Thanks. I can read the reports, but I'm not sure how the offensive numbers translate.

I'd still like to see them add a goal scorer, but I'd be happy if the rest of the roster is filled with guys like this. And if the all Russian line works, giving Sid and Hornqvist a goal scorer and Perron to the 3rd line works too.

Sid, Geno, Hornqvist, Perron, and a sniper as sure top 6. Then Plotnikov, Tikhonov, Soderberg, Dupuis, Comeau, Bennett, and Sundqvist to fill out the rest of the lineup would be pretty incredible.
- Tojo.

No problem. Glad I could help. I just hope I'm right about them

I agree with you. Right now, the best case scenario is that we add a straight up sniper to round out the top 6, but Perron, Tikhonov, Plotnikov honestly have enough of a perimeter game that its not super imperative. Although I don't know how often Plotnikov is going to be in a situation to flash his wrister, since we probably want him doing most of his work in front of the net. If Kapanen pans out, he'll be the guy in a year or two with the flame shot, making our top 6 dynamic as (frank).

On a side note, IF Tikhonov is signed, I see no reason at all to bring back Comeau. He was amazing for us at 800 or so k, and he's a good bottom six depth player, but there's absolutely no reason to pay him 2-2.5 mil with the Russian additions. I'm seeing our forward grouping as so:

Perron-Crosby-Hornqvist
Tikhonov-Malkin-Plotnikov
Dupuis-Soderberg-Bennett
Winnik-Sundqvist-Wilson/Rust

Keep the money saved from Comeau to entice Soderberg into signing with us, fit whoever we may get in a Sutter trade under the cap, and maybe sign Franson.

Not trading Pouliot unless it's for a better player of the same age and there is only 5 to pick from.
- Dcoms

Who are the 5?

This Jeff Taylor kid looks like a steal as a 7th round pick. He is top 75 in scoring as a freshman defenseman and was the 6th highest scoring defenseman in division 1 http://www.uscho.com/stat...division-i-men/2014-2015/.

And as a 15 year old kid he was putting strength training videos on youtube and they are impressive for a 15 year old kid. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zowQ2LxX7k

And anyone who wants to trade Pouliot is crazy, look who he's ranked with http://www.hockeysfuture....-spring-ranking/#/slide/4
- Dcoms

I have a major hard on for Leo out of Edmonton. God he has something I want. Perhaps even in a sexual sense. Who knows. I don't know exactly how to describe this feeling.

I'm fairly attached to a big 3 of Letang, Maatta, and Pouliot. Not sure yet if Cole is the 4th guy. But I would absolutely trade Dumoulin to get a goal scoring wing. He's stuck behind Maatta and Pouliot as LD and we still have Harrington for that spot.

Who are the 5?
- Feds91Stammer

There's a dude who's team is the oilers named chet manly that has the same avatar pic as you. The 5 are Larkin, the 2 Sams, Ehlers from Winnipeg and Nurse from Edmonton(I disagree that Nurse is better, Pouly will have much better offensive stats. Vasilevsky is on the list but I disagree that he's much better than Matt Murray and we also have Jarry. So yeah those guys, defense is worth more than forwards so it would have to be 1 of them plus, Pouliot is afterall the reigning CHL defenseman of the year and the second coming of Paul Coffey.

You seem to have a better idea of the Russian players then most of us do. Do you think Tikhonov and Plotnikov are top 6 answers or 3rd liners? They seem like tweeners to me and I don't want two tweeners playing with Malkin though one is fine.
- Tojo.

http://insidepittsburghsp...ot-corey-hart-more/73803/

No problem. Glad I could help. I just hope I'm right about them

I agree with you. Right now, the best case scenario is that we add a straight up sniper to round out the top 6, but Perron, Tikhonov, Plotnikov honestly have enough of a perimeter game that its not super imperative. Although I don't know how often Plotnikov is going to be in a situation to flash his wrister, since we probably want him doing most of his work in front of the net. If Kapanen pans out, he'll be the guy in a year or two with the flame shot, making our top 6 dynamic as (frank).

On a side note, IF Tikhonov is signed, I see no reason at all to bring back Comeau. He was amazing for us at 800 or so k, and he's a good bottom six depth player, but there's absolutely no reason to pay him 2-2.5 mil with the Russian additions. I'm seeing our forward grouping as so:

Perron-Crosby-Hornqvist
Tikhonov-Malkin-Plotnikov
Dupuis-Soderberg-Bennett
Winnik-Sundqvist-Wilson/Rust

Keep the money saved from Comeau to entice Soderberg into signing with us, fit whoever we may get in a Sutter trade under the cap, and maybe sign Franson.
- Victoro311

Winnik and Comeau will cost about the same. I like Comeau more myself, arguably the most physical forward on that roster. But I'd be happy with Winnik as well.

If they manage to pull in Soderberg and Fransen I'd be elated.

