Complacency. I fart in your general direction, you coward.
- Victoro311

And I'll bottle it in a mason jar and save it for a rainy day.

I'm not complacent, I just don't really know what to make of this situation given that GMJR screwed the pooch during the draft. That Reaves trade was bad. Honestly, I would have rather signed Shane Doan to something cheap and takin Kostin. At leat Doan put up 27 pts last year.

if they don't 3peat they need to trade malkin, sid, kessel, and letang. preferably guentz too.
- martox

I like where your head is it.

The concern with Sheary is if he gets a really high $ amount then we either need to take it, or walk away and get nothing. A high $ amount kills our ability to trade for a good 3C

If the number is semi OK, and he plays just average, then it becomes the baseline for his qualifying offer next year, also kinda sucks

We should sell high on Sheary asap, he's trouble going forward. He's the epitome of a guy who although he puts up points, does almost everything else poorly
- PensWin87

lol what? What does he do poorly? last I checked, you win by scoring more points than the other team.

lol I just don't even see a trade to be made here.. what does Carolina need? (not from the Pens, but just in general)
- j.boyd919

A true 1st line Center.

A true 1st line Center.
- rocheccw

Better hit up Chiarelli for McDavid. Probably get him for Slavin and Hanafin.

And I'll bottle it in a mason jar and save it for a rainy day.

I'm not complacent, I just don't really know what to make of this situation given that GMJR screwed the pooch during the draft. That Reaves trade was bad. Honestly, I would have rather signed Shane Doan to something cheap and takin Kostin. At leat Doan put up 27 pts last year.
- j.boyd919

I'm with you this offseason has been so confusing. I get a big sense of resting on his laurels. He kind of did it last offseason too but not changing the team up at all worked out for us. But now we have legitimate roster turnover and he seems like he's not taking it seriously. How is signing Matt Hunwick, trading for Reeves, and only taragetting Matt Cullen as a FA C addressing any of our problems?

meh...not too worried about it. Its the first week of July..training camp is over two months away. Bonino was there all season and wasnt very good at all...they almost won the presidents trophy and that was with missing on average like 6 (estimate off top of head..maybe a little exaggerated..maybe not...) regular roster players every game.

Also worth mentioning is that the Pens didnt get scored on in final two games of finals......without Bonino...so his "defensive prowess" wasnt required on the biggest stage in the biggest games of the season.

I think Reeves will end up being liked by a lot of people hating on him. The guy can really skate...so at the very least he'll keep up...but he'll also punish people from time to time, whether it be a big hit or fight, and that was something the Pens didnt really have. Sure, they could insert Sestito into the lineup, but he couldn't skate and because of that he hardly ever hit.

Pens will be fine.
- MattStrat

I've been a big don't pay Bonino hardo but the contract he got was way more reasonable than I thought he would. I'm not sad to see him go for it, because that was on the high end of my acceptable range for him, but in my eyes letting Bonino go if he was willing to accept that deal and going into the season without a 3C is pretty unacceptable.

I hope you're right about Reeves. I don't totally hate him as a player and I'm fine with him being here, I just hate the trade that got him here just like Lovejoy, but history looks pretty favorably on that trade now, so who knows. I just think we unloaded assets on Reeves (who doesn't address a major need) that we could have used in a more important trade.

Even the guy who started all this speculation said he pnly saw Staal getting moved if Duchene went there. Staal just isn't available.

I'm with you this offseason has been so confusing. I get a big sense of resting on his laurels. He kind of did it last offseason too but not changing the team up at all worked out for us. But now we have legitimate roster turnover and he seems like he's not taking it seriously. How is signing Matt Hunwick, trading for Reeves, and only taragetting Matt Cullen as a FA C addressing any of our problems?
- Victoro311

The only problems were back up goalie, 3C and defensive depth, really.

Hunwick is going to be great for the 3rd pair and PK. Book it.

Neimi, a cup winning starter, at 700k is a good signing. He wont have the dumpster fire that is the Stars team D in front of him this year. Watch is numbers improve.

Reeves and can skate, lay hits, fore check and cycle deep effectively.. Other than the odd goal here and there, what else do you want from a 4th line winger?

