He got exposed a bit playing top pairing minutes down the stretch, but yeah, kid played well for the most part. I know the Blues fans disagree, but he is night and day better than Bortz. That was a steal.

By the way, How the hell did Hitchcock keep his job? That fat pig makes Bylsma look like Scotty Bowman.
- madmike71

Blues keep getting weak goaltending in the postseason. Not much a coach can do for that as Penguins fans saw from 2010-2013. I think he needs to at least make the WCF next year or he'll be gone. STL is too damn good to never make it out of the first round.

Bucci seems to think Boston and Vancouver could be trade partners involving Lucic. With the aquasition of a true power forward does that mean that we could go in and snag Kassian?

I have a feeling the roster will be closet to last yr just older. Sharp and hudler are probably the only players the pens can afford with what they have to sell.
- sammy87

same. i dont think theyll be able to make moves that they need to make. i really dont think theyre THAT far off. its just that theyre a few pieces away but the players simply arent there or they dont have the assets to acquire them.

if somehow they were able to package sutter and harrington for a legitimate winger for malkin, i think they can make due with signing someone else for the other spot.

then a third line centered around soderberg, if he can be gotten on a somewhat reasonable deal.

two big ifs, but again, if both of those cards were to fall their way, i dont view that as a patchwork job. i view it as this team having a legitimate shot and identity.

(granted, that identity will be their stars. for better or worse. if they cant stay healthy, or just simply arent up to task, then so be it. thats it for them. but i think a roster constructed in that way would put all of their big guns in the best possible place to succeed together.)

Add that to a conservative 2 mil cap increase a year... Cap would be 77.4 mil on his first year of extra buyout, .917... then 79.4 for the other. Since we have our top players signed long term, that amount shouldn't mean squat.
- Guile

Not to mention RFA contracts and ELC contracts in Beau, Dumo, Pouliot, Kapanen, Sundqvist at reasonable costs clearing up space. The 2 million saved could be a huge chip in signing a big name free agent in 2016.

Not to mention RFA contracts and ELC contracts in Beau, Dumo, Pouliot, Kapanen, Sundqvist at reasonable costs clearing up space. The 2 million saved could be a huge chip in signing a big name free agent in 2016.
- usethe1-2-2

Eh... I'm not going to bank on our GM being reasonable with our youth until I see it first.

Add that to a conservative 2 mil cap increase a year... Cap would be 77.4 mil on his first year of extra buyout, .917... then 79.4 for the other. Since we have our top players signed long term, that amount shouldn't mean squat.
- Guile

Having the cap going up doesn't mean a lot when players like Belesky are turning down $5mil. I would have been happy if the Pens got him for around 3-3.5 but so not worth it anything above.

Add that to a conservative 2 mil cap increase a year... Cap would be 77.4 mil on his first year of extra buyout, .917... then 79.4 for the other. Since we have our top players signed long term, that amount shouldn't mean squat.
- Guile

Scuderi needs to be bought out or traded. If he is on the roster next season, that's a major indictment on management's competency level. He's a complete liability and he is hurting other players' development.

same. i dont think theyll be able to make moves that they need to make. i really dont think theyre THAT far off. its just that theyre a few pieces away but the players simply arent there or they dont have the assets to acquire them.

if somehow they were able to package sutter and harrington for a legitimate winger for malkin, i think they can make due with signing someone else for the other spot.

then a third line centered around soderberg, if he can be gotten on a somewhat reasonable deal.

two big ifs, but again, if both of those cards were to fall their way, i dont view that as a patchwork job. i view it as this team having a legitimate shot and identity.

(granted, that identity will be their stars. for better or worse. if they cant stay healthy, or just simply arent up to task, then so be it. thats it for them. but i think a roster constructed in that way would put all of their big guns in the best possible place to succeed together.)
- stayinthefnnet

I think you're spot on. I just hope to God Rutherford makes a serious play at Soderberg to get our third line back on track.

Having the cap going up doesn't mean a lot when players like Belesky are turning down $5mil. I would have been happy if the Pens got him for around 3-3.5 but so not worth it anything above.
- sammy87

I thought it was five years 20 mill that was reportedly turned down?
Either way in a weak UFA class guys like that make big money. Bargain players exist as long as you don't get caught up in bidding wars.

same. i dont think theyll be able to make moves that they need to make. i really dont think theyre THAT far off. its just that theyre a few pieces away but the players simply arent there or they dont have the assets to acquire them.

if somehow they were able to package sutter and harrington for a legitimate winger for malkin, i think they can make due with signing someone else for the other spot.

then a third line centered around soderberg, if he can be gotten on a somewhat reasonable deal.

two big ifs, but again, if both of those cards were to fall their way, i dont view that as a patchwork job. i view it as this team having a legitimate shot and identity.

