To be completely honest, I don't think the Sutter trade is going to be an obvious one. There is a lot out there to be had.

Like Sutter for Rackell + in Anaheim. Rackell isn't a big goal scorer but is heralded as an impressive two way player with offensive instincts. He is only 22. Given Sutter is more proven you would be able to get something else in return most likely draft compensation. Anaheim also has enough cap room to make the deal and keep Sutter.
- usethe1-2-2

Rackell is good and can get better. How about Rackell + Simon Despres for Sutter!!!

If GMJR did this - He just made up for one of his mistakes.

Just trade 71, get 2 good players back and picks/prospects. This team won't be that good this season anyway.

Sure you can make a good roster on hockeyscap, but there are way too many moving parts to make it realistic.

If Dupes comes back, they need to dump Kuni, Sutter, Scuds possibly Spaling.....thats a lot to accomplish with not taking garbage back.
- sammy87

I just think a Malkin trade would be too hard to pull off. NTC, cap hit etc.

He would have to be really unhappy to ask for a trade. Not all teams would have 2 good players that are a fit for us. And if we would be trading him for futures thats not really helping us either.

Even if there's a team with good enough players that we could do it maybe that team doesn't even want Malkin to begin with.

So I'm guessing it's easier to unload Sutter, Spalling, Kunitz and Scuderi than trading Malkin.

I just think a Malkin trade would be too hard to pull off. NTC, cap hit etc.

He would have to be really unhappy to ask for a trade. Not all teams would have 2 good players that are a fit for us. And if we would be trading him for futures thats not really helping us either.

Even if there's a team with good enough players that we could do it maybe that team doesn't even want Malkin to begin with.

So I'm guessing it's easier to unload Sutter, Spalling, Kunitz and Scuderi than trading Malkin.
- Conse

Just adding Oshie, Skinner, Semin, isn't going to cut it. 2 top 6 spots, an entire 3rd line, and a mid pairing Dman. Thats a lot!

Just adding Oshie, Skinner, Semin, isn't going to cut it. 2 top 6 spots, an entire 3rd line, and a mid pairing Dman. Thats a lot!
- sammy87

I think you can get away with one player on Malkin's line that is border top 6. Throughout his career he has never really had 2 top tier linemates. But, he needs an elite guy on his wing. you cant give him 2 losers. I'd rather pay 6 million for one elite guy on Malkin's wing and fill that 6th spot in the top 6 with a downie, bennett, dupuis, etc. than give him 2 $3.5 million wingers.

Apparently Martin's agent is meeting Rutherford in FL. I would love for him to be resigned on a 1 or 2 year deal, but i dont see that happening. I agree that we need a mid level dman. i dont think you can go into the season with our current d corps.

I'm not worried about the bottom 6. i think we can fill them with some UFAs and internally.

Just adding Oshie, Skinner, Semin, isn't going to cut it. 2 top 6 spots, an entire 3rd line, and a mid pairing Dman. Thats a lot!
- sammy87

Yeah, anyway we put it we are not in a very good position.
JR will have a to be near perfect to put up a competitive roster for next season.

Between unloading our crappy contracts, signing good and cheap UFA's and acquiring a top 6 for Malkin he's got a lot to do.

Rackell is good and can get better. How about Rackell + Simon Despres for Sutter!!!

If GMJR did this - He just made up for one of his mistakes.

- so_buzz11

Despres for Rakell would have been a fair trade.

I think you can get away with one player on Malkin's line that is border top 6. Throughout his career he has never really had 2 top tier linemates. But, he needs an elite guy on his wing. you cant give him 2 losers. I'd rather pay 6 million for one elite guy on Malkin's wing and fill that 6th spot in the top 6 with a downie, bennett, dupuis, etc. than give him 2 $3.5 million wingers.

Apparently Martin's agent is meeting Rutherford in FL. I would love for him to be resigned on a 1 or 2 year deal, but i dont see that happening. I agree that we need a mid level dman. i dont think you can go into the season with our current d corps.

