I think even on a down year like last year, Letang is still head and shoulders our best D man. That's not a knock on Maatta, who I think is top pairing caliber, I just think Letang is that good. I think even with his struggles last season, Letang was still a top 15 D man in the league. Maatta's not close to the top 15.
- Victoro311

Great posts today guys, also think there is much more champs in the Pens than we have seen last year. Crosby re-stepping up 5v5, Letang more recovered, better regular of Guentzel, Brassard and a better center-depth, a little more veteran and DADleadership, a NHL-4th-line, lighter schedule... and there might even be some surprises (Hayes?) noone talkes about. If injuries don't struck us that bad i'm pretty confident we will see a >100 point campaign!

Has RW abandoned the blog? Come back buddy.
- Barnaby36

Did you read it?

Last paragraph: "I will not have daily content in August. It will pick up when there is more going on or I have something original or unique to share. Enjoy the summer."

Did you read it?

Last paragraph: "I will not have daily content in August. It will pick up when there is more going on or I have something original or unique to share. Enjoy the summer."
- VeryModernMan

Lol sometimes I just skip some paragraphs. Oh Well.

I do believe we have a nice group right now inspite hearing from a few guys here that they don't think we'll be good. They'll jump on board once we start to roll.

Lol sometimes I just skip some paragraphs. Oh Well.

I do believe we have a nice group right now inspite hearing from a few guys here that they don't think we'll be good. They'll jump on board once we start to roll.
- Barnaby36

No one’s saying that we won’t be good. What some of us are saying is that we didn’t make any moves that make us better, which I don’t think is a controversial take. Given that our stars are starting to age and teams around us are either already really good (TB, Caps) or getting better with age/experience (Toronto, Bruins), that hurts some.

They'll jump on board once we start to roll.
- Barnaby36

Great posts today guys, also think there is much more champs in the Pens than we have seen last year. Crosby re-stepping up 5v5, Letang more recovered, better regular of Guentzel, Brassard and a better center-depth, a little more veteran and DADleadership, a NHL-4th-line, lighter schedule... and there might even be some surprises (Hayes?) noone talkes about. If injuries don't struck us that bad i'm pretty confident we will see a >100 point campaign!
- VeryModernMan

Wasn't Murrays stats the best against the Caps of the teams the Caps beat in the playoffs - better than Vasi & Flowers? That's a great sign if he can lock that form or better in!

No one’s saying that we won’t be good. What some of us are saying is that we didn’t make any moves that make us better, which I don’t think is a controversial take. Given that our stars are starting to age and teams around us are either already really good (TB, Caps) or getting better with age/experience (Toronto, Bruins), that hurts some.
- Victoro311

Some here actually think we'll be better than last season no doubt. Out Rowney, Kühnhackl, Sheary and Hunwick.
In Cullen, Grant, Sprong and J.Johnson.
Brassard and Letang healthy.

We'll be better just my take.

Some here actually think we'll be better than last season no doubt. Out Rowney, Kühnhackl, Sheary and Hunwick.
In Cullen, Grant, Sprong and J.Johnson.
Brassard and Letang healthy.

We'll be better just my take.
- Barnaby36

I of course want you to be right, but I don't see how any of that make sense.

Is Cullen/Grant better than Rowney/Kuhn?

You look at it as Cullen and Grant being better than Rowney/Kuhn, but I'm looking at it from the point that those guys were gone anyway and instead of addition by subtraction, the Pens replaced Sheary with Cullen and Grant.

Sheary >>> Cullen and Grant

JJ is probably a lateral move to Hunwick.

So did the Pens get better? I'd say their defense is likely about the same, but took a hit in quality forward depth.

Without Cullen and Grant...

Jake-Sid-Horn
Hags/Rust-Geno-Kessel
Hags/Rust-Brassard-Sprong
Sheary-Sheahan-ZAR/Simon

Sorry, but I like that way better than Cullen and/or Grant chasing those guys out of the lineup.

I'm a fan of Cullen, but I don't know what he's going to look like a year older. Grant is basically Rowney, but had a season last year that was probably an aberration.

EDIT: And before you chastise me for not "giving Grant a chance," the dude is 28 years old and prior to last year never put up more than 4 points in a season. I'd say the chances of him repeating last year is unlikely.

I of course want you to be right, but I don't see how any of that make sense.

Is Cullen/Grant better than Rowney/Kuhn?

You look at it as Cullen and Grant being better than Rowney/Kuhn, but I'm looking at it from the point that those guys were gone anyway and instead of addition by subtraction, the Pens replaced Sheary with Cullen and Grant.

Sheary >>> Cullen and Grant

JJ is probably a lateral move to Hunwick.

So did the Pens get better? I'd say their defense is likely about the same, but took a hit in quality forward depth.

Without Cullen and Grant...

Jake-Sid-Horn
Hags/Rust-Geno-Kessel
Hags/Rust-Brassard-Sprong
Sheary-Sheahan-ZAR/Simon

Sorry, but I like that way better than Cullen and/or Grant chasing those guys out of the lineup.

I'm a fan of Cullen, but I don't know what he's going to look like a year older. Grant is basically Rowney, but had a season last year that was probably an aberration.

EDIT: And before you chastise me for not "giving Grant a chance," the dude is 28 years old and prior to last year never put up more than 4 points in a season. I'd say the chances of him repeating last year is unlikely.
- Rinosaur

I would say that ZAR and Sprong are replacing Sheary.

I would say that ZAR and Sprong are replacing Sheary.
- hardnosed

I'm Ok with taking a gamble that Cullen and Grant will be better than Rowney and Kuhnhackl (it's not how I would have spent that money, but I'm ok with it). Plus they have Bleuger waiting in the wings too. I thought Rowney was easily our worst player last year and Kuhn was not far behind. They simply sucked.

I hate to keep beating a dead horse, but Connor Sheary has 2 goals in his last 34 playoff games. Obstruction and physicality pick up and he's simply not a player (as of now) that has the ability to play through that. I don't understand why this isn't taken into account when discussing his value. "Knocked off the puck, turnover prone and perimeter" describe his 2 most recent playoff seasons so why pay 3mil dollars for that?

I of course want you to be right, but I don't see how any of that make sense.

Is Cullen/Grant better than Rowney/Kuhn?
- Rinosaur[/]

F yeah. Cullen is a gamer and a great fit and Grant alone had 12 goals and likes to crash the net. effectively.

You look at it as Cullen and Grant being better than Rowney/Kuhn, but I'm looking at it from the point that those guys were gone anyway and instead of addition by subtraction, the Pens replaced Sheary with Cullen and Grant.

Nah. Think Sprong and Aston-Reese replacing Sheary and I'm more than fine with that

Sheary >>> Cullen and Grant

JJ is probably a lateral move to Hunwick.

Hunwick never fit in and was trash "for us". J.Johnson hasn't played yet and he brings a lot more physical play. Just wait and hope for the best

So did the Pens get better? I'd say their defense is likely about the same, but took a hit in quality forward depth.

Without Cullen and Grant...

Jake-Sid-Horn
Hags/Rust-Geno-Kessel
Hags/Rust-Brassard-Sprong
Sheary-Sheahan-ZAR/Simon

Sorry, but I like that way better than Cullen and/or Grant chasing those guys out of the lineup.

I'm a fan of Cullen, but I don't know what he's going to look like a year older. Grant is basically Rowney, but had a season last year that was probably an aberration.

EDIT: And before you chastise me for not "giving Grant a chance," the dude is 28 years old and prior to last year never put up more than 4 points in a season. I'd say the chances of him repeating last year is unlikely.