Not to mention a lot of these lists are based on high end prospects. Sid, Geno, Hornqvist, and Kessel are top six for their remaining contract. There is a good chance that Perron remains here as well. That is 5 top of the top six for the next half decade. You can draft and develop the next generation by the time these guys are toast.

We have neglected the prospect pool for a while, but the hope is that right now they have collected what they wanted up front and the prospect pool can begin to get rebuilt. You also never know who or what can be traded for picks and prospects. If Lehner can fetch a 20's 1st round pick, Fleury could fetch a decent prospect.
- usethe1-2-2

Don't think Pittsburgh neglected their prospect pool so much as not being in the position to draft high, every year, due to always being at the top of the division and conference standings.

When they had the chance to draft high, lately, they drafted Pouliot who looks like he can be really good. Maata played almost immediately and he is still only 21 years old. Pittsburgh also dealt a few of their better prospects, especially Kapanen, for a huge upgrade in Kessel, who is only 27 years old still.

Point being, Pittsburgh is in a better spot with what they have over teams that are high on potential such as Edmonton, Toronto, Buffalo and Winnipeg. Is there a guarantee any of those teams will be as good as Pittsburgh is now?

LOL Caputi, Tangradi, Pessesonen, Kap, Harrington, Dumo etc....the list goes on of prospects the Pens have had that haven't or failed to turn into anything yet they were built up by posters here and the media as the next big thing. When in reality no body has seen anything of how they will handle NHL action. Ill give 25 games or so until I get excited over a guy. Dumo, Harrington, DP haven't left that mark yet IMO. I saw 1 game where DP looked really good. Its just bad drafting on the Pens part. But having a ton of prospects doesn't guarantee success either. Wings have a good mix of great vets and good guys in the pool but injuries have hurt them. They still go after older guys in FA as well. In 2 years, if the Pens still suck in the playoffs just trade 71.

Really? You don't think they have a better level of talent up and down the lineup, now? I think it's obvious they do. I'd say that's different. Very different.

NOW, if the new group is successful or not remains to be seen but I think the process in which they do things will change because of this. It's a ripple effect. I also am very confident they can do better than last year and look at what they did with what they had then.
- HopintheCordoba

I wasn't talking about quality of lineup, I was talking about mortgaging the future for the benefit of the present. That philosophy is still firmly in place.

I wasn't talking about quality of lineup, I was talking about mortgaging the future for the benefit of the present. That philosophy is still firmly in place.
- hardnosed

That's fine. I'm not necessarig saying it's not. There just shouldn't be quite as much of an issue with it if the team is upgraded for equal to or lesser cost.

I wasn't talking about quality of lineup, I was talking about mortgaging the future for the benefit of the present. That philosophy is still firmly in place.
- hardnosed

Yes and no. There is a major difference between Ray Shero's years of picks and prospects for rentals compared to Rutherford's latter moves trading for youngish players with term.

LOL Caputi, Tangradi, Pessesonen, Kap, Harrington, Dumo etc....the list goes on of prospects the Pens have had that haven't or failed to turn into anything yet they were built up by posters here and the media as the next big thing. When in reality no body has seen anything of how they will handle NHL action. Ill give 25 games or so until I get excited over a guy. Dumo, Harrington, DP haven't left that mark yet IMO. I saw 1 game where DP looked really good. Its just bad drafting on the Pens part. But having a ton of prospects doesn't guarantee success either. Wings have a good mix of great vets and good guys in the pool but injuries have hurt them. They still go after older guys in FA as well. In 2 years, if the Pens still suck in the playoffs just trade 71.
- sammy87

How are you gonna leave off Angelo Esposito?

Who cares go win a cup.

Yes and no. There is a major difference between Ray Shero's years of picks and prospects for rentals compared to Rutherford's latter moves trading for youngish players with term.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I agree. Shero pretty exclusively went for playoff rentals. Aside from Winnik, at least Rutherford is targeting players with more than one year left.

How are you gonna leave off Angelo Esposito?
- jmatchett383

Angelo (frank)ing Esposito... Pacioretti should be a Penguin.

