They all seem shook up...Hags was a big presence in locker room. Hags was a guy Sullivan wanted before they got him. I dunno. I don't like losing him. Have bad feeling about it. Hope said feeling is misguided.
- MattStrat

Hags will be missed for sure, but 4mil for a guy that can't put the puck in the net is pretty tough to take. Especially for a team that needs depth scoring. I highly doubt he would have come back next year anyway. There aren't many options at this point if you want to shake up this team.

Hags will be missed for sure, but 4mil for a guy that can't put the puck in the net is pretty tough to take.
- madmike71

Agree, and he already had that problem last season... we certainly don't want to know what Sprong would have put up playing hundreds of minutes with Geno+Phil!!, not to speak about a "real" top6 winger.

Agree, and he already had that problem last season... we certainly don't want to know what Sprong would have put up playing hundreds of minutes with Geno+Phil!!.
- VeryModernMan

Honestly, my biggest issue regarding Sprong are all the people who are going to give updates on him after he's moved like they still do with Pouliot.

It’s ok. We’ll trade him too soon.
- Victoro311

as I said 2 blogs ago "I have some good news for you then... wait 3 weeks..."

as I said 2 blogs ago "I have some good news for you then... wait 3 weeks..."
- martox

I honestly don't think Hornqvist is going anywhere, but I can see Maatta, Sprong and possibly Rust going bye bye.

I am quite curious what affect moving Hags will have on the locker room. Will it light a fire under their asses or make them less motivated?

as I said 2 blogs ago "I have some good news for you then... wait 3 weeks..."
- martox

Wait you knew this 3 weeks ago?!

I honestly don't think Hornqvist is going anywhere, but I can see Maatta, Sprong and possibly Rust going bye bye.

I am quite curious what affect moving Hags will have on the locker room. Will it light a fire under their asses or make them less motivated?
- Rinosaur

I would like to see Maatta go for the same kind of deal we did today. I would like to keep Rusty and I'm indifferent with Sprong.

Honestly, my biggest issue regarding Sprong are all the people who are going to give updates on him after he's moved like they still do with Pouliot.
- Rinosaur

What do you think about his Halloween approach?

Pouliot great work on the costume lol

I honestly don't think Hornqvist is going anywhere, but I can see Maatta, Sprong and possibly Rust going bye bye.

I am quite curious what affect moving Hags will have on the locker room. Will it light a fire under their asses or make them less motivated?
- Rinosaur

Trading Hornie would be an awful mistake. I can see the comments come playoff time... "Pens are such a perimeter team". I'm reasonably sure, he's not going anywhere. The fact that Hornqvist has been relegated to the bottom 6 has been part of our problem.

Sprong is definitely gone. I think Rust has been fairly good since Rutherfords first comments. Sheahan and Cullen have been morbid.

I'll be pissed if trading a supporting player sends them into the tank. That would be a disgrace.

Honestly, my biggest issue regarding Sprong are all the people who are going to give updates on him after he's moved like they still do with Pouliot.
- Rinosaur

I mean they should just put him with Sid and Jake or try him with Geno and Pearson. Or at the worst when Brass gets back put him there. Just at least try something different. Why's he stuck with Cullen and Sheahan and Simon goes right to the first line?

Trading Hornie would be an awful mistake. I can see the comments come playoff time... "Pens are such a perimeter team". I'm reasonably sure, he's not going anywhere. The fact that Hornqvist has been relegated to the bottom 6 has been part of our problem.

Sprong is definitely gone. I think Rust has been fairly good since Rutherfords first comments. Sheahan and Cullen have been morbid.

I'll be pissed if trading a supporting player sends them into the tank. That would be a disgrace.
- madmike71

I don't want Horny gone either. I'd like him to be with Sid and Jake by the end of season and playoffs.

I don't have a bad feeling about it at all. Pearson will be a different dynamic, but I think he will fit.

I'd make the following next moves:

TO LA: Hornqvist
TO PIT: Either Martinez or Muzzin

TO TOR: Maatta
TO PIT: Connor Brown
- Rinosaur

Kings don't have the cap space to trade one of those guys straight up for Hornqvist. They'd either have to retain the difference ($1.3M) or add additional pieces to the trade to make the salary work.

Kings don't have the cap space to trade one of those guys straight up for Hornqvist. They'd either have to retain the difference ($1.3M) or add additional pieces to the trade to make the salary work.
- tkecanuck341

Let's up the Ante since the Pens need to upgrade their bottom six.

TO LA: Hornqvist and Sprong or Riikola
TO PIT: Muzzin or Martinez and Clifford

Let's up the Ante since the Pens need to upgrade their bottom six.

TO LA: Hornqvist and Sprong or Riikola
TO PIT: Muzzin or Martinez and Clifford
- Rinosaur

I like the idea of the trade with the core pieces being Martinez/Muzzin for Hornqvist, but I don't know if the peripherals would work. The Kings would need someone to replace Muzzin/Martinez's minutes on defense, and since they're bringing in a RW, I think they'd need to move out a RW as well.