(granted, that identity will be their stars. for better or worse. if they cant stay healthy, or just simply arent up to task, then so be it. thats it for them. but i think a roster constructed in that way would put all of their big guns in the best possible place to succeed together.)
- stayinthefnnet

I see 2 top 6 holes and an entire 3rd line needing replaced. If they sign Martin kiss 1 of those top 6 spots away. BB will get it and he needs to be part of a package to get anything decent in a return.

I see this team staying the same and getting older while just about everyone else is getting better. Id much rather have the problem of shedding contracts (sharp, Nash) so you can keep your young cheap guys than the Pens problem of how to get rid of old players you have nothing to replace them with. Dupes, Scuds, Kuni. I just see them trending in the wrong direction.

I think you're spot on. I just hope to God Rutherford makes a serious play at Soderberg to get our third line back on track.
- Victoro311

i realize that the three center model eventually became unfeasible, but realistically it was so perfect.

i dont think the average fan realizes the extra hard minutes that crosby has to consistently take on now. it definitely makes it harder to rack up those totals.

if dupuis is back, i think a line starting with him and soderberg could really ease the burden on the top 6, while still chipping in on its own. i realize it will be a fairly expensive third line, but it sort of is what it is. dupuis is going to cost what he does. no sense in fighting it. if they bring back winnik on a cheap deal, that line would be absolutely airtight.

I think you're spot on. I just hope to God Rutherford makes a serious play at Soderberg to get our third line back on track.
- Victoro311

It's easy to say yeah just sign this guy, but you gotta sell him on playing here. Soderberg will have a lot of options. If he wants to win soon and this will probably be his last contract, he might look elsewhere. He could even be a 2C in CHI.

I think you're spot on. I just hope to God Rutherford makes a serious play at Soderberg to get our third line back on track.
- Victoro311

AGREE! I don't think they can get every piece they need to fill out the roster for this season, but absolutely they can improve the 3rd line.

These next couple of weeks could really shape the rest of Sid and Geno's prime years and it terrifies me that it's in the hands of Ruth.

1.29, 1.79, .917, .917 in million dollar is his buyout option. That is infinitely better than 3.375 for a 7th defender taking up space that could be used for developing defenders
- usethe1-2-2

You don't develop D if they play 7th D or rotate into #6, which is what Scuderi will be doing. So, your argument is bunk.

It's easy to say yeah just sign this guy, but you gotta sell him on playing here. Soderberg will have a lot of options. If he wants to win soon and this will probably be his last contract, he might look elsewhere. He could even be a 2C in CHI.
- sammy87

that's so stupid it's beyond comprehension.

i realize that the three center model eventually became unfeasible, but realistically it was so perfect.

i dont think the average fan realizes the extra hard minutes that crosby has to consistently take on now. it definitely makes it harder to rack up those totals.

if dupuis is back, i think a line starting with him and soderberg could really ease the burden on the top 6, while still chipping in on its own. i realize it will be a fairly expensive third line, but it sort of is what it is. dupuis is going to cost what he does. no sense in fighting it. if they bring back winnik on a cheap deal, that line would be absolutely airtight.
- stayinthefnnet

I think we oversold the three center model. It was quality depth that won us a cup. The hawks won a cup with Hanzus and Richards as second line centers. So the center depth gets overplayed. It's all about quality depth throughout and proper usage of elc's to keep from overpaying for positions in the bottom six.

I see 2 top 6 holes and an entire 3rd line needing replaced. If they sign Martin kiss 1 of those top 6 spots away. BB will get it and he needs to be part of a package to get anything decent in a return.

