson and Letang play 45+ minutes/game. Not sure Chatfield has much interest in playing very little and no sure what his market will be but I'd expect he can get a better contract and more playing time elsewhere.
The Smith deal is idiotic. Ownership isn't eating $2.5m for a 3rd round pick. They have cap space so they can just keep him and move him at the TDL instead of paying dead money and selling low.
This team is awful and will probably finish in the bottom 10 again. Nothing strong about this team and very weak powerplay and depth scoring again.</div></div>

Maybe Karlsson and Letang on the ice 45 minutes a game isn't the best idea, given what the results have been. Letang especially has fallen off a cliff in recent weeks.

Fenway doesn't care about spending the money. If the point is to let some of the young guys play, then someone older needs to go. Smith is more movable than a guy like Rakell because it's only 1 year left. Eller is very movable, but he's also a very good value for his contract plus probably brings more at the TDL than Smith
Forum: Armchair-GMJul. 4, 2023 at 12:54 a.m.
Thread: Unlikely as all H E double hockey sticks
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>pens1991</b></div><div>I'd much rather keep Pettersson, not get EK and pay to move Rutta/Granlund and one of the backup goalies. That opens the space to add to the third line. The top 4 you have listed is not great. Karlsson plays 0 defense, letang plays only slightly more.</div></div>

The point of this was just to illustrate how it could potentially work since its being rumoured. Petterson is a fine player, but given the scenario, he's the most likely guy to go out. I'm not sure there's much potential for Granlund to be moved tbh. And Ruuta's a decent d-man on a decent contract. Pens fans seem to be pretty down on him, but that never made sense to me. He was perfectly serviceable for them. Key is to limit his minutes. Move him out and who comes into the d corps? Will Butcher???

Defensively, they take a hit for sure. But at least it would be entertaining to watch!
Forum: Armchair-GMJun. 30, 2023 at 8:06 p.m.
Thread: Undoing Hextalls Mistakes
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>MBH</b></div><div>As much as I hate the Rags, you can never count out a team that has elite goaltending. To me they're a team that tried to do too much last year at the deadline. Kane was completely unnecessary and I think he screwed up their mojo a bit. They have a bit of cap space to play with, but have to resign Lafreniere and Miller (never forget Pittsburgh traded that pick for Derek friggin Brassard GAAAAH!!!). Danger for them is the dollars and term that Lafreniere ends up at because he's a prime candidate for a massive overpay. Certainly a team doesn't want to give up on it's first overall pick, but he's been pretty unimpressive thus far. Has a chance to turn into a quality middle 6 guy, but he'll never be the top liner he was projected to be.

If Drury plays his hand well this offseason I still think they are in the mix as a top 3 Metro team. PIT has a long way to go to challenge them IMO</div></div>

For clarity - the K'Andre Miller pick (22nd overall) went from PIT to OTT in the Brassard trade, then NYR traded up to pick Miller (sent #26 and #48 back to OTT)
Forum: Armchair-GMJun. 30, 2023 at 8:04 p.m.
Thread: Undoing Hextalls Mistakes
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>pensfan21</b></div><div>Agree that it's better to be bad than mid like last year. I think our best path in is actually getting 3rd in metro and Rangers missing. I am pretty confident that Buffalo and Ottawa are going to be wild cards next year. Rangers and Boston have awful cap situations. Think that's our path right there.</div></div>

As much as I hate the Rags, you can never count out a team that has elite goaltending. To me they're a team that tried to do too much last year at the deadline. Kane was completely unnecessary and I think he screwed up their mojo a bit. They have a bit of cap space to play with, but have to resign Lafreniere and Miller (never forget Pittsburgh traded that pick for Derek friggin Brassard GAAAAH!!!). Danger for them is the dollars and term that Lafreniere ends up at because he's a prime candidate for a massive overpay. Certainly a team doesn't want to give up on it's first overall pick, but he's been pretty unimpressive thus far. Has a chance to turn into a quality middle 6 guy, but he'll never be the top liner he was projected to be.

If Drury plays his hand well this offseason I still think they are in the mix as a top 3 Metro team. PIT has a long way to go to challenge them IMO
Forum: Armchair-GMJun. 30, 2023 at 7:43 p.m.
Thread: Undoing Hextalls Mistakes
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>pensfan21</b></div><div>Agree with a lot of what you said here.
1 year missing playoffs could just be Hextall's fault and his bad moves. But 2 I think is a sign to rebuild</div></div>

This could definitely be the case. 1 year out can be a blip on the radar. There were stretches last year where the Pens' were playing lights out hockey. But then again, having a healthy 87 and 71 along with a resurgent season from Zucker can paint over a lot of holes.

The real question is given the changing dynamics in the East, what's the Pens' path back into the postseason?

I would argue Toronto, Carolina, New Jersey, Florida, Tampa, and the Rangers are all pretty likely to get back into the postseason. Boston really depends on their offseason.... how big of a changeover do they see? The Isles could very easily slip out and are the most likely to IMO. That's only one or two new spots and you have to think that Ottawa and Buffalo are certainly challenging for a post season birth next year. Maybe even the Red Wings depending on how things shake out. That's tough competition.