So maybe something like this:

TO LA: Hornqvist and Oleksiak
TO PIT: Muzzin/Martinez, Lewis, & Clifford (10% retained)

The salary would be a wash, both teams get the core pieces they want, and they swap peripheral players.

What do you think about his Halloween approach?
- VeryModernMan

That costume fits him perfectly. Uninspired with minimal effort. Girl looks cute though. She'll drop him when he finally flames out this year or next.

I don't want Horny gone either. I'd like him to be with Sid and Jake by the end of season and playoffs.
- 668710

Hornie is playing just like he always does, but he is useless unless they take shots while he's parked in front of the net. This team is so easy to play against because they're only interested in east/west passing and "one and done" rushes. It's boring to watch because the puck rarely ends up in the high danger areas.

I like the idea of the trade with the core pieces being Martinez/Muzzin for Hornqvist, but I don't know if the peripherals would work. The Kings would need someone to replace Muzzin/Martinez's minutes on defense, and since they're bringing in a RW, I think they'd need to move out a RW as well.

So maybe something like this:

TO LA: Hornqvist and Oleksiak
TO PIT: Muzzin/Martinez, Lewis, & Clifford (10% retained)

The salary would be a wash, both teams get the core pieces they want, and they swap peripheral players.
- tkecanuck341

Hmmm, interesting. Pens would still need to move someone else out simply due to roster spots, but they could possibly do that with Sprong in a separate trade.

I like the idea of Lewis and Clifford flanking Sheahan.

Hornie is playing just like he always does, but he is useless unless they take shots while he's parked in front of the net. This team is so easy to play against because they're only interested in east/west passing and "one and done" rushes. It's boring to watch because the puck rarely ends up in the high danger areas.
- madmike71

I doubt they would even despite his slow start, but I'd look at a Horn/Niederreiter swap.

This is from my 1 and only NHL source haha
Asked him what he thinks of the trade and what he thinks of Pearson....

“This is an absolute steal man. Pearson is like today’s type of power forward. Good speed, good defensively, good shot. Complete player, top 6 guy. Only knock on him is some people think he should be more aggressive and hit more. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on a 50-55 point pace with the pens if he plays on top 2 lines once he gets his feet wet there. From our side of things we heard teams were offering a 1st at last years trade deadline for Pearson so that’s shows you what other teams think as well. We are shocked he went for so little and never knew he was available for that cheap. How many games has he played, 16? The kings score like 2 goals a game so I wouldn’t be worried about these 16 games.”

Hmmm, interesting. Pens would still need to move someone else out simply due to roster spots, but they could possibly do that with Sprong in a separate trade.

I like the idea of Lewis and Clifford flanking Sheahan.
- Rinosaur

I'd do it. There might be a mid-round pick or something changing hands just to even it out, but the basis of the trade is sound.

Does Hagelin have any experience playing on the right side, or is he exclusively a LW?

I'd do it. There might be a mid-round pick or something changing hands just to even it out, but the basis of the trade is sound.

Does Hagelin have any experience playing on the right side, or is he exclusively a LW?
- tkecanuck341

I'm not sure if he's played RW at some point and it didn't work, but he's basically been exclusively LW.

This is from my 1 and only NHL source haha
Asked him what he thinks of the trade and what he thinks of Pearson....

“This is an absolute steal man. Pearson is like today’s type of power forward. Good speed, good defensively, good shot. Complete player, top 6 guy. Only knock on him is some people think he should be more aggressive and hit more. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on a 50-55 point pace with the pens if he plays on top 2 lines once he gets his feet wet there. From our side of things we heard teams were offering a 1st at last years trade deadline for Pearson so that’s shows you what other teams think as well. We are shocked he went for so little and never knew he was available for that cheap. How many games has he played, 16? The kings score like 2 goals a game so I wouldn’t be worried about these 16 games.”
- pens4life-66

As a Kings fan, I can confirm that Pearson is a quality player. He is deceptively fast, he regularly beat out defensemen to spring breakaways. He is also pretty money in front of the net. He played the crease guy on the 2nd PP unit, and many of his 24g in the 2016-17 season came on deflections. Put him next to Crosby or Malkin and there's no reason why he can't get back to 20g. His shot is ok, but it's not one of his strengths. He misses the net a lot

From a pure talent perspective, Penguins win this trade hands down. However, the Kings needed to clear out ~$2.5m in cap space before next season to make room for Doughty's extension. I think Blake was just happy he was able to get the salary off the books without having to give up picks or prospects.

I'm not sure if he's played RW at some point and it didn't work, but he's basically been exclusively LW.
- Rinosaur

The possibility of a Wagner-Kempe-Hagelin line is exciting. It would be one of the fastest in the league. However, all three of those guys are natural left wings, so I'm not sure if it's gonna work out.

The possibility of a Wagner-Kempe-Hagelin line is exciting. It would be one of the fastest in the league. However, all three of those guys are natural left wings, so I'm not sure if it's gonna work out.
- tkecanuck341

I almost wonder if putting Hags on his off-wing would put him a better position to score.