I'm not worried about the bottom 6. i think we can fill them with some UFAs and internally.
- SuperHenderson13

I was never huge on Martin. I felt everyone here overrated Martin just like Nisk. He's 34 and unless they can move Scuds....I'd prefer they walk away. He was pretty bad at the end of the season and playoffs. But someone will give him 4-5 yrs for 25mil.

Despres for Rakell would have been a fair trade.
- jfkst1

Yes, it would have been. That is why I think Sutter for Rakell plus draft compensation could be had. Anaheim has some good young talent on the wings, but not much at center. Rakell is good, but not where they would probably like him. I think the allure of a 1-2-3 Getzlaf Kesler Sutter could be enough for them to part with the young forward. They also have cap space.

It is hard to tell with them though. Beleskey is leaving town so they might be looking for a top 6winger instead coughkunitzcough

Despres for Rakell would have been a fair trade.
- jfkst1

I'm not going to argue with that. But Since Despres is now with Anaheim, Do the Pens try to get him back by trading Sutter for Despres and Rakell?

Before you say Anaheim would not do that, note that Anaheim needs a 3rd line C with Tompson now injured for 6 months, and they will have 8 D if they sign all of their UFA defensemen.

I just feel that trading a guy who will never be anything more than a 6th or 7th d-man for a guy who can play bottom pairing now and has potential to move up to the middle pairing is a win.

And the pick was a 7th round pick. Nothing groundbreaking there.
- cap1681

Frankly, this deal was win/win for both.

Pit takes a flier on a guy who has some talent but for whatever reason hasn't been able to put it together or be consistent (if you want more on my thoughts on why this was - feel free to ask but its better done in a pm probably) and they don't give up much to kick the tires and see what happens, especially when they really needed a second pairing guy.

Stl gets rids of a guy who is a bit of a square peg in a round hole and a guy who wasn't happy with his situation on the team. He couldn't secure a role in the top two pairings and kept making bad mistakes in games when given chances. These mistakes turned him into a bottom pair guy in the team's eyes, of which he didn't agree. The Blues get a guy who knows and relishes the role in the bottom pair, not a guy who might female dog about his role and they get a throw in pick. FYI, Lindbohm is a fairly recent 6th round pick of the Blues so they sometimes get value in those reach picks, though not frequently. He also was a guy that flew by Cole on the depth chart which likely wasn't lost on Cole.

You don't know that.

Edit: nevermind. His no movement clause is that he picks 5 teams he will go to.

Trade is not happening.
- cap1681

Teams have ways around that...just ask Doug Weight.

I'm not going to argue with that. But Since Despres is now with Anaheim, Do the Pens try to get him back by trading Sutter for Despres and Rakell?

Before you say Anaheim would not do that, note that Anaheim needs a 3rd line C with Tompson now injured for 6 months, and they will have 8 D if they sign all of their RFA defensemen.
- so_buzz11

no, Despres's ship has sailed. we had him, should have kept him, but we didnt. no way we trade for him back.

plus, despres and rakell for Sutter is just a stupid deal from ANA's perspective.

Not a Perron hater, but usually there is a reason you bounce around a bunch of teams early on.
- sammy87

must have been his white skates

Frankly, this deal was win/win for both.

Pit takes a flier on a guy who has some talent but for whatever reason hasn't been able to put it together or be consistent (if you want more on my thoughts on why this was - feel free to ask but its better done in a pm probably) and they don't give up much to kick the tires and see what happens, especially when they really needed a second pairing guy.

Stl gets rids of a guy who is a bit of a square peg in a round hole and a guy who wasn't happy with his situation on the team. He couldn't secure a role in the top two pairings and kept making bad mistakes in games when given chances. These mistakes turned him into a bottom pair guy in the team's eyes, of which he didn't agree. The Blues get a guy who knows and relishes the role in the bottom pair, not a guy who might female dog about his role and they get a throw in pick. FYI, Lindbohm is a fairly recent 6th round pick of the Blues so they sometimes get value in those reach picks, though not frequently. He also was a guy that flew by Cole on the depth chart which likely wasn't lost on Cole.
- stljam

people always seem to want to name a winner and a loser when in reality both teams could be winners or both teams could be losers.

i think the cole/borts trade was a win-win. seems like both teams got what they were looking for.