There's a dude who's team is the oilers named chet manly that has the same avatar pic as you. The 5 are Larkin, the 2 Sams, Ehlers from Winnipeg and Nurse from Edmonton(I disagree that Nurse is better, Pouly will have much better offensive stats. Vasilevsky is on the list but I disagree that he's much better than Matt Murray and we also have Jarry. So yeah those guys, defense is worth more than forwards so it would have to be 1 of them plus, Pouliot is afterall the reigning CHL defenseman of the year and the second coming of Paul Coffey.
- Dcoms

You love that koolaid eh?

I'm fairly attached to a big 3 of Letang, Maatta, and Pouliot. Not sure yet if Cole is the 4th guy. But I would absolutely trade Dumoulin to get a goal scoring wing. He's stuck behind Maatta and Pouliot as LD and we still have Harrington for that spot.
- Tojo.

With how banged up our blue line gets, I see no reason not to have three good and skilled pairings in order to spread out minutes and wear and tear. While they're cheap they should all be retained. We can deal with who to keep and who not to keep at a later junction. Furthermore, this is what our defense looks like without Dumoulin next season:

Maatta-Letang
Pouliot-Lovejoy
Scuderi-Cole

First of all, Scuderi. Just yuk. Second of all, you just can't ice a Scuderi-Lovejoy pairing. You just can't. Because of this, you have to break up the potentially productive pair of Pouliot and Cole and anchor both promising players down with unskilled pylons. Cole gets the rawer deal since he gets the worse pylon and sees a decrease in the minutes he needs to develop.

Winnik and Comeau will cost about the same. I like Comeau more myself, arguably the most physical forward on that roster. But I'd be happy with Winnik as well.

If they manage to pull in Soderberg and Fransen I'd be elated.
- Tojo.

Personally I think Winnik's gonna be a deal cheaper. Also, the reason I want Winnik is because he can play a mean 4C. There's a chance that Sundqvist may not make the roster, and if he does, he still may be better suited for LW than C. If that's the case, then we need a 4C. Winnik is contingency.

http://insidepittsburghsports.com/story/daily-five-rutherford-russian-quota-met-bennett-trade-talk-3-on-3-ot-corey-hart-more/73803/
- joescullz

Thanks, saw that one earlier too. I take what he says with a grain of salt, but I always read the free part anyway. Think my feeling is one could emerge as a third wheel guy like Dupuis was, but neither is that true top 6.

http://insidepittsburghsports.com/story/daily-five-rutherford-russian-quota-met-bennett-trade-talk-3-on-3-ot-corey-hart-more/73803/
- joescullz

This guy was a total buzz kill on both of them. I feel like most people have said on blog today that Plotnikov should translate better than most Russians because of his physical play on the smaller ice surface.

With how banged up our blue line gets, I see no reason not to have three good and skilled pairings in order to spread out minutes and wear and tear. While they're cheap they should all be retained. We can deal with who to keep and who not to keep at a later junction. Furthermore, this is what our defense looks like without Dumoulin next season:

Maatta-Letang
Pouliot-Lovejoy
Scuderi-Cole

First of all, Scuderi. Just yuk. Second of all, you just can't ice a Scuderi-Lovejoy pairing. You just can't. Because of this, you have to break up the potentially productive pair of Pouliot and Cole and anchor both promising players down with unskilled pylons. Cole gets the rawer deal since he gets the worse pylon and sees a decrease in the minutes he needs to develop.
- Victoro311

I agree completely. This board undervalues Dumoulin so much and most of them have only seen him play in Pittsburgh where he was a nervous rookie constantly living with the threat of being sent back down. Give him a one way contract and commit to him and you will see what a great player he actually is. I have a feeling Rutherford is going to do just that, even if it's just a year or 2 show me contract like Despres got last year.

With how banged up our blue line gets, I see no reason not to have three good and skilled pairings in order to spread out minutes and wear and tear. While they're cheap they should all be retained. We can deal with who to keep and who not to keep at a later junction. Furthermore, this is what our defense looks like without Dumoulin next season:

Maatta-Letang
Pouliot-Lovejoy
Scuderi-Cole

First of all, Scuderi. Just yuk. Second of all, you just can't ice a Scuderi-Lovejoy pairing. You just can't. Because of this, you have to break up the potentially productive pair of Pouliot and Cole and anchor both promising players down with unskilled pylons. Cole gets the rawer deal since he gets the worse pylon and sees a decrease in the minutes he needs to develop.
- Victoro311

I am playing Harrington ahead of Scuderi. Of course I might play McNeil ahead of Scuderi.

I'm not shoving Dumoulin out the door, but he's on the table for the right forward. I'm not sure why everyone thinks Harrington isn't ready when most reports say he is.

Thanks, saw that one earlier too. I take what he says with a grain of salt, but I always read the free part anyway. Think my feeling is one could emerge as a third wheel guy like Dupuis was, but neither is that true top 6.
- Tojo.

Hopefully we get the second russian. Then we can focus on a legit top 6 via trade or fa.

