Maybe its because Toews has won three cups for his team? Wild guess.
- imgross.org

If Toews and Crosby switched places Chicago would be better and Pittsburgh would be worse.

Cooke returning to the Pens

Cooke returning to the Pens
- VANTEL

Wouldn't be the worst thing in a 4th liner... vast improvement over our old 4th line types.

Most of the Vancouver fans I've read/spoken with don't like the trade, so not sure where you're getting this from.

As for me, I think it's a wash. I'm kind of amazed at how excited you guys are over this return. I guess you had classified anything above a bag of pucks for Sutter as win, because that's the only way I can make sense of this.

The three players in the trade are all young and are all now on their third teams. This should tell you all you need to know...
- billcanuck

I've talked to plenty of Nucks fans who think they got the deal of a lifetime. Bonino at absolute worst is Sutter 2.0, but makes half the money which is fine by me. He also has another year and won't need a big deal like Sutter, which he shouldn't even get a raise but will based on the goals.

Clendening is a puck moving D moving to a system that PMD's can thrive in. I don't expect him to be in the NHL next year, but maybe eventually he'll pan out. No worries if he doesn't, but I think he will.

The pick swap was just even more icing on the cake.

Jagr is on his 100th team so that really doesn't hold much weight to me. Bonino has put up some solid numbers over his career, but Sutter can't produce anything anywhere he slots in the lineup.

Most Pens fans would have been thrilled if we got Sutter for Bonino straight up. Not only do we (and most NHL fans) think Bonino is better, we also got the other 2 pieces and that move allowed us to grab Fehr.

Cooke returning to the Pens
- VANTEL

Panthers returning to Florida

Cooke returning to the Pens
- VANTEL

Less laughable than Brandon Sutter being signed for 5 years and $4.3m AAV. https://twitter.com/friedgehnic

Poor Tanner Glass
- Ledgermain

I tend to look at it as poor Pens fans. We had to watch that turd for a couple of years.

I would say poor Rags fans, but it makes me happy he's stealing money from them now.

Panthers returning to Florida
- stowerkraut

Lmao this made me laugh

When you're team has been employing the likes of Craig Adams, Max Lapierre, Zach Sill, Brandon Sutter, and a bunch of other dumpster fires... it's very easy to get excited, especially if you're a fan of analytics, it makes it even easier to get excited when you see what Bonino and Fehr bring to the table.
- j.boyd919

I hear you brother. It's the situation with a lot of teams with the salary cap (including, to a lesser degree, the Canucks), huge fall off from the elite players.

I think analytics is fine but it's interesting, when Bonino came to Vancouver, the bloggers who are big on numbers thought it was a terrible return because his numbers from his last season with the Ducks were unsustainable. Now, it's the reverse. Still, he seems like a great guy - I hope he does well for the Pens.

I've talked to plenty of Nucks fans who think they got the deal of a lifetime. Bonino at absolute worst is Sutter 2.0, but makes half the money which is fine by me. He also has another year and won't need a big deal like Sutter, which he shouldn't even get a raise but will based on the goals.

Clendening is a puck moving D moving to a system that PMD's can thrive in. I don't expect him to be in the NHL next year, but maybe eventually he'll pan out. No worries if he doesn't, but I think he will.

The pick swap was just even more icing on the cake.

Jagr is on his 100th team so that really doesn't hold much weight to me. Bonino has put up some solid numbers over his career, but Sutter can't produce anything anywhere he slots in the lineup.

Most Pens fans would have been thrilled if we got Sutter for Bonino straight up. Not only do we (and most NHL fans) think Bonino is better, we also got the other 2 pieces and that move allowed us to grab Fehr.
- Pens_Burgh

I don't know of a single Canucks fan that I've been in touch with who thinks "it's the deal of a lifetime".

Have you seen Bonino play?

Gotta include Fehr as part of the return in our minds, because we don't sign him without this trade. With Fehr being LTIR as well to start the season, we can technically not even count Bonino's cap hit this season.

