I got a feeling Perron is being shopped. He seems like the odd man out on the roster now.
Top six is set. Perron didn't even get a look with Malkin.
Third line sounds like it's going to be Dupuis Bonino Sprong.
Perron on the 4th line doesn't make much sense when his 3M could be better spent on a top 4 dman.
- stackthepads

True. whether it's now or two months from now, this is the move that makes the most sense.

kunitz would make some sense too, but i'd rather them give up perron for a #4 type dman who makes #4 type dman money (in the last year of his contract) than give up kunitz for a #5 type dman who makes #3 type dman money (with two years of contract left).

both trades are fair, by definition. but this is a situation where they need to pay more to get more since they need to actually improve the D.

I never understood why Sutter was the Center and Malkin was the wing when they played together

Why did they not just put Sutter on the wing when we lacked Winger depth?
- TheGame316

that always seemed like the better fit. the things that i dont think he did well were the things that centers do.

I feel like just letting him be a grip-it-and-rip-it winger would have been his best niche. maybe that'll be a good spot for him in Van.

I got a feeling Perron is being shopped. He seems like the odd man out on the roster now.
Top six is set. Perron didn't even get a look with Malkin.
Third line sounds like it's going to be Dupuis Bonino Sprong.
Perron on the 4th line doesn't make much sense when his 3M could be better spent on a top 4 dman.
- stackthepads

The issue with shopping Perron... we paid the asking price for him last year, didn't negotiate him down from EDM. And at first, seemed like we got a fair deal with his production...

Now, he is playing bad... and having him on our 4th line is NOT going to increase his value whatsoever. I personally didn't think he looked terrible with the time up in the top 6 this preseason, but multiple players looked better. I won't deny that he shouldn't make our top 6 over others on this team... but if we want his value up, gotta get him SOME time up there and on the PP.

Man, I am going to really miss that Adams-Goc/Lapierre-Sill 4th line.
- chimpira

Not one of them are on an NHL roster this season.

The issue with shopping Perron... we paid the asking price for him last year, didn't negotiate him down from EDM. And at first, seemed like we got a fair deal with his production...

Now, he is playing bad... and having him on our 4th line is NOT going to increase his value whatsoever. I personally didn't think he looked terrible with the time up in the top 6 this preseason, but multiple players looked better. I won't deny that he shouldn't make our top 6 over others on this team... but if we want his value up, gotta get him SOME time up there and on the PP.
- Guile

Would have been good in hindsight to flip him for a 2nd in the offseason, Keep Sprong in the Top 9 and signed Franson to the money we saved by ditching Perron

Kunitz Crosby Kessel
Plot Malkin Horn
Dupuis Bonino Sprong
Bennett Cullen Fehr (Fill In)

Letang Maatta
Franson Cole
Clendening Dumo/Lovejoy/Pouliot

Would have been good in hindsight to flip him for a 2nd in the offseason, Keep Sprong in the Top 9 and signed Franson to the money we saved by ditching Perron

Kunitz Crosby Kessel
Plot Malkin Horn
Dupuis Bonino Sprong
Bennett Cullen Fehr (Fill In)

Letang Maatta
Franson Cole
Clendening Dumo/Lovejoy/Pouliot
- TheGame316

It would have been, however a lot of us were inclined to believe he'd bounce back better than Kunitz. He at least doesn't look like hes playing hurt, but he didn't put up the points we needed to see to have faith in him.

People who think 25-30 games of development mayter to sprong don't understand the current bridge contract environment. Unless sprong is 100% ready to significantly contribute this year then you don't want to force yourself to pay a 20 year old in 2 years a 7 year 42 contract. That's about what saad and Hamilton are receiving.

People who think 25-30 games of development mayter to sprong don't understand the current bridge contract environment. Unless sprong is 100% ready to significantly contribute this year then you don't want to force yourself to pay a 20 year old in 2 years a 7 year 42 contract. That's about what saad and Hamilton are receiving.
- sditulli

yep. even if he is ready for prime time right now, the pens are for totally deep enough to delay his ELC a year.

i said this earlier, but if we were talking about a bottom 6 like last year's, i'm screaming for him to stay up with the big club. But this is one of the deepest forward crops in the league. they don't need that ELC now. They'll need it in 2018 once Maatta and Pouliot are making the big bucs.

i love that he's earned at least the tryout. and i'll be happy to watch him this year if he does stay up the whole year. i just think it'd be a mistake.

yep. even if he is ready for prime time right now, the pens are for totally deep enough to delay his ELC a year.

i said this earlier, but if we were talking about a bottom 6 like last year's, i'm screaming for him to stay up with the big club. But this is one of the deepest forward crops in the league. they don't need that ELC now. They'll need it in 2018 once Maatta and Pouliot are making the big bucs.

i love that he's earned at least the tryout. and i'll be happy to watch him this year if he does stay up the whole year. i just think it'd be a mistake.
- poopmouth

It's one year of cap savings. Not that big of a deal. And if he plays well enough as a teenager to deserve a Saad kind of contract, then you've gotten a boatload of production out of him in the those two seasons. Other thing is, you get a nice return on a 20 year old kid whose value is that high.

