Getting Kicked in the Nuts > This trade.


No disrespect to the people out there who are "ok" with this trade but come on you are really fooling yourself.

This might be the "soffest" team in the league.

Lost all faith in GM to make a Stanley Cup Contender... BTW for the delusional- This team isn't good enough to win 4 series. Terrible trade...
- lloyd095

Cause Depres catapulted this team into winning 4 series

This trade will look DISASTROUS if Despres realizes his top pairing potential. He makes a lot of mistakes that are very coachable. Lovejoy is a fine #4 dman. But he is 31 and isn't going to be more than that. Despres is a capable #5 dman now. Immediate gain is marginal while future loss might be immense. To most, that is not sound asset management.
- jfkst1

That is a huge if at this point.

He's looked very good for short stretches, but he's also looked very pedestrian for seemingly longer stretches.

Cause Depres catapulted this team into winning 4 series
- j.boyd919

I'd make the argument that Despres is better than Lovejoy NOW.
- s0rcerer1984

And I'd call you a fool.

Wait, is this a serious comment? You should italicize if you're being sarcastic, I can't tell.
- j.boyd919

The best part of sarcasm is to leave it open for interpretation.

F Italics

Getting Kicked in the Nuts > This trade.


No disrespect to the people out there who are "ok" with this trade but come on you are really fooling yourself.

This might be the "soffest" team in the league.
- Francois Leroux

If this trade is the difference between the Penguins winning or losing the Stanley Cup, they have much deeper problems.

I hate this trade and hate that it send s Pouliot back to WBS. Cole is small and won't fight and Lovejoy is old, soft and can't fight. Not that fighting is necessary but who wants to play on a team that can't protect it's own guys. Just furious right now.
- Dcoms

I think you missed the part where it's just a paper move that makes him AHL playoff eligible, IF, they go that route. He doesn't actually have to go or stay down. On the other hand, if Lovejoy and Cole are both going to play I just can't see this management having the balls to scratch Scuderi at any point, so Pouliot could be the odd man out for sure.

The Pens D is not weaker and/or softer after these trades.

They got two western conference D men that are 6'1 and 6'2 and 215lbs and 220lbs, respectively. Lovejoy isn't flashy but he has more playoff experience and was on the TOP PAIR with Fowler last year for most of the year. His upside is right now, similar to the Pens need to win.

Cole is a far better hockey player than Bortz and almost as tough. He can actually play the game and make a first pass. He has for more upside and can play better than Bortz right now.

Both are responsible defensively. +players. Know their role. And round out this D core making them a heavier solidified defined committee.

In this playoffs, in a game 7 I'd rather either of these guys with the puck than Despres or Bortz.
- brienstel

Gotta agree here.

Doubtful. I agree with GMJR, I think Depres play has dropped significantly and Lovejoy gives the Pens a better chance to win, this season. With Harrington/Dumo/Maatta coming back next season, Depres was definitely expendable. I think Depres isextremely overrated.
- j.boyd919

Ok sure. He's expendable. It's not the fact that we dealt Despres that makes me upset, its what we got for him. I find it hard to believe that we couldn't have dealt Despres for a roster defenseman plus more assets whether that be forward prospects that we desperately need or replenished draft selections.

Lovejoy is a mediocre to average 2nd pairing guy who was lucky enough to have good chemistry with Cam Fowler. We drastically overpaid for him and in doing so sent out a guy that other teams would have overpaid for themselves.

Getting Kicked in the Nuts > This trade.


No disrespect to the people out there who are "ok" with this trade but come on you are really fooling yourself.

This might be the "soffest" team in the league.
- Francois Leroux

To be fair, Borts really didn't play that much. Cole is not a pushover, especially in the crease he won't be pushed around. I loved the dirty aspect that Despres provided but when it comes to moving the puck without making bad decisions LOVEJOY is far better at this moment than Despres is. I am not devastated by this trade nor am I impressed with it.

If this trade is the difference between the Penguins winning or losing the Stanley Cup, they have much deeper problems.
- jmatchett383

Exactly. Its not like we got rid of some high powered forward for a no name AHL player. A serviceable defense men for a unproven youngster who 2 different regimes have given up on.

Ok sure. He's expendable. It's not the fact that we dealt Despres that makes me upset, its what we got for him. I find it hard to believe that we couldn't have dealt Despres for a roster defenseman plus more assets whether that be forward prospects that we desperately need or replenished draft selections.

Lovejoy is a mediocre to average 2nd pairing guy who was lucky enough to have good chemistry with Cam Fowler. We drastically overpaid for him and in doing so sent out a guy that other teams would have overpaid for themselves.
- Victoro311

We would have given you Nik Grossmann and a 3rd and eaten 1/3 of his salary for Despres.

