The loss of Maatta would hurt, but not as bad as everybody is saying. The Penguins top 4 would remain unchanged. Letang-Dumo and Schultz-Cole is a solid top 4, and there are guys in UFA that are available who can be bottom pairing guys who can fill in in the top 4 in limited capacity. Having Duchene as your 3C would pretty much give the Pens 3 #1 lines.
- cap1681

Good points.

Horny isnt going anywhere. No way. People around here like to talk about him being traded often but he's staying put. He's super important not only on but off the ice. I'd bet a large sum of money on him being extended with the Pens too, whether its the right call by management, or not.
- MattStrat

Yep. He's going nowhere, and rightfully so.

His contract really isn't that bad. Chicago gave up a hammer whose on a great contract for that murphy kid whose paid the same as Maatta and has accomplished 10% of what maatta has done (without dealing with extenuating circumstances). And anaheim paid depres similar money. Its a really common contract handed out to high potential young dmen who have handle 2nd pairing duties without getting crushed.
- sditulli

yeah 4ish mill for someone who can handle top 4 mins isnt going to break a team.

Yep. He's going nowhere, and rightfully so.
- hardnosed

If anybody goes, it's probably Hagelin. The Pens were successful without him in the playoffs, and have guys in their system who can replace him for much cheaper. I love Hags, but if we're moving a high priced forward, he's the one to go.

Left side Defensemen are the easiest to replace of the 2?
- j.boyd919

My point is year after year we deal with non-NHL caliber defensemen playing for extended periods of time because we're only ever 6 NHL d-men deep. I'm willing to overpay to make it so we're 8 NHL d-men deep. And no, I'm not good with old Chad back there as our 7th guy.

I think I'd throw a 7 or 8 year contract at Schultz if it meant keeping his cap hit around 4 to 4.5...it would bring him up to 33/34 years old...which isnt too too old. He doesnt play an overly physical game and I think he'd still be effective towards the end of it.

They could pay him like 6 mill the first couple of years then it decline until the last year.

yeah 4ish mill for someone who can handle top 4 mins isnt going to break a team.
- MattStrat

Brendan Smith, plays left side, probably cheaper than 4m, as 3rd pair defenseman.. would be solid.

The idea of Duchene and Kessel going against a team's bottom pairing is insane. Also, if the Pens added Duchene, i would want to see a more even spread of icetime for the top 3 lines. Cutting a minute or so out of Crosby's per game total only benefits the Pens down the stretch.

My point is year after year we deal with non-NHL caliber defensemen playing for extended periods of time because we're only ever 6 NHL d-men deep. I'm willing to overpay to make it so we're 8 NHL d-men deep. And no, I'm not good with old Chad back there as our 7th guy.
- Victoro311

Im totally fine with him being the 6th/7th. He fits in with the Pens. There were times last year I thought he'd be a mainstay 6th. With his cap hit you cant go wrong.

Brendan Smith, plays left side, probably cheaper than 4m, as 3rd pair defenseman.. would be solid.
- j.boyd919

Totally agree. Still think Rags resign him though.

If anybody goes, it's probably Hagelin. The Pens were successful without him in the playoffs, and have guys in their system who can replace him for much cheaper. I love Hags, but if we're moving a high priced forward, he's the one to go.
- cap1681

From our point of view it really doesn't matter. We may rather move Hagelin, but a team will probably be more interested in Hornqvist. We have plenty of cap, so we don't need to move anyone just for cap relief. We'll only need the cap relief if the guys we bring in to fill our two biggest holes: 2D and 3C will cost a lot against the cap. The 2D probably will and should. The 3C I think we can find a bargain guy with a minor trade like we did with Bonino.

My point is year after year we deal with non-NHL caliber defensemen playing for extended periods of time because we're only ever 6 NHL d-men deep. I'm willing to overpay to make it so we're 8 NHL d-men deep. And no, I'm not good with old Chad back there as our 7th guy.
- Victoro311

Dumo-Letang
Cole-Schultz
Smith-Franson
Del Zotto

Im totally fine with him being the 6th/7th. He fits in with the Pens. There were times last year I thought he'd be a mainstay 6th. With his cap hit you cant go wrong.
- MattStrat

A lot of people thought the same about Warsofsky in 2016. These flavor of the year AHL defensemen normally fizzle out as they lose their hunger.

Totally agree. Still think Rags resign him though.
- MattStrat

Maybe? I dunno. I haven't seen any rumblings about it.

Dumo-Letang
Cole-Schultz
Smith-Franson
Del Zotto
- j.boyd919

Dumoulin-Letang
Maatta-Schultz
Smith-Cole
Del Zotto
Franson

Even better, and that fits with the cap.