A lot of it comes down to fit in the system. Bortuzzo isn't good at moving the puck so he isn't going to be good with Johnston's system. Cole moves the puck well so he's going to be better than he was in STL.
- jfkst1

You'll get big differing opinions on that statement in STL. He moves it well all of the time, most of the time it is where you want to your team, the rest of the time it's exactly where you don't want to the other team. Think of him as a QB who never throws an incomplete pass - all completions or interceptions. An exaggeration a bit but not as much as we would have hoped.

no, Despres's ship has sailed. we had him, should have kept him, but we didnt. no way we trade for him back.

plus, despres and rakell for Sutter is just a stupid deal from ANA's perspective.
- SuperHenderson13

OK, Sutter really should be used to get a top 6 winger in any event and IMO.

people always seem to want to name a winner and a loser when in reality both teams could be winners or both teams could be losers.

i think the cole/borts trade was a win-win. seems like both teams got what they were looking for.
- SuperHenderson13

I'm with you. I like to use the EJ/Shatty/Stewart trade as an example of trade dynamics too....

Most were saying how the Avs got fleeced in that deal after year 1. It looks a lot more even now with Stewart showing his real self and EJ bringing his game back up a number of notches. Most would probably still say STL won but not by as big of a margin as originally thought.

Pens trying to resign Martin:

http://triblive.com/mobil...96/martin-hankinson-games
- joescullz

I think I'm ok with Martin coming back if it's 3*$4 million and it GUARANTEES Scuderi and Suckjoy are GONE.
Letang/ Maatta
Martin/ Pouliot
Cole/ Dumoulin
That looks fine to me. Perfectly balanced.

Question for the masses. I know this is possible in theory but is this possible in reality...

Re-sign either Martin or Ehrhoff with a Limited Trade Clause and then either trade them at the deadline this year or next off-season?

Doesn't that seem like a no brainer way to maximize assets?

Question for the masses. I know this is possible in theory but is this possible in reality...

Re-sign either Martin or Ehrhoff with a Limited Trade Clause and then either trade them at the deadline this year or next off-season?

Doesn't that seem like a no brainer way to maximize assets?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

He would have to accept that clause... and then we'd look bad for UFAs that want to come here that are over... lets say, over 32. If they don't have some protection in a NTC or NMC, we can lose out on players in the future.

I think I'm ok with Martin coming back if it's 3*$4 million and it GUARANTEES Scuderi and Suckjoy are GONE.
Letang/ Maatta
Martin/ Pouliot
Cole/ Dumoulin
That looks fine to me. Perfectly balanced.
- Dcoms

Buying out Scuderi makes zero sense given his term and how close the PENS will be to the cap...why have dead cap space for the next 4 years?

Question for the masses. I know this is possible in theory but is this possible in reality...

Re-sign either Martin or Ehrhoff with a Limited Trade Clause and then either trade them at the deadline this year or next off-season?

Doesn't that seem like a no brainer way to maximize assets?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

In regards to Martin, this is likely his last contract. IF he resigns here it is because he wants to be in the burgh and will take a discount to stay. To turn around and trade him 8 months later with a ton of term left on his deal would be down right disrespectful and insulting.

To do that to either of them is bad business.

Question for the masses. I know this is possible in theory but is this possible in reality...

Re-sign either Martin or Ehrhoff with a Limited Trade Clause and then either trade them at the deadline this year or next off-season?

Doesn't that seem like a no brainer way to maximize assets?
- YouMeAndDupuis9

You don't do that, reputation will be terrible.

Bringing back Martin at a reasonable home town contract if that's what he wants would be a coup. Sets our top four and makes our d prospects which are really our only good trade chips comfortably expendable.

Buying out Scuderi makes zero sense given his term and how close the PENS will be to the cap...why have dead cap space for the next 4 years?
- mventres

Not buying out Scuderi only makes sense if Rutherford is confident he can trade him. Otherwise theyll have $3.3m dead cap space this year.