I like Pittsburgh's D a little better, but I love Anaheim's D. Vatanen is a beast, Cam Fowler is a great 2-way defender and Hampus Lindholm is totally solid in all respects. I like the St Louis D a bit more than Pittsburgh's but the depth guys aren't Wisniewski and Beauchemin. Ian Cole is probably on the same level as Clayton Stoner, prhaps a bit more vision. You all are going to like Ian Cole.

Speaking of Beauchemin, I think the Scuderi contract was supposed to mirror his contract for the role he plays on that team. Supposedly good top six minutes or great, reliable bottom pairing minutes. It could be worse; it could be Willie Mitchell.

This is our playoff team. I'm behind them, even Flower. I hope he scores an ENG in San Jose so I can make an even bigger nuisance of myself in the stands. Go Pens.
- Johnny Wrath

Ian cole is a solid player. Still relatively young where he can develop a bit more and possibly be a 4th dman. I really thought despres would have gone to St Louis based on that they have an abundance of forward prospects and not too many D prospects

It might be slightly different than that. If I am not mistaken, one of the big things for him was being back on the East Coast closer to his extended family. So the teams could all be East Coast teams if it is that important to him.
- PensFan1103

I like that... that ACTUALLY could make New Jersey a target, they were in the Finals the year before, and while having fallen off since, he might have marked them even having a sub par year that season... They could be in play.

Really wish the teams got released, would make this guessing a lot easier

I like that... that ACTUALLY could make New Jersey a target, they were in the Finals the year before, and while having fallen off since, he might have marked them even having a sub par year that season... They could be in play.

Really wish the teams got released, would make this guessing a lot easier
- Guile

I think it's safe to bet that the teams are: Ontario, Quebec, Northern Alberta, South of Virginia, and Manitoba.

I think it's safe to bet that the teams are: Ontario, Quebec, Northern Alberta, South of Virginia, and Manitoba.
- Johnny Wrath

Please.. no one wants to go to Canada once they have gotten out of there

Scuderi is not good at killing penalties. He simply stands in front of the net and gets on one knee and tries to take away a passing lane. He doesn't necessarily battle either. He's also to slow to chase the puck if it goes in the corner. He's simply an oversized traffic cone
- drummer829

Scuderi is not good at killing penalties. He simply stands in front of the net and gets on one knee and tries to take away a passing lane. He doesn't necessarily battle either. He's also to slow to chase the puck if it goes in the corner. He's simply an oversized traffic cone
- drummer829

Scuderi plays the most PK minutes among Pit Dmen on the 5th best Pk. So to say he can't kill penalties is a bit of a stretch

Top 10 in voting 3 of the last 4 years...
- cap1681

I think he should win it this year but it looks like it may be Webers to lose with Giordano out.

Defensemen
Beauchemin-Lindholm
Fowler-Despres


He was paired with the same guy Lovejoy was with last year in the top pairing.
- Guile

Look everyone!! Despres is a top 4 player with Cam Fowler! Just like Lovejoy was! Oooohhhhh

I hope in 2 years we can trade one of our young prospects to get him back because we didnt want to allow time for him to make mistakes and develop.

J/K. What GM would be that stupid? Oh, wait...

Look everyone!! Despres is a top 4 player with Cam Fowler! Just like Lovejoy was! Oooohhhhh

I hope in 2 years we can trade one of our young prospects to get him back because we didnt want to allow time for him to make mistakes and develop.

J/K. What GM would be that stupid? Oh, wait...
- thickman1178

Adding a new perspective to those that hated the Despres-Lovejoy deal. As far as THIS season is concerned....think back to past deadlines. Guys like Hal Gill had huge contributions in the playoffs. The bigger, sexier names dont always work out. I'm willing to see what we got with Lovejoy and Cole before I have any issues with it. Trades shouldnt be based on who won the trade on paper. And again, Rev was a beast in the playoffs last season.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

My pissing and moaning has nothing to do with who won the trade on paper. Im sick of trading away our young talent because we are too damn impatient to allow them to develop. Our scouting sucks to begin with, so we dont see much quality homegrown talent. And when we do we give it away year after year for deadline rentals.

- Guile

Well yeah. Thats what my tears taste like, duh.

Pens just tweeted Lovejoy skating with Pouliot and Scuds with Cole.

Look everyone!! Despres is a top 4 player with Cam Fowler! Just like Lovejoy was! Oooohhhhh

I hope in 2 years we can trade one of our young prospects to get him back because we didnt want to allow time for him to make mistakes and develop.

J/K. What GM would be that stupid? Oh, wait...
- thickman1178

We are in a win now mode. Ask yourself, Despres or Lovejoy up one goal in the playoffs late in the third? Despres has been developing for a while now and while he looked promising early in the year, his play the last two months has regressed.