I love your posts, you always give an idea of what you see in a player when you're talking about them.

Two things really excite me about the idea of signing Tikanov and creating a Russian line are;
first the two incoming will have a lot to prove. They'll want to prove to themselves that they could have always played in the NHL and not just in some second rate league. Malkin also ties into this as he is proudly Russian, and dominating in the NHL with two of his fellow country men will/should be a point of honour for him (them).
Secondly related to the first is the story line of all of that. Is anyone seriously not interested in what a pure Russian line can do? We haven't seen one in what decades? Also this mixture of players forms a complete and complimentary line. Superstar, big rugged winger, and quick two way player.

Anyone here think Malkin has something to do with the orchestration of this?
- stackthepads

We shouldn't jump the gun on Tik. Heck, Plotsky isnt even a guarantee yet. But Tik especially is just simply a rumor that we have interest.

That said it is noteworthy that last offseason was the year of the Germans and this could be the year of the Russians.

http://insidepittsburghsports.com/story/daily-five-rutherford-russian-quota-met-bennett-trade-talk-3-on-3-ot-corey-hart-more/73803/
- joescullz

I think that assessment is a bit pessimistic. Its irrisponsible to not prepare for the possibility that Plotnikov won't work out in the top 6, but he Tikhonov don't really fit the profile of the KHL guys that come to NA overhyped and fissile out. Panarin does.

I am playing Harrington ahead of Scuderi. Of course I might play McNeil ahead of Scuderi.

I'm not shoving Dumoulin out the door, but he's on the table for the right forward. I'm not sure why everyone thinks Harrington isn't ready when most reports say he is.
- Tojo.

What reports are you reading? Harrington's not NHL ready unless he somehow went through two years worth of development this season after being sent back down. Flinging him in as a fixture in the top 6 next season may stunt his development. We need Dumoulin.

Guess you guys solved that top 6 already.
- Feds91Stammer

These guys are high. That deal would be amazing. I might say keep your 3rd and we'll give you a 3rd. But I really hope no penguins fan thinks our top 6 is solved. And to get Nyqvist, a proven younf goal scorer, without giving up Pouliot or Maatta.....I really cant believe anyone would argue this.

I think that assessment is a bit pessimistic. Its irrisponsible to not prepare for the possibility that Plotnikov won't work out in the top 6, but he Tikhonov don't really fit the profile of the KHL guys that come to NA overhyped and fissile out. Panarin does.
- Victoro311

If buffalo offers us their 21st pick for Sutter straight up and that was the best offer JR could get, would you take it or just keep him at that point?

I agree completely. This board undervalues Dumoulin so much and most of them have only seen him play in Pittsburgh where he was a nervous rookie constantly living with the threat of being sent back down. Give him a one way contract and commit to him and you will see what a great player he actually is. I have a feeling Rutherford is going to do just that, even if it's just a year or 2 show me contract like Despres got last year.
- Dcoms

Couldn't agree more. I'm confused by the amount of trade proposals that include Dumoulin that aren't for bonafide stud wingers. Trading Dumoulin severely weakens our defensive make up, so if we send him out it better be (frank)ing worth it. A player like T.J. Oshie is where I start to think about Dumoulin. Definitely not for anyone with question marks like Skinner, Boedker, and so on.

Nyquist and 19th overall for Pouliot
- Feds91Stammer

Again, yes.

Personally I think Winnik's gonna be a deal cheaper. Also, the reason I want Winnik is because he can play a mean 4C. There's a chance that Sundqvist may not make the roster, and if he does, he still may be better suited for LW than C. If that's the case, then we need a 4C. Winnik is contingency.
- Victoro311

Fair enough, especially about the 4C.

I am concerned though that most of our most physical forwards might be gone. You look at our top 10 hit leaders last year 3 are traded (Despres, Bortuzzo, Sill), 4 are UFAs (Comeau, Adams, Downie, Lapierre) and 2 are frequent salary dumps Kunitz, Spaling). Not sure that's being adequately replaced.

These guys are high. That deal would be amazing. I might say keep your 3rd and we'll give you a 3rd. But I really hope no penguins fan thinks our top 6 is solved. And to get Nyqvist, a proven younf goal scorer, without giving up Pouliot or Maatta.....I really cant believe anyone would argue this.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

Definitely not get Nyqvist without Maata or Pouliot. People on here think stuff absurd like BB and Dumo will get it done....would love be a fly on the wall when Holland gets that call.

If buffalo offers us their 21st pick for Sutter straight up and that was the best offer JR could get, would you take it or just keep him at that point?
- joescullz

If that was the best possible thing? No chance of getting a winger? I would still do it without thinking about it. Sutter is easily replaceable. You can pay a bit more than 3.3 and get Fehr or Soderberg to upgrade, or you can pay less than 3.3 and basically make a lateral move. We're not gonna resign Sutter to whatever ludicrous extension he wants, so turn him into assets and move on.