Metro next year is probably 1 NJ 2 CAR 3 NYR then either PIT or NYI. The Atlantic probably 1 TOR 2 FLA 3 TB and then BOS, OTT, and BUF in some order

The absolute <em>worst</em> place to finish is 9th. Either get in, or be really bad. Cap space becomes less of a weapon in the next few years as the cap starts to go up again, so this summer is really important
Forum: Armchair-GMJun. 30, 2023 at 4:19 p.m.
Thread: Undoing Hextalls Mistakes
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>pensfan21</b></div><div>I'm in the same boat. I'm really really trying to be hopeful and get excited about tomorrow, but I cannot see us being contenders unless we pull off some absurd deals. The roster is just too old. That's not to say the core cannot contend, but management should have done their best to surround them with younger players. Petry, Granlund, etc just aren't gonna get it done. Vibe I got from the Dubas press conference is that he's going to give it a shot and if were not good by TDL he'll sell and start the rebuild. What are your thoughts on that?</div></div>

I think there's actually sort of a unique opportunity here for the Pens. For all the damage GMRH did, at least he left cap space this year. As of today there's another $17 mil coming off the books next season and by 25-26 there are only 4 players under contract (Malkin, Rust, Rakell, and Letang). Crosby will resign probably at a pretty friendly AAV and the cap will have gone up by then.

Guentzel needs to be extended this year. Or traded depending on what the AAV and term look like.

But there's a lot of potential here for a reset more than a complete rebuild. A rebuild requires having something in the cupboard, but aside from Pickering and Yager there isn't very much at all.

The good thing is that they aren't tied into long long contracts for very many guys anymore. Good opportunity to shift younger over the next couple of years, keep drafting, hope some of the young guys in the organization like POJ, Ty Smith, Pickering, Yager, Nylander, DOC, etc develop into NHL quality over the next 2-3 years. Dubas does have a track record of finding bottom 6 guys on value contracts which is a need for this team.

What I'd like to see is them being aggressive in trying to move some bad contracts, get younger as much as possible, and don't mortgage the future by tossing 1st and 2nd round picks away anymore. Need to restock the system and at this point TBH quantity is just as important as quality. There are teams out there with 30+ guys on their reserve lists. Pens have 16.

TL;DR the cap space this year and small number of long term contracts really is the silver lining in the GMRH debacle
Forum: Armchair-GMJun. 30, 2023 at 4:03 p.m.
Thread: Undoing Hextalls Mistakes
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>pens1991</b></div><div>Would toss in Gaudreau as well, Hextall let him walk and now his locked in Minnesota. </div></div>

The reason I didn't include Freddie was because of the contract he signed in Minnesota. If 5 years was the term, letting him go was the right move.

<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quote:</div>I don't think Rust gets the deal he got either... maybe term/aav but not an NMC.</div>

I hate the Rust deal, but the Pens as an organization are loyal to a fault. I'm not sure that's 100% on Hextall.

<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quote:</div>
Would technically need to send Rakell back as well given that was a hextall deal, although i'm guessing anyone gets that done.
</div>

This was a legit trade that I left because it wasn't actually an error on Hextall's part. It was good value, addressed a need, and has worked out well. Credit where it's due.

For that matter, the original trade for Carter was a good one as well. The issue was with protecting him in the expansion draft and then resigning him when the obvious and inevitable downturn in skill was apparent.

<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quote:</div>Team could be in such could shape to make a run this year if hextall was never hired. That move still confuses me to this day, it was like the league held a gun to Mario's head or something lol</div>

I dunno why he ended up being hired. GMJR left them in a bit of a bind by going out for a pack of cigarettes one night and never coming back, but Hextall was unbelievably terrible
Forum: Armchair-GMJun. 18, 2023 at 7:10 p.m.
Thread: robopens
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>Pensfan94</b></div><div>In reality we would have to keep Petry because the wings wouldn’t take that deal and he’s not on a good contract. I’d leave him in as the 4th dman, move soucy and Rutta because we would still have the cap space. Bring Schenn into the lineup on the bottom pair. I don’t think DOC is ready for a top 6 role, probably just needs a year or so then could be okay. I’d just swap Hathaway with him.</div></div>

Petry would be a tough move for sure. Anywhere he would waive to go likely can't afford him, other than Detroit. And to be honest I'm not as down on him as most Pens fans. But the contract suuuuuucks.

If moving Rust's contract was doable, that could be another option. But you need to replace a top 6 winger plus do something on D.

Bringing in someone like Hanifin I think really changes the D corps as a whole. Schenn as a cheap depth guy is an improvement over Ruhwedel/Friedman as that 6/7 tweener. Just looking at ways to make Hanifin and Soucy realistic possibilities.

Agree on DOC. Swap out with Hathaway definitely doable, and I think Hathaway would actually be a great fit on Geno's line.
Forum: Armchair-GMJun. 16, 2023 at 10:34 p.m.
Thread: ROBOPENGUINS
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>MoSeider53</b></div><div>:laugh Too much for Hellebuyck, it's not even close to getting Hellebuyck out of Winnipeg.</div></div>

I dunno. He's a helluva goalie, but the point has been proven time and again that you don't need a Vezina calibre goalie to win a Cup. Outside of Vasilevsky in TB, recently the goalies winning Cups have just been average to above average guys who got hot at the right time. Hill, Kuemper, Binnington, Holtby, Murray... Corey Crawford has 2 of them. Quick was only top tier one of the two years he won as starter. You really have to go back to Roy/Brodeur/Hasek winning 3 in a row to find a sustained stretch of Vezina calibre goalies winning Cups. Given that, I think the goalie market for a guy like Hellebuyck is a bit less lucrative than it has been in the past. Plus, Winnipeg has very little leverage. They aren't going to be willing to lose him for nothing (rightfully so), and a player, a prospect, and picks is going to be about what they'll get. If you're a Jets fan, I guarantee you'll end up being underwhelmed with the return whenever he does move.