That said, debating this right now is like buying a car without taking a test drive. If they keep Sprong for 9 games, that's more information than you would get out of 30 preseason games.

Risk-free trial offer. Cancel at any time. 10 LPs, cassettes or 8 tracks for a penny.

That said, debating this right now is like buying a car without taking a test drive. If they keep Sprong for 9 games, that's more information than you would get out of 30 preseason games.

Risk-free trial offer. Cancel at any time. 10 LPs, cassettes or 8 tracks for a penny.
- hardnosed

Dude... you're so old

The cap savings in two years is equal to Franson plus. Ya adding a top 4 dman is meaningless instead of adding a bottom 6 this year on a team that has roughly equal bottom 6 available

Sprong situation is being over-thought (IMO). One of the main gripes against the Pens, over the past few seasons, has been the lack of ELC (F/W) contributions. So, now Sprong is in position to fill that gap, and some folks would rather delay the start of his pro career because of potential cap issues (2-3 yrs from now). The role of the GM is to assemble the best possible team, given the constraints of the salary cap. After 9 games, if Sprong shows that he can play + contribute at the NHL level, then make room for him. He gives roster flexibility w/ Kunitz, Dupuis, Bennett, Perron (potentially exiting in the near future). If he’s good enough to play pro-level hockey starting this year, imagine what a year of experience should do for him. Anyways, after this season, 2 of the aforementioned players, along w/ Scuds, will no longer be active roster members. I’m not worried about Sprong’s cap hit.

We’ll see what happens; 10/28/2015 is the 9 game-mark. Hell, its possible, by that time, Sprong could have more G’s and Pts than #19. Wouldn’t that make decisions more interesting…

Sprong situation is being over-thought (IMO). One of the main gripes against the Pens, over the past few seasons, has been the lack of ELC (F/W) contributions. So, now Sprong is in position to fill that gap, and some folks would rather delay the start of his pro career because of potential cap issues (2-3 yrs from now). The role of the GM is to assemble the best possible team, given the constraints of the salary cap. After 9 games, if Sprong shows that he can play + contribute at the NHL level, then make room for him. He gives roster flexibility w/ Kunitz, Dupuis, Bennett, Perron (potentially exiting in the near future). If he’s good enough to play pro-level hockey starting this year, imagine what a year of experience should do for him. Anyways, after this season, 2 of the aforementioned players, along w/ Scuds, will no longer be active roster members. I’m not worried about Sprong’s cap hit.

We’ll see what happens; 10/28/2015 is the 9 game-mark. Hell, its possible, by that time, Sprong could have more G’s and Pts than #19. Wouldn’t that make decisions more interesting…
- out_of_market

F The cap, Sprong should stay.

Yeah and if you put him on a line with Cullen and Sprong he immediately drags them down. Pens will never have a quality 4th line if they put non-NHL caliber players on it.
- jfkst1

So how did the all skill approach go yesterday when the elbows & knees came out? How did the plan go that we would 'make them pay' with our PP? That was only preseason yesterday imagine when it comes to big games, I hope our PP fairs a lot better other wise we will be every teams female dog!

Sometimes having a lesser player that will help in another way should be used. We don't have the good hard players others do, they immediately have the advantage!

The issue with shopping Perron... we paid the asking price for him last year, didn't negotiate him down from EDM. And at first, seemed like we got a fair deal with his production...

Now, he is playing bad... and having him on our 4th line is NOT going to increase his value whatsoever. I personally didn't think he looked terrible with the time up in the top 6 this preseason, but multiple players looked better. I won't deny that he shouldn't make our top 6 over others on this team... but if we want his value up, gotta get him SOME time up there and on the PP.
- Guile

So we have high end wingers now that was going to push down the depth so all 4 lines fire - right? So that's what has happened & now we want to ship out the depth? I don't understand, who will replace our insane depth? Cullen? Bonino? Farnham? Lappy? Sill? Let's play these players & if we have a 2nd line player plating 3rd or 4th line isn't that a good thing? You want to pay cheap - you get cheap!

I just don't get all you people wanting to ship out the depth that you have been whinging about the lack of for eternity!