Yes and no. There is a major difference between Ray Shero's years of picks and prospects for rentals compared to Rutherford's latter moves trading for youngish players with term.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

wut.

Being at or near the top of the standings, and especially injuries have put the Pens in the position they are. I recently saw a bubble chart where the Pens stood very alone in man-games-lost-to-injury compared as well, so the ranking of our prospect pool makes perfect sense.

I don't disagree with what they've done, I disagree with the idea that what they're doing is somehow different.
- hardnosed

I think that's yet to be determined. The Kessel trade may very well have been the last manifestation of that philosophy. The ship looks righted finally. There may not be a need to mortgage the future anymore.

Angelo (frank)ing Esposito... Pacioretti should be a Penguin.
- Victoro311

The list goes on and on. Joe Morrow, Carl Sneep, Sidney Crosby, Johannes Salmonsson...

The list goes on and on. Joe Morrow, Carl Sneep, Sidney Crosby, Johannes Salmonsson...
- jmatchett383

I see you...

I think that's yet to be determined. The Kessel trade may very well have been the last manifestation of that philosophy. The ship looks righted finally. There may not be a need to mortgage the future anymore.
- Victoro311

Hopefully

I see you...


- HopintheCordoba

I no know what mean you.

How are you gonna leave off Angelo Esposito?
- jmatchett383

LOL yeah forgot out him....how was his HERO chart?

LOL yeah forgot out him....how was his HERO chart?
- sammy87

I believe it was an antihero chart.

Being at or near the top of the standings, and especially injuries have put the Pens in the position they are. I recently saw a bubble chart where the Pens stood very alone in man-games-lost-to-injury compared as well, so the ranking of our prospect pool makes perfect sense.
- skridscousin

Not only the man games lost, but also in the quality of players lost. No clue where to find those charts, but Pittsburgh was in a league all it's own. Where was NYR, CHI, LA etc? On the complete opposite ends on both.

wut.
- Blackstrom2

What "wut" ? Dont you see the difference between trading prospects and picks for a few months of Douglas Murray, Iginla, Morrow, Ponikarovsky, etc and trading for guys like Perron, Hornqvist, Kessel. In one scenario your mortgage your future for rental players for a couple of month of play without really having any intention on re-signing them and in the other scenario you mortgage your future for guys that are established but still young, have a few years left on their contract and are still producing decently.

Big difference.

What "wut" ? Dont you see the difference between trading prospects and picks for a few months of Douglas Murray, Iginla, Morrow, Ponikarovsky, etc and trading for guys like Perron, Hornqvist, Kessel. In one scenario your mortgage your future for rental players for a couple of month of play without really having any intention on re-signing them and in the other scenario you mortgage your future for guys that are established but still young, have a few years left on their contract and are still producing decently.

Big difference.
- lpstjg

I'm sorry, wut was that again?

I'm sorry, wut was that again?
- jmatchett383

What wut are you wutting about?

What "wut" ? Dont you see the difference between trading prospects and picks for a few months of Douglas Murray, Iginla, Morrow, Ponikarovsky, etc and trading for guys like Perron, Hornqvist, Kessel. In one scenario your mortgage your future for rental players for a couple of month of play without really having any intention on re-signing them and in the other scenario you mortgage your future for guys that are established but still young, have a few years left on their contract and are still producing decently.

Big difference.
- lpstjg

Bravo

Not only the man games lost, but also in the quality of players lost. No clue where to find those charts, but Pittsburgh was in a league all it's own. Where was NYR, CHI, LA etc? On the complete opposite ends on both.
- Pens_Burgh

It's depressing to look at. They absolutely have to reverse this if they are going to compete.
http://www.mangameslost.c...nce-the-2009-2010-season/

Pens biggest edge is the quality of contracts on their high end players. Its really just a story of getting healthy. Stamkos is likely $11 a year likes Toews and Kane. I'd take Malkin and crosby over any of them. Letang is potentially a $10/year guy if hes healthy on the UFA market. Kessel would be close to $10 maybe $11. If the cap goes up as expected we will have the space to add spare parts.

Even more cap space if Murray performs and we end up moving Fleury.