And the improved draft pick, and a good D prospect... I think we would have still been happy with this trade as just Bonino for Sutter straight up.
- Guile

Totally get it.

I hear you brother. It's the situation with a lot of teams with the salary cap (including, to a lesser degree, the Canucks), huge fall off from the elite players.

I think analytics is fine but it's interesting, when Bonino came to Vancouver, the bloggers who are big on numbers thought it was a terrible return because his numbers from his last season with the Ducks were unsustainable. Now, it's the reverse. Still, he seems like a great guy - I hope he does well for the Pens.
- billcanuck

He dropped down with your club due to an increase in responsibilities and opponent strength, playing the tougher minutes yes? Here he is a 3rd or 4th line center, he should flurish with us having a great bottom 6 for once.

I don't know of a single Canucks fan that I've been in touch with who thinks "it's the deal of a lifetime".

Have you seen Bonino play?
- billcanuck

Deal of a lifetime is an exaggeration obviously.

Have you seen Sutter play?

You can't get much worse than him.

I don't know of a single Canucks fan that I've been in touch with who thinks "it's the deal of a lifetime".

Have you seen Bonino play?
- billcanuck

I've barely seen any of Bonino, but I have seen enough of Sutter to last a lifetime. No idea how anyone can think he is more than a $2m/yr depth center.

Maybe its because Toews has won three cups with his team? Wild guess.
- imgross.org

There you go, fixed that for you.

Ryan Wilson: Introducing the Tanner Glass to Sidney Crosby Scale of Player Evaluation
Introducing the Tanner Glass to Sidney Crosby Scale of Player Evaluation
- Ryan_Wilson

@Dupuis

Wonder why Rust doesn't go back to 21. No one has that number... Anyways, good to see Perron back in his usual digs. Love how the Kessel 81 just went without saying
- Victoro311

There's a reason why nobody wears 21 for the Penguins. Check the rafters @ Consol.

JR's dirty work
Date Transaction
June 27, 2015 Traded James Neal for Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling

November 5, 2014 Signed Marc-Andre Fleury to a 4 year, $23 million extension

January 2, 2015 Traded 2015 first round draft pick and Rob Klinkhammer for David Perron

March 2, 2015 Traded Robert Bortuzzo and 2016 7th round pick for Ian Cole

March 2, 2015 Traded Simon Despres for Ben Lovejoy

July 1, 2015 Traded Nick Spaling, Scott Harrington, Kasperi Kapanen and conditional 1st and 3rd round draft picks for Phil Kessel, Tyler Biggs, Tim Erixon and a conditional 2nd round pick

July 1, 2015 Signed Sergei Plotnikov to a one year, entry level contract

July 15, 2015 Signed Beau Bennet to one year contract and Dominik Simon to a 3 year entry level contract

July 29, 2015 Traded Brandon Sutter and a 2016 third round pick for Nick Bonino, Adam Clendening and a 2016 second round pick

July 29, 2015 Signed Eric Fehr to a 3 year contract

Deal of a lifetime is an exaggeration obviously.

Have you seen Sutter play?

You can't get much worse than him.
- Pens_Burgh

I have seen Sutter play because I live in Canada and in the Eastern time zone so it's easy to watch Pens games. I'm not defending the trade or one player against the other. Just wanting some perspective on why Pens fans are so excited over this "haul" (and got some good answers already).

If you want to know how I think the majority of Canucks fans feel about the trade, check this out:

http://canucksarmy.com/20...o-much-for-brandon-sutter

I think the one thing you might hear some Vancouver fans say is that they feel that Sutter is a marginally better player in key areas. I think this is why management made the trade. I understand it but don't think it's a good move. At the same time, it's not really going to effect either team overly much. I really do think it's a wash.

EDIT: okay, if the rumour that he's signing for five years at 4.4 million is true, then I'm beginning to not like this trade.