The cap savings in two years is equal to Franson plus. Ya adding a top 4 dman is meaningless instead of adding a bottom 6 this year on a team that has roughly equal bottom 6 available
- sditulli

Before the trades started everyone here was saying what a bad year of talent it is - including Franson. Now all of a sudden because he was the best of a bad bunch EVERY(frank)inONE wanted him??? Next off season there is talent, patience to see our kids develop & see what we need - Franson is not what we need & being the best? of a BAD bunch is not good management signing long term!!

Before the trades started everyone here was saying what a bad year of talent it is - including Franson. Now all of a sudden because he was the best of a bad bunch EVERY(frank)inONE wanted him??? Next off season there is talent, patience to see our kids develop & see what we need - Franson is not what we need & being the best? of a BAD bunch is not good management signing long term!!
- Aussiepenguin

Franson was the hockey equivalent of a closing time butterface.

one of the most inept defenses in the league, Edmonton releases Nikitin and now some wonder if we should claim him?

Franson was the hockey equivalent of a closing time butterface.
- hardnosed

I had to look a that up!

A few years ago (read that as 25), a mate of mine had a girl we all called LR following him around. We would all go out & do our best & from time to time he would end up with LR at nights end. It was only due to him not having any luck in getting a better girl (LR wasn't a bad sort but no great sort!), & he would reluctantly take her home knowing she would be following him around down the beach next day, not that he cared too much because he told her all the time to go away.

LR was short for Last Resort.

So how did the all skill approach go yesterday when the elbows & knees came out? How did the plan go that we would 'make them pay' with our PP? That was only preseason yesterday imagine when it comes to big games, I hope our PP fairs a lot better other wise we will be every teams female dog!

Sometimes having a lesser player that will help in another way should be used. We don't have the good hard players others do, they immediately have the advantage!
- Aussiepenguin

Yeah exactly. Preseason is nice to get a look at some players. It isn't a defining moment in the season. Quite the opposite. So overreacting to something that happens in preseason is going to prove to be pretty flawed more often than not. Enforcers don't work as deterrents in the first place. And Farnham isn't an enforcer in the traditional sense even if they did.

Yeah exactly. Preseason is nice to get a look at some players. It isn't a defining moment in the season. Quite the opposite. So overreacting to something that happens in preseason is going to prove to be pretty flawed more often than not.
- jfkst1

Icing teams half full of prospects I understand your point. The last game of the pre season had a full NHL roster playing both sides. It's as close to a full NHL competition game as you will get, in saying that the result should count as should what occurred throughout the game. Fortunately for us the result didn't matter, but what transpired in game would have shown what needs to be improved on.

So game action should be taken seriously in that game. The business wasn't completed & opened up some insight in what will occur down the track.

Admittedly Ward stood on his head, but still it shows the theory of making teams 'pay' with PP goals is what is flawed 100% in this case!

Icing teams half full of prospects I understand your point. The last game of the pre season had a full NHL roster playing both sides. It's as close to a full NHL competition game as you will get, in saying that the result should count as should what occurred throughout the game. Fortunately for us the result didn't matter, but what transpired in game would have shown what needs to be improved on.

So game action should be taken seriously in that game. The business wasn't completed & opened up some insight in what will occur down the track.

Admittedly Ward stood on his head, but still it shows the theory of making teams 'pay' with PP goals is what is flawed 100% in this case!
- Aussiepenguin

One game preseason game with a lineup somewhat resembling a real NHL team is worthless to make conclusions off of. And enforcers aren't deterrents so your entire argument is pointless to begin with.

And Farnham isn't an enforcer in the traditional sense even if they did.
- jfkst1

Farnham is more lightning rod than anything. He attracts attention, and it tended to work out in the Penguins' favor last year.

One game preseason game with a lineup somewhat resembling a real NHL team is worthless to make conclusions off of. And enforcers aren't deterrents so your entire argument is pointless to begin with.
- jfkst1

I'm not talking about 'deterrents' or 'enforcers'. Is Brent Seabrook either of those? Backes? Dustin Brown? Hedman? Getzlaf? Etc etc. Players that can play physical & will push the parcel every now & again into the boards. Saw a hit on Seabrook recently by a Ducks player that wiped him out - he was KOed standing up. He was hit because he hit Perry 10 seconds before it. That's what I'm talking about. Now is Farnham that man? I don't know. But when a young gun gets a knee on knee & no one from the team puts a hit on the other team that speaks volumes about how to beat a team. Skill takes you so far & I will guarantee you in a game against the Hawks for example, if it's close then watch the Hawks take the game up a notch physically to intimidate & put off our team.

Hockey is a very physical game as you know, skill will only get you so far but at 1 point or another, physicality will play it's role in who wins.