#Bozak

I was just telling a friend today that if Vesey becomes as good as Bozak that will be a success and about as good as anyone should dream of. A quality 2nd line player.

My friend lives in Calgary and mentioned Jonny Hockey. Not a chance in hell Vesey is on the same level as Jonny Hockey.

Las Vegas will be finishing 31st in their 1st season. That's almost guaranteed. Well...if Carey Price isn't healthy(he already is healthy today), but if he goes down, Montreal can finish last.

Why would Anaheim not cover Rackell?

I wish the generalfanager tool was like the old roster construction tool where once you completed the Expansion draft you could publish or share the roster. I think it would be really interesting to see the different mindsets on how the process played out.
- jaydogg1974

I agree, I should have screen shotted it or something because the process was time intensive.

So midnight is when Vesey becomes a UFA, right? Haven't heard us linked to him at all recently.

Also, Radim Vrbata just signed for $1M....if we don't get Vesey, might be prudent to get in contact with Hudler.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

It seems like Vesey is the furthest thing from the old mans mind. If he busts then Rutherford looks smart. Pirri and his potential 25-30 goals and 60 points are still out there for a one year contract at about 900 grand.

If Scott Hartnell is bought out he would be worth trying to sign to a fair deal. He would be a much better top six wing option than whats available to us now. I have spoken with guys who have been around Hartnell in training camp and pre season and they all say he is actually a great guy and really has no ego. He just plays to piss people off.
- Grinder47

You're a lunatic. Hartnell hates Pittsburgh as much as Pittsburgh hates him there's no possible bridge or spin.

I was just telling a friend today that if Vesey becomes as good as Bozak that will be a success and about as good as anyone should dream of. A quality 2nd line player.

My friend lives in Calgary and mentioned Jonny Hockey. Not a chance in hell Vesey is on the same level as Jonny Hockey.
- Njuice

Since you brought it up this Johnny hockey monicker has to die. It's so dumb. The only reason he even got it was he was a college star the same year a guys named Johnny Football(Manziel) was a football star. The fact that Johnny Football was such a monumental failure should have Johnny hockey pleading with people not to call him that anymore just to break the association.

You're a lunatic. Hartnell hates Pittsburgh as much as Pittsburgh hates him there's no possible bridge or spin.
- Dcoms

Hartnell would you like to play on Malkins wing? Yes, yes I would. That's how that conversation would go.

Since you brought it up this Johnny hockey monicker has to die. It's so dumb. The only reason he even got it was he was a college star the same year a guys named Johnny Football(Manziel) was a football star. The fact that Johnny Football was such a monumental failure should have Johnny hockey pleading with people not to call him that anymore just to break the association.
- Dcoms

Damn straight. Plus Johnny Football had that moniker since his days at T A&M.

The only similarity between 'em, is they're both midgets

Not saying that it would be common but in certain cases why not take a chance that you could sign an elite level player over drafting from the remaining scraps who provide little to no value. Obviously it's hard to give examples because there's no way of knowing who will or won't be resigned by the expansion draft but looking at a few players that are currently unsigned and comparing them to the players available in the exercise, why not take a chance on a hoping to be able to sign a players like Burns, Marleau, Thorton or Wngels over players like Nieto, Dillion or Schemlko who will likely provide an benefits to the team? St. Louis is a very similar situation with guys like Shattenkirk, Steen and Berguland being potential UFAs and not much available for selection in Paajarvi or Gunnarsson.

Basically it comes down to taking a player that stinks and provides next to nothing or taking a chance at landing real value with a good player if you're able to resign that player. One of the biggest roadblocks for LV in the early going to the lack of top end talent or difference makers and while there is some risk involved this could be a solid way to land that level of player.

At the end of the day drafting 10 UFAs would not be wise but taking a chance on 2-3 players that would potentially be difference makers is a risk worth taking, worst case scenario is that you end up with nothing instead of ending up with a bad player.
- jaydogg1974

Agreed, I look at 2 reasons to maybe draft an UFA

1. The reason you listed above

2. To screw a division foe over near the cap, that may not have left a good player to take out there. Taking an expiring contract from a team like the Kings, rather than even a career ahler may be worth it.

Damn straight. Plus Johnny Football had that moniker since his days at T A&M.

The only similarity between 'em, is they're both midgets
- DeflatedPucks

Vertically challenged people have feelings as well big guy!!!!

Hartnell would you like to play on Malkins wing? Yes, yes I would. That's how that conversation would go.
- Grinder47

OK. What about the fact Hartnell can't control himself and is an utter douche bag?

It seems like Vesey is the furthest thing from the old mans mind. If he busts then Rutherford looks smart. Pirri and his potential 25-30 goals and 60 points are still out there for a one year contract at about 900 grand.
- Dcoms

Well at least there's one accredited media nugget connecting us to him:

Jonathan Bombulie ‏@BombulieTrib 1h1 hour ago
I'm hearing the Penguins are one of the teams in the Jimmy Vesey derby. I don't think they're favorites, but they have a seat at the table.

It seems like Vesey is the furthest thing from the old mans mind. If he busts then Rutherford looks smart. Pirri and his potential 25-30 goals and 60 points are still out there for a one year contract at about 900 grand.
- Dcoms

Ok 60 points for Pirri is outrageous.