JR's dirty work
Date Transaction
June 27, 2015 Traded James Neal for Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling

November 5, 2014 Signed Marc-Andre Fleury to a 4 year, $23 million extension

January 2, 2015 Traded 2015 first round draft pick and Rob Klinkhammer for David Perron

March 2, 2015 Traded Robert Bortuzzo and 2016 7th round pick for Ian Cole

March 2, 2015 Traded Simon Despres for Ben Lovejoy

July 1, 2015 Traded Nick Spaling, Scott Harrington, Kasperi Kapanen and conditional 1st and 3rd round draft picks for Phil Kessel, Tyler Biggs, Tim Erixon and a conditional 2nd round pick

July 1, 2015 Signed Sergei Plotnikov to a one year, entry level contract

July 15, 2015 Signed Beau Bennet to one year contract and Dominik Simon to a 3 year entry level contract

July 29, 2015 Traded Brandon Sutter and a 2016 third round pick for Nick Bonino, Adam Clendening and a 2016 second round pick

July 29, 2015 Signed Eric Fehr to a 3 year contract
- YouMeAndDupuis9

The key was letting talent walk that wasn't going to be worth the resigning price.

I have seen Sutter play because I live in Canada and in the Eastern time zone so it's easy to watch Pens games. I'm not defending the trade or one player against the other. Just wanting some perspective on why Pens fans are so excited over this "haul" (and got some good answers already).

If you want to know how I think the majority of Canucks fans feel about the trade, check this out:

http://canucksarmy.com/20...o-much-for-brandon-sutter

I think the one thing you might hear some Vancouver fans say is that they feel that Sutter is a marginally better player in key areas. I think this is why management made the trade. I understand it but don't think it's a good move. At the same time, it's not really going to effect either team overly much. I really do think it's a wash.

EDIT: okay, if the rumour that he's signing for five years at 4.4 million is true, then I'm beginning to not like this trade.
- billcanuck

I'm not sure how you can evaluate players without considering their contracts. That's why everyone had a problem with Sutter.

There's a reason why nobody wears 21 for the Penguins. Check the rafters @ Consol.
- ab1

Doh. I'm an idiot. The only numbers I think of when I think retired are 66 and 99. Im too young and nieve

I have seen Sutter play because I live in Canada and in the Eastern time zone so it's easy to watch Pens games. I'm not defending the trade or one player against the other. Just wanting some perspective on why Pens fans are so excited over this "haul" (and got some good answers already).

If you want to know how I think the majority of Canucks fans feel about the trade, check this out:

http://canucksarmy.com/20...o-much-for-brandon-sutter

I think the one thing you might hear some Vancouver fans say is that they feel that Sutter is a marginally better player in key areas. I think this is why management made the trade. I understand it but don't think it's a good move. At the same time, it's not really going to effect either team overly much. I really do think it's a wash.

EDIT: okay, if the rumour that he's signing for five years at 4.4 million is true, then I'm beginning to not like this trade.
- billcanuck

whatever some people say, sutter was NOT a bad third liner. over payed on a top heavy cap team. decent enough third liner, despite those who would only present the stats that suggest otherwise. and yes, if the rumors are true, fire your gm... he had duty as a top 6 and didnt nail it. paying him like one, for term!, is trbl.

ps. I also would have done sutter for bonino straight up due to cap/term issues... so the pick upgrade, d prospect is a huge

Deal of a lifetime is an exaggeration obviously.

Have you seen Sutter play?

You can't get much worse than him.
- Pens_Burgh

definately cant get much worse than 21 goals, decent faceoff percentage, semi-clutch performer, and threat on the PK. Absolutely terrible nhler...

Agreed, and we've got a few dumpster fires ourselves no doubt. The problem I have with basing these kinds of evaluations is they can be manipulated, and they are all the time. For example, when a team is trying to pump up the value of under performing player they might move him into a situation where they weakness is hidden, stats start to look better. Half way through last year it was pretty evident Bonino wasn't strong enough to anchor the second line. They moved Vrbata, who was having one of his best year's to date stat wise (of course benefiting form playing with the Sedins) to Bonino's line. Bonino starts picking up points, end of year looks not too bad. The reality is, he didn't live up to expectations. He may in a different climate in Pitt, but not so sure the stats taken in isolation give you the full picture.