Agree.

Wilson is out for a few weeks. Sure hard to get a feel for a player in a few shifts. Anyway, who is next up from the farm? Rust? Uher? Payerl? Captain Tom Kostco?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Next thing you know we'll be calling them up direct from Wheeling ...

Kostopolis isn't signed to an NHL contract tho. I don't think he can be called up.
Eric Brewer broke his foot BTW. If there was ever a time to trade for Etem it is now.
- usethe1-2-2

Wow, really? Ana just traded for him

Bortuzzo to Anaheim for Etem

Ops: I meant Dumoulin for Etem!

Wow, really? Ana just traded for him

Bortuzzo to Anaheim for Etem

Ops: I meant Dumoulin for Etem!
- Barnaby36

How about Bortuzzo, Dumoulin, 2nd for Etem and Palmieri

I'm okay with acquiring Etem as long as he comes cheap / we are buying low. He's a little risky, imo.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Sill and Adams still play, Wilson got the nod over them in his first NHL game. I'm ok with risky.

Anaheim is a great trade partner. To varying degrees, Etem, Silfvererg, Palmieri, Cogliano, Ritchie, Smith-Pelly, Maroon, Beleskey could all be targets to be honest...

Sill and Adams still play, Wilson got the nod over them in his first NHL game. I'm ok with risky.
- usethe1-2-2

touche.

Anaheim is a great trade partner. To varying degrees, Etem, Silfvererg, Palmieri, Cogliano, Ritchie, Smith-Pelly, Maroon, Beleskey could all be targets to be honest...
- YouMeAndDupuis9

The key is not getting carried away. Smith-Pelly would cost more than he is worth right now. The big thing is both teams could swap NHL ready prospects even up because both are trading from an area of strength to an area of need. Both also have a need. It could workout nicely.
Still, no need to overreact on the market now.

How about Bortuzzo, Dumoulin, 2nd for Etem and Palmieri
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Just from reading Ducks fans they need a 3rd line center and a top 4 d so I don't think that package gets it done. Maybe Sutter and a 2nd?

Four thoughts:

1. Spot on Ryan with this blog. We may disagree on other topics, but we are in virtual lockstep when it comes to how the NHL administrates discipline...ie, its a joke.

2. Beyond that, I love how everyone from coaches to other fans say "if that had happened to 87 or 71, they would be up in arms!!!" Well yeah, of course we would, because it was a dirty play! Dirty is dirty, whether it happens to a Pen or is being dished out by a Pen. Bortuzzo's hit was late and targeted the head. I was in the building and it looked late in live action and looks worse in slow mo. He deserves whatever supplemental discipline he gets (but to Ryan's point, he would get nothing had Jags gotten up and skated away, such is the moronic system we have to endure). Hopefully Jagr is OK.

3. The Penguins are no different in this regard than any other team. Mario tried to take this issue on at various points in time, the latest being after the Islanders fiasco. Unfortunately, he did it in a ham handed way, and did nothing but bring scorn and derision on himself and the team. The message was clear then and it remains clear: The rest of the power brokers in the NHL like the game the way it is just fine, thank you very much. Teams trying to promote clean play for the most part do nothing but come off as weak and easily pushed around. That absolutely happened to the Pens last year against the BJ's and the Rangers. The Pens didn't answer and they paid for that in the form of an epic collapse.

That's why I have no issues with the Pens having players like Downie, Bortuzzo, and Cooke and Ruutu before them. They are simply living by the unofficial laws of the jungle as set forth by the rest of the league. Crosby and Malkin take almost constant abuse every playoffs. That will never stop, so why should it be any different if the Pens abuse other teams stars as well. The first thing the Pens should have done when Sid got whacked in the Rangers series was run Hank. The first thing they should have done after the Leddy hit on Malkin was give Tavares a good hard crosscheck in the back. That's what the league almost begs teams to do. Its been going on for years, and I don't think its any coincidence that the pens won 2 cups with a guy like Ulfie patrolling the blue line and another with Matt Cooke on the team. Devils fans who will likely jump all over this post would do well to remember that they didn't win their first 2 cups until they had one of the dirtiest players in the history of the game in Claude Lemieux causing havoc against the opposition. I really don't want it to be this way, but until the league decides to get serious about how it administrates discipline and protecting its players, you need some guys on your own team to wear the black hat and be the villain.

Join the Dark Side. Let the Hate flow through you. Its the NHL way and it always has been.

Almost forgot....

4. I still hope it burns when Cptmjl pees.
- Emperor Filonius

Top notch comment.

barely any love for MAF and his lead league leading 5th shutout. He's looks like a different goalie this year. Last night was the first time i've ever seen him look confident playing the puck behind the net.
- cap1681

HaHa

He showed a stat image with a good Fleury stat along side an even better Griess stat...