But I agree with your first sentence I don't blame The Old Man for staying away from the Vesey circus. I don't hold anything against Vesey for the rout he took but he's a major distraction at this point and I think that how heavily rumoured Chicago had been ok Vesey shows how desperate they are. Boatman might legitimately think that this windo closes with Panarin's ELC and if I'm another GM I'm smelling blood if that's the case.

Well at least there's one accredited media nugget connecting us to him:

Jonathan Bombulie ‏@BombulieTrib 1h1 hour ago
I'm hearing the Penguins are one of the teams in the Jimmy Vesey derby. I don't think they're favorites, but they have a seat at the table.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

That's all I ask. Make the pitch. We have wing slots available for the taking. They should be able to sell playing on the cup champs with two generational centers. If he chooses another destination, oh well.

That's all I ask. Make the pitch. We have wing slots available for the taking. They should be able to sell playing on the cup champs with two generational centers. If he chooses another destination, oh well.
- madmike71

it is not only about us getting a hopefully good lw for nothing. but also to prevent other cup teams like chicago from getting one. getting free players is not only for getting better but also make sure other cup contenders stay worse. a chicago with jimmy vesey at lw will give them a new window for getting cups. I hate how good the chicago management is and don't understand why not more gms try to make sure chicago does not get so much better so easily when they can.

OK. What about the fact Hartnell can't control himself and is an utter douche bag?
- powerhouse

What about the fact that Sheary and Rust are going to look really poopty playing on the 1st and 2nd line for an entire season? I don't really remember Hartnell ever loosing control, but it would be great to have Downie back as well. He knew how to loose control and it was great. Anyways Hartnell would put up a min of 25 on either line.

You have probably already seen it but here is the video reliving the run to the cup, it's good, narrated by Pascal Dupuis. https://youtu.be/TxPsNusdQsk

Hartnell would you like to play on Malkins wing? Yes, yes I would. That's how that conversation would go.
- Grinder47

And we would say ok we can offer you 800 grand and he would say screw you. Plus he's on of those red headed flyers. All the red headed flyer past, present and future need to die of ebola ASAP.

Ok 60 points for Pirri is outrageous.

But I agree with your first sentence I don't blame The Old Man for staying away from the Vesey circus. I don't hold anything against Vesey for the rout he took but he's a major distraction at this point and I think that how heavily rumoured Chicago had been ok Vesey shows how desperate they are. Boatman might legitimately think that this windo closes with Panarin's ELC and if I'm another GM I'm smelling blood if that's the case.
- Victoro311

Pirri had 25 goals 2 years ago. If he had someone to pass to maybe his assist total rises. He would have to be on PP2. Maybe 60 is a lot but I would hope he would have more assist than goals.

Pirri had 25 goals 2 years ago. If he had someone to pass to maybe his assist total rises. He would have to be on PP2. Maybe 60 is a lot but I would hope he would have more assist than goals.
- Dcoms

He doesn't though. Pirri has a very clear track record of being a bad playmaker and not having as many assists as goals.

Josh Yohe ‏@JoshYohe_PGH 13m13 minutes ago
I can confirm that the Penguins will meet today with Jimmy Vesey.

Josh Yohe ‏@JoshYohe_PGH 13m13 minutes ago
I can confirm that the Penguins will meet today with Jimmy Vesey.
- stowerkraut

I saw Dreger tweeted the same. Interesting. I think this whole thing is a bit crazy but all I've wanted is to make our pitch.

Sullivan is tuning up that Boston accent for today's meeting.

it is not only about us getting a hopefully good lw for nothing. but also to prevent other cup teams like chicago from getting one. getting free players is not only for getting better but also make sure other cup contenders stay worse. a chicago with jimmy vesey at lw will give them a new window for getting cups. I hate how good the chicago management is and don't understand why not more gms try to make sure chicago does not get so much better so easily when they can.
- martox

The problem is that your assuming that Vesey is guaranteed to be a difference maker and is going to make any team better which may or may not be true. At this point we really have no clue if he's going to be a 25g-60pt top 6 player or an average bottom 6 tweener. I have no problem with them making a pitch for Vesey but if that pitch involves anything more than an opportunity to earn a spot then they're making a mistake in my eyes. If another team is willing to guarantee him a roster spot and a role in the top 6 then God bless them, right now the Pens don't need to take that type of risk.

The problem is that your assuming that Vesey is guaranteed to be a difference maker and is going to make any team better which may or may not be true. At this point we really have no clue if he's going to be a 25g-60pt top 6 player or an average bottom 6 tweener. I have no problem with them making a pitch for Vesey but if that pitch involves anything more than an opportunity to earn a spot then they're making a mistake in my eyes. If another team is willing to guarantee him a roster spot and a role in the top 6 then God bless them, right now the Pens don't need to take that type of risk.
- jaydogg1974

Yeah I actually think Vesey is going to be good NHLer even though this media circus is outrageous and he's being completely overhyped, by no means gift him a spot. I think that's why Chicago is a favorite and we're fringe. Chicago legitimately has no one where as we have guys who are just not ideal.