I see this team staying the same and getting older while just about everyone else is getting better. Id much rather have the problem of shedding contracts (sharp, Nash) so you can keep your young cheap guys than the Pens problem of how to get rid of old players you have nothing to replace them with. Dupes, Scuds, Kuni. I just see them trending in the wrong direction.
- sammy87

if im being honest, i agree with all of this. i dont think youre debbie downer. i think youre realistic.

for better or worse, if dupuis is healthy, i think you see both him and kuni on the roster. i dont think its necessarily awful. i think they both can be decent rank and file guys. they just cant be relied on to be the main sidekicks anymore.

as far as remaking the third line, i agree with you. but hell, i think it needs to be remade. i think a large portion of the pens lack of identity comes from that third line. it straddles the lines of being an offensive one or a defensive one, and ends up being bad at both.

i dont expect to get a bombshell like sad or tarasenko or anything like that. but if sutter/harrinton/bennett/jarry, whatever, can be packaged into something like a boedker or someone of that ilk, i think that is huge.

that's so stupid it's beyond comprehension.
- jfkst1

Richards was a 2C in Chicago, Id take Soderberg over him.

You don't develop D if they play 7th D or rotate into #6, which is what Scuderi will be doing. So, your argument is bunk.
- mventres

If Scuds is on this team he will be the 7th best D, but will play over a guy like Dumoulin. That's bull crap and shouldn't happen. Keeping him for any reason is not worth it. What's bunk is the notion that he isn't hurting anything, when all of the numbers show he sucks and is in fact hurting us. Chorney and Dumo outplayed him. A prospect and a career AHL guy! That says plenty. Now whether you choose to see that is a different story.

that's so stupid it's beyond comprehension.
- jfkst1

It's really not...

Soderberg handled 2C duties competently in Boston during DK's injury. He'll be working with FAR superior talent in Chicago. He could be quite good on a line that could consist of any combination of Teravanen, Panarin, and Kane.

I think we oversold the three center model. It was quality depth that won us a cup. The hawks won a cup with Hanzus and Richards as second line centers. So the center depth gets overplayed. It's all about quality depth throughout and proper usage of elc's to keep from overpaying for positions in the bottom six.
- usethe1-2-2

well to be fair, there is more than one way to win the cup. they also had kane, who isnt technically a center, but is the driving force on his line. toews also gets to be out there with hossa, sharp, ect.

i dont necessarily think youre wrong, i just viewed the three center model as sort of synonymous with great depth. depth to me is okay, you just had a wave of 87, then a wave of 71, guess what, now youre not even going to get a shot off in our zone because 11 and crew are out there playing keepaway. rinse, repeat. it allowed 87 and 71 to focus largely on what they need to do.

far too many times, the coaching staff needs to resort to crosby as a matchup center anymore. and thats a problem in my opinion.

Richards was a 2C in Chicago, Id take Soderberg over him.
- sammy87

Yeah, but Richards earned more in the last two years alone than Soderberg has in his entire life. So I guess CHI will let Saad go to bring in Soderberg? Cause they can't afford both without moving someone else like Seabrook or Crawford.

if im being honest, i agree with all of this. i dont think youre debbie downer. i think youre realistic.

for better or worse, if dupuis is healthy, i think you see both him and kuni on the roster. i dont think its necessarily awful. i think they both can be decent rank and file guys. they just cant be relied on to be the main sidekicks anymore.

as far as remaking the third line, i agree with you. but hell, i think it needs to be remade. i think a large portion of the pens lack of identity comes from that third line. it straddles the lines of being an offensive one or a defensive one, and ends up being bad at both.

i dont expect to get a bombshell like sad or tarasenko or anything like that. but if sutter/harrinton/bennett/jarry, whatever, can be packaged into something like a boedker or someone of that ilk, i think that is huge.
- stayinthefnnet

Yeah but your packaging a lot of pieces for a marginal guy (Boedker). Plus AZ will have the cash to spend on Boedker anyway. Hell get 4.5+. Skinner would help but thats 5+ and having Kuni and Dupes just kills the cap for 2 old 3rd liners. The 4th line will be Sundquist, Wilson and Kuhnackel at that point.

that's so stupid it's beyond comprehension.
- jfkst1

hows that stupid?

the only issue i see is salary wise, chicago is looking to cut and they probably ownt be able to add him.

but personnel wise? i think it would fit like a glove. he could step in there immediately and be second pivot on a line with kane. get powerplay time. be a responsible, two way guy probably putting up 55 points or so a year in their system.

Skinner, who I don't want at all, is less of a risk than Letang. You bring up three concussions in four years. My response is Letang has had multiple concussions and a stroke in the same time frame. Which is worse? I mean people Letang's age shouldn't have strokes.
- Oneonta Penguin

Anyone can have a stroke, one of my cousins five year old had a stroke. You want us to believe you are the best judge of talent on the planet, please don't try to make us believe you are God also.