Dumoulin-Letang
Maatta-Schultz
Smith-Cole
Del Zotto
Franson

Even better, and that fits with the cap.
- Victoro311

Carrying 8 D and scratching 2 all season? lol

Dumoulin-Letang
Maatta-Schultz
Smith-Cole
Del Zotto
Franson

Even better, and that fits with the cap.
- Victoro311

While I don't think it's bad by any means. It just makes me curious to where 3C comes from if Thornton isn't targeted.

A lot of people thought the same about Warsofsky in 2016. These flavor of the year AHL defensemen normally fizzle out as they lose their hunger.
- Victoro311

Mmmaybe...I dont know...but if youre going to carry 8 d-men some of them have to be below or around a mill cap hit. The guys you have a listed a few posts above this one will all be well above a mill each I imagine.

The loss of Maatta would hurt, but not as bad as everybody is saying. The Penguins top 4 would remain unchanged. Letang-Dumo and Schultz-Cole is a solid top 4, and there are guys in UFA that are available who can be bottom pairing guys who can fill in in the top 4 in limited capacity. Having Duchene as your 3C would pretty much give the Pens 3 #1 lines.
- cap1681

Bottom pairing guys? Like Streit or Hainsey?

Yeah, but they won't be giving up only Maatta for Duchene. If they could get MD for Maatta and maybe Aston-Reese who scouting projects to be a bottom 6 forward and depth player, and even a late pick thrown in, then that works for me, but Sprong's potential is too high to give up for a 3rd line center for two years no matter who it is really, even if Sprong is not ready until next year. I mean; three no. 1 lines sounds great (especially on paper), but at what cost?

Honestly, I think they will probably want more than Maatta and even Sprong for Duchene seeing as how things are going for them more recently in that organization and there's no reason the Pens can't find an adequate two-way center in trade or other that won't cost them as much as MD will in prospects or cap space, even if it means paying a little more for Bonino than he's really worth.

Carrying 8 D and scratching 2 all season? lol
- j.boyd919

Our organizational depth at D being what it is, I actually think its the move for us to do. Our WBS guys are really really bad. We have no one there.

Bottom pairing guys? Like Streit or Hainsey?

Yeah, but they won't be giving up only Maatta for Duchene. If they could get MD for Maatta and maybe Aston-Reese who scouting projects to be a bottom 6 forward and depth player, and even a late pick thrown in, then that works for me, but Sprong's potential is too high to give up for a 3rd line center for two years no matter who it is really, even if Sprong is not ready until next year. I mean; three no. 1 lines sounds great (especially on paper), but at what cost?

Honestly, I think they will probably want more than Maatta and even Sprong for Duchene seeing as how things are going for them more recently in that organization and there's no reason the Pens can't find an adequate two-way center in trade or other that won't cost them as much as MD will in prospects or cap space, even if it means paying a little more for Bonino than he's really worth.
- NJPensfan

Pens trade Sprong and Maatta and a first for Dutchy... they win another cup in 1 of the next 2 years.. then Duchene walks... was it worth it?

Our organizational depth at D being what it is, I actually think its the move for us to do. Our WBS guys are really really bad. We have no one there.
- Victoro311

I agree it's what... Warsofsky, Pouliot, Bengsston, and Corrado?

I am curious to see what Bengsston and Corrado can offer in a full season in WBS.

The idea of Duchene and Kessel going against a team's bottom pairing is insane. Also, if the Pens added Duchene, i would want to see a more even spread of icetime for the top 3 lines. Cutting a minute or so out of Crosby's per game total only benefits the Pens down the stretch.
- cap1681

I guess that's the potential real upside I can take from adding an expensive 3rd line center and making the 3rd line more of a scoring line than a checking line. If that 3rd line can get closer to 17 minutes a game, the top 2 lines can be better rested during the season and that would be huge plus going into the playoffs. Essentially it would make 4th line minutes even harder to come by but that would be more dependent on the opponent and in game situations.

I agree it's what... Warsofsky, Pouliot, Bengsston, and Corrado?

I am curious to see what Bengsston and Corrado can offer in a full season in WBS.
- j.boyd919

Bengsston still interests me but I haven't heard anything at all from him. Probably due to lyme disease, but I feel like if he was truly good, we would of heard something.

Corrado has been around the league for a while and has done nothing. I don't have any faith in him.

Pens trade Sprong and Maatta and a first for Dutchy... they win another cup in 1 of the next 2 years.. then Duchene walks... was it worth it?
- j.boyd919

That would require the logic that adding him was the reason they won. If they add him, and he's on LTIR and they win the cup that season anyway (see Letang) was the trade worth it? Nope.