So that leaves us with 3C...the Pens 3C wasnt very good at all this past season. They were quite successful despite that. Plenty of time to find a replacement.

I'm with you this offseason has been so confusing. I get a big sense of resting on his laurels. He kind of did it last offseason too but not changing the team up at all worked out for us. But now we have legitimate roster turnover and he seems like he's not taking it seriously. How is signing Matt Hunwick, trading for Reeves, and only taragetting Matt Cullen as a FA C addressing any of our problems?
- Victoro311

Honestly, I didn't like that he stayed complacent last off season too. Looking back on it, I'm still pretty shocked the Pens won the Cup. Happy? (frank) yeah. Shocked? Absolutely.

With the roster turnover, I just don't see how this is improving the team. Hunwick? Whatever, he's a fine 3rd pairing guy, he isn't great and I think there were better options. Same with Reaves... could have signed Shane Doan and gotten more production, the same "grit", and drafted Kostin. And the 3C thing.. like.. I honestly don't even know what he's looking for in a 3C after making that "gotta get tougher" poop at the end of the season. They just won back to back cups without having a single tough guy on the roster (except for Sestito's odd appearances in the regular season). It just baffles me to the point where I don't really know what to expect.

I disagree with the last bit about him not being good, but I have pretty much the exact same concern here. I didn't want him traded at all until I found out about this arbitration and now I want to trade him a lot.
- Victoro311

the ramblings of a Hockey Retarded Poster.. jesus

The only problems were back up goalie, 3C and defensive depth, really.

Hunwick is going to be great for the 3rd pair and PK. Book it.

Neimi, a cup winning starter, at 700k is a good signing. He wont have the dumpster fire that is the Stars team D in front of him this year. Watch is numbers improve.

Reeves and can skate, lay hits, fore check and cycle deep effectively.. Other than the odd goal here and there, what else do you want from a 4th line winger?

So that leaves us with 3C...the Pens 3C wasnt very good at all this past season. They were quite successful despite that. Plenty of time to find a replacement.
- MattStrat

It wasn't defensive depth that was the issue. It was specifically too 4 D and it remains a huge issue. Hunwick doesn't do that. Yet for some reason reports say the FO views him as one? He's the new Daley. Gonna get played above his pay grade and it's going to turn him into a worse player than he actually is.

3C and top 4 D are gaping holes. They need to be addressed. They're not getting so.

I disagree with the last bit about him not being good, but I have pretty much the exact same concern here. I didn't want him traded at all until I found out about this arbitration and now I want to trade him a lot.
- Victoro311

If Sheary wants to get paid like a top 6 wing that's his right. Long as he puts up 20g and 50pts that's probably worth 4M on the open market. If Pens don't want to pay that, they'll have no trouble moving hin right now.

Being that it's arbitration though, I don't think he gets that much. I had thought they could keep negotiating but it doesn't sound like it.

The only problems were back up goalie, 3C and defensive depth, really.

Hunwick is going to be great for the 3rd pair and PK. Book it.

Neimi, a cup winning starter, at 700k is a good signing. He wont have the dumpster fire that is the Stars team D in front of him this year. Watch is numbers improve.

Reeves and can skate, lay hits, fore check and cycle deep effectively.. Other than the odd goal here and there, what else do you want from a 4th line winger?

So that leaves us with 3C...the Pens 3C wasnt very good at all this past season. They were quite successful despite that. Plenty of time to find a replacement.
- MattStrat

I just don't see the need to trade for 4th liners. There are always UFAs that do the exact same thing (Shane Doan). And trading away assets and futures for a 4th liner is just bad business IMO. If Reaves had been signed as a UFA.. I wouldn't care. But the fact that they gave away a chance to draft this kid... for a 4th liner is frustrating.

ALSO dumoulin and Sheary applying for arbitration. I don't think Dumoulin will fare well but a Sheary arbitration gone south could hurt us. This is shaping up to be a disaster offseason. All that's left is an injury or two and a really bad Maatta trade.
- Victoro311

I say trade sheary. if he is gonna be an bumhole towards the org with his greedy ass then trade him. we don't need greedy players that destroys the team with their contracts cuz they think they are good even though it is the crosby effect. (frank) him.