Well done, Mr Wilson

Just from reading Ducks fans they need a 3rd line center and a top 4 d so I don't think that package gets it done. Maybe Sutter and a 2nd?
- dbell646

You can't trade Sutter now. Too many questions among the forward ranks to trade him.

Has anyone blamed the article on RW's love for Jagr yet?

I'm disappointed in you guys.

Just from reading Ducks fans they need a 3rd line center and a top 4 d so I don't think that package gets it done. Maybe Sutter and a 2nd?
- dbell646

Hmm.. really thought they could use the D help more than Sutter. At any rate, Sutter is a no go in that deal unless its Sutter straight up for both, imo.

And random thought since I'm extremely bored, If we traded Sutter for those two and then Dumoulin for a Rattie/Jurco type....we basically end up trading Staal for Etem, Palmieri, Rattie, and Pouliot. That wouldn't be too shabby

Shocker that Jagr misses practice and team is vaguely worried about him on day of hearing. Such a PR game teams play lol.

What about Martin (maybe small plus) for Maroon and DSP/Etem

Just from reading Ducks fans they need a 3rd line center and a top 4 d so I don't think that package gets it done. Maybe Sutter and a 2nd?
- dbell646

If you want Etem AND Palmieri you'll have to pay. I'm all for going after Silfveberg though. He'd looke good. Palmieri I don't think they'll let him walk.

Whaaaaaaa! that hit was too hard. If Jagr doesn't watch his pass and pays attention to whats going on around him, he avoids the hit and Bortuzzo crashes into the boards. The hit was perfectly fine. Sometimes you are going to get hit in the head playing hockey. Bortuzzo kept his elbow down, lead with the shoulder, did not come from the blindside and did not leap up to target the head. Textbook body check.
- garbow

Now somebody calls it right... thank you. Jagr has skated his whole career with his head down, but was always quick enough to get out of tthe way of such hits. Maybe he's just not that quick any more.

Here's my take... refs could have called an interference penalty, othewise as in the quote above, it was a clean hockey check. And as for Crsoby, some of you are forgetting the relentless pounding... not to mention alot of stuff that qualified as penalties... he took last year in the playoffs from Dubinsky and Staal game after game, and skated away from all of it.

Sure, the home fans get upset about these things, but so what? Refs call an interference penalty... league doesn't have to get involved... end of situation. How the fans react to something like this, and how the officials SHOULD react are two completely different subjects.

Wow, really? Ana just traded for him

Bortuzzo to Anaheim for Etem

Ops: I meant Dumoulin for Etem!
- Barnaby36

Time to get a young gun like etem rattie Tlusty or yak before others do.. lots of injuries... wonder if ana will want zatkoff

Time to get a young gun like etem rattie Tlusty or yak before others do.. lots of injuries... wonder if ana will want zatkoff
- nh4442

No

No
- jchst22

Hey jchst, while youre here, do you like any package of these options..

Martin + 3rd/Samuelsson/Dumoulin for Maroon/Belesky + DSP/Etem

No
- jchst22

Bryz is back!

I love how the "hooray for advance stats" people are complaining about Sutter's low possession numbers on twitter. It just proves that advanced stats are only a small piece of how a player is performing. Sutter is having a great year.

Hmm.. really thought they could use the D help more than Sutter. At any rate, Sutter is a no go in that deal unless its Sutter straight up for both, imo.

And random thought since I'm extremely bored, If we traded Sutter for those two and then Dumoulin for a Rattie/Jurco type....we basically end up trading Staal for Etem, Palmieri, Rattie, and Pouliot. That wouldn't be too shabby
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I think the best assesment of the Staal trade is to consider if, right now, you would trade [Dumoulin + Pouliet + Sutter] for [J. Staal].

Personally, I would not. J. Staal is a very good player, but not in love with his contract. I would not make that trade today.

Hey jchst, while youre here, do you like any package of these options..

Martin + 3rd/Samuelsson/Dumoulin for Maroon/Belesky + DSP/Etem
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Wish martin was signed. He's going to leave and make bank after seeing what the market was. Can't blame him. Cant see a deal coming anytime soon though. If martin ends up being the absolute missing piece to a cup contender like us around the deadline, I'm sure offers will be coming in

I think the best assesment of the Staal trade is to consider if, right now, you would trade
- s0rcerer1984[Dumoulin + Pouliet + Sutter] for [J. Staal].

Personally, I would not. J. Staal is a very good player, but not in love with his contract. I would not make that trade today.

At the time it was fair price for us. To be honest I don't think the trade worked out well for any of the parties. We didn't win any cups...that's the way I see it.

And let's be fair: we haven't seen Pouliot on the ice yet. He might be great.

Edit: I really don't think Staal would be doing this year much more than what Sutter has done so far. Maybe a bit more. Who knows.