That is a huge if at this point.

He's looked very good for short stretches, but he's also looked very pedestrian for seemingly longer stretches.
- rival22

That is a lot less huge of an 'if' than Ben Lovejoy becoming a top pairing dman when he was traded two years ago to Anaheim for a 5th rounder. Most NHL talent evaluators want 5 years AND 300+ NHL games before assessing a dman's value. Despres has played in 144 games in 4 years. He might never develop at all any more. He might be a viable top 4 dman for next year.

Doubtful. I agree with GMJR, I think Depres play has dropped significantly and Lovejoy gives the Pens a better chance to win, this season. With Harrington/Dumo/Maatta coming back next season, Depres was definitely expendable. I think Depres isextremely overrated.
- j.boyd919

I can understand that Despres would be considered expendable w/ Maatta, Pouliot, Dumoulin, & Harrington. But the best return you could get was Ben Lovejoy? There wasn't a younger Top-9 F in Anaheim, Edmonton, or elsewhere that he could have been swapped for? The best possible return for Despres was an older, more expensive &, in my opinion worse, player in Ben Lovejoy? Really?

just when i thought we made it through the deadline without doin anything stupid

Ok sure. He's expendable. It's not the fact that we dealt Despres that makes me upset, its what we got for him. I find it hard to believe that we couldn't have dealt Despres for a roster defenseman plus more assets whether that be forward prospects that we desperately need or replenished draft selections.

Lovejoy is a mediocre to average 2nd pairing guy who was lucky enough to have good chemistry with Cam Fowler. We drastically overpaid for him and in doing so sent out a guy that other teams would have overpaid for themselves.
- Victoro311

Did we? We sent an over rated defensemen that has a penchant for making mistakes for a steady, reliable veteran to help solidify our D going into the playoffs in a season where the East is wide open. I think this is a case of a teams fan base over valuing their players, which tends to happen far to often.

Ok sure. He's expendable. It's not the fact that we dealt Despres that makes me upset, its what we got for him. I find it hard to believe that we couldn't have dealt Despres for a roster defenseman plus more assets whether that be forward prospects that we desperately need or replenished draft selections.

Lovejoy is a mediocre to average 2nd pairing guy who was lucky enough to have good chemistry with Cam Fowler. We drastically overpaid for him and in doing so sent out a guy that other teams would have overpaid for themselves.
- Victoro311

Prospects and picks don't help you in the playoffs if injuries happen. And we didn't trade Despres for a rental

Listen, it's not a good trade but it's not a terrible trade. +/- might be a wash.The Pens are basically staying put and just adding some experience. Both trades are sort of even.

I say move along.

I have no idea why you make this trade. I feel like they traded bortuzzo and despres for a worse version of despres and a better version of bortuzzo, they should have stopped after the cole trade.

So the logic I got from the press conference was we got more experience (see older) as we did not have time for Despres to make mistakes and grow as GMJR said that he played well in the beginning but tapered off. But then he turns around and talks about young Dman and what they can do coming into the team. Does this make any sense? Why not bring Cole in and sink or swim with that group? After that trade Despres if he falters in the playoffs. This move just makes ZERO sense to me.

I have no idea why you make this trade. I feel like they traded bortuzzo and despres for a worse version of despres and a better version of bortuzzo, they should have stopped after the cole trade.
- Genev21

Totally agreed. If you stop after Cole your work is done. WTF GMJR?!?

Getting Kicked in the Nuts > This trade.


No disrespect to the people out there who are "ok" with this trade but come on you are really fooling yourself.

This might be the "soffest" team in the league.
- Francois Leroux

True they're soft, but its not like Despres was Stone Cole Steve Austin FFS. He was just an average mid pairing Dman, this trade does not affect the outcome of the Pens playoffs success. That blame will go to the 3 and 4 lines when 87 and 71 get shutdown.

True they're soft, but its not like Despres was Stone Cole Steve Austin FFS. He was just an average mid pairing Dman, this trade does not affect the outcome of the Pens playoffs success. That blame will go to the 3 and 4 lines when 87 and 71 get shutdown.
- sammy87

THIS!!

Listen, it's not a good trade but it's not a terrible trade. +/- might be a wash.The Pens are basically staying put and just adding some experience. Both trades are sort of even.

I say move along.
- chimpira

Trading for experience is not a good policy. It's exactly what Shero did to complete failure. Trade for superior talent like the Bortuzzo/Cole trade. Hopefully Despres never develops beyond his current play level. However, I think that is very unlikely.