As far as complacency, too early to say that. Last year we waited out the market and git Schultz and Cullen back at bargain prices with Schultz ending up being our top defenseman in the playoffs. We'll het a 3C, perhaps a really good one. I disagree on not getting a 4C, but I guess that's part of waiting on Cullen. Otherwise a lot of replacements will come from young guys taking bigger roles.

It wasn't defensive depth that was the issue. It was specifically too 4 D and it remains a huge issue. Hunwick doesn't do that. Yet for some reason reports say the FO views him as one? He's the new Daley. Gonna get played above his pay grade and it's going to turn him into a worse player than he actually is.

3C and top 4 D are gaping holes. They need to be addressed. They're not getting so.
- Victoro311

Letang-Dumolin
Cole-Schultz
Maatta-Hunwick

They dont need a top 4....everyone wants a top 4 becuase of Letang's health. I dont think Letang missed one game in the 2016 cup run. Its hard to bet that he'll be 100% healthy all year...but come playoff time he really could be. Who knows.

The Pens almost clinched Presidents Trophy dressing 15 different defencemen last season..

It wasn't defensive depth that was the issue. It was specifically too 4 D and it remains a huge issue. Hunwick doesn't do that. Yet for some reason reports say the FO views him as one? He's the new Daley. Gonna get played above his pay grade and it's going to turn him into a worse player than he actually is.

3C and top 4 D are gaping holes. They need to be addressed. They're not getting so.
- Victoro311

Do you not see Schultz as the a top 4? I feel like.. Letang, Dumo, Maatta, Schultz would be considered the Pens top 4.. Or Cole over Maatta.. who knows

I just don't see the need to trade for 4th liners. There are always UFAs that do the exact same thing (Shane Doan). And trading away assets and futures for a 4th liner is just bad business IMO. If Reaves had been signed as a UFA.. I wouldn't care. But the fact that they gave away a chance to draft this kid... for a 4th liner is frustrating.


- j.boyd919

Yeah , I can see what you mean on that.

I say trade sheary. if he is gonna be an bumhole towards the org with his greedy ass then trade him. we don't need greedy players that destroys the team with their contracts cuz they think they are good even though it is the crosby effect. (frank) him.
- martox

Like Tojo said it's his right to get paid. He's a good hockey player. I don't blame him. But it's Rutherford's job to make sure this doesn't hurt us long term and that might be through trade. My issue is that the DK articles made it sound like there's no attempt at a long term deal anymore and the two parties are gonna just let the arbitration ride out. That's not a good move. What if Sheary makes out in arbitration and his future deal gets inflated from it? At that point we have a great pipeline of wingers, it's in our interest to just replace him with a cheaper player, but his trade value will get shot by the arbitration deal. That's what I don't want

I say trade sheary. if he is gonna be an bumhole towards the org with his greedy ass then trade him. we don't need greedy players that destroys the team with their contracts cuz they think they are good even though it is the crosby effect. (frank) him.
- martox

How is a guy trying to paid an amount that a third party sees as fair greedy? That seems the opposite of greed. Why should he give the Pens any discount at all? I'd love if he did but will not fault him one bit for not doing it.

If you want loyalty buy a dog.

I say trade sheary. if he is gonna be an bumhole towards the org with his greedy ass then trade him. we don't need greedy players that destroys the team with their contracts cuz they think they are good even though it is the crosby effect. (frank) him.
- martox

Arbitation is a players right if they feel like they aren't being treated fairly. For all we know, GMJR is trying to low ball the (frank) out of him. Just because they filed for arbitration doesn't mean it reaches arbitration. Sometimes the players/GMs can agree to a deal. I don't think he's being greedy.

lol what? What does he do poorly? last I checked, you win by scoring more points than the other team.
- j.boyd919

I'm not a Sheary hater, nor do I want him traded. But not tripping on imaginary objects is something he does poorly. I've never seen an NHL player fall as much as him without anybody around him.

as I said before and I'll say it again. Botts was the one that made the good trades back when he was here. not JR. now that he is gone we are stuck with the real JR from his time with carolina.

Connors new contract is 12.5m avv 8 years