Yeah in a few years Despres might be top 4, but we get a top 4 now who helps us more this year and next for cheap.

I'm happy with the team, even Sutter has played a little better. Now we pray for no injuries and to continue a hot streak into the Cup

Edit: We also have Maatta, Pouliot, Harrington, Dumoulin and now Cole to develop. We don't need to wait on a 5th when we can have top 4 now.

Well yeah. Thats what my tears taste like, duh.
- thickman1178

Losing Despres isn't the end of the world... I get it, you're more mad with the return not being a winger. But Lovejoy is not the issue, nor is our young D talent.

Simply put... this is no where near a Shero trade blunder

Pens just tweeted Lovejoy skating with Pouliot and Scuds with Cole.
- stowerkraut

I like it. Wonder where Hoff slots in when he's back. So much for this "one game rest, that was the plan until the Western trip"

We are in a win now mode. Ask yourself, Despres or Lovejoy up one goal in the playoffs late in the third? Despres has been developing for a while now and while he looked promising early in the year, his play the last two months has regressed.

Yeah in a few years Despres might be top 4, but we get a top 4 now who helps us more this year and next for cheap.

I'm happy with the team, even Sutter has played a little better. Now we pray for no injuries and to continue a hot streak into the Cup

Edit: We also have Maatta, Pouliot, Harrington, Dumoulin and now Cole to develop. We don't need to wait on a 5th when we can have top 4 now.
- znagle

Oh please. We have been in WIN NOW mode since Sid got here. We have constantly traded away young talent and picks to try and get overpriced rentals to win now. At some point you have to think about well crap if we do this and we dont win now, wont it make it that much harder to win later?

Forest for the trees and what not.

Ask yourself, Despres or Lovejoy up one goal in the playoffs late in the third?
- znagle

How do you know Lovejoy is any better than the guy who left us? We all thought Scuds was the second coming, and look how that has worked out.

I do know if we are down a goal and you have the chance to throw it back to the D with either Despres shooting or Lovejoy that I would take Despres 10/10 times.

I like it. Wonder where Hoff slots in when he's back. So much for this "one game rest, that was the plan until the Western trip"
- znagle

Check out Lovejoy's "gear" he brought to Colorado...

How do you know Lovejoy is any better than the guy who left us? We all thought Scuds was the second coming, and look how that has worked out.

I do know if we are down a goal and you have the chance to throw it back to the D with either Despres shooting or Lovejoy that I would take Despres 10/10 times.
- thickman1178

If if you are up a goal, and you have a D in a 1 on 1, or a 2 on 1... who would you rather have back there, Despres or Lovejoy?

And who is more likely to have screwed up to make that breakaway occur?

Check out Lovejoy's "gear" he brought to Colorado...


- stowerkraut

Wow... we are getting lazy with handing out swag bags to new players. Or is it just 1 per person and he lost his from 2 years ago?

ON THE PERCEIVED LOSS OF PHYSICALITY ON THE BACK END…

Letang: What’s most important is how well you can defend against top players. I think the mindset needs to be defend first and if you can finish guys and lay out some hits, that’s going to be important too.

Johnston: The important thing is, I believe, down the stretch and in playoffs is how you defend is really important. How your defensive skills are, how quickly you can break out of your zone. That’s a real important skill for defensemen. So right now, it’s playing good defensive hockey when we have to. Getting the puck, moving it into the hands of our forwards. So the physical part of the game is important in playoffs, I don’t want to underestimate it. But it’s how you defend, and it’s also how quick you escape your zone.

If if you are up a goal, and you have a D in a 1 on 1, or a 2 on 1... who would you rather have back there, Despres or Lovejoy?

And who is more likely to have screwed up to make that breakaway occur?
- Guile

Well then screw rookies. We should just keep giving away draft picks for established guys. Fire our entire scouting department. We dont need them because we dont have the time for people to make mistakes and develop.

F Rookies

Oh please. We have been in WIN NOW mode since Sid got here. We have constantly traded away young talent and picks to try and get overpriced rentals to win now. At some point you have to think about well crap if we do this and we dont win now, wont it make it that much harder to win later?

Forest for the trees and what not.
- thickman1178

Shero went for the "best players" ignoring the system and leaving it to Disco Dan to find them homes, which he failed.

Well then screw rookies. We should just keep giving away draft picks for established guys. Fire our entire scouting department. We dont need them because we dont have the time for people to make mistakes and develop.

F Rookies
- thickman1178

So damn salty... Maatta we trusted, Pouliot we are trusting, Dumoulin has some trust... are you just high on Despres being the near perfect body size and dishing out hits?

Check out Lovejoy's "gear" he brought to Colorado...


- stowerkraut

Is this a joke? what kind of bag do you think he would have?